Turner Kirkland TD's

[Johnny P]

A couple of weeks back a guy I know called to see if he could bring some guns out for some help in pricing. One of the guns was a Trapdoor rifle that had been polished and blued, and the stock had been sanded and varnished. He thought it might be the prize of the guns that his father had owned. I broke the news to him that the collector value of the TD had been ruined. A few days later he sent me a book that is a compilation of the serial numbers and features of the TD's sold by Turner Kirkland. It appears that when you bought one of his rifles you received a book of all the TD's with your serial number in the front of the book.

[JimF]

Ahh, yes . . . . .

I vividly remember when Turner was collecting these for later sale!

They were "stacked like cord-wood" on pallets about three or four feet high!

I dunno how much pressure was put on the bottom row of these pallets, but I know the rifles must have suffered DEEP stock dents from all the weight! --Jim

[Dick Hosmer]

Yes, so do I!

Every once in a while I browse through my (softcover) copy of the book, and marvel at the naivete and rampant bum information offered in that pre-Frasca/Hill and pre Waite/Ernst time frame. Some of his advisors (Turner was a salesman's salesman, and an acquirer, but not a collector) were knowledgeable, and some were not. The book tracked meaningless features, and yet ignored important ones - and, there were very few really "good" guns offered for sale.

[Fred]

I used to have one of those paperback books. 500 Trapdoors was the number in the collection I believe. Didn't somebody buy the greater bulk of them at once?

[John Sukey]

Kiurkland also stripped trapdoors for parts.

[dave]

I once viseted his store, all I can remember is seeing half dozen officers model TD's. First and last time I've ever seen one. No two were exactly the same as I remember!

[Dick Hosmer]

Well, they should have been AWFULLY close, other than minor sight variations, and I can imagine that he could well have gotten stung with a wannabe or two.

[dave]

There were minor differances like added pistol grip, I do remember. And sights I'm sure but that was back when I was about 26-30 yrs old, (a looong time ago) I did not collect such things then and still don't so my knowlwdge is very limited on them.

[mr.j]

I do have one of those soft cover books from Dixie in front of me with this exact serial number and info on the type of parts that are on rifle. The rifle is priced at $205.00 book is from 1975.
According to the book I have rifle was assembled with 1884 buffington rifle sight, front sight 2 piece, Checkered hammer, 1873 breech block(book says 1878), 1884 barrel band, inspector marks not clear, grooved trigger, U.S on buttplate. At the very bottom it reads "this rifle is one of a large collection assembled by Dixie gun works from 1966-1976. I tried to add pictures of book but need help getting them up.