Dakota Arms, whats the skinny?

[TScottO]

Does anyone here have a Dakota Arms rifle or have any experience with them? From what I’ve seen, their resale value is good.

Are these guns worth the money or not?
And what makes them so prized?

Thanks,
Scott

[shermbob]

Not trying to start trouble but i've never  thought about selling a gun before I bought it :wink:  But then agin it might be a good indicator of wether or not its any good

[fe352v8]

I received a Dakota Model 10 magnum action (only), in the white, as partial settlement for services from a dead beat in lieu of suing him.  Dakota’s web site shows a price of $1850 for action only.  Is it worth it?

It is machined from a block of tempered steel and is beautifully finished and polished.  Very solid and finely honed, when working the action it reminds you of an old bank vault.  The paper work with it indicates the installed extractor is for a .375 H&H so any cartridge with a .5350 base should work.

I was going to send it back to Dakota to make it a rifle, but they will not do it with an octagon barrel.  So I ordered one from Lilja, Dakota’s supplier, and should have it sometime early next year.

Prices for their actions seemed in line with other high-end actions, but when talking with Dakota it seemed their wood was where the money was.  Fortunately I am close to a company, Wenig Custom Gunstocks, which can stock it from about $1000 dollars up.

I figure I will have about $5500.00 to get from action only, to a rifle, which compares favorable to their box stock versions, comparably equipped.

$1850 action
    450 barrel
    250 chambering and fitting action (Wichita Arms)
    600 quarter-rib front sight and scope base mountings machining
    250 scope bases (EAW)
  1500 stock fitting, checkering and mounting (comparable to Dakotas XXX)
    600 finishing (rust bluing)

Of course just like rehabbing an old house or restoring an old car, projects take on a life of there own.  So I am planning to have some engraving and inlay work done for around another $1500, and I just acquired a used, but never mounted, Schmidt & Bender 1.25-4x20 scope for about $ 800.  So allowing for a little more stupidity on my part I figure the grand total will end up just under $8000.  Is it worth it, hell no, but I am into it now and its fun.  If spread over a couple of years it won’t be too bad, after all the action $1850 is only sweat equity.  When done I will have a truly unique one of a kind custom made and fitted rifle.

I justify it by seeing Hagn actions for $2300, or custom Ruger #1s, for over $3000.  Will it shoot better than a $300 H&R, or a $700 Ruger; no, and a Kia would get me somewhere just the same as my 64 cutlass convertible and a Timex will keep time as well as a Rolex, but in life, the journey is often times the true destination.

Thus if you are viewing a gun as a tool, no it is not worth it.  If however you view it as a representation of hand craftsmanship, finely machined and assembled, and you appreciate these things, then maybe.

Life is no joke but funny things happen

jon

[TScottO]

I fully understand your project gun. Sometimes things get a little out of control but what the hey, roll with the punches.

I do like fine quality guns. My main thing is handguns. To get a fine quality handgun you can pay $2400-3000 minus engraving. Better quality rifles seem to start at $3K. All of my guns are tools. I’m just not sure I’m ready to spend around 5-6k on a gun. It would take planning to do it but I’ve wanted a Dakota every since I was little and looking at all of those pretty things in gun magazines. Except then it was a Mod 10 I wanted. Now I believe I’d rather have the bolt gun.

Take Care,
Scott

[fe352v8]

Tried to trade the action, to a guy that had a model 76 (acton only) listed on Guns America, before I started, as abolt gun would be more flexible. I think it is still listed for around $1500.

life is no joke but funny things happen

jon

[Little Magnum]

Dakota Arms are worth the money to me. There well built, works of art. I have a 76 in 375 Dakota, I bought it new in the box, very nice wood and the price was right. However I wish, the gun had been in lighter caliber, this way I would hunt with it more. There prices of Dakota's have shot up with the passing of Don A. You have a custom builder build you a Dakota quality gun and the price is going to be a lot higher, then what you would pay for the Dakota.
From you post. I can't tell if you have just the model 10 action or  a complete rifle ? either way I would sell your model 10 on gunsamerica.
Then buy a model 76. There is a market for Dakota's, but it's a small one.
If you buy a used one and buy it right you can save $$$. Alot of people buy Dakota's and don't use them, because there so nice and end up selling them for way less then what there worth. Most dakota 1st time buyers, are buying their dream gun, so they like to order it just the way they want.

[fe352v8]

Little Magnum

It is just the action.  I am pretty committed or committable depending on your perspective, in any event I had long thought about a model 10, and then fate (a dead beat) presented the opportunity.  If I were ordering from scratch, I would have done it in a .270 or 30-06 for sheep, deer, and antelope and bought a complete rifle used as you suggested.

It is being chamber it in the .375 H&H, this may seem odd, but I’ve found some load data for using cast lead bullets originally designed for a 38-55.  You might want to look into this to expand the uses for your 76.

The 375 seems to be quite flexible with bullets ranging from 210 to 350 grains, Speer’s manual lists loads for 235, 275, 285, and 300 grains with reduced velocity loads for the 235 and 285, but at the reduced velocities I think cast lead would provide better expansion on thin skinned game such as deer, and, from what I’ve read, less meat damage than a 30 calibre or 7mm magnum would.  

With this in mind I have opted for a 1 in 14 twist instead of the usual 1 in 12, hopefully this will help in stabilizing the slower cast bullets as well as reducing the rotational stresses and leading (may have to paper patch though).  I’m sure I will give up some high velocity jacked bullet accuracy/stability, but feel this will not be an issue at under 300 yards, which is my comfort/competency zone from supported field positions with a .308.  With the cast lower velocity ammo that I would be using it should have ballistics similar to a 38-55 or .375 Winchester, which I would think would be similar to my 50/70, which I feel comfortable/competent using out to 150 yards.  Thus I hope to be able to have a sort of one rifle does it all kind of thing.

If your 76 has a 1 in 12 twist you would probably give up some accuracy/stability at low velocity using cast bullets and possible have some leading problems.  The available jacketed bullets would have limited expansion at lower velocities but still would provide excellent penetration.  Just something you might want to play with, after all what’s the point of owning art if you cannot enjoy it.

I still intend to use it for, sheep, deer, and antelope, it will make a bigger hole, and if I ever went elk hunting out west, Speer’s claim their 235 grain at 2900 fps zeroed at 300 yards rises only 5.5 inches at 200 yards and has 2250 foot-pounds of energy at 300 yards, should be perfect for that long shot, but that’s a dream for another day.

Anyway enjoy your Dakota; I fully intend to enjoy mine when it’s done.

Life is no joke but funny thing happen

jon