Dan Wesson Valor

i saw one for sale the other day for $1300. Dan Wesson is on my short list of guns I'd like to own someday - but Just don't have $1300 right now to throw at one.

Was it black or stainless? The black ones are a couple hundred more. they are excellent pistols but I don't think I'd give $1800 for one. Try about $1300 for the stainless and $1500-1600 for a new black one.

Also have a look a the Heritage/Razorback; it's about $1100 and an excellent pistol.

I bought a Dan Wesson Pointman 7 Stainless for $563 back in 2003. Best money spent on a pistol, ever. I think they go for double that now on Gunbroker.

I have a more expensive 1911 which was disappointing compared to this PM7.

I think I am up to five or six DW's now and the Valor that my wife got me for my 40th is still the best of the bunch. I had an opportunity to hand select it from 5-6 samples and the trigger is un-matched by anything I have felt before or since at any price.

I am a big fan of DW, but the more they raise prices I think they are getting close to the point of diminishing return. In my experience, they still are not as consistently good as Baers, many of which are almost the same money. If DW spent a little more time on lock-up they would still be a better value by a significant margin. At this point they are less expensive but you still get a little more, for a little more with a Baer.

That said, whenever I see a DW in a configuration I want and a price I will pay, I lay my money down because they are excellent pistols.

Also worth noting, DW's were fetching a larger than expected premium because they were shut down for a while due to a fire. Now it looks like supply is back and the street prices should be settling down soon if they have not already. I picked up a new ECO 9mm from a dealer on GB a few months ago for $1250 on a no reserve auction. That was an excellent price, but they can be found.

I have a more expensive 1911 which was disappointing compared to this PM7.

Click to expand...

What is it? Why a disappointment?

I have the Vbob version in ss finish. No complaints. Excellent pistol to have in collection and to shoot.

Spending 3000 more for Wilson, how much better you get. Very hard to beat DWs in all aspects.

Truly a great gun. The MSRP is $2,029 per their catalogue. $1,300 is really a good buy.

I've owned several standard Valors and a few of the black coated ones and they're a fantastic 1911. Very high quality for sure, and while I don't have a Valor any longer, if I bought another 1911, it would be a Valor in a heartbeat.

Gee, I guess I'll have to be the sole voice of dissent.

My 2008 model CBOB 10mm had problems from the git-go. I bought it lightly used (600 rounds) from the original owner in mid-2010. I'm not going to say it was the worst $1200 I ever spent, but it wasn't the best...by a long shot.

I contacted the DW rep on that board, who wanted to be no help at all.
I posted on the DW sub-forum of the 1911 forum, explaining my problems. I was told that I was a loser and a 1911 newb and knew nothing (despite having owned about 25 1911s in the last 25 years).

They said that the firearm was perfect, and I was a d-bag (and worse) for inventing the problem...my posts and threads were deleted, and I was threatened with eternal banishment.

That showed me a lot about the true nature of DW fanboys...most of whom, sad to say, are supposedly grown men in their 40s/50s/60s.

I haven't spent much (any) time on the DW side of 1911 forum since then.

Interestingly, I received a good bit of help by pm, by other members who had experienced similar troubles with their DWs, and had received similar treatment at the hands of the same DW fanboys.

I was referred by pm to Dave Severns (one of the mods over there), and given his phone number. When I called him, Dave was a fair bit of help.

Dave's advice helped me figure out and resolve the smashing of the ejected brass case-mouths (and I mean smashed). I still had feeding issues that took a competent 1911-smith to resolve.

The front sight fell off, and so on...I don't remember what else.

I have it working well now, but I never shoot it. I have enough money in it that I'll never break even.

So whenever I hear someone raving about DWs, I turn up my nose like I just smelled something rotten. Just can't help myself.

Just bye-the-bye, I paid the same amount for my used Les Baer, and it's twice the 1911 the DW is.

I paid the same for my new S&W PD1911, and it's twice the 1911 the DW is.

I've owned eight or nine Kimbers...never paid as much for any of them as the DW. None of them ever spent time broken, or had to go to the 'smith to get them to work, either.

I remember when DW 1911s went for ~$800. They were probably a good buy at that price. These days, when I hear people rave about DWs at $1400-1800, I just wonder...what's that I smell?

So, DW guys...anybody want a 10mm CBOB with about 700 rounds through it? I also have almost 1000 rounds of factory ammo, two sets of dies, around 1000 rounds of brass, 1000 or so projectiles...an unopened pound of Longshot, ditto one of 800X, ditto one of Power Pistol...who knows what else?

pm me....

FWIW my very first 1911 was a Kimber Eclipse in 10mm that was dreadful, essentially a 1200 dollar paper weight. Other Kimbers I have owned in .45 were flawless so maybe it's a 10mm thing. The DW 1911's I've owned, included several Valors, a VBOB, a CBOB and a CCO were perfect, and all were .45's.

Mines been 100%. (Wilson & Tripp mags) I picked it over a Les Baer. Has LB even offered anything new in the last 10 years? Couldn't get the DW features on the LB's.

Worst part on the gun is an Ed Brown part.

I'm sending it to Dave for hardhat and some ergo work. Maybe undercut the trigger guard. I sensitized my grip safety, trimmed the thumb safety paddle to fit my hand. Will be switching to my daytime sight setup as well.

I'd like to get an ECO, but that pistol would be competing with my Glock for CCW. Might not be worth it.

i recently just bought a DW Valor. i am very impressed with the gun. i have alot of trigger time behind a 1911 and have owned many examples of Baers, Wilson, Browns & a few full customs guns. i also have built a few of my own and i will say the DW Valor is a great gun. i think they are priced a bit high. i bought mine for $1000 and would buy another but wouldnt want to spend more than $1200. after getting the Valor and running 1500 rounds through it i sold off both my Wilson and Baer. thats just my 2 cents.

I'm guessing my Baer comparison got a few short hairs up. Just to be clear, I still think DW offers a ton for the money and if I didn't think they were a good value compared to a Baer I wouldn't still be buying them.

That said I have been a DW customer since shortly after CZ acquired them. My DW CBOB was $950 brand new and for the money, absolutely spanked Baer, Wilson, Brown because it was 99% of the gun for <50-70% of the price.

Fast forward 7 years and a new Valor "street's" anywhere from $1450 - $1700 which now overlaps with the street price of many Baer models. (I paid $1700 new for my Baer stainless Stinger, a configuration DW does not offer being an all steel CCO) As the price goes up on DW, they have to start being compared to Baer because that’s the market they are competing in. Up until recently they have worn the crown in the spanking everything under $1500 club.

Baer still spends a lot more time tuning the lockup of their pistols which I have not seen in a DW, and DW has started making their own sights as opposed to using top name brands. So as the price gets closer they are losing some of the "value" that made them so special.

If DW came out with a pistol I wanted and the price was $1800 I’d still buy it because I am confident I’d be getting a great pistol, but they aren’t the best kept secret in 1911’s anymore like they were when they were $1000.

DWs are much better than Baers now days. I know because I read it on the errornet.