Dixie Gun Works 28 gauge

[ppg1949]

Some years ago I bought a Dixie Gun Works 28 gauge single shot shotgun. Dixie said these were made in Spain and imported in the 1960's & 70's. Mine has a "clam" shell patch box. The ramrod is a small diameter steel rod that goes into the stock only exposing about 8 inches out of the stock. I had always wanted one of these 28 gauge shotguns. In my early teen years, these were advertised in outdoor magazines. So in my excitement I bought 28 gauge wads only to find out they would not fit! What the heck! I measured the barrel and it came out .526 not the .550 or .560 I expected. I cross checked the millimeters on the barrel and yup it comes out .526. So even though I have a Dixie marked 28 gauge shotgun, it is really a 32 gauge. Lucky for me Circle Fly sells the wads and overpowder cards.
So does anyone else have one? Have you tried a PRB?

 

[Treestalker]

A friend bought one years ago at a gun show for $5.00 no joke the guy had a lot of modern stuff and was about ready to give the unsightly thing away. It was marked 28 ga and I moved soon after and lost contact, so I don't know if it was a true 28ga or not. I salvaged a barrel of an identical gun in 9mm smoothbore that somebody had managed to swell the breech on. I cut off about 1 1/4" of the breech and threaded a new breech plug. Hope to sometime build a rat shotgun out of it. Might be perfect for a pack rat at 10 yards if he'll hold still long enough! I understand 9mm shotguns are popular in Europe, perhaps I'll find out why.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I measured the barrel and it came out .526 not the .550 or .560 I expected. I cross checked the millimeters on the barrel and yup it comes out .526

OR do you have a Modified Choked barrel, since .550 minus the constriction for Modified (.025) would be .525 ??

LD

 

[ppg1949]

OR do you have a Modified Choked barrel, since .550 minus the constriction for Modified (.025) would be .525 ??

LD

Extremely good point LD. That never crossed my mind. The barrel is stamped 13.3(mm). I thought this meant the bore diameter or .526(as measured at the muzzle) but now you got me wondering if that is for the amount of choke constriction. Any suggestions on how to take a reading on the actual bore? I'm not sure I can take the breech plug off.
Phill

OR do you have a Modified Choked barrel, since .550 minus the constriction for Modified (.025) would be .525 ??

LD

 

[DickS]

Years ago I bought a somewhat similar gun. Full stocked, in that there is a strip of sheet brass wrapped joint in the forend. Wire ramrod. Shot it quite a bit hunting ptarmigans. Actually not a bad shooting little gun. It is my understanding that these guns were made for sale in South America. Last of the muzzle loading trade guns?

 

[arcticap]

I have the same gun and believe that it's a 28 gauge with a fixed modified choke.
I've loaded it with modern 28 gauge plastic shot shell wads with compressed newspaper wadding over the powder, and have also used triple thick cotton balls.
I also load it with .520 round balls and an .018 pillow ticking patch.
It can hit bowling pins at 25 - 30 yards, but the groups open up pretty wildly at 50 yards. due to the modified choke I believe.
Does yours have 2 little rabbit ear bumps that serve as a rear sight?
I've loaded it up with pretty heavy shot loads [90 grains of powder, 100 grains of shot], but then I also put a removable rubber butt pad on it.
It's a strong gun, but the sights don't line up very well with the point of impact of the shot loads, but do line up well with the PRB's at short range.
I always use a thick wooden range rod with it and never use the original steel ramrod.
I purchased the gun used from a gentleman in MO a long time ago.
The gun's a keeper that just needs a little front sight adjustment, or to use Kentucky windage.
I almost forgot, I had to replace the hammer retaining screw and added a small washer under it to help keep the hammer secure and in place.
Perhaps the hammer was a little loose or the screw was boogered.

 

[ohio ramrod]

I have one that I bought in the early seventies. I remounted the lock and breech for better support and have used it for rabbits ever since.I ordered a case of the plastic wads when I first got the shotgun not realizing a case was 10,000 wads. I have used them ever since ( I did find a gun shop that bought most of them from me years ago). Mine cost twenty nine dollars new and has served me very well on rabbits and starlings.I shoot a light twenty gauge load 55 grain FF and 3/4 ounce shot. using the plastic wads with a thin leather over shot wad.

 

[Eterry]

The trap shooters I know shoot choked muzzle-loaders and take an OP wad and a small needle nose pliers. They bend the "corner" then put them in their bag. They fit the bent piece in the bore first, then the wad goes in with little fuss. Make sure the rod tip fits the wad. The OS wad is flexible enough to press in.
I did this with a 10 ga full choke at a recent trap shoot.

 

[ppg1949]

A BIG thank you to all that answered. I'm still not sure it is a true 28 gauge. I cannot fit a plastic shot cup into the muzzle. I've run a tight patch down the bore and the pressure is constant all the way down. If it was choked I think it would have eased up a bit but didn't.

 

[ppg1949]

I have the same gun and believe that it's a 28 gauge with a fixed modified choke.
I've loaded it with modern 28 gauge plastic shot shell wads with compressed newspaper wadding over the powder, and have also used triple thick cotton balls.
I also load it with .520 round balls and an .018 pillow ticking patch.
It can hit bowling pins at 25 - 30 yards, but the groups open up pretty wildly at 50 yards. due to the modified choke I believe.
Does yours have 2 little rabbit ear bumps that serve as a rear sight?
I've loaded it up with pretty heavy shot loads [90 grains of powder, 100 grains of shot], but then I also put a removable rubber butt pad on it.
It's a strong gun, but the sights don't line up very well with the point of impact of the shot loads, but do line up well with the PRB's at short range.
I always use a thick wooden range rod with it and never use the original steel ramrod.
I purchased the gun used from a gentleman in MO a long time ago.
The gun's a keeper that just needs a little front sight adjustment, or to use Kentucky windage.
I almost forgot, I had to replace the hammer retaining screw and added a small washer under it to help keep the hammer secure and in place.
Perhaps the hammer was a little loose or the screw was boogered.

articap, does your 28 gauge have a millimeter stamp near the proof marks on the barrel. Mine is 13.3. Loyalist Dave pointed out that would be a modified choke on a 28 gauge. It makes sense they would stamp the choke constriction on the barrel. Now reading your post makes me wonder what I have.
Thanks

 

[arcticap]

I can't check mine right now because it's stored away, but I'm pretty sure that it's marked 28 gauge as the Dixie shotgun in this auction link:--->>> https://www.gunauction.com/buy/7762053

From my research, the 13.3 would indicate its bore size in mm's which in your case would make it a 32 ga. since 13.3 mm equals 0.523"
Any muzzle measurement below that would indicate the amount of its choke or negative choke.
IIRC my muzzle has a slightly larger dimension, and a plastic 28 ga. wad has room to spare inside of the bore.
Does your shotgun have little rabbit ear bumps that serve as a rear sight?
Does it have a 32" barrel like the one on the auction page?

Choke constriction at the muzzle is not always held to a standard, it's in relation to the internal bore size and can vary by maker. The 1st chart is an old H&R chart.

https://www.teaguechokes.com/us/patterning-and-regulation

 

[ppg1949]

I can't check mine right now because it's stored away, but I'm pretty sure that it's marked 28 gauge as the Dixie shotgun in this auction link:--->>> https://www.gunauction.com/buy/7762053

From my research, the 13.3 would indicate its bore size in mm's which in your case would make it a 32 ga. since 13.3 mm equals 0.523"
Any muzzle measurement below that would indicate the amount of its choke or negative choke.
IIRC my muzzle has a slightly larger dimension, and a plastic 28 ga. wad has room to spare inside of the bore.
Does your shotgun have little rabbit ear bumps that serve as a rear sight?
Does it have a 32" barrel like the one on the auction page?

articap, thanks for your timely response. Yes mine looks like the one in the auction. It has a 32 inch barrel and the "rabbit bump" rear sight. I believe mine is a 32 gauge as a 28 gauge shot cup cannot be forced into the barrel. I was depressed to see the price on that auction. I think I bought mine about the same time for about twice that including the shipping. Well, at least it says Dixie Gun Works on it and is still in minty shape.
Thanks again for your help.
PS, your input on loads and constrictions has been a big help. Thanks again.

 

[Cpl. Ashencheeks]

I have something similar and it is 28 gauge. It is extremely light weight and seems to be a good brush gun.

Mine is a little different from yours with the hammer towards the front of the lock plate and the breech is round, not octagonal like yours is. I assume the octagonal breech might be thicker walled and maybe a bit stronger.

I believe these were marketed as a small game shotgun for hunting in Central and South American jungle areas by Spanish companies like Ardessa. They are sometimes called monkey shotguns, which I think that is what some people might have hunted with these shotguns. With that thought in mind, I use mine for going after jackrabbits as well as cottontail and might go after tree squirrel at some time with it. Other than that I might use it for quail when in season.

The 28 gauge Circle Fly Wads and cards fit to the bore and usually seal most of the time, but there has been two occasions in which the nitro card somehow canted and came back up with the wire ramrod before the fiber wad, shot and overshot card were loaded. I would like to use a different more stout ramrod, but I will have figure out a way to carry it, since the original ramrod is pretty much a steel wire with mushroom cap at the end of it. I might also use a thread cutting die at the other end of the wire ramrod, so I can put an accessory cylinder on it so a regular .54 caliber jag can be used on it for swabbing in the field.

I usually load it with about 45 to 55 grains of Goex ffg and use 55 grains on my powder measure to measure #6 ITX-10 shot. I am still trying to find a good load for it, but I assume this is generally in the ball park of a proper load. Later, I might try some #4 ITX because the #6 is out of stock a good portion of the time. I also preloaded paper tubes with shot and powder. Post-it notes or clear plastic poly tubing with separating wood plugs have made halfway decent quick loaders for my use.

Here is a video of somebody using a shorter barreled version of the one I have in which he loads it with cut cotton cloth rag and shot.



Still, if you can get the wads and the cards use them. They are cheap and these are not too expensive to shoot which is this shotgun's best advantage.

Personally I would be reluctant to run a patched round ball out of it because how thin the barrel and breech walls seem; besides I have better .54 rifles for that option.

 

[mushka]

liked the look of that little shotgun and the way he loaded it was kind of interesting too. No fuss or muss or hullaballoo. Seemed like a fast loadling system for up close shooting. Interesting video.

 

[ppg1949]

I have something similar and it is 28 gauge. It is extremely light weight and seems to be a good brush gun.

Mine is a little different from yours with the hammer towards the front of the lock plate and the breech is round, not octagonal like yours is. I assume the octagonal breech might be thicker walled and maybe a bit stronger.

I believe these were marketed as a small game shotgun for hunting in Central and South American jungle areas by Spanish companies like Ardessa. They are sometimes called monkey shotguns, which I think that is what some people might have hunted with these shotguns. With that thought in mind, I use mine for going after jackrabbits as well as cottontail and might go after tree squirrel at some time with it. Other than that I might use it for quail when in season.

The 28 gauge Circle Fly Wads and cards fit to the bore and usually seal most of the time, but there has been two occasions in which the nitro card somehow canted and came back up with the wire ramrod before the fiber wad, shot and overshot card were loaded. I would like to use a different more stout ramrod, but I will have figure out a way to carry it, since the original ramrod is pretty much a steel wire with mushroom cap at the end of it. I might also use a thread cutting die at the other end of the wire ramrod, so I can put an accessory cylinder on it so a regular .54 caliber jag can be used on it for swabbing in the field.

I usually load it with about 45 to 55 grains of Goex ffg and use 55 grains on my powder measure to measure #6 ITX-10 shot. I am still trying to find a good load for it, but I assume this is generally in the ball park of a proper load. Later, I might try some #4 ITX because the #6 is out of stock a good portion of the time. I also preloaded paper tubes with shot and powder. Post-it notes or clear plastic poly tubing with separating wood plugs have made halfway decent quick loaders for my use.

Here is a video of somebody using a shorter barreled version of the one I have in which he loads it with cut cotton cloth rag and shot.



Still, if you can get the wads and the cards use them. They are cheap and these are not too expensive to shoot which is this shotgun's best advantage.

Personally I would be reluctant to run a patched round ball out of it because how thin the barrel and breech walls seem; besides I have better .54 rifles for that option.

Cpl.A', Thanks for your input. I watched that video several times. I like it because the shooter appears to be a novice BP shooter and is out there just to have fun. Does your shotgun have a millimeter size on the barrel? Mine is 13.3 which makes it a 32 gauge. I've bought the wads and over shot cards from Circle Fly. It is fun to shoot but I wish it was a true 28 gauge.

 

[Cpl. Ashencheeks]

Cpl.A', Thanks for your input. I watched that video several times. I like it because the shooter appears to be a novice BP shooter and is out there just to have fun. Does your shotgun have a millimeter size on the barrel? Mine is 13.3 which makes it a 32 gauge. I've bought the wads and over shot cards from Circle Fly. It is fun to shoot but I wish it was a true 28 gauge.

Sorry about not responding sooner.

No, there is no mm stamp I could find directly on the visible part of the barrel, but I did check the bore size with a set of cheap metal mechanical calipers. It took a few measurement checks to get a proper measure because of a bad angle reading, but the rough measurement came out to about .546875" or 13.89mm. If I wanted to I could run a patched .535 round ball in it, but I still would be reluctant about it. I believe my shotgun to be a cylinder bore which I think is far more common in BP shotguns.

Patterning was accomplished by varying the loads. Less powder than shot by volume was one way a tighter pattern was accomplished for cylinder bores.

The .52 caliber was used in the 19th century. I really don't know if that helps but there might be wad cutting punches reproduced somewhere for that caliber. Then again with the advice given earlier from others your shotgun is more than likely equipped with a choke.

Here is a neat link below with advice from the days of fusil users when most wads where made from tow fiber.

http://home.insightbb.com/~bspen/shotgun.html

 

[ppg1949]

Sorry about not responding sooner.

No, there is no mm stamp I could find directly on the visible part of the barrel, but I did check the bore size with a set of cheap metal mechanical calipers. It took a few measurement checks to get a proper measure because of a bad angle reading, but the rough measurement came out to about .546875" or 13.89mm. If I wanted to I could run a patched .535 round ball in it, but I still would be reluctant about it. I believe my shotgun to be a cylinder bore which I think is far more common in BP shotguns.

Patterning was accomplished by varying the loads. Less powder than shot by volume was one way a tighter pattern was accomplished for cylinder bores.

The .52 caliber was used in the 19th century. I really don't know if that helps but there might be wad cutting punches reproduced somewhere for that caliber. Then again with the advice given earlier from others your shotgun is more than likely equipped with a choke.

Here is a neat link below with advice from the days of fusil users when most wads where made from tow fiber.

http://home.insightbb.com/~bspen/shotgun.html

Cpl.A, thanks for your timely response. I am fairly certain mine is a 32 gauge. A 28 gauge wad cannot be fit into it. And when I ran a tight fitting patch down the bore, the pressure was consistent all the way down. I have a punch for it but I was able to buy wads a o/p cards from Circle fly. The website you showed was very interesting. Thanks again.

 

[Britsmoothy]

I doubt it is choked at all.
Just by a suitable leather punch and your set.

 

[ppg1949]

I doubt it is choked at all.
Just by a suitable leather punch and your set.

Britsmoothy, thanks for your comment. My paternal grandfather came from England. Unfortunately he died when I was 8yo and I never got to ask him much about his homeland. So, what type of smoothbores do you or your friends use?

 

[Britsmoothy]

Britsmoothy, thanks for your comment. My paternal grandfather came from England. Unfortunately he died when I was 8yo and I never got to ask him much about his homeland. So, what type of smoothbores do you or your friends use?

There ain't many that hunt with them but plenty that target shoot.
Flints and caplocks just the same as you guys.