Which Wesson? Dan or Smith? I'm a big Smith fan, never had a Dan. How are they? LGS has a Dan and I was considering it. Thanks for your opinions
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Which Wesson? Dan or Smith? I'm a big Smith fan, never had a Dan. How are they? LGS has a Dan and I was considering it. Thanks for your opinions
I bought a blued Dan in 41 Mag several years ago and like you, I am big on S&W as you are.
Mine is a Monson gun which is supposed to be the most sought after as to time and place where it was built. It is a fine DA revolver though I have not fired it a lot.
The SA trigger is to die for on mine. The DA compared to a Smith is different, not bad, just different. As the prime designer at that time for Dan Wesson was formerly a Colt worker it comes as no surprise the the Dan's maybe more akin to Colts in DA.
Three44s
I had a 357 Dan Wesson years ago and it was an accurate revolver but when I loaded the upper end of 357 mag pressures the cases were pretty hard to extract. I didn't think that the pressure was excessive and I polished the cylinders with some 600 grit and a touch of oil. It did the trick and the gun went to a friend who still has it 40 yrs later.
The DW is a good gun. However since CZ bought them and then stopped production of revolvers, the replacement parts have gotten more and more scarce for the revolvers. Plus they never were a warranty shop for older, pre purchase DWs
I love Dan Wessons. I have 20 or so. My favorite is my model 12 4 inch porkchop. I hunt with a 15-2 8 inch hrv with a scope.
Do any red dots fit the vent rib? Thanks for the responses!
The DWs are EXCELLENT revolvers FOR HUNTING.
If you are contemplating its use as a personal defense tool, I'D rather have the S&W. The cylinder latch on the DWs are murderously slow to manipulate under time pressure, while the S&W cylinder latch is just about the most well thought out available on any production revolver.
Agree the double action trigger is so-so while the single action trigger is fantastic. Accuracy at least as good as S&W or Ruger, some will argue better. Typically can be had cheaper than either. What are you going to do with it? For defense or a duty gun the double action trigger could be a slight negative but if for a single action sporting or target gun you're good to go.
I have used a 10" .41 mag DW in silhouette shooting for over 20 years. I shot a lot of perfect scores using jacketed bullets and one using cast. I never felt handicapped shooting against FA's. Probably not all of them are as accurate as mine, but there were at least 50 of them used in silhouette shooting for every one Smith.
my first gun i purchased was a dan wesson 357mag, it was a 70s era pistol and you could not con me into selling it for any amount of money
I bought my .357 Dan Wesson on a "whim" at a local gun shop, after my inquiry as to, in his opinion, which revolver had the best accuracy potential. Much more than a casual shooter -- he had won many, many competitions -- with zero hesitation he pointed to the Dan Wesson in his show-case. It followed me home, and in my Gil Hebard rest proves that he was not in any way incorrect. It took a few years, but vis a popular auction sight I bid on and purchased different sized barrels, grips, their brief case, and even a patch plus belt buckle! While Dan Wesson sold their "pistol kit" with all in one, I was able -- being patient, through the years -- to assemble mine.
This is a definite "plus" to the Dan Wesson perhaps being the one you elect -- it takes less than three minutes to CHANGE barrels. Also, you can swap different colour sight inserts as well as grips to your choosing.Attachment 321789 One added note is mine came with a short barrel on it, and my first quest was their 4" barrel. At the time, pretty much all barrel lengths were available, except for the most-popular and sought after four-incher. So.... if the Dan Wesson you are looking at comes with a 4" barrel attached -- this is another big plus!
geo
I purchased a used DW Model 15 back in the early 1980's. It came with the 4", 6" and 8" barrels and was extremely accurate. I got cash strapped and foolishly sold it, and I sorely wish that I hadn't. It was one heck of a good shooter, and every now and then I run into the guy that I sold it to. He's a security guard for an armored car company and he carries it as his duty gun. I don't know much about today's production DW revolvers, but back then they were well made firearms.
FWIW, a story I've told before.
Gunsmith got a DW in with a complaint of not being accurate anymore. He got the handloads used for the gun. When he put a factory round in a chamber it 'rattled' around, a lot. He asked about the reloads. They were Bullseye with 125gn JHP. How much powder? The customer said he didn't know, he just filled up the case. Gunsmith weighed the charges and indeed, they were way up there (around 12gn IIRC). Probably well over 60kpsi.
Short story, gun was sent back to DW. DW returned a nice letter with a check for the value of the gun. In so many words they asked that the customer not buy another DW.
Good info on the 4" barrel. I plan to hunt and target shoot with it. Are the barrels pretty interchangeable with in the caliber? Do 14 and 15 barrels and shrouds swap around? Thanks for all the responses.
Withing the same calibers and models all are interchangeable. The early version 38/357 DW used "porkchop barrel shrouds" and a different style barrel nut. I don't know enough about them to comment. I do love both of my 15-2's.
I have 6 Dan Wesson revolvers and one more on the way. I have a variety of barrels and shrouds in 4", 6", and 8". I have .22, .32-20, 357 Mag. and .357 Max. I think they are very accurate, you would have to pay a lot more money to get a more accurate revolver. I have a scope on one of my 8" vent heavy shrouds, but I did my own gunsmithing it was not an off the shelf deal. Yes, the latch takes two hands. Double action trigger seems ok to me and the single action trigger is usually excellent right as it comes from the factory. All mine are Monson, I have not seen any that were not, but I know they are out there.
The shrouds come in two styles, porkchop and straight. All mine are straight. Barrel threads are varied so you can't put a .22 barrel on a .357 frame, you can see how that is necessary but the shrouds and barrel nuts are interchangeable. It used to be easy to pick up extra barrels and shrouds but now not so much and they are pricey.
Tim
I shot my first DW back in the mid 1970's. After that experience,, I always wanted one,, or two, or three,,,! Back then,, I couldn't afford the few I'd find.
Fast forward to recent years.
I found a 4 barrel pistol pac, Monson, 15-2. All it was missing was the patch, the buckle, and the manual. Love the gun! Last year,, I found a DW pistol pac in .44 Mag. It has (2) each barrels in 6" & 8". (Basically 2 spare barrels,, but no shrouds to match.) it came with a manual, the patch & buckle.
Both guns are superbly accurate if I do my part. And with several discussions with a former IHMSA champion,, who proclaimed the fact that DW handguns were THE gun to beat.
If you find a good deal on a pac,, or heck,, just a gun,, you will appreciate them for serious shooting,, unless speed is necessary for reloads.
CZ USA still have springs kits for the revolvers. Part # DWRSKS for the small frame DWRSKL for the large frame Dan Wesson.
lovin the stories everybody!! thanks!!
+2 on the Dan Wesson being the best, and most accurate .357 of the "bunch". It has such a "sweet" trigger and short hammer "fall" that has never been duplicated by another maker. IMO, D.W would never have received bad press and a corresponding drop in the market place if they had not tried to "Magnum up" to bigger calibers to early (the ensuing press was not kind!) While I foolishly sold my pistol pack, I did keep the barrel tool and the "feeler gauge.
Just about 4 years ago, I went to a first time gunshow at a new venue. I wasn't expecting to see much. If you remember what was happening 4 years ago, you can imagine how low the turnout was. I seen a 6" DW 14-2 (357mag) on a the table. I had owned a DW 357mag back in the 80s, but I was young and dumb and swapped it for a 44 mag S&W.
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After a few times around the gunshow, I stopped and talked to the vendor with the 14-2. He was bummed out at the low turnout, so he was willing to move that DW eagerly...so it came home with me. Now, I haven't given it a workout, so to speak, but I like shooting it every bit as much as my comprable models of S&W(27) and Ruger(SP100).
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One thing I dislike about owning a old DW revolver, is the lack of accessories that are available. I almost always swap grips on my revolvers.
The only one I had was the cylinder stop separated from the side plate, on my first mdl 15 it was a separate part pressed into the side plate and it came loose. It is the bump that stops rearward motion of the cylinder when ejecting the cartridges. On my other guns it is integral to the side plate. I bought a replacement side plate but it fit where it was important but not up by the hammer, that bothered me so I just jb welded the original back together.
Tim
Yes, there are not many new aftermarket or production parts anymore. I have three Pachmayer Grips and one wooden grip that I reworked along with 4 original factory wooden grips but I bought all my spare parts at auction. I modified a set of rings to mount my scope, not sure there were ever production rings. This is kind of a normal thing for me. I restore old guns and am used to scrounging parts.
Tim
In the not-very-scientific-but-quite-exhausting-and-fun "Great .357 Revolver Shoot-Out of 1986-7, the very best slow-fire .357 Magnum for long-range (over 50 yards) was a 6" barreled Colt Python, followed by a 5" S&W M27, followed (closely) by a 6" DW 152VH revolver. The DW was dead last in any sort of defensive course of fire. The Python was slightly ahead of the DW, and the S&W K and N frames were decidedly ahead of them, along with the Ruger Security Six and Police Service Six, both with 4" barrels.
The DW is a superb long-range, slow-fire, HUNTING revolver. Get something else with which to defend your life.
Good friend of mine had a stainless 44 mag he shot in silhouette. Would never put those loads in a S&W 29!!! Thing shot great, but he wasn't up to the potential of the gun. He sold it to another friend of ours and it was like a laser beam in his hands. I would also swear he shot even hotter loads, but the gun digested them without complaint for years. Thing sounded (and recoiled) like my 445sm when he touched it off!!
I'm sorry but I think that DW's are garbage. Back in the 80's I was an avid Silhouette shooter and everyone said that a DW as the gun to shoot. I bought one in 357 Maxi and from day one it spit lead. The cylinder wasn't lined properly with the forcing cone and the face of the cylinder was not square either. This caused the BC gap to vary. Three trips back to the factory and there was no marked improvement so it went up for sale.
When DW developed the 445 SuperMag I just had to have one. I ordered it through IHMSA and got one of the very early ones (serial #ETG 088). It was so new that brass and loads were not even available, and I had to form brass from 348 Winnie brass.
SAME dang problem as the Maxi. The first time I sent it back the face of the cylinder looked like they took a grinder to it and forgot to clean up the horrendous grooves. At least the BC gap didn't vary as much but it still wasn't lined up properly. Didn't bother sending it back again and got rid of it immediately.
They are a hit or miss gun. Some are great and others were never sent out right.
Early DW .44 came with ported barrels and shrouds. Included were a ported barrel and a non-ported barrel with a ported shroud. The ported barrels and shrouds were reported to be a pain to clean.
My first DW was an early 15-2, good shape but well used. I shot it a lot, first gun I handloaded for. At some point the cylinder seemed to "float" with magnum loads. The factory rebuilt the gun for me at no charge.
Next DW was a .22 It never was as accurate as I thought it should be. Still a nice gun. Barrels and shrouds of 4, 6, and 8 fitting both guns.
Last was the first .44 Mag I saw after they came out. Very nice gun. Shrouds and barrels in 4, 6, and 8. Never shot one of the ported barrels.
Diamond D Leather (Wasilla, AK) makes holsters to fit DW in either V or VH ("half" or "full" lug).
6" is my favorite length.
Used 4"/6"/8" bbl's in several different dw 15-2's 357mags over the years. If I saw them reasonable at gunshows I'd pick them up.
[IMG]https://i.imgur.com/GxorNff.jpg[/IMG]
These are the last 2 I owned before thinning the herd. Had trigger jobs done on them & they were a pure joy to shoot.
Oh BTW dt, I do still have my D.W. .357 with a 6" BBL. (The tool will go with the gun when I give it to my son in case he ever purchases extra barrels.)
Mine is the 15-2 flavour. All the barrels I got were/are 15-2 compatible which is all *I* know. One critical "tool" is the spacer -- basically just a measure shim one MUST use when swapping barrels to get correct cylinder gap. It took a while for me to find a DanWesson manufacture that one needn't mortgage the house to pay for ;) -- so I used a simple 0.006" plain-Jane automobile shim. Also, while I bought the Pistol Pack case on the cheap, the keys for it seemed to command more $$$s than I gave for it. (I chanced on a "bunch of keys" being purveyed, with my seeing one with similar looks and number as the DW case key -- I got lucky!)
At the time, there were lots of DW offerings -- barrels, shrouds, sight inserts, and grips on that most popular e-auction site. Good luck!!!
geo
Got My Pork Chop 357 in the '70's...Have had others...a couple I certainly wish I had Kept...the Pork Chop Stays.
BTW holding one each S&W and DW one in each Hand...they are so Very different...I have Never even thought of Comparing!!
My theory,for what that's worth, is that the accuracy of the Dan Wesson is the front lock up of the cylinder a la Triple Lock S&W. I have a 629-3 with a ball/detent on the front of the yoke and it is also a scary accurate revolver. Plus they made some good barrels and had decent triggers. But, alas, like the gun trader I am/was, mine is not in my safe any more.