Dan Wesson 1911

FROM MY PRIVATE COLLECTION, DAN WESSON NIB CCO MODEL #01962 . 45ACP WITH BLACK DUTY COAT FINISH. AS WITH ALL MY GUNS THEY COME WITH UNIQUE SERIAL #’S AND HAND PICKED GRIPS. SEE ATTACHED INVENTORY FOR OTHER DW’S I HAVE FOR SALE. PRICE REFLECTS A 3%

 

 

DAN WESSON 1911

ABOUT

The Dan Wesson M1911 pistol is a series of model 1911 semi-automatic pistols. Dan Wesson M1911 pistols are made at the Dan Wesson Firearms manufacturing facility in Norwich, New York. They are marketed and distributed by CZ-USA. When police departments approached us to build them a more reliable, durable 1911 to replace the ones they had been carrying, we developed a model just for them. The additions that made it ideal for law enforcement also make it perfect for home defense, so we gladly offer it for sale to the public.

DESCRIPTION

A full-size 1911, the Specialist is chambered in .45 or 9mm and loaded with features to satisfy a public servant’s special requirements. The forged stainless steel slide wears our popular Clark-style serrated rib with a single amber tritium dot in the rear sight and a green lamp with white target ring in front.

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. Equipped with an ambidextrous thumb safety, extended magazine release and detachable two-piece magwell, the Specialist is operator-friendly. It is finished off with a set of G10 VZ Operator II grips that force the hand into the beavertail and hold it there.

The Specialist ships with two 8-round magazines with bump pads (10 rounds in 9mm) and is available in either a matte stainless finish or our Duty Black finish, which makes for an especially hardy pistol that scoffs at every day wear and tear.

FEATURES

-Ambi Safety, Grip Safety, An ambidextrous safety allows for an easy to access to the safety for both left-handed and right-hand shooters.

-Ball End Mill Cut, This cut accentuates the carry cut and slightly modifies the appearance. Fixed Night Sight, A Novak-style snag-free sight with tritium self-illuminated vials.

– Frontstrap 25 LPI Checkering, Sharp, 25 LPI checkering, giving plenty of grip without being too aggressive. Mainspring Housing Checkering, Our 25 LPI checkering on the flat mainspring housing provides the means for a superb grip.

-Rail, Equipped with a 1913 Picatinny rail, adding a light or laser is a simple operation

 

-Rear Tactical Night Sight, With an abrupt front face, our tactical rear sight allows for one-handed racking of the slide and has a single tritium vial dead-center below the sight’s notch.

-Square Butt Profile, The standard square butt profile for those who prefer a traditional look.

-Tactical Hammer, The skeletonized hammer helps to reduce weight and maintains the clean look of the pistol.

-Top Rib, A Clark-style rib on the top of the slide helps knock down glare.

-Dan Wesson 1911 Specialist Pistol .45 ACP 5″ Single Action Semi-Auto

ACTION: SEMI-AUTO

BARREL LENGTH: 5″

BRAND: DAN WESSON

CALIBER: 45 ACP

FIREARM CAPACITY: 8

GUN MODEL: SPECIALIST

MODEL SERIES: 1911

HISTORY

1968 was an historic year in modern American firearms development, with the founding of Dan Wesson Arms. This fledgling firearms manufacturer was a collaboration of Daniel B. Wesson, the great-grandson of D.B. Wesson, co-founder of Smith and Wesson, and Karl Lewis, formerly of Browning and Colt firearms. The founders of Dan Wesson Arms were committed to the development and production of a modern revolver, modular in design with interchangeable barrels, grips, and sights. The Dan Wesson revolver design is extremely strong and durable, and noted for consistent pinpoint accuracy. The history of Dan Wesson Firearms reflects the epitome of American entrepreneurship, manufacturing, and firearms development.

Although Dan Wesson Arms is known for revolvers (and later 1911 semi-auto pistols) the first firearms to bear the Dan Wesson name were a series of shotguns and air rifles imported by Dan Wesson in 1969, manufactured by firearms giant Brno Works of Czechoslovakia. The first Dan Wesson revolver premiered in 1969 at the NSGA show in Houston.  The first production revolvers shipped in August 1970, and were known as the Model (or W) 11 (fixed sight) and Model/W 12 (adjustable sight), retailing for $110. The Model 11/12 series featured an external barrel nut, “porkchop” style shrouds, and large, crudely manufactured sights, but included the revolutionary interchangeable barrel/shroud design. Production quickly moved to the Dan Wesson owned facility in a converted schoolhouse in Monson, MA. Dan Wesson Firearms capitalized on the unique interchangeable barrel design by offering Pistol Packs, packaged in a fitted case with a variety of barrel/shrouds and grips.

The most noticeable change in the 14-2/15-2 series of revolvers, introduced in early 1975, was the elimination of the footed “porkchop” shroud. The straight shroud allowed much simpler production, from cold drawn bar stock, of barrel/shroud lengths up to 15”, in a variety of styles (V, H, VH, etc.). Other changes included a transition of some internal parts originally manufactured from sintered (molded, powdered steel) metal to cold drawn steel, allowing for a more durable and “fittable” action. Many components (trigger, hammer, hand, etc) were redesigned to be more durable and functional. Marketing of Dan Wesson revolvers of this era focused heavily on the Pistol Packs, which included embroidered patches and belt buckles. With minimal changes, the -2 series continued in production for 30 years, through several company ownership and management changes.

In November 1978 Dan Wesson Arms in particular and the firearms industry in general were dealt a blow with the death of Dan Wesson.

In 1996, the Wesson Firearms brand was purchased by Bob Serva, who renamed the company Dan Wesson Firearms and relocated to Norwich, NY. The factory was retooled with modern CNC machining equipment, and in December 1997 the first of the “new” Dan Wesson revolvers shipped from the NYI/Dan Wesson factory. In 1999, the Dan Wesson Pointman (Government) 1911 Semi-Automatic Pistol in .45 ACP was introduced, followed closely by the Guardian (Commander) 1911. The Dan Wesson 1911’s were originally produced in Stainless Steel, and were assembled from frames and slides produced in the Norwich facility, fitted with top quality components from a variety of premiere quality 1911 manufacturers. Dan Wesson 1911’s have developed a reputation as excellently manufactured production pistols, and are prized in the 1911 community for factory fit and finish.

In early 2005, CZ-USA purchased the rights and manufacturing facilities of Dan Wesson Firearms. Revolver manufacture was continued for several years, with a focus on large caliber revolvers, notably the Alaskan Guide Series. Revolvers are no longer manufactured by CZ-USA, however excellent factory support for parts and service continues, as does an active catalogue of 1911 models of very high production quality.