Set Triggers on Dixie Mountain Rifle

[Eras Gone]

I've come into one of the old Dixie Mountain Rifles recently and have a concern about the set triggers. Is there a way to adjust the sensitivity of the front trigger? This thing will go off with just a touch of the finger, no pressure required. It is so sensitive that I think it is unsafe to use and I have not been setting the triggers to shoot it. The adjustment screw controls the over travel of the rear trigger, but does not affect the sensitivity of the front.

 

[Cruzatte]

Yes, there is. It's that little brass screw between the triggers. Screw it outboard for a heavier trigger pull.

 

[EC121]

Backing the engagement screw out won't make a heavier pull. It will just make longer travel for the front trigger before it releases the back trigger. The spring tension doesn't change. To make a heavier pull you have to increase the tension on either the trigger's mainspring or front trigger return spring. I have done it both ways. Tighten the screw on the mainspring or shim the back of the spring so it can be tightened or shim under the front trigger spring where it goes over the hump. If the spring is the round wire type, I have, on occasion, bent a new spring out of heavier music wire.
Also check the engagement surfaces to make sure the corners aren't rounded off from use.

 

[Eras Gone]

Thanks. The front trigger has a tiny coil spring. That might be a way to increase the required pressure. I'll have to look for a heavier coil spring that will fit in the little slot beneath the front of the trigger. There also isnt much over lap on the engagement between the front and rear trigger. If that is an issue, I think I could only fix it with a new front or rear trigger.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Your pictures show the problem clearly. The angle of the engaging surfaces are wrong. Getting them squared up and correct would allow the triggers to work with out the front spring. Right now the lip that the rear trigger is hooking into is allowing the front trigger to push its self off.

 

[sheriff john]

Have the same rifle. Threads are metric according to phone call to Dixie. Spare parts are sparse. Tiny screw between triggers was missing when I got it. Made replacement screw from one at the hardware store. Dixie don't have that screw. I THINK L&R makes a replacement lock.

 

[Eras Gone]

Your pictures show the problem clearly. The angle of the engaging surfaces are wrong. Getting them squared up and correct would allow the triggers to work with out the front spring. Right now the lip that the rear trigger is hooking into is allowing the front trigger to push its self off.

I don't think there is hardly ANY engagement surfaces.

 

[Phil Coffins]

The amount of engagement is small but the angles are the key. Enlarge the photo and note the ragged surface of the front trigger. Sharp clean edges will hold with very little engagement and give a crisp and manageable trigger. You may need a good gunsmith to do this for you.

 

[EC121]

By the look of all the rolled over edges on various parts, the metal is way too soft to last long. I would look at fitting a new, properly hardened set of triggers or converting the rifle to a single trigger. For hunting a single trigger is fine.

 

[Flintandsteel]

Yeah, from the photos, it looks like you need a new trigger, or make a new set of blades. Doesn’t look like there is enough material for any engagement surface. Any adjustments made on the engagement screw, will make it worse.

 

[davidmc62]

I think you may be right with no engagement surface....yikes. Dont look safe to me either. Fit a new set of triggers to it. unless you are good at welding on material to refinish, Id go with replacement with a new set.

 

[jfahlingsr]

You've got a good rifle there, I had a Japanese built in the late 80's and passed it down to my step son as he killed his 1st deer with it. I build double set triggers for my Mountain guns so have studied them quite a bit. Your picture shows very little overlap (engagement) with the sears, is the little screw between the triggers backed out far enough, if not the hair trigger is not allowed to engage the set trigger enough for a harder pull. Additional engagement (overlap will increase felt pull weight. If that little screw is out far enough that the engagement can't be increased it probably means the sear surfaces are worn a lot or someone ground on 1 of them. It's not too hard to make a new trigger and harden sear area with surface hardening compound. The famous gun maker Houston Harrison made the mock up rifle for Dixie so as to have them made at first in Belgium later in Japan. After finding out Dixie had sold some 25k he said he wished he'd signed into a percentage deal.

 

[Eras Gone]

All fixed! Thanks to some of the suggestions here from Phil Coffins and EC102 and others, I found a stronger front spring and cleaned up the bearing surfaces on both triggers. They work great now.

 

[Y2GREY]

You've got a good rifle there, I had a Japanese built in the late 80's and passed it down to my step son as he killed his 1st deer with it. I build double set triggers for my Mountain guns so have studied them quite a bit. Your picture shows very little overlap (engagement) with the sears, is the little screw between the triggers backed out far enough, if not the hair trigger is not allowed to engage the set trigger enough for a harder pull. Additional engagement (overlap will increase felt pull weight. If that little screw is out far enough that the engagement can't be increased it probably means the sear surfaces are worn a lot or someone ground on 1 of them. It's not too hard to make a new trigger and harden sear area with surface hardening compound. The famous gun maker Houston Harrison made the mock up rifle for Dixie so as to have them made at first in Belgium later in Japan. After finding out Dixie had sold some 25k he said he wished he'd signed into a percentage deal.

These are solid rifles I didn't know early ones were made in Belgium... I have three, my oldest, #133 was made in Japan it has a walnut stock and 7/8 .50 cal. barrel, it has a drop of 4 1/2 inches and weighs in at 7.6lbs. My later model #6969 is also a .50 cal. The barrel is 15/16 and the stock is cherry with a 3 7/8 inches drop. she's a bit more full figured at 9.4 lbs. I'm restoring a lefty for my father also in .50

 

[BadDaditood]

All fixed! Thanks to some of the suggestions here from Phil Coffins and EC102 and others, I found a stronger front spring and cleaned up the bearing surfaces on both triggers. They work great now.

Good to hear!
Recently I tried to remake a pair of triggers I “Overfiled” in my overzealous youth… I gave up and made a single trigger. I’ll figure it out later.
When things calm down I intend to get some of your molds.
In the meantime it will be fun to see how many posters don’t read all the posts and post anyway!

 

[jfahlingsr]

These are solid rifles I didn't know early ones were made in Belgium... I have three, my oldest, #133 was made in Japan it has a walnut stock and 7/8 .50 cal. barrel, it has a drop of 4 1/2 inches and weighs in at 7.6lbs. My later model #6969 is also a .50 cal. The barrel is 15/16 and the stock is cherry with a 3 7/8 inches drop. she's a bit more full figured at 9.4 lbs. I'm restoring a lefty for my father also in .50

Appreciate your comments but I might have made a mistake about the early Dixie TN mountain rifles, my bad. After much thought I remember that only the .32’s were made in Belguim, probably no 50’s, wish I knew for sure. I had a one on one connection with Hunter and talked to Turner quite a bit too but of course both are gone so I can’t ask. Mine was a cherry .50 cap lock, soon converted to flint then rebarreled to .54 more to lighten the gun than the extra power. My step son is almost 40 now and uses it quite a bit.

 

[hawkeye2]

The Dixie Tennessee Mountain rifles were all made in Japan. The long rifles offered in his catalog in the years before were all made in Belgium. Not to be confused with the Italian rifles with Dixie tagged to their name but those are obviously Italian.