Bought an old Dan Wesson...any knowledge?

[Moylan]

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/901998292

Because I have deep personal connections with Monson, MA, I have always wanted a Dan Wesson. I am not a collector or anything, so I don't care if it is correct or perfect. I will lug it around the woods and shoot it and beat it up. I wanted a Monson Dan Wesson that fit the budget, that was my standard.

Here's my main question to the knowledgeable: is this actually a 38 special? It says so on the barrel, but I half guess it's actually a 357 frame with a non-original barrel/shroud. I say this because the frame is marked "15," and I thought model 15's were 357.

Two subsidiary questions: if it is a 357 with a 38 special barrel, is there any reason not to shoot 357's through it? (Like, are the 38 special barrels/forcing cones/whatever weaker than 357?)

If it is a 38 special, is +p OK despite no such marking? (I can't imagine not, but what I don't know about revolvers is.......well, almost everything.)

And an unrelated question: does anyone know if that front sight is replaceable with GP100 sights? I read that it is, but that was on the internet.

Thanks!

[Bob_Dobbs]

Hopefully I can help.

I got a 15-2 a few years ago as part of a trade, did some research on the DW stuff as I was pretty uninformed on what I'd come to possess.

Prior to the Model 15 (which the frame you bought shows) they did several other models (W8, W9, W11, W12 among others).
Several of those later pre-15 models were porkchop framed like your 15 and the barrels / shrouds are supposed to interchange with the 15.
Those earlier models were available in either .38spl or .357mag.

My best guess is that you bought a Model 15 frame with an earlier model .38spl barrel/shroud.
Does a .357 fit the cylinder? I know they did make some 38 only even after the 15-2 era in the form of a very overbuilt snub. They did some other odd run stuff, but I'm far from a historian on them.

From hunting barrels and shrouds for my 15-2, I've run across a ton of DW stuff over the years. Looking at the stamping on your shroud, it appears factory... but that is only a guess from a novice in DW stuff.

If the front site is standard to the 15-2, CZ's website has Dan Wesson in the store and front site blades are about 25$. Not sure on that fitment at all, sorry.
The later 15-2 and modern 715 shrouds won't fit your frame, they require a different lock up on the frame.

If your frame / cylinder is 357, I don't see why that load would hurt your barrel... but that's only a guess.

[entropy]

Like this?😁

The 15 series are either .357/.38 or .22 IIRC. There is a half lug model (like mine above) and a full under lug version. All were available in barrel lengths from 2.5} up thru 10” I believe. Mine was purchased new by me on the occasion of my 21st birthday in the 6” length. I’ve since picked up a few other barrel lengths along the way. They are incredibly strong and accurate revolvers. Yours seems to be the “.38/357” variety. The cylinder is made for the longer length of the .357mag cartridge. Just like all .357s, it will shoot .38spl just fine.

Although discontinued, you can still get barrel tools and barrel nuts from EMK. Parts are on fleabay and GB. One of the more “delicate” adjustments is setting the barrel gap. Factory spec is .006” and the guns were sold with both a barrel wrench (metal wrench fitting embedded in plastic which became brittle with age) and a feeler gauge. Each gun is particular, and you will prolly have to fiddle a bit to find the gap your gun shoots best. Once set, they are VERY accurate guns. I guess back in my “yoot” they were popular with the silhouette shooting crowd.



Edit to add:

Sorry, shoulda clicked before I typed.

Yours is an earlier “pork chop” (because of the barrel shroud shape) model that is indeed .38spl. IIRC, the VERY early ones had a rather robust barrel nut that sat proud of the shroud a bit. The later 15 models (just prior to the 15-2 introduction) still had the “pork chop” style shroud but incorporated the updated internal barrel nut. Still good guns with parts available although a little more scarce than the later 15-2 models. You might look at Gunpartscorp or the Dan Wesson Forum for parts. The history of the Company (after the whole S&W Bangor Punta sale) is kinda interesting in its own. I went on a barrel hunting spree about a year back, and remember encountering all kinds of 15 parts, so they’re out there. Not sure on the front sight on the 15. The rear on the 15-2 is indeed the same sight that is on the Ruger GP series. I bought one for my 15-2 because the original DW rear target sight has some pretty sharp edges on it, and I didn’t want to file the original.

[Moylan]

Great info. Thanks!!!!

[Hemiram]

Just a little correction to Entropy's post.

There are several different wrenches that came with DW guns. One is the crappy plastic embedded wrench which is pretty fragile and the most common. I have about a half dozen of them, all broken or in the process.

There was one that took a socket made for the "porkchop" guns. I've never had one of these.

There are all metal ones. I've had several over the years. The EMK replacements are better than any of the factory ones.

[LJP]

A buddy of mine just bought a DW 15 with a 6” barrel. While I would prefer and probably seek out a shorter barrel, I’m jealous. It’s a really cool wheelgun.

[Hemiram]

Look around, sometimes there will be a DW gun for a good price, but that's compared to the price of an S&W pre lock gun.

I have 3 small frame guns, a near mint 715, a really nice 15-2, and a really ugly 15-2 that shoots fine. I got them when the prices were really good on DW revolvers. I paid less than $400 the pretty blued one, and only $269 for the 715 back in 2006. The ugly 15-2 was about $300 and I bought a used barrel on Ebay that had the nut red Loctited on and needed some heat to remove.

My 44 Magnum 6" was $410 about 2011.

[Cory]

I have little to offer. But here is a DW revolver next to my Valor. It has 4 other barrels I think. It may wind up mine at some point. That's a bit muddled.