Register
Log In
Home
September 6, 2013
Offline
Good day to all, I'm a new member as of today. I have been a Dan Wesson owner since 1984 when my father bought me a new 15-2 pistol pack for my 21st birthday. We both shared the same pistol packs only mine was a heavy barrel pack. He paid $700.00+ at the time. Years later in the midst of my own financial melt down, I was forced to sell it as a new baby had just been born.
Over the last two years I have found and acquired a 44 in 4" heavy, a 357 in 4" heavy, and just this week a 22 in 4" heavy.
I'm very troubled that I see a trend of pillaging what use to be intact pistol packs. eBayers and other sites selling parted out pistol packs, scattering their heritage and value, ruining the ability to acquire what was once a prized matching set. Barrels selling for more than whole guns, serial numbered Styrofoam boxes selling at $100.00+, diluting the integrity of these significant firearms.
I pride myself on having a small, but exquisite collection of firearms. Each and every one correct and detailed down to every period correct accessory available for the gun as made.
I guess I write this out of great frustration. Some day my 28 year old son will have my collection passed down to him. Yet starting his own collection as a young man seems very far out of reach. What will be left of these great historic original pistol packs in years to come?
I recently purchased a pair of Winchester Model 77, 22 rifles (one magazine fed and one tube fed) as a way to encourage my two grandchildren to appreciate beautiful historic firearms and shoot competitively with each other using the exact same guns, all the way down to exact matching scopes. I have bought my son a matching Sig Sauer 228 to the one he grew up shooting of mine, that I bought in 1990.
Am I alone in this frustration? Knee jerk reaction, opportunistic greed to our current unstable Government, etc. What drives this mentality?
I guess I would ask to encourage all Dan Wesson revolver owners to trade, net work and sell amongst each other to preserve the ideals and history of what made these revolvers come to fruition.
I'm a Curator for a private car collector. Watching the historic loss of significant vehicles to butchers that would make a buck off a part and ruin a number matching vehicle has hardened my heart a bit. Not being wealthy has taken the abilities of myself and many others to rein in the butchering of many a fine firearm.
Just venting and curious as to your feeling and thoughts as a group. Regards, Steve-o
DWF Supporters
Dans Club
Moderators
November 17, 2008
Offline
Steve first welcome to the forum. Most of us here feel the same way about what we call pac breakers. I would rather see original pacs stay intact but I accept the fact that for the breakers parting one out increases the revenue. I just would not do it myself. Also except for the Norwich era First Issue models the shrouds are not numbered so it is impossible to identify an original pac vs. a built pac if all pieces are correct. If correct though I guess it doesn't matter. Any way I believe you will feel right at home here. Welcome
LB
Wisdom is merely the realization of how little one knows, therefore I am wise.
Supporter
Moderators
January 24, 2009
Offline
I agree, Pac breakers are sick-n-wrong. There are better ways to make a buck. But as LB pointed out the upside, since the BA's aren't numbered to the guns, it does allow someone the opportunity to assemble their own "correct" Pac if their pockets are deep enough.
Here's to those of us who choose to keep the originality of these fine guns intact!
September 6, 2013
Offline
I have nothing against an individual or FFL that acquires a barrel and resells it. It's the guys that are making a career out of hacking up these pistol packs out of greed. The market is already a mess under our present Government and all their scare tactics. Preying on the collectors is not even a concern. I just bought my 22 this week from Mark Hernandez at Cerberus Arms LLC.
An absolute joy to deal with and an enthusiast. A 99% gun!
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
Offline
I get what you are saying, and I sort of agree. It's a shame to tear apart something that was originally together, but let's remember the intent of the DW design, to make it modular and interchangeable.
One of the great assets of the greatest Battle Rifle of all time, the M-1 Garand, was that you could strip down a dozen M-1's, mix up all the parts, reassemble them from the parts pile, and have a dozen functioning M-1's.
I spent a few years and some $$$ trying (and actually succeeding) to build a 715 Pack based on one of the 715's I own, and I was a good way along on a 15-2 pack as well. Then I realized that I only like shooting .357 in 4", so all those other B/A's were given away or sold, and what I have left are the guns I like to shoot and own.
I actually own my Dream Pistol Pack, one each DW .357 in blue, stainless, bright nickel, and high polish stainless, all in 4VH. Once I finally finish high polish on a 715, it will join these guys
The finishing touch on this Pack will be matching LB grips (four different styles) all cut from the same piece of wood and a custom DW type Pistol Pack case.
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
September 6, 2013
Offline
Steve, I too am a 4' VH guy as you've read. I guess knowing that all of my guns are better than money in the bank leaves me concerned with certain aspects of originality.
I agree with you on the barrels and their design intent, lack of serial numbers and the M1 analogy, but the the unnatural amount of serial numbered factory boxes is stuck in my craw. Since I only have the original box for my 44 and it says it was delivered with a 6" barrel....the collector value aspect is altered a bit. I saw a factory Styrofoam box selling at $135.00+ last week on eBay.
I won't buy a box for my 22 or 357 with conflicting serial numbers. I've had to separately acquire barrel tools, gauge, manuals, etc. for all of them so far. I guess I take a different approach when buying a new gun than a lot of folks. I have the serial numbered matching box to every gun I've ever bought new, as with any factory paper work. Steve-o
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
Offline
We have actually seen some instances of people manufacturing a label to put on a box to make it "athentic". Some pretty artistic aging and wear get applied.
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
Dans Club
DWF Supporters
April 20, 2010
Offline
I guess I sit on both sides of the fence on pac-breaking. I have bought a pac that was already missing several items, I kept the things I needed and sold some off.
I could not bring myself to split up a nice complete original pac though. This summer I was fortunate to buy a super nice pac locally, no way I would split it up.
I do not have much respect for the sellers who buy pacs just to split them up for a profit. I buy Dan Wesson guns and stuff because I like them, I have a regular job to make money. I would love to keep everything I have, but sometimes I sell something so that I can buy something else Dan Wesson that I have my eye on.
-Lonwolf
"The lion and the tiger may be more powerful, but the Wolf does not perform in the circus"
March 27, 2013
Offline
I've bought a pac that was missing the actual gun and the 8" barrel. They had been stolen from the owner. I had no problems cleaning up the rest of the shrouds and selling them. I made enough to buy myself a nice 741. 
I'm with you Lonwolf, if it's complete, it will stay complete. That's how I started into this deep dark hole that is DWAS, by trading a run of the mill AR for a complete pac plus some cash on their part.
1 Guest(s)
