Sent my 1849 pocket .31 back to Dixie

[Steve499]

Today, U.P.S. delivered my order from Dixie Gun Works, an 1849 Colt pocket .31 replica, made by Palmetto. I found the bore had a flaw, a high spot across one land and one groove, about 1 inch from the muzzle. When slugging the bore, it took considerably harder tapping to get the slug past that point. The hammer rubbed on the left side of the hammer cut in the frame to the point it would hang up short of the nipple when lowered. None of the chambers lined up with the bore when the cylinder lock clicked in to the locking cuts on the cylinder. And if that wasn't enough, the chambers and the bore were on two different planes. A dowel rod inserted into bore and a dowel rod inserted into the chamber next to the barrel should be parallel to each other but mine was 1/4 inch off in 4 inches! I packed it up, called Dixie ( they were very polite and helpful, as always) and mailed it back to them. They are sending me another one. I just hope it isn't like the old check joke, the one that goes," if that check's no good, I'll give you another one just like it."


Steve

 

[MPP1423]

Damn,i Hope Mine Aint That Bad!!! It Should Be Here In A Few Min Actually.ups Is Usually On Time.it Sounds Like That One Really Sucked!!! I'll Keep My Fingers Crossed.

 

[Remington kid]

WOW Steve, Sure hate to hear that but i'm glad you gave all of us the heads up on this Palmetto company. I have never bought anything from them and it doesn't look like I will be either! That had to be a heart breaker after being so excited and a new gun purchase.
Didxie has always been good to deal with and I find it hard to believe that they never checked these revolvers out before shipping them to a customer. It sounds like there quality control may be slipping also.

Kevin, Let us know what yours is like. I think I would be checking out another manufacture even if you guy's have to pay a little more.

 

[mec]

I don't know why Dixie still uses them. Palmetto has had about 50 years to get things right but apparently considers producing usable products a sign of weakness.

The problems with your 31 sound very familiar - the only reviewers on the dixie sites who seem to like palmetto products are the ones who end up saying "...and someday I'm gonna take it to the range and SHOOT IT!!!"

 

[Steve499]

Yeah, I was a little put out but I know Dixie so I wasn't too worried. The biggest hassle of all was at my post office, mailing it back to Dixie. They weren't going to allow me to do it, since it was an evil gun and all. I insisted it was legal and since this is a small town where everyone knows everyone else, I was able to get them to actually READ their own postal regulations!

Kevin, when yours comes make sure you compare the line of the chambers with the line of the bore. Mine was off enough that it was quite noticeable. The top of the rear end of the barrel rubbed on the top front of the cylinder but there was daylight showing between the front of the cylinder at the bottom of the rear end of the barrel. The barrel had an upward angle on it that would have acted like a ski jump on a ball fired from the cylinder to the point it would have been shooting about 3 feet high at 15 yards.

I'll be looking the replacement over carefully. I imagine Dixie would do something with Palmetto if they got too many complaints so I'm hopeful mine was not typical. If the next one is no better, I'll get a Pietta .31.

Steve

 

[Steve499]

Just read your post, mec. Maybe Dixie won't stop using Palmetto. If that's right and they have been getting complaints on the Palmetto line but doing nothing, I bet Turner is rolling over in his grave!

Steve

 

[Smokin_Gun]

Hopefully this one willl be a winner. You get um like that in all makes and models. I had to work on my Paterson when I got it. Springs & bolt were not installed correctly. Keep in mind a very heavy bolt srping. Went to half cock to rotate it freely and very heavy drag. In cocking it to fill cock it center punchd the clyinder hard a dimple no dent. Before I could notice it it happened twice. Navy Arms themselves sent me another cylinder, and complete spring set and the seller refunded me a check to fix in myself. Anyway its cool now...but agrivating.

 

[mec]

"this is a small town where everyone knows everyone else, I was able to get them to actually READ their own postal regulations!"

Know what you mean. I received a number of T&E samples by UPS. When it came time to send them back, the package center and UPS were all balled up over the regulations. One even mentioned overnight air though this applies only to handguns in the ups regs. The samples i had were long guns - exempt by way of being non cartridge replicas but it still took some time explaining.

 

[mec]

dixie has a good warranty and will make good on the things they sell. But I bet they have huge problems because of palmetto practices.

 

[MPP1423]

Well Guys,ups Screwed Up And Forgot To Put Mine On The Truck This Morning So I Wont Have It Till Tomorrow!! Im A Bit Upset Over That,i Called Ups And Said I'd Just Go To My Local Terminal And Pick It Up But ,get This,they Said There Isnt A Phone At My Local Terminal And So I'd Have To Wait Till Tomorrow! Man I Went Off!! Like Im A Dumb,you Know Damn Well They Have Phones!hell,i've Picked Up There Before And I Was Given The # And Got Someone At The Terminal But This Guy Wasnt Going To Give!! I Hate Big Companies.i'll Let Yall Know When I Get It?if Mine Is Messed Up Im Going To Ask Them To Send Me The Brass Framed .31 Pietta Thats On Sale For 135.00.its Only 6.00 More Anyway And I Bet Its Better.i Have 3 Piettas And No Problems.and Like Mike Said If I Get Another 1849 It Will Be A Uberti!

 

[Smokin_Gun]

.31's and makers

MPP when i got this 1848 Baby Dragoon .31 I got it from Gunbroker.com , I email the seller and do a buy it noe deal..I got lucky he didn't even know what it was thought it was a .36. Long story short I Identified it as a .31 ASM..got it was was unfired...sweetest action I could have gotten. Timming Bolt lock iup excellant. I'm sold on Piettas myself, and that Ubertis are put together well but expensive, the ASM in there day before Uberti bought them out were an equal to Uberti. Just some Info if you even have a question on ASM products...I had an ASM 1863 rem also a nice one too, sold it to a friend when i got my Baby Dragoon. Another excellant Mfg. is Euroarms i want one of thir 1858 Rems.

 

[MPP1423]

Well I Got My 1849,finally! It Appears To All Be Ok.all Lines Up And Action Is Ok Too.cant Wait To Fire It.i'll Let Yall Know

 

[Smokin_Gun]

Congrads

Congrads MPP and good on to ya! Glad to hear you got a good one.

 

[MPP1423]

I Have Shot My 49 And Here Is The Results.windage Is Good,elevation Is 8-9 In High At 12yrds,only Problems Encountered Was Caps Getting Caught Every Now And Then Hanging Up The Cylinder.this Was Done Off Hand And 12 Grns Of 777,.320 Ball W/wad And Grease Over Ball.the Action Kept Working Smooth The Whole Time Except The Cap Problem.all In All It Was Good.even Though Its Shooting High It Is Grouping Consistant.

 

[JN01]

DO NOT BUY ANY PALMETTO PRODUCTS!!

I once had the misfortune of buying one of their screw-barrel flintlock pocket pistols (which I promptly returned for a refund) and have since then seen several examples of their stuff at Friendship, IN.

They kind of remind me of those pot-metal "decorator" replica guns, but with poorer workmanship.

If by some miracle you could get one of them to fire, I wouldn't trust it to not blow up in your face.

Parts that are ill-fitted, misaligned, soft steel, springs that are too strong or weak are the norm.

Get your money back and buy a Uberti or Pietta.

 

[Smokin_Gun]

Sounds like your happy with it MPP... Would you rather I called you Kevin or is MPP ok?