CZ Dan Wesson 1911?

[Potsy]

I've been looking at their Commander Classic Bobtail in stainless .45 ACP and REALLY like the looks of it.
I see they've been discontinued but it looks like there are still a few floating around distributors.
I'll probably sell my beloved tackdriving Kimber Eclipse Target II to buy this one (as I don't really need 2 1911's) if I get one so I won't be taking this purchase lightly.
Does anybody have any experience with this pistol? Is it a good cast boolit shooter? How about CZ's customer service? Anything to be aware of with this model?
Thanks in advance for any input.
Potsy

[S.R.Custom]

The grass is always greener...

The sole reason CZ bought Dan Wesson was to 'buy into' the 1911 market. Don't get me wrong, the CZ DW 1911 is a good gun... for a gun priced $200 less than it is. If your Kimber shoots as good as you say, you will regret selling it.

[Potsy]

Well....
First off, my Kimber hits very well for me, but my accuracy standards aren't all that exacting compared to some.
I looked on CZ's website and it listed for $1224. I thought that deal sounded doable if anybody could find one. I looked on Lipsey's websit and MSRP is $1478. The local guys called a couple of other distributors, one told me my price would be around $1450. The local high-end place quoted me $1599.
Sounds like CZ discontinued that model in favor of their $2000 model (at which point anyone with any sense would go ahead and buy an Ed Brown) and the distributors that had the
Classics jacked their prices up.
Their product, their rules, no problem. They'll just have to sell it to someone else. I wanted it, but I don't need it $400 bucks worth after I sell my Kimber.

[S.R.Custom]

I'd hang on a while...

Was at the SHOT show this past week, and by far the most interesting 1911s I saw there were made by... wait for it... Ithaca.

A year ago when I first saw that they were back in business and charging $900 for a 'standard' model 37, I was like, ***? Are they nuts? Well, the current incarnation of Ithaca is run by engineers and machinists (as opposed to the typical accountants and salesweasels), and the quality has increased by an order of magnitude.

But that's the shotguns. Germane to this discussion was the display of a dozen or so 1911 pistols in various finishes and configurations that were absolutely stunning in fit and finish. They're currently under development, and will be available late this year priced about $1200. From what I've seen, they will be worth the wait.

[Potsy]

I held an Ed Brown 4" Bobtail Executive a couple of years back. It may have warped me for life.
For my uses, that style gun is about perfect for what I use it for (aside from annoying my buddies who get annoyed with me when I hit things far away with it).
Ithaca, hmmm, we'll wait and see.

[LeMat]

I've owned both a DW Pointman 7 and a CBOB.

As far as I'm concerned, they're about the best "mass" produced 1911's out there for the money.

I shot the CBOB in many IDPA matches and carried for some time. It is one gun that I really regret getting rid of (gotta do what you gotta do sometimes). Absolutely reliable and absolutely accurate. Never once let me down in about 2,000 rounds. As far as cast boolits, I don't know - I only ever shot Montana Gold 200's and 230's in mine.

I know of many folks who are absolutely ecstatic about theirs and have swayed few into getting them. They're going away now and it looks like Kimber is riding the coat tails............... er, picking up the "mass" bobtail market (and it's not even so much a bobtail as a somewhat rounded MSH).............. anyway, I won't comment on that.

CZ has good customer service I've heard. I never had to use them, so no first hand experience. They are tight, and I had mine slingin' oil for the first couple hundred rounds. Everything lapped in real nice and I never had any sort of malfunction whatsoever during the time I had it.

If you think it's going to fulfill your needs moreso than your Eclipse, I woudn't hesitate. I've owned about a dozen Kimbers over the years and never had a problem with them (except for a pre Series II, who woulda thought?). I still own that Custom Classic and after some tweaks here and there, it runs fine.

I never had to "tweak" my Dan Wessons. ;)

[SethD]

Dan wesson 1911's are decent guns, but cz has overpriced them now for what they are.