Axtell rifles

[Kevin Alexander]

What barrel manufacturer did they use and are they accurate?
Any link to thier history would be helpful.
Thanks.

[Iron Coyote]

Also,did they make any in .44 cal.?


Thnx Lots
Bob

[Ironramrod]

The internet talk says that Shiloh bought out Axtell rifles in 2010. Perhaps a phone call to Shiloh would get you the answer to your questions.

Regards

[Fogman01]

I have an Axtell Creedmoor with an early serial number. The seller had stated it had a Badger barrel but I had read that not all Axtells had a Badger barrel. So I wanted to know since that was a big selling point for me. I called Shiloh because Shiloh bought the Axtell stuff it takes to make 1877 parts and pieces in 2010. They do have some records from Axtell but not all of them. They are looking for my rifle's records. I called Carmen Axtell with a phone number I found by accident and asked her about the overall provenance the rifle. My rifle was engraved and the seller was wrong about who had done the engraving. Carmen is a very nice lady and was glad to talk with me about my Axtell Creedmoor. She told me that early barrels were made by their own barrel maker who made tapered barrels that were cut for .459 bullets in the .45 cals. She said their barrel maker was better than Badger but he died early on in their rifle making. Then Axtell went with Badger target grade barrels. She did not remember which serial numbers would have been before they started using Badger barrels. Mine starts with "0" so it was definitely an early one. I found an advertisement saying Axtell used Badger Target Barrels that won't load here but the link will confirm they used Badger barrels if it will open. Try copying it and pasting it into your browser if it won't load from here. They also used a bit of acra glass in the stock to keep it from breaking since the 1877s were thinner than the 1874s to save on weight. Also of note: if you have an Axtell and the serial number does not match anything else, don't worry about it. They did not go with matching numbers like the larger manufactures do. EX: #47 stamped on the barrel just means it was the 47th barrel made, not that it was supposed to fit on a rifle with a 47 serial number. It doesn't mean it was re-barreled. If you have more questions about Axtells, Carmen said she goes to the Quigley Match and answers questions the whole time about her Axtells.

http://milpas.cc/rifles/ZFiles/Sniper%20...Sharps.htm

[Fogman01]

I think the link will open, but it may not have pictures and you have to scroll down quite a ways to get the add part about Badger barrels.

[Iron Coyote]

Fogman
Thnx Lots
Bob

[Fogman01]

   

Fogman
Thnx Lots
Bob

Here are some links to Axtell and Riflesmith, the Axtell company name. Blue Book of gun values says they made them in the following calibers: "New Model 1877 Sharps reproductions were available for both long-range and sporting rifles listed below in the following black powder calibers: .40-50, .40-70, .40-90, .45-70 Govt., .45-90, and .45-100 cal." The Shiloh link from 2013 explains what their purchase of Axtell was about. The Axtells I have seen sold on various gun auction sites have brought more, and sometimes substantially more, than the BB of Gun Values shows. If they are engraved it would be a whole lot more.

http://mtstandard.com/news/local/more-fu...b44e3.html

http://www.shilohrifle.com/news/2013.php

Here is my Axtell - an engraved Creedmoor in .45-100 exactly like the Sharps 1877 given to the captains of the 1877 and 1878 Creedmoor teams     .

[Lumpy Grits]

Absolutely beautiful engraving in that picture.
Do you know who did it?
Gary

[Fogman01]

I am not sure - I sent the pictures to Aaron Pursley recently to see if he did it. Carmen had said he did a lot of engraving for them and Wm Gamradt had done some as well. Pictures were sent to Wm Gamradt but he said he did not do this particular rifle. I'll let you know when I receive a reply from Aaron Pursley. Mr Pursley is listed as a Master Engraver on the Firearms Engravers Guild of America website. I think it is a shame to let the provenance of these beautiful rifles fall by the wayside or let salesmen get it wrong because they don't care enough to make sure it is confirmed. American made Sharps of any manufacture of any age are going to be heirlooms and our kids may want to know about them just as we want to know about the originals. Look how much more value a factory letter gives an original.
I liked the engraving buffalo on one side, elk on the other - I shot a buffalo with a 50-90 Shiloh Hartford and I have shot elk in the past with smokeless rifles. Kinda meant something to me. Some may think the game animals are out of place on a strictly target rifle, but it reminds me of why I shoot targets - to make sure I'm good enough to humanely kill my dinner.