Been a shotgunner 40 years and I admit to being a rookie when it comes to rifles, nah a rookie is at least in the big leagues, I'm a rank beginner but I always wanted to have a go.  Went to the Tulsa show this past weekend.  I took along a K80 and there was a fellow there who wanted it and though his trade was something I could sell immediately it was just a little light and he sweetened the deal with an Axel Peterson .22.  Just a beautiful gun.  Not a Schuetzen but more of a bench rifle on a highwall action.  Single set trigger.  I always wanted to try sillouette shooting.  Excellent looking bore and very heavy rifle (at least to me).  Two questions:

1.  I can only find limited info. on Peterson.  Who was he and what is his place in rifle history?

2.  I'm leery of shooting this gun because I have had conflicting advice re: cleaning and type of ammo to use.

I'd like to take in a few rifle matches just to hang out and learn.  Thanks

Axel Petersen was one of the last of the old time schuetzen gunsmiths.  Toward the end of his life/career, he was known to re-use some of his earlier made barrels, as from multi-barrel sets, to build rimfire rifles for such disciplines as 3 postion rifle matches, etc.  Regardless of its original intent, a high-wall with a good Petersen barrel is a treasure that you can enjoy shooting.  You can find a great deal of information about Petersen in a couple of the books Gerald Kelver published on schuetzen and related shooting matters.

As to cleaning...the consensus seems to be, "Don't overdo it."  Currently produced .22 rf is pretty clean and usually doesn't require a great deal of cleanup after each use.

As Brent said, ammo testing is just that...search and experiment with the various brands and types of ammo available and see what this rifle "likes" to digest.  It is a fun part of the overall experience.

HTH, Froggie

I think you have the right idea.

The company is still in business in florida after moving from Denver. They no longer make barells but do lots of gun work. Talk to the owner I am sure he would help and give you alot of history. As he is part of the history. Whitey

Urban legend has it that the shop in question is/was run by the two sons of the fellow who got it from Peterson, and at one time there was supposedly a book in process or almost complete about the Peterson shop and its connections to its previous owner and subsequent owner, their father Leighton Baker, who was also mentioned in Monte Kennedy's Checkering and Carving of Gunstocks. A.W.Peterson Gun Shop, Mount Dora, Florida. His sons were old men when I heard this story and may have retired or died by now though.
Regards, Joe

I visited the Peterson shop in Mt. Dora, Fla. in the late 1970's. Many of Axels tools and machines were on display and out in the open where you could lay hands on them. I was and still am thankful to the Baker's for that opportunity.
                                                 Rich

What boats said.

In well over 30 yrs of looking and testing many dozens of rifles in search of the perfect 22LR, I've encountered only two rifles that did not shoot their best or very very close to their best with Eley Tenex. As it happens, both of those rifles were original Winchester low walls and both did their best with CCI Green Tag, and furthermore they were the only two rifles out of many many dozens that would shoot the Green Tag at all well. And so now since a fellow made me an offer I couldn't refuse, I'm left with no original rifles and a couple bricks of Green Tag that won't shoot in anything else I have.

What boats said.
Good luck, Joe