doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Dakota Arms double?

It didn't.
JR

The guns were never "cheap" and there were some reported reliability issues. I have a friend who owned 2....both guns developed ejector issues, one broke a top lever spring during the first season, and one wouldn't cock the left barrel. All issues were repaired and worked fine after that. Both guns were ordered Through NEA. The Legend he owns is an awesome gun. As round as a Dickson, engraved by a master (I forget who, Tomassini??), excellent wood, fit and finish way above average. No problems with that gun, he still shoots it often.
I don't know the actual number of guns built for Dakota by Ferlib, but it seems like more than just a couple. I've probably seen more than a dozen for sale over the years. Same with Dakota Superlights. I'd be curious where JR got that interesting nugget of info.

Just an assumption based on their extreme rarity, LeFusil. I've seen no more than two or three advertised for sale over the last decade. The Superlights, maybe a couple of dozen at most. There's a sum total of one on Guns International and none on Gunsamerica. You may know something about these I don't.
JR

I remember looking at one I was told was made by Ferlib, looked very well made, n pretty as well.
Ferlib is (was ?)a pretty good maker from the few (Ferlib stamped) Guns I've seen ...all boxlocks,,were very nice indeed
franc

JTH Agency has a nice little 20 ga Ferlib made Dakota Legend on consignment that he has been trying to sell for a while. Nice looking gun. Can't speak to reliability but the photos suggest a pretty high level of finish..

I can't find where anyone said they were "cheap", Dustin. I was field testing a Merkel 1620 at the same time as the SIACE Superlight. As I recall, prices were fairly similar. The Superlights were less expensive than the Ferlib-made guns, for sure. But I would not categorize that as "cheap".

A few here may have known Tony Laws from Northport/Tuscaloosa, Al. Tony was a long-time fine gun/decoy/paper-memorabilia dealer who had a retail establishment Woods and Waters. He had a few Superlights when they were first offered. One in particular I really liked, a 12 ga. 28" with pg, dt, and btfe, nice dark wood. Fit me perfect and felt good in the hands. Something like $3800 as I recall. But I passed...
JR

Read Larry, and don't look too far into it. I said they were never cheap as a reason why the guns were tough to sell. Too high of a price point, put the guns into the class of other makers guns who had more of a rep, people chose those guns over a SIACE built gun. Most people back when NEA and Dakota were selling these had never heard of the SIACE company, many still do not and most of the guys here think of hammerguns when they see the name.

Dustin, usually when someone puts something inside quotation marks, that's an indication that someone else SAID it. I looked, trying to find "cheap" (or even someone having implied they were cheap) but couldn't find anything of that nature. I agree with you about comparative price points, but that was not what I understood when reading your "never 'cheap'" post.

Siace also made the barrels/actions for the Hatfield SxSs back in the 80s/90s...at least the earlier ones...I think they later switched to barrels/actions made in Spain for cost savings ..but don't hold me to that....