Dan Wesson 715: https://cz-usa.com/product/dan-wesson-715/
Buy one on GunsAmerica: /dan wesson 357
Dan Wesson double action revolvers are back. It has been about 10 years since there have been new production DW revolvers on the market. CZ USA, which bought the Dan Wesson company in 2005, have made pistols under the name, but (until late last year) only a very limited number of revolvers. I am sure some of you reading this are familiar with the Dan Wesson’s. But I also bet there are a number of you that have no clue or think it must be a brand related to Smith & Wesson. For a little clarity lets take a look at Dan Wesson the man and a brief history of his company before we get to the review gun.
Dan Wesson 715 .357 Magnum.
Dan Wesson
Daniel B. Wesson II was the great grandson of Daniel Wesson I who founded Smith and Wesson. DWII worked in the family business from 1938 until the company was sold in 1963. By 1968 he had formed his own company and began production of his own design of double action revolvers. These revolvers are not just some rehashing of an old K-Frame Smith– they are a totally different design with some very unique features.
The Dan Wesson company has changed hands a number of times since its founding. Dan Wesson passed away in 1978 and the company was run by his descendants for a time. CZ took ownership of the in 2005 but have mostly focused on 1911s manufactured under the Dan Wesson name.
Cylinder release is on the crane.
The Revolvers
So what makes the Dan Wesson revolvers unique? A couple of things. When you see one for the first time, you’ll notice that the cylinder latch is not in the usual place. The Dan Wesson latches are in front of the cylinders on the crane. The idea behind putting the latch on the crane is that it makes a stronger lock-up, and it does.
But, if you are used to shooting just about any other double action revolver it takes a little getting used to. While you may operate the latch on a Smith, Ruger, or Colt with your right hand, the DW latch is more easily reached with the left.
The other, and biggest difference of the Dan Wesson designs is the ability to swap barrels with ease. It is a very simple process to change out the barrels. The barrel screws into the frame with a shim behind it to set the cylinder gap. Once the barrel is attached, the shroud goes over it and a nut is used to hold everything together. The whole process only takes a couple of minutes. Why would you want to swap out barrels you ask? Lengths. Put a 2 inch on and have a great carry piece. Throw the 8 incher on and head to the range for some target shooting.
The barrel nut.
The 715
The 715 is arguably the pentacle of the Dan Wesson designs. This is the stainless model in .357 magnum and, rightfully so, the model CZ has chosen to reintroduce. Here are some specs:
- 6 shot cylinder
- 6 inch barrel (other lengths sold separately)
- Stainless Steel Construction
- Finger molded rubber grips
- Adjustable target sights
- 48oz with 6 inch barrel
- $1,168 MSRP
Fit, Finish and Function
Everything about the looks of the review gun says high quality. The stainless steel is uniformly polished to a nice matte finish. The stamping is crisp and uniform. I couldn’t find a single tool mark on the outside of the revolver. The lock work is strong and the action is crisp. The revolver locks up tight no matter how slow and easy or hard and fast I worked the action. Simply put the review gun works and functions perfectly.
Primer strikes were good and extraction excellent.
Shooting
The trigger on the 715 took me a little bit to get used to. The first time I pulled the trigger in double action I was surprised at how short the travel was. Even cocking the DW to shoot single action has a very short travel. I was a little concerned that with so little movement of the hammer that there might be some light primer strikes. But this was not to be. I made an effort to check the depth of most of the fired primers and they were all struck uniformly and well.
The pull on the double action is right around 10 pounds. With the short length of travel it feels a little lighter than that in reality. The reset is easy to get a feel for and I quickly became used to its feel. The single action break is about 4.5 pounds and is very crisp with very little creep and no over travel. But the short travel on the DA pull really took me a while to get a feel for. I do not mean that in a bad way. It is just different from what I am used too. The trigger on the 715 takes a little time to get used to the feel for staging your shots. I was also shooting a Python at the range at the same time I was the 715. Switching back and forth between the two was night and day. This is not a 715 vs. Python review, but I will say that once I got a feel for the DW trigger I started to prefer it.
Punching Paper
The Dan Wesson revolvers are known for their accuracy. This one was no exception. One of the ideas behind the interchangeable barrels is that the design improves accuracy. This idea revolves around barrel harmonics. The barrel is under tension in the DW design, tension between the frame and the barrel nut. Think of it like a guitar string, the tighter the barrel nut the higher “pitch” of the barrel. There are a number of DW owners that subscribe to this philosophy. I am not sure if it is snake oil or not. I did tighten and loosen the barrel nut a little before shooting a couple of groups but I did not see any measurable difference but this was far from a scientific testing.
Snake oil and barrel tuning aside, the 715 is a great shooter. Once I got the feel for the DA trigger, I was able to shoot around 1 inch groups from 25 yards with ease. I would still drop a shot here and there but those are most assuredly on me and the learning curve of the trigger.
[one_half]
Before getting use to the short pull on the trigger and the feel for its staging.
[/one_half][one_half_last]
After. Much better.
[/one_half_last]
Conclusion
If you are looking for a really nice, brand new double action revolver your options have been pretty limited over the past decade or so. S&W, Taurus, and Ruger have been pretty much the only major American manufacturers with DAs on the market. CZ brought the 715 back a couple of years ago for a very limited run, we are hoping that it is here to stay this time. It sure deserves to be in regular production. This is the time of gun you add to a collection.
The new production Dan Wesson 715s are made in New York and are a great option if you are looking for a quality double action revolver. MSRP is $1,168. An odd number for a great gun.
[one_half]
The attention to detail is evident in the clean lines of the finish.
[/one_half][one_half_last]
The double-action pull is off the chart, but doesn’t feel nearly that heavy.
[/one_half_last]
[one_half]
The single action pull came in much lower, closer to 4.5 pounds.
[/one_half][one_half_last]
The ejector picks up cases nicely. We didn’t have any slip through.
[/one_half_last]
[one_half]
The barrel shroud is heavy, which helps to hold the gun down.
[/one_half][one_half_last]
The cylinder rotates clockwise, the same direction as the crane, reducing wear on the moving part.
[/one_half_last]
[one_half]
The front sight is wide, and flat black. But it is pinned, so it can be swapped out for something else easily enough.
[/one_half][one_half_last]
The rear sight is a flat black rectangle. The combination of the two sights is good for target accuracy, but isn’t the fastest set-up.
[/one_half_last]
[one_half]
Single action pulls produced great results.
[/one_half][one_half_last]
Double action? I had a harder time with those.
[/one_half_last]
Dan Wesson Arms .357 SN 152XXX 7-1/4” vented barrel and 2-1/2” barrel, original wood grip and aftermarket rubber NRA excellent, not more than 100 rounds. Too nice to be just laying in the nightstand. Both DA & SA pulls are smooth.
Ruger Mark 1 Target bull barrel 5-1/4″ NRA excellent. SN 17-08xxx.
We are Ireland based major/Direct providers of Fresh Cut BG, SBLC, POF, MTN, Bonds and CDs and this financial instruments are specifically for lease and sale.We are one of the leading Financial instrument providers with offices all over Europe.
we always deliver on time and precision as Set forth in the agreement. You are at liberty to engage our leased facilities into trade programs, project financing, Credit line enhancement, Corporate Loans (Business Start-up Loans or Business Expansion Loans), Equipment Procurement Loans (Industrial Equipment, Air crafts, Ships, etc.) as well as other financial instruments issued from AAA Rated bank such as HSBC Bank Hong Kong, HSBC Bank London, Deutsche Bank AG Frankfurt, Barclays Bank , Standard Chartered Bank and others on lease at the lowest available rates depending on the face value of the instrument needed, Our Terms and Conditions are reasonable.DESCRIPTION OF INSTRUMENTS:1. Instrument: Bank Guarantee (BG)/SBLC (Appendix A)
2. Total Face Value: 10M MIN to 50B MAX USD or Euro
3. Issuing Bank: HSBC, Deutsche Bank Frankfurt, UBS or any Top 25 .
4. Age: One Year, One Day
5. Leasing Price: 4+ 2%
6. Sale Price: 32+2%
7. Delivery by SWIFT .
8. Payment: MT103-23
9. Hard Copy: Bonded Courier within 7 banking days.If you have need for Corporate loans, International project funding, etc. or if you have a client that requires funding for his project or business, We are also affiliated with lenders who specialize on funding against financial instruments, such as BG, SBLC, POF or MTN, we fund 100% of the face value of the financial instrument.
Inquiries from agents/ brokers/ intermediaries are also welcomed; do get back to us if you are interested in any of our services and for quality service.Name : Patrick Mc Brearty
E-mail : [email protected] id : [email protected]
First let me say that I do not see the relavance of Herpes treatment being discussed unless you are now testing herpes treatments along withe the Dan Wesson. Second I do not appreciate the casting of spells as discussed above. Third I do not care for the grammar critique. Most gun writers are well educated in their field although perhaps a few are questionable in that respect. I have have had college and high school professors who couldn’t spel or write legibly and yet were brilliant in their own field of endeavor. This is an excellent review of an excellent firearm. If you do not/cannot appreciate that then go elsewhere and let the true conniseurs of this genre enjoy the endeavors of this reviewer. Thank you very much!
DR OKUSU SAVE MY LIFE BY CURING MY HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS IN JUST 2WEEKS CONTACT HIM NOW ON HIS WHAT-APP CONTACT:+2349037835860Always going to be grateful Dr Okusu for making my life a total happy one, for 15year now i have suffered so much from HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS. when i was diagnosed i visited so many specialist on India, other countries, but none of them was able to cure my HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS, i spent a lot of money on getting a permanent remedy, but all was wasted down in drain. but one beautiful afternoon i was checking through my brother guestbook. i found a heart blowing testimony of how Dr Okusu has cured so many people of their HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS, i couldn\’t delay any more moment but to contact this great powerful herbal doctor and i can\’t be more than glad that i did contact him on that very day, he assured me of a permanent cure, also told me that after 2 weeks of using his herbal, i will test myself and be negative. i didn\’t believe him until he told me what is needed to provide and i did and after he sent me my herbal medicine and i received it and after using it for 2 weeks i went to my doctor and to my greatest surprise i was found negative, IN-CASE YOU ARE SUFFERING FROM ANY KINDS OF DISEASE I ADMONISH YOU TO CONTACT Dr Okusu, he is a man that i will never ever stop thanking Dr Okusu, i know he will never let you down as he await you right now. contact him on his email:[email protected] or further info you can visit:https://drokususolutiontem.wixsite.com/dr-okusu or what app his Mobil:+2349037835860
Hello…
i am a proud mother and herpes free,now all thanks to Dr. Ogunamen,email: [email protected] for your own cure and testimony. happy and grateful i am to share my testimony to you all.today is like a dream i never thought would be a reality,for each day now,it gets clearer to me that i have been blessed by encountering Dr ogunamen.a herbal doctor and his trusted herbs,which transformed my life….I was diagnosed of hsv_2 viral infection which i got from my husband,when i was 5 months pregnant of my first child…the doctor told me that for my health i have to decide between the baby and myself because the virus is affecting my womb…i was heart broken,devastated, i couldn\’t bear to lose my baby also. so i sought for help and found Dr. Ogunamen, he gave me hope and asked for my information,present conditions…he prepared a herbal mixture,sent it to me through DHL EXPRESS,i used the herbs with his instructions,a week later,my test result were negative,same results for my husband,no effect to my baby and my health.the time came i delivered my baby and my virus infections cured…i am a proud mother now all thanks to Dr. Ogunamen. email him now: [email protected]
I am very satisfied with the Dan Wessons I have owned and still own. I have never had one break or “fall apart”. I currently own over a half dozen in different configurations from the blue 15-2VH pistol pack with the 2.5=4=6=8=12=15 inch barrel assemblies to the 357 supermag and 44 supermag in SS, I have taken dozens of deer and hundreds of hogs with no problems from the revolvers. The 357SM will shoot 38 short colt- 38 long colt- 38 special-357mag and 357 SM out of the same set-up, with the interchangeable shrouds I can go from open sights to red dot to scoped in a few minutes with no loss of zero. As I said I am satisfied. R
The brass cast Dan Wesson symbol in the handle of my 357
was lost some 2 years ago. Where can I get a replacement?
I had a DAN WESSON 715 6″ VH in the early 80’s. It was a fine revolver and the difference in the controls of it and other revolvers was easy to get use to. I think anyone with any intelligence at all could easily learn to operate the DAN WESSON just as easily as they learned to operate any other revolver.
Feebay has the medallions.
Can a DW 715 be purchased in MA. I cannot go this answer on the web.
Just a thought… I don’t live in a P C world. Sorry. ( not really ). But it seems to me that my primary focus is to Live Free and Die Happy. Though I do not like NY Politics. I do Like the Dan Wesson 715. As I still have the Freedom to purchase this DW from NY at this time ( might not be the case in the future ) I will be Happy to purchase a high quality firearm to assist me in remaining Free and Living Happy in spite of the state boundaries is which it is manufactured. Again, Just a thought. Thank God for the Freedom for All of you to be able to voice your opinions in this great country whether you agree or not. Remember, God created all men. Colt made us all equal.
What would have made the article more complete would have been a picture of the whole gun. It’s been said that you eat with your eyes first, and that’s entirely the case when looking at things like this. You can’t sell anything with close up shots of only the muzzle and the cylinder. I was left incomplete after reading the whole article.
I own Dan Wesson 15-2 version. Let me tell you, there is not a better revolver made, or I dare to say not even as good. I can hardly wait to buy a 715.
RE: new DW 357 mag revolver… I have one of the old ones from 1978 or so. It’s one of my favorite guns, but I never completed the barrel set. Will the new barrels and shrouds fit the original?
That is a really good question. When I wrote this review I did not have an old one on hand to try that out and this gun has been returned to them. You should email CZ USA, they will have an answer for you.
I read in another article on the subject that the new ones will in fact fit the old guns. However, I agree that a call to Dan Wesson would be best.
New Yorker here and yes the SAFE Act passed by Democrats and REPUBLICANS stinks.
But make no doubt about it. NY produces some of the best guns out there. My Dan Wessons are great and so are my NY made Kimbers.
In fact my Colts made in CT and S&W’s made in MA and my Sigs made in Maine are equal to the task.
The NE produces great guns and when companies move they do not carry the heritage that was built. Own a Remington 1911 made in NY, will never buy one made in Alabama. And don’t let them fool you they did not move because of SAFE, they moved to make money. Ask yourself why they are moving Para from NC and Marlin from KY.
Be a smart gun guy not a dumb one.
I’m NOT bashing DW – they are excellent quality and workmanship. I was looking at one about 25 yrs ago, and some how ended up slicing my thumb on the cylinder latch while trying to open the darn thing. Don’t ask me how I did it, but it really bled! So – I didn’t end up buying it. I bought a S&W instead – having a more conventional cylinder latch that I was more familiar with. It was a 686 w/4 inch barrel. I loved that gun, and should have kept it. But, I stupidly let it go a few yrs after I bought it.
I had one as well but I traded it in on a bushmaster. It was one of those bucket list things.
I still have my 629 though and I don’t see myself getting rid of that cannon any time soon.
Eventually all good gun will be sold i owned ten sw revolver end up sold them all for rifle
Eventually all good gun will be sold i have ten sw revolver end up sold them all for rifles
So, since this pistol has a barrel shroud — does that make it an \”assault\” weapon in communist NY? That would be awesome.
This Dan Wesson looks top notch. I’ve never owned one had a friend back in the 70’s had a 357 w/ 4 different barrels. Nice gun. As for it being made in NY.The people who can’t afford to move out of state still need work and welcome the jobs. Just like when Remington was gonna move , it would’ve killed alot of jobs. Gov. Cuomo rammed the Safe Act thru and down our throats and there is a steady support to get rid of it because it is as useless as Cuomo and his buddy Schumer. The taxes do suck and if there was a way to move we would.
Being a previous Dan Wesson owner I am over-joyed to see them back. I am going to wait for the .44M and the .45 Colt. I am not much on calibers less than .40. I will be watching though!
I have a few friends who are police officers and they actually know firearms and calibers and Balistics, They are not impressed with the 40 Smith & Wesson but do like the 45 Acp, but as they say it is not perfect, The 357 Magnum they like a lot.
In one Magazine excuse spelling of the Authors Name Mosses Ayoob, he was a police Officer and I think he is now retired and he writes articles on Police Officer Involved Shootings and Civilian Involved Shootings, I remember an article he wrote a few years ago , If I remember correctly the incident occurred around dusk, there was a running gun fight between a Police Officer and a Fellon, the fellon had his weapon in his right hand and as he was running he had the weapon over his left shoulder pulling the trigger, It could have been the opposite hand and shoulder, But anyways the Police officer in Pursuit was able to take aim at one point and squeeze his trigger on his 357 Magnum and it was not a close shot, The Bullet struck the Fellon if I recall in the Jaw just in front of his left earlobe, The suspect suffered massive hydrostolic-shock, the force of impact blew the suspects eyes out of his eye sockets, it blew his teeth out of his mouth, and if I remember correctly he did loose a good part of his lower jaw.
dear andrey, please leave the bs in the s+w circular file before entering an adult conversation
Thanks for the good review! I love my old DW 715. I do beg to differ from some folks’ comments above. Trigger jobs are easy and cheap to do on the DW. Also, the front sights are easily changed by loosening a small grub screw on the front of the barrel shroud. You can see the screw hole in the pictures above. It even comes with the hex tool to do it. The pin you see from the side is what secures the back side of the sight’s tang. No need to remove it to change the front sight. Sorry to hear about NY, but DW makes a great pistol.
I agree Changing the front sight on a Dan Wesson is the easiest on the planet Earth, and if someone thinks it is difficult than they do not know what they are talking about ! it takes longer to get the tools out that to change the sight.
My name is Andrey mark,from United Kingdom, i am in the England army, one day, we went to Iraq, leaving my wife and two kids. I was away from home for ONE year, when I returned my wife told me she was no longer interested in the marriage that if she could survive for 1 year without me, the marriage is meaningless. Leaving home for ONE year was not easy but not having a family when i came back was more difficult. I pleaded continuously with her for 2 years even left the army just to convince her but all my attempt to get her back failed.On one faithful day, as I was about to sign a friend\’s guest book, I saw a post about a spell caster, at first I laughed but took the email address and phone number. After 2days something inside of me just asked me to contact him so i did and he cast a spell for me and he told me she was going to come back to me after 24 hours, to my surprise she called me even before the 24 hours elapsed and she said honey where are you, I\’m outside the house, please come and open the door for me. I opened the door and she came in, immediately she fell down on her knees and apologized to me, she said she was wrong to have left me and said she wanted me back. This is a big miracle….. All thanks to Dr iayaryi of ([email protected]), if not for him,I wonder the kind of life I would have lived. I want to use this medium to encourage other men and women out there, to contact this great spell caster, he is one of the greatest spell caster that ever exist. Dr iayaryi have all kinds of spell and these include Love spell, Lucky spell,business spell,spell to stop divorce, Favor spell, curing spell e.t.c. This is his direct contact: ([email protected]) or you can contact him directly through his personal ([email protected])
Stfu
A rich old blind man who was blind went to his doctor. He said he went hunting with his best friend. A buck appeared. The blind man fired his rifle. They ate venison for several weeks. Then to his joy and surprise his beautiful young, trophy, wife became pregnant. He asked his doc “What do you think about these two great miracles?” The doctor said…”uhh,I think somebody else shot the buck.”
I don’t know if these are made to the same standards, but the Dan Wesson semi-autos are some of the finest production 1911s available for the price these days. I’m not in the market for another .357, but if I were I wouldn’t be too quick to dismiss this model.
Great gun, per the article, however I don’t buy anything from NY, CA, or IL. Not a matter of cutting off my nose to spite my face… or something. If I can’t find it elsewhere I am damn sure I don’t need it.
Never had one before and I won’t have one now. I’ve been waiting for DW to start up their revolver production for some time now. Guess I’ll wait some more there are other products out there that are not built in one of the states mentioned above……..
You have the right idea. Its a good idea to combat the seditionists.
Notice the author did not mention if the gun has junk MIM castings in it. And how about the frame, is it to a junk casting?
I did not notice any MIM parts. Obvious ones that is. MIM parts are not junk if made correctly and used where they are intended to me used. The frame was/is far from junk.
I bought a .357 Dan Wesson “Pistol Pack” over 40 years ago when I was a college student.. It is still my favorite shooter. It has 3 interchangeable barrels 2inch,4inch,6inch, and 4 interchangeable grips-stocks. This means, practically speaking it can be 12 different handguns! I surprises me other manufacturers did not catch on to this and make this a standard style.
Back in 92 DW made a 715 “budget” version with a 4″ fixed barrel. I got one and have loved it for 23 years. The trigger is long and heavy, but I lightened it with an aftermarket spring kit. I wouldn’t trade my DW for anything. As a bonus, with the fixed barrel, the thermal expansion problem isn’t a problem. This handful of stainless awesomeness only cost me $350 brand new ! ! ! !
My name is Andrey mark,from United Kingdom, i am in the England army, one day, we went to Iraq, leaving my wife and two kids. I was away from home for ONE year, when I returned my wife told me she was no longer interested in the marriage that if she could survive for 1 year without me, the marriage is meaningless. Leaving home for ONE year was not easy but not having a family when i came back was more difficult. I pleaded continuously with her for 2 years even left the army just to convince her but all my attempt to get her back failed.On one faithful day, as I was about to sign a friend\’s guest book, I saw a post about a spell caster, at first I laughed but took the email address and phone number. After 2days something inside of me just asked me to contact him so i did and he cast a spell for me and he told me she was going to come back to me after 24 hours, to my surprise she called me even before the 24 hours elapsed and she said honey where are you, I\’m outside the house, please come and open the door for me. I opened the door and she came in, immediately she fell down on her knees and apologized to me, she said she was wrong to have left me and said she wanted me back. This is a big miracle….. All thanks to Dr iayaryi of ([email protected]), if not for him,I wonder the kind of life I would have lived. I want to use this medium to encourage other men and women out there, to contact this great spell caster, he is one of the greatest spell caster that ever exist. Dr iayaryi have all kinds of spell and these include Love spell, Lucky spell,business spell,spell to stop divorce, Favor spell, curing spell e.t.c. This is his direct contact: ([email protected]) or you can contact him directly through his personal ([email protected])
How did the moderator leave this crap in??
I own one of these fine, accurate and beautiful firearms. I am not pleased that it is made in my “old” state of NY but never the less I am proud to own my Dan Wesson.
Over Hyped, Over priced JUNK..The only thing this POS has in Common with Dan Wesson is that it’s a .357 Wheel Gun. Kudos to his Heirs for doing everything they can to Cash in on the name. Classy bunch….Plus it’s made in New York? The Gun equivalent of Picante Sauce in New Jersey? New York is an Anti 2nd Amendment Pit of Despair….No Thank You, My 7 shot Taurus shoots better, weighs less and costs half as much.
Yes because Taurus is a fine US manufactured firearm. If you own a Taurus revolver that is not junk you are in the minority. I’m not sure this Dan Wesson revolver is over hyped, as you almost have to search for info on it. The quality of manufacture I think is equivalent to a Smith, Colt or Ruger at least.
Sir,
Back in the 70’s the Dan Wesson with interchangeable barrels was popular for a short while by a few competitive Practical Police Competition (PPC) shooters. They shot the 6″ for the standard 50 yard course. They shot the 4″ for the scenario events and the 2″ for the Under Cover matches. It was nice as your were always shooting the same action, just different barrels.
HOWEVER!!!! The DW needed a complete and expensive action job, as the double action was so harsh nobody wanted to shoot it out of the box. And, after about 5,000 rounds of .38 Special wad cutters and switching barrels often the barrels lost their ability to remain securely seated and everyone who had one went back to S&W, Ruger or Colt.
Oddly, in the early 90’s I picked up an old HIGH STANDARD for $75 at a gun show. It had a 6″ (fixed barrel), with a fixed rear sight in the top of the frame, much like the S&W Model 10. When I first saw it laying on the table I was sure it was a DW, until I had it in my hands. It had exactly the same action, hammer and frame design as the Dan Wesson!!! Once I worked the action over and polished the parts, I carried it as my “roughing it” hiking/fishing/hunting sidearm and on the ranch. It shot really well popping coyotes out to 100+ yards and I harvested a couple deer with it, too.
Heck, I carried it so much I “holster polished” off a lot of the bluing. In 2008 a fellow came along that wanted it more than I did, so I sold it for 3 times what I paid … and sometimes have a pang of regret when I spot a coyote lurking around calves.
God Bless America and all our troops,
The Original High Plains Drifter
The interchangeable barrel is a fascinating and possibly useful feature; the rest of this gun appears to be missing the mark in almost every way as a practical pistol. As a result, it looks like its only suitable venues might be mid-caliber hunting and bullseye-type target shooting.
The weight is excessive for carry. I’m not weight-shy, but three pounds is a lot.
The cylinder latch seems, without actually experimenting with it, in a very wrong place for rapid reloads. If considered for defensive or sporting use, this alone would disqualify it from consideration.
I will be curious to try the DA trigger. The Dan Wessons I’ve tried in the past were entirely unacceptable. Since the DA trigger action is the most important element of a practical pistol, if this is finally brought up to decent or better, it would be a critical change.
The SA trigger is irrelevant to me; I never fire my guns SA. I do compete in action shooting sports with a Smith 586, and fire many thousands of revo rounds per year. I won’t go SA because it’s too slow, unreliable, and requires too much fine motor skill for use under stress. However, for hunting and slow fire target shooting, a good SA trigger will be of use.
It’s a surprise to me that a “new”, supposedly modern design revolver does not come cut for moonclips. Now, I am also continually surprised at how many revo shooters aggressively dislike the idea of moons- nearly all of whom have never tried operating a moon gun in a practical sense. It’s hard to understand why all the negativity, even anger. The moon cuts are not mandatory for shooting the gun; but they should be there for people who do want to use them and would cost virtually nothing in this “new” gun (instead of spending $150+ to send out the cylinder).
Which reminds me: that lip around the rear cylinder face is completely useless in a centerfire gun- why is it there? It costs the same as a moon cut would and provides negligible value.
I agree with the above poster about the dull, cheap-looking finish as it appears in the photos. I will want to see one in-the-metal before I would criticize that element.
I don’t want to put too much stock in styling, because style points don’t put bullets where they need to go, but the overall look of this gun leaves me stone cold. Some enthusiasm for an expensive tool comes from enjoying its appearance as well as its function, and I look at DWs and see clunk, not grace. Chucking $1200 at a gun that looks as though the toolmaker went home early that day would be tough.
So there’s that price. A 686 will be hundreds less; they are hell-for-strong, if not quite the tank that a Dan Wesson (or for that matter, a King Cobra) is. The DA trigger is good and can be made among the best on the planet easily. The sights, cylinder latch, and so forth are all excellent. The aftermarket for an L-frame is sensational: the best grips, speedloaders, moons, sight systems, upgrade parts are the ones out there for reasonable money.
It would be tough to walk past a 686 (586 for those of us who still can’t abide a silver-colored gun) and buy one of these.
Well stated Sir
What Vico said, (and I’m a big Dan Wesson 1911 fan).
I actually own a DW-15 in 357 Magnum , I bought it used and it has the 8& 3/8 barrel it has the full underlug , is it heavy yes it is , buy it is very balanced, the muzzle stays on target and you have a comfortable grip, you donot have to rubberize it like some ! I will say this it is a little time consuming changing barrels, I also have the DW-44 and I have multiple barrels for it, back to the 357, and the front Cylinder Latch, I love it, it is in the right position, I would make an improvement on the latch though, the top of the latch were your thumb would rest on, could be a tad wider, so as to get a better grip, also if You use a speed Loader, i have noticed some difficulty using one.
I, got a DW from my Dad… it was an awesome hand gun.. I, gave it to my daughter as she wanted a keepsake after Dad passed away…. I, would love to buy a Stainless DW … however.. I, too will not buy a gun from N.Y. Something about that just seems
wrong.
I have a broken Dan Wesson .357 mag and can not get the revolver repaired. The frame broke at the top rear and on the pivot at the front of the cylinder. I contacted the factory and was told that that frame was no longer available and I was out of luck. I am not a Dan Wesson fan.
How much do you want for your “broken” DW??? [email protected]
I donot know when your pistol broke , but there was a period of years that Dan Wesson was not producing revolvers, just there 1911’s they were selling stock parts and the factory from my under standing a few years ago had a fire and were producing nothing, The Current model revolver they produce is the 715 version which is stainless, the model 15 is blued, I would check back with them, and they are starting to produce parts again for both the Model 15 and 715 and the DW44.
Wonderful! A excellent revolver is available in stainless steel. What’s not to like? Have been shooting revolvers for a little over 30 years. DW’s always struck me as extremely well made. Never liked the cylinder release or the DA pulls. But, I never liked the cylinder release on Colt’s… or the DA pulls. Even the vaunted Python… just not impressed. SA pulls were always very fine.
Made in NY? So what??? Could not care less. Don’t like it. Want to make a “statement?” Then swear off all your investments in any other company headquartered in, operating in NY or especially NYC. Don’t like it? Don’t buy any books produced by any publisher who works out of NY or NYC… or who publishes any books by authors with whom you vehemently disagree.
Is it possible that with heavy usage a DW may need the shooter to use some common sense and attend to things like cleaning, tightening screws, etc. In a word… yes. The DW is not designed along the lines of a AK. It is produced with an eye to extremely fine accuracy, exactly the opposite of what drives AK type designs. Shoot the hound out of it. Give attention to common routine maintenance and your hand will fall off before the pistol fails.
Amen !
The design was not Wesson he bought the rights to use it from the real inventor. …his story is a much better read……..I just do not have it on me…sorry…do your home work.
My homeowners insurance company sent me a DW .357 back in about 1996 to replace a German made .357 that was stolen out of my work van. It had about a 5″ barrel then, with wood grips. Later I came across a man who sold me what was left of an original DW package deal that included barrels from 2″ to 9″, several grips, and the hardware necessary to change out the barrels. Cost me $60. I love this pistol. Shoots like a champ in either SA or DA, and the .357 round holds the record for one-shot kills in actual combat. I currently have the 9″ barrel on it. However, Tomski above is correct. A lot of hot and heavy shooting can result in the cylinder rubbing so hard on the rear of the barrel that you can’t even shoot it. While I don’t necessarily see this as a serious problem inasmuch as the fight will likely be over before this happens, I have found that the problem is largely corrected by leaving more space to begin with between the cylinder and the barrel than the specs call for. This of course allows for more blowout through the gap from initial rounds, but not enough to be a serious problem.
I had a couple of Dan Wesson revolvers in .357, and loved them. the first one I bought at Gemco, with the 4-inch barrel, and they threw in the 2-inch barrel assembly someone had ordered, then never picked. The second one I bought through an Arizona DPS officer. It was the four barrel and two grip in a very nice briefcase. I carried the 4-inch barrel with the target grip for duty, and the 2-incher with the San Francisco grip for off-duty. In the academy, myself and another trainee took a lot of ribbing about our ‘funny guns,’ but when we took first and second when shooting for score, our instructor said he would never talk about funny guns again. I transitioned to semi auto, but wish I still had the stainless Dan.
Can the photographer take a full side-profile picture of the gun next time? The other pictures are fine but it would be nice to see the entire gun in profile in one picture.
Too bad about the ‘made in New York’ bit. I used to have a DW .357 and loved it. I’d like one of these too, but I’ve quit buying ANYTHING I can identify as made in anti-gun socialist states. The company will need to move to a free state before I buy from them.
I had one that was made in Palmer. It was a piece of junk.
I owned one of these back in 1984-86. Came with a case and interchangeable barrels. I wish I still had it and have been looking at used pistols but I am glad I have waited as I prefer a new gun. I wonder if they will offer the gun with all of the barrels and case as they did before. I also think I would prefer the blued over the SS but that is a personal choice.
It’s always great to see something new on the market, thumbs up to CZ here!
The downside is that Dan Wesson Revolvers….Well, outside of the unique swap barrel concept, just kinda sucked…..At least the originals did. Both SA and DA trigger pulls suck, the overall design feels cheap and no matter how they spun it, the tolerances were just not so tight. At least, I am describing the earlier DW handguns. The new models from CZ at least, look well machined.
I am a firearms dealer, and I can tell you, it’s almost impossible to sell an original. Rarely do I see $375 out of the old Model 15s…No matter how nice. The old “pistol packs” are a bit easier to sell, providing everything is there.
CZ has seriously overpriced these.
I think only older gentlemen who actually owned earlier DW revolvers back in the day will buy these as a “nostalgia.” Perhaps a few will sell to CZ “collectors” just to have for the collection…..
As a whole I really look for them to be discontinued in a couple years.
I was in a Local Gunshop one day when a dude walked in with a DW-15 , The Shop was Allegheny River Arsenal , he wanted to sell it and they offered him $315.00 and yes I bought it for $375.00 , Lets be blunt Revolvers esp those in calibers like 38 Special, or 357 Magnum have fallen out of favor, no with the folks who are true handgunners, but with those who donot know what they are doing, this has become a Gloc Society, i.e. Plastic, that is why revolvers of all kinds not just the Dw. prices have fallen. I Bought that Dw-15 it was one of the best purchases I have ever made, it is with out question one of the most accurate revolvers I have ever shot, and it is a like sitting in an easyboy compared to shooting my fathers Colt Cobra, 38 Special that he carried as a Duty gun with his time on the force, that is a brutal experience.
I own a 15-2 in .357. Hands down the best shooting revolver I own. These hit the G*nbr*ker site a few months ago, and were priced way too high. I guess a few folks thought they would make a killing off the new release. It didn’t happen. I would rather have an older 715 in the range of $700-$800, which is a decent going price. Once you own a DW, you don’t regret it. FWIW, the action can be smoothed very easily.
Had/sold/shot dozens of Dan Wesson’s in the 70’s when I was a dealer and very active shooter. It was/is a good looking gun and shoots well — unless you shoot it too much and find out about the “Coefficient of Thermal Expansion” problem.
All materials change in volume/size as heat is applied, and every different material changes at a different rate.
When putting a few hundred rounds or so through any of the DW revolvers, since the shroud, the barrel, and the nuts that held them together are made from different materials, they would expand in length at different speeds as they heated up from constant firing, causing that assembly to either:
#1. Lock up your gun entirely because the back of the barrel would end up expanding against the cylinder face, locking up the gun because the cylinder wouldn’t rotate or…
#2. Cause the barrel nut to loosen to the point where it would actually fall off, as would the shroud!
I was a dealer from 1972-1997 and had 3 customers who were fellow “gun nuts” and, as a group, we bought every handgun that ever showed up in any gun magazine and then would spend the week hand-loading 500 + rounds of the calibers of the guns we bought and then go out the next weekend shooting with them — literally using them to lower a bunch of small block buildings by one row of blocks at a time! (We did that at least 40 weekends per year.)
The Dan Wesson guns were the only ones that ever had problems with that torture test and yes, we used the correct shims when mounting the barrel and no, we were not wimps who couldn’t tighten it.
Scientifically, that whole removable revolver barrel, (“Pistol Pac”), concept has an inherent problem unless every part, (frame/barrel/shroud/nut), were all made of the same material and, even then, only if you can somehow vent the shroud so the barrel on the inside was not getting exceptionally hotter than the rest of the parts.
Nifty concept and a pretty gun but only if you shoot it moderately.
My brother has a DW 357 maximum blued version (vented barrel shroud) and never had or has had a problem period, also know two gun shop owners who shot them in competition and loved them.
People slap down thousands of bucks for a POS colt snake and think they got a deal.
A Dan Wesson is the real deal.
A fine revolver, I’m sure, BUT the matte finish is a deal killer for me. A nice satin finish would have been SO MUCH better.
Interesting, the cost – what with S&W’s going for near that same money and you get almost a 1-off SS CZ/DW beauty. I could easily see me owning one. I’m a CZ guy anyway.
Knowing it chambered in .357 is also a huge plus.
Lastly, and probably the thing that threw me over the barrel, is literally the barrel – the fact that you easily change out lengths that makes this a no-brainer. A true convertible .357 is the right answer, CZ.
Love it.!! Thanks for the review.
If I was choosing a wheelgun as a social or service pistol, the Dan Wesson would be second only to the Python — and a CLOSE second. I carried a Python daily for several years, then a Dan Wesson for a similar length of time, and regret ever letting go of either of them.
I was able to go from 4″ open carry to 2″ for under the aloha shirt in about a minute.
One other great feature of the Dan Wesson was the interchangeable stocks. This takes another minute, but putting a slim, finger-grooved stock on went a long way toward eliminating printing when carry concealed, while I could put a fat stock back on for OC if I chose.
The best part of this reissue is that it should let the price of the earlier guns drift down a bit closer to my affordable range.
I bought a 6 inch DW in 78. Grip was a handfull. The high high gloss blue was the most beautiful finish I had ever seen but it chipped. You use them, you get scratches and dings but to have the frame chip was ugly. Shot so good the snakes would be put away! Good to see them back.
Just to let you know there are aftermarket stocks out there that offer a slimmer profile, bought the stock for my Dw44 about four years ago paid around a hundred bucks for them, I love the big Dw44. I also bought the blued 357 magnum, also a fine pistol thus far.
“Pentacle?” Is that even a word? I think you may have meant “pinnacle.”
I think you mean “pinnacle”. Pentacle refers to a five pointed star used in sorcery, which we all know is forbidden by the Bible. Maybe autocorrect is the villain here.
Very good review of a very nice revolver, well worth the cost.
Good things that guns and bibles are completely unrelated subjects then.
I will buy one because of the pentacles , I need all the magic and sorcery I can use : ). Bought my first one in Sunnyvale, California Pawn shop for $199 back in 1994 The price really gone up but it’s sure worth it , great revolver .
Heh. I think that was auto correct or sleep deprivation.
You had me right up to when you said they are made in NY! COME ON!! NY?!?!?! Won’t support them till they leave the land of the walking targets. Atleast Kahr had the stones to leave and move to PA. I have an old DW 715VH….LOVE it! Not sure where they made them….don’t care. That was 30+ years ago. Now?….Won’t support any products from NY till they start supporting the American way of life…..that would be freedom. We have to start doing all we can to stop supporting the Socialist leaders of NY…..unfortunately that means all who chose to do business where the Libs rule….they are off limits for me anyways. Make your own choice.
I’m glad to see there’s others out there that have the same view as I do about this matter. The best way to stop them is hit their pocket books.
You can add me to the list of people who will NOT purchase any firearms or firearm accessories made in NY !!!~!!!
I agree with you whole heartedly but I have to offer another way of looking at this. How ironic is it that such a liberal anti constitutional state like NY is manufacturing in it’s state firearms for the conservative masses such as ourselves. A state that would probably like to see total enactment of gun control is allowing the manufacture, production and sales of the very product it despises. Poetic justice in one sense of the term. It would be somewhat like a muslum country producing bibles for Christians undermining their very belief structure. Maybe the best way to stick it to NY, which is second only to CA in it’s anti constitutional ideologies, is to purchase as many firearms out of that state as possible and making it the number one producer of the very product it would like to see banned. Just a thought. “From time to time the tree of liberty must be refreshed with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” Thomas Jefferson
Add me to the list. I left NY long ago because of the growing anti-American goverance of the state. I have had 3 DWs 44; 357; 22 and still own two of them. They are hands down the top in DA revolver accuracy. Anyone not familiar with the “Dans” should do a liitle research and see what they’re missing. Sad that one of the best handguns made is made in one of the worst states (politically) in the nation.
I thought the same thing when I saw N.Y. I would love to have one but I’m not sending money to N.Y.
Glad to see I’m not alone on this.
Don’t rob yourself of a great product, or cut off your nose to spite your face. I’m getting one and enjoying it down here in Georgia whether it’s made by them damn Yankees or not
Your right sir.glad you’re in the minority.
eff ny!
I too have become a more “informed” consumer. With the advent of the internet, I find it is easy to do a lot more in-depth research on a product, the corporation behind it, and so on. The only thing most of have any real control over and can actually make a difference in as a group, is what we spend our money on. I try and not spend money on products from locations that have taken an anti-2nd Amendment stance (New York, Massachusetts, Washington D.C., etc.) or from companies that show a streak of what I consider anti-American values. I also do not go to movie theaters, restaurants, or other service providers that prohibit legal CCH licensed holders from entering their businesses. What I wish the NRA and GOA would do is to monthly update a list of these type of businesses so its members could boycott their products, movie premiers at local theaters, etc. Lets really fight fire with fire and direct our consumer dollars only to those businesses and states that support our Constitutional freedoms.
Well said Michael, I concur.
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
This would all be find to boycott companies and states that don’t support freedom. But what if you have a company and your state makes laws you disagree with but you have to obey as a law abiding citizen. Now people like some on here put you out of business or cause you not to manufacture a very good gun because they don’t want to buy from a company in your state because others elect morons who write laws contrary to the constitution against your wishes?
A couple companies moved out of Colorado because of their stupid laws and Berretta may have moved out of MD, though I am not sure they did, but that does not mean the companies who built their business in a state that turns its back on the constitution but has not kicked the company out of state yet, does not mean that we should not support them. Maybe a strong sales of a new line of firearms would allow them to move to a more friendly state, but what if that state, they just moved to, changes and turns liberal too?
Do you people not realize it cost a lot of money to move a manufacturing business????????? You people are not thinking straight!
Amen to Draino’s comments.
i don’t really understand this attitude. i mean, a part of me does, but the gun companies are not the enemy. how is helping one of the few gun manufacturers, or pro gun companies in general in New York go out of business going to help anything? the more gun companies there are in new york, the more influence they have, and the harder it will be to get more anti gun legislation passed(and anti gun laws getting passed in one state is bad for people of all states.) the government cares a lot more about the money they get from gun companies, than they do ordinary citizens, and boycotting these companies, or wanting them to go out of business, or even just move to a different states, removes one more incentive for the politicians to consider or listen to the pro 2A community.
living in the Evil Empire State…can’t move. Upstate New York has a very strong gun owner base. The politicians in NY are so corrupt that the US District Attorney is going after them. Senate and Assembly majority leaders have both been charged and resigned. I am praying that Cuomo is next. NY SAFE was a backroom deal by these three evil bastards (the “Three Amigos.)
NY SAFE is being fought tooth and nail by the majority of upstate New Yorkers. So when you choose not to buy guns made in NY, solely because they are made here…you are punishing fellow gun enthusiasts and strengthening the anit-gun lobby. We need numbers to throw all the bums in Albany out!
Agreed. It is also overlooked by a lot of people that it is not easy to move your already established business without some form of financial assistance. I’m sure a lot of gun manufacturers still Located in NY would like to move but don’t want to go through the financial and logistic headache of such a move. Also when a factory is relocated they often loose a great deal of their skilled employees who either will not or (more often) cannot make a move to a new state. This causes all kinds of quality control issues while the new workers and gun smiths try to learn their jobs. This happened to Bushmaster when they moved to NY from Windham, ME. The quality they were once known for disappeared overnight. If you want a quality “Bushmaster” rifle nowadays you need to get a wonderful Windham Weaponry Sporting Rifle made in the same factory by the same hands and quality assurance personnel that used to make the high quality Bushmaster Rifle. So please do not judge too harshly the actions of those Companies remaining in NY. Given time NY might be able to return to its senses given the hard work of those Activists and Gun Manufacturers who refuse to leave and are fighting for a true return of Common Sense Gun Laws to that once wonderful State.
As much as I admire DW/CZ/Kimber, et.al. I will not be buying any more firearms from them until they see the light and move their operations to more 2A friendly environs. What is a few hundred thousand in moving costs to companies like these when they are producing the numbers of weapons they do annually? Too many other fine firearm choices out there to send tax revenues to New York state.
Kendall read comments of 2shot above!
It will not go out of business. If it can’t sell guns made in NY, it will wise up and move someplace from which people will buy them.
“Use” to the short trigger? It’s ‘used to’ NOT “use to”. Sheesh. How can anyone take the rest of what you write seriously when you can’t get the simplest of grammar correct?
When I read grammar NAZI bullshit like this
The comment get a life ass-whole meaning you are a complete asshole comes to mind.
“The 715 is arguably the pentacle of the Dan Wesson designs. ”
Should have been pinnacle. Hard to overlook an egregous error like this. Even if commenting makes me an ass-whole.
Amen Brother,looks like somebody pays a little too much attention to their spell check then the important info.
I am willing to bet all of you that comment on “grammer” and spelling you can read the blog with no issues. So what is your problem? You can READ, RIGHT? then quit bitching about the “grammer” and “spelning” you know exactly what the word is and what is being said. Use you replies to comment on what is said instead of correcting every thing and wasting our time to read your SNIDE remarks!
It’s “ass-hole” not “ass-whole”…just saying
The idea that you are hurting NY is stupid, the gun owners and workers there are the ones you hurt. Just like those who refuse to sell legal fire arms to those in CA or MA. You are only hurting those on your own side, shooting your wounded so to speak.
I am well aware of the Upstate NY Struggle with the psycho libs in the big city. All I can say is……because you are crazy enough to pay all those taxes and support the “machine”, that doesn’t mean I am. And, if a company like Kahr can do it….I see no reason that other guns makers can’t do it. If enough people leave NY and quite feeding the monster(as well as being a walking target) the monster will die. And one thing is certain. Nothing will EVER change unless people start making a change. So all I have to say is…make a change…..America!!!
I will Absolutely! support firearm manufactures in states like NY. Not because I agree with their politics, or want to support thier state financialy, but because they are fighting the good fight. I view it as a sort of a resistance. They don’t tuck tail and run. Liberalism is a sickness, no amount of lost tax revenue will adjust their Defective mindset.
I agree with you whole heartedly but I have to offer another way of looking at this. How ironic is it that such a liberal anti constitutional state like NY is manufacturing in it\’s state firearms for the conservative masses such as ourselves. A state that would probably like to see total enactment of gun control is allowing the manufacture, production and sales of the very product it despises. Poetic justice in one sense of the term. It would be somewhat like a muslum country producing bibles for Christians undermining their very belief structure. Maybe the best way to stick it to NY, which is second only to CA in it\’s anti constitutional ideologies, is to purchase as many firearms out of that state as possible and making it the number one producer of the very product it would like to see banned. Just a thought. \”From time to time the tree of liberty must be refreshed with the blood of patriots and tyrants.\” Thomas Jefferson
President Obama, most of his Administration, and the loudest anti-gun voices in Congress own huge blocks of stock in the gun and ammunition companies on the NYSE. Whenever there is a big shooting, they threaten once again to “take away gun rights,” and thousands and thousands of furious and frightened people swarm gun stores and buy guns and ammunition they don’t really need — for hundreds and even thousands of dollars a pop; thereby, gun purchasers infuse welcome cash into the anti-gunners bank accounts. Plus, people with true anti-gun predispositions send those politicians more money. I believe they spend so much time vilifying those ugly black rifles they purposely and erroneously call “assault weapons” because the purchase of ONE such limited-use weapon generates more than twice the revenue of a pistol — or a more pedestrian rifle or shotgun. President Obama himself was in financial trouble early in his Administration, bought stock in gun companies, made his first “I’mma git your guns” pronouncement, and within two days was out of debt. Ruger is just one of those gun companies largely owned by such “anti-gun” politicians. When President Obama took office, its stock sold for a little over $5 a share. Yesterday when I checked it was over $54 per share. They aren’t really going to shut down the gun industry. They’re not going to kill the goose. They’d rather harvest the regularly appearing golden eggs — which they can squeeze on command out of the goose. This is a huge scam. Like all scams, it depends upon emotions overriding thought.
WOW, another anti-gun supporter reading our blogs. It is absolutely AMAZING! I have never been to an anti-gun blog, or website, but I continually read comments from “anti’s” on various websites.
The 2nd Amendment is to guarantee the presence of a “militia” to stand against a tyrannical government. No erroneous story of financial mystery, is reason to not have the proper weaponry to create, and defend the Constitution. The so called “black rifle” is no more that the modern version of the flintlock that revolutionary forces carried in the days of our Nation’s birth. The “reason” to own a firearm is for defense against the Government that fails to recognize that it serves the people, not the people serving it. The writing is on the wall, history is repeating itself
I will not buy anything from the socialistic state of new york, never. They fight to take my rights away and to make me a slave of the state. You nasty people of new York suck.
I live in Pennsylvania and look who my fellow citizens elected as a Governor a Piece of Crap Bolshevik !