Go ahead and laugh. At least it was cheap.

[sigp220.45]

I made the mistake of checking in at my not-so-local cop shop. They sometimes have great deals on traded-in evidence guns, but this time the cupboard was almost bare. Except for this unlovely orphan.

A big ol' Dan Wesson .357 Magnum.

I admit - as I approach my 60th year I have been disposed to buying examples of guns I've never owned before. I've never owned a Dan Wesson.

The owner sensed my lack of disgust. The price dropped until he had the full measure of my dwindling resolve. A hundred and a half American dollars crossed the counter.

The cons:

It is clearly refinished by Jim Bob's Bumper Chrome And Tire Retreading Emporium. It was probably a rusty horror, then was Dremeled mostly flat and chromed/nickeled. It has lost its factory supplied Dan Wesson address during the process.

OK, no excuse for these.

It has gained these mysterious holes. Your guess is as good as mine. They don't go all the way through.

Worst of all, it functions fine in DA, but won't lock back in SA. I don't know how to illustrate that, so here is picture of the sight and hammer.

I don't know what to make of this blobulous front sight.

Pros:

It is shiny.

What now?

I'll clean the bejeebus out of it. If that doesn't fix the no-SA issue, I'll see if new springs help. If not, I may take it to the Colorado School of Trades gunsmithing shop and let the youngsters there take a crack at it.

In the meantime, I'll hunt up some new grips and hide it from the wife.

Anyone with DW experience please chime in.

 

[robvious]

at first glance with no sense of scale, I thought it was an old H&R with home bubba'd grips... sorry

 

[forindooruseonly]

I did laugh, thanks for the post - cheered up my otherwise depressingl day.

Not sure I would have bought it, but I'm glad you did. I'd be curious to know how it shoots.

 

[-db-]

If you end up disposing of the grip, pull the medallions first. Those early large DWA medallions are fairly scarce.

 

[RGVshooter]

Those are the most ugliest grips I have ever seen. Please properly dispose of them. Preferably in a fireplace. The two "holes" on top of the frame behind the hammer remind me of a hex key internal lock for some reason. I'm trying to remember but I thought I've seen some pistols with an internal key lock up by the hammer. A hammer block if you will. that's my guess. Probably was locked when it was stolen & it's new user drilled it out. lol

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Good thing you live near the CO School of Trades.

 

[LVSteve]

Could the holes have been made as locating holes for an ersatz buttstock?

 

[Jessie]

Or maybe the top hole was an attachment point for the leather thong that held the hammer back?
Hey, all kidding aside, how can you go wrong for $150?
Great truck gun! ( providing that serial number issue is not trouble)

 

[Tom K]

The front sight on the Dan Wesson is easily changed. There is a little setscrew above the muzzle that holds it in place. You can get replacement sights, tools, parts and possibly barrel assemblies from EWK Arms, here: EWK Arms

Grips are also easily changed but you'll have to find some on eBay or Gunbroker - I don't know of anyone who currently makes new ones. Make sure the grips are for the .357/.22 frame size, the .44 frame size is or course larger. Looks like there are also barrel assemblies, tools and parts on eBay.

 

[Electraclyde]

That looks like a diamond in the rough. Have you shot it?

 

[sigp220.45]

That looks like a diamond in the rough. Have you shot it?

No, I just got it today. I'll give it a good cleaning and give it a try on Monday.

 

[Hehehmule]

One hundred dollars and fifty cents doesn't seem far out of line. Worst case scenario, you use it as a mirror as you shave with a Bowie knife.

 

[Old_Cop]

That is harder than woodpecker lips. I would have bought it also at that price. Lots of shops would have spun a story about the only nickel DW ever made with a prototype locking system for safety, just $999.

 

[hannstv]

I just trying to picture the hands that those grips were reshaped to fit. I am curious, like others, how it shoots.

 

[ColbyBruce]

OMG!

You never cease to amaze me with some of the things you come across.

Did you buy that DW from a guy wearing a clown suit and calling to you from a sewer?

 

[ColbyBruce]

BTW

I am also retired. If you ever find yourself in Atlanta, GA I would be happy to pick you up and drive you all over north GA and western NC gun shopping.

 

[nachogrande]

THAT THERE IS MUSEUM QUALITY.

THE BUBBA MUSEUM, that is. You may want to hide it from more than the wife. Congrats on the guts to post it. BUT, as they say, the proof is in the pudding. If Bubba restricted his work to the outside???

 

[vonn]

Can't wait for the range report!

 

[Wyo]

I had a Dan Wesson back when I was in college about 45 yrs ago. It was sctually a pretty good piece. Never could get used to the way the cylinder opened, though. Still have the wrench to unscrew the barrel shroud.

 

[Cellar Hound]

Probably not the best for concealed carry but I like it. Unique in its own right.