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Riflemeister
PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 8:25 am  Reply with quote
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Earlier this year I made the mistake of going to the CDNN website and saw they had the Dickinson true sidelocks at a discounted price, although in 20 ga and 12 ga only. I called to inquire about the 30" barrel 12 ga that had my POW stock and single trigger and during the conversation with the salesman, the fact that I am a gunsmith (rifles only) and have my FFL came up and he quoted a dealer price that pushed me over the edge. Since receiving the gun, I sent it off to Feland's Gunsmithing in Texas for one of his elegant leather covered pads and then bent in a bit more castoff to make it fit. The only shooting I've been able to do with this shutdown is 16 yard patterning to fit the gun, but I'm really impressed with the quality of the build. They just don't make it in 16 ga though.



The gun is a bit barrel heavy with the balance point 1" forward of the hinge pin thanks to those 30" barrels. It feels pretty good despite that. Weight is 7# 5oz.



The hand detachable sidelocks are a close copy of the Holland and Holland 7 pin lock. The case color is a traditional bone charcoal like all the Dickinsons. The single non-selective trigger breaks at 4# on the right barrel and 5.5# on the left.





The standard wood is not bad. Larry Feland really does a nice leather covered pad.



The sidelock goes by the name "Prestige" in gold filled engraving.



The only change I would make on the gun (other than 16 ga) is a semi-beavertail forend, although I have a few other SXS's with the splinter that I seem to shoot OK.

Now, I know AKUS makes a 16 ga with the trigger plate action, can you visualize what the gun would be like with 16 ga barrels on their 20 ga sidelock action? Can't find any way to make that happen so far, but still looking into it.

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An elderly gentleman, his faithful dogs, and a 16 ga SXS. All is right with the world.
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wj jeffery 16
PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 9:06 am  Reply with quote
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Very nice , that looks like a gun you could have some fun with , thanks for sharing your new purchase with us and I look forward to seeing it out in the field next season ,
Hope you get to shoot it soon , all the best WJ.
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Savage16
PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 11:48 am  Reply with quote
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From tip to tail,very nice indeed. Enjoy!

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hayseed
PostPosted: Thu Apr 23, 2020 12:07 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 14 Feb 2017
Posts: 401

“Wish they made it in 16 gauge.”

I think that about every model shotgun I see, good and bad.
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Cold Iron
PostPosted: Fri Apr 24, 2020 4:46 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Mar 2016
Posts: 746
Location: Mn.

That is an elegant gun, from stem to stern. Hope you get to shoot it on clays soon. Last Spring shot skeet with a gentleman using a 20 ga. Prestige, it is a remarkable looking gun.

I have a Dickinson Plantation Sporter in 12 ga. from Pacific Sporting Arms (PSA) for over a year now with 32" barrels. Shot the heck out of it last year on clays and haven't shot my B. Rizzini or Beretta target guns since I got it. Big fan of the Dickinson guns. Had Briley make me 2 LM chokes for it and don't miss having a barrel selector one bit.

I shoot full 1 1/8 oz. 1200 fps loads in it with an ISIS recoil reducer and had an adjustable comb cut.



In the past have used a PFS on my 12 ga. target guns and am liking the ISIS.

Planned on picking up a 32" 20 ga. Dickinson Sporter this year but like you really want a 16 ga. PSA actually had a 32" 16 ga. Sporter earlier this year and thought about it for a day and when I went back they had already sold it of course. Because it is a target gun would actually prefer the 16 be on a 12 ga. frame. So sent Dickinson an email earlier this week-

============================

Will a 16 ga. high ventilated rib 32" barrel fit either a 12 ga. or 20 ga. receiver? And if so is this something I could order directly from you with a 16 ga. forend including hardware? If it will fit a 12 ga. then I'd order it right away if the cost is reasonable. And also realize fitting may be required. Thank you!

============================

Got a reply back a few days ago >


Dickinson Info
Apr 21, 2020, 4:20 PM (3 days ago)
to me

Nothing doing. The factory will not put 16ga barrels on the 12ga frame as the gun will come up too heavy. Now they could put 16ga barrels on the 20ga frame, but they just don't want to do it. I have been told no before.

So your best bet is to go back to PSA and order up a 20ga gun on a 20ga frame.

Marty

===========================

Not exactly what I wanted to hear but kind of expected it.

The repair facility for AKUS is a shop in Oregon and ran across the site a few months ago but can't find it again. My next thought is to see if they could order the 16 ga. bbl. and forend for me and fit it and bypass the sales channel.

If you find a way please let me know, send smoke signals, Navy signal flags, Morse code, what ever it takes. I haven't given up yet. Not a huge hurry for me right now but it is on the short range radar.
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double vision
PostPosted: Fri Apr 24, 2020 6:47 am  Reply with quote
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Those are both really nice 12's. Cold Iron's gun always impressed me by how smoothly it opens and closes .

Perhaps you can get UplandDanFan to make a nice semi-BT grip for you.
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Riflemeister
PostPosted: Fri Apr 24, 2020 7:17 am  Reply with quote
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Just for info for the Dickinson owners, I was able to get 12 ga Skeet choke tubes a LOT cheaper than Briley from Dickinson 805-978-8565. They also said they had choke tubes for the 16 ga and 20 ga.

The Oregon gunsmith who works on Dickinson guns is Kody Kearcher (nephew of Keith Kearcher who used to be the guy). He's in Bend, OR and phone is: 541-617-9299.

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An elderly gentleman, his faithful dogs, and a 16 ga SXS. All is right with the world.
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slowpokebill
PostPosted: Fri Apr 24, 2020 8:00 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 07 Aug 2013
Posts: 163
Location: Utah

You might contact them and ask.

That is the same shotgun made by Acus was imported once upon a time by Kimber as thei Valier model. Those were made in 16 gauge. You do see them come up for sale now and then. Going price for the Valier Grade II runs in the 3-4K range.
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Cold Iron
PostPosted: Fri Apr 24, 2020 9:18 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Mar 2016
Posts: 746
Location: Mn.

Riflemeister wrote:
Just for info for the Dickinson owners, I was able to get 12 ga Skeet choke tubes a LOT cheaper than Briley from Dickinson 805-978-8565. They also said they had choke tubes for the 16 ga and 20 ga.

The Oregon gunsmith who works on Dickinson guns is Kody Kearcher (nephew of Keith Kearcher who used to be the guy). He's in Bend, OR and phone is: 541-617-9299.


Thanks for the info on Kody.

When I first got my Plantation ordered a spare IC and Mod from SKB they were pretty cheap. The SKB 200HR Target, 200, 250, 7000SL field are all made by Dickinson. I am not a fan of the Teague style choke tubes and I ordered from the SKB gunsmith, he said that he has had a few with stuck tubes that were a real bear to get out. Stated that Dickinson is looking at going to slotted tubes that was a year ago but they still haven't. I don't believe.

For what ever reason in the 12 they do not make a SK or LM. So I broke down and had 2 of each made and bore matched at .005 and .015 from Briley. And can use a wrench to switch between Skeet and Sporting Clays. The Dickinson chokes in 12 were awfully tight compared to the constriction marked.

SKB sells the 7000SL for $6,500



Pretty sure you paid a lot less than that for yours Smile

You might be able to contact SKB and get a 7000SL beavertail for yours. Would be worth a try.

https://www.skbshotguns.com/shotguns/7000-sl-field
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Riflemeister
PostPosted: Sat Apr 25, 2020 11:13 am  Reply with quote
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You're right about what I paid, I got it for right at 4 grand cheaper with dealer pricing. I'd have to think long and hard about paying $6500 for one even if it was a 16 ga.

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An elderly gentleman, his faithful dogs, and a 16 ga SXS. All is right with the world.
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UncleDanFan
PostPosted: Mon Apr 27, 2020 11:26 am  Reply with quote
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Maybe you could buy the 20ga and buy an extra barrel in 16 and have someone fit it?

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Riflemeister
PostPosted: Mon Apr 27, 2020 3:51 pm  Reply with quote
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I've got a 20 ga S&W Elite Gold and a 16 ga Dickinson. I'll try the 16 ga barrels on the 20 ga just to get an idea, but buying a $6500 20 ga so I can buy another $2000 gun to rob the barrels off it is just a little too pricey fer us po folks. The Dickinsons are advertised as having a scaled frame in each gauge, so I think I'll find the 16 ga barrels too wide for the 20 ga action.

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An elderly gentleman, his faithful dogs, and a 16 ga SXS. All is right with the world.
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Riflemeister
PostPosted: Fri May 01, 2020 2:04 pm  Reply with quote
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I tried the swap between the 16 ga and 20 ga barrels and it looks like the 16 ga barrels would have to be specifically made to fit the 20 ga action. Some dimensions are: width across the barrels, 20 ga, 2.032"; 16 ga, 2.064": Hight of barrels from locking lug to top of rib, 20 ga 1.253"; 16 ga 1.306": firing pin width, 20 ga 1.027"; 16 ga 1.052".



The 20 ga barrels are on the left and 16 ga barrels are on the right. It does look like 16 ga barrels could be manufactured to fit the 20 ga action with no difficulty, IF they could be convinced to do the work.

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An elderly gentleman, his faithful dogs, and a 16 ga SXS. All is right with the world.
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df
PostPosted: Fri May 01, 2020 3:14 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Oct 2007
Posts: 962
Location: Minnesota

A 16 ga in a scaled receiver Rem 870
Benelli legacy in a scaled receiver.
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Cold Iron
PostPosted: Sun May 03, 2020 11:34 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 09 Mar 2016
Posts: 746
Location: Mn.

Riflemeister wrote:
I tried the swap between the 16 ga and 20 ga barrels and it looks like the 16 ga barrels would have to be specifically made to fit the 20 ga action. Some dimensions are: width across the barrels, 20 ga, 2.032"; 16 ga, 2.064": Hight of barrels from locking lug to top of rib, 20 ga 1.253"; 16 ga 1.306": firing pin width, 20 ga 1.027"; 16 ga 1.052".



The 20 ga barrels are on the left and 16 ga barrels are on the right. It does look like 16 ga barrels could be manufactured to fit the 20 ga action with no difficulty, IF they could be convinced to do the work.

Thank you very much for doing this! Shot 5 stand this morning, I did 3 rounds. Absolutely love the Dickinson 12 ga. with 32" bbls. shot a round with my Winchester 23 20 ga. with 28" after using it and even though used to love that gun now find it a bit lacking after shooting the Dickinson. Left thinking I need a 20 ga. Dickinson Sporter with high rib vented bbl. with 32" also. But every once in a great while PSA does list a 32" Dickinson 16 ga. Sporter, they sell in a couple of days or less. If one of those pop up might grab that instead of the 20. And eventually will, even if I have to custom order it.

I know they do a 20/28 combo and also a 28/410 both in 28" and 30" through SKB. Those that favor the 28 claim the 20/28 handles better which makes sense given the extra weight. Really wish they would do the 12/16 for clays in the Sporter, the extra weight is not a bad thing IMO.
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