Dan Wesson Revolvers

[LOKNLOD]

What's the story on Dan Wesson revolvers?

Growing up, we had a Smith of some variety, but along the way dad traded it for this Dan Wesson. From what I've deciphered it's a Model 15 with the "V" vent-Rib shroud. I've "borrowed" it for a while, just to get some DA trigger practice, and because it's fun to shoot. Oddly enough my wife really enjoyed shooting it with some light .38s and anything that gets her smiling and shooting is good in my book, too.



It's a great shooter, very accurate. It doesn't appear to be anything especially desirable or collectible, and it's got enough character that it's not a safe queen. Based on lack of discussion, and defunct-ness of availability, they don't seem to be anyone's old hotness, although there look to be some cult members out there.

Anything the revolver gurus have to share about these things? Problems to watch out for quirks to be aware of?

[Hi-Point Aficionado]

1) They are prone to light strikes in double-action if the hammer spring gets tired. Or if you game it with a lighter spring. Sensitive/soft primers and a willingness to handload mitigate that.

2) The over-travel stop can disable the trigger if you don't keep an eye on it.

3) Custom grips are remarkably hard to find despite the spiked butt. Easy to have made if you know a reasonably talented woodworker and have money, however.

4) The bluing on the sideplate and a couple other parts has gone plum in most specimens. That bothers some but I rather like it.

[entropy]

My first hndgun.

Purchased in 1985 at Farm&Fleet Rantoul, IL. There were 2 revolvers side by side in the case. The 6" DW and a 6" Colt Python. I went back and forth between the two for several weeks but bought the DW because the price difference allowed me to buy a holster and maybe 6 boxes of ammo. Oh...and a set of Pachmyrs too.

The stupidity of college youth.

Anyhow, still have it. Picked up a 2.5" and a 4" barrel along the way. Laser accurate if you find the sweet spot in the gap. I put a Ruger GP100 adhustable sight on mine (they are interchangeble with no mod required) because the sharp edges of the rear blade bother my beer storage area when I carry the 2.5" IWB.

Enjoy!

[BillSWPA]

These are very nice guns.

The interchangeable barrel system is neat, but the air space between the barrel and shroud results in poor heat dissipation from the barrel.

They take K-frame speedloaders, but the frame is more Python sized.

CZ now owns Dan Wesson, and their service center can help with any needed repairs to these revolvers.



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[byrdland]

I have a 15-2 HV with a six inch barrel. It's very accurate. I've never had any issue with it other than re-setting the barrel gap. They don't seem to be as popular here as S&W's but I like mine a lot. I know an ex silhouette shooter that used one for it's accuracy.

[deputyG23]

I owned and carried a 4" version just like the OP's in the early '80s as a jail deputy before I was issued a county M64. The only issue I had was the sideplate Allen screws worked loose once. The barrel wrench had the proper sized Allen bit on one end and it was fixed right then.
The only ones I have seen recently here in VA have been priced in the $500 plus range with all being six inch barrels.
Pistol Pacs show up once in awhile at shows with price tags in the teens.
I would spring for a 4" or 2.5 inch version if the price was right since I got rid of mine years ago.

[Hemiram]

I've owned Dan Wesson revolvers for 40+ years. I prefer them over all others. I've never had a major problem with any of them, even a couple of rough looking ones that have seen a lot of abuse. I have two .357's now, a really pretty blued 15-2, with 4" and 6" heavy vented barrels, and a 715, near mint, with the same barrel set up. I have a 6" VH 44 too, blue with a "barneyed" frame from the age of it. I can fix just about anything that goes wrong with them except a kaboom. I've assembled a lot of parts for them over the years, and so far I've used a hammer spring and a handspring. That's it, with having over 15 Model 15's and 715's passing though my hands, I would say that's about as good as it gets. I wouldn't mind a new one, but I like the looks of the old ones a little more, and the price is crazy high. I bought my first 15-2 when my first gun period, a Taurus Model 83 went off to Taurus for warranty repairs and I needed a gun for security work. That first one had a clipped hammer spring in it, and it had a lot of light primer strikes. A new spring and it was 100% reliable. I put many thousands of rounds through that gun in the 20 years or so I had it, with no repairs of any kind. I needed money so I sold it, keeping one of the rough looking ones. In 2006, I won the 715 on Gunbroker. It was and still is my best gun deal ever. I got the 6VH gun in near mint condition, 3 grips, a bag of parts, in the box, with wrench (One of the crappy plastic ones) and all the paperwork, for $269. There was only one bidder on it, me. I couldn't figure out why nobody else bid on it, thinking, "What am I missing?". Turned out I missed nothing. It's a great gun, with one little scratch on the barrel shroud.

[Chuck Whitlock]

My very first handgun, at the age of 17, was a used blued 4" Dan Wesson .357. I wish I still had it.