Axtell sight set

[marlinman93]

I was at a friend's house getting more ammo he found for my .50-140 Sharps rifle, when he said he had a bunch of stuff he wanted me to have. He gave me a box of misc. sights for single shot rifles, which are all cool, but the real killer was a cased Axtell rifle set for the Sharps rifle.
What was weird was it's missing the Sharps base, and a Remington base is in the case? I'll contact The Original Sight Co. next week as Tony bought the Axtell Sight Co. and he can make me the correct base to go with this sight set.

[HWooldridge]

What a treasure!

[marlinman93]

What a treasure!

Yes. I wish it was an original Ballard sight set, but I can't afford those at the going prices around $3500! This is as close as I will get.

[Green Frog]

Hey Vall, how about two bases, one for your Sharps and another for some raggedy old Ballard you've got laying around?

Your Phriend the 'Phibian

[marlinman93]

Hey Vall, how about two bases, one for your Sharps and another for some raggedy old Ballard you've got laying around?

Your Phriend the 'Phibian

That's my plan Charlie, IF Tony makes the pivot points the same regardless of what rifle sight it's copying.

[craigos]

I picked up a as new in box Axtell 1877 about 2 weeks ago. Has the #9 Axtel sight on the tang and the hardware at the back of the buttstock for the #9A. What is interesting is my #9 staff doesnt have the notch cut (but does have the detent in the base of the sight),. I had contacted Tony to cut the notch and whats interesting is both of yours have the notch cut. Am sending my sight to Tony so perhaps mine will arrive with yours sir so he has a reference where the notch should be cut.

[craigos]

It looks like the bubble level has been updated in yours sir, am looking for reference as i have the same front sight on the axtell as yours in the pic, but its a light brown liquid that is impossible to see. Looking to replace that.

[marlinman93]

It looks like the bubble level has been updated in yours sir, am looking for reference as i have the same front sight on the axtell as yours in the pic, but its a light brown liquid that is impossible to see. Looking to replace that.

There were actually two bubble levels in this cased set, but I took one out for the picture as it had no fitted spot for it. The other is a white internal spirit level, with clear liquid. The amber shows up better for my eyes, so I'll use it.

[marlinman93]

I spoke with Tony at TOSC today as he was driving home from Tulsa gun show. He said he is still assembling sights from parts he got from Carmen Axtell, and has not made any of the short Sporting bases that have the 1.125" spacing yet. That's the spacing I need as the inletting for this case is for the shorter base spacing. He's going to call me once he gets some made, so I can get one. But no time frame when this may happen.

[craigos]

I finally got around to removing the base off my axtell 1977 and there is a silver plunger and spring that comes up through a hole in the tang of the axtell. I spoke to Jim Kelley as the staff that came with the sights isnt notched and his sights are gorgeous. Issue is how on earthe plunger is removed, its spring loaded

[marlinman93]

Have you tried just pulling on it to see if it comes free? If not, then it might require removing the stocks to push it down through the tang to free it. Once removed you're going to have to make a plug for the hole, and blue it. Then put some Loctite on the plug and push it in the hole.

[craigos]

yeah doesnt comes out by pulling , rotates so i am thinking i have to pull the stock. Sigh was hoping to avoid.

[marlinman93]

yeah doesnt comes out by pulling , rotates so i am thinking i have to pull the stock. Sigh was hoping to avoid.

A really well fitted stock can be tricky to remove. The tighter the fit, the tougher it is to remove, and it can result in mating edges damaged. I had the stocks off my 1874 Sharps, and the fitment was extremely tight, and hadn't been off it in almost 55 years! I had to tap with a nylon tipped hammer on metal parts as I pulled to get it to release, and fortunately no issues.