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October 14, 2014
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Hello everyone,
I just inherited a dan wesson 357 magnum ctg from my dad who passed last Friday Oct 10. It has the 8 inch barrel and boy is she in need of a good cleaning. Any suggestions to this approach is appreciated.
Dans Club
April 18, 2014
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Welcome to DWF. So sorry, to hear about your father. You have inherited a fine heirloom, IMO. Check this out. https://www.danwessonforum.com/forum/reloading/tuning-up-your-15-2-the-average-joe-method/
Put together great, for anyone to follow. Since Dan Wesson built his revolver so user friendly, this is the place to start.
Edit to make link hot-Steve
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"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
Richard Henry Lee
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Dans Club
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July 2, 2011
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Welcome to the forum. Congrats on the Dan and condolences on the loss of your Dad.
Cecil has given you the best starting point with your heirloom .357. You will be amazed the performance that can be achieved by a simple deep clean.
To the paranoid people who check behind shower curtains for murderers:
if you find one...what's your plan?
Dans Club
April 18, 2014
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Thanks Steve, for fixin it up. I thought I had copied the link not just the text.
Oath Keeper #021479 NRA #206814004
Member AAGSR Member AGA #83120600233
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
Richard Henry Lee
American Statesman, 1788
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Dans Club
March 25, 2013
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If you keep that gun you risk developing an obsessive disorder knowm as Dan Wesson Acquisition Syndrome , also known as DWAS. About 70% chance of an uncontrolable desire for more of one of the world's finest firearms. Since you have already joined the forum it is probably too late. Welcome, we love new members .
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Dans Club
February 22, 2009
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Welcome, And... when you get it all cleaned up, the obligatory "see what I have" picture is required...
Any stories to go along with the gun that you can remember?
Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....
October 14, 2014
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Dans Club
March 27, 2009
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Welcome and sorry for your lose! You have been pointed to the right place! Keep us posted and show us the dirty Dan!
October 14, 2014
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Inquiring your thoughts. I have not had the opportunity to fire it yet. A buddy of mine who is and correctional officer said he could take it to their Armour who is a s&w specialist and could do a trigger job on mine and clean it up after making sure all the parts functions properly. What do you think? 
October 14, 2014
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Thx everyone for your condolences, there were over 300 people outside of the family there to send my dad off
Dans Club
December 5, 2008
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I suggest you clean it well, inside & out, then shoot before having any kind of trigger job done. Smiths are way different than Dans inside. If you pursue the average joe method, which is not at all hard, you probably will not need to do anything else.
In any case, shooting it first will give you a baseline from which to evaluate any work that you or someone else may do on the gun.
I had never disassembled any handgun before I used the average joe method and I had no trouble at all. All my small frames get this treatment now, although I admit that I have not jumped inside my large frames yet.
Good luck and enjoy
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Dans Club
March 25, 2013
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I second snake-eye's remarks. I also broke my maiden on a dan wesson. Fun it is. Do not let a stranger near your gun. They may start fileing the action or cutting the spring and ruin it. Dans were designed to not need a smith for most things.
Dans Club
April 18, 2014
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I have to third the motion or just say it carries. To quote an Adam Sandler film " You can do it"...
Trust me, you don't need to let someone else into your gun. If you have too, the send it to the factory first. Heck if your nervous and your anywhere near Shelbyville I'll be glad to help you. The guys who know how to work on Dan Wessons are right here or at the factory. These guys here will tell ya, there are not many DW mechanics and a S&W is totally different animal....
Oath Keeper #021479 NRA #206814004
Member AAGSR Member AGA #83120600233
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
Richard Henry Lee
American Statesman, 1788
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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depckr said
Inquiring your thoughts. I have not had the opportunity to fire it yet. A buddy of mine who is and correctional officer said he could take it to their Armour who is a s&w specialist and could do a trigger job on mine and clean it up after making sure all the parts functions properly. What do you think?
I think that unless your small frame DW revolver exhibits significant functional problems, you would be best served by (in this order):
1) The Average Joe Tune Up, thorough cleaning only
2) #1 with a complete spring replacement
3) #2 with smoothing and fitting of the internal components
Many DW small frame revolvers have gone through various levels of this procedure, the HUGE majority of those guns have been greatly improved by some very basic procedures.
After all of these steps, if the gun does not meet your needs, then a gunsmith. First choice for the gunsmith would be DW in Norwich
No disrespect intended, but being an S&W specialist does not qualify anyone to work on a DW. He may be qualified, I'd ask first if he's ever worked on any DW's
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
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Dans Club
March 27, 2009
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I agree with Steve! You can do it!
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Dans Club
March 25, 2013
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My FFL friend's gunsmith is a master at almost any firearm, but is actually scared to work on dans. That is because there is really nothing for a smith to do. Cleaning and a little smoothing , maybe some Wolff springs or replacing small parts with an inexpensive kit and the gun is like new.You cannot even scratch the sideplate or bugger the screws because of the allen screws. Just remember, snug is good, if it scews in. Don't over tighten.
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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To be fair, I put a 15-2 in the hands of a local gunsmith. This was the one I had refinished in bright nickel, and I did this before Average Joe Tune-up existed. They did great work:
1) Broke it down
2) Did all the polishing to prep for refinishing
3) Sent the frame, barrel, misc associated parts out for refinishing (US Firearms in Hartford, CT)
4) Reassembled with new springs and smoothed the internals (when I look inside, it looks a lot like the AJT procedure)
5) Gave it back to me shiny bright and functionally perfect.
This shop is easily the most highly respected one in CT for specialty work, they build their own 1911's and AR's, Class III Dealer, Armorers for most of the local PD's and State Police SWAT Teams ...
I paid fairly substantial $$$ for the work, and regret not one penny of it. They had done other stuff for me, both prior to the DW, and since. Every time my son is home, this shop is a MUST VISIT for him, and he never walks out empty handed.
Good to have a great gunsmith available when needed
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
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