New Dan Wesson V-Bob (black).

[MCMXI]

I bought a Dan Wesson Valor a couple of weeks ago and a Dan Wesson V-Bob last week. The V-Bob arrived yesterday so I was eager for a conjugal visit this morning. My overall impression is that this is a GREAT pistol. It's going to take a few magazines to loosen up the slide because it's very tight, not bad tight, but tighter than the Valor for sure. Even the barrel bushing is incredibly tight in the frame and hard to remove. There is zero discernible movement of the barrel when it's in battery compared to a slight movement with the Valor. After the Valor and V-Bob, I'm now a 25 lpi convert ... it feels perfect ... not too sharp, not too smooth ... just right! Dan Wesson seems to have corrected the problems they were having with centering the front strap checkering on both the Valor and V-Bob (see photos). The trigger is excellent and feels like it's around 3lb. The MSH fit is good enough and the pistol feels just perfect in the hand. The black "duty" finish seems to be better (more consistent) on the V-Bob than the Valor but I'll need to take a closer look once I get them home and can compare them side by side. I'm really looking forward to comparing the Ed Brown Special Forces and Special Forces Carry to the Dan Wesson Valor and V-Bob. I see some accuracy testing in my future .... time to steal, buy or borrow a ransom rest.

Based on the serial number, I wonder if CZ is only planning on making 1,000 V-Bobs and 10,000 Valors. Anyway, here are some more crappy point and shoot photos. Still, better than CZ's website.

 

[Zerodefect]

When you say "conjugal visit",

I'm thinking of something else. Especially in 1911 threads.

Looks good. I'm debating between adding a VBOB, CCO, or Guardian to my collection before Dw's price goes up, or before QC Kimbers down a little. This just made it harder to pick now.

Is that Dremel polish in the pics or do you really, really like Cheetos? Or do I need a new monitor, someone elses pics here did that as well.

Sounds like you should sell/trade in the big Valor and get annother one. Slight barrel movement? In a Valor? Every 2010+ seems scary tight to me.

The tight bushing is annoying, I dented my ceiling flinging the recoil plug into it.

 

[SSN Vet]

Why does the disconnector look so jagged in your last pic?

 

[MCMXI]

Is that Dremel polish in the pics or do you really, really like Cheetos?

I think it's orange polish of some sort. The Valor had it too.

Sounds like you should sell/trade in the big Valor and get annother one. Slight barrel movement? In a Valor? Every 2010+ seems scary tight to me.

The barrel movement in the Valor is very slight when I push down on the top of the chamber and nothing like the movement of the factory barrel in my Kimber. Even with the barrel movement, the Kimber was more than accurate enough for USPSA and 8" plates at 65 yards so I'm not worried about the Valor. I ended up fitting an Ed Brown barrel and link in the Kimber and there's no movement at all after the barrel locks up in the slide.

Looks good. I'm debating between adding a VBOB, CCO, or Guardian to my collection before Dw's price goes up, or before QC Kimbers down a little. This just made it harder to pick now.

The Valor and V-Bob are the only DWs that interest me. I don't want an aluminum framed 1911 ... I have SIGs for that.

 

[MCMXI]

Why does the disconnector look so jagged in your last pic?

It's just grease of some sort making it look jagged.

 

[Zerodefect]

I wonder if I can talk DW into a steel framed CCO. I have the Hienie rear sight off of my Valor that I could put on the CCO to get rid of the old school novak rear.

How much better deos you VBOB seem to conceal over the Valor?

 

[MCMXI]

I wonder if I can talk DW into a steel framed CCO.

Stainless frame and slide with the "duty" finish? Count me in!!

I should really thank you, 9mmepiphany and rellascout for convincing me to take a chance on these Dan Wesson 1911s. I'd never seen, handled or shot a DW prior to ordering them, but your posts made it an easy decision ... so thanks to all of you.

How much better deos you VBOB seem to conceal over the Valor?

The bobbed frame/MSH makes a big difference ... no question about that. I should stress that I'm basing that comment merely on having demonstrated the difference to interested individuals and myself by placing the V-Bob and EB SFC under a t-shirt. The bobbed frame/MSH really softens the outline. Our state doesn't issue CC permits even though we can apply for them so I am definitely not a CC expert.

 

[9mmepiphany]

That really is nice

I've always had a soft spot for the Commander length slides...They just look more balanced to my eye.

I will comment on the concealability of the bobtail. Back when the only game in town was Colt, I went against my better judgement by buying a Officer's ACP for the shorter frame, I planned to later add a Commander slide to it...I was a lot less research oriented then. The thing that made the GM and Commanders so hard to conceal was that sharp back corner of the MSH.

I loved the look of Brown's Bobtail when it hit the market. I had the chance to try one (it wasn't mine) in a Milt Spark's Summer Special (I've mentioned that I'm old school) a while back. The Bobtail works two ways. The removal of stock and use of the OACP's MSH makes it stick out less and the rounding allows clothing/cover garment to just slide over it rather than snagging

 

[MCMXI]

I've always had a soft spot for the Commander length slides...They just look more balanced to my eye.

The V-Bob barrel is supposed to be 4.30" long compared to Ed Brown's 4.25" for the carry models. Looking at the photos below, the V-Bob slide looks longer than the Ed Brown slide ... more than 0.05" longer. Here are some photos of a Special Forces Carry for comparison. Almost makes me wonder if Ed Brown makes the frames and slides for Dan Wesson .... or the other way around.

 

[tiro6]

Wow. Your VBob is gorgeous.... makes me crave one, BIG TIME. I'd be interested though to see how it shoots and feels compared to your Ed Brown, as I'm thinking about adding a carry 1911 to my collection to take over as my EDC.... sigh, if only I had the money...But congrats on your new pistol!

 

[9mmepiphany]

Here are some photos of a Special Forces Carry for comparison.

I think what I'm seeing is more a matter of shadow than anything else. The shadow on the nose of both guns make the fluting under the muzzle of the VBOB look longer...it would be cool if you could overlay them atop each other.

The fit of the rear sight on the Brown is very nice, do they blend the base/dovetail of the front sight into the contour of the slide also?.

It is interesting how the blending of the Brown grip safety beavertail (while at rest) is very simular to that on the DW

 

[Girodin]

Nice looking pistol. I've always liked bobbed 1911s.