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October 6, 2021
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Was asked to share these for appreciation and conversation. A pair of Monson, Ma. One is .375SM and the other a .414SM with extra .375SM barrel and cylinder. Dad got them in the 80s, sequential serials, unfired. Story goes the .414 was experimental then and my understanding is it was not released til a later year. Anyone confirm that or have other info? Have pics, but don't know how to post them.
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Dans Club
December 4, 2011
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Welcome aboard Chip, thanks for sharing those beauties with us. I'm sure you'll get some interesting replies.
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If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
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Dans Club
March 28, 2023
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I sent this to Eric Wesson to try to get some answers! THe gun frames are Monson and there both 375 Supermag frames I think since the serial numbers are almost the same. now the one has a 414 Palmer barrel attached. Then there is an extra cylinder in the pic. Does this mean the gun can become a .414 by changing out the Cylinder? I'm not sure but it's interesting. This got a lot of press on Facebook! At first I thought it may be a gun show gun like my 32-20 but did he have the factory make this into a convertible like a High Standard? Is that possible? The other barrel is not for these guns so I'm thinking most of us is interested in the 0414 part of the story!
October 6, 2021
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Are 375 frames normally compatible with 414 barrels and vice versa?
October 6, 2021
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And here they are for your viewing pleasure. The yellow zip ties are from displaying them at a gun show...they are not original 
Dans Club
March 28, 2023
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The 375 is a large frame gun so it should be the same as the frame used for a 414. I don't remember you adding the bit about you being told this was a expermetral set that kind of explains everything. They used a similar set up back then when they used a 357 Supermag frame for the 44 Rino guns so it's not uncommon that Dan Wesson used large frame guns already in use to make an experimental gun. I did not think the .414 was made until Palmer years but if they had large frames around they could have used them. I will see what Eric's reply is on the subject. Also you should add the pic showing them in the boxes with the extra cylinder that helps explain the story!
August 29, 2009
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You can't draw the conclusion they are they are both 375 by the serial # and you cannot change calibers on a frame by changing the cylinder or the barrels because the barrels are threaded differently. They are different for safety to prevent screwing the wrong caliber barrel on a frame and blowing the gun and someones limbs apart. You can't be changing different caliber barrels on a frame (except .22lr and .22mag, .38 special and .357 mag, and 32 mag and 32-20).
The part that looks strange to me is that the .414SM barrel shroud appears to be a later era, laser etched barrel. Chip - can you take a look at that barrel shroud and see if it is laser marked? That style of barrel shroud definitely was not an 80's era production part. The laser marked shrouds did not come along until the late 90's. Something's not right on that gun and I'd get some measurements on the chambers and bore and verify exactly what it is.
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Dans Club
February 22, 2009
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Stan- they are not large frame guns- they're Supermag framed.
Chip- DakotaJack brings up a good point. Are the barrel's threads the same at the point where they screw into the frame? I did a conversion of a 740 (357 Supermag) to 7414 (414 Supermag) recently and re-threaded a .410" barrel to match the 357SM frame's threads. Most likely, someone did what I've done and fabricated the "experimental" story. There weren't any 414SM made in blue, particularly during the Monson era, that I've been aware of and DW experimental guns' SNs were marked with an X. The 414 E T Gates started at number 25.
However there may have been some 375 SM frames used at another point; "After the bankruptcies CZ made some 414’s don’t know how many, our last number was 53 of the 25 made, (note Wesson skipped 3 numbers in the original run) But CZ came out with a # 53 also, saw it on line for sale. As another point, Wesson ask us to send them our 375 Supermags we had left. Apparently they ran out of frames to complete our 1-24 414 Revolvers. They went bust before we could get the full order of fifty Revolvers." (Randy Gates conversation).
Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....
Dans Club
October 26, 2008
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The thread for the 41/414 frames are 21/32-40 same as the nut. If the nut screws on to the frame end of the barrel then it would be proper and would likely give the experimental claim credence. That’s the way the factory would likely have done their experimental guns for safety reasons. I haven’t had the opportunity to measure a 375 SM to confirm frame threads but I’m quite sure that it is not the same as a 41. If someone wanted to give me the dia. & TPI I’d appreciate it.
With an “extra” 375 SM cylinder I would bet that it’s originally a 375 with a 414 cylinder fit.
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February 24, 2013
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You guys are impressive with your historical information!!!
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February 22, 2009
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superdan said
If someone wanted to give me the dia. & TPI I’d appreciate it.
My spare 375 SM barrel is (11/16) .6845"- 32 tpi at the frame end.
Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....
October 6, 2021
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@DakotaJack Where would a laser marking be on it? Where should i look for it? I don't see anything other than what is visible in the picture - .414 SuperMag. I'll my calipers out and measure everything. Also, reaching out to a friend of dad's who may know more of the story.
February 16, 2016
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Chip Banke said
I don't see anything other than what is visible in the picture - .414 SuperMag.
That is what he's talking about. The ".414 Supermag" is laser etched, not a rollmark like on the frame.
February 16, 2016
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Oh, by the way, that means the barrel shroud was manufactured in the Norwich factory years later than the frame in Monson.
Dans Club
March 28, 2023
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Yea that makes the story that this was a prototype gun sold by the Monson or Palmer suspect. That's a Norwich shroud it had to be offered after 1996 correct? I'm not an expert on the roll marks but I thought also that's a Norwich shroud not a Palmer. Maybe he sent it off to Norwich to have the conversion done? THe Cylinder it had to have work done to fit? By the way here is the missing pic showing the cylinder and the Palmer manuals with guns. Click one to enlarge or twice to open a new post to get a even bigger pic! 
Dans Club
December 7, 2020
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If Keith or Bob did the conversion @ DW, there would be documentation of the conversion that should've been included with the gun.
Good news is that "IF" such a conversion was done by DW, Norwich.....(ie the laser-etched shroud), then those records should(?) still exist in Norwich. I have already sent Keith a link to this thread, hoping he will respond.
I love how we all try to solve these Dan Wesson mysteries, and come up with probable solutions! This is exactly why DWF must live forever.
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Dans Club
March 25, 2013
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I haven't been following this thread because I don't have a 375. Finally I read it and want to correct some dates. Dan Wesson was sold to Bob Serva in 1996 and production was moved to Norwich but the factory equipment was worn out and new equipment including CNC machines was obtained. New Revolvers were not produced until 2001. Those first guns were the First Issue revolvers. There were various amounts of First Issue guns made, no set amount. It is sometimes said the first 1000 were First Issue but that is incorrect. Some calibers had more than 1000 made 357 Mag for one) but most were far less. Any Supermag shroud (357 SM, 375,414 or 445) would work.
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Dans Club
February 9, 2009
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Monson & Palmer 414SM Exp #1 & Exp #2.
A man cannot have too many SuperMags
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Dans Club
February 9, 2009
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Just for kicks, my 375 with a custom shroud and 9-1/2" barrel.
A man cannot have too many SuperMags
Dans Club
March 28, 2023
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Man you have two of them? That's got to be the rarest of them all! so those are two of the 25 that were made? THey got to be worth $$$$$ the serial #1 more than #2. How did you ever get those? So were the 25 made by Monson I did not think Monson made any 414's were the Monson the rare 25 made or was Palmer involved in that story? Must have been many years ago that's got to be a very good investment. I have no idea a value on them but over 10K each? You may be the king of Dan Wesson collecting but i'm sure there is a few other members that have something stashed away! Beautiful guns! All hail Supermagfan!
