Dans Club
August 13, 2022
You heard it hear first….I just got off the phone with a very knowledgeable DW support rep
after he answered my parts question he asked me “do I have any other questions” and I said yes, when are you going to start manufacturing
revolvers again….and he said “well, I can’t really talk about it…. I probably already said to much”
I quizzed him further but he clammed up…..now this is very interesting
Cheers!
Capt Jack
Dans Club
February 24, 2013
Dans Club
February 24, 2013
Supporter
Moderators
January 24, 2009
Dans Club
December 7, 2020
capt jack said
You heard it hear first….I just got off the phone with a very knowledgeable DW support rep
after he answered my parts question he asked me “do I have any other questions” and I said yes, when are you going to start manufacturing
revolvers again….and he said “well, I can’t really talk about it…. I probably already said to much”
I quizzed him further but he clammed up…..now this is very interesting
Cheers!
Capt Jack
As much as I want to believe this, here are the facts as I have learned first-hand from higher levels than a Support Rep.:
Since June 01, 2022 Reorganization @ DW. I will not say "down-sized", but take it as you see fit. 1) Master Revolver Smith BC retires without a replacement, 2) Revolver machinery goes offline (re)moved to make room for 1911 production. 3) All custom back-orders cancelled. 4) Barrel Assembly production goes to standard bore calibers, and shrouds only available in full-lug heavy. 5) Since they went standard bores, and Heavy shrouds only, it is doubtful the the 32s and 45s BAs in the webstore are newly made. Likely, they are cleaning house. 6) Many of the DW employees have added responsibilities to their current positions...(ie; Genny & Keith. 7) custom shops do not make profit. They are a marketing tool for standard production items.
Speculation: If Dan were to start revolvers again, I doubt they will be from Norwich. If made @ Colt, doubtful that they carry a snake name and the DW name together. What you might see?: 38S, (Return of a redesigned L'il Dan?) Next Gen 715 with forged shrouds instead of milled? Design would be for most cost-efficient production. If they come back, I would guess more automated production with human QC oversight.
I hope I am wrong. I hope that they have seen the error of their ways, and more cost-efficient production brings the return of a variety of wheel guns. I hope they bring back the custom shop, promote it online and on the road, and we throw out hard-earned $$$s begging them to take our money to personalize our Dan Wessons.
We can only dream for now. But If were are going to dream, DREAM BIG!
DWF Supporters
March 28, 2023
Bob Serva moved production from Palmer to Norwich when he bought DW in 1996. The equipment to make the Revolvers was worn out and it took until 2001 for Bob to set up production using CNC machines. Serva had made a deal with S&W to have S&W make the frames as a cost cutting method and DW would make the barrel assemblies. They were serialized Dan Wesson. They did not even show up on S&W records. There were 6 guns of 6 calibers made as prototypes. They were 22lr, 357 Magnum, 44 Magnum, 445 Super Mag that I know about. Maybe a 45acp and a 41 mag. I have one each of the first 3. Before he could put it into production Bob sold DW to CZ. Bob emptied the safes and divied up the 36 prototypes among family and executives. CZ was really never much interested in Revolvers. They only made the 357 and quality seemed to suffer. If the present machinery is worn out I doubt they are going to start up again.
CZ put a lot of resources into buying Colt and reviving the Snake guns. As much as we love Dan Wesson revolvers they are the thinking man's gun. Not too many thinking men around. The liability of user interchangable barrels was too great for Colt when Karl Lewis offered it to them before DW. I doubt they want to do it now. And why would they want to compete with themselves. JMHO.
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