Dan Wesson 357 opinions

[pull the trigger]

lovin the stories everybody!! thanks!!

[kaiser]

+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.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

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.

[jss227]

Do any red dots fit the vent rib? Thanks for the responses!

I have never tried.

[jss227]

Wow, how did you get started down the Dan Wesson path?

I don't know. Started over 30 years ago. I think it was the ability to change barrels, and the pistol packs.

[pull the trigger]

I don't know. Started over 30 years ago. I think it was the ability to change barrels, and the pistol packs.

Of all you've had and seen, any failures or breaks that you want to share?

[dtknowles]

+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.

I wish people would keep the barrel tool with the gun when they sell them. I only have one tool for the 3, mdl 15's I have.

Tim

[dtknowles]

Of all you've had and seen, any failures or breaks that you want to share?

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

[dtknowles]

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.
.
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).
.
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.

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

[Kosh75287]

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.

[rockrat]

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!!

[stubshaft]

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.

[brassrat]

They are a hit or miss gun. Some are great and others were never sent out right.

[LeonardC]

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.

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.

[Forrest r]

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][/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.

[kaiser]

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.)

[georgerkahn]

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.

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

[racepres]

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!!

[Ed K]

I wish people would keep the barrel tool with the gun when they sell them. I only have one tool for the 3, mdl 15's I have.

Tim

EWK Arms makes one that may be better than the original.

[murf205]

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.