Posted on 05/18/2015 6:04:01 AM PDT by rktman
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.
(Excerpt) Read more at gunsamerica.com ...
The Colt Python is the ultimate .357.
I bought mine new in the early 1970s.
The comments after the article were very informative..
.357 tops my books.
Python is great in double action mode. I do the best with single action so my model 19 686 are just dandy. I’d be afraid to shoot a python with prices like they are.
As long as they keep the interchangeable barrels I will walk away, I’ve seen two blow off and go down range.
I had a couple of Dan Wesson revolvers probably in the late 1980s. They were well finished and accurate. The double action was odd and fairly heavy. The single action was good.
I always ignored the cylinder gap feeler gauge and set it quite a bit tighter. Never had a problem with any build up from firing so I always kept it tight.
Mine were in .44 mag. I did like the double lock-up design. I had one with four barrels but never used the shortest as it seemed ridiculous on that large revolver.
I only have the 6” but not in the VH. Got it in like ‘82 and never got the extra barrels and shrouds. Nice to see the feeler gage still around. (But I do have the briefcase.)
After Colt quit making them, I cleaned my 6 “ Python and “retired” it to the gun safe. I think it cost around $350 bought new.
It’s in 95 + percent condition with no holster wear or scratches. Probably worth four times what I paid...
$2500 is the norm now. They are smooth as butter but safe queens now.
Mine is six inch polished stainless, bought many years ago and just shot maybe a couple dozen .38 specials. Just too nice a piece of machinery to abuse. Now it is just a display piece......
The Dan Wesson revolvers were once the premier metallic silhouette guns in the revolver class until Freedom Arms revolvers came out. The Pythons weren’t up to the continuous diet of hot loads for the silhouette games, and were restricted in the early days because of a price limitation on factory arms. The Dan Wessons were generally more accurate than either the Ruger or Smith and Wesson revolvers in competition.
I shot a 10” 357 SuperMag in competition in the 80s, also took some deer and antelope with it. It was large.
The Super Mag Dan Wessons were long cylinder guns. The .357 Super mag was a good silhouette cartridge, also the .445 Super mag, although it was harder on guns.
I'm currently teaching my 13 YO grandson to shoot accurately and safely handle guns of all types that I have available for him to try, and even though he shoots my various revolvers very well for his age and limited experience, his 1st choice is always my 65 year old Colt .45 acp 1911. I suppose Mr. Browning new a bit about handguns when he designed a pistol well over a century ago that is still a popular seller on the US market, and is favored above all others by 13 YO grandsons.
I haven't shot their revolvers, but I'll have to give it a try sometime. Always wanted a .357.
BTW, I didn’t intend to hijack the Dan Wesson thread by bringing the old 1911 into a conversation about revolvers, it just entered my mind automatically. (pun intended)
Then by all means get one. IMHO the .367 mag revolver is the most versatile handgun on the market. A 6" or 7-1/2" bbl revolver will handle game up to and including deer, and on the other side of the coin, with good .38 spl ammo a quality-built .357 will deliver as much or more accuracy than 90% of handgun shooters can utilize.
I recently sold a 2-1/2" stainless Taurus that I wish I had kept. Although Taurus revolvers aren't usually noted for a high degree of accuracy, that little snub-nose gun would match any 4" gun in my collection if I did my part properly. It was the most accurate short barrel handgun I've ever owned in the 60+ years that I've owned guns, but a friend of a friend talked me into selling it to him and it's too late now to welch on the deal.
Mine is under the bed, loaded. Just as it has been for 30 years. Mr. Reliable I call it.
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