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I picked up a nice little Dan Wesson today at a pawn shop for what I feel was a good price. Little bit of wear, but the metal is all good, it's tight, and the marks on the grip are only on the surface and could be refinished easily if I so desired. However, I've come up pretty short trying to determine the exact model number (just wanna know). It's got an 8" vent rib barrel, fully adjustable rear sights, marked "Dan Wesson Arms Monson, MA" All I've been able to come up with so far is maybe a 15V8, but then saw where there's maybe some designation like 15-2 for modifications as with S&W's, not to mention that I'm not sure where the line lies between the standard and heavy barrel. Anybody here a DW expert that can help me with this one (along with what I SHOULD have paid for it). | ||
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I am no expert but I have a DW 15-2 with a 4" barrel that looks like a twin to yours. I paid $250 for mine last summer . I am curious as to what the "going price" seems to be. For what it's worth I have been pretty happy with mine, it shoots well and is a solid gun that fills my wants just fine. | |||
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"8V" would only refer to the barrel and shroud as the DanWesson is designed for having user changable barrels. the proper model designation for your revolver would be either model15 or model 15-2 the later being more likely as they were produced in greater quantity. Do remember that the Dan Wesson was primarily designed as a target revolver, though you should be aware that dry firing without snap-caps will dammage the frame around the firing pin hole. AD If I provoke you into thinking then I've done my good deed for the day! Those who manage to provoke themselves into other activities have only themselves to blame. *We Band of 45-70er's* 35 year Life Member of the NRA NRA Life Member since 1984 | |||
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Hunter, You have a very nice piece which I think you got for a pretty good price. Fjestad's puts the value at $285/100%, $220/98%, $190/95%, $175/90% and add $9 to $13 for each barrel length over 3" Add $22 for VR barrel I think Fjestad's has it undervalued. (I was reading the 2007 edition) The Dan Wesson finish is a gorgeous dark, dark blue. (They call it "high bright blue".) Your gun (after I lightened your picture a little) shows the same staining mine picked up after a few years. Sorry, I don't know how to polish it to restore the finish (second only to Colt's Diamondback and Python, I am told) My Dan Wesson 15 got rusted during a move and, rather than have it refinished, I had it tefloned. There were different barrel shroud configurations. Standard, Vent Rib (VR) and Heavy (VR) I don't remember, but I guess from the initials that all the heavy shrouds (full length underlug) had vent ribs. I don't know about a model 15-1 or 15-2, sorry. I do remember the models current at the time I bought mine were the model 14 (fixed sights) and model 15 (adjustable sights). This is the gun I think you have and is the gun that I have. My very first gun was a Dan Wesson I bought new in 1974 or thereabouts for $150. You should have three more pieces with your gun. A special nut (a.k.a. adapter) for removing the recessed barrel nut, a wrench to turn the special nut and a feeler gauge to set the cylinder/barrel gap. The special nut should be about 3/4" hexagonal with a short .350" diameter post (that will fit into the muzzle) and two lugs or "spurs" to engage the notches or recesses you see in the round, recessed barrel nut (ring) that holds the shroud onto your gun. The wrench is just plate steel formed with a hex shape on one end and (if I recall correctly) another, smaller hex wrench pinned to the plate. The plate has a twelve point hole (socket) to turn the barrel nut on or off. The feeler gauge is .006" to set the cylinder/barrel gap when installing your barrel. When installing the barrel, the torque you apply will make a differenct to the gun's accuracy, but I don't remember the torque to apply. Just be sure to apply the same force each time and don't "muscle" it. Gentle firmness is enough. Always clean the barrel threads (and the corresponding inside threads on the frame) with a soft brush (toothbrush) any time you have the barrel removed. The action inside is much simpler than Smith & Wesson's and unique among all handguns as far as I know. To disassemble, you remove the stock by pulling the hex nut from the bottom, then pull the hammer back to compress the mainspring. Next, capture the mainspring to relieve the pressure on the hammer. Then, with the mainspring compressed and free, pull the trigger to free the hammer. Remove the sideplate and start removing parts. The advancing hand is held forward with a small spring. Take careful note of the direction it is facing because it is easy to get confused about how to put it back. It only goes in one way, but is is better to remember (or work from a photograph or drawing) than to try to figure it out with the parts in your hand. About capturing the mainspring, I don't quite remember how to do it, so will have to research it. The Dan Wesson had tight chambers (partly accounting for its phenomenal accuracy) and the short hammer fall made for a very fast lock time (between sear release and primer strike). DA trigger pull is heavy for that reason, but SA trigger pull on mine at least is very light and crisp. There is a hex nut on the back of the trigger to control over travel (similar to the Colt Gold Cup except that on the Colt it is accessible from the front.) Don't back it out too far or you won't be able to press the trigger back far enough to release the sear. If you back it out JUST THE RIGHT AMOUNT you can lock up the whole gun, with the trigger cocked single action, but up against the stop so you can't release the sear. Not good. When you take the sideplate off, you will (hopefully) notice a small half-circle of steel formed of wire the size of coathangar wire, shaped in a semicircle of about 1/4" diameter. It is called the crane lock. It holds the cylinder crane in the frame. Don't lose it. On dry firing, I did not know dry firing would hurt anything. Dan Wesson uses a transfer bar and a captured firing pin mounted in the frame. I hope I have not damaged my revolver over the last 30 years. Though I do not dry fire as a habit, but have from time to time. If you don't have any of those parts and cannot buy them from CZ or somewhere, I will dig mine out and photograph them for you and when I have the time, or draw up specs to you could have a machine shop make a set for you. Shooting Times did a cover story on the "Dan Wesson Series 15 .357 Magnum" by Charles Twing in September, 1976. If you can't get historical data from Dan Wesson (now owned by CZ) you might google the article or author. (What are the odds that I would have that particular issue handy?) What part of the country are you in? Please send me you email address if you want me to do any research or send any pictures. Mine is ljschulr@alaska.net Larry (Lost Sheep) Congratulations on a great bargain. | |||
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Dry firing causes the formation of an annular ridge around the firing pin hole. when the primer is pressure formed over this ridge it can cause the revolver to hang up (jam) the easy fix is to peen it back down again with a steel punch inserted to the thrust plate through the barrel hole in the frame (with the barrel removed) After you need to do this ONCE you get understandably anal about using snap caps. AD If I provoke you into thinking then I've done my good deed for the day! Those who manage to provoke themselves into other activities have only themselves to blame. *We Band of 45-70er's* 35 year Life Member of the NRA NRA Life Member since 1984 | |||
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Hunter, I think I (working from memory) quoted the cylinder/barrel gap incorrectly as .006". I think (but am still working from memory) it is .002". Find an ordinary revolver in good condition and measure the gap and match that if you take the barrel off. In the meantime, I have not found my owner's manual yet, so be patient.
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What you have is a 15-2 which is essentially a 15VR (vented rib). If it had the full underlug it would be designated as a 15HV. It should have come with two tools, a 3in1 combo tool and a .006" feeler gage. The 3in1 has two allen wrench heads and a spanner to remove the barrel nut. Unfortunately prices have not increased as one would expect unless you have the entire pistol pac NIB. I've seen these run from $250 to $325 depending on the condition. | |||
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DEC, I have a 15-2 in 6" and a Pistol Pac in almost new condition (case, belt buckle, shoulder patch, with the unvented standard shrouds and a walnet blank, and two grips. When you mentioned "these run from $250 to $325", I hope you were talking about a single gun rather than the four-barrle pistol pac with accessories. Were you? Lost Sheep (Larry) | |||
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Just picked up a 4 bbl pistol pac for $500 which I thought was vey good deal. I have seen them at $600 also. Folks try to get $700 but I think that is out of the ballpark. Mike Legistine actu quod scripsi? Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue. What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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Yes. Mike got a good deal too! | |||
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You have an excellent weapon there. I have three Dan Wessons, .22, .357 and .445 Supermag with several barrel configurations for each. You can pick up a barrel wrench and feeler guage from CZ/Dan Wesson for about $35.00 or you can get them on E-bay. CZ/Dan Wesson also still carries barrel assemblies probably cheaper than you can pick them up on GunBroker or GunsAmerica. Enjoy your Dan Wesson. **Take Care and Keep your powder dry!** | |||
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