Dan Wesson Specialist Optics Ready 45ACP

[David S.]

Chambers Custom has a couple guys doing plate systems for 1911/2011s.

think AJ Zito in Arizona is one of them.

[BWT]

I thought that some people might be interested in this pistol since it’s on of the few 1911s with an optics cut from the factory. Better yet, it’s a very reputable manufacturer, and I have 2 other Specialists in calibers that are thought to be less reliable but are doing pretty well all things considered.

Attachment 114835

Attachment 114836

So, this gun uses a plate system and the gun comes with a standard height rear sight plate with standard height from sights. The rear plate can be swapped for any number of standard footprints such as RMR, DocOptic, ACRO, etc. Each plate has an optics cut to mount rear irons behind the optic but the front sight height will need to be r et placed depending on the intended red dot. DW has a chart for recommended front sight heights with different plates.

Fit and finish are on par with my other specialists. That means a slight step down from WC, EB, or a TRP Pro. Accuracy and recoil were identical to this manufacturers. I fired 100 rounds of 230 grain AE with no FTF or FTE. It passed a 10-8 extractor test with flying colors.

Interestingly, I had a series of failures to lock back the slide with 2 Wilson ETM mags at the 20-round mark. These mags would also struggle to lock back the slide when hand cycling it, and would drop the slide on ejecting the mag when locked back. This only occurred with 2 of the Wilson ETMs; a 3rd ETM and all other mags had no trouble with the slide. Moreover, the problem vanished after the first cleaning at 30-rounds. It didn’t recur. I’m unsure if this is a true failure with the gun since it had strong lock-back with the factory (Tripp?) mags and only briefly occurred with an aftermarket mag, albeit a generally high quality after market mag.

Accuracy seems to be on par for DW. I spent most of the 100 rounds clearing a plate rack at 20 yards. I’ll do more formal accuracy testing in the coming weeks as I get past the 500-round break-in period that DW advertises. Once that is complete, I’ll probably add an ACRO and new front sights.

Total Rounds Fired:
-100 Federal 230 grain AE

FTF 0; FTE 0; Passed 10-8 Extractor Test

YMMV but I swore off Wilson Magazines in my 1911’s. I had various failures to lock back and others I can’t remember that I went over to Tripp and had no issues. I shot over a thousand more rounds through my TRP with no issue and I’ve just never looked back.

I tried the 47D and ETM 500. I never tried the flat spring model, but honestly… after spending over $100-$150 on multiple magazines… I had no interest in experimenting after finding something that worked.

[Archer1440]

YMMV but I swore off Wilson Magazines in my 1911’s. I had various failures to lock back and others I can’t remember that I went over to Tripp and had no issues. I shot over a thousand more rounds through my TRP with no issue and I’ve just never looked back.

I tried the 47D and ETM 500. I never tried the flat spring model, but honestly… after spending over $100-$150 on multiple magazines… I had no interest in experimenting after finding something that worked.

Funny you should say that- I just finished my sixth consecutive USPSA SS match today (we run both a Friday and a Saturday match at my club, will be back to my LO gun tomorrow) with one of my SA Professionals (the one I daily carried for 20 years) running Wilson ETM's (which themselves are a few years old).

All six of which have been dropped in dirt, snow and mud in those matches in the past few weeks. Zero malfunctions. I also ran five of these six for Steel Challenge a couple of times since the beginning of the year.

Literally an hour ago, I decided to finally clean out each of the mags, despite the fact that they are running as smooth as the proverbial butter. There was some dirt on the follower skirts, but the tubes and springs were surprisingly clean. I scrubbed the followers, wiped the springs with a bit of Ballistol, and ran a cloth down the tubes.

Now, I agree that the 47D's certainly have issues, especially after extended use, and that pains me as I have something like two dozen of the wretched things, but I am nothing but impressed with the ETM's, personally. To the point where I purchased four more (with aluminum bases, for potential carry) from WC last night with their buy-3-get-one-free deal which expires in a couple of days.

I've used Metalforms, Mec-Gars, Colts, CMC, Tripp, WC 47's and 47D's as well as several others over the past 27 years, and so far the WC ETM's have been the most trouble-free 1911 mags I have run thus far.

[Elwin]

Thread drift and a repeat of stuff in other threads but…

I’ve also had good luck with Wilson mags, but know others have issues with lockback - I don’t know how often that’s 47Ds vs. something else. I had two old 47Ds start failing to lock back. The solution to that is to spend $8 on a Tripp Super 7 kit or spend $10 per mag trading them in to Ed Brown for new mags. I’ve done both, so my range mags are the 47Ds with Tripp kits and a bunch of 8rd Ed Browns, plus Wilson 10rd mags for when a course of fire calls for 10 in the gun.

I carry a 47C in the gun and two ETM model 500Cs as reloads (those are metal baseplate 7rd and 8rd mags). None of these mags cause any problems across three guns.

[Elwin]

Duplicate, my bad.

[BWT]

Funny you should say that- I just finished my sixth consecutive USPSA SS match today (we run both a Friday and a Saturday match at my club, will be back to my LO gun tomorrow) with one of my SA Professionals (the one I daily carried for 20 years) running Wilson ETM's (which themselves are a few years old).

All six of which have been dropped in dirt, snow and mud in those matches in the past few weeks. Zero malfunctions. I also ran five of these six for Steel Challenge a couple of times since the beginning of the year.

Literally an hour ago, I decided to finally clean out each of the mags, despite the fact that they are running as smooth as the proverbial butter. There was some dirt on the follower skirts, but the tubes and springs were surprisingly clean. I scrubbed the followers, wiped the springs with a bit of Ballistol, and ran a cloth down the tubes.

Now, I agree that the 47D's certainly have issues, especially after extended use, and that pains me as I have something like two dozen of the wretched things, but I am nothing but impressed with the ETM's, personally. To the point where I purchased four more (with aluminum bases, for potential carry) from WC last night with their buy-3-get-one-free deal which expires in a couple of days.

I've used Metalforms, Mec-Gars, Colts, CMC, Tripp, WC 47's and 47D's as well as several others over the past 27 years, and so far the WC ETM's have been the most trouble-free 1911 mags I have run thus far.

Fair enough. Honestly, I don’t mean to disappoint folks - I just had Wilson 47D’s extremely strongly recommended to me by many folks and I just did not have the experience they did. So, when applicable I forward on what my experience was.

I remember trying CMC power mags 10 rounders (I had some freeway stoppages there), Dan Wesson magazines (I believe these were trouble free), and even a night hawk magazine (that worked well but the magazine spring weakened and eventually it stopped locking back as well). But that all dates back to when I carried a 1911 for EDC. Part of it may’ve been to the commander length gun, but anyway. I think the takeaway I have is this - I think the lengthening of the magazine body that you saw in the Tripp and ETM’s for 8 rounders helped. I think the shape of the follower in the Tripp and ETM also helps because the follower stays basically in the same position as it goes up the magazine body versus something like the CMC or traditional Colt where the round can nose dive back into the magazine body (which after experimenting enough is why I abandoned the CMC power mags as well, but the 10 rounders were my reloads).

ETA: I like the 1911 - I just relay what I found to work after a few years of carry a long time ago.

ETA 2: I do have a question for you Archer, do you leave your magazines loaded after shooting?

[Archer1440]

I think the takeaway I have is this - I think the lengthening of the magazine body that you saw in the Tripp and ETM’s for 8 rounders helped. I think the shape of the follower in the Tripp and ETM also helps because the follower stays basically in the same position as it goes up the magazine body versus something like the CMC or traditional Colt where the round can nose dive back into the magazine body (which after experimenting enough is why I abandoned the CMC power mags as well, but the 10 rounders were my reloads).


ETA 2: I do have a question for you Archer, do you leave your magazines loaded after shooting?

I think your observation is precisely correct- the slight extra length of the ETM combined with the improved follower and better springs makes all the difference, as well as the fine finish inside the tubes. In my experience with all my 1911's it's the magazine that has the biggest impact on reliability- full stop. This of course presumes correct extractor tension, barrel lockup, etc.

I often do leave the mags loaded, and tend to pre-load for matches a few days before a match. At the moment the mags are not loaded and I will be using a different platform for today's match (my carry VP9L with an ACRO P2). That uses 22 round mags which stay loaded all the time, with no issues. It's cycling that fatigues springs, not compression (within metallurgical and design limits).

[SW CQB 45]

sorry for contributing to the thread drift,

I went with a Charyn Plate. I was looking for the lowest mount I could find.

I was asked where to put it on the slide, and it was a coin toss but I chose at the rear of the slide. (rear sight at the edge)

My gun worked great with 230 ball and 230 Gold Dot using 8 rnd WC ETM, CMC PM or Checkmate, but it has an issue when the last round is fed (try to push out the slide stop or stick a mag)

A new factory barrel was installed on a 19K gun.

It might be a slide stop, plunger tube, tighter new barrel, out of spec tombstone window cut, etc issue.

I probably have about 300 rounds through it with the optic. There was a lapse in time to shoot it the last time. Last outing, my optic dot started blinking and would not stop. I was shooting it and would have to wait on the dot to return.

I thought it was the battery, but I had replaced it when I got this optic going on the MCOP. So, it had a fresh battery. When I later cleaned it that even, the dot was no longer blinking. I had stored the pistol in the dark for weeks and I wonder if it had something to do with the solar panels. Anyway, the MCOP is currently at Schauland Performance.



The dot is not that big. It how the Iphone camera displays it.

[Trooper224]

sorry for contributing to the thread drift,

I went with a Charyn Plate. I was looking for the lowest mount I could find.

I was asked where to put it on the slide, and it was a coin toss but I chose at the rear of the slide. (rear sight at the edge)

My gun worked great with 230 ball and 230 Gold Dot, but it has an issue when the last round is fed (try to push out the slide stop or stick a mag)

A new factory barrel was installed on a 19K gun.

It might be a slide stop, plunger tube, tighter new barrel, out of spec tombstone window cut, etc issue.

I probably have about 300 rounds through it with the optic. There was a lapse in time to shoot it the last time. Last outing, my optic dot started blinking and would not stop. I was shooting it and would have to wait on the dot to return.

I thought it was the battery, but I had replaced it when I got this optic going on the MCOP. So, it had a fresh battery. When I later cleaned it that even, the dot was no longer blinking. I had stored the pistol in the dark for weeks and I wonder if it had something to do with the solar panels. Anyway, the MCOP is currently at Schauland Performance.



The dot is not that big. It how the Iphone camera displays it.

Just a quick note of thanks.

Your posts provide some of the best, real world, 1911 data on this forum. Posts that are competitioncentric, or of the "in search of gunsmith perfection" type are fine. But, it's nice to see some "in the wild" observations. It's appreciated.

[SW CQB 45]

thanks Trooper224

one more note on the Charyn Plate.

Charyn would not sell a plate to Rob (Schauland Performance)

Rob had to send the slide off. He did not tell me where but this is my guess based on a email conversation I had with Charyn,

Eric Mercier, Mercier PistolWorks