What is up with all the DW issues these days?

[ShooterJD]

I have 2 DW Specialist 9mm one stainless and one duty finish. Not one problem with either gun. I shoot these as good as my Nighthawk Custom.

[Kenneth]

I want a 9mm specialist with suppressor sights and a threaded barrel or just get a Discretion.

I have been shopping for one for a LONG time just have not bought yet.

I hope when I finally do grab one it works fine.


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[Raining_Brass]

I really wish I hadn't seen this thread. lol
After just dropping $1800 on a Discretion...I just want the thing to run when I get it. lol

[Raven45]

I own two Dan Wesson pistols. 

One is a Guardian in caliber .45 ACP.  When I purchased it, it functioned perfectly, but the POI for several types of hand loaded and factory ammo (230 grain bullets) all shot from 4" to 4 1/2" above POA at 20 yards.  I contacted DW and described my problem, and they had me send in the slide to them for a front sight replacement.  Turnaround time was very short, the work performed was perfect, and now it shoots just about 1" high at 20 yards with the same ammo.  Approaching 1500 rounds and have never had a single malfunction.  I use Ed Brown 7-round and CMC 8-round magazines.  Workmanship, fit, finish, and appearance of the pistol is excellent.

The second pistol is a Valkyrie in caliber 9mm.  When I purchased it (about 3 1/2 years after purchasing the .45 ACP Guardian), it functioned perfectly, but the POU for several types of hand loaded and factory ammo (124 grain bullets) all shot from 4" to 4 1/2" above POA at 20 yards.  Needless to say, I was not surprised.  I again contacted DW, described the issue, and sent the slide to them for a front sight replacement.  Again, turnaround time was quite rapid and the work performed was perfect.  It now shoots 1" high at 20 yards with the same 124 grain ammo.  I only have about 500 rounds through this pistol so far, but I have yet to experience a single malfunction.  I use the supplied DW and Ed Brown 9-round magazines and Dawson Precision 10-round magazines.  Workmanship, fit, finish, and appearance of the pistol is excellent.

I suppose I could be annoyed by the fact that I had to send the slide from both pistols to DW to have new front sights installed, but both instances were non-events, in my opinion.  DW customer service was extremely responsive to my issues, took care of my concerns rapidly and professionally, and their workmanship was excellent.  I am very happy with both pistols and will not hesitate to purchase other DW 1911 pistols in the future if I see the need for another 1911.  Nor will I hesitate to recommend Dan Wesson products to others.   

I have gone through FAR more issues with 1911's, 2011's, striker fired pistols, steel pistols, polymer pistols, competition pistols, carry pistols, and even revolvers from other manufacturers than I experienced with my two DW pistols.  And often, the required adjustments to those other guns involved repetitive attempts at correcting issues as well as unresponsive customer service.

No Dan Wesson complaints from me . . . . just satisfaction. 

 

[Crawl]

I want a 9mm specialist with suppressor sights and a threaded barrel or just get a Discretion.

I have been shopping for one for a LONG time just have not bought yet.

I hope when I finally do grab one it works fine.


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Mine has been flawless. It's about 2 years old. Only issue is the magazine base pad.

[aussie57]

The DW 1911's were a great deal before the price markup. At their current price point I'd rather buy a Baer. The 2 I have are great guns.

[Tanners Owner]

I have 2 DWs, a Commander Specialist in 45 and a TCP in 9mm. Both shoot POA. Both never had a malfunction.

My TCP had some magazine issues (reliably locking back slide after last shot for example) but it shot and loaded everything every time.

I?m very pleased with both guns

[Radom]

My only new DW shot very low to POA with a two-handed grip.  With a one-handed grip it was fine.  This was a Pointman 7-45 with an adjustable rear sight. At first, I was sort of upset, since I had paid @$900 back then (2010?).  To this day it is the only handgun I've owned that absolutely required adjusting the "adjustable" sights.  I got over it, but it took me a while to warm up to the pistol because I expected it to be "perfect" for that price.  The pistol has always functioned flawlessly, and I would trust my life to it.  Having detail stripped it a few times, it is undoubtedly very well made.

Moral(s):

1) 1911s are very touchy beasts.  Sloppy ones run all day long and group pretty decently.  A well-made one takes a lot of hand-tuning to be reliable, accurate, and precise.   

2) To me, $900 was a LOT of money for a handgun.  I've paid real money for some Benellis and so forth, but that amount raised my expectations.

3) When you spend that kind of money you deserve to get the value of your money.  Any firearm you buy should work at the very minimum.  Assuming the buyer is a competent shooter, the firearm should also perform to a certain level. 

4) My problem(s) with my Dan Wesson weren't the manufacturer's fault.  IMHO, it was and is a $900 pistol.  My real problem was that I expected the shooter/pistol to perform better than I did with my father's Colt that I (we) had been shooting for 20+ years!

If you are having a problem or problems with a DW pistol, they should (and I think they will) make it right.  That said, there is a heck of lot of emotional investment that needs to be understood. 

[Radom]

Fun Fact:

It was easier to search this forum to find out when I bought my DW than the "government" could have done...

EDIT:  It was 2008, not 2010.

[Tyerone]

With the plethora of "which 1911" threads on that forum, there seems to be a preponderance of suggestions to spend more on a Dan Wesson.

[Ihave7]

I bought a Valor V-bob in black a few months ago. The gun was beautiful and you couldn't help but fall in love with the looks of the thing. My first trip to the range it had 3 or 4 FTF in 150 rounds. I figured it was just tight and that there would be a so called break in period. Next trip, same thing. Next trip same thing. Always small problems until about 700 rounds. After that, the gun evened out a bit and runs fair, but it still has a hick up now and then, even after 1500 rounds. I don't know if there is a lax in QC at the factory, but I paid almost $2000 for my Valor and for that price I was expecting a more problem free gun. I don't know if I'll buy another Dan Wesson.

[aussie57]

Dan Wesson 1911's were a good deal before they jacked up the pricing. However there is an alternative. Bob Serva who used to be the President of Dan Wesson is now running Fusion Firearms. Link to company... https://www.fusionfirearms.com/about-us
Their Freedom Series like this Commander Version... https://www.fusionfirearms.com/freedom-series-riptide-c   retail for $899. They happen to be located where I live so I have been able to handle these guns and I must say for the price point they are nice. One of the gun shops here that sells these guns just had a Black Friday sale with $100 off each gun so that Riptide could be had for $799. They will also change out the fiber optic tube for you preference of color. The triggers on these guns (even their entry level guns) are phenomenal. I have 1911'd myself to death with semi custom and custom 1911's so I have no interest in another at this time. But if I was looking for a nice 1911 at a great price point this is what I would be buying, not a DW.

[Ihave7]

Aussie, I just checked out the Fusion firearms site. You were right, very nice looking guns at a fair price. You can see the "Dan Wesson" style showing through on them, and that's not a bad thing.

[aussie57]

For me it's nice and convenient. If I ever had an issue with the gun I could drive it over to the manufacturer which is a 20 minute drive.

[badwrench]

Dan Wesson 1911's were a good deal before they jacked up the pricing. However there is an alternative. Bob Serva who used to be the President of Dan Wesson is now running Fusion Firearms. Link to company... https://www.fusionfirearms.com/about-us
Their Freedom Series like this Commander Version... https://www.fusionfirearms.com/freedom-series-riptide-c   retail for $899. They happen to be located where I live so I have been able to handle these guns and I must say for the price point they are nice. One of the gun shops here that sells these guns just had a Black Friday sale with $100 off each gun so that Riptide could be had for $799. They will also change out the fiber optic tube for you preference of color. The triggers on these guns (even their entry level guns) are phenomenal. I have 1911'd myself to death with semi custom and custom 1911's so I have no interest in another at this time. But if I was looking for a nice 1911 at a great price point this is what I would be buying, not a DW.

Thank you for that link,I have been looking at DW's I'm going to do some research on  Fusion, looking at their website, there's alot to like, they seem to offer the best bang for the buck..