Fruitful trip to Dixie Gun Works

Status
Not open for further replies.
CraigC

CraigC

Sixgun Nut
Joined
Jan 27, 2006
Messages
23,866
Location
West Tennessee
Thursday's trip to Dixie Gun Works was successful. It's a beautiful 2hr drive through a few small towns but mostly rural highway driving. Perfect weather to ride with the windows down. I used to make the trip every fall but hadn't in the last several years. Gotta soundtrack I associate with such things so I spent the last two weeks updating the sound system in my new/old truck. I found an `03 Chevy 2500HD with only 37k miles a couple months ago and decided to sell my `16 Dodge.

Picked up a wool vest from the western store where I got my first beaver felt cowboy hat, 15yrs ago. That was about the halfway point. Further up the road, my favorite gas station was closed. It also sold antiques & various junk and had a decent selection of cigars. Sad to see it go. Nothing has changed at DGW in years, probably since the `70's. Stock was a little low. I was hoping for a Uberti SAA in .38-40 to strip and antique but all they had were the new version with the brass grip frame and retractable firing pin. So I picked up another 1860 Richards-Mason .44Colt instead. I had tried to buy one the last time I was there but all they had in stock had a dragging bolt. This time I found a good one. It turned out to be the perfect day!

Friday I setup the Lee turret for .44Colt and popped a few caps late that afternoon. Shot both the new 5.5" and the factory antiqued 8" I picked up a couple weeks ago. Both guns shoot to the same POA, about an inch high at 15yds. Fired one shot out of my Kibler Colonial .54, it still piles them right on top of the front sight at 50yds. Blackpowder season starts today but I've been rained out. So back to the shop to work on some sixgun/leather projects. I may mount the tang sight on the 1866 .44Spl and shoot it.

007b_1.jpg

002b_2.jpg

008b.jpg
 
CraigC said:
Thursday's trip to Dixie Gun Works was successful. It's a beautiful 2hr drive through a few small towns but mostly rural highway driving. Perfect weather to ride with the windows down. I used to make the trip every fall but hadn't in the last several years. Gotta soundtrack I associate with such things so I spent the last two weeks updating the sound system in my new/old truck. I found an `03 Chevy 2500HD with only 37k miles a couple months ago and decided to sell my `16 Dodge.

Picked up a wool vest from the western store where I got my first beaver felt cowboy hat, 15yrs ago. That was about the halfway point. Further up the road, my favorite gas station was closed. It also sold antiques & various junk and had a decent selection of cigars. Sad to see it go. Nothing has changed at DGW in years, probably since the `70's. Stock was a little low. I was hoping for a Uberti SAA in .38-40 to strip and antique but all they had were the new version with the brass grip frame and retractable firing pin. So I picked up another 1860 Richards-Mason .44Colt instead. I had tried to buy one the last time I was there but all they had in stock had a dragging bolt. This time I found a good one. It turned out to be the perfect day!

Friday I setup the Lee turret for .44Colt and popped a few caps late that afternoon. Shot both the new 5.5" and the factory antiqued 8" I picked up a couple weeks ago. Both guns shoot to the same POA, about an inch high at 15yds. Fired one shot out of my Kibler Colonial .54, it still piles them right on top of the front sight at 50yds. Blackpowder season starts today but I've been rained out. So back to the shop to work on some sixgun/leather projects. I may mount the tang sight on the 1866 .44Spl and shoot it.

View attachment 1112999

View attachment 1113000

View attachment 1113001
Click to expand...
You were in my neck of the woods. I'm about 40min from there, my daughter lives about 2min from it.
 
Thanks ontarget, now I have that song stuck in my head!

My sister played that song all the time back in the day.

I was hoping he would say Candlemass or Meshuggah or In Flames.

Now all I got is some guy wielding thors hammer, singing dancing queen, dancing around in his garage working leather.:uhoh:
 
Last edited:
You guys got me in trouble! My wife came into the office to have a semi-serious conversation when I read that. I don't think sprayed coffee was the response she was looking for. :p

In Flames is more in line with what I was referring to, before any rumors get started. ;)

Now I gotta get that damned song out of my head too!
 
Mind if I ask what route you took to get to Union City? Just curious. Getting up around Tiptonville and its whole 'nuther world! I've not been up there since the big storms of last December. Looking forward to seeing the eagles start coming down.

Bob Wright
 
Mmmmm??
Union City, Tennessee? iirc
I've been there a few times to hunt ducks on Reelfoot. I'm going to stop at DGW next time.

I have recently discovered Bluetooth electronics...like, the radio in my combine.
20221104_182239.jpg
There are podcasts about guns and fishing, shooting.....
There are books on an app called AUDIBLE.
Screenshot_20221105_194528.jpg Screenshot_20221021_125208.jpg
I've been reading (listening to) these books and several others. Pretty cool! A great way tto spend a long day driving, or working in the shop, or whatever.

I definitely don't want to steal @CraigC 's thread. ...
Listening to a good book is just as easy as listening to music these days.
 
BobWright said:
Mind if I ask what route you took to get to Union City? Just curious. Getting up around Tiptonville and its whole 'nuther world! I've not been up there since the big storms of last December. Looking forward to seeing the eagles start coming down.

Bob Wright
Click to expand...
Pretty much Highway 22 the whole way. Through Lexington, Parker's Crossroad, Huntingdon (Cowboy Store), Dresden, McKenzie, etc..


Armored farmer said:
I have recently discovered Bluetooth electronics...like, the radio in my combine.
Click to expand...
I had to update the head unit to get stuff like Bluetooth. I started connecting my iPod back around 2006 and never looked back. Before the Dodge I had bought an `04 Chevy new and drove it for 12yrs. Always regretted getting rid of it but the 6.0 ain't that great for towing. New truck has the 8.1. No more diesels for me, at least for now.


StrawHat said:
As I recall you like smokeless powder but I do not recall what bullet you use.
Click to expand...
I've traditionally used the same 240gr SWC's I shoot in .44Spl's and .44Mag's and that's what I shot out of them yesterday. A few years ago I switched to 200's out of the .45Colt for plinking/practice/standard pressure loads and today I received an order from Missouri Bullet for 2000rds of their 200gr RNFP's for the .44's.
 
A trip to the DGW store is a little too far for me, but at least they set up at the N-SSA Nationals here in Virginia twice a year.
 
CraigC said:
I had bought an `04 Chevy new and drove it for 12yrs. Always regretted getting rid of it but the 6.0 ain't that great for towing. New truck has the 8.1. No more diesels for me, at least for now.
Click to expand...

They used to put the best towing features on the diesel trucks. I'm not sure if the gas burners have the engine brakes in their tow pkg....probably do now.
My '08 Dodge is set up for towing. 6.8l cummins...full tow pkg...but it's pre-DEF. (Don't get me started on that!). I have been glancing at the dealership when I go by....:thumbdown:

I'm not sure if I will get a diesel next time either. But I need the HP(horsepower...not hollow points).

You should bring that Kibler to pall mall next March. (THR doesn't have a kick-in-the-butt emoji)
 
CraigC said:
…I've traditionally used the same 240gr SWC's I shoot in .44Spl's and .44Mag's and that's what I shot out of them yesterday. A few years ago I switched to 200's out of the .45Colt for plinking/practice/standard pressure loads and today I received an order from Missouri Bullet for 2000rds of their 200gr RNFP's for the .44's...
Click to expand...


Good choice. The traditional bullet used in the 44 Colt was a 200 grain RNFP. I use one from the Lee 6 cavity mold over as much black powder as I can fit in the case and still crimp the bullet.
Kevin
 
StrawHat said:
Good choice. The traditional bullet used in the 44 Colt was a 200 grain RNFP. I use one from the Lee 6 cavity mold over as much black powder as I can fit in the case and still crimp the bullet.
Kevin
Click to expand...
That was part of it too. I had been wanting to get another Dillon to setup for it but I got turned onto the Lee turret and it seems a better solution for that particular cartridge. It just didn't seem right to load the .44Colt with a more modern semi-wadcutter. The .44Russian dies ensured that I could set it up for .44Colt. I had to grind down my .44Mag dies to load it on the RCBS turret.


Armored farmer said:
They used to put the best towing features on the diesel trucks. I'm not sure if the gas burners have the engine brakes in their tow pkg....probably do now.
My '08 Dodge is set up for towing. 6.8l cummins...full tow pkg...but it's pre-DEF. (Don't get me started on that!). I have been glancing at the dealership when I go by....:thumbdown:

I'm not sure if I will get a diesel next time either. But I need the HP(horsepower...not hollow points).

You should bring that Kibler to pall mall next March. (THR doesn't have a kick-in-the-butt emoji)
Click to expand...
If I do, it will probably be with the Kibler Colonial, or the .40cal SMR I'm working on now. Or both. The SMR is about halfway done. Just need to drawfile the barrel and finish the fancy maple stock. ;)

My Dodge has the 6.7 Cummins but I had a terrible experience with the local dealer. They were doing a minor tailgate recall and caused the controller for the rear air suspension to burn out. Took them three months to figure it out. One of the reasons I got the diesel was that we were thinking about getting a big travel trailer but that ship has sailed. Also got tired of $300-$600 oil changes. So the big block V8 with the Allison 5spd, in a vehicle that cost half what the Dodge is worth and is more easily repaired by yours truly, seemed like a better long term option. It's rated to tow 12,000lbs and that works for what I need. It doesn't have the exhaust brake or some of the advanced features the Ram has but it also weighs 3000lbs less to begin with. I'm sure you tow a lot more than I do.

It already had a 6" lift and 35's but the first thing I did was to get rid of the old dry rotted BFG's.

012.jpg
 
CraigC said:
That was part of it too. I had been wanting to get another Dillon to setup for it but I got turned onto the Lee turret and it seems a better solution for that particular cartridge. It just didn't seem right to load the .44Colt with a more modern semi-wadcutter. The .44Russian dies ensured that I could set it up for .44Colt. I had to grind down my .44Mag dies to load it on the RCBS turret.



If I do, it will probably be with the Kibler Colonial, or the .40cal SMR I'm working on now. Or both. The SMR is about halfway done. Just need to drawfile the barrel and finish the fancy maple stock. ;)

My Dodge has the 6.7 Cummins but I had a terrible experience with the local dealer. They were doing a minor tailgate recall and caused the controller for the rear air suspension to burn out. Took them three months to figure it out. One of the reasons I got the diesel was that we were thinking about getting a big travel trailer but that ship has sailed. Also got tired of $300-$600 oil changes. So the big block V8 with the Allison 5spd, in a vehicle that cost half what the Dodge is worth and is more easily repaired by yours truly, seemed like a better long term option. It's rated to tow 12,000lbs and that works for what I need. It doesn't have the exhaust brake or some of the advanced features the Ram has but it also weighs 3000lbs less to begin with. I'm sure you tow a lot more than I do.

It already had a 6" lift and 35's but the first thing I did was to get rid of the old dry rotted BFG's.

View attachment 1113198
Click to expand...

Must not be in the road salt country. All those trucks are rotten or parked. We actually junked a 2000 454 2500, a 98 gm diesel, and an 06 GM 2500 6.0 5 speed (or 6 speed....I can't remember) in the past years. I service trucks in my garage for several companies. There are 2 of those generation trucks still going. One is rough with 400k miles (original duramax but second Allison and it's going down hill too). Great trucks though.

As far as dodge. Everyone I know that used them for buisness just gave up. Use GM or Ford now, some use a mix of the two. Even the local ambulance builder, one of the largest, had banned them for years due to breakdowns. (Not so much the Cummins itself but the rest of the vehicle). Now with the chip/seat/plastic etc etc shortage they used a few though. I asked one of the managers about it.....he said they weren't happy but had to take what they could get right now.
 
DGW and Cimarron are my two favorites. Neither one is close to here but I have items shipped to my local FFL so it's all fine. I like the revolver that you bought a lot. I may have to get one in 38 colt.
 
Armored farmer said:
Mmmmm??
Union City, Tennessee? iirc
I've been there a few times to hunt ducks on Reelfoot. I'm going to stop at DGW next time.

I have recently discovered Bluetooth electronics...like, the radio in my combine.
View attachment 1113110
There are podcasts about guns and fishing, shooting.....
There are books on an app called AUDIBLE.
View attachment 1113119 View attachment 1113122
I've been reading (listening to) these books and several others. Pretty cool! A great way tto spend a long day driving, or working in the shop, or whatever.

I definitely don't want to steal @CraigC 's thread. ...
Listening to a good book is just as easy as listening to music these days.
Click to expand...
It’s easy to drift off into La La Land when Audible is on. I can’t turn it on anymore when I’m working or I just drive right by some of my customers and end up spending extra time and gas to get my loads delivered.
 
WestKentucky said:
It’s easy to drift off into La La Land when Audible is on. I can’t turn it on anymore when I’m working or I just drive right by some of my customers and end up spending extra time and gas to get my loads delivered.
Click to expand...
If you have AUDIBLE i highly recommend searching for "White Hunters" its 14hrs of African safari bliss. Truly a life-changing book.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

TheWall
  • Locked
Just got my 1851 Dixie Colt Navy
Replies
10
Views
962
StrawHat
StrawHat
C
  • Locked
Dixie Gun Works
2
Replies
25
Views
2K
scrat
S
drobs
  • Locked
Visited Dixie Gun Works and bought...
2
Replies
26
Views
3K
Blackpowderwarrior
Blackpowderwarrior
B
  • Locked
problems with ordering caps from Dixie Gun Works
2
Replies
33
Views
3K
Shultzhaus
S
S
  • Locked
Dixie
Replies
11
Views
807
Oscar Orum
O
Back
Top