Dakota Model 10 Single Shot

For the past several years my work as a custom rifle builder has been about evenly divided between bolt actions and single shot rifles. The bolt rifles have been mostly Mauser 98s, with the VZ-24 being most prominent, and Winchester M-70s, both pre and post 64. As for single actions they have been mostly Winchester High Walls and Low Walls, both original and modern reproductions. However, I have never had the good fortune to work with a Dakota Arms Single Shot Model 10.

Recently, I had the pleasure of custom stocking not one, but two of them. Pleasure, yes, but this project presented unexpected challenges. Having visited the Dakota Arms plant a few years ago, I have since been enamored of the quality that comes out of Sturgis, South Dakota, particularly with their Single Shot M-10. Here’s what the Dakota arms web site has to say about this action, "Machined from pre-hardened billet stock, the rear of the breech block and receiver are solid walls of steel.

There are no cuts or holes that could allow escaping gases to reach a shooter’s face. A crisp trigger pull and short hammer fall provide fast lock times. The tang safety is smooth and quiet, equally convenient for right or left handed shooters. A strong, positive extractor firmly grips both rimmed and rimless cases.

Straight tangs allow stock design with a high comb and good facial support, while minimizing the effects of recoil." It is truly a wonderful action, simple in its elegance and very strong, capable of handling the most powerful of cartridges. As I began preparing to fit the stock to the action, I was impressed with the machining of the butt stock, also done by Dakota Arms. Altogether this looked to be a very pleasant assignment. However, I soon discovered a problem which I consider to be a serious design error.

The stock bolt does not screw into the rear of the frame as with most single shots that use stock bolts for butt stock attachment. Instead, it screws into what Dakota calls a stock mount. In both cases I wound up splitting the mounts in my effort to fit the butt stock tightly up against the frame of the action. "

If this happened on one gun I would have considered it to be freak occurrence. But to happen twice indicates something seriously wrong. I immediately emailed Dakota and explained the problem. They responded and said they would send me two stock mount attachment mechanisms with the caveat that they were much beefier and stronger. In the meantime I decided to fit the butt stock to the frame using pipe clamps that I use for fitting Winchesters M-1885 High Walls and Low Walls which do not use stock bolts.

One way or the other, the job would be done properly. If I am not satisfied that the stock bolt mounts work I’ll have my gunsmith make me stock bolts with the proper threads to fit directly into the frame. I should mention that in addition to not having worked with the M-10’s before, the customer provided me with Kashmiri walnut stocks which were machined by Dakota Arms. These stocks proved to be of the hardest walnut I have ever had the pleasure of working.

It required that my files, rasps, chisels and other wood working tools be as sharp as could be in order for me to do the necessary shaping needed in It’s very slick looking. the course of preparing the stocks. While awaiting the stock bolt mount I fitted a Mc Millan steel butt plate and Dakota two hole grip cap as well as a gold ID plate. These will provide good canvases for the engraver to do his work. The stock was beginning to look like a winner.

While working with the pipe clamps to fit the stock tightly up against the rear of the frame I received the replacement stock bolt and the stock mount attachment

It’s a dirty job but someone has to do it. and completed the job using it. The fitting of the action to the machined stock went smoothly after that when using the stock bolt and stock mount mentioned above. Though this action was new to me there were no unusual problems encountered. This rifle represents a lot of money and the customer is understandably very picky..

I needed to do a really superb job of fitting the forend and the butt stock tightly up against the frame with nary the smallest space between the wood and the metal. I was pleased with the results. It was then a matter of sanding the forend and butt stock smooth as preparation for the application of finish. Due to the hardness of the Kashmiri walnut the process of finish sanding took much longer than it usually does. But, in away, this was good news because the application of finish went a lot faster than usual.

The density of the wood was such that the pores were filled in no time using Tru-Oil and mineral spirits in a 1 to 1 mixture, with a beautiful long wearing finish as the result. Next I disassembled the barreled action, cleaned it up and sent it off to Weldon Lister, Master Engraver, for a "full monty" engraving job, which includes a sheep on one side and an elk on the other. This work is being done as this is written.

Also under way is the checkering of the stock which features a beautiful fleur-delis and ribbon pattern. All in all, this was an interesting and challenging project. Working with the Dakota Model 10 single shot barreled action, the initial problems they presented and working with Kashmiri walnut proved gratifying. I probably won’t have an opportunity to see either the Dakotas nor the Kashmiri walnut again, but I remain hopeful. AG