Dan Wesson Monson 15-2

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rswartsell

rswartsell

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I am 55 years old and am an "empty nester" meaning that finally I have watched my 2 sons "launched" like Khalil Ghibran's arrows. I have a bit more disposable income and have turned my thoughts toward "perfecting" my toolbox (read as collection of guns). I am of humble means so each spot I choose is of the highest quality for purpose I can reasonably afford. There are a LOT of spots, so I'm trying to control that too.

At any rate, the 6" full power .357 magnum spot in the lineup is currently occupied by a Monson (vintage I think) Dan Wesson 15-2. As background I have owned many of what I believe to be the finest and previously occupying this spot was a pre-lock 686+ with a sweet professional trigger job that was the equal or master of any Python I have seen. (Colt fan and have owned 2 Pythons). Well, it got away from me and in my depression I noticed the DW at a usually nosebleed high shop for $375.00. Jumped on like duck on a a june bug and at first the action was like broken glass under an 18th century iron.

Detailed cleaning and a bit of use and it's like night and day. This piece was apparently neglected much and shot little. The dynamics seem to fit a new revolver "break in". I still have a bit of work to do with the adjustable sights, and I find myself wondering about the "pistol kit" aspectcs of this revolver.

I have only the 6" barrel mounted since I bought it and no barrel wrench. Does the interchangeable barrel bring additional maintenance? What is the true "ceiling" of this revolver? Equal to a pre-lock 686+? Strong enough for true "full house" loads regularly?

I killed a couple of deer and 1 hog with the Smith (I am willing to state that any .357 might be reckless with hog, NOW). So my 6" .357 focus is hunting. Say Buffalo Bore 180 gr. cast.

What say you? Will the DW fill the spot, or should I plan to replace?
 
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I can't speak to the strength and endurance of the DW model 15; the interchangeable barrel system is really no extra maintenance unless you plan to switch barrels frequently. I bought my model 15 used with no wrench, it came to me with .004 b/c gap and even though I bought a wrench for it, I've left it alone ever since and it's still at .004.


Nice quality barrel wrench available here: http://www.ewkarms.com
 
Khalil Ghibran. "If words were deeds beggars would ride." If I remembered it for 45 years i must have liked it. Now if only I could find the book.
 
A monson 15 is a good gun. The problem you will get is can your pride take the abuse.

Think about it. How often do you hear much good spoken about DW's on most forums unless it is by a owner of them and their are not a lot of us. What you normally get is calls that you need a Ruger, Colt, S&W or similar because they are "better". What constitutes better is rarely defined but they just "are".

The problem with all revolvers is quality control of your particular specimen. In your case if there is a serious problem, it is hard to get it fixed since Monson DW is off the market. Simplier repairs can be done by CZ-DW but still you get my point. I have a really really nice S&W pre-27 that the action is just plain rough. The ratchet appears mis-fit. S&W won't work on a 1955 gun so I am stuck. Sure I could get it smithed by someone else but it is near 100% original gun so the easier solution was just to buy another.

So, evaluate your specimen. How is your 15 fit and is working well now that it is cleaned? You don't have to worry too much about the accuracy because that is an easy fix in general with just a different barrel.

I love all of my DW's and consider them great shooters. I particularly like my model 40 Supermag!
 
Dan Wessons are very strong and inherently accurate. Their only down side is the, perhaps overly simplistic, fire control unit. The way everything slides on the inside the frame prevents you from really tuning it to "glass balls" smooth. They are very easy to work on and adjust, especially for a crisp single action.
For parts, Numrich has most of them, look on Ebay, there are pages of barrels and parts there.
Check out: danwessonforum.com For tips and info about them
 
All I can tell you for sure is that I've owned my original Monson-made DW M.15-2 since 1976 and it has yet to fail me. God alone knows what the actual round count might be, but it's certainly somewhere well into the five-figures by now.

Granted, the vast majority of those have been my relatively mild general purpose handloads using cast lead SWCs, but there've been a lot of factory .357s (gotta get your brass somewhere, right?) and "Elmer Keith/Skeeter Skelton" full-house loads as well.

Nothing's broken nor worn out yet, although the exterior shows its miles in spots.

I presently own other .357 revolvers, and have owned a number of others of various make over the years, too. My old Dan Wesson has always been able to shoot with the very best of them, and consistently better than most of them.

OMMV, but I bought two more Monson M.15-2s in VVG condition dirt cheap shortly after DW closed its doors, just on the off chance that I might need their parts someday. Hasn't happened yet, but I still have three great shooting revolvers, so I'm happy.
 
It will fill the spot quite nicely. There are others just as nice, and some have a greater reputation, but it will do just fine.
 
Hello friends and neighbors // I think the DW will work and for that price you can get two.

I don't shoot thousands of .357's thru mine but they get plenty. (Two 15-2s one 14)
I do shoot thousands of .38 special and for every box of fifty I shoot a cylinder of .357 to push out the gunk.

I think Monson DWs are one of the most underestimated revolvers around. Smooth and crisp are two fine words but shooting one is sweetness itself. Different than the Python but a fine trigger break, especially for the price.

The other option would be a Ruger Red Hawk or a S&W N-Frame in .357.
Here you are adding a lot of weight compared to the 15-2 though.
Really nothing comes to mind for $375 at all close to the 15-2.

Good luck finding what works for you.

**barrel maintence,, the nut can rust to the barrel if left unattended for too long.
 
The Dan Wesson .357 is very strong and the tensioned barrel makes it inherently very accurate. Bought my first one new in 1977, it has thrived on many thousand rounds,including some very stout reloading experiments. Buffalo Bore specifically lists the Dan Wesson as appropriate for their ammunition

My suggestion is to look here:

http://www.danwessonforum.com/forum/
 
My Monson manufactured 15-2 has the best trigger of several .357 Magnums I have owned and is still here while others have moved on. Originally purchased in 1983 with the 6" barrel, it currently wears a 4" CZ-USA barrel and I love it. I didn't realize how nice this revolver was until a couple years ago, I'd pick up another if the opportunity presented itself for me or family.
 
Since cleaning and a little use the double action trigger pull smoothed out admirably. Oddly enough the disconcerting factor at the moment is the sound. While not loud there is a definitely perceptable noise made going through the pull. Among the sounds, sometimes a subtle tink-tink-tink- sounds about like a rusty spring under tension about to break. The single action is a very pleasing (maybe 3#ish break, maybe a bit less). Maybe not the proverbial glass rod, but awfully good.

The finish is flawless and other function is perfect. I'm thinking some form of lubricant left to calcify and as yet I have not lifted the side plate as it is so well fitted and finished. It is actually hard to see the side plate edges, a line as fine as any human hair, can actually be a little hard to find. Not trusting my grace and precision with this operation I am aerosol jetting solvents (Gunscrubber and Brakleen) and working drops of remoil through the base of cocked hammer and the hand and cylinder stop openings. Considering a Kroil bath and some CLP to finish might complete the night-day transition.

Taking some getting used to the cylinder release as it is a complete departure from Colt-S&W. I am going to take the advice about EKW wrench and kit (thanks bikemutt & F-111 John,- Aardvark vet John?). Maybe even look for a 4" bbl. if I really acclimate to it (then it can occupy 2 spots).
 
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P.S. I also ordered the fiber optic front sight. I assume that the small allen wrench hole in the front face of the barrell shroud is for sight replacement?
 
Thanks also to j1 for correcting by example my atrocious spelling, no disrespect intended to Mr. Ghibran.
 
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Here may be a useful hint when installing a barrel.

Once you have the b/c gap dialed in with a feeler, before tightening the barrel nut, use the thumb of your non-wrench hand to push into the forcing cone of the barrel in such a fashion as to prevent it from rotating as you tighten the nut. This way, when you are done tightening, the b/c gap will be in very close proximity to what you measured, rather than a maddeningly different gap that plays hide-and-seek with your best laid plans :banghead:

I learned this from the DW forum, a finer group of folks you'll be hard-pressed to find.
 
You are correct about the hex screw location for the front sight. I'm not sure of the allen wrench size thats on the factory supplied wrench, hopefully you have a wrench on order.
 
What this thread needs is a pic. I love my 15, most consistently accurate handgun I have ever fired, with any type of ammo.

DSCN1044.gif
 
Hello friends and neighbors // Yes pics can speak to folks louder than words at times.
DW15-2.jpg
DW 15-2 and parts.jpg

Mine have seen some use as carry snubbies and I have kept the 6" barrel in the glove box, in case I feel like hunting.

I have not used any of the spare parts yet but am glad to have them.
 
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What this thread needs is a pic.
Click to expand...

My Dan Wesson.

attachment.php
 
The one thing I can say is that I have never seen a forum that had a lot of bad things to say about Dan Wesson revolvers. That is rare. S&W takes plenty of heat, the Simthites fire back at the Ruger acolytes, and someone jumps up and bemoans Colt's fragile clockworks.

The cadre of true DW afficianados may be small, but the number of people with bad experiences or those that try them and plain don't like them must not own computers or the piece is quality flying under the radar.

I had hoped the latter when I jumped in and am so far optimistic. Since I have a few more vintage revolvers that could benefit from a "bath", I have decided to this weekend mix up a batch of "Ed's Red" in a bucket and give 'em a soak with their grips off. I bought the 15-2 already wearing Hogues Monogrip, unfortunate as some of the DW wood seen here isn't bad! Walkalongs look like S&W "coke bottles".

I'm hoping the vintage revolvers are bohemian enough to do the naked group therapy scene. My straight laced 1911 I'll leave to private toilet. The EKW order should be in by then and with any luck I'll post the progress in a few days. Hopefully this is the advent of a new passion for DW's. (What am I saying? I need a new gun passion like I need a herd of yaks!)

P.S. I have never seen stainless and nickel DW before, pretty!

BTW- the underlug on my barrel is full lenghth like some of the others pictured here, Walkalong's is partial, when did that change?
 
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