I carry a revolver.  For years, I've carried late-model S&W revolvers and currently a 686+.  I recently sold some S&W's that I didn't like and I need another revolver.  I'd like to have two of the same model, but I've not satisfied my curiosity about the different options out there enough to stop trying new things.

I can remember Dan Wesson revolvers going back to the 1980's.  Before that, I was too young to pay attention to such things.  What I remember about them is that they're ugly.  They have a gimmick about changing barrel lengths.  Colt Pythons look better.  I didn't know any more than that.

When I started carrying revolvers, neither Dan Wesson nor Colt were options, at least not new ones.  I bought S&W's because the old Colts were absurdly expensive, and I'd heard they could be troublesome.  The Smiths have a good design.  The triggers are smooth, they're offered with a lot of features, the aftermarket is rich in options, the guns are strong (at least the steel ones), they've innovated some technology that makes up for their lack of craftsmanship, and their quality control is awful.  One out of five has been good for me.

The Colt Python is available again, and while the new ones aren't as expensive as the old, they're still quite costly -- remember that I'd like to end up with two at some point.  Even at that price, the cylinder doesn't come cut for moon clips or chamfered.  I heard the rear sight won't hold, but that for another hundred bucks or so, Wilson has a replacement.  Grip selection isn't as varied as it is for S&W, but there are probably more options than there is for the King Cobra.  The Python's trigger reset is still sluggish and the ejector rod's stroke is short.  The cylinder release doesn't bother me.  I know they had some quality issues initially, but those issues are in the past.

Then there's the Dan Wesson.  Since I learned how a revolver works and how they sometimes fail, it hasn't looked as ugly as it used to.  I understand that Daniel left S&W when it was sold to Bangor Punta and he founded Dan Wesson Arms.  Karl Lewis who designed the Trooper Mark III for Colt and the BLR among other things for Browning came over to DWA and designed the ugliest models 8, 9, 11 and 12 with the pork-chop barrel assemblies.  Hidden under the ugliness was some brilliant innovation.  The most obvious being the interchangeable barrels.  I wouldn't have an interest in changing barrel lengths except for one thing: I'd like to shoot IDPA and their rules exclude anything but short barrels which I would otherwise avoid.  What's really brilliant about the barrels isn't the ability to change lengths, but the ability to reset the barrel-to-cylinder gap.

I once bought a new S&W that came with a b/c gap of 0.013".  I hadn't measured it before I took the transfer.  S&W did reset it for me, but it took some time without the gun.  Since I started checking them before I buy, I've found a lot new ones that are 0.008" or more.  I had S&W reset one for me and it came back 0.004", but after shooting a few thousand rounds, it was back to 0.006 or 0.007".  It would be so nice to be able to reset it without having to rethread the barrel and recut the barrel face.  S&W and Ruger have recently adopted the two-piece barrel and shroud design to allow them to install the barrel in the frame independently of how the shroud is clocked, but their design doesn't extend this convenience to me.  With the Dan Wesson, I could easily maintain my own barrel.  I know eventually the forcing cone would have to be recut and the end-shake shimmed or otherwise fixed, but that's where Lewis' design is brilliant again.

The Dan Wesson's cylinder latch is on the crane.  While this can complicate the operation of opening the cylinder with one hand, I typically open the cylinder with my support-hand thumb on that position anyway.  The latch detent on the crane was innovated by S&W on the New Century "triple-lock," but when pressed to simplify the design, S&W chose to delete this rather than the detent on the end of the ejector rod.  Lewis' design opted for the crane detent, which Ruger also opted for with their GP-100, and since then S&W has also brought it back on their 627 PC, and their current K-frame magnums.  The thing that sets Lewis' design apart from these others is that because a detent in the barrel shroud and the center pin spring do not have to push the center pin into a hole in the recoil shield where the cylinder release can push it out, the rear of the cylinder, that is the ratchet, can instead be supported by a ball.  Without the incrementally increasing endshake battering the ratchet and stretching the top strap, the hand won't wear as rapidly, and the revolver will stay in time longer.

Karl's design also gave us a coil mainspring on a grip stud rather than a grip frame with a steel backstrap.  The only drawback to this innovation is that it just isn't as popular as S&W grip frames and so there are few aftermarket grip options.  I like the old service panel grips, the rounded ones.  I like Ropers.  I can stand Hogue grips without fingergrooves, but the palm-swell is too low on them.  I don't like anything with palm-swells or fingergrooves because they're almost always ill-fitting.

What else is good about the Dan Wesson revolver?  I don't know.  I've never seen one in person or handled it.  I'd probably have to buy one on Gunbroker before I did.  I understand the frames are investment cast.  Did DWA cast them or Pinetree or someone else?  I understand they use a transfer bar rather than a hammer block.

Should I buy one?  Which one?  I'm heavily invested in 357 Magnum and nothing else.  Anything else means I would have to buy brass, bullets, primers, dies, and so much more.  If I got one, I'd like a 4" barrel to shoot IDPA, but otherwise I'd rather carry a 5 or 6" barrel.  I can see that some auctions are for collectors, complete pistol packs and so forth, and others are shooters.  Should I be looking for a Model 12, 15, 15-2, 715?  What else should I know?

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