It is asked often for Dan Wesson info or history, here is a couple of clips from the old Dan Wesson website.
THE DAN WESSON HERITAGE: THE MAN AND THE GUN Dan Wesson Arms Co., Inc./ Wesson Firearms Co., Inc. 1968-1995
Each Dan Wesson Firearms revolver bears the name of Daniel B. Wesson, who founded Dan Wesson Arms Co., Inc. in 1968. The great-grandson of D. B. Wesson, co-founder of Smith & Wesson, his goal was to build the finest revolvers that the shooting world had ever seen. He accomplished this by creating guns that were innovative, virtually indestructible, and capable of match-grade accuracy right out of the box.
Dan Wesson was a perfectionist, preferring to build a few truly great guns, rather than many merely good ones. In an era of mega-corporations and bottom-line management, he would never allow quality to be sacrificed for the sake of quantity. And it didnt stop there. His philosophy was You can never be fully satisfied. You can always make something better. This kept him on a course of constant improvement, while providing his customers with the very best revolvers that money could buy.
Elgin Gates, the father of modern handgun silhouette shooting, said of Dan Wesson, He was one of the great men of the firearms industry and of his time; one of those individuals who made things happen, who kept the handgun world honest because he built the best guns that brains and material could turn out. Because of that, the others dared not do less.
DAN WESSON FIREARMS: THE NEW GENERATION Current History since 1996
Im Bob Serva, president of Dan Wesson Firearms. In 1996 I had the opportunity to purchase the Wesson Firearms Co. of Palmer, MA. after if had gone out of business. I had always had a liking for the Dan Wesson revolver, with its strength, accuracy, interchangeable barrels and modern aesthetics. I personally had been shooting a Dan Wesson revolver for many years with great satisfaction. My aspiration of bringing back to life the defunct Wesson Firearms Co. became a reality in the spring of 1996, when I purchased the company from its sole remaining owner. Included in the purchase of the company were the tooling, patents, trademarks, intellectual properties and all remaining inventories. None of the machinery from the old plant was purchased or put into service at the new location because most of the old equipment was just that, old and tired.
In the early summer of 1996, a group of close friends and I rented fleet trucks and proceeded to Palmer, MA to sort through and move all of the items from Wesson Firearms Co. to upstate New York. After getting settled in, we started to go through the old tooling and realized that if we were going to make a product that would measure up to the standards Dan Wesson himself would have expected, we were not going to be able to do it with most of the tired old tooling. We would have to build new. It was time for a superbly designed firearm to have a new birth.
With the help of some tooling experts we summarized the machining processes and its applications to new high-tech horizontal machining centers. The first revolvers were shipped in December of 1997 after months of very hard work. We were extremely proud of our first production run. The fit, finish and function of the revolvers were excellent. The newly purchased YAG laser improved the markings and serial numbering of the frames and barrel assemblies dramatically.
During 1998 we continued to incorporate production and assembly refinements. On the manufacturing floor we continued to update with additional CNC lathes, polishing stations and training new hires. At the end of the year we added the SRS-1 (Super Ram Silhouette) line of silhouette target revolvers, introduced due to customer demand for a long range target-acquiring revolver with superior sights.
1999 has been an exciting year of growth for the company. We have added two new models to our large frame series, and reintroduced the powerful .414 SuperMag. The model 360 is the .357 magnum in our large .44 magnum series frame chambered to accept .357 maxi brass trimmed back to 1.42, providing additional case capacity. This allows the use of some of todays larger and heavier hunting and target bullets for the .357 magnum. The model 460 is a .45 caliber revolver that will chamber and fire the .45 ACP, .45 +P, .45 Super, 460 Rowland & the .45 Winchester Magnum using moon clips. The 460 will also fire the .45 Auto Rimmed without moon clips.
We have also reintroduced the Pistol Packs and Hunter Packs this year. These two packs have a new carry case and a configuration that differ slightly from those of the past. The new case has been upgraded to an elegant navy blue cordura over wood case with black leather trim, brass corners, hinges and dual combination locks. Inside the case is die-cut foam to secure the firearm and accessories. This case will remind you of a high grade English style shotgun case, only smaller.
This coming year we are reintroducing the retooled and reprocessed small frame series, the .22 Long Rifle through the small frame .357 magnum. Also behind the curtain for 2000 is the introduction of Dan Wesson Firearms first production semi-automatic pistol, the Pointman, a 1911 government style model. Initial production models will be stainless steel in .45 ACP. Several prototype models were introduced in late fall of 1999. This product will follow in the Dan Wesson Firearms tradition of innovation and quality. Soon to follow is the Guardian, a commander style 1911 semi-automatic, also in .45 ACP, as well as parts for upgrading any Colt-style 1911.
We are investing the time, effort and financial resources necessary to bring the Dan Wesson Firearms company forward as a commanding leader in innovation and quality in the firearms industry. Our goal is not to be a high volume producer of cheap firearms. We will only produce the best of the best, and continue to make it even betterjust like Dan Wesson himself.
Throughout history, most people who have purchased firearms have looked to acquire one that would provide a lifetime of shooting enjoyment for themselves as well as future generations of their family. The Dan Wesson Firearms vision is to put the kind of lasting value into every handgun we produce that will ensure they exceed the status of a mere firearm and become a true piece of history.
The Dan Wesson Firearms RevolverMost revolvers are modifications of designs which date back more than a century. The Dan Wesson Firearms revolver is a modern design, created for strength, accuracy, simplicity, and durability. Its unique barrel/shroud interchangeability makes it not only more versatile than traditional revolvers, but also far more consistently accurate. Dan Wesson Firearms manufacturing methods produce parts to exacting specifications, which result in performance and handling qualities without equal in the handgun field.
The accuracy of the Dan Wesson revolver is well established and documented. Its performance in metallic silhouette competition is legendary. Experienced competitors know that the Dan Wesson revolver shows undeviating accuracy at distances where other revolvers faltered. In competition, hunting, law enforcement, protection, or simple enjoyment, the Dan Wesson revolver stands alone.
The Dan Wesson revolver incorporates many distinctive features that contribute to smooth performance, tight groups, and rock-solid reliability. Here are some of the most important.
FRAME: The Dan Wesson frame is noted for its strength. Each revolver, regardless of caliber, is designed and produced as a magnum revolver, rather than a traditional design upgraded to handle magnum loads. Dan Wesson was often accused of over-engineering, to which he readily pled guilty as charged.
ACTION: Dan Wesson revolvers have a short, fast double action and a crisp, clean single action pull. An adjustable trigger stop eliminates any trace of backlash. The mainspring is a coilspring rather than the traditional fragile flat spring. These revolvers have fewer parts than other revolvers, and the parts were designed for utmost strength and simplicity in assembly and function. Initial assembly requires very little fitting, and repairs, if ever necessary, are easily made. New Dan Wesson Firearms customers are often amazed at the smoothness of the action. Although it is was true that on other revolvers, owners would have to pay for some extra gunsmithing to get a double or single action trigger pull this good, on the Dan Wesson it is included at no extra cost.
CYLINDER: Dan Wesson cylinders are produced from aircraft quality heat-treated steel and are stronger, with heavier chamber walls, than other revolver cylinders.
CYLINDER LATCH: The latch or cylinder lock is up front, next to the barrel, assuring positive alignment between the cylinder and the barrel. It also keeps the latch out of the way of the shooters thumb while firing, eliminating the possibility of accidentally opening the cylinder during recoil. The cylinder/crane assembly locks shut to the frame with its latch in the crane itself, not at the rear of the cylinder and the front of the ejector rod or at the rear of the cylinder alone. Rear lockup is equally strong; a spring-tensioned ball bearing in the frame that snaps into a perfectly machined recess in the center of the solid extractor. Systems that latch the cylinder only at it's rear or in conjunction with the ejector rod allow the crane to move slightly away from the frame under stress. This results in varied chamber alignment with the barrel and loss of consistency in round-to-round accuracy. This locking configuration allows one-handed opening and extraction while the other hand prepared for reloading, so necessary in timed competition shooting.
BARREL/SHROUD: From the very beginning, all Dan Wesson revolvers have been distinguished by their unique system of interchangeable barrels and shrouds. The desirability of the barrel-change feature is obvious. There is no other gun that enables a swap to 2 1/2", 4", 6", 8" or 10 tubes in less than a minute. But to a handgun competitor, the Dan Wesson barrel design makes sense in another way. The design is such that it's locked front and back, both at the breech and at the muzzle by the enclosing shroud and barrel nut. This reduces vibration, and keeps the tube under a slight but constant amount of tension. With this secure foundation, there is less variation in the flexing of the barrel from round to round, and consequently better accuracy. In addition, the shroud on the Dan Wesson revolver protects the inner barrel as well as the ejector rod from being accidentally damaged.
RIFLING: Dan Wesson revolver barrels are produced from aircraft-quality heat-treated steel using cut (broached) and swagged rifling. This results in very sharp and crisp edges to the lands and grooves - and a better "bite" on the bullet. The barrel muzzle is flat and square with the bore, assuring that the bullet exits the muzzle at all points simultaneously.
BARREL/CYLINDER GAP: The width of the B/C gap can be carefully and precisely controlled by screwing the barrel slightly in or out. This contributes to superior accuracy. With every revolver, a precise feeler gauge is included for setting the proper tolerance between barrel and cylinder.
FIRING PIN: All Dan Wesson revolvers have the firing pin contained in the frame, rather than exposed on the hammer. This protected it from damage caused by accidents or misuse.
GRIPS: The unique frame design of the Dan Wesson revolver can accommodate an infinite variety of grip shapes and sizes. Old-style two-piece grip panels restrict the size and shape of the grip that can be used. The Dan Wesson uses a one-piece grip which is stronger and could be shaped to fit any shooter or shooting requirement. The grips are held to the frame by a heavy bolt that screwed into the frame extension. Interchanging grips is simple, done by pulling off the installed stock, positioning the new one and replacing and tightening the screw.
FLEXIBILITY: The Dan Wesson offers the opportunity to own a revolver virtually custom-built to personal requirements. Choices include a wide range of barrel lengths, shroud configurations, grip shapes and materials and sight configurations. Whether a customer chooses a basic revolver or an elaborate, cased multi-barrel system, their Dan Wesson revolver is uniquely their own, built to their exact specifications
and here is another great website with Dan Wesson Info.
http://www.notpurfect.com/main/dwrev.htmDavid Carey
