Being a novice at non-typical rifles, does anyone out there have experience with take-down rifles such as the Dakota Traveler? I like the easy traveling aspect of it.

International travel with a firearm is a hassle ... period. A non-takedown is a ton of hassle, a take-down is 1,999 pounds of hassle.

I'd rather have a non-takedown (or two) in a tuff-pak that I can wheel around, than a take-down in a case that I have to carry everywhere. I can get through customs with a tuff-pack in half the time it takes to get a traditional guncase unlocked and opened.

In Africa or Alaska it's nice to have a full-length softcase once you arrive. In a tuff-pak, the softcase is your packing material. If your take-down is in a small case, the softcase will be folded in your baggage taking up lots of room.

I have a take-down light rifle that I like a lot and it's handy to pack into a small plane, but it's really no easier a burden on an international hunting trip.

Quality on the Dakota Traveler is questionable, IMO.

I would like to have a takedown from Reimer Johannsen or Duane Wiebe.

I really enjoy traveling with a take down rifles, doubles and the Blaser R 93.
I still use my Tuff-Pak, but the rifles are broken down. I feel it is much less likely to have a take down rifle broken due to rough handling, as it is usually the wrist of the stock that breaks first.

The take down sounds good to the unineitiated, but after a few hunts it dawns on him its way more hassel than its worth....

I tried it and always had the wrong barrel on at the wrong time...decided two guns worked much better, let the tracker carry one or the other and just hold your hand out for the right one..but to each his own, but take downs are just a phase a hunter contends with at some point in his life, then he dumps them....

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Originally posted by Atkinson:
but take downs are just a phase a hunter contends with at some point in his life, then he dumps them....

Ray is confused...he thinks you're talking about multi-barrel sets. I know that b/c a double rifle definitely qualifies as a "take down."

Having said that, a gun case is a gun case 16-inches in overall length doesn't make that much difference in navigating airports. All cases are a pain to wag around the world.

So I wouldn't let the perceived value in a "compact package" of a take-down sway your decision.

Aside from that... I'd say that in a take-down bolt gun... it's just one more moving part to break or one extra motion that can go wrong.

When in doubt... Keep It Simple Stupid

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but take downs are just a phase a hunter contends with at some point in his life, then he dumps them....

Maybe so, Ray, but please pass on to me any that you know about that were made by Duane Weibe and are being dumped by someone.

DB

Something to consider, on my trip over last year, I had a takedown case for my rifle. The rifle was not a takedown, I just used some allen head action screws & sighted in when I got there, worked fine. The problem came when I got to RSA. SAA would NOT let me travel w/ the rifle in it's case, inside the Cabela's wheeled case. I had to send it separate, kind of defeates the purpose of having a takedown case. I've finally seen the light & bought a Tufpak for the next trip.