Were all Turner Kirkland Kentucky's this handsome?

[Darto]

I wonder if there were different elevation models of the same model for sale in the Dixie cataloge in the old days?

 

[user 34300]

American Long rifles were often beautiful. As in most hand made objects some were poorly made. It depended on the maker. It is worth the itme to go over to American Long RIfle Forum and look at some originals.

All of the mass produced reproductions missed and still miss the mark on styling and quality. This was especially true 50 to 70 years ago. The construction details were wrong, the shape of the stock was wrong and the locks were poor quality. If you want a nice long rifle today consider the rifle kits offered by Jim Kibler and Jim Chambers.

 

[Grenadier1758]

I have over time acquired some of those 1970's West (St. Louis) County Specials. While these early attempts at building a representative log rifle are accurate on target, they are certainly lacking in the architecture.

I'm not sure who Turner Kirkland used to manufacture his Kentucky Rifle, but he would have specified items such as patch boxes and decent stock wood. So, yes, Turner would have ordered attractive rifles.

 

[tenngun]

He served a big community. He had real cheap ones, and pretty expensive at the time. This was in the $180 range when it came out, took me six months to save for one.
Not real historically correct, but I thought I was ‘some pumpkins’ when I owned one.

 

[nit wit]

They filled a niche in time and brought hundreds of us to the line. I still have a couple and they shoot better than I do! Thank you Turner Kirkland we owe you much!
Nit Wit

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

I wonder if there were different elevation models of the same model for sale in the Dixie cataloge in the old days?

During a job rain out in 1971 my wife and I drove from Omaha to DGW. I purchased the rifle shown in the video, only flint. It was under $300 and I still have it today. The lock did not have a fly in it, which I have installed along with double set triggers. The lock is a very good sparker.
Oh how I love/loved the Roman nose, until I tried to shoot it.

 

[Zonie]

Turner Kirkland really liked the old muzzleloaders and the Dixie brand guns he sold showed that.
To answer the question the OP made, yes, there were several different Kentucky style rifles Dixie sold.
The one in the video is the "Pixie Kentuckian Rifle". It has a 34 1/4" long, .45 caliber barrel on it and uses a single trigger. In the 1999 catalog it listed at $259.95 in percussion and $269.95 in flintlock. It was made by Armi-Sport in Italy.

In the same catalog a "Dixie Pennsylvania Rifle" was offered that was a little fancier. It also had a fancy patch box but it had double set triggers. It's barrel was 41 1/2" long in .45 caliber. The catalog says it had a walnut stock on it. It's list price was $472.00 for both percussion and flintlock. It was made by Pedersoli in Italy.

A shorter version of the Pennsylvania Rifle called a "Dixie Deluxe Cub Rifle" was offered. It was basically a shorter version of the Pennsylvania Rifle except rather than being a .45 caliber, it was a .40 caliber using a 28" long barrel. It's price was $415.00 and it was also made by Pedersoli.

A "Dixie Super Deluxe Cub Rifle" was also offered using a 28 1/2", .50 caliber barrel The price of the Super Cub was $367.50 in percussion or flintlock. made by Pedersoli in Italy.

Dixie sold a longrifle they called the "Dixie Tennessee Mountain Rifle" which was much plainer than the rifles I mentioned above.
Rather than having a fancy patchbox and brass furniture (butt plate, trigger guard, side plate and thimbles), the Tennessee used browned steel for these parts and it had a "grease hole" in the side of the butt in place of a patchbox.
It used a browned 41 1/4" long barrel and has double set triggers.
In 1999 it was offered in both right and left hand, percussion or flintlock, .32 or .50 caliber. for $575.00. It was made by Miroku in Japan.

 

[jfahlingsr]

Turner Kirkland really liked the old muzzleloaders and the Dixie brand guns he sold showed that.
To answer the question the OP made, yes, there were several different Kentucky style rifles Dixie sold.
The one in the video is the "Pixie Kentuckian Rifle". It has a 34 1/4" long, .45 caliber barrel on it and uses a single trigger. In the 1999 catalog it listed at $259.95 in percussion and $269.95 in flintlock. It was made by Armi-Sport in Italy.

In the same catalog a "Dixie Pennsylvania Rifle" was offered that was a little fancier. It also had a fancy patch box but it had double set triggers. It's barrel was 41 1/2" long in .45 caliber. The catalog says it had a walnut stock on it. It's list price was $472.00 for both percussion and flintlock. It was made by Pedersoli in Italy.

A shorter version of the Pennsylvania Rifle called a "Dixie Deluxe Cub Rifle" was offered. It was basically a shorter version of the Pennsylvania Rifle except rather than being a .45 caliber, it was a .40 caliber using a 28" long barrel. It's price was $415.00 and it was also made by Pedersoli.

A "Dixie Super Deluxe Cub Rifle" was also offered using a 28 1/2", .50 caliber barrel The price of the Super Cub was $367.50 in percussion or flintlock. made by Pedersoli in Italy.

Dixie sold a longrifle they called the "Dixie Tennessee Mountain Rifle" which was much plainer than the rifles I mentioned above.
Rather than having a fancy patchbox and brass furniture (butt plate, trigger guard, side plate and thimbles), the Tennessee used browned steel for these parts and it had a "grease hole" in the side of the butt in place of a patchbox.
It used a browned 41 1/4" long barrel and has double set triggers.
In 1999 it was offered in both right and left hand, percussion or flintlock, .32 or .50 caliber. for $575.00. It was made by Miroku in Japan.

I appreciate your comments on the Dixie TN e strongest Gun makings mountain rifle. Turner contracted with Huston Harrison to design and provide blue prints on the rifle so they could be made in Belgium, later in Japan. I understand Huston later said if he’d known Dixie was going to sell as many as they did (over 25000?) he would have asked for payment for each sold instead of a cash price. Hope you don’t mind me adding to your thread that the Harrison family must be the most prolific in modern Gun making history. Huston, Freddie, Tip Curtis and Don ?( hate it that my memory has slipped but the TN maker that did very elaborate silver wire inlays and was on front cover of Muzzle Blasts several times) the were cousins.

 

[hanshi]

I remember from way back when the Dixie catalog was thin and all black & white (including the cover), nothing like that was pictured. Dixie imports Pedersoli among others nowadays and that photo looks a lot like a "Cub" I bought many years ago from them.

 

[GO OutDoors]

Dixie sold a longrifle they called the "Dixie Tennessee Mountain Rifle" which was much plainer than the rifles I mentioned above.
Rather than having a fancy patchbox and brass furniture (butt plate, trigger guard, side plate and thimbles), the Tennessee used browned steel for these parts and it had a "grease hole" in the side of the butt in place of a patchbox.
It used a browned 41 1/4" long barrel and has double set triggers.
In 1999 it was offered in both right and left hand, percussion or flintlock, .32 or .50 caliber. for $575.00. It was made by Miroku in Japan.

I have this very gun in .50 and love it!!

 

[SamTex1949]

Grew up in St louis and I talked my Dad into taking a day trip to DGW back 1965. I already had a 1964 catalog and was looking for a special ball mold. WOW ! walking into that old store then was an adventure ! Even had a moment to talk to Mr Kirkland ! If you havent ever seen any of the old catalogs (60s to 70s) they can be found on ebay and just for a fun item to look through in you book collection !

 

[Grenadier1758]

I think the current catalogs have the same pictures and descriptions. Only the prices have changed.

 

[jlatz]

Back in the mid 1960s I saw one of those Dixie flint long rifles in .40 in a Nashville gun shop. I traded a 16 ga. double and some cash for it. It saw a lot of use. I needed flints so I drove to Union City to visit Dixie. Mr. Kirkland counted out a dozen in my hand.

 

[godutch]

I remember from way back when the Dixie catalog was thin and all black & white (including the cover), nothing like that was pictured. Dixie imports Pedersoli among others nowadays and that photo looks a lot like a "Cub" I bought many years ago from them.

I still have one, from 1967. A 'wish book' from back in the day. The employee's posed with the products and after a while it was like you knew them (chuckle).

 

[rickystl]

I think my first Dixie catalog was in 1964 (14 years old). After receiving it I recall going through it page by page for probably three hours. LOL As mentioned above, I recall the earlier Dixie rifle was in .40 caliber, and changed to .45 a bit later. A year later, I acquired an original 3rd Model Brown Bess dated 1805 that I shot for many years. (it was in lay-away for 6 months LOL). Paid $125.00 for the gun. The only two issues with the gun was an incorrect hammer screw and mainspring that was jerry-rigged from a CW musket. But back then, I was able to order new, original surplus parts from Dixie that fit perfectly. Also, one of those scissors mold in the caliber I needed. Think that mold was $5.50 LOL Lots of great memories of Dixie.

Rick

 

[user 48679]

A 'wish book' from back in the day.

Yep - when I was fifty years younger, I used to drool over the various catalog's offerings that I couldn't afford then.

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

The rifle in the video looks an awful lot like the Dixie Pennsylvania rifle made in Belgium. They were only offered in .45 caliber. There was also a .40 caliber rifle that Turner called a squirrel rifle, also made in Belgium. When these became too costly, he developed the mountain rifle in either .50 caliber or .32 caliber and had Miroku in Japan produce them. With their "poor boy" design and Japanese cherry stocks they are readily identifiable. Always wanted a .45 caliber flintlock Pennsylvania rifle but by the time I could afford one they were out of production. Dixie also offered several less expensive rifles that were made in Italy. Turner Kirkland was a true gentleman.

 

[ohio ramrod]

Turner Kirkland and Wess Kindig of Log cabin kept this sport alive and we all owe them a debt of gratitude for their work and especially their friendly attitude towards us newbees when we were getting started in the early sixties.I only made it down to union city once but was up to the Log Cabin many times.

 

[Newtire]

I wonder if there were different elevation models of the same model for sale in the Dixie cataloge in the old days?

I got one like that and it is one nice rifle. Mine is .45 cal. I have 2 other .40 cals that are real pigs by comparison but shoot fine.

 

[Barry Strickland]

Yes, I still have one that purchased from Turner in the late 1960's. It looks identical to the one in the video. It was made in Belgium 45 caliber 40" barrel and I might note a tack driver. I won lots of crap with that one. The first thing I did was install a double set trigger. The second thing I did was go into the patent breech and open up the fire channel.
Lots of stories connected with that rifle.