Dixie Gun Works

Status
Not open for further replies.
C

Chase.

Member
Joined
Feb 23, 2011
Messages
33
Does anyone have any experience buying from Dixie Gun Works? I am trying to buy a new 1851 Navy with a steel frame and they currently have the best price.

Also I am assuming this is a Pietta based on its price... and as it says "Made in Italy" but it doesn't actually have the manufacturer listed here. Can anyone confirm who made it?

Lastly are the frames different between a .36 and .44 I have a barrel set up and cylinder from a Pietta .44 1851 Navy and I was wondering if I'd be able to switch it out on this gun. That'd give me two guns for the price of one!

Thanks,

Chase
 
I bought a cannon barrel from DGW in 1966, and have bought various B/p items since. They stand behind their products and are pleasant to do business with.
 
I just ordered some parts from them. I was absolutely amazed at how fast they were delivered. Very professional service.
 
Dixie has been in business since the 1950's. They have to be doing something right to have stayed in business this long. I've been ordering from them on and off since the 1970's.

The Doc is out now. :cool:
 
I've bought lots of stuff from them, including non-gun stuff like CD's. I echo the excellent remarks given above; these are good people to do business with.
 
Dixie Gun Works is one of the names in black powder shooting. You don't stay in business for nearly six decades if you're not running a good shop.
 
They're a legend. Turner Kirkland's outfit was key in reviving black powder as a part of the shooting sports.

http://www.dixiegunworks.com/about_us.php

I would say they've been a little sluggish adopting modern technology. For years they had no website at all. But don't be put off by the technical issues. They're good people. Plus you have to love a website that says "let's see what we have here" in response to searches.
 
I actually visited their store in Union City Tn., after moving to Ky. They apparently do 90% of their business by mail as the storefront is small and crowded with displays and counters. There were piles of Ky rifles and muskets in every corner and I was having a great time handling them without any pesky salesman, til I looked at a few of the tags; from $750 up to $2000 and they had the expensive ones behind the counters, they weren't old, they were antiques or hand made replicas.
 
I've ordered from them before and had good dealings, but that was way back before this intarweb thingie.
 
One christmas back in the early 60s my mom gave my dad one of their Dixie Kentucky Rifle kits. And he still has it. When we researched it a little we found out the barrel and lock were actually about 100 years old and Dixie had made the rest of the parts for it.
 
Well I ordered a new gun from them... The service was average.

I ordered the firearm asked about above as well as a knife and some lead balls. It was over a $300 order. The lead balls were priced at $8.75 on the website. I placed the order and everything was set. I called back about an hour later (no payment had been processed yet as I was mailing a cheque) to add an item to the order, as I was doing that I noticed the price they had quoted me for the order was $1.75 to high. I asked, figuring it was a simple mistake, and the operator said that the lead balls were now $10.50 they just hadn't updated the website or any of their advertisements yet. I felt like I was just being nickel-and-dimed, the operator was not particularly helpful and I ended up cancelling a $300 order over chump change (I'd have gladly paid it had it been advertised as such). A little while later I decided this was a bit absurd and called back. This time a new person answered who was happy to pass me along to a manager/customer service person. When I explained the situation she corrected the price and I placed the order.

It was not a big deal... and I recognize how ridiculous this story may sound. It simply felt a little underhanded for a first time customer. Had the operator told me that the price had increased before adding it onto the order I would have been ok with paying the extra. As it stands everything was corrected and everyone is happy.

I look forward to seeing the items first hand.
 
p.s. Thank you Mako for the link above, I had never even noticed how the frame was rebated on a .44 and not on a .36
 
I am the odd man out as far as DGW is concerned. I build from parts and have on three occassions ordered parts from their paper catalog and on htree occassions returned them as they were poor castings and should have been deadhoused and not sold. So, now when I need parts I go to a shop were I can look at the parts or a shop were I know I can trust them to pick decent pieces.
 
Cosmoline s right Turner Kirkland is the about the only reason anybody can shoot black powder arms, he just about single handedly brought the fad back in the late 70s.The popularity he created, along with a couple of spaghetti westerns, made the market for imports. We probably ought to put up a statue.:)IMO
 
RugerMcMarlin said:
Cosmoline s right Turner Kirkland is the about the only reason anybody can shoot black powder arms, he just about single handedly brought the fad back in the late 70s.The popularity he created, along with a couple of spaghetti westerns, made the market for imports. We probably ought to put up a statue.:)IMO
Click to expand...

Yeah, Val Forgett didn't have a thing to do with it.......NOT! :cuss:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Val_Forgett
 
Yup, Val (can't remember his last name), OK 2 Statues. Turner sold parts and kits from the first. Navy Arms was one of the importers I mentioned earlier. One day he jumped on the bandwagon, 30 years later it's his wagon?!??
Dixie Gun Work 1954
Navy Arms 1957
 
Last edited:
I haven't done any business with them in quite a while, but they were always good to do business with back then. Their customer service was always good, and they had knowledgeable people workin there.
 
One day back in the 50's My grandfather and my father went to Dixie Gun Works and my dad got to meet Turner Kirkland who took my dad out to a shed he had and in the shed was an Original Gatling Gun. Turner let my dad fire it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

F
  • Locked
Dixie Gun Works Navy Options
Replies
2
Views
803
mykeal
M
E
  • Locked
Dixie Gunworks Pietta Wyatt Earp .44
Replies
15
Views
3K
perldog007
perldog007
TheWall
  • Locked
Just got my 1851 Dixie Colt Navy
Replies
10
Views
959
StrawHat
StrawHat
expat_alaska
  • Locked
Pietta .44 Dance and Pietta 1851 Navy .36 Interchangeability
Replies
6
Views
2K
expat_alaska
expat_alaska
C
  • Locked
1851 Navy vs 1860 Army: which is it and parts interchangeability?
Replies
9
Views
5K
mcneill
M
Back
Top