stans
Member
Today I stopped in a gunshop to see what was available. In one of the revolver cases I spotted a new Dan Wesson 15, blue, four inch heavy vent rib barrel. As I checked it out I noticed it was truely brand new. Manufactured in Norwich, NY, it was nicely polished and beautifully blued. The price was certainly right, only $350!
The trigger and hammer were silver in color, looked to be plated. The double action was heavy, the single action was also a bit heavy, but fairly crisp, definitely not a S&W or Colt, much closer to the feel of a Ruger. The cylinder no longer has fully recessed chambers, but instead has a raised rim around the back of the cylinder. The chambers appeared to be reasonably smooth, but some machine marks remained. Lock up was tight and there was almost no endshake or rotational play.
The barrel appeared to be well made, the bore was smooth and free of machining marks and the rifling was sharp. The shroud was well polished with the exception of the front and top, which were a uniform matte finish. The front sight featured a red insert in the ramp.
The frame was also well polished and blued, the top of the top strap was a uniform matte finish. The rear sight was fully adjustable and was made by Millet.
That was the good, now here is the bad. There was a perfectly semi-circular scrape on the front of the barrel shroud, looks like it was made when the barrel tensioning nut was installed.
The top rib on the barrel shroud did not meet the top strap of the receiver very well. The barrel rib was about 1/32" taller than the the top strap.
The receiver was an obvious casting, the parting line was visible on the recoil face and the recoil face was a little rough in the machining department.
The top strap was the final nail in the coffin. If I am not mistaken, the top surface of the top strap should be level. This one was not! It was actually concave. So much so that the front edge of the rear sight body stuck out of the frame like the blade in a wood planer! I mean this top strap was really concave!!!
The rear sight appeared to be screwed all the way down. I have no way of knowing if this was done to get the gun to shoot to point of aim or not, but I don't usually see other revolvers set up in this fashion.
When I first saw this gun in the case at $350 I was very excited at the possibility of once again owning a Dan Wesson, especially a brand new DW. The new DW hammer and trigger are milled parts, so a trigger job should not be too difficult. I could have lived with the mismatch between the barrel shroud rib and frame top strap. But the poorly machined frame was a real killer.
I pointed out the concave frame to the clerk and his response was " I think that is the way they make all of them. You would not believe the shapes of some of the new guns. I have some rifles in the back that look like the Jetson's." Ok, right, I think I'll pass on this one. Nice try at covering a poorly made gun, but I am just sharp enough to know when I am being fed manure.
I was really disappointed to see such a poor offering from DW and I wonder how this even made it out of the factory. I wish the shop luck in selling this one!
The trigger and hammer were silver in color, looked to be plated. The double action was heavy, the single action was also a bit heavy, but fairly crisp, definitely not a S&W or Colt, much closer to the feel of a Ruger. The cylinder no longer has fully recessed chambers, but instead has a raised rim around the back of the cylinder. The chambers appeared to be reasonably smooth, but some machine marks remained. Lock up was tight and there was almost no endshake or rotational play.
The barrel appeared to be well made, the bore was smooth and free of machining marks and the rifling was sharp. The shroud was well polished with the exception of the front and top, which were a uniform matte finish. The front sight featured a red insert in the ramp.
The frame was also well polished and blued, the top of the top strap was a uniform matte finish. The rear sight was fully adjustable and was made by Millet.
That was the good, now here is the bad. There was a perfectly semi-circular scrape on the front of the barrel shroud, looks like it was made when the barrel tensioning nut was installed.
The top rib on the barrel shroud did not meet the top strap of the receiver very well. The barrel rib was about 1/32" taller than the the top strap.
The receiver was an obvious casting, the parting line was visible on the recoil face and the recoil face was a little rough in the machining department.
The top strap was the final nail in the coffin. If I am not mistaken, the top surface of the top strap should be level. This one was not! It was actually concave. So much so that the front edge of the rear sight body stuck out of the frame like the blade in a wood planer! I mean this top strap was really concave!!!
The rear sight appeared to be screwed all the way down. I have no way of knowing if this was done to get the gun to shoot to point of aim or not, but I don't usually see other revolvers set up in this fashion.
When I first saw this gun in the case at $350 I was very excited at the possibility of once again owning a Dan Wesson, especially a brand new DW. The new DW hammer and trigger are milled parts, so a trigger job should not be too difficult. I could have lived with the mismatch between the barrel shroud rib and frame top strap. But the poorly machined frame was a real killer.
I pointed out the concave frame to the clerk and his response was " I think that is the way they make all of them. You would not believe the shapes of some of the new guns. I have some rifles in the back that look like the Jetson's." Ok, right, I think I'll pass on this one. Nice try at covering a poorly made gun, but I am just sharp enough to know when I am being fed manure.
I was really disappointed to see such a poor offering from DW and I wonder how this even made it out of the factory. I wish the shop luck in selling this one!
