The 1877 Sharps Rifle

By the year 1875, long range target shooting was very much in vogue in America. The Creedmoor Rifle Range was established on Long Island, New York, and the competition between the rifle companies to produce accurate long range target rifles was fierce. The Sharps Rifle Company's Model 1874 had already proven itself a winner in the 1875 match against the Irish team at its Dollymount Range. As competition grew, so did the demand for accuracy. Shooters from all over the country wrote the Sharps Rifle Company, suggesting their ideas for improvement. The most constant request was for a smoother, faster action and a heavier, more stable barrel. The Sharps Rifle Company listened to the requests and the result was the Model 1877. With its English lock, improved lock time, and its Rigby-style barrel to reduce "barrel whip", the Sharps Rifle Company, once again, had a proven winner.

Axtell Rifles are made with only a few minor changes to the original design. We have reduced the one-piece firing pin's diameter, which has just about eliminated the problem of a broken pin. We also use a more durable barrel-blueing solution and use a small amount of Acraglas Resin to strengthen the traditionally weak areas of the stock. Our riflesmith sights are made exactly as the originals.

Now, as then, the demand for an accurate, high quality, beautiful Creedmoor style long range or a mid-range silhouette target rifle is high. Every day, more and more people are enjoying the nostalgia and challenge of learning to shoot a black powder cartridge rifle well. As with any other sport, target shooting requires quality equipment and lots of practice and experience. Unlike shooting modern, high velocity rifles, you must learn to read the temperature and wind and adjust your sights to compensate for the constant changes. Quality rifle sights are also an important consideration.

It has been suggested to us that we should expand, hire more people, and gear up to manufacture hundreds of Axtell Rifles a year. Axtell Rifle Co./The Riflesmith is small. You may have noticed that we don't advertise a great deal and may even be hard to find.

A large percent of our business comes from word-of-mouth and repeat customers. Apparently, one Model 1877 Sharps is not enough for many people (see customer comments). It is very hard to find quality craftsmen and even harder to find a true "Riflemaker" whose goal is perfection not production. Axtell Rifles may be the most expensive of its type on the market but "Now as Then", there are still those who will not or can not settle for second best. If you have about a year's worth of patience and, yes, the money, we will make you a black powder rifle that you will be proud of in appearance and performance.

Thank you for your time and interest.

Carmen

Axtell Rifle Co.
The Riflesmith
(View Customer Comments)

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