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July 5, 2014
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Hello. I am new to Dan Wesson revolvers & I am thinking about buying a 357 Supermag 40-V8S. It is made out of the Monson factory. There is a few questions I have about the revolver & cartridge.
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I am buying this for $700. It comes with what you see in the picture (extra barrel, tools, and wood/rubber grips) and also 3 box of 357 Rem. Max. 158 gr ammo. Is this a decent price?
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I have read in the manual where it says they do not recommend .38 Special & also .357 Mag ammo. If there a reason why? I will shoot the .357 Max ammo and reload them but my wife is wanting to fire .38 special from it. Will it be safe long term use (300-400 rd. a year)?
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Did they make the Supermag in different size barrels?
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How long did Dan Wesson make the Supermag? I am wanting to get a range of when it was made roughly. I know series was introduce in 1983. The serial # is E0047XX. I know I can not get a exact date of made but a good year range would be helpful.
Any other information would be helpful.
Dans Club
May 17, 2009
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Hi Kenneth and welcome to the Forum. You can shoot 38 special in the Model 40, 357 Super Mag, but after a lot of 38 special you'll have to clean the chambers in the cylinders as they may have a buildup of carbon, etc ahead of where the case ends. if you don't, the story goes that the 357 Mag cases will stick in the chambers. I haven't experienced the sticking from that, only somewhat hot reloads.
Get your wife a nice model 15-2 for the 38 special. Good luck with model 40.
What else do you have in revolvers?
Ed
July 5, 2014
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This is my first revolver. I have always wanted one. I have shot an older 15-2 and loved it. I mainly have Beretta pistols.
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DWF Supporters
May 11, 2011
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Nice looking gun, yes that is a decent price for everything you'll get. And also, they did make different barrel length's. Keep your eye on eBay and Gunbroker they come up every so often.
willy
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Dans Club
March 25, 2013
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Hi Kenneth and welcome. Question one; I happen to think it is a very good price especially with the cartridges included. If you don't buy it hook me up. Two; Aside from the potential carbon build up necesitating regular scrubbing of the cylinders there should be absolutely no safety issue. The supermag frame is one of the strongest made. I would follow the range day shooting .38's or 357 mag with some 357 max. rounds and it might scour out any carbon. Three; They made barrels in4",6",8" and 10" lengths. Vent and slotted, just vented, vent heavy and rarely vent heavy slotted. The gun was mostly used for IHMSA and the 4" is probably pretty rare .Most shrouds were slotted to keep the weight under the limit. Four; Your gun was an early one, probably mid eighties. I think they made them till CZ stopped making revolvers. I may be wrong there but through the nineties for sure. One word of caution. You should only shoot bullets of 180 grain or higher if you use the maximum cases. to prevent flame cutting of the top strap. Several boxes of 158 shouldn't hurt but reload with heavier bullets. 158 gr. 357 magnum are fine.. Have fun.
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Dans Club
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July 2, 2011
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Hi Kenneth. Welcome to the Forum. It looks like the guys have given you some good advice. Have fun!
To the paranoid people who check behind shower curtains for murderers:
if you find one...what's your plan?
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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Best guess on manufacture date is early to mid 1980's. The only safety issue with shooting lighter loads in cartridges that are shorter in case length than .357 Max is the dreaded "carbon ring" in the chambers. Shooting .357 mag, and especially .38 Spl in this gun will require you to scrub out the chambers throughly and very regularly
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
July 5, 2014
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Thanks for all of the help guys it was appreciated. I called the gun shop last night and told him I would take it in a few months after I move, he is putting it up for me. This is a firearm he has had for over a year and not even put on the shelf to sale just had it in the back.
March 25, 2008
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Good day and welcome! You will find the 357 maximum to be the finest shooting long range revolver you could buy! As for dateing the gun open the spare barrel wrapper, you will find that the Ludlow wrap is dated. That should help.
April 25, 2008
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Hi Kenneth! 
to the forum!
Looks like you got a nice one for a very good price. The 8" slotted shroud was the original design for IHMSA competition, due to the 4 pound weight limit. Other lengths or shroud styles came later. Most of these sold to silhouette shooters had the patridge front sight, as colored inserts didn't work too well for the shooters. I have seen a lot of them like yours though.
The other problem I see with shooting the .38 and .357 Magnum cases, is that the accuracy isn't all that great, due to the very long bullet jump, however, I can't personally confirm that, since I never tried it in any of mine.
The Savantist
July 5, 2014
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IHMSA80x80 said
Hi Kenneth!
Looks like you got a nice one for a very good price. The 8" slotted shroud was the original design for IHMSA competition, due to the 4 pound weight limit. Other lengths or shroud styles came later. Most of these sold to silhouette shooters had the patridge front sight, as colored inserts didn't work too well for the shooters. I have seen a lot of them like yours though.
The other problem I see with shooting the .38 and .357 Magnum cases, is that the accuracy isn't all that great, due to the very long bullet jump, however, I can't personally confirm that, since I never tried it in any of mine.
Thanks. On the .38 & .357 mag I am only going to fire up to 20 yards and just for the wife having fun also.
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