WELCOME to Huglu Forum JasonH!!!!!

These guns now come with a 1 or 2 year warranty from Cabela's. Though they have been known to send the guns out without the warranty paperwork. Verify with them before buying that the gun is new with warranty. We have not yet had one break to find out what their warranty service is like.

A smith that did warranty work for the S&W Elite Gold has been located and is happy to work on these guns, but he does not want his name mentioned publicly as he still does warranty work on other guns for S&W and does not want to jeopardize that. Seems the parting between S&W and Akus was not a happy one. If you were to need his info we'll get it to you via PM.

All in all, there are at least a handful of smiths out there that have worked on these guns. Most any truly competent smith should be able to work on them.

The "sticky wicket" you might run into is parts availability. Unless Cabela's has gotten a supply of parts, then parts are scarce as hen's teeth and a replacement part would probably have to be manufactured from scratch.

 

Welcome aboard! When you consider that these guns, as S & W Elite Golds, had a "forever" warranty, I wouldn't loose any sleep over worrying about it breaking. And has been said, on just about every forum, they all can break, even those in the next price level up from here. :wink: Our best bet is that Cabelas stays in the game, so to speak, sells a lot of these guns, and continues to provide some support, for service that we should never need. As 2few said, there are other options, just in case.

 

JasonH, and

to the Huglu Forum, the friendliest, and the fastest growing "I Love My" Forum on SGW

I can't add anything that has not already been covered, so I'll just keep my comments to the welcome

cdb

 

Jason--I own a 16 ga. Dickinson and would buy one again in a heartbeat. As a matter of fact, I bought it because I had a good experience with a 20 ga. Smith & Wesson Gold Elite.

To respond to a couple of your questions. I don't think anybody is sending the guns back to Turkey for work. I've had my 16 ga. to the gunsmith twice, but neither time was a repair (I had the stock bent--I'm a lefty--and refinished and the triggers cleaned up), so the issue of parts and warranty and all that didn't come into play. Incidentally, if you plan to have stock work done (lengthened, shortened, pad put on, cast on/off added, etc.), I'd seriously think about having the gun refinished at the same time, though I think most people just live with the stock as delivered. As far as parts go, I'd guess, though I don't know, that if there is a warranty on the new Dickinsons somebody stateside has parts access.

BTW, on the Upland Journal website there is a very long thread currently in progress started on the topic of whether the price differential between the Dickinson and the AYA 4/53 that Cabela's carries is justified. You might find it interesting.

 

This discussion has gone round and round, but if we can assume that the Dickinsons will have a similar reputation as the Huglus (if not better), than I would not hesitate to recommend one new. I am not claiming that it is as good as a high-end shotgun, but if a guy is looking for a new, good quality, beautiful upland gun that handles nicely, I would look no further than a Dickinson. Here's why:

I got my first experience in a Cabela's yesterday and had the opportunity to handle a number of guns. While I didn't actually put them all side by side, I did handle them successively. Another first was handling a Grulla 217 round body, Arrieta 578 and AyA #2 round body. I'm a Spanish gun lover and it was quite a thrilling experience so my giddiness may have gotten the best of me. I wish I could have taken them all out and tried them, I don't think I was objective. I have an AyA XXV box lock, another Spanish gun of fine quality (Mendicute) and a number of "bargain fixer-upers" so I have some experience in this realm (though I make no claim to being an expert).

Why do I mention all of this? I also handled a Dickinson 12 ga. and was blown away. I also have a CZ Partridge 12 ga. and the difference is remarkable. The Huglus are medium/heavy game guns. The Dickinson is clearly a light game gun. Not as light as my XXV, but still a gun I could carry all day in the field. It is in a much higher class than the Huglus. I wish I could have spent more time with it to compare, but it felt like a very nice double in the hands. The fit and finish were also very nice.

If I were in the market for a new gun, I know what I would be buying next. If Cabela's paid attention to the market, they could advertise in all the upland magazines, do a media blitz with this thing and sell a bucketload of them. I can't think of another gun of this quality that comes in at this price point. I'd be real interested to do a field test of an Ugartechea grade I and a Dickinson.

MD

 

I'd be real interested to do a field test of an Ugartechea grade I and a Dickinson.

And from a price perspective these two guns are direct competitors. They cost within about $100 of each other (although Cabela's sometimes offers "sales" on the Dickinson guns that give them a $200 to $400 advantage over the Ugartechea Grade I).

From a new gun perspective these two guns pretty much own the SxS market between $1200 and $1900. The Dickinsons run from about $1200 to $1600 (for 12 or 20 gauge) and the 16 gauge Dickinson seems to be pretty firm at $1600. I haven't looked at the prices of the Ugartechea in a while but IIRC the Ugartechea Grade I was $1699 the last time I looked.

IMO, the round body, ability to shoot steel shot and interchangeable choke tubes are all big advantages of the Dickinson guns.

The Ugartechea gets a big plus for "reputation". They have been around a long time and are considered sturdy, reliable guns. The Dickinson's haven't been around as long and are made in Turkey so some people would always go for the Ugartechea. I don't agree with them, but in the end that is subjective opinion not objective fact. I would take a Dickinson over an Ugartechea Grade I every time....others would disagree.

But if you are planning on buying a new SxS and are going to spend in the vicinity of $1200 to $1700 you have an either/or choice. It's either going to be a Dickinson or an Ugartechea Grade I.

 

...IIRC the Ugartechea Grade I was $1699 the last time I looked.

IMO, the round body, ability to shoot steel shot and interchangeable choke tubes are all big advantages of the Dickinson guns.

The Ugartechea gets a big plus for "reputation"...

Correct on all points (assuming Lion Country's posted prices are still current... prices have been going up in Spain recently).

I really do think the Dickinson is more aesthetically pleasing. They have done a fine job engraving it just enough to catch the eye but not too much to detract from the beautiful case coloring. (I would recommend protecting it with a coat of lacquer after seeing Wade's wear with heavy use.) It may not have the most lithe wrist with its through-bolt, but neither does the Uggie without the through-bolt. But holding the gun, it still felt great in the hands... it whispered in my ear each time I shouldered the gun.

MD

 

If compared to an Italian O/U then parts availability could be an issue. But even there the availability of parts and ability to receive them in a reasonable time frame varies from brand to brand.

Unless you are really unlucky there's only a few parts that could need replacing over time in any SxS or O/U shotgun and none are that hard to have made by a decent smith.

So if you compare a Dickinson to any Spanish gun of nearly the same price then the issue is really a non-issue. If you look in the Spanish gun forum here on SGW you'll see many threads asking for a source of spare parts for those guns. Since the guns from the Basque makers are all hand made there's no such thing as spare parts unless the parts were ordered with the gun when new. Every part has to be hand fitted and so off to a smith for making or fitting is the norm with these guns. The Dickinson is no different except the parts are not hand made and so if there is an official Akus service center sometime in the future then you will be able to purchase firing pins etc. etc.

 

I just went through the Cabela's on-line inventory (again....) and darnit they still haven't gotten a POW stocked 16 gauge in....maybe never? I did see one very nicely figured stocked one in Louisiana that had me thinking, though...but, I have enough straight stocked SxS shotguns - for now, anyway. I would love a Dickenson 16 gauge, POW stock, single selective trigger..... Hmmmmm....seems I used to say the same about a Case-Colored DeHaan SGR...... (choices, choices....)

 

I was at my local Cabelas in Maine a few weeks ago looking at a Dickinson 20 gauge with double triggers and a straight stock. I really liked the gun (I had owned a S&W Gold briefly and sold it, wish now I still had it!) but while looking at it the Library a salesman came up to me and told me I did not want that gun, that they were " cheaply made", with "soft metal parts"! I was shocked that at statement, which I do not think is true. I think they are great guns, not even taking into consideration the price point. I wonder how many get sold in Maine? :lol:

 

I was at my local Cabelas in Maine a few weeks ago looking at a Dickinson 20 gauge with double triggers and a straight stock. I really liked the gun (I had owned a S&W Gold briefly and sold it, wish now I still had it!) but while looking at it the Library a salesman came up to me and told me I did not want that gun, that they were " cheaply made", with "soft metal parts"! I was shocked that at statement, which I do not think is true. I think they are great guns, not even taking into consideration the price point. I wonder how many get sold in Maine? :lol:

That's the same old BS that was once said about the Spanish guns. Some know-it-alls just like to talk out of the wrong end of their digestive tract, so to speak. But I would have used the idiots own words to get a huge discount on the gun! Would have been willing to take it home to prevent anyone getting stuck with it! :roll: :wink:

My second guess would be that the A-Hole wanted the gun himself and didn't have the cash on hand to buy it. Needed a few weeks to gather the cash and bad mouthed it to anyone interested in it.

 

I just went through the Cabela's on-line inventory (again....) and darnit they still haven't gotten a POW stocked 16 gauge in....maybe never? I did see one very nicely figured stocked one in Louisiana that had me thinking, though...but, I have enough straight stocked SxS shotguns - for now, anyway. I would love a Dickenson 16 gauge, POW stock, single selective trigger..... Hmmmmm....seems I used to say the same about a Case-Colored DeHaan SGR...... (choices, choices....)

I'm with you on this one. I keep hoping the rumors of an AKUS USA become a reality and I'll order a 16 ga POW, single trigger as soon as I can.

Another note on the Dikinson guns, the July/August issue of "The Pointing Dog Journal" has quite a spread on the Dickinson in "The Gun Room" department of their magazine. Very complimentary on everything but heavy triggers. He said the gunsmith he had look at it was impressed with the machining of the gun, but declined to work on the triggers. Didn't Apachecaddilac have his Dickinson triggers worked by someone?

 

Heavy triggers? In my sample of one (so far :wink: ) that's the last thing of concern. That gun - 12 ga, first batch - would have good triggers if it was a high quality rifle. I'm planning to check out some of the most recent batch shortly, and will compare, but I really have to wonder about that. What I am noticing, shopping on line, is that the 16 ga. guns are a little heavier than I thought they used to be, albeit with 28" barrels, and choke tubes. 6lbs 10 to 6lbs 12 oz won't bother me too much, though. It's just at the "higher end" of 16 ga. bird gun weight.

 

I currently own a S&W 20 gauge Gold and both 16 and 12 gauge Dickinson's and in the past I've owned several different better quality SXS guns from AYA and Uggie (up to and including Grade V guns) and a few others as well including a couple of Merkels (147 EL's) and higher end Fausti's and in my opinion and it's just my opinion the Dickinson guns can stand shoulder to shoulder with ANY similar grade guns from the better gun makers and I actually prefer them to several of the other guns I've owned, I just love the true round action.
For the record, I've seen more screwed up AYA guns (even higher grade guns) direct from the factory at Cabela's than any other brand. These were guns that I had considered buying in the last 10 years until I saw them.
Strat

 

Didn't Apachecaddilac have his Dickinson triggers worked by someone?

Yes. And here (shamelessly lifted from his post on Upland Journal) are his comments on the subject.

I don't know what kind of instructions you gave your gunsmith, but I have had a different experience with a 16 ga. Dickinson. After running a couple of cases of shells through it, I asked Keith Kearchner in Bend, Oregon to work on the triggers, which were heavy to my taste. He did so and I've since shot the gun a fair amount since then without any problem.

All I asked him to do was to 'make the trigger like the triggers on my S&W Gold Elite'--which is basically the same AKUS gun, finished a little bit better to a price point midway between what Cabela's gets for the Dickinson and for the AyA it sells. Keith didn't have any trouble doing that.

That said, Keith is an outstanding gunsmith and I know many gunsmiths are leery of doing trigger work, for the liability issues, among other reasons.

 

Interesting and good reading from all! But, I am not confused----you would have to pry my DeHaan SxS 20 SGR/CS OUT OF MY COLD DEAD HANDS

good info though,

 

Hey Reed! Good to see you! Nobody is suggesting giving up an SGr, just getting a Dickinson in addition to an SGr!!!

 

I would have zero reservations in buying one of these shotguns. Sorry Ive been away from the forum for some time. Ive been working in China and South East Asia and just wicked covered up. As a follow up to prior posts, my gunsmith in Texas did successfully fix my ejector issue on my gold elite 20. Also repaired the internal hammers to fix the occasional FTF on the left barrel. This was covered under warranty.

My last hangup in getting something going for reliable service is A. A good parts diagram. I know one was posted in this forum some time back but the resolution is no good. I need one scanned in with more detail and emailed to me. B. I need to re-connect with 2Few and get this gunsmith talking to his contacts he has been developing.

As a final commentary from my gunsmith: The guns are well built. He feels that the steel in the trigger/firing mech is a little softer than he would like to see but well finished and functional.

If someone can email me a good exploded view and parts listing, I will get with 2few and go from there.

Cheers

Elmer Fudd

 

Thanks for all the info guys! I've about made up my mind that these Dickinson guns are worth a shot. The only thing that concerns me is the gunsmith stating that the steel in the firing mechanism is a little soft. It makes me wonder about the long term durability, or perhaps the parts breaking easier than other brands. I don't know anything about the hardness of various metals, so I'm not exactly sure how soft we are talking here. At any rate, I will be picking up the next issue of "The Pointing Dog Journal" to read the article about the Dickinson.

 

Jason......

Read the article. There was also a mention of the Dickinson guns in a 5 part series in the Shooting Sportsman a while ago.

One thing to keep in mind though is that these are meant as "game guns" and they are not built for a steady diet of high volume clays shooting. If you pound 10-15,000 rounds per year through one I would not expect it to hold up for more than a few years before some things started to break. They are simply not meant as a high volume clays gun.

 

I was in the area, so I stopped by my neighborhood Cabelas (100 miles away), to check out a Dickinson 16 ga. they had in stock. Reported as a DT, 6lbs 14oz, a little zoftig for me, but worth looking at, I thought. It has a ST! :w Can't they count? I had thought I'd probably want to import a lighter one from another store anyway, so that's now the plan. When I asked if they knew if there were more guns in the pipeline, as in, if I wait awhile, you gonna have anymore to look at? They didn't know. :shock: They're making me nervous. :roll: At least I got to spend some time lecturing the salesperson on the qualities that make the Dickinson such a good gun. :wink:

 

OK, so I owe Cabelas an apology. I was back over there, to help a friend shuttle a vehicle to a place nearby, and we had decided we needed pub chairs (on sale!), so I stopped by the Gun Library to discuss transfering in a gun from Lehi, and there it was: DT 16 ga. Dickinson. How did I miss it Sunday? I'm sure I would notice a SxS Dickinson in a room full of swimsuit models - eventually. Anyway, it was at least as good a gun as the ones in Lehi, albeit a couple ounces heavier (6 lbs 14 oz), but has no rack rash, triggers are ok at less than gun weight, decent dark wood, so subscribing to the "bird in hand" theory, it now lives at my house.

 

Love it! The guy goes in for a couple of pub chairs and comes out with a shotgun. That's what keeps those big box stores in clover.

Seriously, though, congrats. I hope you enjoy your new Dickinson as much as I have been enjoying mine. They are very good guns. And I've been having fun with the 16 ga. aspect of it, too.

 

And I got the pub chairs, too. :wink: Didn't stray (much) from my primary mission. For sure the time to do business there is at 8:30 a.m. on a weekday. No lines, took maybe 10 minutes to do the electronic "paperwork". I'd still like to know where that gun was on Sunday, though. Hiding out in the back room? Mixed in with the O/Us? That's the one I was looking for, so I find it hard to imagine that I missed seeing it. :shock: Still, I might not have bought it without checking out the other stores' guns. Lehi was great, got right back to me by E-Mail, discussed wood, general condition, etc. of the two DT 16s they have. Had this one not been there, I would have got one from them in a heartbeat. The selection is getting a little slimmer all the time.

 

Excellent. Great guns!

Don't forget to order up a couple of cases of $6/box Herter's 16 gauge shells while Cabela's has them on sale on their website. $5 shipping if you have a Cabela's Club card. You DO have a Cabela's credit card don't you? You did pay for the Dickinson with said credit card, didn't you? Everything purchased gives you two percent or more goes back toward future gun runner orders without showing up where our wives will see the bill!!!! :roll: 8) :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Don't forget to post JPG's!!!