[firestar]

I have been seeing DWs for less than $300 for what look like decent target revolvers. Are they junk or what? The one I am thinking about has a 6"bbl with adjustable sights and is SS for less than $300 and is in like new cond. Is it a good deal. Was there a bad time to buy DW and a good time like Hi Standard or S&W?

[sixgun_symphony]

I got a friend who swears by Dan Wesson revolvers.

I really don't know why they are not more popular. It's a good gun.

[stans]

Dan Wesson's are usually very accurate and reliable revolvers. I think the lack of advertising and gun shop supporters tends to hamper the sales of DW. I used to have a 15-2, 357, blue, with 6 and 8 inch barrels. It was very accurate and I am sorry that I ever let it go. The interchangable barrel system is unique and works quite well.

[Swamp Yankee]

IMHO Dan Wessons are among the best made revolvers out there bar none. The design is indeed robust. The out of the box accuracy is great.
Dan Wessons are shooters, not investments. They just do not hold a high resale value. Dan Wessons never generated a following like Colt, S&W, or Ruger except with the old IHMSA shooters. This typically keeps price of the used offerings lower than other manufacturers. Possible exception being the Model 44/744 in 44 Mag. This is just fine with me because it's much cheaper to add to my accumulation.
In any event the only used DW I caution people on were those made in Palmer, Mass. This is not to say they were all bad, very few in actuality were, but a Palmer, Mass. gun should be checked carefully.
Based upon your description of the revolver I would estimate a fair selling price of $250 to $275.
Take Care

[Quantrill]

I bought a Dan Wesson "pistol pack" years ago. It had 1 frame, 3 barrels and 3 grips. It also had a inletted block of wood in case you wanted to carve your own grip (which I lost). I still have the rest. I agree that it is the most accurate .38/.357 revolver I own. It also has the tightest chambers of any of my revolvers making me check any handloads I make for it prior to trying to use them. I know that the factory has been up and down over the years but the early one that I have is fine. Quantrill

[braindead0]

The only Dan Wesson I've ever fired had serious trouble with light strikes, factory ammo would occasionally not fire. The owner said he bought it new and it hasn't had any trigger work done.

Probably just needs a new main spring, but seemed a bit odd.

[dude]

yes, they are

I have a whole bunch of them in the safe......357s & .44 mags.......shoot them often.............. and have never expierenced any trouble at all.

I recently picked up a like new blue 4" .357 for $225 from a local pawn shop.

I am always on the hunt for the Wesson Firearms so-called 'tweeners' fixed barrel compensated revolvers, as they are my favorite by far.

If you pick up the one you are looking at........dump the wood factory grip for a $25 or so Hogue rubber tapered grip and you will be quite pleased with the performance.

[bountyhunter]

They are a bit heavy for the caliber/barrel length (compared to SW). I think they are primarily intended for hunting, so they make them heavier to stand up to real hot magnum loads. I have only seen a couple and did not like the triggers (again, compared to SW). My service manulas that show the DW internals make me wonder a bit, seems like they are more complicated inside than they need to be. maybe I just spend too much time tuning SW's.

[9mmepiphany]

the dan wesson wheelguns are some of the most inherently accurate ever made...at least i think so...due to their design

the interchangable barrel system contributes 2 major factors to it's accuracy...1. control of the cylinder gap and 2. barrel under tension at both ends

the lockup of the cylinder into the frame at the crane gives a stronger lockup and was an idea before it's time

[cratz2]

I've owned a couple of them and sold them for money in my earlier years when money was more difficult to come by. My very favorite of all time is their 22 built on the same 'small' frame as their 357 Magnum Small is a relative term here, small meaning it is smaller than the 445 frame. ;)

The are (or at least were) very popular among silhouette shooters and other long range target shooters back when I kept track of such things. Plenty of accuracy and knock down power and a few proprietary or semi-proprietary cartridges added to this extra power.

I've probably shot 8 different Wessons. Overall I'd put them in the excellent category. The action is a bit 'rollier' than the Smith, less crisp but still outstanding and capable of being tuned even better. They have gone through different managements and ownerships and this may be reflected in the various quality. Other drawback is there is no company support except for the most recent guns of which I have only handled the 1911s and cannot comment on the revolvers.

[dude]

no worries about support............plenty of support from Dan Wesson for all products new and old>>

here is some info from their website FAQ section:

http://www.danwessonfirearms.com/
____________________
Factory service? (non-warranty)

_____We have both parts support for most Dan Wesson design revolvers, and factory service support for all Dan Wesson design revolvers. We are not able to estimate repairs sight unseen as there is no way for us to know exactly what may be wrong and what it will take to fix a firearm we have not had the opportunity to examine. We do contact all service customers with a repair estimate for their approval before beginning any repairs, and normally take approximately 6-8 weeks to complete repairs after the estimate is approved. We do not exceed the estimate amount without prior approval from the customer.
_____We have a pick-up and shipping service through Fed Ex that will save you time, aggravation and money._ All you need to do is package your gun for shipment. Put it in any hard or soft case, or wrapped in a towel and sealed in a plastic bag, put that in a sturdy corrugated cardboard box and fill excess space—above, beneath, and on all four sides-- with closed cell foam, bubble wrap or wadded-up newspaper, then tape the box closed and don’t write anything on the outside of it. Include with your gun a detailed description of the problem and its symptoms, what you would like us to do to it, and your name, address, and daytime phone number so we can call you with the estimate of repairs. Please do not include live ammo, primers or powder, as this would violate federal law.
_____Call us at 607-336-1174 or 2622 at least 24 hours in advance of the time you would like Fed Ex to pick up the gun at your home or place of business. They make pick-ups between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm M-F. Someone will need to be there to fill out the address portion of the airbill they will provide. Please use NYI Corporation as our company name so no one will know there is a gun in the box and be tempted to take it home with them, and 119 Kemper Lane, Norwich, NY 13815 for our address. We will make the arrangements with Fed Ex. You will be billed $5.00 for the pick-up service, and whatever they charge us for next-day air shipping both ways, along with whatever the repairs come to when they are completed. Our rates are roughly half of what you would be charged. Couldn’t be easier!
_____Make sure to tell the Fed Ex driver that the shipping is to be billed to the recipient (us), and if he asks if there are any hazardous materials in the box, you can say “no” if there are no live ammo, powder or primers in the box (see above), and if he asks what is in the box, state that it contains machined parts. If no one knows that there is a handgun in the box, no one will be tempted to steal it.



Factory service? (warranty)

_____Before you do anything else, please call us with any perceived problems with your Dan Wesson Firearms revolver or semi-automatic pistol so we may discuss the problem with you to determine if the firearm needs to be returned for factory warranty covered service, or if there is a solution that would not require the firearms to be shipped here with the obvious danger of theft or damage while in transit.
_____We have a pick-up and shipping service through Fed Ex that will save you time, aggravation and money. All you need to do is package your gun for shipment. Put it in any hard or soft case, or wrapped in a towel and sealed in a plastic bag, put that in a sturdy corrugated cardboard box and fill excess space—above, beneath, and on all four sides-- with closed cell foam, bubble wrap or wadded-up newspaper, then tape the box closed and don’t write anything on the outside of it. Include with your gun a detailed description of the problem and its symptoms, what you would like us to do to it, and your name, address, and daytime phone number so we can call you if necessary. Please do not include live ammo, primers or powder, as this would violate federal law.
_____Call us at 607-336-1174 or 2622 at least 24 hours in advance of the time you would like Fed Ex to pick up the gun at your home or place of business. They make pick-ups between 10:00 am and 5:00 pm M-F. Someone will need to be there to fill out the address portion of the airbill they will provide. Please use NYI Corporation as our company name so no one will know there is a gun in the box and be tempted to take it home with them, and 119 Kemper Lane, Norwich, NY 13815 for our address. We will make the arrangements with Fed Ex. You will not be billed for the pick-up service or the next-day air shipping both ways, nor for any warranty-covered repairs.__ Couldn’t be easier!
_____Make sure to tell the Fed Ex driver that the shipping is to be billed to the recipient (us), and if he asks if there are any hazardous materials in the box, you can say “no” if there are no live ammo, powder or primers in the box (see above), and if he asks what is in the box, state that it contains machined parts. If no one knows that there is a handgun in the box, no one will be tempted to steal it.



Bluing?

_____We have three different finishes available for rebluing Dan Wesson design revolvers. Bead blast matte finish (great for revolvers with serious pitting or where a non-glare finish is preferable) is $75.00, standard high gloss (most revolvers came from the factory with this finish) is $95.00 and supreme high gloss(mirror-like finish) is $155.00. All prices include disassembly, refinishing, black oxide bluing, reassembly and test firing.
Warranty on previous build?
_____Our warranty extends only to the initial retail purchaser of firearms that were produced by our company, Dan Wesson Firearms/ NYI Corporation of Norwich, NY. The previous companies' warranties, unfortunately, expired when the company that produced the warranteed firearm went out of business. We are a completely different company with no carryover in ownership, management, personnel, or equipment. We purchased only the patents, intellectual properties and standing stock, not any liability.

[The Mighty Beagle]

Get it, the interchangeable barrel system is like having 2 or 3 guns for the price of one.

I love my Dan Wesson .44 mag., though I got it this winter and haven't had a chance to wring it out yet.

It is a Monson gun, and has the best DA trigger I've ever tried on a .44 mag. revolver. Additionally, it is the most comfortable (especially in DA) .44 mag. to shoot that I've ever owned, probably because of the weight.

I bought a 4" barrel and shroud for it and have been sufficiently impressed that I am no longer in the market for any other .44 revolvers.

[Kahr carrier]

Sounds like a deal $300.00 ,Take the Plunge buy it.:)

[9mmepiphany]

if that were in CA, i'd snap it up in a heartbeat...i'm keeping my eye out for the .357 and .22 models

[dude]

9mmepiphany...........there is a nice .22 Dan Wesson, blue with 6" full under-lug for sale at a local gun shop if you are intrested. Same fram as the .357s

Other than some odd scratches just behind the cyl on the left side, she is in great shape!! Just at $300 if I remember correctly.

Arm's Service in Redmond OR
(541) 504-1801
http://www.customerservice@armsservice.com

good excuse for a road trip!