Hey guys, I really appreciate your appreciation of my work, but don't get that confused with making me any kind of celebrity/personality. My friends know better.

The Dakota is a very good small frame action, but the best parts of it, the trigger/sear/mainspring was "borrowed" by Don -GOD REST HIS soul- Allen just as he "borrowed" so many things from so many gunsmiths. Ask the Little Sharps Rifle Guys! I do a lot of modification to the Dakota's, especially lowering both top and bottom tangs by nearly 1/4". I've my first Hagn brld action in the safe right now (Ralf Martini and Martin Hagn are good friends of mine, see the stories in Accurate Rifle 2/03-4/03 for my take on the Hagn) but have yet to stock one. Martini & Hagn will soon have a small frame model and I have #001 on order.

I don't imagine doing much at all to the Hagn though I do like how Ed Webber reshaped the breechblock on his rifle in my Custom Rifles book. One must be very carefull not to shorten the rear of the block too much or cartridges may hang up on the block mortice rear lip as they do on Dakota's. I put a spring loaded plunger in the bottom of Dakota breechblocks to alliviate this problem.