Turner Kirklin rifles

[R Ellis]

I just acquired a 40 caliber with 40 inch barrel marked Turner Kirklin Union City Tn. and made in Belgium does anyone know how old these are and when they started marking them Dixie

 

[oldwood]

Back in the early 1970's , I was buying assemble yourself Dixie long rifles , putting them togather , finishing them , and doubling my investment. The barrels were labeled Dixie Gun Works , but I don't remember how much the kits cost in the DGW catalog. Was a long time ago.

 

[R Ellis]

Back in the early 1970's , I was buying assemble yourself Dixie long rifles , putting them togather , finishing them , and doubling my investment. The barrels were labeled Dixie Gun Works , but I don't remember how much the kits cost in the DGW catalog. Was a long time ago.

So seems this rifle is over 50 years old

 

[oldwood]

Aye Sir , seems it is an antique?

 

[andy52]

I have a first-year production of the Kirkland ..40, it was made in 1956.
To be honest the lock is pretty much garbage, I'm lucky if I can get 5 rounds out of it before it needs to be worked on but when it does fire it's very accurate.

 

[OldRust]

I'm in agreement with @andy52 I have a 1955 Dixie catalog and a 1956. Your rifle is not in the 55 and is advertised as the New Squirrel rifle in the 1956. I'll post pictures later.

I had that same .40 caliber and it was accurate. If memory serves me - It's been known not to - It liked a smaller ball .385-387. Mine was percussion and a closet queen so I didn't have any major problems. I've found that the Belgian imported gun locks on average ran from OK to Meh and could stand improvement by tuning.

Thanks,
O.R.

Also I've seen the same rifle in 32 & 45 caliber but the barrel was marked Dixie not Turner Kirklin. I'm guessing later manufacturing dates.

 

[R Ellis]

My gun does not have a patch box but one listed on GunBroker does and the bluing on my gun is in perfect condition but it does have a few little scratches on the wood but they are small and hardly noticeable the man I got it from said the previous owner was under the impression that is was some kind of original 1800 rifle and when he discovered it was not traded it to him as a partial trade on one .The gun barrel is pristine inside no rust at all not bad for a gun that old. I cant wait to shoot it

 

[vintovka]

Have many rifles and stuff from Kirkland senior himself dating to early 70s . These including DGW branded items like Mtn Rifles and Ped Shotguns. They also carried all the other names Zoli, Navy and Uberti etc. Plus some totally unbranded ones for Italy, Belgium and Spain. Combined estates are too much for even the big houses so i guess a list may appear on the trader or elsewhere.

 

[bpd303]

I have the 1970 DGW catalog and that gun is listed as $89.95 doesn't say how the barrel is marked though. If I recall the most expensive kit was around $200 shipped.

 

[OldRust]

Attached are scans from the 1956-57 Turner Kirkland Dixie Catalog. On the inside cover is a photograph of Turners father holding the prototype of his squirrel rifle.
As stated earlier 1956 was the first year that it appeared in his catalogs.

Thanks,
O.R.

 

[R Ellis]

Attached are scans from the 1956-57 Turner Kirkland Dixie Catalog. On the inside cover is a photograph of Turners father holding the prototype of his squirrel rifle.
As stater earlier 1956 was the first year that it appeared in his catalogs.

Thanks,
O.R.

Thx for posting very informative

 

[stank]

Attached are scans from the 1956-57 Turner Kirkland Dixie Catalog. On the inside cover is a photograph of Turners father holding the prototype of his squirrel rifle.
As stater earlier 1956 was the first year that it appeared in his catalogs.

Thanks,
O.R.

Pm sent

 

[kipcarter]

Attached are scans from the 1956-57 Turner Kirkland Dixie Catalog. On the inside cover is a photograph of Turners father holding the prototype of his squirrel rifle.
As stater earlier 1956 was the first year that it appeared in his catalogs.

Thanks,
O.R.

Thanks, my first DGW Catalog is from 1964. The Belgium made barrels were called "slim jim's". I bought a Douglass XX out of that catalog.

 

[bpd303]

from the 1956-57 Turner Kirkland Dixie Catalog

The days of low inflation the rifle is $79.50 and in my 1970 catalog it is $89.95 13 years apart, a $10.45 increase, I'm afraid we will never see that again.