Anyone in the Tulsa area sell Dan Wesson 1911s?

[Dr. Barry Greyson]

Chocobo:

...since everyone is setting the record straight today.... Chuck Rogers did the machine work I requested, and "I" did all the reliability tuning .

Be well,

Barry

 

[Redsnake]

Wowzers... I had forgot about this post.

BTW... I never had the opportunity to put my hands on a DW. Wish I had purchased one a few years back b4 the prices jumped up. Oh, and I finally picked up a used (in great shape) Ed Brown Kobra Karry yesterday. Funny timing on bumping this old thread back to the top.

Have not fired the Ed Brown yet... but after taking it apart and giving it a good cleanup she feels fantastic. Hopefully it functions as well as it looks and feels.

 

[tomthebaker]

Yeah it's a 45. If you really want a bobtail commander, save up the money and get a Ed Brown Carry.

Ed Brown uses a Gov. Frame on Commander slide, too.

Ask me how I know - I had mine redone, too.

 

[Jwryan84]

My question is if you spend 2K+ on a custom 1911, why they HELL would you need to have extra work done on it just to make it run? Wouldn't these custom smiths know that they can't use a Gov. frame for a commander size gun?

But it seems crazy that our local gunsmiths seem to do a better job of getting guns running than these so called experts in the field.

Now thats no offense being given to our local guys at all, we are blessed. But seems that if you spend all that cash to buy that name that the gun will run.

And I've just gotten the wife's OK on getting Mike to make me a 1911. At least sometime next year.

 

[JD8]

The opinion of an actual owner is more valuable than the opinion of someone who merely reads a lot of forum posts.

Oh I agree, but being an owner doesn't make one an expert. I can probably tell you more about DW than most. The ironic thing is that back when this was made, DW was going through all sorts of problems due to proprietary issues. Why don't you PM Dr Greyson about goofy proprietary sights and Chocobo about how his DW commander was out of spec? Now those things have been cleared up due to a change in ownership but DW only recently came to be a quality 1911 company, thanks to CZ.

Either way, take it from someone that stopped playing with 1911 production guns a long time ago and realizes the difference between a $3K custom and a Dan Wesson. Due to onwership. When you graduate to a level where you understand the little things a handcrafted 1911 offers over a factory gun then we'll talk.

DWs are great guns and I like the new ones, but they have long surpassed their percieved value as they go for as much as a Les Baer or even a used Brown, Wilson, NH. Baer and the others being a significant step up.

If someone HAS to have a DW though, 2nd hand rose did have a Heritage for less than $1K a couple of weeks ago. Which is a good deal relative to lets say a Kimber.....and they had a Valor for $1700?

 

[Pointman66]

If someone HAS to have a DW though, 2nd hand rose did have a Heritage for less than $1K a couple of weeks ago. Which is a good deal relative to lets say a Kimber.....and they had a Valor for $1700?

I think DW may have priced themselves out of the market. At $995 my PM7 equipped with a few Brown parts was an incredible deal. The Valor appears to be a PM7 with new grips and badge for almost double.

 

[the tR]

i have accuired a dw valor and i love it, the grip is ferm but sure, and the recoil feels like my kimber 9..... smooth shooter, when new needed to be oiled and work for a bit but works great and no flaws at all,,,,,,

 

[inactive]

DWs are great guns and I like the new ones, but they have long surpassed their percieved value as they go for as much as a Les Baer or even a used Brown, Wilson, NH. Baer and the others being a significant step up.

So I wandered by Second Hand Rose on my lunch break and checked out some DW in person. They are pretty nice, very feature-loaded. The bobtail is a nice touch in a factory gun. The "bobtail" on an officer frame (the CCO) is really a nice touch, though it is not a true bobtail. But they aren't as solid to me in fit and finish as the other pistols priced in that range. I think even a (gasp!) Kimber (which isn't even hand fitted) appears to have as nice a feel to is as these.

This also seems to be a noted problem with the Wessons:

which scares me a bit. If this happens in more than just isolated incidents, I would be worried about the other tolerances buggered during their fitting processes. I think if I wanted a bob, I would have a 'smith do it to another pistol of my liking.


GMT, thanks for the heads up on that shop too, they are good people. Had some nice old S&W revolvers in there I fondled

 

[tomthebaker]

Any full-sized or commander can be bobtailed, sure. It isn't that difficult or expensive to do, but refinishing would be necessary, if it has a coating.

 

[Pointman66]

This also seems to be a noted problem with the Wessons:

I give. EDIT: Wait, are you referring to the space under the sight? Are you sure that's a problem? In this review on a 1911 forum it is mentioned but not declared a problem with anyone. CLICK It would be interesting to see what CZUSA says about it. Maybe it's machined that way entirely intentional to accommodate a variety of sights?