Author Topic: DGW Store Visit  (Read 2232 times)

Fiftyfour

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DGW Store Visit
« on: January 25, 2018, 03:18:33 AM »
Has anyone visited the Dixie Gun Works store in Union City, TN?
If so was it worthwhile? Is it a big store?

Offline snapper

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Re: DGW Store Visit
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2018, 03:47:45 AM »
My family and I put in our best effort one day to get there......

We were on our way from Iowa to Florida for spring break.  We got within 10 miles or so and then we had a road closed due to the bridge being out of service.  No, problem, I simply hit the "detour" button on the GPS and it ended up taking us down a gravel road, that turned into a dirt road, that turned into a lane in a farmers field.  There we were in the middle of no where, driving in a farm field.  I stayed on the lane until it ended at a drainage ditch that was not passable with my pickup.  I think we were within a couple of miles by then.

My wife and young sons really did not think the last hour of trying to get there was much fun.  So we gave up and headed South to FL.

Our route home from FL took us a different way.

Fleener
My taste are simple:  I am easily satisfied with the best.  Winston Churchill

Offline Gun_Nut_73

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Re: DGW Store Visit
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2018, 06:14:05 AM »
Haven't been there in 20 years.  A LOT smaller than the catalog makes you think.  Only a small area in front is open to public, and that section is over half filled with Tourist Trinkets.  If you want to check something from the catalog, you need to fill out a form.  The people there did not like having to go into the stacks to find stuff unless you were buying.

Offline retired fella

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Re: DGW Store Visit
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2018, 06:28:02 AM »
My wife and I made the journey to Union City back in the early 70's.  As I remember everything was behind glass or out of reach.  Being new to black powder at the time I was in awe.  Would I go back?  Probably not.

Offline Clark Badgett

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Re: DGW Store Visit
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2018, 06:35:18 AM »
I went once back in the mid 90s. Wasn't impressed enough to go back, even though I lived somewhat close at the time.
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ClaudeH

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Re: DGW Store Visit
« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2018, 09:14:26 AM »
I was there last summer.  I went with a friend who wanted to buy a couple of their guns over the counter.

Yeah, it's a lot bigger on the outside than it is on the inside.  The interior space is mostly warehousing, packaging, offices.  But the part that is accessible to the public is pretty dense with things to look at.

Before you get inside you see black powder cannon barrels on the sidewalk.  That get's you in the mood.

I'm a big fan of the written page and they had a variety of books, magazines and some magazine back issues.  (I bought a bunch of Gun Reports.)  One wall is Turners collection of muzzleloading long guns.  It's an eclectic collection, but bring your glasses to read the tags and you'll see a variety of interesting items.

There is also a small but interesting inventory of unmentionable guns.  It was a thin selection that included mostly older or classic handguns.

Turner's museum of Americana is intriguing if you're into it.  It's not all glitzy like a big city museum, but it is packed with stuff that interested Turner - and interested me!  Lots of early cars - lots.  All sorts of antique utility steam engines, some set into an operable display where you can pick different engines and watch them operate via compressed air.  All sorts of different antique gizmos and collections of items.  The old gunsmith display had a number of hand powered drilling and boring rigs.  A portion of log cabin displays many hand tools and intriguing manual machinery on benches.

The museum feels a bit neglected.  But it is a fascinating bunch of stuff!

Offline Pete G.

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Re: DGW Store Visit
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2018, 07:40:18 PM »
I've been several times. Everybody interested in old guns and the associated "stuff" should make the pilgrimage.  The last time we went we took the granddaughter. She looked around while standing underneath the bison head and said "Wooow". I think that was the same thing I said first time also.

Offline oldtravler61

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Re: DGW Store Visit
« Reply #7 on: January 25, 2018, 07:54:45 PM »
  Went to the store two years ago.
Very disappointed the store shelves were covered with dust. The employees had no interest in waiting on us.
  The car museum was a mess with water on the floor an bird @#$%/!! on the car's. Nope no interest in ever going back.
  Bet Turner is steaming hot over the way the place is being run...