I know this is not Smith and Wesson, but there are enough revolver lovers here someone might have one of these.

Does anyone know about the Dan Wesson 357 Supermag revolvers? I found one today, with all original tools, extra barrel, papers, etc, and a very nice hard case.

It has an 8 inch barrel, target sights, and is in like new condition, with a mounted handgun scope (Simmons).

It is built like a tank (even heavier than my Ruger Redhawk 357), I understand that 357 maximum cartridge is fairly stout.

Anyone have one, and what do you think of it? I searched google and found some bits and pieces, but not much.

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...57Supermag.jpg

I'm sending a link to your thread to pbslinger...he knows more about these than the average bear...I just got mine a week or so back and do not have enough experience to make any educated comments other than I LIKE IT!!

Mine (below pic) had the box/tools/extra barrel etc. as well, not as perfect at the one you show, but I paid $550.00 with two boxes of current production ammo at a gun show a week or so back in the KC Area.

http://www.fototime.com/100ACC4BCD46927/standard.jpg

Bob

Nice picture! Mine looks like yours, but doesn't have the holes in the barrel shroud. Mine is solid. Do you know what this means?

Thanks!

Cmm, Dan Wessons come with two main types of barrel shrouds, vent light (like vonfatman's) and vent heavy like yours. Vonfatman's is also slotted to reduce weight to make the gun under 4 pounds for IHMSA silhouette competition.

Yours was most likely purchased for a hunting gun since it would weigh over 4 pounds without the scope.

It isn't common to see 357 Supermags with a vent heavy shroud, I would guess yours to be a Palmer made gun. If it is a Palmer gun this the second Dan Wesson company, run by his son and widow.

The Burris clamp on scope mount is mounted backwards on the gun. The windage adjustable ring should be toward the rear.

The 357 Supermag really isn't big recoiling in this heavy gun. I think they called your grip Zebrawood. Your grip is very nice!

Any specific questions? I love these guns!

I've had some experience with them. Here is a link to a post I made awhile back. I'll reiterate - If you are thinking of buying it, look it over very carefully first.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/5301039...771063472#3771063472

Thanks Guys for the info, that is very helpful. I picked it up today, it was so clean (looked like never fired) I figured it was worth jumping on, price was $500 even.

If it shoots as well as the various posts say I will be very pleased.

Doesn't .44 mag produce around the same foot pounds of energy for certain loads? Pretty sure this is why the .357 maximum never caught on.

Perhaps, but consider the ballistic coefficient!!!

$500 is a good price. DW also made the Supermag in other diameters; .375, .41(414) & .429(445).

The 357 Supermag was developed to knock down steel plates at 200 meters with minimal recoil. The 44 mag has more power at short range.

The longer bullet delivers its energy over a longer period of time, helping the lighter bullet knock over the plate.

I got the complete set with extra barrel, tools etc for $375 about a year or so ago.

Size wise, it is exactly the same size as the SW X frame.

http://www.wikkidpissah.com/guns/DanWesson/dwsuper1.jpg

You have an excellent revolver. I love mine! Since factory ammo is almost impossible to find you must consider reloading for it. Forget about bullets lighter that 180 grains. The Max is not a hot rod 158 grainer. My favorite is a cast Lyman #358627 (215 gr SWC with gas check). Suggest that you check out www.lasc.us for quite a bit of good info in general and especially to read the articles by Glen E. Fryxell, one of which is about cast bullets in the Max. Have a blast!

I have a 15-2 357 Magnum Dan Wesson & realy like the looks of the Super Mags..
Here's a Link to the Dan Wesson forum of Graybeard Outdoors..
Dan Wesson Forum Graybeard Outdoors

744 HV8" 44 Mag
http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x...3/DW-44-02.jpg

722 HV6 & HV8 22LR/22WMR
http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x...24xLeupold.jpg

Model 15 357 Mag HV4/HV6

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x...6393/DAN12.jpg

Old Navy the bottom 15-2 is an early one as I notate the overtravel adjustment screw is in the trigger, were the later ones are in the frame..
You can get the triggers fairly light & smooth on these cannons, There tough as nails & the barrel cylinder gap adjustment was a very nice Idea IMO..
BTW we have a forum member here Dant who used to work for Dan Wesson & he helped me with a few widgits & parts..
Here's a Pic of my DW 15-2 with 2-1/2" barrel
Gary/Hk
http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/2985/dw357mh7.jpg

I have the exact same heavy barreled gun. I don't have a scope on mine.

You can still get parts from DW. I just ordered new barrel lock nuts and wrenches for mine.

You can shoot 357 Super mag (1.610 case length) or 357 Maximum (1.605 case length).

I use 357 maximums out of mine as I shoot a ruger 357 max also. This keeps commonality of ammo going.

Fun gun to shoot. Keep your barrel gap tight or it will spit a bit.

Stay away from ball powders and light bullets because that combination is what causes the frame cutting.

My gun likes 180s and heavier. Very accurate and easy to shoot. Light loads like 357 magnum levels make the brass stick in mine a bit. Keep it hot and you will have no problems.

Email me if you want more information. I have a whole directory of saved webpages from the 357 maximum and have been accumulating loading information for mine for years.

Mines a 414SM, don't shoot it much unless I can shoot at longer distances.

http://i262.photobucket.com/albums/i.../DSC_10016.jpg

I would like to see a better picture of you 15-2 with one of the J frame type grip/stock like they have listed on the DW parts section of CZ/DW website.

Are you talking about this grip??
Pic isn't great but..
I didn't care for them & sold these grips
Just found the pic to show you..
Gary/Hk
http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/5756/dwgrips3az0.jpg

Nice looking DW's.
Enjoy them.

The difference between the 357 Maximum and the 357 SuperMag is more than just the case length. The max OAL for the SuperMag is 0.125 inch greater, allowing the use of heavy bullets properly seated. It was meant to take heavy bullets. With the Maximum a heavy bullet must be seated overly deep, eating into powder room. The factory load with the light bullet at hyper velocity was a fiasco.

Not withstanding that it is marked 357 Maximum, the DW is actually chambered for the SuperMag, and will accomodate the 357 maximum in the same manner as a 38 Special in a 357 Magnum.

A proper 357 SuperMag round will NOT chamber in a Ruger 357 Maximum.

The Maxo: I agree with your measuremts and remind you that Seville 357 Maximums had a slightly longer cylinder than the DWs. That is why the cast bullet I use in both my Rugers and DWs, the excellent Lyman #358627 (215 grain SWC with gas check) has 2 crimp grooves - the top for Ruger and the bottom for the other revolvers. And, when loading for a TC, Handi Rifle, Savage 24, or any other single shot you can use 35 cal spire point rifle bullets that won't fit in any of the revolvers. Still, everything is a 357 Maximum. According to IHMSA there has never been any commercially produced brass with a head stamp "357 SuperMag" even though DW calls their guns that. All brass has been called Maximum which leads me to believe that the correct name of the round regardless of minor differences in brass length and bullet lenght and design is 357 Maximum.

Mr. Tree,
Very good. I appreciate the information.

Bob

You might also want to visit the http://www.danwessonforum.com Dan Wesson Forum for more info on these guns. Lots of good info on that site.

Very nice looking DWs!

To add a little to my response above concerning brass length, I've been shooting my Maximums since around 1985 using only reloads and Remington brass. Bought 500 pieces of brass back then just in case the rumors were true about the brass wearing out quickly and/or stretching thus needing to be trimmed. Most of my brass lasts well past 20 reloads and I have never had to trim the first piece. In fact, compared with new brass the fired brass usually SHORTENS just a little. I've not read about brass growing shorter with use, but my 357 Max sure does. Go figure! Why might this be happening?

I have to regard the SuperMag and the Maximum as two separate cartridges for several reasons. For starters, Elgin Gates, originator of the 357 SuperMag, regarded them as two distinct cartridges. (If they were to be considered the same, then the obvious correct name would be SuperMag since it was the original and inspired the Maximum.) Elgin advised Ruger and Remington against the 357 Maximum idea, but Ruger did not want to make the frame window long enough for the SuperMag. I have loading data for the two distinct cartridges. It's not possible to get the original performance from the Maximum. The 0.125 inch OAL difference is larger than that between the 38 Special and 357 Magnum. A correctly loaded SuperMag will not chamber in the Ruger. I have some 357 SuperMag brass. Not only that, but I bought it through the IHMSA. It's also headstamped with Gate's name. It was made by PMC. It's a bad batch of brass since it will give very difficult extraction no matter how light the load. (Dan Wesson told me they had the same problem with the same brass and I should switch to Starline.)

The 357 Maximum is a classic example of the big manufacturer's taking a wildcat commercial and being unable to resist fixing what ain't broke. Ala, the 224 Harvey K Chuck to 22 Jet fiasco. That one sullied the reputation of all bottle necked revolver chamberings even though the rest of them (And there were many.) didn't deserve it.

The question gets a bit fuzzy in the case of a single shot since there are no cylinder length constraints.

I had wondered for a long time how long the Seville cylinder was. I've never actually seen one in the flesh and wondered what became of them.