dixie texas or buffalo revolver

[silent sniper]

hello everyone this is my first post. I been looking at getting a c/b revolver for predator hunting. I need something with good accuracy and enough power do take down animals up to coyotes. I was looing at the dixie buffalo revolver. http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?cPath=22_92_187_189&products_id=2586
It looks like a good gun and it has a 12 inch barrel which would probably have better accuracy and power then most other c/b revolers. it is 44 cal which would have good knockdown power. what do you guys think about this pistol. is it worth 235 bucks. thanks taylor

 

[Mulebrain]

Welcome to the forum!!!

I would say you are headed in the right direction. I have that one, but with the standard barrel length. I would say accuracy is pretty good, and with a longer barrel should be better.

I am sure others who own the one your looking at will chime in soon.

MB

 

[Don]

Sounds like it will work for yotes even with a moderate powder charge. The longer barrel should give velocity a little boost.

Don

 

[rafterob]

I don't know if they (Dixie) still offer one of those models with the clip on stock but that would be extra cool and add to accuracy. Last year they had one on sale with the stock-it might have been a clearance item.

 

[silent sniper]

dixie has the clip on stocks for them but the stocks are I belive 178 dollars. I want a close to mediam range pistol that would drop woodchucks,coons,fox and yots. But I want it to be accurate enough that I could try shooting some squirrels with it. I would have to be good enough to hit them in the head as I dont want to blow a huge hole in the meat. thanks taylor

 

[torn moc]

I know its easier just to order one from Dixie,,,but there are a couple on the auction sited and one is a steel frame ....the steel frame can handel heavier charges alot better than a brass frame....you should sheck it out...I aint sure if it is still listed...

 

[brubincam]

-----how about one of the revolving carbines--dixie has them catalog 157page55---44 cal 18 in barrel ----440 dollars--this might be the ticket-----

 

[Bob Riegl]

#1 I don't like a brass frame on a gun that's going to get a lot of use and/or abuse. #2 Stocked revolver carbines are a choice that I tried once and was not happy with.Being right handed the stock grip was no problem but the placement of my left hand was problematical. You cannot have your hand out in front of the cylinders when you fire---you will get stung by the burning powder---so this necessitated holding the left hand under the right hand---similar to a two-hand defensive grip on a pistol. #3 Don't look for the accuracy as you might expect from a rifle----IMHO---- :hmm:

 

[Zonie]

To me, 235 bucks seems a bit high for a brass framed revolver.

Dixie has a steel framed Remington Target model for about $250 http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=3512

silent sniper:
I think with its adjustable sights and steel frame it would be a better gun even though it has the shorter 8 inch barrel.

I doubt that the extra 4 inches of barrel length will boost the velocity that much and the steel frame will definitely stand up to the hard use a varmint gun will see better than a brass framed gun. It will also hold it's value better in the event that you ever want to sell it.

 

[mykeal]

I have to agree with Zonie on each one of his points. This is not a gun I would use for varmint hunting. You want good knockdown power, and if you load for that in a brass frame gun you'll soon see recoil shield damage, and the gun will eventually become too loose to shoot safely.

The Remington with target sights or even an Colt 1860 Army with the plain Colt sights is a better choice in my opinion.

 

[silent sniper]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. ok I will look into the new model army target pistol. what kind of accuracy could I expect at say 25 35 and 50 yards? would it have the accuracy and power to put down a yote at over 50 yards ? would it have good enough accuracy for squirrels at 30 yards ? thanks taylor

 

[Zonie]

silent sniper:
Now, don't take offense here but as you will know a lot of that depends on you.
I've known people who couldn't hit the inside of a barn when standing inside it and I've known others who could shoot the eyes out of a rattlesnake at 30 yards without thinking about aiming. :grin:

After getting that out of the way, I didn't find that pistol (#RH0631)in the 2008 Dixie catalog but I did find it in their 2005 catalog.

At that time they listed it as a Navy Arms pistol (at $230) and referenced a similar model without the adjustable sights.

That pistol had a .440 diameter bore with 7 grooves at .450 diameter (button rifled with a 1:32 twist). They said that pistol had a chamber diameter of .447.
When you load the slightly oversize ball into the chamber, it will shear the ball down to chamber size.
While this gives a good grip on the loaded balls (which is important for several reasons) it can cause some problems.

I mention this because it is quite common for the Italian reproductions to have undersize chambers and this doesn't lead to the best accuracy in the world.
Noting that the chamber diameter is .003 smaller than the grooves of the gun, it may not give "target pistol" accuracy.

One solution to this is to have the chambers honed out slightly to a diameter of .450 X .30 depth (or slightly more). Then the chamber and the groove diameter of the barrel will be the same.

This is often done with competition cap and ball pistols although I caution people to remove as little material as is needed to obtain the barrel groove diameter. There is not a lot of material between the chambers or between the chambers and the outside of the cylinder and one should not remove any more than is absolutely necessary.

The trigger pull on all most all of the Italian reproductions is quite good with a crisp let-off.

The most important thing when it comes to accuracy is practice. Lots and lots of practice.

As for putting down a yote at 50 yards, that might be pushing it just a bit but a well placed shot with that .44 diameter ball certainly won't do him any good.

 

[mykeal]

Hmmm. A coyote at 50 yards. Well, the one word answer is yes.

Keeping in mind all of what Zonie says above, there is a little conundrum you need to solve. The more you load the gun for power, in order to have sufficient power for a kill at 50 yards, the more you decrease accuracy. The optimum accuracy load will be somewhat lower than a full chamber, but it would take a very, very good shot to produce a kill at 50 yards with that load.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

Time for an old codger like me to chime in! I own the Pietta Buffalo 12" barreled New Model Army. After nearly 100 rounds through it, mine shoots a 35 grain charge of 3Fg Goex quite well--well enough to have won a novelty competition with very hard to shoot smaller targets. I have the shiney nickel-steel version, a Christmas gift from the Wife. It costs about $430.00 I believe, but well worth it in my opinion.

Mykeal is right about loading-up a revolver to maximum...it's not the most accurate! That's why I use only 35 grains, a wonderwad, and a .454 Hornady ball. Once you figure out where it hits, it just keeps on hitting!

Good luck with yours!

Dave

 

[Blizzard of '93]

shot placement is critical as with all guns. a neck/spine shot or in the boiler room with that .44 would do the job for sure. but that 'yote would have to be moveing slow or standing still at 50 yards to draw a fine bead on him.

 

[david64]

You'll make the right choice.

 

[faw3]

Hey Zonie not to jump off the track but I have one of the 51s with 12" barrel and haven't seen one since I got this one, cute part was new it was like 270 with the take off stock. Heck I never even tryed shooting the thing but it do look good like a Paterson with the rammer pulled off. :rotf: and on the wall. Fred :hatsoff: