Mad Magyar
Member
Bill, real good heads-up on parts.....I've owned both the 9mm & 40 and had to scrounge around and used Numrich when they had a better stock.
Enjoy the "tri-action".
Daewoo DP-51 Opinions
- Thread starter bad_dad_brad
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Enjoy the "tri-action".
I'm American, and have lived in South Korea for over 8 years.
I have not owned one of these pistols, but as far as South Korean manufacture of said products, I'd like to add the following honest food for thought:
Every South Korean male (with a small percentage of allowed exceptions, of course) is required to serve in the military for about 2 1/2 years. Knowing this, keep it in mind that it's likely the lions share of people involved in the manufacturing process of these pistols likely trained on these very models. It's a good bet that they knew them back-to-front, and fired these very models BEFORE taking a job at the factory where they are produced.
Also, being that most were soldiers themselves, one can imagine the level of pride in providing a quality-manufactured piece that their own countrymen (including their children) will have to use to put their lives on the line one day.
There are a lot of things about South Korean products/work ethics in the early days of an item's manufacturing process that I could find fault with. For example, it's cultural for them to begin a new project without solid planning in order to "finish fast." They like to "fix problems along the way." Also, as you'll notice with many of their cars, they tend to copy the designs of BMW, Mercedes, and other top-rung manufacturers rather than innovating so much themselves. Generally, however, once Koreans have a product "dialed-in", they make it very well.
I'll bet these are some very solid firearms, provided they've been on the market a few years, and the bugs have been worked-out. It seems that with these models, this would be the obvious case.
I have not owned one of these pistols, but as far as South Korean manufacture of said products, I'd like to add the following honest food for thought:
Every South Korean male (with a small percentage of allowed exceptions, of course) is required to serve in the military for about 2 1/2 years. Knowing this, keep it in mind that it's likely the lions share of people involved in the manufacturing process of these pistols likely trained on these very models. It's a good bet that they knew them back-to-front, and fired these very models BEFORE taking a job at the factory where they are produced.
Also, being that most were soldiers themselves, one can imagine the level of pride in providing a quality-manufactured piece that their own countrymen (including their children) will have to use to put their lives on the line one day.
There are a lot of things about South Korean products/work ethics in the early days of an item's manufacturing process that I could find fault with. For example, it's cultural for them to begin a new project without solid planning in order to "finish fast." They like to "fix problems along the way." Also, as you'll notice with many of their cars, they tend to copy the designs of BMW, Mercedes, and other top-rung manufacturers rather than innovating so much themselves. Generally, however, once Koreans have a product "dialed-in", they make it very well.
I'll bet these are some very solid firearms, provided they've been on the market a few years, and the bugs have been worked-out. It seems that with these models, this would be the obvious case.
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I was trying to explain the Tri-Action to somone a while back and made this little video to show how it worked.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oAmnZzLcuY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oAmnZzLcuY
Mad Magyar
Member
westtx28, good video. The selling point for me is to have a c-n-l with the hammer down and having the 1st and subsequent shots in SA....
A couple of months ago my LGS had a used Daewoo DP-51 in the display for $250. I looked the gun over and liked what I saw but I had never heard of the Daewoo pistol before so I went home and looked it up. After reading all the reviews I decided that I would give it a try so two days later I went back to the shop and it was gone.
Today I went to check on the latest trade in's and the Daewoo was back so I asked the owner if this was the same pistol and he said yes that the guy that bought it traded it for a 380 for concealed carry. Soooo I did a little horse tradin and brought it home. After a good cleaning I took it to the back yard and WOW I ran a mix of 50 rounds of fmj and hollow points through it with out a hiccup. This is a great pistol and I love the tri-action.
Today I went to check on the latest trade in's and the Daewoo was back so I asked the owner if this was the same pistol and he said yes that the guy that bought it traded it for a 380 for concealed carry. Soooo I did a little horse tradin and brought it home. After a good cleaning I took it to the back yard and WOW I ran a mix of 50 rounds of fmj and hollow points through it with out a hiccup. This is a great pistol and I love the tri-action.
mrbillinny
Member
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2010
- Messages
- 2
I just noticed Ebay now allows gun parts and a lot of daewoo parts there now also.
After decades of carrying -- and shooting -- the 1911, I just can't get used to anything on which the movement of the safety is "backward."
That deprives me of the fun and satisfaction of trying out and using lots of fine firearms, as the DP-51 would seem to be, but c'est la vie. (sigh)
That deprives me of the fun and satisfaction of trying out and using lots of fine firearms, as the DP-51 would seem to be, but c'est la vie. (sigh)
Sam Cade
Member
ARISE MY ZOMBIE MINIONS!
This thread is from January of 2003.
This thread is from January of 2003.
Walt Sherrill
Member
Am I not remembering correctly? I thought the DP-51 safety was like most safeties (and you just press down/forward to turn it off)... I don't remember anything awkward, like the S&W 3rd generation safeties...
I like the hammer down and NO safety option, which nobody has mentioned. That variant takes a light but lengthy trigger press or movement to get the hammer to flip back to the cocked position -- and an additional press of the trigger to fire. (In that respect, the hammer-down cocked position isn't all that different than many guns starting from hammer down. You can do it all in one step, but its also easy to "stage" the trigger.) It works the same if you use the safety, and arguably a bit safer, too.
The DP-51 I had was very accurate. I keep thinking I should find another. I also had a DH-40 which was ok, but I preferred the 9mm version.
I like the hammer down and NO safety option, which nobody has mentioned. That variant takes a light but lengthy trigger press or movement to get the hammer to flip back to the cocked position -- and an additional press of the trigger to fire. (In that respect, the hammer-down cocked position isn't all that different than many guns starting from hammer down. You can do it all in one step, but its also easy to "stage" the trigger.) It works the same if you use the safety, and arguably a bit safer, too.
The DP-51 I had was very accurate. I keep thinking I should find another. I also had a DH-40 which was ok, but I preferred the 9mm version.
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dcarch
Member
ZOMBIE THREAD! Quick, someone shoot it in the head!
Sam Cade
Member
I can't! My Z-Max is on backorder!
Not a workhorse pistol
I bought a well-used DP-51. So I know what the score is, in terms of durability.
The problem I have with the DP-51 is the little spring that pushes the slide lock is
1. tiny
2. captive in the frame, and working at an odd angle
3. capped with a hardened plunger that eventually burrows an indent into the slidestop.
So eventually, the slidelock will stop working reliably on this gun.
Also, the trigger return spring only has a few, very tight/tiny coils to it. I have no idea how you could expect it to work more than a few thousand rounds on a DA pistol with a long pull. Mine didn't. It broke after a few hundred. And I'm sure that wasn't the first spring the gun had been through. This is the cheesiest trigger return spring I've ever seen in a pistol.
The safety detents are also not very positive. The safety really bugged me on this gun. Kinda cheezy and not positive at all, when you set it. Clicked off ok, though.
I also couldn't get used to the trigger break. The trigger reach is short to begin with. Then you have to pull the trigger all the way till it practically touches the frame. If I tried to use the pad of my finger, I literally ran out of pull before the trigger broke. I had to either use the nook between the first two pads of my finger (in which case, the trigger pinched the skin behind my first knuckle before it broke, threatening to prevent the gun from firing, at all), or I had to bend my trigger finger into a U-shape, with my fingertip pointing straight back against the trigger.
I was sure I'd keep this gun just because it's unique. And I don't really sell guns. I just buy them. I guess there's a first time for everything. That one went to a happy new owner with small hands.
I bought a well-used DP-51. So I know what the score is, in terms of durability.
The problem I have with the DP-51 is the little spring that pushes the slide lock is
1. tiny
2. captive in the frame, and working at an odd angle
3. capped with a hardened plunger that eventually burrows an indent into the slidestop.
So eventually, the slidelock will stop working reliably on this gun.
Also, the trigger return spring only has a few, very tight/tiny coils to it. I have no idea how you could expect it to work more than a few thousand rounds on a DA pistol with a long pull. Mine didn't. It broke after a few hundred. And I'm sure that wasn't the first spring the gun had been through. This is the cheesiest trigger return spring I've ever seen in a pistol.
The safety detents are also not very positive. The safety really bugged me on this gun. Kinda cheezy and not positive at all, when you set it. Clicked off ok, though.
I also couldn't get used to the trigger break. The trigger reach is short to begin with. Then you have to pull the trigger all the way till it practically touches the frame. If I tried to use the pad of my finger, I literally ran out of pull before the trigger broke. I had to either use the nook between the first two pads of my finger (in which case, the trigger pinched the skin behind my first knuckle before it broke, threatening to prevent the gun from firing, at all), or I had to bend my trigger finger into a U-shape, with my fingertip pointing straight back against the trigger.
I was sure I'd keep this gun just because it's unique. And I don't really sell guns. I just buy them. I guess there's a first time for everything. That one went to a happy new owner with small hands.
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I was very impressed with the one I had, relatively small, well balanced in the hand, pretty accurate, and it never missed a beat, and fed all kinds of boolit shapes. It was well designed and built. I sold it to a friend who really really wanted it. I miss it.
Zombie thread.
For anyone reading now (and after 2012) I wouldn't buy an "orphan" pistol like the Daewoo due to lack of ongoing factory support and parts availability issues.
I mean, if you just want one for the novelty factor, and don't care if it breaks and you can't find parts, that's one thing. But, for a "serious" pistol that you'd like to repair if it breaks, I'd avoid it.
For anyone reading now (and after 2012) I wouldn't buy an "orphan" pistol like the Daewoo due to lack of ongoing factory support and parts availability issues.
I mean, if you just want one for the novelty factor, and don't care if it breaks and you can't find parts, that's one thing. But, for a "serious" pistol that you'd like to repair if it breaks, I'd avoid it.
el Godfather
Member
- Joined
- Feb 4, 2012
- Messages
- 1,847
For $300 it is a great gun. How many other fast action pistol are out there? Good collection item for sake of its trigger.
From what I have seen locally prices are about the same as metal S&W pistols for which parts are made of "obtainium" so....
I'm not picking on guns made by famous bulldozer/car manufacturer I do not look at SIG pistols either because most second-hand S&Ws can be had for substantially less money.
I'm not picking on guns made by famous bulldozer/car manufacturer I do not look at SIG pistols either because most second-hand S&Ws can be had for substantially less money.Walking Dead
Member
And daewoo still ain't a household name. I'd pass.
Walt Sherrill
Member
Depends on where your house is located...
Steyr and Walther aren't really household names, either, here in the U.S.
I've had a couple of DaeWoos (DP-51s, DH-40), played with them for a while, and then sold them. Got good service out of them, and those who bought them from me did, too -- I haven't had anyone trying to get me to buy one back from them. (I did have one guy try to buy back the DH-40 I bought from him.)
I enjoyed working with and shooting the DaeWoos more than I did working with and shooting a couple of S&W 4006s, and a 4043 -- all bought and sold for about the same dollars (each) as the DaeWoo.
If I had to have just ONE gun, it probably wouldn't be a DP-51. But if I just wanted something to play with, a DaeWoo makes as much sense as a Tokarev or a CZ-52, and ammo is easier to find for the DaeWoo. You can also get SOME parts from Century Arms, and some on EBAY.
.
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4thPointOfContact
Member
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2007
- Messages
- 852
Zombie? I'll give you zombie.
My AR-100 (aka Korean service rifle K2) which I purchased new thirty years ago is still going strong with about 200 rounds a month passing through it. I think I might have even cleaned it once... hard to be sure.
My AR-100 (aka Korean service rifle K2) which I purchased new thirty years ago is still going strong with about 200 rounds a month passing through it. I think I might have even cleaned it once... hard to be sure.
chicharrones
needs more ammo
This is the most awesome zombie thread I've ever seen.
2003, then 2008, then 2010, and so far 2012!
Sheer zombie coolness. View attachment 608071
2003, then 2008, then 2010, and so far 2012!
Sheer zombie coolness. View attachment 608071
Devonai
Member
I'm happy to continue the zombie goodness.
My LGS has one for $275, but I don't know how many mags, if any, there are with it. I'll have to check next time I'm down there, if it's still available.
My LGS has one for $275, but I don't know how many mags, if any, there are with it. I'll have to check next time I'm down there, if it's still available.
MDI_Weapon
Member
- Joined
- Mar 10, 2014
- Messages
- 94
And that helps keep the price down on the DR-200s and DR-300s that pop up at gun shows or auction sites now and then.
As such I must say:
Don't buy Daewoos...they won't stop zombies!! In fact, they seem to encourage zombies.
Shhhhhh!!! You will drive up prices in the Woo market with that kind of talk.
By the way, any mods to that AR100? I don't see other Woos that often anymore thanks to the import ban.
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New South Korean commercial imports are $500+. I would rather have PD-51 then CZ 82/83, Makarov, Tokarev,....... though I would not pick one over used gen III S&W or a Ruger. Not being chambered for something like 9x18, 7,62x25 that is only going to be more expensive to shoot helps a whole lot.
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