No More DW Revolvers

[gjn]

Spoke to the Dan Wesson people at the Shot Show in hopes of eventually getting a 414 and was told for now they are not making anymore revolvers.

[Reed1911]

That is just for right now, they are over booked with the semi-autos they don't have time to do the revo's, keep the faith

[Steel Shooter]

Ya know, that stinks.
Since when should semiautos take precedence over revolvers.
There is more to this story that isn't being said.

[Laremm]

I would like to see them make a 41 again.

I own the 357 and 44, I need a 41 so I can........

I am sure I have a reason.

Actually I need a second 357. Cant have to many.

[unspellable]

I've failed to understand the self loader bit.  Every body and their brother-in-law makes 1911 derivatives.  You would think the market would be saturated.  On the other hand nobody else makes a revolver anything like a DW. 

[Steel Shooter]

unspellable:

You NAILED IT PERFECTLY!!!

[El Hombre]

On 2/15/08 I responded to Keith at Dan Wesson on the 1911forum where he asked for input for new models. I asked about a return to revolver production. His reply was "Revolvers?...Not anytime soon."
Here is a link to the thread.

http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=192606&page=3

I think the main issue is DW is still a small organization. According to Keith, their total production will be lucky to hit 3,000 units this year. That' s what alot of the big guys do in a month. The 1911's are selling, very well. Their current production is at maximum. Expansion? I don't think that is their decision anymore, it's up to CZ/USA.

[Steel Shooter]

El Hombre:
Very interesting! I think I'm going to have to do some letter writing.

[DWTim]

I came into possession of a chart labeled: "Handgun Production by U.S. Manufacturers 2004"

According to this chart, Dan Wesson produced 1,010 guns that year. Only 51 were revolvers. There is a reason why, and that reason is that they just don't sell. It's sad, but true. And hey, I can't figure it out either; the market is operated by decisions without information gained from experience.

<sarcasm> A revolver that can be set to the perfect gap at the bench, can switch barrels in minutes, has a single-action pull that snaps like glass, and is accurate enough to shoot the head off a match? Why, I think instead I'll buy a glock-alike with a painted on finish, so I can sell a paint-chipped rattle-box for a bargain basement price five years from now!</sarcasm>

On the upside, I'm glad to hear that DW is operating at maximum capacity. While everyone and his cousin makes a 1911, few are as good as a DW, for the price of a DW. The only problem is finding places that sell new DW models. I'm saving and waiting for a new 445, but it has to be under the glass to buy it. Perhaps I should consider the Razorback.

[Steel Shooter]

DWTim:

Interesting stats! You have said that the reason why they don't make more revolvers is that "they don't sell". Well, I don't agree with that totally. I have been buying revolvers direct from Dan Wesson for the last 3 years. They do not fill my purchase orders. In just 2007 alone, I had orders placed for 7 guns. They built me 2 which I got in April (had to wait several months).......and then got a 3rd one in December. The other 4 revolvers never were born. I was told they lost KEY people. In 2008, I placed orders for 6 guns - and was told NO. And, I am sure that if I received these 6 guns by the middle of the year, I'd be ordering more before the year was over!! And, this is just from one little guy like me. I sent a long letter to CZ-USA's National Sales Manager 3 weeks ago, practically begging for some revolver production. Even sent, copies of my 2 purchase orders for 6 revolvers total as proof that I wasn't just bullshitting. To date - no response at all. This blows me away.

You know, I breathed such a BIG sigh of relief when CZ bought Dan Wesson, because I thought that my favorite revolver company was SAVED. I said to myself, "thank God"!! And now, for the last 9 months, I really don't feel that it was in fact saved.

MY GOD!!!! They've got such a niche product, that NO one else builds!! You said it above.....the customer can set his own cylinder/barrel gap - change barrel lengths in a couple of minutes - and have a tack driving revolver EVERY day of the year, that's built like a tank. Nobody else does this - DW HAS NO COMPETITION!!! And yet, they have chosen not to build revolvers. Where in the h*ll is the (business) common sense??

Sorry everyone for the ranting. I'm just so damn frustrated. Have used and loved their product for 30 years - bought and sold it for the last 8. I wish someone would tell me just what CZ-USA needs - to return to revolver production in a serious way. Maybe we dealers and distributors in the industry could help make that happen for CZ.
 

[RollTide]

The only good part about the factory producing no more revolvers is that the used gun prices will drop.  It seems like it would be the opposite, but over the last 20 years or so when there was news that the guns were going out of production, the used prices have started to decline because people are afraid to buy a gun they cannot get parts for and with a resale value that may be questionable.  When Serva bought the company and started making guns again the prices took a jump up.  Now I believe that will start to come down again.  Bad news if you are selling, good news if you are buying.  Of course just because they are not making new guns does not mean parts are unavailable, but most folks don't think that way.  I will wait a year or 2 and start picking up some real bargains at the gun shows and pawn shops like I used to.  Dan Wessons are so robust and have fewer moving parts compared to other revolvers that parts are not a great concern anyway.  Most don't break, at least not often.  I'm keeping mine and buying more so lower prices is fine with me. 

I don't buy mine to sell, I buy them to keep.

Roll Tide

[Steel Shooter]

But, it seems like one helluva big sacrifice to make just to bring used gun prices down!
I think I'd rather have higher used gun prices....and decent NEW revolver production from Dan Wesson.
I don't know - maybe I'm just selfish.

[dougk]

If parts are available and no more revolvers are being produced by the factory, provided DW has a great reputation and demand increases then prices should increase.

[gypsyman]

Well, here is my 2 cents worth, and apologies to all the college educated people who read this, that still retained their common sense. My belief is that there are college educated idiots, as I like to call them,bean counters, that are determining what to build, or model. Their not gun people. The reason that the numbers aren't up, they just haven't built them.
Kinda like a restaurant not having T-bone steaks.  If you don't have it on the menu, don't advertise it, how in the hell do you expect to sell any.  gypsyman

[Steel Shooter]

Well said, gypsyman.