New Thread Title: Questions on a few Dan Wesson firearms...

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Buzznrose

Buzznrose

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I am really contemplating a DWX, probably a full size...

https://danwessonfirearms.com/product/dwx/

It's marketed as a "hybrid between a DW 1911 and a CZ75". I'd be looking to buy the 9MM full size.

I'm looking for feedback on anyone who has bought, fired, fondled, or even seen one in the wild...

ETA:

Update: So I have another question regarding Dan Wesson 1911’s, specifically the commander size guns. Looking for feedback on the VBob, Guardian, and TCP models.

Thanks!
 
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Buzznrose said:
I didn’t know that. I have an opportunity to order one and was looking for some feedback.
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Sorry I’m just frustrated with that whole situation. I would have thought it would be released by now. I know the pandemic is the issue, but it’s been a year now.
 
I hope I'm not dragging this too far off the topic, but what does this mean: "Full-size DWX pistols use a magazine based on the P-09/P-10 F, while compact variants use that of a 75 Compact"? Does P-09 use a different magazine from a normal CZ-75?
 
Update: So I have another question regarding Dan Wesson 1911’s, specifically the commander size guns. Looking for feedback on the VBob, Guardian, and TCP models.

I’m also wanting a nice 1911, and I’ve decided to settle on a DW. These are the models I’m looking at. Any CONs I need to be aware of?

Also considering a Specialist.

And finally, how is their “Duty Finish”?

Thanks! I’m NOT a 1911 guy...but I finally decided to become one. Planning on a .45 and a 9MM day his year.

Thank you for your inputs...
 
Nice! And a 40S&W model is listed. :cool: Nice beavertail, no grip safety, double stack, plus it uses a magazine based on the P-09/P-10 F! What's not to like? Street pricing $1,550. Eeek!

Yes, they're different.
zaitcev said:
Does P-09 use a different magazine from a normal CZ-75?
Click to expand...
 
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The Dan Wesson plant was shut down for several months and what Ive heard from a CZ rep is that they are now open but at limited capacity, thank the NY government not CZ or Dan Wesson.

The P09 mags are wider and will not fit in a CZ 75.
I have a few DW 1911s, they are fantastic guns. The duty finish is tough but requires a certain select of cleaners otherwise it can and will stain the finish.
 
Buzznrose said:
Update: So I have another question regarding Dan Wesson 1911’s, specifically the commander size guns. Looking for feedback on the VBob, Guardian, and TCP models.

I’m also wanting a nice 1911, and I’ve decided to settle on a DW. These are the models I’m looking at. Any CONs I need to be aware of?

And finally, how is their “Duty Finish”?
Click to expand...
Two complaints with Dan Wesson 1911's.

1. Duty Finish - gets cloudy when you use Break Free CLP, and possibly other lube/cleaners. User error - owners manual tells you what products to use for cleaning and lubrication that won't affect the finish.

2. Galling on stainless steel models - there were lots of complaints about this. Perhaps legitimate, but man, I was convinced galling issues on stainless steel guns had been fixed back in the 1980's. It's possible every gun maker in the world got the memo on how to avoid galling, other than Dan Wesson, but it seems unlikely. I don't know. It's probably also user error.

My theory - lots of experienced gun owners on gun forums looking for their first 1911 get recommended Dan Wesson's as an excellent 1911 option. It is.

The problem, most of these folks only know polymer framed striker fired pistols. A Wilson, Nighthawk, Ed Brown, Les Baer, etc, would also be an excellent option, but these guys who pretty much only own and shoot $500 polymer framed striker fired guns just can't choke down the entry price of those 1911's. A Dan Wesson, at $1,500ish is a lot more palatable to these folks, so they make the move to a Dan Wesson.

Now they have their Dan Wesson and proceed to treat their new 1911 like they did their poly-gun. Hose it down with brake cleaner, use their "six drops of lube", use the $10 unbranded mags they picked up at the gun show, or on eBay. Now the Duty Finish gets cloudy and is not as pristine as it was when it came out of the box, the gun is severely under-lubed, and hangs up, and the cheap (probably made in China) mags don't feed reliably. While the Dan Wesson is not as expensive as the Wilson/Nighthawk/Brown/Baer, it is still three times more expensive than their other guns, and now they're really mad. "How could a $1,500 gun have X problem, when my $500 "whatever" pistol with a crummy looking factory finish can go through the dishwasher ten times and look just as crummy as it did when it came from the factory."

Open the owners manual, read it, follow the instructions, and I suspect most of the problems don't surface.
 
The great galling epidemic on Dan Wesson stainless 1911s of 2015-2016 so widely "reported" on internet firearms websites a few years back... to me simply seemed to be mostly anecdotal internet website drama propagated by a few extremely vocal (prolific internet posters) neophyte 1911 owners. Got a pretty widespread 1911 network up in my area (pretty much the whole PNW: WA, OR, ID) and a lot of us jumped on the DW 1911 bandwagon when it was apparent they were some of the best values on quality 1911s extant (remember when you could get an original C-Bob for a little over 9 c-notes?). I never personally met anyone who experienced significant galling issues on their DW stainless 1911. Not there it didn't occur, but most savvy 1911 guys will (1) believe a manufacturer who states a "break-in period" may be necessary; (2) use enough lubrication and (3) know how to identify some slight galling on the frame to slide interface -- and what procedures can be safely accomplished by the owner to rectify said issue -- without having to get on their favorite gun board and cry out "Look at me! What do I do?"

My point (and I do have one) is to express confidence in Dan Wesson products (and I freely confess that I have absolutely zero experience with DW's customer service as I've never needed it).

mags2.jpg
 
Love my VBob, folks who've shot it who own Baer, Wilson and Nighthawks have loved it too, thing just shoots. Shoot it better than I do my dad's Wilson CQB, though that's probably just trigger time.

Duty finish on my VBob and my (former, just sold it) Valkyrie held up great in Kydex for years (at least in my Vbobs case).

Run it wet to start, real wet, and with good lube (they supply some) for the first 500 or do and you shouldn't have any issues.

A relative had the dreaded galling with his stainless VBob, locked it up tight on round 4 of his brand new gun. DW had it fixed and back to him in less than 2 weeks, so he went from pissed to happy pretty quick.

It is worth noting, however, that my VBob did go back twice. The hammer was exhibiting rust way too fast*, even for the high carbon steel that the hammer is made of (not stainless). Complained and sent it back, first time they just bead blasted it and sent it back, didn't solve the problem for more than a week. Second time I made enough of a stink that they, begrudgingly, replaced it. It's been fine ever since.

If you can find them for less than $1500 I think DW are the best common production 1911s going. If you are getting up around that $1800-$2000+ range I see some models for for you're probably going to be getting a better quality for money deal with a Baer, Brown or Wilson (you can find them in the low $2000s online new, or could before 2020). At least in my opinion, YMMV

*My guns are stored with silicate in the safe and a dehumidifier near by, area is kept at 35-40% humidity, and I was oiling the hammer weekly and still had to scrape rust off routinely, even after I stopped daily carrying it.
 
JTQ said:
Two complaints with Dan Wesson 1911's.

1. Duty Finish - gets cloudy when you use Break Free CLP, and possibly other lube/cleaners. User error - owners manual tells you what products to use for cleaning and lubrication that won't affect the finish.

2. Galling on stainless steel models - there were lots of complaints about this. Perhaps legitimate, but man, I was convinced galling issues on stainless steel guns had been fixed back in the 1980's. It's possible every gun maker in the world got the memo on how to avoid galling, other than Dan Wesson, but it seems unlikely. I don't know. It's probably also user error.

My theory - lots of experienced gun owners on gun forums looking for their first 1911 get recommended Dan Wesson's as an excellent 1911 option. It is.

The problem, most of these folks only know polymer framed striker fired pistols. A Wilson, Nighthawk, Ed Brown, Les Baer, etc, would also be an excellent option, but these guys who pretty much only own and shoot $500 polymer framed striker fired guns just can't choke down the entry price of those 1911's. A Dan Wesson, at $1,500ish is a lot more palatable to these folks, so they make the move to a Dan Wesson.

Now they have their Dan Wesson and proceed to treat their new 1911 like they did their poly-gun. Hose it down with brake cleaner, use their "six drops of lube", use the $10 unbranded mags they picked up at the gun show, or on eBay. Now the Duty Finish gets cloudy and is not as pristine as it was when it came out of the box, the gun is severely under-lubed, and hangs up, and the cheap (probably made in China) mags don't feed reliably. While the Dan Wesson is not as expensive as the Wilson/Nighthawk/Brown/Baer, it is still three times more expensive than their other guns, and now they're really mad. "How could a $1,500 gun have X problem, when my $500 "whatever" pistol with a crummy looking factory finish can go through the dishwasher ten times and look just as crummy as it did when it came from the factory."

Open the owners manual, read it, follow the instructions, and I suspect most of the problems don't surface.
Click to expand...

This is pretty much what I needed to hear. I am that polymer pistol guy...I shoot the piss out of them, give them a quick wipe and lube, and repeat. But I’m looking for a nice pistol to shoot...and put in the safe for the grandson (who is currently 3 months old)...

i do understand that guns need to be lubed. And I am acutely aware, after several Gunsite classes, that 1911’s suck with crappy mags.

Perhaps I am wrong, but DW seems to be the intermediate gun between the $600-900 1911’s and the $3K guns. If money were no object, I’d probably buy a gun from Wilson Combat. But would that gun be worth the price difference of the DW? Maybe to a sophisticated 1911 connoisseur, but I’m basically a stock Glock shooter. I’m not looking to carry the gun, it’s a shootable heirloom. I’m looking for a quality, reliable 1911 that will shoot well with proper ammo and mags.

If I were going to carry a .45 for either CC or while In the boonies, I’m gonna pack my G21 or G30.

Thanks much!
 
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after a point more money gets you better but in smaller and smaller leaps
I'd say the DW is closer to the Les Baer end than the Springfield end

the comparison I'd make is Ruger single actions to Freedom Arms. The Freedom Arms is better, but the Rugers are close and they're close at almost 1/3 the price. Here, DW is close to the wishlist 1911s for 1/2 the price.

I have two, a Vigil CCO and a Heritage. They're both flawless shooters and neither has ever had a malfunction. They're absolutely the 1911s I wanted, ones I could enjoy for the rest of my life and my sons would enjoy long after me.
 
Buzznrose said:
This is pretty much what I needed to hear.
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What I'm pointing out is, OK, lets not beat around the bush, the "Glock Guy", that buys a 1911, such as an RIA, or a Tisas, or a low end Springfield, and treats it like his Glock, doesn't mind much when the finish looks like crap, or perhaps it may be a little finicky with cheap mags, they kind of expect that. They have fun with those guns.

The "Glock Guy" really can't bring himself to spend the money on a Wilson/Brown/Baer/etc., and can really only push himself up to the Dan Wesson price point, because all us forum guys tell him it's a great gun (it probably is), so there aren't these complaints about the Wilson/Brown/Baer/etc., because those guys typically don't just jump into that pool. The Dan Wesson's get the complaints, because that's the highest end some of these folks are willing to jump, and most of these folks really shouldn't make that jump. At $1,500, the Dan Wesson, is financially within reach of the "Glock Guy", but the price point is still uncomfortable and often leads to unrealistic expectations. Trying to get "Glock Guy" to be "1911 Guy" who reads the manual, and has a feel for his gun is often difficult.

The 1911 isn't for everybody. I've been a 1911 guy for over 30 years. I appreciate what it gives me, but it does have shortcomings. However, for me, the positives override most of those shortcomings. The typical "Glock Guy" generally doesn't get past those shortcomings, and never really appreciates the positives of a 1911 and usually looks at the 1911 as little more than a novelty. While the 1911 is still my choice, I spend most of my forum time in these type of threads not trying to talk folks into a 1911, but rather trying to talk folks out of a 1911.
 
JTQ said:
What I'm pointing out is, OK, lets not beat around the bush, the "Glock Guy", that buys a 1911, such as an RIA, or a Tisas, or a low end Springfield, and treats it like his Glock, doesn't mind much when the finish looks like crap, or perhaps it may be a little finicky with cheap mags, they kind of expect that. They have fun with those guns.

The "Glock Guy" really can't bring himself to spend the money on a Wilson/Brown/Baer/etc., and can really only push himself up to the Dan Wesson price point, because all us forum guys tell him it's a great gun (it probably is), so there aren't these complaints about the Wilson/Brown/Baer/etc., because those guys typically don't just jump into that pool. The Dan Wesson's get the complaints, because that's the highest end some of these folks are willing to jump, and most of these folks really shouldn't make that jump. At $1,500, the Dan Wesson, is financially within reach of the "Glock Guy", but the price point is still uncomfortable and often leads to unrealistic expectations. Trying to get "Glock Guy" to be "1911 Guy" who reads the manual, and has a feel for his gun is often difficult.

The 1911 isn't for everybody. I've been a 1911 guy for over 30 years. I appreciate what it gives me, but it does have shortcomings. However, for me, the positives override most of those shortcomings. The typical "Glock Guy" generally doesn't get past those shortcomings, and never really appreciates the positives of a 1911 and usually looks at the 1911 as little more than a novelty. While the 1911 is still my choice, I spend most of my forum time in these type of threads not trying to talk folks into a 1911, but rather trying to talk folks out of a 1911.
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You speak in general terms, and I don’t disagree with your logic or presumptions. I appreciate your insight and perspective.

I will speak directly for myself, in specifics, just so I’m clear. I am a late 50’s guy who spent 28 years moving around as I was on active duty. I’m settled and trying to set aside some nice guns for daughters and grandkids who follow (daughters are shooters).

I can afford to buy pretty much any 1911 I choose, but I’m not impressed by the prices of things...I’m mainly looking for “best value”. I am a frugal guy. I want “works great, looks good, recognized quality, great company”

I won’t be carrying this gun much if any. It will primarily be a range gun. It will be passed on down to family. I plan on buying a few WC mags. It may get shot 3-4 times a year...maybe 300 rounds or so. It will be cleaned and maintained properly and kept in the safe.

I’m not looking for “extreme tactical”, I’m looking more for a blend between traditional styling and modern features.

Something else, CZ/DW is a plus for me...they have a military discount program and I can order directly from them at decent prices.

Does this make sense?
 
I think you can buy a DW 1911 with confidence. (disclosure:I own a DW Heritage in stainless, broken in as the manual instructs, and lubed regularly)

No galling, no stoppages, no trips to factory. Quality seems top notch.

Prices are crazy now. Don’t overpay!
 
I was one of the instigators that coerced DW into producing a 1911 in 10 mm. The Razorback was the result.
RZbadge.jpg
upload_2021-1-24_8-38-51.png
I got these two DWs back in 2003. They are both 10mms. The top gun is one of the original 150 Razorbacks. I convinced Bob Serva to make the bottom one in CCO configuration with Razorback features. I have put a lot of rounds through them and carried them a lot of miles.
I dropped a coyote at 80 yards with the top gun.
When they first came out, there was some complaining about galling, but Bob said that if they lubed the gun adequately and shot them in as per instructions, there shouldn't be a problem.
I did what he said from the git-go and have never had a hiccup.
They are fine guns and 95% of shooters today can't shoot well enough to justify guns much more expensive than they are. Rule of diminishing returns, don'tcha know.
 
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I like my .45 VBob a lot. I didn't have any trouble with the galling they're supposedly subject to, but then I did follow the instructions for the break-in period (basically, run with really wet rails for the first 150 rounds or so). There's a lot of attention to detail that you won't notice without disassembly. For example, when putting the slide lock back in place during reassembly, you just push straight down, rather than risk the usual scratch. Trigger is nice and crisp. Checkering is very well-done. All the edges are nicely "melted."

The only downside is that the tolerances are tight enough that you may have trouble seating a full 8-round magazine, which is what the gun comes with. After around 700 rounds trouble-free rounds through it, I can, but until recently had to load 7 in the magazines. Not a big deal to pull it back out and top off, but some might be bothered by that.

vbob.jpg
 
One odd thing about DWX is that Dan Wesson TCP is all over the blogs and Youtube, although it was introduced later than DWX.
 
I’m a big fan of both CZ rifles and handguns and the DWX was on my list of must haves. After patiently waiting for over a year, I’ve decided to move on and spend the money elsewhere. They have done a very poor job planning and executing the release of this product. If the delay is due to the Corona virus, some type of update would have been nice.
 
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