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April 26, 2010
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Hello everyone!! Just purchased my first Dan Wesson today. I believe it is a 15-2 but please feel free to correct me if that is wrong. Came with a 6" barrel mounted and a little 2" and barrel wrench and gauge in the box. It has a set of finger groved hardwood grips on it, but the original DW grips are with it as well. Im not sure what type of wood the DW grips are so if anyone wants to chime in and tell me that would be great. The guy I purchased it from told me this locking Samsonite looking case was original. Input on that would be great too. I am not sure what this gun is worth with these accessories, but I could not pass it up. I have been looking for one for quite some time now. Oh, and I almost forgot.....It's great to be here!! I am very glad to see a Dan Wesson Forum!!
Robert 
January 22, 2008
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Robert, welcome to the forum!
Well that is a very nice looking set you have there. Looks like the revolver is stainless in which case you would have a model 715. If that is the case here is what you have:
- Orginial Mini Pac Case
- VH6 (Vented Heavy 6") Barrel Assembly
- V2 (Vented 2") Barrel Assembly
- Dan Wesson Zebrawood Grip
- Orginial Key
- Barrel Wrench and Feeler Gauge
At first I thought the grips on Hogues but I'm not sure about that. I recently sold a 714V4 for $604 on GunBroker. This set would be worth more than that. Did you get a box in addition to the case? I could see this going $800+ easy at auction. Guys correct me if I'm wrong on this one.
Hope this helps and again welcome!
Jody
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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Welcome to DWF, and congratulations on passing the "new guy test"-you posted pics upfront. Very nice looking 715 Mini Pac (although the 2" does not look to be a VH).
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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Moderators
January 24, 2009
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aboard, that's a great looking setup you've got there.
About the only non-original thing I see in that pic is the finger groove grip, not that it detracts from it in any way, so you've done good for your first DW.
April 26, 2010
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Thanks guys!! The guy I bought it from said the finger groove grip was made by Pachmayr, but it is not labeled as such. He bought it used but unfired about 15 years ago and he has put about 250 rounds of .38 wadcutters through the 6" barrel, but the short barrel has never been used. There is no box or paperwork for it. Just the mini pac case with the original key. I had been watching DW revolvers on Gunbroker and when I found this one locally for $500 I felt like it was a good deal so I snagged it up. Around here in my part of TN, this thing is a rare bird. This is Smith & Wesson and/or Taurus country around here, with the exception of a few Colt Pythons in hiding. Now I can't wait to take it out and shoot it next weekend!!
DWF Supporters
Dans Club
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November 17, 2008
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to the world of 
. Nice set up you landed, and at a great price too. Beware as these things are addictive!
LB
Wisdom is merely the realization of how little one knows, therefore I am wise.
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Range Officer
Range Officers
May 2, 2009
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Very nice find, especially with the mini-Pac case. Welcome to the forum--you did good !
SHOOT
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Range Officers
Dans Club
February 28, 2009
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Hey Robert:
You seem to have gotten a super deal on a great gun. Make sure you clean it thoroughly before taking it to the range: .38 Special wadcutters can leave a real mess in the barrel to say nothing of the cylinder bores. Then I would you use JHP or JSP .367 mags in that gun.
Others will have other opinions, I'm sure.
BTW, welcome to the DWF.
-Mike
April 26, 2010
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Is there any rhyme or reason to the serial numbers on these things? Im not necessarily concerned as to when it was made, but I read somewhere that the stainless guns had some letters in front of the numbers in the serial. All I have is a 6 digit number 290,XXX and it is a stainless Monson gun.
Robert
October 26, 2008
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yes the stainless guns have a prefix on them to distinguish them as stainless for the 715's the codes they used were:
S/xxxxx
SDxxxxx
357Sxxxxx
If you don't have that then more than likely you don't have a stainless gun, they also marked the crane with a S and the back of the barrel shroud should have a S on it as well. I had a Dan that had the bluing removed and it rusted pretty quickly, I'd say get it to someone to have them blue it. Looking closer at your pic the tab on the sideplate looks (as best as I can tell) like an early 15-2 one does and the overtravel screw is in the trigger which I haven't seen on a 715 either.
Still looks like a nice gun and probably will shoot pretty good too
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Moderators
January 24, 2009
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Although I've learned to "never say never" regarding DW guns, I agree that every 715 I've seen so far has had at least one of the "S" designations that Superdan mentioned. Although, I suppose it's possible that an early stainless batch could have been made without the letters.
The gun looks genuinely stainless to me, especially because of the stainless trigger & hammer.
Does your Pac case have a paper label on the side, by chance? The s/n is usually listed on that label, along with other basic info.
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Range Officer
Range Officers
May 2, 2009
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I'm voting for SS with an odd serial number... if that was stripped blue it would be a rusting nightmare every time you touched it.
SHOOT
April 26, 2010
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I would say it has to be stainless with an odd serial. It would be rusted all to heck if it were a regular steel gun. I know the guy that has had it for the last 15 years and it has always looked this way and has never rusted. I don't know if this was an early SS gun, or what the reason is for it being oddball. I wish I could find out, but I may never know. I have no box sticker, or paperwork of any kind with it to show me anything.
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