MARKUSEJ

I have been looking at buying a new Dan Wesson Pointman Major in 10mm. Does anyone have any knowledge about these pistols? Who makes their slides/frames. Also does anyone have any personal experience with any of these. Thanks

Kyle Farris

I think the frame and slide are from Essex.

gyp_c2

They are ESSEX and I think most of the other parts are CMC and Storm Lake? Not sure...I saw that they have several models though...Probably many different options available...The site was at:

http://www.danwessonfirearms.com/

Mike Wood

Lew Horton say their frames and slides on the forged models are from STI? They carry both cast and forged and from the looks they come from different sources. At least up until present there are many changes going on at Dan Wesson and from what I can see most of them are good. They are REALLY going out of their way to make a GREAT gun and PLEASE the customer. I contacted Bob Serva (the president) via email with a plethora of questions and he got back to me IMMEADEATELY telling me he would give me a call to discuss my concerns (mostly about what frames/slides were forged and what not) and not being able to get hold of me he called me 4 times until he did and then we talked for some time and I not only was satisfied with the amount of info I needed I got more than I asked for. I am getting ready to lay down cash on 2 DW 1911's. The ones I've looked at were fitted as well as many custom guns and although I've yet to shoot one, I've heard nothing but good reports. Only a few problems that DW jumped through hoops to correct. Check out the 1911 forum- there is a lot of talk about them and both a factory rep and Bob Serva are available on the forum and are quite active.

AFMan

Are we reading the same pages at 1911Forum?

Maybe I need a new pair of glasses, perhaps with a rose-colored tint this time.

Dan Wesson had no booth at SHOT this year, has a number of recurring QC issues, and are not terribly responsive to some customers (but are reportedly responsive to others).

I'm curious to see just how long they last this time around, but the signs are not good.

From those I've had the opportunity to examine first hand, I'd say that some of their pistols seem to be made right, while others seem to be built to the Charles Daly standard, but still come with Kimber prices.

Jim Richardson

I can personally say that DW has always been very responsive at least when dealing with me. Now I'm not a dealer and so I spend about enough money with DW every year to buy one of them some luch. But I have also found that when I drop them an email with a question, even when related to someone elses gun, they get back to me in less than a day.

As to their products, I have a DW Patriot and it is simple fantastic. My other DWs are old Monson wheelguns yet even though Bob and crew will make zip on them, they have always been available to help or give advice.

Mike Wood

[quote="AFMan"]Are we reading the same pages at 1911Forum?

Maybe I need a new pair of glasses, perhaps with a rose-colored tint this time.

Dan Wesson had no booth at SHOT this year, has a number of recurring QC issues, and are not terribly responsive to some customers (but are reportedly responsive to others).

I'm curious to see just how long they last this time around, but the signs are not good.

From those I've had the opportunity to examine first hand, I'd say that some of their pistols seem to be made right, while others seem to be built to the Charles Daly standard, but still come with Kimber prices


After re-reading my post I have to admit I was looking at things a little "Rosy" if you will. But I bet if you crunched the numbers of the guns sold (the few dealers that are willing to stock them cannot keep them on the shelf!-many people, including myself are finding that out firsthand) and compare them to the SATISFIED customers (many of which you NEVER hear from) you may get a more accurate picture. EVERYBODY wants to talk about the problems; only a few want to praise. The NAME has a bad rep from going belly up so many times; and it may have been a better idea for the new owners to start off with a new name, but bad name or not- they've always made a good weopon.
Now after scouring all the posts like I should have done before I spoke I can see that there have been and will be problems. And I'm sure some of these posts have some people at DW in some pretty hot water. In fact I would say those people (particularly end line QC's) shoud have a new a****le burnt. The genuine problems that need corrected really make it hard for a "new" company (with a bad rep already) to get off the ground. But some of these "problems" are simple fixes that many of us on this forum are used to doing to Colts and Springfields (which I still own) as soon as we take them out of the box- sorry samcoltfan. 1911's these days are a hell of lot more "done" than they used to be. I've had so many 1911's come and go I lost count. Very few were trouble free w/o tweaking. Perhaps I'm jaded.
As far as the "Kimber prices" you must be talking MSRP because more often that not you can get DW's top of the line pistols from $539 to $670 which is below Kimber prices by a good margin in most areas. Kimber is a fine weopon but I do not want the firing pin safety stuff milled into my gun. I haven't looked at as many DW as I have Kimbers buy I just laid down cash for 2 of them sight unseen- we'll see what happens. :roll:

BadOscar

I have 3 DW's now including a Razorback in 10mm. I also have a custom 38 super on order. The only problem I have had with any of them was magazine related and not DW's fault. I have examined many of these and the thing that attracts me most is the slide to frame fit. They are fit very tight. This makes them very accurate, but you gotta keep them clean and oiled to avoid functional problems. IMHO they are unmatched in quality, freatures, and performance vs. price. Some of the kimbers are an equal in fit but at a price that is near double and I too do not like the Kimber saftey. I have also sent several e-mails to the President Bob Serva and have always got a reply within 48 hours usually less than 24. I would recomend them and will continue to purchase from them in the future.

AFMan

Mike,

I agree that bringing the DW name back from the ashes came with a bucket-load of bad feelings (probably the number one reason so many dealers in my area refuse to stock them), and they will likely have to try doubly hard to make it.

My bit about "Kimber prices" is based in part on the 10mm pistols from each company, many of those from DW left the factory in deplorable condition, and were sold at a price that was higher than I paid for my Stainless Target II. (BTW, I don't like firing pin safeties in 1911s either, but at least they can be removed and forgotten, unlike the homely external extractor that DW, among others, is using on so many of their models now).

I do hope the lack of a booth at SHOT does not portend what it implies. Choice is always a good thing, even if its not one I would avail myself of.

gunfan

The DW frames are NOT made by Essex. The Razorback frames were/are manufactured, (read: forged) by Smith & Wesson. I believe them to be of the highest quality. (The slides are also manufactured from S&W barstock.) These are some of the finest mid-range 1911-configuration, (Kimber, S&W, and the like) frames of their kind! Bob Serva is a man with strong Christian convictions, and will not tolerate poor long-range performance.

You can purchase their 1911-type pistols with confidence.

Scott 8)

gunfan

Went out with RZ-10 #084 yesterday! I put 100 rounds through it. This consisted of 50 rounds of 200 grain Blazer TMJ and 50 rounds of American Eagle 180 grain lead bullets. By all that's holy, (if I do my part) I can commit no sin! The bullets just seem to naturally go where they should! This pistol is a gift from Heaven (and Shelley!)

It doesn't seem to matter the bullet weight, or if its the first shot or the last of the session. This is one pistol that I could take into a firefight without as much as a blink or hesitation! God help the man or beast (through the size of Black Bear) that gets in my way!

Either this pistol, my S&W Model 610, or my S&W Model 657 in .41 Remington Magnum will serve me extremely well when the proverbial "feces strikes the rotating air motivator!"

Even Shelley shot the Razorback better than I had expected!

Scott
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10mm Auto. The best conceived pistol cartridge since the .45 ACP!