Dixie Gun works Poor Boy Rifle

[lights]

My 14yrd son came across a Dixie Gun works .50cal poor boy rifle that he would like to have. Were these any good and what is a used one worth? I would normally build one for him. But he wants to shoot/hunt with one right now! LOL

Thank you,
Mark

 

[Stumpkiller]

Do you mean the Tennessee Mt rifle? I don't recall Dixie ever offering a "Poor Boy".

I had one in .32 cal (around 1980) that was a tack driver on the occasions it went off. MAybe 50%. But that was before places like this existed to help folks get a flintlock to be efficient. I should have dropped in an L&R lock, had I known.

Actually I wish I had it back now as I likely could have had a sweet shooter.

 

[lights]

Yes thats it, A Dixie Tennessee Mt rifle.

 

[Zonie]

The Dixie Tennessee Mountain rifle is made by Miroku in Japan.

These have always been fairly expensive and the examples I've seen were well made.

They used to be available in .32 and .50 caliber and in both left hand and right hand, finished rifles or kits.

The stocks were made from cherry.

Dixie also sold conversion kits to change the rifles from Percussion to Flint or visa versa.

Now, Dixie offers these rifles in .50 cal. left hand kits only.

As with all guns offered in kit form, the value of one made this way depends a lot on the skill of the person who built it.

The factory guns usually command a higher price.

The best I can do on a price is to look at my old 2003 Blue Book of Modern Black Powder Values (3rd ed).
At that time, a 100% gun was $575. 98% = $510 and 95% = $420.

In the Dixie 2008 catalog they show that lock parts for these guns were available and appearently the springs and lockplates still are.
http://www.dixiegunworks.com/default.php?cPath=22_567_568_580

 

[pargent]

I have one in .50 it is a straight shooter and very reliable that said its only fault is that it is quite heavy to shoot ofhand :thumbsup:

 

[miqueleter]

The Tenn Mountain Rifle from Dixie, circa 1980, was a plain jane, but oh boy, was it ever what Stumpkiller said, a tack driver. Got mine in kit form, Japanese made as I recall. I liked it so well, I got both the flinter and percussion locks for it (and the nipple drum, of course). Mine was a .50. The flinter lock was sort of ugly, but it required very little tuning. Fact is, just to show off, I'd fire it upside down-it never failed to fire that way or any other way. It was/is a sweet shooter. Your boy has good sense.

 

[lights]

Thanks for the info guy's I am going to try and get it for him.

 

[VEDearduff]

I have one in .50 caliber. Great shooter and the lock is a decent one. He would not disapointed.

If the lock does have any problems, L&R makes a drop in replacement that seems to get good reviews.

Vernon

 

I had a buddy who had one and I always wanted one. I don't believe Dixie sells them any longer (at least when I stopped in a few weeks back at their place they said they no longer sell them as the manufacturer no longer makes them). I guess it was a big seller for Dixie and it puzzles me why they don't find a replacement as it was such a popular gun. I'd love to find one if I could, but I hope to make something similar someday.

 

[excess650]

I had one back in the '80s and sold it or traded it off. Some years ago I found another for sale, unfired (raffle ticket)and bought it at a rather reasonable price. The frizzen didn't fit snugly and would dribble powder, so I ran a bead of JB Weld around the pan and filed it to fit. The triggers are OK, and it goes off quickly, but I'm not thrilled with the weight and (lack of) balance. I may shorten it, or find it a new home.

 

[miqueleter]

I forgot to mention in my remarks earlier that I too found the barrel to be too long. So I shortened it by 8 inches. Just super handling now.

 

[Maven]

"I had one in .32 cal (around 1980) that was a tack driver on the occasions it went off. MAybe 50%." ...Stumpkiller

I had a Miroku-made .50cal. and had ignition problems as well. Rehardening the frizzen and coning the vent liner as suggested by Ernie Biggs made a huge difference. It was a tackdriver as well...from a rest as it was too heavy to shoot offhand. Btw, I picked up a like new Dixie percussion lock on another ML site and a drum & nipple from Dixie and almost 100% reliability.

 

[Stumpkiller]

At the time I owned mine I knew no other flintlock shooters and the Internet was still a dream in Bob Dole's mind (although I remember something in college called "Plato IV" that was a network of some type in 1978).

We forget how helpful this forum (and others) is for those starting down the twisty path.

 

[jdkerstetter]

At the time I owned mine I knew no other flintlock shooters and the Internet was still a dream in Bob Dole's mind...

It was Al Gore who invented the internut Stumpy. :grin:

Enjoy, J.D.

 

[sleeperNY]

LOL :bow: :bow:

 

[Stumpkiller]

I never could tell them apart.

 

[kopfjaeger]

I owned one back in the 1980's till around 1994.

Mine shot excellent, and as long as you had a good frizzen it was real reliable. I shot four deer with that rifle from 40 yards to 125 yards.

I'd like to find another one in a .32 caliber flintlock.

 

[Bear Rider]

I never could tell them apart.

Dole could unbend.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7oh1so-2M8&feature=related

 

[FJTBONE]

I hope he is a big 14 year old, this gun is heavy.
I am 6'4 and 300 lbs and mine is not something I enjoy carrying, but my 50 cal. sure is a shooter.

 

[DaveC]

Über-necrothread... Back from the dead!

I just got into one in .32. I'm gonna try a .310 ball with .010 pillow-ticking. Boy is it muzzle heavy!

I've got a .310 mule ear caplock from Navy Arms and a caplock pistol from Traditions/Ardesa in the same caliber... This one is my first flintlock rifle vs. musket! Hope to have some fun with it. Heating some 50% bees wax, 50% mutton tallow to pour into the grease hole in the stock... Bet my dog'll lick it all out if I'm not careful...