I too used to love DGW and would spend hours as a kid and young man studying their catalogs. Bought my very first BP Colt and Remington revolvers from them. Bought lots of “Possibles” and supplied there as well. Still have two old catalogs to refer to. Thanks for the memories.
Dixie Gun Works
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Bill Bryan
40 Cal.
Bought my first ML rifle from DGW in the early 1970's. I still have it and shoot it occasionally. I also fondly remember flipping through the pages of their catalogs. Bill
Dixie,s woes can be contributed to the un availability of certain parts that have been brought out over the years. remember there was a time where no one would have even gone near this stuff related to Black Powder Guns. The other isssue for them I think is a lot of suppliers have gone to the wayside. Resulting in a do it yourself for Many...
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I ordered a Uberti 3rd model Colt dragoon about five years ago, than about two years ago I ordered a Pietta 1858 Remington. They both came in good time and in excellent condition. I hope they have not lost their good service they had then.
Been buying mostly small items from them since the 70's and still do. Golden Age Arms and Mountain State Muzzleloading were much closer back then, and I could hand pick in person. My last trip to DGW was in 1988. My biggest regret was not buying their muzzleloading mouse trap back in the day. I wanted it badly, but $ was too tight then. Iwish them the very best!
In 1971 I had a job interview at Mayfield Kentucky (I did not get the job}) So I dropped down to Dixie and thought I had found heaven!I bought a rifle while I was there and I still have it after selling it when laid off and later buying it back when ?I got working again
My first DGW catalog was in 1968. I had been "tapped" to help out a Boy Scout troop near where we lived and was scheduled to meet with the Troop Committee after work on the day it arrived. I tossed it into my briefcase and went off to the meeting. The Chairman of the committee was a large former Marine named Jim Bell, and he noticed the Dixie catalog when I opened my briefcase to get a scratch pad. After the (successful) meeting, he invited me for coffee and asked about it. We became good friends and stayed so for more than 40 years. During all that time, Dixie was often my go-to source for supplies and information and I got acquainted with Turner and some of the DGW staff members too. Good people. The lady who was Marketing Manager for them for years went on to be the Editor and Publisher of Muzzle Blasts magazine.
One of the things I remember most vividly from that first catalog (and it stayed in later issues for years) was Turner's ad for a tomahawk, which he claimed was "just like" one that belonged to his grandfather which had had three new heads and four new handles but was still in good shape.
While I was still in school, I acquired an original 1858 Remington New Model Army, a well-used one with a holster made from an old worn boot top. The DGW catalog told me that an empty .38 Special casing would hold the right powder charge for that pistol and how to fashion a handle
for the empty shell too. It also told me what size round ball the revolver wanted and sold me a mold to make them. In later years, I got hold of an original 1868 Sharps Carbine which was functional but had a problem getting cocked or staying that way. Turned out the tip of the mainspring was broken off, and that little piece was supposed to act as the sear spring too. Dixie Gun Works came up with an intact original mainspring for it, and an original combination tool also, both for a very reasonable cost --- and sure enough,
in the back of the catalog were instructions on how to make paper cartridges for the carbine.
One of the things I remember most vividly from that first catalog (and it stayed in later issues for years) was Turner's ad for a tomahawk, which he claimed was "just like" one that belonged to his grandfather which had had three new heads and four new handles but was still in good shape.
While I was still in school, I acquired an original 1858 Remington New Model Army, a well-used one with a holster made from an old worn boot top. The DGW catalog told me that an empty .38 Special casing would hold the right powder charge for that pistol and how to fashion a handle
for the empty shell too. It also told me what size round ball the revolver wanted and sold me a mold to make them. In later years, I got hold of an original 1868 Sharps Carbine which was functional but had a problem getting cocked or staying that way. Turned out the tip of the mainspring was broken off, and that little piece was supposed to act as the sear spring too. Dixie Gun Works came up with an intact original mainspring for it, and an original combination tool also, both for a very reasonable cost --- and sure enough,
in the back of the catalog were instructions on how to make paper cartridges for the carbine.
I have never purchased anything from Dixie Works....
Back around 2004 (thereabouts) I purchased my first flintlock pistol off a guy, a Light Dragoon. He said he wasn't sure if it had come from Dixie Works or from Loyalist Arms as he had purchased a lot from both.
So I thought I would call them up and using the numbers stamped maybe find out which one and ask them what their recommended load might be.
Well, I called Dixe first as they are in the US; the guy I got was not friendly at all, he told me they keep no records of what they sell and when I asked what load he might recommend he said:
" If it's one of ours we DON'T recommend actually shooting it! We only make them for Display"
I was a bit flabbergasted at his response and never bothered them again.
Loyalist Arms said they had no way of tracking the number either but was very friendly, gave me good advice and recommended loads....ONCE I make SURE it was indeed safe to fire (which it was, I got it from our group's Arms Master who had sold many to several with no complaints or returns).
It shot well then and still shoots fine today, whoever it came from.
Back around 2004 (thereabouts) I purchased my first flintlock pistol off a guy, a Light Dragoon. He said he wasn't sure if it had come from Dixie Works or from Loyalist Arms as he had purchased a lot from both.
So I thought I would call them up and using the numbers stamped maybe find out which one and ask them what their recommended load might be.
Well, I called Dixe first as they are in the US; the guy I got was not friendly at all, he told me they keep no records of what they sell and when I asked what load he might recommend he said:
" If it's one of ours we DON'T recommend actually shooting it! We only make them for Display"
I was a bit flabbergasted at his response and never bothered them again.
Loyalist Arms said they had no way of tracking the number either but was very friendly, gave me good advice and recommended loads....ONCE I make SURE it was indeed safe to fire (which it was, I got it from our group's Arms Master who had sold many to several with no complaints or returns).
It shot well then and still shoots fine today, whoever it came from.
I’ve always had great service from DGW..
But I’m only a 3 hour drive away from their front door..
I enjoy the trip and seeing all the guns & accoutrements they have too offer..
What some may not realize is that DGW is not a big time operation…
There’s only a few employees working there and many of those have been there for years.
I personally have never had a bad experience with anyone in person or via phone or email.
They may not have everything one needs, but they do have many things that are hard too come bye..
But I’m only a 3 hour drive away from their front door..
I enjoy the trip and seeing all the guns & accoutrements they have too offer..
What some may not realize is that DGW is not a big time operation…
There’s only a few employees working there and many of those have been there for years.
I personally have never had a bad experience with anyone in person or via phone or email.
They may not have everything one needs, but they do have many things that are hard too come bye..
Purchased a Rolling Block muzzleloader from them in the late 1990s.
Off & on, I was getting muzzleloader and powder accessories. But not in the past 10 years or-so.
Off & on, I was getting muzzleloader and powder accessories. But not in the past 10 years or-so.
I recently got a replacement percussion lock plate for a Tennessee mountain rifle lock that I bought 30 years ago from Dixie. I was surprised they still had some of the parts for this old lock. I have detoured that way when I travel to Memphis on occasion and always enjoyed finding something to buy. Hope they stay in business.
I've been buying from them for years. When I lived in Memphis I used to drive up to pick through the store, always found something I wanted. Other than the occasional part or accessory I haven't bought much from them in the last couple years. Of course, I haven't bought a lot elsewhere either, the economy has impacted my buying stuff. Enjoying what I already have more and gun purchases are largely limited to the occasional bargain that shows up at a show, yard sale or traded in at a local gun shop (when everyone wants modern, high capacity stuff the old guns sometimes can be had pretty reasonable).
I had to travel to Tennessee this past weekend so i made it a point to stop by dixie gun works.
I was impressed alot of old guns, alot of old everything even old cars.
I spent a couple hours looking and wishing, some realy nice old guns, could have spent a couple days looking.
Picked up some powder, flints, and RWS caps.
Definitely on my list to go back some day.
I was impressed alot of old guns, alot of old everything even old cars.
I spent a couple hours looking and wishing, some realy nice old guns, could have spent a couple days looking.
Picked up some powder, flints, and RWS caps.
Definitely on my list to go back some day.
