My favorite magazines are made by Check-Mate. Dan Wesson states that the Distressed version has a hand weathered frame and slide, and doing the work by hand is the only way you could get a gun that looks this beautifully used except the pistol functions perfectly and is brand-new. Its a well put together 45, and it looks great. With no cuts in the trigger, you really get a classic look with modern functionality of the texture on the face making it the best of both worlds. All of their magazines are top quality. Well, truthfully it rode in on a truck, but semantics and all. The frame sports an integral 1913 Picatinny, 25 LPI front strap checkering, undercut trigger guard and recessed slide stop to enable the installation of laser grips. How old was this article or how little research did the author do? Accuracy has been excellent. Dan Wesson. Fortunately, my affinity for that pistol was not a flash in the pan, if you will allow me a tired cliche. The Dan Wesson Specialist, a culmination of mission-specific features applied to the tried and true 1911 platform. They can tell you what dovetail cut is on your DW and provide you with multiple options.They can install your sight or you can do it you self. The slide release also seems to be a nonstandard design and is just a hair larger than the GI model. https://www.patreon.com/Sootch00Join the NRA Today! While all of the other Specialist models are available in 9mm or .45 ACP, at the moment the Specialist Distressed is only available in .45 ACP. The price of 45 ACP has skyrocketed since 2020 as well so having a classic 1911 chambered in 9mm will give you that same feeling but will be much more affordable to use every day. The grips are held in place by Allen-head screws. Slide-to-frame-to-barrel fit is excellent, with no play. However, considering they aid you in funneling that fresh magazine into the gun and help with a speedy reload, I get why it was included with this pistol. Dan Wesson Dan Wesson Specialist 1911 5" Pistol 8 RD 10mm Night Sights $2,225.00 (Save up to 6%) Price $2096.23 01814 Dan Wesson Dan Wesson Specialist 1911 5" Pistol 8 RD 45 ACP Night Sights $2,159.00 (Save up to 6%) Price $2031.31 01801 Dan Wesson Dan Wesson Specialist Stainless 5" Pistol 8 RD 10mm Night . The first magazine of ammunition was shot offhand at a target 10 yards away, and every round went exactly where the front sight indicated. The hammer on the Specialist Distressed is a rounded Commander-style hammer, which allows it to nestle snugly inside the beavertail grip safety. I am not a professional shooter by any means, and therefore do not require such a firearm. The Mission of Cheaper Than Dirt! The Specialist Distressed starts off with a stainless steel slide and frame, though, so unlike my much-battered 1911, it wont be rusting. The Defender is in 9 and the mustang in 380. If I had to describe Dan Wesson 1911s, it would be as the most perennially underappreciated, best-value-for-the-price semicustom 1911s on the market. Im an avid shooter and love educating whether its at my job or in the shooting community. The finish on the Specialist Distressed, unlike so many others, looks natural. | The Pointman features fully-adjustable rear sights. The barrel bushing is a match stainless steel model, but you wont need a bushing wrench to remove it as it is only finger tight. Reliability will be as good as any other Dan Wesson, but the features are different. Normally I am not a huge fan of extended magazine wells on a pistol, but considering they do aid you in funneling that fresh magazine into the pistol, helping with a speedy reload, I get why it was included with this pistol. Equipped with an ambidextrous thumb safety, extended magazine release, and detachable magwell, the Specialist is operator-friendly. Everything else being equal, a Series 70 trigger system will provide the lightest and crispest trigger pull of any 1911, and the 1911 already has the trigger pull against which all other pistols are measured. Twenty-five lpi is a good balance between cheese-grater 20 lpi and maybe not quite aggressive enough 30-lpi checkering. As you see above on the first photograph with the extended base pad, when you slam it home, the base is about flush with the magazine well. .45 magazine, 115 grain, 124 grain, 1911 holsters, 22 shotgun, 338 lapua, 365 sas, 365xl, 365xl, 380 ammo, 43x, 43x mag release, 43x mos, 870p, 9 mm ammunition, 9mm . This video assisted me in making the decision to buy one. $799.00. There is a new dog in the pen and I cant remember the model but they run 6,000$ grand and take six months to get it. They are full size 1911s. -. Dan Wesson. [] My original review can be seen by following this link. Home Firearms Handguns Series Review: Dan Wesson 1911 Handguns. The company was founded by the great-grandson of the founders of Smith & Wesson. 12pm-6pm CST Mon A standout is the Hornady 185-grain XTP over Titegroup powder at 890 fps. It has clear differences from a standard factory 1911 but its common enough where you feel comfortable to take it out and really put the gun through its paces. Ive heard some shooters have complained about just how aggressive the G10 stocks were. For some reason, Dan Wesson discontinued the Specialist in 2019 but thankfully reintroduced it at SHOT show 2020 with some updated changes. It has more of a flat shelf than the angled, checkered surface found on standard slide releases, and I like it. This is about as good as you can get before going fully hand-built by an experienced gunsmith, and for the price, Im really happy with this 1911. To be honest, when headed out after sundown, I felt a bit more prepared with a weapon-mounted light on my sidearm. I am very pleased with such a soft shooting 1911 theDan Wesson Specialist really is at the range. Accuracy was exemplary, as was usability. For a fighting pistol like this, you may be sweating, bleeding, grappling, or wearing gloves. The end of the barrel is slightly flared to mate perfectly with the bushing. The tactical rail on the pistol is a MIL-STD 1913 Picatinny rail for mounting lights and/or lasers. I must admit Im leaning towards the 2011s like the Springfield Arms prodigy or the new Dan Wesson models. Dan Wesson 92011 DWX 9mm Luger 5 in 10+1 Black Black Duty Stainless Steel Red Aluminum Grip Fiber Optic Front Sight Hinterland #: 153035 MFG #: 92011 Out of stock $1,549.13 Notify when available Add to Wish List Add to Compare Dan Wesson 92111 DWX Compact 9mm Luger 4 in 10+1 Black Matte Black Aluminum Black Aluminum Grip Night Sights Accessory Rail The trigger pull was so crisp and the reset so short and sweet that the pull weight felt substantially lighter than it was. However, for an actual undercut triggerguard, where the line from the triggerguard doesnt go straight back to the frame but rather curves upward before hitting the front strap, youre probably going to have to buy a dedicated competition pistol made by small shops youve likely never heard of, which will cost you a lot more than the Specialist Distressed. Taurus Marketing Manager Caleb Giddings highlights the features of the new Taurus Raging Hunter 460 Magnum, a purpose-built revolver with a 10.5-inch barrel and an effective recoil-taming brake, with Guns & Ammo Executive Editor Joe Kurtenbach. Dan Wesson ships the pistol with two eight-round magazines with extended base pads. Notify me about new product releases, reviews, and coupon codes. Those additional slots did not serve any real purpose, so they were omitted. This semi auto pistol is ready to work, with fixed night sights and a tough, no-nonsense Cerakote finish that resists corrosion and At the Dan Wesson factory, we not only produce, but also customize some of the finest quality 1911 handguns. Care and feeding of the Dan Wesson Specialist. Dan Wesson ships the pistol and two eight-round magazines with extended base pads. Ruger's multi-role small frame autoloading rifle - Sear - combines AR-10 power with AR-15 Portability. A beverage or two would be awesome. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to subscribe and receive notifications by email. To keep your hands on the gun when shooting, youve got some great grips as well as some very nice checkering. Offered in a full-size model, the Specialist Stainless sports a bead blasted stainless finish and is chambered in .45ACP. Check Price . One of the first things I noticed when looking at my Specialist for the first time was how tight the tolerances were from the factory. Dan Wesson 1911 50th Anniversary Single 45 ACP 5" Barrel 8rd Mag. Let me know what you think about Dan Wessons down in the comments below. Whenever I take someone out for the first time shooting, I think this would be a good candidate to start with just since its a soft shooter and easily controlled. Add on the fact it has night sights and a great trigger and you can argue it as a viable self-defense gun if you want carry a single stack pistol. One disadvantage to a magazine well is you need to use magazines with extended base pads. We reserve the right to edit as appropriate, delete profane, harassing, abusive and spam comments or posts, and block repeat offenders. We reserve the right to edit as appropriate, delete profane, harassing, abusive and spam comments or posts, and block repeat offenders. I understand many will not agree. Every Dan Wesson 1911 Ive tested over the past decade has been the equal in accuracy, fit, function and looks to custom 1911s, while costing half to two-thirds less. America's Ultimate Shooting Sports Discounter, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window). This pistol has a 5" match grade barrel for sale by TheMarksman on GunsAmerica.com the best online marketplace for buying and selling semi auto pistols, firearms, accessories, and collectibles : 951227891 It looks like its been riding around in a leather holster for a few years, only without the accompanying dings and divots in the steel and grips youd usually see. Thank you Matt, I appreciate that. While this does not change the function of the serrations cutting glare between the sights, it does give the pistol a bit more of a traditional profile. The front night sight is green while the rear is yellow, allowing you to easily differentiate the front and rear in low and no light situations. This item is no longer available. What else could we argue about on a gun blog? The A2 Commander is an outstanding example of the iconic John Moses Browning design. Chris Johnson, FN Senior Product Manager, walks us through two new FN striker-fired pistols at SHOT Show 2023: the FN 510 Tactical, chambered in 10mm Auto, and the FN 545 Tactical, chambered in .45 ACP. Your email address will not be published. The rear sight is drift adjustable via a set screw. Theme: Newsup by Themeansar. A quality 1911 will last longer with hand fitting, as good fit means that eccentric wear is less. This stainless model is extremely good looking so Im really hesitant to put a light on it, but with the black model, I would definitely utilize that rail more. The front of the rear sight has a nice ledge Dan Wesson states it has an abrupt front face so you can rack the slide one-handed on a hard surface if you need to. However, not all love is destined to be eternal. The trigger is adjustable for overtravel, but during the review, I did not change it. Proudly powered by WordPress The Shooter's Log, is to provide informationnot opinionsto our customers and the shooting community. That said, if I have the money and the opportunity, yes I will buy one. Dan Wesson states that the Specialist line is designed for the needs of law enforcement, and the Specialist is in use or authorized by several police departments, including the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department. The new rifle is built on an aluminum billet chassis with carbon-fiber forend and cheek riser featuring V-block bedding.