Dan Wesson; What's to Know?

[Sevens]

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!

 

[Tex1001]

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

 

[44wheelman]

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.

 

[tmd17]

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.

 

[TheTinMan]

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

 

[stansdds]

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.

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.

 

[H Richard]

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.

 

[sniper]

Aaaah, Yesss...those changeable barrels!

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...

 

[hemiram]

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:

 

[penmaker]

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.

 

[Bore Snake]

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.

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

 

[TheTinMan]

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.

Forget the guns. KEEP THE WIFE!

 

[SloShooter]

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.

 

[fredcoyote]

DW 15-2

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

 

[TKeithRobertson]

Also related to metallic silhouette shooting

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.

 

[hemiram]

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.

 

[hdfinder47]

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

 

[VictorLouis]

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.
.

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

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.

Agreed.

. 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,.

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.

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..

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.

 

[shawn mccarver]

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.

 

[Brian Parrish]

Uhh I do exactly that.

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 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!