Any experience with a Dan Wesson in .38 Super?

I own a DW POINTMAN 38 ! ... The Guardian you mention; It will be very accurate. Its recoil characteristic will be slightly more than a 9mm or equal too 9mm+P with more push. In my opinion the best chambering for the 1911 platform. YOU WILL LOVE IT. It will spoil you away from .45 ACP ITs that good. YOU need it in your life. Ammo is easy. Get online and just get 2 or three boxes of Factory defense loads and then reload the rest. Heck LEE made a good die set real cheap. And a LEE hand loader press and a case gage gets you rolling. Absolutely FANTASTIC cartridge. GET ON YOUR bike and go get it!
 
Last edited:
I have a 1980-ish vintage Colt 1911 38 Super barrel that head spaces on the rim. I can load 38 caliber 158 gr SWC bullets in it, have great accuracy, and the gun leaves the cases in a pile about a foot from my feet. Fun round although on the light side with just enough oomph to cycle the gun.

I replaced the barrel with a newer, head space on the case mouth barrel. The newer barrel would not chamber the SWC bullets. The bullet's shoulder would contact the shoulder in the barrel for the case mouth. But, accuracy with standard 38 Super ammunition was super.

I still have the barrel that would shoot the SWC bullets but the gun is currently fitted to a 38 Special barrel. A 38 Special 1911 is another interesting project.
 
cfullgraf said:
Up until the 1990's or so, most 38 Supers head spaced on the cartridge rim which was not good for accuracy. In the late 1980's, many competition shooters found the accuracy of the 38 Super improved greatly if the barrel was chambered to head space on the case mouth. I believe, most of the major 1911 manufacturers have embraced the "head space on the case mouth" standard so a Dan Wesson should be OK unless it was made a long time ago.
Click to expand...
I think your time line is off just a bit. I was shooting IPSC in the early 90s and headspacing on the case mouth was already widely accepted and well known.
Colt changed their factory barrels in the mid 80s but after market barrels were available well before that

ETA Bayou bullets has a nice 150gr SWC that works slick in a 38 Super seat the shoulder right at the case mouth with a little taper crimp. I get a smidge over 1100 fps from my commander and is very accurate.
 
Last edited:
mavracer said:
I think your time line is off just a bit. I was shooting IPSC in the early 90s and headspacing on the case mouth was already widely accepted and well known.
Colt changed their factory barrels in the mid 80s but after market barrels were available well before that
Click to expand...

Quite possible. I know competitive shooters were using barrels that head spaced on the case mouth in the 1980's. It was transition period as I'm sure lots of "new old stock" was floating around during this period.
 
PistoleroWadcutterGANG said:
I own a DW POINTMAN 38 ! ... The Guardian you mention; It will be very accurate. Its recoil characteristic will be slightly more than a 9mm or equal too 9mm+P with more push. In my opinion the best chambering for the 1911 platform. YOU WILL LOVE IT. It will spoil you away from .45 ACP ITs that good. YOU need it in your life. Ammo is easy. Get online and just get 2 or three boxes of Factory defense loads and then reload the rest. Heck LEE made a good die set real cheap. And a LEE hand loader press and a case gage gets you rolling. Absolutely FANTASTIC cartridge. GET ON YOUR bike and go get it!
Click to expand...

I wish I had picked up a PM38. I haven't seen them listed on the DW website for quite some time.
 
Madcap_Magician said:
Even if you don't like .38 Super, $1,000 for any Dan Wesson is a steal, and you should buy it. You could sell it pretty quick for $1,350.
Click to expand...

I did buy it a little while ago. Shot a couple of mags with some Remington UMC 1215 fps ammo. Very impressed with the pistol itself. Reloading die sets are readily available. I appreciate all the input. Indeed knowing it was a very good price for a very good pistol but I still almost passed because of the caliber and my unfamiliarity with 38 Super. I did my research online and it was mostly positive but the positive feedback in this thread swayed me in the right direction.
Dan Wesson Guardian.jpg
 
Howland937 said:
Congrats! I don't see how you could go wrong.
A buddy just bought the 9mm Guardian for the same money you paid. He picked it up this morning and I gotta say, I'm probably more envious of you.
Click to expand...

I am too! The 38 Super is a great round and was my first 1911 chambering. I got my DW Guardian this morning and now I’m a 1911 snob (LOL), already looking for another in 38 Super. Anyways, enjoy it!

Just a thought, during this pandemic from the virus of unknown origin, the only y ammo I saw on the shelves during this whole thing was 38 Super and 10mm.

E1557248-9A90-4041-A80E-F2D96B07F979.jpeg
 
Atrox88 said:
It shoots as smooth as butter. Great trigger, low recoil using the ammo that came with it. Accurate. Shooting fairly rapidly at a 12x12" steel plate at 15 yards I only missed twice which is saying something for me nowadays.
Click to expand...
I have a few guns that make me look better than I really am. Always a good feeling.
Save your brass, though. I'll be surprised if you dont decide to load for it and it's one of the easiest I've ever messed with.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

IMTHDUKE
  • Locked
38Super vs 45ACP?
2
Replies
41
Views
5K
RainDodger
RainDodger
brutus51
  • Locked
Becoming a 38 Super junkie.
2 3
Replies
73
Views
3K
bltmonty
B
M
  • Locked
ANy experience with Dan Wesson 10mm?
Replies
4
Views
371
mbpautz762
M
R
  • Locked
Dan Wesson Valor Texas Edition
Replies
16
Views
1K
JR24
JR24
Zaydok Allen
  • Locked
10mm and 38 Super: advantages
2 3 4
Replies
86
Views
7K
horsemen61
H
Back
Top