Exhibition Grade Dakota Traveller in 375HH & 458 Lott

[rookhawk]

Selling this gun for my middle son, he wants to buy his first car and asked me to list his best gun.

For sale is a really nice Dakota 76 traveller in the absolute most-desirable two caliber configuration. Barrel 1 is 375HH, Barrel 2 is 458 Lott / 458 Winmag. All the papers, build sheet, and regulation targets are included. The 458 Lott regulation target shows it hitting 5/8" minute of angle at 100 yards! The 375HH with Barnes TSX 300gr bullets and open sights shows 1/2" group at 50 yards. Regulation done by Ward, Dakota's long-time shop manager. Both barrels have banded barrel swivels, both have quarter ribs, both have removable front sight hoods. We have never shot it and I'm uncertain if it has ever been shot. Minor dings on the butt of the stock that look like they happened in a gun safe. No signs of carry wear to the barrels, bolt, or floor plate support my assumption.

The gun's build sheet reflects that it has an upgrade to exhibition English walnut. I hate to use a cliche, but its actually true that the pictures don't do it justice. I cannot get the camera to show the amount of tiger striping and fiddle back that is in the wood, but its A+ and way better than photos. Both forestocks feature wrap-around checkering. Both stocks have ebony forend tips. Action has ebony plugs in the crossbolts. Action comes fitted with Talley bases. Ken Howell inletted sling studs.

Both barrels measure 23"
Length of pull is 13-3/4" and it has a Dakota recoil pad that is 15/16". (The gun would easily go 14"+ LOP with an NECG 1.25" pad)

Not 100% sure if it is rust blued, but my hunch is that it is. Not calculating that into the upgrades for pricing.

A base model traveller from Parkwest today is $18,000, and then the upgrades to checkering, exhibition English wood, factory case, regulation for softs + solids, and an additional 50% for a second set of barrels. Oh, and a lot of waiting.

The gun is $17,995 firm plus FedEx shipping to your FFL in the lower 48 States, the exact price of a bare bones, base-model traveller with one barrel set.

P.S. - If anyone has a suggestion how I can take better pics with an iphone, please let me know.

 

[rookhawk]

Just noticed, the closest comp is for sale on GI right now for $29,995, 40%+ more than my son is asking for his.

 

[ACE (in CT)]

That’s a beauty for sure!
Post up what kind of car he is looking at, maybe someone will offer a trade.

 

[rookhawk]

That’s a beauty for sure!
Post up what kind of car he is looking at, maybe someone will offer a trade.

Great idea! He wants a Toyota Tacoma with low miles, the V6, 4x4, from a place in the USA that doesn't use salt on the roads! His dream is loading up his pointer on his 16th birthday and driving his truck out to MN or SD to hunt birds by himself.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

Great idea! He wants a Toyota Tacoma with low miles, the V6, 4x4, from a place in the USA that doesn't use salt on the roads! His dream is loading up his pointer on his 16th birthday and driving his truck out to MN or SD to hunt birds by himself.

I have a grandson that is nuts about a Toyota Tacoma, specifically a blue one. Luckily for me, he's only 4 years old, so I didn't have to sell off any guns.

 

[Goat416]

I sold the last Dakota Traveler on the site and found the angle of the light played into showing the fiddle back in pictures. I would move the light source so it is not directly in-line with the camera (don't use the flash on the camera). You might have to play with it a little, I find around 30-45 degree angle produces best results. Start with taking pictures from the 6 o'clock position and have the primary light source at 4 or 8 o'clock.

 

[rookhawk]

I have a grandson that is nuts about a Toyota Tacoma, specifically a blue one. Luckily for me, he's only 4 years old, so I didn't have to sell off any guns.

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My kid is one of those kids that still has his first communion money. He only spends money on guns, used hunting gear, and tags. To get him to let loose of his rifle (and potentially a Buffalo hunt next year) so he can spend money on getting a tricked out hunting vehicle says a lot. This will leave him with a smallbore rifle, two shotguns, and a pointing dog. Evidently this will be enough for whatever he's planning.

 

[Datchew]

I have a Texas 2016 4wd 4runner. I was just about to start a conversation with my wife that would likely have led to divorce or death.
Luckily, it has 126k miles on it and it's not technically a tacoma.

Best of luck. Gorgeous rifle.

 

[uplander01]

Why not just buy him the truck as a loan and work it out that way,….the replacement cost of that rifle will be astronomical 10 years from now if Dakota is even still in business, there will always be trucks around to buy

 

[Troubleshooter]

Why not just buy him the truck as a loan and work it out that way,….the replacement cost of that rifle will be astronomical 10 years from now if Dakota is even still in business, there will always be trucks around to buy

Agreed -- unless his "first car" is something like a classic Packard or Duesenberg, it's going to be a depreciating asset. Whereas if that Dakota receives even a modicum of care and maintenance, it has the potential to be appreciate over time.

He can harvest many animals over his lifetime with that Dakota. He can "get his deer" with the truck too ... but only once!

 

[sureshot375]

You can’t pick up chicks in a Dakota rifle.

Off to search for deals on a Tacoma.

Does he have a year model preference?

 

[steve white]

Trucks depreciate, guns--not so much

Nice rifle, as Dakotas are known to be. But Dakota should be ashamed uncharging by calling that a true exhibition grade stock, sorry and no offense intended.

 

[rookhawk]

You can’t pick up chicks in a Dakota rifle.

Off to search for deals on a Tacoma.

Does he have a year model preference?

His Grandparents are trader-inners that offered him a 2019 for $20k rather than giving up to a dealer in the Spring. I don't think the open market is going to compete with the family discount unless somebody has a $30k truck they want to trade. My parents (the other grandparents) just bought a one year old Tacoma with 5000 miles and they paid a mere $300 less than MSRP because people want the V6 that's proven.

 

[rookhawk]

Nice rifle, as Dakotas are known to be. But Dakota should be ashamed uncharging by calling that a true exhibition grade stock, sorry and no offense intended.

As I said in the OP, I cannot take a picture to save my life on my Iphone 3 quality cell. The wood is expensive because its English exhibition, you can buy 10x the burl in Turkish for the same price...but its Turkish.

i tried to take better pictures, but failed. The biggest issue is the photos make the gun look butterscotch or stained pecan, the actual gun isn't orange at all and the grain fill flecking is beautiful, the checkering as new, and the marble cake grain is very noticeable. Lets see if these are any better and showing the wood:

 

[steve white]

That's much better. Reflective fiddleback is impossible to photo, too. Looks like new in condition.

 

[Scott CWO]

PM sent with a couple questions.

 

[Rare Breed]

As I said in the OP, I cannot take a picture to save my life on my Iphone 3 quality cell. The wood is expensive because its English exhibition, you can buy 10x the burl in Turkish for the same price...but its Turkish.

i tried to take better pictures, but failed. The biggest issue is the photos make the gun look butterscotch or stained pecan, the actual gun isn't orange at all and the grain fill flecking is beautiful, the checkering as new, and the marble cake grain is very noticeable. Lets see if these are any better and showing the wood:

View attachment 635683
View attachment 635684
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Come on everyone, this wood is exquisite to say the least!!! This is an incredible value from one of our most respected members! If he posts this on other sites it will be quickly gone

 

[rookhawk]

Come on everyone, this wood is exquisite to say the least!!! This is an incredible value from one of our most respected members! If he posts this on other sites it will be quickly gone

Thanks @Rare Breed, We are listing it tomorrow on GI for $20,000 plus shipping. It will sell in a couple weeks easy peasy lemon squeezy. Just wanted to offer it here prior to dealing with an unknown buyer.

The closest comp is vastly more expensive. The gun is being offered for literally the price it was made new plus calculated real inflation, a fraction of replacement cost.

An offer was extended today for $~200ish less than asking price. It was declined. The price plus shipping is wholesale, not a penny less.

 

[rookhawk]

That's much better. Reflective fiddleback is impossible to photo, too. Looks like new in condition.

Would I let my son buy anything substandard?

 

[Scott CWO]

I will take it. PM sent.