Register
Log In
Home
May 16, 2012
Offline
Hello to all. I,m Albert from Greece.Some may have read my post in the new members area acouple of months ago. This gun among others belonged to my late father. Probably before the year is over I will have it back. Right now is in the hands of a trusted dealer who will sell it back to me fon exchange. The only major problem is that I will have to say goodbye to the 2/-1/2 barrel because of stict law restrictments and maybe all the barrels exept from the one fitted to the gun (if so thats going to be the 6inch). This Dan wesson has an exciting and long story that I will post sometime. It is certain that if all goes well I will need your guidance to preserve this fine piece of craftsmanship! Thank you for reading!
Supporter
Range Officer
Moderators
DWF Supporters
Dans Club
December 4, 2011
Offline
Welcome to the 
looking forward to hearing the story behind that beauty. Its a shame you may have to get rid of three of the barrel assemblies. That looks like a very nice pack minus the case. I wish you could send the barrel assemblies to the U.S. I'd like to find a 2.5" BA.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
October 11, 2009
Offline
That's a shame, and what a beautiful gun. Shame you cannot keep the extra barrel's.
One thing though, it looks as though the 8 and 6 inch barrels are .22 caliber. If they are they will not work on your .357. You have a great gun though
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
Offline
It looks a little like there is tape over the ends of the 6"and 8" making them look a little like .22 caliber
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
Dans Club
DWF Supporters
April 20, 2010
Offline
Very nice pistol, I look forward to reading the long story from you sometime.
-Lonwolf
"The lion and the tiger may be more powerful, but the Wolf does not perform in the circus"
May 16, 2012
Offline
Thank you all for your nice words. All the barrels are 357/38, My father and I, had fired all of them. Very sharp eye there my friend Steve you are correct! Its encouraging that you are intrested in the story behind the Dan and its length! I will post it as soon as I find some time. Ah and the barrel game is not lost just yet! The current legislation says that additional barrels of the same weapon having the same caliber are allowed, but I have knowledge of other fellow shooters who faced problems with autoloaders at least (maybe the barrel-chamber is the problem there). Things are hardly easy here to obtain a gun, add the crisis ass a bonus and the inflating of the living costs and its a nightmare (we have to have a certain number of events participation per year to keep a gun as sharpshooters, having a gun for self-defence or as an entusiast (here you laugh!) is extremely difficult)
October 11, 2009
Offline
I stand corrected sir. That's what I get for using my cheap "Netbook" on the front porch without my glasses. I'm in denial of getting old. But once I put on my glasses and use the wife's "Laptop". I see the tape now. But now that I see clearly, that is one beautiful gun you have there. And if you get to keep the barrels you are set. All you need then is a " Pistol Pack" case, a belt buckle, a DW patch, and a Zebrawood grip
and you will have a complete " Pistol Pak". The pride of every Dan Wesson owner.
And yes it was originally spelled PAK not Pack. I'm sure someone will get me for this.
We all wish you the best.
May 16, 2012
Offline
First of all Thank you Dantanna58! I have the most important, the zebrawood grip!
I finally got the time to write the story of my Dan Wesson. And to be exact the most interesting part of this story is the fate of its first owner.
The gun was originally purchased directly from the U.S. from a friend of my father circa 1983 (simpler times). His name was Elias Cohen, he was a well known physiatrist and notorious arms collector. His financial level gave him the ability to obtain rare and expensive firearms and even machine guns if I remember correctly. He bought the gun as a full pack including two pachmayr rubber grips and two wooden ones (including the zebra). This particular Dan Wesson was featured in a book about combat shooting from a police instructor, also a friend of my father, in 1985. A small note is that this book was revolutionary in its time, pointing out the extremely low level of training Greek policemen received back then. Although not many things have changed in the training area, younger officers tend to have more interest about the tool of their profession at last. Closing the parenthesis the Dan Wesson was bought by my father in 1988 with a part exchange. My father gave to Mr. Cohen a pair of European muzzle loading duel guns of equal value. All the accessories were included except a bianchi 8” inch leather holster. Years after somewhere in early 1992 (I was about 9) my father and I met with Mr. Cohen in a gunsmith store. Between small talk and laughs my father pointed out to him in a very pleasant way that he had forgotten about the bianchi holster. Mr Cohen said that he would hand the holster next weekend and that he was in a very busy period preparing for a tough divorce. Unfortunately the aforementioned weekend never came as Elias Cohen was murdered a few days after in a shootout. He was executed by the alleged lover (never proved in court but…) of his wife, a friend of his, a gunsmith much younger than him. He was ambushed in an out town road where he was fired upon with 2-0.45’s and a 9 mm (two accomplishes). He returned fire with his Hi-power and emptied the mag in vain as the hail of bullets quickly disabled him. A total of 100+ bullets were fired. All the prize less collection of Mr. Cohen was stolen minutes after the incident. The local media gave much attention as it was a very high profile incident, in an unfamiliar to these kind of events society. All three men were imprisoned and still are. The wife was found guilty of planning the killing of her husband and was sentenced 10 years. Below is a selection of photos (mostly scans) featuring the Dan Wesson in various times. Thank you very much for reading, and excuse any grammar errors!
The two black&white photos are from the book.
One photo is me at a very young age dressed as zoro holding the Dan!
The fresh one is taken hours before a hand the gun to the seller for keeping until I have the ability to obtain it (I currently have a 92 Centurion Beretta), note the Millet rear sights!
October 11, 2009
Offline
I tried to read some of the print in the book. But as we say in the USA, "It's Greek to me". Just kidding. That gun of yours has quite a history. I hope you get a chance to shoot it. Owning a fine and beautiful gun like that is half the fun. Shooting them is just a pure joy. Which barrel are you going to keep? And the ones you don't want will sell quite quickly over here. You could list them here on this forum or on Ebay. They will sell quickly.
Good luck sir, We all wish you the best.
September 10, 2010
Offline
That's a great story and sad history of your pistol. Hopefully you will get all the pieces in the end. Did something in the laws change between you getting it and you're dad acquiring it? Good luck and keep us informed. Bonus on the gripper grips and Millet sight.
Without a beard you are no different from any woman or child.
Supporter
Range Officer
Moderators
DWF Supporters
Dans Club
December 4, 2011
Offline
Very intersesting story behind your gun, thanks for sharing it with us. Hopefully you will be able to keep all the barrels for it.
I personally like the 6 and 8 in barrels for target shooting, not too heavy yet good accuracy and range.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
Supporter
Range Officer
Dans Club
Range Officers
Members
July 2, 2011
Offline
That's an amazing story. I always wonder, with used firearms, what history they have seen and maybe been a part of. That's especially true for those of us who collect historic military firearms. I have this 1937 Mauser K98 and when I'm sighting down that barrel I always wonder what other sight pictures have been there.....
Congratualtions on getting a family piece back.
To the paranoid people who check behind shower curtains for murderers:
if you find one...what's your plan?
January 22, 2008
Offline
First, my condolences on the passing of your father. I just returned from a trip for my own father’s funeral last night. It would be a shame to have to give up some pieces of such a fine set. I hope you find a way to keep it together.
…he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one. Luke 22:36 Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project http://www.irenasendler.com/
USN-Vet, NRA, GOA, JPFO, SC-GRGR
May 10, 2011
Offline
Condolences on your father's passing.
With all the history, it's history and YOUR history with it, I sincerely hope you get the whole kit 'n' kaboodle. Even in our most restrictive states here, things like that are allowed to be passed down in family...believe me-I know. My felon uncle got all my grandfather's stuff from a WW2 Luger through a Korean War M1.
What happens to the rest of it if you can only keep the frame and one barrel?
May 16, 2012
Offline
Dantanna58 : Thak you very much! I have fired the gun with all its barrels. Hopefully I 'll get to keep all the barrels exept the 2-1/2" because is lower of the allowed 4" inch limit here.
dride711 : Thank you a lot my friend! No the law did not change. To aquire a second handgun you must have a certain number of race participations which I didn't. Because my father the previous years did not attend the required number of races the weapon was seized with a two year period giver for sale or compiting to regain it. I started participating in events although minimum free time but the tragic events following his sudden illeness caught my up. The gun was this close to be permately lost and end up in a god forsaken police warehouse. And to sort things out the barrels were not registered, thus there was no problem, but my father liked to be legit and handed them also. Of course the blaim is not on my father but the total stupidity surounding firearms laws here and those who make them.
SCORPIO : Thanks a lot Scorpio! If I do not manage to get them all, I will go with the 6" inch. I believe that is the best all arounder.
brucertx : Thank you my friend Bruce. Handguns are not just a piece of metal and the story following, mainly, older weapons can be quite fascinating!
Boss Dog : I really appreciate you condolences my friend. My condolenses for your father. I hope he was peaceful. And something we say in Greece, Live to remember him.
formula73 : Thank you for your condolences. Thank you for your wishes also. probably they will end up in a depot somewhere, selling them is unfortunatelly very difficult, first of all because I don't know if I can or if someone domestically will be intersted and secondly because its against the law here to put this kind of stuff on ebay. Will see.
Supporter
Range Officer
Dans Club
Range Officers
Members
July 2, 2011
Offline
Well the is at least ONE universal constant...... igonrant lawmakers making idiotic gun laws!
To the paranoid people who check behind shower curtains for murderers:
if you find one...what's your plan?
May 16, 2012
Offline
Hello my friends, after quite a while. I 've been really busy all this time and finally I can inform you that this morning my permit was given a green light, this means that within a month I will receive a paper that states I can buy the weapon and in about three months (crazy bureaucracy) the actual permit which allows carrying the gun. Initially I was denied the permit without any legal base so I had to file a complaint against the police (currently there is a furious hunt of registered weapons while criminals raid houses armed with AK's) to the ministry of order (translates to something like that). So probably everything will go fine with the loss of only the two and a half inch barrel.
Thank you all
Supporter
Range Officer
Dans Club
Range Officers
Members
July 2, 2011
Offline
Wow, that truly is a painfully long and complex process! Good luck and keep us updated.
To the paranoid people who check behind shower curtains for murderers:
if you find one...what's your plan?
Supporter
Moderators
Dans Club
February 22, 2009
Offline
Holy cow, your middle name must be Job....that's a lot of patience.
Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....
May 16, 2012
Offline
Hello again
This time with good news. A replacement hand that I designed was cut and then a CNC operator fellow co-worker created the slot for the hand spring. After some thinning, the part was fitted to the gun and if by magic the timing problem is solved. One small issue is the toughness of the steel, that was available, is not as high as of the original's, so will see how it goes. Also I trimmed the zebra wood grip about 6-7 mils as it was sitting to far away from the frame. Then sand the whole thing and resprayed it with varnish. Finally a sanded the whole gun with 320 grit paper to get rid of small scrathes and work my way with finer sandpaper to a satin finish, although some small lines are visible. I wan't a satin uniformal finish, and I was thinking a kind of mild media blasting. If you know any other way (mild chemical maybe?) please share you thoughts!
2 Guest(s)
