Register
Log In
Home
August 25, 2011
Offline
I became a 715 owner a few days ago and am excited to own and shoot such an elegant piece of American history.
This revolver is a stainless 8" barrel model that came with the box, barrel tool and shim. It says Made in Monson, Mass. so I'm guessing it's a pre-CZ gun.
The first order of business is to get a wood grip for it, came with a ill-fitting rubber grip. My preference in grips is one without finger grooves in a lighter colored wood that's more solid colored than zebra looking. If anyone has suggestions where to locate one, I'm listening.
My other guns include a S&W 29-2 8-3/8" blued .44 mag, two Taurus 608 8-shot .357 mags with 4" and 6" barrels, a S&W 625 chambered in .45 ACP, a couple of Colt Detective Specials, Ruger LCR and a bunch of others I just haven't had time to pull from the safe and shoot lately. No autos, just wheels.
Looking forward to this forum and life with my 715!
January 8, 2011
Offline
to the forum. You won't find a better group of guys, helpful and friendly. Be careful, someone may "pull your leg" due to a great sense of humor. After you have had a severe case of 
for a while you will be shooting it more than any of the others you listed.
As for grips, check on Ebay and GunBorkers.com.
Hossman 
July 7, 2011
Offline
Welcome brother! but let me be the first to say
. The price of admission is
.
Range Officer
Range Officers
Dans Club
February 28, 2009
Offline
Welcome to the DWF. DWAS will bite you very soon. In the meantime, the best custom grips are made by our member Lawrence Bruce. I have several and a couple on order. There's a link to his site: LB Custom grips in the right hand column near the top.
My favorite style is the LB Special. It's a lot like a DW target grip with the addition of finger grooves; a real comfortable shooter.
Enjoy your new Dan.
-Mike
December 26, 2010
Offline
Welcome to the forum. As Hossman said, we're a friendly group and I doubt you could find a group as knowledgeable about DW's anywhere else. Pics would be much appreciated. We like our eye candy. 
If you can wait for a custom grip, LB makes gorgeous ones. The link to his site is to the right. It's a labor of love for him and he is busy so there will be a wait, but he does beautiful work.
August 25, 2011
Offline
OK, it took me a while but I figured out how to upload pictures.
Here ya go. I'm off now to meet a few friends at the range to run some ammo down the pipe. Have a great weekend all!
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
Offline
Welcome to DWF, you probably want an LB Traditional in something like Black Cherry. There is a very subdued grain, basically a lighter wood overall
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
May 10, 2011
Offline
Nice! I'm new to DW and revolvers, in general. Renton, huh? I'm right up in Marysville...
May 3, 2011
Offline
Welcome to DWF. There are a great bunch of people here. If you have questions they have the answers. Congrats on that DW that is a real beauty. Share the passion DW Fever.
August 25, 2011
Offline
OK, so I took my DW to the range today and put it though it's paces.
First the positives:
Once I adapted to the sight picture, the gun is crazy accurate. Don't laugh too loud but my accuracy benchmark is my Taurus 608 6", it makes even me look good on paper 
So the DW is at least as accurate for me as my 608, and I've put in a lot more time with the 608.
I read all the time about .357 magnum guns that make that load feel like a .38 special. Well I've tried most of 'em and I'm still a skeptic. Not the DW; .357 mags felt so darn good I can't even describe it, and probably don't need to around here.
Now for the bad:
There is one shot out of six that consistently demonstrates trigger lockup; I either had to back off the trigger and try again a few times for it to fire, or manually rock the cylinder a bit, then it would fire. I have no idea if it's the same cylinder position as I had nothing available to place a temporary mark with. Once locked, SA could not be engaged, it was that tight.
Fired .357 mag casings were a female-dog to dislodge, forget about the ejector, they had to be pried out after cooling down, with a strong fingernail.
My gut feel is there's some deferred maintenance need on this revolver which, under my custody, it will receive.
Suggestions, idea, thoughts all welcome 
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
Offline
On the first problem, if you're saying that in DA the cylinder would not fully advance or the hammer would not fully cock and then drop, you are probably experiencing a too tight barrel/cylinder gap. Factory spec is .006, many of us go as tight as .002, BUT the front face of the cylinder may not be square. On an DW unfamiliar to you you need to check B/C gap on all chambers, and gap on the tightest one.
The extraction problem is almost certainly related to crud buildup in the chambers. I have a 14-2 that would not chamber .357's at all. I had to chuck a bore brush into a drill and power scrub (carefully) chambers for 2-3 minutes each to resolve this problem.
Here's a real good look at what's going on inside the sideplate. Just a quick clean-up inside there pays off pretty well, and a spring change will resolve almost any problems.
https://www.danwessonforum.com/forum/reloading/tuning-up-your-15-2-the-average-joe-method
Steve
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
January 22, 2008
Offline
First that's a very nice looking Dan you picked up. Now for your issues:
1) Sounds like you need check your barrel\cylinder gap. With Monson guns you need check the gap on all 6 chambers. You can set the gap tighter than .006 but keep one of the lead remove clothes in your range bag to give the cylinder face a wipe down once it because difficult to turn.
2) This sounds like someone prior to you probably shot a few 38's in there without cleaning the cylinder good. Some of the guys here chuck a cleaning brush in a drill to give them a good scrubbing.
I'm sure some others will give some input as well.
I'm going going to ride you about the Taurus as it sounds as though you have already been enlightened! 
January 22, 2008
Offline
Steve beat me to the post!
August 25, 2011
Offline
OK, that's some good stuff to go on. I may take the gun on vacation as we're staying in state, and we plan on some plinking. Thanks, I'll report back.
September 1, 2010
Offline
Welcome to the forum and to the world of Dan Wesson from the volunteer state.
February 11, 2010
Offline
to 
Agree with all above , barrel gap to tight. If your in need of a wrench
DWF member Eric sells the best.
-Blacktop
July 7, 2011
Offline
I love my Dans but frankly my Raging Bull in 454 will give them a run for their money. 
DWF Supporters
Dans Club
Moderators
November 17, 2008
Offline
I love my Dans but frankly my Raging Bull in 454 will give them a run for their money.
Blasphemy!!! 
Even a broken clock is right twice a day.
LB
Wisdom is merely the realization of how little one knows, therefore I am wise.
May 3, 2011
Offline
That .454 in no joke for sure. However the .445 DW has some advantages over the .454. Note this article.
" In the February 2000 issue of Gun Tests."
Our .445 SuperMag out performs the .454 Casulls in the following ways:
1. Our .445 SuperMag delivers more accuracy (none of the Casulls have the Dan Wesson system of anchoring the barrel front and rear and keeping it under constant tension to prevent barrel whip during firing);
2. Our .445 SuperMag delivers more down range energy (the same weight bullet in .44 caliber is longer and more slender that a .45 caliber, and therefore has a better ballistic coefficient, and therefore retains more energy. We don't put muzzle velocity (the testosterone factor, or what I refer to as the horse getting out of the gate) at the top of the list of factors that determine whether or not a revolver and cartridge will accomplish the desired results these guns are supposed to be designed for–in the case of big bores, knocking down a big steel ram at 200 meters or a big bull elk at 200 yards (the intelligence factor, or what I refer to as the horse finishing the race–first!);
3. Our .445 SuperMag delivers all that in a revolver that was designed to eliminate and/or isolate the shooter from as much of the negative forces (equal and opposite reactions) of recoil and muzzle climb as is physically possible (check out our compensator system–reduces both negative forces by as much as 61% with absolutely no reduction in velocity or accuracy–all the power and performance with a lot less punishment!), thereby delivering the above-mentioned performance in a revolver that is much more pleasurable to shoot.
Check out the load data for the .445 SuperMag on our website (300gr @ 1575 ft/sec with CUP @ 44,300 w/ 30gr of H108–that's enough to take down any whitetail, muley, grizzly, bull elk or steel ram @ 200 meters, don't you think?).
Supporter
Moderators
January 24, 2009
Offline
bikemutt said:
The first order of business is to get a wood grip for it, came with a ill-fitting rubber grip.
I'm really surprised with how badly your rubber Hogue grips fit the trigger guard area. I have two DW's that shipped from the factory with rubber Hogues & I must say they are the most snug-fitting grip I have seen on any gun. So yours fitting poorly is an honest surprise.
When you remove yours, does it have a round or square tang hole inside? From here, the shape & fit of yours looks like a large frame grip.
1 Guest(s)
