Dan Wesson Specialist 9mm Review and Impressions

[Sensei]

I swapped out the 10# factory recoil spring in the Specialist for 12# Wolff and hit the range with some 124 grain AE and 147 grain HST. First up was the AE and had a FTF on the second round using Wilson Vickers mag. The gun cycled another 58 rounds of AE and 50 rounds of the HST (110 total today) without failure using a variety of mags including DW factory, Wilson ETM, and Tripp Cobra. Perhaps it was just the spring getting broken-in. The Guardian cycled another 50 rounds of 124 grain AE without malfunction.

That puts the round counts at:

Specialist - 830 rounds
-660 with 124 grain AE
-50 with 124 grain Lawman
-120 with 147 grain HST
-Malfunctions to date: FTF 1; FTE 1 during 10-8 extractor test, 0 during regular fire.
-New 12# recoil spring at 720 rounds

Guardian - 250
-250 with 124 grain AE
-Malfunctions to date: FTF 0; FTE 0; passed 10-8 extractor test on first try

[Sensei]

Hit the range again tonight with the Specialist and Guardian. Fired a total of 150 between the 2 guns. The Specialist got 50 more rounds of 124 gr AE and 50 rounds of 147 gr HST with a variety of 10-round mags including DW, Wilson ETM, Wilson Vickers, and Tripp Cobra. No failures.

The Guardian got another 50 rounds of 124 grain AE. I used the 2 factory 9-rounds mags for half the box and the ETMs for the other half. No failures.

I now consider the Guardian to be “broken in” and will give it one more wipe down and lube cleaning before incorporating some JHP ammo into the diet and extending the range sessions without wipe downs and lubes out to 250 rounds. It won’t be carry ready for another 700 rounds.

The Specialist is essentially good to go for carry once I cycle another 50 rounds or so of HST. I’ll give it a good detail cleaning after that next box. Will also probably keep the 12# recoil spring. Overall, this gun has impressed me.

Round Counts

Specialist - 930 rounds
-710 with 124 grain AE
-50 with 124 grain Lawman
-170 with 147 grain HST
-Malfunctions to date: FTF 1; FTE 1 during 10-8 extractor test, 0 during regular fire.
-New 12# recoil spring at 720 rounds

Guardian - 300
-300 with 124 grain AE
-Malfunctions to date: FTF 0; FTE 0; passed 10-8 extractor test on first try

[Sensei]

50 more round of 124 grain AE and 147 grain HST through both guns. No failures using a variety of mags.

Round Counts

Specialist - 1030 rounds
-760 with 124 grain AE
-50 with 124 grain Lawman
-220 with 147 grain HST
-Malfunctions to date: FTF 1; FTE 1 during 10-8 extractor test, 0 during regular fire.
-New 12# recoil spring at 720 rounds

Guardian - 400
-350 with 124 grain AE
-50 with 147 grain HST
-Malfunctions to date: FTF 0; FTE 0; passed 10-8 extractor test on first try

[Sensei]

Ran the Specialist at a local range’s qualification stage for their “Action Shooting Facility” yesterday. There were 14 targets and each required 2 hits so a total of 28 rounds were fired with 124 grain AE using only Wilson ETM magazines. I had a double feed malfunction on the 2nd reload from slide lock where the gun tried to feed 2 rounds when I sling shot the slide. The extractor never got ahold of the top round when it into the chamber, so I had to strip the magazine to clear it. This was a bit of a pain in the ass to clear due to the club’s strict rules that the muzzle never aim across the height of the berm because there are neighborhoods within 1/2 mile’s distance of the range. It got me thinking that I may need to find a new place to shoot if I’m going to undo 20+ years of muscle memory and build training scars by performing reloads and malfunction drills with the muzzle never angled up at all.

Anyway, round counts are as follows:

Specialist - 1058 rounds
-788 with 124 grain AE
-50 with 124 grain Lawman
-220 with 147 grain HST
-Malfunctions to date: FTF 2; FTE 1 during 10-8 extractor test, 0 during regular fire.
-New 12# recoil spring at 720 rounds

Guardian - 400
-350 with 124 grain AE
-50 with 147 grain HST
-Malfunctions to date: FTF 0; FTE 0; passed 10-8 extractor test on first try

[Sensei]

70 more rounds of 124 grain AE without failure through the Guardian. 50 rounds were a dot torture at 4 yards with a -1 on the left hand. Used factory 9-round w/o baseplate and Tripp Cobra 10-round mags.

Guardian - 470
-420 with 124 grain AE
-50 with 147 grain HST
-Malfunctions to date: FTF 0; FTE 0; passed 10-8 extractor test on first try

[Sensei]

50 rounds of 147 grain Federal HST through the Guardian using mostly DW factory 9-round and a 9-round Metalform magazine that I purchased. I believe that Metalform is the OEM manufacturer for DW since the logo is the only difference in the mags. There were no failures.

Guardian - 520
-420 with 124 grain AE
-100 with 147 grain HST
-Malfunctions to date: FTF 0; FTE 0; passed 10-8 extractor test on first try

[Sensei]

Hit the range with some 124 grain S&B FMJ. Brought a couple Wilson ETM mags for the Specialist and DW factory 9-round mags. No failures. Round counts are as follows:

Specialist - 1108 rounds
-788 with 124 grain AE
-50 with 124 grain Lawman
-50 with 124 grain S&B
-220 with 147 grain HST
-Malfunctions to date: FTF 2; FTE 1 during 10-8 extractor test, 0 during regular fire.
-New 12# recoil spring at 720 rounds

Guardian - 570
-420 with 124 grain AE
-50 with 124 grain S&B
-100 with 147 grain HST
-Malfunctions to date: FTF 0; FTE 0; passed 10-8 extractor test on first try

Without a doubt, the Guardian is among the most accurate pistol that I own. This target is 50 rounds of Mozambique Drill at 10 yards. The indoor range does not allow draws from a holster, so I fired them from a press-out at a comfortable pace of under 2ish seconds. Had I been shooting a Glock, I’d have at least a couple C zone (usually left error on the second torso round or a high 3rd round) hits.

[Sensei]

50 more rounds of 124 grain S&B. All rounds fired with Surefire X300U-B attached. No failures with a mixture of Wilson, DW, and Tripp Cobra mags. Shot -2 on Dot Torture at 5 yards (previously cleared at 3 yards), but this was after shooting 120 rounds of 10mm and recoil differences were playing havoc with anticipation.

Specialist - 1158 rounds
-788 with 124 grain AE
-50 with 124 grain Lawman
-100 with 124 grain S&B
-220 with 147 grain HST
-Malfunctions to date: FTF 2; FTE 1 during 10-8 extractor test, 0 during regular fire.
-New 12# recoil spring at 720 rounds

[Sensei]

Brought the Guardian out to the range and fired 50 rounds of 124 grain S$B FMJ on a Dot Torture at 5 yards with a 2.5 second first-shot par time on stages with holster draws (AIWB using Dark Star Gear Apollo). Zero malfunction using Wilson ETM and Dan Wesson mags. Score -4

Round totals are as follows:

Specialist - 1158 rounds
-788 with 124 grain AE
-50 with 124 grain Lawman
-100 with 124 grain S&B
-220 with 147 grain HST
-Malfunctions to date: FTF 2; FTE 1 during 10-8 extractor test, 0 during regular fire.
-New 12# recoil spring at 720 rounds

Guardian - 620
-420 with 124 grain AE
-100 with 124 grain S&B
-100 with 147 grain HST
-Malfunctions to date: FTF 0; FTE 0; passed 10-8 extractor test on first try

[Hstanton1]

Brought the Guardian out to the range and fired 50 rounds of 124 grain S$B FMJ on a Dot Torture at 5 yards with a 2.5 second first-shot par time on stages with holster draws (AIWB using Dark Star Gear Orion). Zero malfunction using Wilson ETM and Dan Wesson mags. Score -4

Round totals are as follows:

Specialist - 1158 rounds
-788 with 124 grain AE
-50 with 124 grain Lawman
-100 with 124 grain S&B
-220 with 147 grain HST
-Malfunctions to date: FTF 2; FTE 1 during 10-8 extractor test, 0 during regular fire.
-New 12# recoil spring at 720 rounds

Guardian - 620
-420 with 124 grain AE
-100 with 124 grain S&B
-100 with 147 grain HST
-Malfunctions to date: FTF 0; FTE 0; passed 10-8 extractor test on first try[/QUOTE]

Wait- DSG makes an Orion for the 1911?