Dixie 28 guage

[fishlein]

Greetings again. I will skip further discussion of “short barrel trade guns” and stick to my latest treasure.

I couldn’t resist a “deal” on a 28 gauge percussion “fowler”. See pictures – hopefully -  if I have figured out that.

It’s marked Dixie Gun Works. Made in Spain. Has proof marks, serial number and “28 cal”. I know all about the history of Dixie but so far I have not found any info on this gun on the easy to search stuff I know about.

It actually is not a bad looking gun for what I assume is a cheap import. Weighs about 4 pound 10 ounces. Points real nice even for a tall guy. Nice wood. Funky rear sight. In pretty good shape mechanically except “half cock” can’t be trusted [Never do!]. I've seen a lot worse come out of Spain and think it might work on the woodcock and grouse when I don’t feel like carrying my “non-short barreled” 20 gauge English flint fowler around.

Anyone have basic info? Approx. age? Experience? Several mentions of them on this site but no real info I could find.

Thanks in advance!

Mike

[Mtn Meek]

fishlein,

Looking through a 1980 Dixie Catalog No. 129A, I see a "Single Barrel Percussion Shotgun" listed.  The picture in the catalog isn't very good and shows the full length gun.  Your pictures are close-ups of the breech area, so its hard to say it is the same gun.  The catalog description sounds like a match.

DPS-22 SINGLE BARREL: Spanish made percussion shotgun, .28 ga. with a 32" blued barrel.  The stock is nicely finished.  Most will have steel furniture with capbox.  We have handled this gun in our store for many, many years and sold hundreds through our catalog.  Although they are not the highest quality, they are good dependable guns and are safe to shoot.  It is a fascinating sport to use muzzleloading guns on your hunting trips.

The 1980 price was $59.95

[Hungry Horse]

 Old Turner Kirkland stumbled onto a bunch of parts, and some finished guns, I believe in Belgium, in the seventies, or early eighties, for cheap.They are called monkey guns by gun show folks, and are almost always 28 gauge or less.  He bought the lot, and sold them at pretty reasonable prices through Dixie Gun Works. Most are marked with his stamp as shown, but some are not marked, but have Belgium proof marks. I think he called them (Garden Guns) in one of his catalogs.

  Hungry Horse

[Treebeard]

There is a YouTube video of a 28ga that i believe was Spanish. Had a short barrel. Looked very basic in construction but the guy was having fun with it.

[fishlein]

Thanks for the info guys. Will stat playing around with it once the weather gets better and see what happens.