What history or info can I get on him?
Butch

Famous barrelmaker, 1930s-1950s, Elmer Keith's .285OKH Mauser, illustrated and described in all EK's books, used a Sukalle barrel - I own that rifle. If Mike Petrov reads this he will give more precise dating.

Jack O'Connor used rifles built by Bill Sukalle. He was one of the best of his time. Thanks..Bill.

Wasn't Sukalle stationed in Trinidad, CO.?

Don

Roy Dunlap's book "Gunsmithing"has a small bio on Mr. Sukalle.

Thanks for the information.
Butch

I'm busy getting stuff ready for my trip so please excuse the cut & paste job.


William Sukalle: William Sukalle was an automotive machinist and hi-power shooter who wanted a better barrel. He played around at barrel-making for some time, then took the Big Step by buying 100 military surplus .22 caliber barrels made for the Springfield Hoffer-Tompson. These he re-bored and re-rifled to .25 caliber for the then “new†.257 Roberts. The first business address I found for him in The American Rifleman was in October 1931 at 60 South 5th Avenue Tucson, AZ; in November 1935 he was at 1120 East Washington St. Phoenix, AZ. Sukalle barrels will have the Sukalle mark that is an “S†in an oval (and a four-digit number.) I just do not have enough numbers to say positively but I believe that the last two numbers are the year the barrel was made and the first number or numbers signify the barrel number. If this is correct then number 1036 would be the tenth barrel made in 1936. I have reports of barrels marked with just the “S†and barrel number, with no name. Early barrels are marked “W. A. SUKALLE TUCSON ARIZ†while later barrels are marked on top “W. A. SUKALLE-GUNMAKER-PHOENIX-ARIZ†One rifle I know about has a barrel marked A.O. Niedner Dowagiac, Mich. on top and W.A. Sukalle Tucson Ariz. on the bottom without a Niedner or Sukalle barrel number. You figure that one out.

A couple of Sukalle’s well known customers were Jack O’Connor (at least eight rifles) and Dr. Russell C. Smith of Berlin, Wisconsin and later of Petersburg, Alaska. Dr. Smith was the Patron Saint of the custom gunmaker, having custom rifles made by many of the custom smiths. When Dr. Smith died in 1968 his collection totaled around 400 guns. One of the highlights every year for Sukalle was to travel to Alaska and clean Dr. Smith’s rifle collection, and I would think a little hunting was in order also.

Here is a little piece of trivia for you. William Sukalle was Butch Searcys uncle. As in B.Searcy & Co. Small world huh.

Another bit of trivia is that Sam May bought Sukalle's equipment and went on to produce Apex barrels. The equipment then went to Lex Weberneck, when he was in Utah, and then to another fellow whose name escapes me at the moment.

Pfeifer, who posts here; bought my Sukalle Borchardt in 25-35 Improved two years ago.

It was a difficult decision, but I know it is in a good home and I get first right to buy back.

Rich
DRSS
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