I've been thinking about Dan Wesson revolvers. Other than that they have interchangeable barrels, I know virtually nothing about them.

E.g., do they have a good reputation? Robust? Accurate? Are they on par with Smith and Colt revolvers? Are early ones better than late ones? Which models are preferred and why? What is important to know about them when considering a purchase? What is the best book about them?

Etc.

Pix would be great, too!

I can't answer all your questions, but I know they are solid revolvers. The lock up is very robust. Tension on the barrel nut can affect accuracy, but that is something you can play with to get your tightest groups.

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Even older, even crankier....

In 1982, give or take a year, I bought a 4", matt finish, fixed sight model in the 15 Series (357 mag) for $158 OTD from a FFL at church. That was their answer to the model 10 S&W. Heavier than a Model 10 Bull barrel! Had a good trigger and shot much better than I did! I sold it down the line and don't miss it, because I have had lots of model 10's and 13's! I never bought the 44Mag target models and sure wish I had! Same for the 22 RF's, But what I kick myself the most over were the silhouette Models in 445 Super Mag (long 44 Mag), 375 Super Mag (short 375 Win) and 357 Maximum! Those guns had no problem holding up to those monster cartridges and barrel erosion was a simple barrel change to correct!

If I only had a time machine!

Ivan

It's been my experience with two of them that if you are a genuine fan of the S&W double action, the Dan Wesson DA will be a bitter disappointment.

On the other hand, they are hell for stout and they are beautifully accurate.

After long dances with two of them and trying all that I could to fall in love, I sent both down the road and I'm over 'em.

I do worry that I could get sucked in to a CZ Dan Wesson revolver... but that seems quite unlikely due to the price.

The tensioned barrel design made them highly sought after for Metallic Silhouette shooting back in the day. It is a similar barrel design to the one that makes the current Smith & Wesson Model 327 TRR8 and M&P R8 revolvers so accurate.

The barrel nut is not an adjustment. It needs to be tight.

Dan Wesson did offer a fixed sight, 38 Special Model 8 that was more comparable to the Smith & Wesson Model 10 offering than the Dan Wesson target sighted Model 15. There was a fixed sight Model 11 and 14 that were chambered in the 357 Magnum cartridge. The 8 and 11 did have a windage adjustable rear sight for a while. The fully adjustable target sighted variation on these were the Models 9, 12 and 15 respectively

The Dan Wesson is a short throw Double Action so it feels heavier than the current Smith & Wesson Double Action, but it is also a faster action, less trigger time is required to make it fire. The Single Action is clean and crisp. There was also a Single Action Only revolver for a short period

Most models have four barrel shroud profiles to choose from. . . Standard, Vent Rib, Heavy and Vent Heavy. The blue 357 SuperMag pictured above is the Vent Heavy profile while the stainless version is the Vent Rib. The slots in the barrel shroud was to get the revolver below the maximum weight limit for Metallic Silhouette competition

The Dan Wesson revolvers are very solidly built and have been manufactured in many calibers from 22LR to the 445 SuperMag. In addition to the various SuperMag offerings there have been other odd balls like 32-20, 360 Dan Wesson and 460 Roland


Like Smith & Wesson, Dan Wesson has been owned by many different organizations over the years and collectors will argue for the good years and the bad years, etc. Just like we do on this Forum. Every era had good and bad firearms just like today. I have not noticed a significant pattern of good or bad with either Company and have no problem owning firearms from any era


The Dan Wesson design did let me channel my inner Maxwell Smart with my suppressed revolver

Of course it does not work, but it was cool to bring to the range

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"Acta non verba"

Thank you, Colt SAA. I appreciate the informed detail.

My first revolver was a Hi-Standard marked Dan Wesson 15. It was accurate and well built. It taught me how to reload and a great deal about shooting. I traded it for a Ruger Security Six and wish I had it back.

They are stout and accurate as has been said. The cylinder release is funky enough that it takes a lot of practice to switch between it and a Smith if you carry both. It is easy and quick to use but in a stressful situation, you need to have practiced it. It does involve inverting it so it is rare to see any brass get past the ejector and tie things up.

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Front sight and squeeze

The DW's are good revolvers, different from a S&W, but as stated well built and very accurate. The interchangeable barrels are a fun feature. Pictured below is my DW 32 that I have 4" and 8" barrels for. 8" for the range and 4" for carry. The cylinder was reamed to accept .327 magnum by Andy Horvath, and no I am not worried about the higher pressure.

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Jim
Many K and N Frames

IIRC (and I often do not) DWA advertised years ago that their revolvers were the most accurate due to design features. S&W sued (I guess for false advertising or something) and DWA proved their claim in court. I would research this but my Google-fu is weak.
Ed

I've got 2 Dan Wesson pistols, a 15-2 (with 2½", 4" & 6" barrels) and a .44 with a fixed 6" barrel. Both will out shoot my shooting capabilities with handloads. I know that the .44 will shoot 2" groups at 85 yards (my pistol range) from a bench rest.

These are keepers for life.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

My first revolver was a Dan Wesson 15-2, 8 inch barrel, blued. I found the 8 inch barrel to be a bit long for open carry, so I bought a 6 inch ventilated rib heavy shroud and barrel for it. Great revolver, very accurate, easily achieving the same accuracy as the Colt Python and Ruger GP-100 that I later bought. In a moment of foolishness, I traded it to a friend who still has it and refuses to part with it. Years later, I found and bought another DW 15-2.

My second one is just as accurate as the first. The lock work is more akin to that of the Colt Trooper Mk III. The coil main spring creates a double action pull that stacks as the trigger is pulled further to the rear, something that those who are familiar with the smoother pull of S&W K,L, and N frame and earlier Colt revolvers that use a leaf spring do not always like. Single action pull tends to be very crisp, which greatly aids in accurate shooting. The tensioned barrel system is also said to dampen barrel vibration and improve the inherent accuracy of the revolver.

Stocks are easy to change, one screw that goes through the bottom of the stock and into the frame stud, but beware that if the stock screw is screwed in too far, it will prevent the hammer's spring guide and main spring from being fully compressed, so single action will not be possible and in severe cases, even double action is impeded. Washers placed on the grip screw are the solution to this issue.

Barrels and shrouds on most Dan Wesson's can be changed by the user. Some later DW revolvers had permanently attached barrels, but those made in Monson, Mass. had the tensioned barrel system.

Parts are usually available on eBay, but have become increasingly expensive over the last decade or so.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

I still wish I had mine! But...the siren song of Newer, better, different was listened to! Accurate, robust, "Hell for stout" is how one gunzine Guru stated it! Couldn't do a comparison, but believe it to be the most accurate revolver I have owned. I'd own another, but they are much too expen$ive, nowadays.

I just bought my first Dan Wesson centerfire revolver, a Monson 15-2 with a 4" half length lug sleeve. I've owned three of their 22's in the past.. The interchangeable barrel feature has never interested me. It's an interesting feature I suppose, but not something I'd ever take advantage of.

I don't know the history of this gun, but it looks to have not been fired a lot, if at all. I took care of that and put 100 rounds through it over the weekend. Like most guns in the class, it really liked 38 wadcutters and 158 grain plated RN weren't far behind. The trigger is VERY nice. My gauge only goes to 8 pounds, and the DA is more than that...maybe 9 or 10, but very smooth. The S/A on the other hand breaks right at 3.5 pounds.

I said I'll never change the barrel, but will pull it and clean the threads and such, so I ordered a barrel wrench and a go/no go gauge, and a set of Allen wrenches for the sights, just to have them. They were fairly cheap from EKW.





Can't beat it for looks either.

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John 3:16 .

Bought a DW 357 super mag back in the 80’s. Replaced the Ruger 357 super mag that was recalled. Best single action Ive ever shot. I was shooting ispc steel targets. Still have 2 super Mags plus 22, 357 and 44 mag pistols. Accurate, well built

Yep, I bought one years ago and was disappointed.

I've had a couple of Model 15's over the years. Very accurate revolvers, as good as anything. Not as good workmanship to me as S&W but close.

The interchangeable feature is neat but not as handy as one would think. Every time you swap barrels it takes a little time shooting to get them settled back in. POI changes. Not a big deal but it's really not like you go to the range with the 6", go home and swap to a 2 3/4" and go to dinner, then swap to a 4" for a hike the next day.

Nice guns, and worth owning but I'm not paying S&W prices for one. They have kind of a weird DA. Very short stroke. O.K. let's not say weird. Let's say different. But they are hella accurate.

The first iteration made in Monson, Massachusetts is the most desirable from a collector standpoint. The lockup is bank vault tight. Neither Colt nor Smith & Wesson double action revolvers lock up like this and I have more than 1 example of each. The double action triggers on my 2 examples are meh but the single action triggers are excellent. The cylinder release is weird until you get used to it but it’s actually very ergonomic IMHO.

My 6” 744 has a vented rib and standard barrel. When I want to shoot full house 44 Magnum it is my go to revolver. It’s that heavy and stout. I also have an 8” barrel for it but still haven’t got around to swapping it in.

I have a model 14 Still looking for a nice model 15-2 for a good price.

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Both accurate statements. I got mine in '76.
First thing I noticed was the hammer mechanics. Cock the
hammer on a S&W made after 1948 and the hammer rotates
back and down. DWs hammer pin is placed differently. The
hammer feels like it's coming straight back. Almost no
rotation.
Single action shooting takes getting used to.
Not bad, just different.
I, too, traded mine for a Ruger Security Six. I wish I had it
back.

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I'm with her

Haha, well let me just say that if I was offered a great deal on a Dan Wesson -OR- a Ruger Security Six and the two were similarly configured and also in comparable condition and I could only snag one:

I'd grab that Security Six!

I still have my Security Six after all these years, and a Speed
Six too. Very happy with both, but the DW got away.

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I'm with her

Bought a 10” stainless .22 from a gun show vendor that I had known a while. Great guy, totally trusted him, didn’t even bother cutting the tie off til I got home. Go to pull the trigger…nothing. What? Did I get sold a broken gun? Had the side plate off as quick as I could…S.A.O. Didn’t know there was such a thing; had a good laugh at that. I would put it in the same accuracy level as my Ruger 10-22.

Colt Saa and the others have covered the topic well. They can be VERY accurate and usually have excellent triggers when shooting single action.

One thing I did not see mentioned is the lovely old plum colors. I have not seen any one else produce the rich deep colors of the blued guns Dan Wesson produced in Monson.

I discovered that I didn’t have any photos of my Dan Wesson revolvers.

Monson made 715 VH8 (vented heavy barrel 357 Magnum)


Monson made 744V6S (vented standard barrel 44 Magnum) with extra VH8 barrel


No, the 44 hasn’t been cleaned well since it’s last outing. It is seriously heavy.

S&W 29-3 Classic Hunter - 50 oz.
Dan Wesson 715 VH8 - 49 oz.
Dan Wesson 744 V6S - 56 oz.

VH8 barrel for 44 - 25-1/2 oz.

the 8” full underlug barrel assembly weighs just over half what my 29-3 weighs. Just the barrel. I have got to install that and shoot it more! Need to do something about those Pachmayr grips too. They make the gun look too pedestrian.

If you look closely, both revolvers have an adjustable trigger stop. The 715 has a very nice fiber optic front sight that I think was well before they became really popular. These are well designed beasts!

Chip

Dan Wesson revolver frames were investment castings, I suspect the steel alloy they used caused the blue to take on a purple tint and sometimes go full blown plum color.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

Back in the 80's when I shot IHMSA Silhouette the Dan Wesson was sought after for it's accuracy. Being able to tailor the tension on the barrel to specific loads seemed to be the Key. They supplied the wrench to do it with.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Speaking of Dan Wessons...When I had mine, with the 4 and 6 inch barrels, I had a neighbor that also had one...with a 12 in. barrel! Until then, I had no idea that such a thing existed! The other neighbors and I had a theory about that...

My second gun was a DW 15-2, bought when my first gun, a Taurus model 83 had to go to Florida to fix the timing issue it had. They claimed the trashed barrel was "normal", so it went back, and they again said it was "normal". Ripping the jackets off of bullets is normal? Leading so bad after only six shots you had to pound it out with a brass rod is normal? The DW was at a Las Vegas pawn shop, and it was in great shape. I soon discovered that the previous owner had clipped the mainspring and it was causing light primer strikes. A new spring had it 100%. The Taurus was soon gone, and I had that gun for many years. Along the way, I've owned over a dozen 15-2's and 715's. I have a pretty decent store of parts for the 3 I have now, along with a 6" 44. I prefer the small 15-2 and 715 over an S&W K or L frame, but I like the S&W N framed guns better than the large framed DW guns.



Pretty in purple:

My good wife bought me a 4-barrel model 15 HV set. I love the interchangeability. I wish I had bought one of the really long barrels since all I do is shoot targets. I find the lock-up is tight, the single-action trigger pull is fine, but as mentioned by others, the DA pull isn't comparable to S&W or Colt. Does this really bother me, not in the slightest. I have 3 fine S&W's 1 in 41 mag and another in 45 Colt. I added a third, a 44-magnum stainless 629 recently and love the SS finish for ease of cleaning but nothing compares to the factory blue finish of the early Smiths. In the long run, would I get another DW revolver, sure.

THIS... is what I wanted to do a few years ago... but the 615 in .32 mag is like hens teeth.

DW are good revolvers overall.I have a 15 in .357

Forget the guns. KEEP THE WIFE!

I've owned a .375 and .445 SuperMags in the 80s and 90s, shooting IHMSA Revolver class. The .375 dropped a smallish buck in the woods, even with a poor hit in front of the heart. I regretted many times, trading it for a 7-08 XP. It was a thumper, past even 100 yards. Very accurate out to 200 yards with 3" groups). I didn't appreciate those clear sight pictures and steady squeeze until years later.
The .445 was also a thumper, on both ends! When I came to the line, other competitors at ranges in Missouri and Kansas would get up and move - the muzzle blast was ferocious. I took it hunting, and fired 3 shots in quick succession, and missed the buck under my tree stand each time. Problem was, I was stone-deaf for 20 minutes afterward (electronic ear protection hadn't been invented yet). Brought it home and sold it immediately to another member wanting the baddest gun out there.

DW's look great and the cylinder turns clockwise which I like but that's where it ends for me. The double action trigger is strange, cocking the hammer feels awkward, and the cylinder release is not my favorite! Got this in a trade with a 6-inch barrel and I've only shot it a couple times. Figured I'd get around to sell it but it just looks so darn good!

Fight the Good Fight...

Fred

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I echo what a few others have said about silhouette shooting, and would add that DWs came with much better adjustable sights than the average revolver of the day. This appealed greatly to target shooters and especially silhouette shooters, since the big bore silhouette course ranges from 50 meters out to 200 meters. Also note that double-action performance didn't matter to this segment of the shooting world.

I polish some areas inside my guns and use teflon lubes and it makes the DA pull pretty decent. I don't care all that much about triggers, as long as the effort isn't crazy high like some of my non-DW guns have been. My main complaint these days is that it's getting painful to shoot anything more than 9mm. I shot my 44 and 629 a few days ago, and regretted it later that day. My messed up elbow let me know it didn't like me doing that.

One of my first acquisitions was a 715VH Pistol Pack. Was a plastic case with gun, 4 (IIRC) barrels, 2 sets of grips, tool, feeler gauge, patch and a belt buckle. $350 cash. Mid 70's. No bad issues at all - don't remember what I traded it for. Maybe a 6" stainless steel Python.
Ed

Will be...is up for debate....
Bitter...is too strong of an adjective, LOL...
disappointment....perhaps



Agreed.

Yups. If you have ever read-up on Smiths limited L-frames, the 619 and 620, you'll see them raved about in regards to accuracy.

O-rings work too, and probably easier to find some of those to fit than washers.

Palmer Ma. iteration of the company made them in 3/5" for certain. IDK about any others.

SOME of us geezers may recall Robert Urich's P.I. show, VEGAS. In one episode, he has his assistant, Binzer, do JUST that.

I've posted this before, and I don't think I have ever read a post where someone else has observed it. With the same grip, barrel-length and weight, the Dan will have less felt-recoil and muzzle rise. I don't understand this, but I have A-B'd my Dan's against Ruger and Smith numerous times. Think Security-Six and GP100, and both K/L frames. Think OEM wood, and rubber from Hogue, or Pachmayr. I can shoot a tighter group, in a faster time, with a 4" Dan compared to LIKE Smith or Ruger. Even if the latter two are heavier guns/frames.

I think the rarest DW is the one they made for NYPD, called the Model 11. It was a fixed sight, 4-inch barrel, blue, with a fixed (non-removable) barrel. At that time, NYPD officers bought their own revolvers and equipment from the Equipment Bureau, and the three duty revolvers approved back then were the S&W Model 10, the Colt Metropolitan Mk III, and the Dan Wesson. Later, the Colt was discontinued, and the authorized list would include the Ruger Police Service Six (square butt version of the Speed Six) and the NY-1 from S&W, a variation of the Model 64 offered and approved in 2-inch, 3-inch, and 4-inch barrels.

The POI does change from barrel to barrel that is true. But it is about the same as changing ammo. The POI changes for different brands and different bullet weights. It is fun to go through the discovery process. What if you are gonna switch between 38 and 357, or between 158 gr LSWC and Federal 125 gr SJHP?

I keep the sights dialed in for the 6 inch BBL. When I put the 2.5" on for concealed carry at 7 or 12 yards you cannot tell much difference. I have a scope mounted to my 8" BBL. At distance you can tell the difference.

Back in the day, I believed in all the hype about "stopping power" and the awesome magical properties of the 125gr SJHP. I had heard and seen how people were having troubles with the Smith model 19 or 66, but the DW you could shoot 'em forever no problem. The Dan with the 2.5" is robust and accurate and she can do things like no other gal around, but man is she ugly!

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696-6906-457-38-3913-CS40-411

Two of the most accurate revolvers I've ever owned were Dan Wessons. A 357 magnum and a 44 magnum. One of the biggest disappointments I've ever owned was also a Dan Wesson. A 22LR that shaved lead and shot like a $50 RG. I recently took a stainless 44 magnum Dan Wesson in on trade for a rifle I was selling. Since I don't shoot as much as I used to, I'll probably haul it to a gunshow and move it along.