Why do you choose DW over others?

[TScottO]

Hello Everyone,

I’m in the market for a new handgun and I’m mainly a revolver nut but I have never shot or owned a DW. Matter of fact the only DWs I’ve seen are before the new regime. At this point I have revolvers from Ruger, SW, Colt, FA…no tarus, rossi, bfr. What I really want to know is what attracts you guys to DW revolvers? What makes them better? I know with the older DWs I’ve seen, the resale value doesn’t seem in line for the price these guns cost new. Help me out here. I’m looking to buy a 45acp for shooting pins.

Good luck and be safe,
Scott

[FireMarshal91]

Scott,

I am a new DW owner myself.  I own a 44 mag made from the first DW company.  I'll tell you why I picked DW's over other revolvers.  They are as follows: 1) Interchangable barrel lengths from 4", 6", 8" and 10" (44 mag), 2) Heavy frame construction which will take lots of abuse from shooting magnum loads, 3) DW's are underpriced, you get a good quality gun (older models) for the amount of money you pay, 4) Accurate because of the way the barrel system is connected to the frame through the barrel shroud (barrel tension and vibration??), 5) Cylinder lock-up is on the front of the cylinder on the crane (best place to put the cylinder lock-up) for strength and last, 5) No other gun looks like a DW.  Ya either like it or ya don't.  Most peole who don't like DW's or accuse them of not being accurate don't fully understand the importance of properly securing the barrel to the frame and setting the cylinder gape properly in order for the pistol to perform as designed.

Hope this helps.  My .02 cents worth.

Jason :-)

[ira41magfan]

Scott,
I think FireMarshal91 covered all the bases for buying a DW.  My reason for buying a DW is, I already reload for the 41mag and I can use the same bullets/powders for the 41mag in my new 414SuperMag.  It should last a very long time!  Now if I could only talk myself into just reloading and owning one caliber........ :shock:

[unspellable]

The cylinder latch doesn't have anything to do with the overall strength of the revolver.  Locating it in the crane makes for a more consistent latch up from one revolver to the next.  If you examine a few S&W's, you will find some latch up with the crane tight and some latch up with the crane a bit loose.

A few years back DW did some research into the areas of forcing cone angle and chamber throat diameter and how they affect accuracy.  Very basic questions, but none of the big name manufacturers had bothered to ask them for the last 100 years.

The Dan Wesson is the strongest DA revolver around.  If you run 50 full house 44 mag rounds a week through a S&W M29 it will work loose in a year or two.  This will not faze a 44 mag DW.

The Ruger Red Hawk is also pretty strong and fairly accurate, but the DW seems to beat it for accuracy.  The Colt Anaconda does not have a very good reputation for accuracy.

I personally have the Colt, S&W, Taurus, & DW in 44 mag.  Used to have a 44 Red hawk but did not like the grip shape and feel, and the clinky noises it made cocking, traded it off.

I like the interchangable barrels on the DW not so much to change lengths as for having two of the same length, one with scope, and one without.  I have only six and eight inch barrels for the 44 mag DW.  No urge for a shorter barrel.  (It ain't a pocket gun.)

I have recently acquired a Super Blackhawk, mostly just to say I have at least one SA.  I much prefer a DA even though I only use it in SA mode.  The Colt Anaconda is also there mostly to say I have one.  I do most of my 44 mag shooting with the DW or some light loads in the S&W.

[unspellable]

The DW is the only revolver chambering the 445 Super Mag, the best of all the super duper boomers.  Yes, the 454 Casull, et al, will beat it out at the muzzle, but at 100 yards the 445 matches the 454 Casull with less recoil, flatter trajectory, far less cost, and holds six rounds vs five.

Even if you can stand the recoil of a 454, you can't afford to shoot it.  And you have to be darn careful with handloads, it runs very high pressures, use the wrong bullets or the wrong powder, and the barrel will soon go bye bye.  It's a gunsmith's job to replace it, not a quick on the range five minute job like the DW.

The 445 is not fussy about what you use for bullets.  It runs 44 mag pressures and will use any 44 mag bullet.  Half the shooting cost or less.

[BigDaddyB]

These fellows have summed it up nicely.  

If you like shooting big bore, DW is THE only one to shoot.  These guns make recoil VERY managable, even for the .445.  

I have 3 DW's and don't regret a single one.  If DW started making their revolvers in all of the 'big' chamberings, they'd corner the market.

I do have to add that I'm not as impressed with their 1911's.  They're well made, and very accurate, but don't have the fit and finish of my Kimbers or my Springfield Armory.

[TScottO]

Hello,

Thanks everyone for your replies. How are the factory actions on these guns? Are they smooth as silk or do they need to have an action job to feel like a tuned Smith? I’m not sure I want to go with a 454 caliber weapon in a DA pistol. I think the best platform for a 44magnum is a double action but for the bigger stuff I really prefer single-actions. I really do think the Super Mags series. They are a classy looken guns. The Alaskan surely looks nice. I’m more interested in a gun for pin shooting. If I read DWs site correctly, the 460 shoots 45acp all the way up to 45win mag out of the same cylinder. I’m not sure I like the idea of the bullet having to hump that far before it gets to the throat. The worst thing about living in a small town is that it’s not likely to find a DW in a gun shop. To actually feel of a gun is worth 1000 words.

None of you DW shooters happen to live in southwest Louisiana do you?

Good luck and be safe,
Scott

[ira41magfan]

I can't say that my 414SM is as smooth as my 5yr old S&W 41mtn gun which has 5000 or so rounds through it but then again my new S&W 44mtn gun isn't that smooth either.  I do expect things to get better with usage.

However, I prefer to have things to smooth out with time and rounds sent down range as to having a gun smith work things over on a brand new gun.  But that's just me, I guess I'm funny like that.

[alchemist]

Unfortuantely with all the praise about them, the only criticism was the actions were gritty and not smooth. The new DW people are super and are now putting out theee best products ever, I hear they smoothed out the actions.  We haven't talked about 1911's but they make theeee best 1911's for the money, just isn't well know. Watch out Kimber!!!

[Bluedog]

Because they don't have very good resale due to the small fan base, and when someone has to part with one they are usually very desparate; that means that a little shopping around will find you what you want, if you are patient.

It has taken me 7 years, but I just picked up a very nice 445 supermag 8" for $300. And it was sold under the same circumstances as I sold my first Dan Wesson; owner laid off, bills coming due, and it was the only thing left to sell. While I hope things work out and he is able to afford a new one some day, I do not feel guilty about it because I was there once. Sold my 357 for $50. It was painful, but I lived.