Anyone know how to reach Art Alphin of ASquare? He used to make a lot of the original big bores used in Africa. Any help is appreciated.

I called him about a year ago. I left a message and he called me back within the week.

He has had some serious criminal legal issues and I don't know the outcome. I don't know if he's still listed or not. I found his number by Google.

Thanks, do you still have his number?

No but lucky he is not in an orange jump suit:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/8720...ntroduction-Document

Atr's rifles were ugly but they did function and are tough...I always like A-square as a company, and like the orginal thought process of there ammo paired with their tough thought out rifles.

A-square always had trouble delivering on there goods, and most of there customers went away disappointed...to bad Art produced some tough rifles and a great reloading manual.

As for contacting Art--I know his wife had a stoke, and he had some other health and family issues too...I think he is out of the business and will not resurface.

Ed

Someone posted here not long ago - not sure which forum - that the company was selling all its assets due to some court action.

Everything I've read in the gun rags that mentions Art Alphin has been nothing but complimentary about the man and his contributions to big bore enthusiasts.

Everything I've read online about the guy and his company in the real world screams: Stay Away!

Why anyone would want to do business with the guy with his public track record for the last 10 plus years is beyond me...


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Last time I communicated with Art, his wife had suffered a stroke and was basically on life support, and the company is long gone.

A bank in the South Dakota auctioned off all assets a few weeks ago. I sat in on the auction trying to pick up some bullets and or brass. A custom gun maker at the SCI show told me he knew the gentleman that bought most of the equipment as well as rights to the A-Square name. He evidently intends on manufacturing and marketing the A-Square line of bullets.

I seem to recall that ~15 years ago, Art was in operation making up rifles and getting ammo produced. The Feds moved in on him and seized everything; computers, bank accounts, and all records. Might have been the IRS and/or something to do with excise taxes involved in the manufacture of firearms. Left him high and dry, completely blinded and unable to function from a business perspective. There were a lot of pissed off people that were owed rifles.

I also seem to recall that he prevailed (at least partially) in court against the federal agency as was able to recover some of his business records so he could attempt to put the business pieces back together and make things right. It was probably too little, too late.

I had a very pleasant chat at one of the shows and bought his reloading book with sll the odd calibers as well as my first correctly marked Lott cases. AA seemed very knowledgeable to me, I guess he experienced an unfair amount of bad luck.

quote:

Originally posted by BigBBear:
Thanks, do you still have his number?

No I don't.

I bought a bunch of his brass for my double.

Mike

I see he's still on Instant Messenger quite a bit.

I had the "pleasure" of shooting one of his rifles in a .470 Capstick. It was pretty tough to handle but manageable. After I caught my breath I then shot a Winchester in a .470 Capstick. It was brutal, thought I broke my friggin jaw! Turns out, I was the guinea pig to the rest of my buddies to see what the kick would be like in a pair of .470's. I think I will stick with my little .375.

Art Alphin is a west point graduated officer with a great experience on big bores and African hunting he even participated in zimbawe cullings of buffalo and elephants .
He used lee-enfield actions for his rifles ,very strong ,but a bit rough ,he used specail designed stocks too .As i know he had troubles with the ATF .

quote:

Originally posted by juanpozzi:
Art Alphin is a west point graduated officer with a great experience on big bores and African hunting he even participated in zimbawe cullings of buffalo and elephants .
He used lee-enfield actions for his rifles ,very strong ,but a bit rough ,he used specail designed stocks too .As i know he had troubles with the ATF .

He did not use Lee Enfields he used pattern 14 enfield rifles for most of his builds...he also used Model 70's, remington 700s and Sakos, Art is a colorful fellow for sure...but has always run with trouble. Seems kind of funny how some always seem to find trouble.

Ed

The man had some good ideas of his own and improved ideas of others. I personally like his rifles but some did have their issues. I eventually got them worked out and look at it as like many other things I bought in life that some things need extra tweeking here and there. The poor brass issue was a very real problem in some calibers that cannot be denied.
I wish he was still in business and there so I could hear his ideas.

quote:

Originally posted by juanpozzi:
Art Alphin is a west point graduated officer .

That in itself is reason to stay away from him.

quote:

Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:

quote:

Originally posted by juanpozzi:
Art Alphin is a west point graduated officer .

That in itself is reason to stay away from him.

I know one West Point grad who mailed a $500 check to Brendan Morrocoo today (first quad amputee survivor) and who has given up his seat in 1st class to uniformed service members over 100 times.

They aren't all bad...

I think trying to brand everyone who belongs to certain race, religion, political entity or military service is very silly.

quote:

I think trying to brand everyone who belongs to certain race, religion, political entity or military service is very silly.

Ignorant is the term I'd use for it Saeed.

quote:

Originally posted by surestrike:

quote:

I think trying to brand everyone who belongs to certain race, religion, political entity or military service is very silly.

Ignorant is the term I'd use for it Saeed.

Since I am fairly certain Surestrike never spent 20 years in the US Military like I have, your the one screaming ignorance.

For the record

The final BATFE charge was that he had shipped a riflle to Zimbabwe without export documentation.

The rifle was a donation to the ZPHGA and was first prize in the draw at the hunters ball that year.

It was won by An American - Andre de Georges, the SCI Africa rep who took the rifle back to the states.

BATFE case kind of fell appart when that fact emerged but they had shut Art down for 7 years in legal proceeedings.

A Mr smith Bought a controlling share about 7-8 years ago when the BATFE finally backed off in an effort to get the company re-started. He and Art couldn't work together it seems.

I could never stand Art- we worked together on two big elephant culls and hated the time we spent in each others company. To be fair though, BATFE set out to screw him- trashed his life but failed to secure a conviction. Whatever my personal thoughts on him doesn't alter the fact that he was badly wronged by the US system.

quote:

Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:

quote:

Originally posted by surestrike:

quote:

I think trying to brand everyone who belongs to certain race, religion, political entity or military service is very silly.

Ignorant is the term I'd use for it Saeed.

Since I am fairly certain Surestrike never spent 20 years in the US Military like I have, your the one screaming ignorance.

Stunning that you would spend 20 years in the military surrounded by those you detested. If you really feel that you should have stayed away from USMA grads, why the hell did you stay in?

I suppose the entire Duke basketball team hates Coach Mike, but then again, maybe they are in it for the money.

Speaking of money, one of my good friends is an orthopedic surgeon (West Point Class of 81); he could have left the military a long ago for a lot more money than he is making now. But he still serves and recently spent a year in Afghanistan, patching up the soldiers for whom he has the utmost respect.

I seem to remember something about a lady that worked for him, that embezzeled several thousands of dollars from him, and when it was discovered, she went to the ATF and made all kinds of claims of violations, that were later determined to be bogus.

I cannot remember where I heard this, or who from, so do not take it as a fact statement. from me.

Gentlemen,

May be some of you should take into consideration the fact that some individuals, whether they have been in the military or not. Use that for their advantage.

We have had a number of people here who claimed to have been in the military, and gained a lot of friends and admirers.

THen we found out that they were of shady characters.

As I mentioned earlier, we really should not brand a group of people with somethine just because some individuals of that group are of unsavoury character.

Being a good person or a bad person has absolutely nothing to do with your gender, racfe, religion, colour, nationality etc.

It is just part of being one of the human race.

And we all know how they can be.

quote:

Originally posted by Big Wonderful Wyoming:

quote:

Originally posted by surestrike:

quote:

I think trying to brand everyone who belongs to certain race, religion, political entity or military service is very silly.

Ignorant is the term I'd use for it Saeed.

Since I am fairly certain Surestrike never spent 20 years in the US Military like I have, your the one screaming ignorance.

Sad, as you are proving yourself to be a bitter, little man.

Anyway, back on topic, I never knew of his bad (deserved or not) business rep. Everything I have ever read about him was postive.
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