Dixie TN mountain rifle

[shellback]

Not exacting a build question. I have a Dixie TN mountain rifle and I have read where folks have shortened the 42" barrel to make it more comfortable to shoot.  My question is the gun worth more original and it would be a sin to shorten it, or there isn't a lot of value in the gun and I should go ahead and shorten it?

[galudwig]

Other than to the people who have and swear by them, there won't be much collector interest in a Dixie TN mountain rifle. However, if you ever go to sell/trade this one for a different rifle, those looking for a Dixie TN mountain rifle are going to prefer an unmolested one.

If you believe shorter equates with "comfortable," trade this rifle off on a shorter rifle to begin with.  That being said, I've never found a rifle with a 42" barrel to be uncomfortable to shoot or carry around in the woods. If anything, you need to be more aware of where your muzzle is at all times (built in safety feature). My advice would be to shoot the rifle as is and judge for yourself your comfort level before doing something drastic like cutting off the barrel. Consider the opinions of those telling you you need a shorter gun as just that; opinions. 

[Kevin Houlihan]

Go ahead and shorten it - I don't feel that they have any real collector value.  I bought one here from a member for my son.  It was in .50 cal with a 15/16ths or 1 in. barrel and quite nose heavy.  I shortened it 8" and replaced the lock with an L&R drop in replacement.  It now hangs off-hand much better and sparks consistently.
Good Luck,
Kevin 

[Mike Brooks]

Get a different gun, you eventually will anyway.

[David Rase]

Some friends of mine just shortened one a couple of months ago for an auction.  We cut 6" of the barrel length, added an entry pipe, reshaped the stock and added a grease hole.  After all that work it still did not balance/look like we wanted it to.  Do like Mike suggests and find a gun that fits you and sell the Dixie.
David

[smokinbuck]

I've done two where I cut off 6", took off a pound or two of extra wood and poured a nose cap. Didn't put an entry pipe on, just re cut the entry area. Balances completely different, better, and looks like a real rifle. Very pleased with the result.
Mark

[axelp]

I owned one for many years. It held fine even with the straight barrel being nose heavy. Some original guns are that way too. The weakness of the Dixie TN gun is the lock. It sucks. Mine was a percussion gun and i swear the lock felt like it was made of pot metal. Its a cheap factory made gun. It will shoot and you can hit the mark with it. Its not perfect or particularly pretty though. If it were mine, I would not cut the barrel. Now if I were going to give it to a child to shoot, I might cut it shorter-- don't worry about resale, its just not worth all that much even at full length, and maybe another youth will get some fun out of it as a shorter gun?

[oldtravler61]

  Sale it!  Buy something  better. There a three to six hundred dollar gun. Depending on who wants it. If it's one of the old one's. Some guy's will pay a little more for it if it's flintlock.  Imho.  Oldtravler

[Dave Patterson]

...It held fine even with the straight barrel being nose heavy... The weakness of the Dixie TN gun is the lock. It sucks... Its a cheap factory made gun. It will shoot and you can hit the mark with it. Its not perfect or particularly pretty though...

I own one:  a .50 flintlock.  Ken pretty much says it all.  I replaced the (truly horrible) triggers with a Davis set I had on hand; replaced the lock.  Won't win any matches or beauty contests, but it makes me a pretty good "rattin' around out in the boonies" rifle.

The impression I got when these first hit the market was they were intended to be a "user", for those of us who'd never be able to afford an original (or bench copy) SMR to pack around in the hills, but who wanted something a little more "Southern" than was factory-available at the time.   

Your satisfaction with this - or any - rifle depends entirely on what you're looking for in a rifle, and what you expect it to be. 

But I certainly wouldn't be concerned with a modification ruining any inherent collector value in one of these. 

Just my opinion:  not worth a penny, but it's mine.   

[Mike Brooks]

You could send the barrel out to Hoyt and have him bore it to a .54. Might consider a 1-48 twist so it doesn't kick the snot out of you....unless you like that sort of thing.

[varsity07840]

You could send the barrel out to Hoyt and have him bore it to a .54. Might consider a 1-48 twist so it doesn't kick the snot out of you....unless you like that sort of thing.

That's what I did, except I had him cut it 1-66. I still wound up cutting it down to 36" as it was way too muzzle heavy for me. Then, as you also suggested, I bought another rifle. A .54 cal Leman flint full stock Indian trade rifle.  Very similar to the GRRW posted in the Comtemporary Longrifle Collecting page. Never missed the Dixie.

[Dave Patterson]

You could send the barrel out to Hoyt and have him bore it to a .54. Might consider a 1-48 twist so it doesn't kick the snot out of you....unless you like that sort of thing.

I like that; will have to give him a call and see what he says.  Thanks, Mr B.

[gumboman]

I shortened mine by 6 inches a few years ago and do not regret it. It is more comfortable to shoot and is very accurate. If you like the gun and want to keep it and use it, go ahead and do it.

[Tim Ault]

I trimmed mine down to a 36" barrel and redid the wood I like how it feels now to ME . Others like a long barreler I don't , I think they made a few different types of these rifles of different quality levels , mine is I believe and early made it Japan model with the 50  cal  7/8" barrel , the set triggers while they look a little hokey do work fine , the lock has always sparked good even with that bad geometry it had I stretched the cock so it hits higher on the frizzen and it's even better now . If you think you will like it bettera little shorter go for it it's your gun make it how YOU want it shoot it and enjoy it .

Tim