first 1911- Dan Wesson versus Springfield loaded

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Sharp669

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I am considering getting my first m1911 for carry and home defense. I have read some good things on Dan Wesson pistols. I have not shot one yet and not sure if they have them at the range for rent. Anywya, I am considering one of the 4 or 5 in DW M1911 versus a SA loaded 4 or 5 inch. any comment or thoughts?

What does a full length giude rail mean versus a not full length one or 2 piece?

Can a light be attached in some way to a non railed M1911 or is it a major pain? A n attachable light would be nice for nighttime use for the home. Thanks all :)
 
I just ordered Dan Wesson from the local shop for $900. Will post review when get it sometimes next week.
 
From what people say, the DW is a very tight, quality built 1911. My Loaded Springfield was a loose POS untill I fitted an EGW bushing to it, it shoots good now, but the slide to frame fit is still pretty sloppy. Comparing my Kimber and S&W 1911s to my SA, the SA is lacking some refinment.
 
I like what I hear about DW. But if you wanted a 1911 with a rail, you could get a Taurus Pt1911 with the rail a bit cheaper. Others on here will deride this suggestion, but I can only speak from my own experience with the Pt1911 and it has been very good for the first year of ownership. If you are talking about the guide rod for the spring, some 1911s come with the original shorter length, and others like the Taurus come with a "full length" guide rod that sticks out of the end of the slide when in recoil. Most people don't think it makes much difference which one is used.
 
Get both if you can

I am a 45 man down to my bone marrow. Carried it on duty, shot it in competition, even go rabbit hunting with it just to keep my eye sharp.

All that said I can use my Dan Wesson for deer hunting and have although I use a 41 or 44 mag now. For self defense in house its my Dan Wesson at my bedside loaded with 38 spcl. When you get woke up in the night you want the simplest gun in the house to operate, no slide to rack or safeties to disengage. Your adrenaline is high, your motor skills aren't what they should be and the revolver only has to be gripped, pointed and squeezed. A booger man at room distance or less isn't going to much care whether he was hit in the middle of his chest belly region with a 45 or 38, he is pretty much finished and if he is standing 6 shots from a revolver is going to do as much damage as 7 from the pistol with less muzzle flash, less recoil and less noise to disorient you. You don't need the biggest baddest gun or bullet and in some instances its a disadvantage.

I'd still rather take the 45 to the range or if I have to carry would prefer it in my hand than the 357. Thats why I have both, I don't have the slightest idea why I have all those other guns in my house, they snuck in when I wasn't looking.
 
Old Grump,
Not that it necessarily matters, but I think the original poster was talking about the Dan Wesson 1911's not the Dan Wesson revolvers.

Jason
 
It might not be surprising that the DW, with its higher price tag, Is a better made gun. And, if you are going to carry CCW, the CBOB is a winner.
b-
 
Get the DW. In addition to better fit & finish, the parts used in it are high-end aftermarket parts.

(and I'm a big fan of SA)
 
I've had them both. Get the DW, which I wish I still had:banghead:

The DW was the most accurate .45 I've ever owned, very solid frame/fit.
 
Many thanks all. I think I will go shop for a Dan Wesson then. The 4.25 bbl is just as reliable as the 5", right? I have read some about shorter BBL (3") that sometimes have issues.

Does a single guide rod matter versus a double/two piece rod? I am a 1911 noob. LOL!
 
Does a single guide rod matter versus a double/two piece rod? I am a 1911 noob. LOL!

The full length guide rod adds a little weight up front, to help muzzle rise. The GI set up(short) is prefered by most, since it needs no special tools to takedown, and you can press the slide open with one hand by pushing the gun into something below the barrel. Two piece rods sometime shoot loose, so you need to tighten with an allen wrench, but are easier to takedown than a single piece full length rod. It really dont matter what style:)
 
A friend of a friend literally dropped a SA loaded 5" in my lap for $500 so it was a deal I couldn't pass up. He barely shot it. It did have some scratches on the frame from who knows what but its otherwise in good shape. It has the 2 piece guide rod. Works fine but what a pain to reassemble. Can a 2 piece be switched out if I wanted to?
 
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My opinion only here.......but I have handled them all a lot and just from that I cannot see any better frame, slide,barrel fit and overall finish and overall quality in the big boys such as Les Baer, Wilson, Nighthawk, etc,...... over the current manufacturings of the Dan Wesson 1911's..........and they are under a thousand bucks.
 
My opinion only here.......but I have handled them all a lot and just from that I cannot see any better frame, slide,barrel fit and overall finish and overall quality in the big boys such as Les Baer, Wilson, Nighthawk, etc,...... over the current manufacturings of the Dan Wesson 1911's..........and they are under a thousand bucks.

come on, even a baer? Have you ever tried racking the slide on a new baer? Or even a baer that has 2000 rounds through it? It takes a lot more strength than any CBOB i've handled. The fit on les baers is tighter than anything out there.
 
I have a couple of PM7s and a CBOB. Excellent quality and excellent customer service. I mention that because one of the PM7s had to go back to DW.

The CBOB had trouble with break in and the rear sight fell off. That was fixed locally. The PM7-45 had trouble with hammer follow. The PM7-10 has worked great.

Be prepared for some anguish breaking it in. I also had a Springfield Loaded. Wasn't for me and I got rid of it.
 
My Loaded Springfield was a loose POS untill I fitted an EGW bushing to it, it shoots good now, but the slide to frame fit is still pretty sloppy. Comparing my Kimber and S&W 1911s to my SA, the SA is lacking some refinment.

Mine is the same, I sent it back to Springfield twice. Shoots about 4" POI at 10yds. I'm much more impressed with my SIG which I paid approx the same amount for.
 
Owning a DW CBOB I don't see how a 1911 can function if the fit of the slide to frame was any tighter. The CBOB is extremely well fitted for the money.
 
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