Dan Wesson vs Ed Brown 1911's **** EDITED****

[Narragansett]

Are Ed Brown 1911's that much better than Dan Wesson 1911's to justify the additional money?

Just to be accurate here, I do own 3 DW guns. A PM-C, and a Pointman -9 and -45. I think they are fabulous. I am just wondering what is better at the next price point if anything?

 

[jaydoc]

I think Dan Wesson is the sweet spot of price versus value. Ed Browns are slightly more refined, but I’m not convinced they’re better. I certainly don’t think they shoot any better.I have a couple and I like them.

 

[Autonomous]

It's been a few years since I've handled Dan Wessons so I can't speak to current production.
They were nicer than other production off the shelf brands but not as consistently nice as the semi-customs such as the Ed Browns. There were some DWs that felt very smooth, others less so.

Handle as many DWs as you can. If you are comfortable doing a trigger job, choose the one with the best barrel to slide lockup. If not, maybe choose the one with the best trigger.

If you have the budget, you will not regret spending more for a semi-custom.

 

[Onomea]

There's a YouTube video with a guy comparing a Nighthawk Talon to a DW Guardian.

He concludes that they are both very nice guns, that the Nighthawk is nicer, more refined, due to more hand fitting, but that for most people it is not $2K nicer.

I suspect that is about right for the Ed Brown and Wilson Combat guns, too.

 

[AJ]

Never handled a Dan Wesson. A guy at the range had a Ed Brown that he was shooting and saying how great it was. He offered to let me see it and then to shoot it. To me it shot the same as any other tuned M1911 platform. I then shot my original Series 70 Gold Cup National Match. Maybe because it was my gun, I shot it better. So did one of the Range Officers. For the extra money I was not impressed.

 

[bc1023]

Yes, in my opinion, Ed Brown is quite a bit nicer. Worth the extra money

 

[Onomea]

Yes, in my opinion, Ed Brown is quite a bit nicer. Worth the extra money

My observation, bc1023, based on your posts showing and discussing your collection here and elsewhere, is that you are not "most people..."

(Hey, I am envious. More power to you!)

 

[rockquarry]

There are probably very few of us that can shoot to a basic 1911's potential. I certainly can't come close. I don't know why, but It's still enjoyable to have and shoot one that's really accurate, like an Ed Brown, Les Baer, or Clark- accurized Gold Cup.

 

[Autonomous]

I'm certainly not an expert level shooter but that does not prevent me from enjoying the precision feel and handling of a hand fitted 1911.

 

[OutAtTheEdge]

Before I retired I ran a shop in Wisconsin that was the only factory-direct DW dealer in the state. When I set that deal up, I was convinced that Dan Wesson 1911s were absolutely the best value for premium-quality , and nothing I saw after that changed my mind. My retirement gift from my wife was a stainless Specialist 9mm.

 

[BE Mike]

I have owned and still own a couple of custom built 1911's. Most were built for formal bullseye pistol competition. They are/ were really excellent guns. They have perfect lockup, great triggers, barrel/ bushing perfect fitting. In my prime, I could take advantage of all those custom features which were important, especially at 50 yards. Today, the 1911 that I regularly take to the range is a Springfield Armory Trophy match. It has a drop in trigger by Cylinder & Slide and a fitted bushing for the barrel/slide that I installed. These days it puts them where I aim them up to 25 yards (the maximum distance at the indoor range where I'm a member). To me, the most important feature of a 1911 is a good trigger job, good sights (I prefer adjustable) and very good mechanical accuracy. You'll find that in most semi-custom 1911's from makers like Rock River, Ed Brown, Wilson Combat, Nighthawk, etc. I don't know about Dan Wessons, especially where the trigger job is concerned, but from everything that I hear, they are a lot of bang for the buck, but you'll get a lot more for the extra thou that you'll spend for an Ed Brown, if that's the one you want to go with.

 

[WardenRoss]

I'm VERY fond of my V-Bob.

 

[Sheldrake]

Are Ed Brown 1911's that much better than Dan Wesson 1911's to justify the additional money?

I've got a Dan Wesson Pointman 9 in 9mm, a Les Baer Custom Carry in .45, and a Wilson Combat Classic in .45. All three are smooth as silk, are exceptionally accurate, and have great triggers from the factory. I like them equally, and I'd be hard pressed to point out why the Les Baer and Wilson Combat cost more than the Dan Wesson

 

[Thaddeus Beauregard]

This is one of those cases where the "Law of Diminishing Returns" applies. As with so many other products, you reach a certain point in the quality to price ratio where the product becomes good enough that making further improvements in one way or another starts to involve much more time and work, and that all adds up in the price getting exponentially higher. The difference between a DW and an EB or Wilson, Nighthawk, Les Baer, etc is the degree of hand fitting to make sure all parts are mated to each other very precisely, and this gives a look and feel that a DW cannot quite match to someone who is picky about such things. This extra hand fitting is very labor- and time-intensive and that involves a lot of shop overhead that must be recouped in the price. Whether the price difference for that little bit of extra refinement is "worth it" is an individual subjective decision. For many people, it isn't and that's understandable. The higher end 1911s may not shoot any better or function any better... but if you are picky, you can clearly see they are a made a little better. Dan Wesson 1911s are very good, well made guns that are priced very fairly for what you get in return. No, they aren't quite as refined and as well fitted as a higher end custom 1911, but they are pretty close. They are as good as regular production 1911s get.

 

[Rule3]

My DW Valor is more accurate than I will ever be. I also had a Pointman that was extremely accurate
Never shot a Wilson or any other high priced spreads. Have shot/had SA, SW Ruger, Colt , DW is is better than all those. As mentioned there is a point of diminishing returns

 

[Rule3]

Are Ed Brown 1911's that much better than Dan Wesson 1911's to justify the additional money?

Just to be accurate here, I do own 3 DW guns. A PM-C, and a Pointman -9 and -45. I think they are fabulous. I am just wondering what is better at the next price point if anything?

Better how?? Spend more money, cool factor??

 

[Narragansett]

Better how?? Spend more money, cool factor??

Fit, Finish, trigger, accuracy

 

[Autonomous]

Better how?? Spend more money, cool factor??

You sound envious. Not sure if that is your intent.
Quality mechanical watches do not keep better time than a Casio but give the owner pleasure. Nothing wrong with that as long as the owner can afford it.
Original art vs. a print? Same.
Semi and full custom guns do not have crunchy, imprecise or sloppy fits. Everything works smoothly and the feel of precision is delicious.
Sure, diminishing returns are a fact of life. Do you cut your hair once a year or more often?

 

[Rule3]

Fit, Finish, trigger, accuracy

Well for an extra $1k or more is it worth it? Why not a Les Baer?
Up to you and your wallet.

You sound envious. Not sure if that is your intent.
Quality mechanical watches do not keep better time than a Casio but give the owner pleasure. Nothing wrong with that as long as the owner can afford it.
Original art vs. a print? Same.
Semi and full custom guns do not have crunchy, imprecise or sloppy fits. Everything works smoothly and the feel of precision is delicious.
Sure, diminishing returns are a fact of life. Do you cut your hair once a year or more often?

Ya that must be it. I don't own a Rolex

 

[Onomea]

We have this discussion all the time about Korths. For some people, it's worth it, and they can afford it, and they like 'em. So, why not? Enjoy!

I was seriously considering a high end 1911, initially single stack, so was looking at Nighthawks and, backing off a bit, Dan Wessons.

Then I got to thinking about double stacks, and researched the heck out of Staccatos. Which model to choose? Back and forth.

Then, not being a 1911 guy, I started to worry about idiot scratches, and inflicting one on a new Stacatto out of ignorance, and how I would feel about that. Would be like buying a new Ferrari and scratching it coming out of the garage...

So....

I ordered a Sig P226 XCarry Legion SAO, about the same or a bit less than a DW, and a thou or more less than a Stacatto.

I think if I get a 1911 or 2011, I should start with a beater. Get up to speed before I get something nice.

Different strokes, folks. Nobody out there ya got to please other than yourself, to paraphrase Ricky Nelson.