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March 23, 2020
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Hey all, from coastal Maine. I've been watching the forum for a while, reading posts here and there, but finally joined today.
I'm a lobsterman by trade, and also build lobster traps for work during the winter. I've been into firearms for a few years now, and am particularly into revolvers and 1911s. I do have a few rifles, but don't generally seek rifles out.
I purchased my first Dan Wesson last night, at about 6:15PM. I've had my eye on this gun for months, but refused to spend too much of my yearly gun budget until after the winter gun show season in Maine was over. Let's face it, going to a gun show with no money is just an invitation for heartbreak. Covid-19 ended the gun show season early, the last one I wanted to go to was cancelled, so I got back in touch with the former owner and pulled the trigger(pun intended) on a .357Supermag with an 8" barrel. After a 6.5hour round trip, it's sitting in my safe until I get a chance to round up some ammo and go poke a few holes in my dead bbq grill with it.
Initial thoughts: This thing is as big, and heavier, than my Ruger Super Redhawk in .44Mag. It's gorgeous, even with the bit of a plum tinge to the frame, and the grips have a good feel to them. The action feels good, cylinder locks up well. My buddy took a picture of it, his Taurus .41Mag, and my pocket carry 1969 Colt Cobra, and looking at them all together made me laugh like an idiot at how huge the Dan is.
Now that I have it, I'll be looking for barrels and shrouds in different lengths, just because. I look forward to reading through posts on the forum, and learning more about my Dan and Dans in general.
I hope everybody is staying safe and healthy in this crazy world, as we navigate what is currently the new normal.
Thanks for reading,
Richard
Dans Club
December 5, 2008
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Welcome to the Forum! Just got a 357 SM myself and haven't had a chance to hit the range with it either.
If you didn't get a wrench and gap gauge with it, you need to get them and check the cylinder gap setting before firing.
Enjoy!
February 22, 2017
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Welcome, sounds like a great first purchase. I'm looking forward to hearing about your first range trip.
Jerry
10 Dans and counting...
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DWF Supporters
June 11, 2016
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Welcome to the Forum from Wisconsin. I just bought one on Gun Broker or thought I did until the seller said he was cleaning the revolver before shipping it to me and messed up the trigger. I got my money back but would have loved to have the SM.
March 23, 2020
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snake-eye said
Welcome to the Forum! Just got a 357 SM myself and haven't had a chance to hit the range with it either.If you didn't get a wrench and gap gauge with it, you need to get them and check the cylinder gap setting before firing.
Enjoy!
Thanks, I think I'm going to love it. I didn't get a wrench or gauge, just the revolver with a scope and a few rounds. Are the wrench and gauge fairly common, or specialized DW tooling?
March 23, 2020
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jertex said
Welcome, sounds like a great first purchase. I'm looking forward to hearing about your first range trip.
Thanks, it may be a while before I take it out the first time. I like to get a bunch of friends together for shooting on my birthday in June, thinking I may just round up some brass and load rounds for it till then. Hopefully we'll actually be able to gather up, in decent-sized groups, by the time the birthday rolls around. I'm going to try to figure out how to get pictures on here, tomorrow, so I can put up a few of the Supermag with some of my other revolvers.
March 23, 2020
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DA....64 said
Welcome to the Forum from Wisconsin. I just bought one on Gun Broker or thought I did until the seller said he was cleaning the revolver before shipping it to me and messed up the trigger. I got my money back but would have loved to have the SM.
Thank you. I wonder how he messed up the trigger while cleaning the gun? Part of me says it would be hard to mess up a trigger during a routine cleaning, but part of me really wants to know how not to mess up a trigger during a routine cleaning.
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Dans Club
February 22, 2009
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Good to have you on the DWF. You'll love the Supermag!
Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....
Dans Club
December 5, 2008
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FVBADBEHAVIOR said
Thanks, I think I'm going to love it. I didn't get a wrench or gauge, just the revolver with a scope and a few rounds. Are the wrench and gauge fairly common, or specialized DW tooling?
The best wrench is from EWK Arms Here: http://ewkarms.com/zen8/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=67_5
Get the Large Frame Wrench and also get the .357 insert. You can get the gap gauge from him also, or just use a flat spark plug gap gauge in the right size.
The factory wrenches are more expensive. Definitely stay away from the vintage plastic ones.
March 23, 2020
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Thank you, snake-eye!
May 3, 2011
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FVBADBEHAVIOR said
Hey all, from coastal Maine. I've been watching the forum for a while, reading posts here and there, but finally joined today.
I'm a lobsterman by trade, and also build lobster traps for work during the winter. I've been into firearms for a few years now, and am particularly into revolvers and 1911s. I do have a few rifles, but don't generally seek rifles out.
I purchased my first Dan Wesson last night, at about 6:15PM. I've had my eye on this gun for months, but refused to spend too much of my yearly gun budget until after the winter gun show season in Maine was over. Let's face it, going to a gun show with no money is just an invitation for heartbreak. Covid-19 ended the gun show season early, the last one I wanted to go to was cancelled, so I got back in touch with the former owner and pulled the trigger(pun intended) on a .357Supermag with an 8" barrel. After a 6.5hour round trip, it's sitting in my safe until I get a chance to round up some ammo and go poke a few holes in my dead bbq grill with it.
Initial thoughts: This thing is as big, and heavier, than my Ruger Super Redhawk in .44Mag. It's gorgeous, even with the bit of a plum tinge to the frame, and the grips have a good feel to them. The action feels good, cylinder locks up well. My buddy took a picture of it, his Taurus .41Mag, and my pocket carry 1969 Colt Cobra, and looking at them all together made me laugh like an idiot at how huge the Dan is.
Now that I have it, I'll be looking for barrels and shrouds in different lengths, just because. I look forward to reading through posts on the forum, and learning more about my Dan and Dans in general.
I hope everybody is staying safe and healthy in this crazy world, as we navigate what is currently the new normal.
Thanks for reading,
Richard
Welcome to the DW forum. Congratulations on your new purchase. You went big for your first DW. I have the mod. 40 .357 SM. They are fine pistols.
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January 24, 2009
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FVBADBEHAVIOR said
Thank you. I wonder how he messed up the trigger while cleaning the gun? Part of me says it would be hard to mess up a trigger during a routine cleaning, but part of me really wants to know how not to mess up a trigger during a routine cleaning.
For those who aren't familiar with large frame DW's reassembling the trigger group can be tough. My first 2-3 tries took me a while for sure, now I'm more proficient at it. If you decide to take yours apart for a scrubbing, there is a good tutorial HERE that will help you get it apart & back together again.
to the 
March 23, 2020
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Thanks, Gary, glad to be here. Thank you for the tip, Charger Fan, I'll admit to knowing next to nothing about Dan Wessons in general, and will definitely be checking out that tutorial when I get that far into cleaning on mine.
March 23, 2020
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Finally figured out how to get a photo on here, from my ancient flip phone, via a multi-step process, lol. This is my Mod40 .357Maximum, in between my 1985 Ruger Security Six .357Mag on bottom and my 2017 Ruger Super Redhawk .44Mag on the top. Took it for comparison sake, as soon as I got the SuperMax home.
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Dans Club
March 25, 2013
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Supermags are very special. Nothing like them will be made again probably. The 357 is the heaviest gun Dan Wesson made. It is the same size as the other supermags but the bore and chambers are smaller, hence the gun is heavier and stronger. You are going to be surprised by how much extra barrel assemblies will cost. They don't show up on eBay often. The factory may have some but they will have a different roll mark. You realize you can shoot 357 Magnum and 38 special also?
March 23, 2020
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Ole Dog said
Supermags are very special. Nothing like them will be made again probably. The 357 is the heaviest gun Dan Wesson made. It is the same size as the other supermags but the bore and chambers are smaller, hence the gun is heavier and stronger. You are going to be surprised by how much extra barrel assemblies will cost. They don't show up on eBay often. The factory may have some but they will have a different roll mark. You realize you can shoot 357 Magnum and 38 special also?
I figured there was a good chance it was physically heavier than the larger bore Supermags, for that reason, and figured barrel assemblies would be hard to find and pricey because they were the only .357s built on the larger frame. Different roll mark wouldn't hurt my feelings, really, if factory barrels were a possibility. I am aware I can shoot .357Mag and .38Special out of it, told my buddy that went with me to pick it up "I fear if I put any .38Special through it, the kick will be so little I'll end up checking to make sure it wasn't a squib round", lol.
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Dans Club
March 25, 2013
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You can find a barrel on eBay at times. Lots of sellers want too much money though. Check with the DW factory if they have any. Model 40s were sold with 2 barrels as the forcing cone tended to erode if you used bullets lighter than 180 gr. Hence the availability on unused barrels on eBay. You can use shrouds from any supermag. You can also have a large frame shroud machined to allow the longer extractor rod to fit. BTW, your next supermag, the 445, will use 44 mag barrels.
March 23, 2020
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Ole Dog said
You can find a barrel on eBay at times. Lots of sellers want too much money though. Check with the DW factory if they have any. Model 40s were sold with 2 barrels as the forcing cone tended to erode if you used bullets lighter than 180 gr. Hence the availability on unused barrels on eBay. You can use shrouds from any supermag. You can also have a large frame shroud machined to allow the longer extractor rod to fit. BTW, your next supermag, the 445, will use 44 mag barrels.
I'm going to have to hunt around for the number for DW, I'm sure it's here on the Forum in one of the posts. I'd say I'll plan on using heavier projectiles when I get ready to load brass, thank you for the info. You're not wrong on your assumption about there being a "next supermag", I've already decided I'll be keeping my eye out for any of the other sizes, when funding permits, lol.
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Dans Club
March 25, 2013
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Dan Wesson Acquisition Syndrome . Incurable but can go into remission by low funds and future ex wife bitching. Whatever you do, do not look at Dan Wesson on GunBroker.com.
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