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January 12, 2012
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Hello Members and Readers!
In collecting old police service revolvers for a while now there was one .38 cop gun that has facinated me and there is precious little info I have been able to obtain. This particular six-gun was approved for duty carry by the NYPD around 1970 or 71. It had to meet some strict standards to gain acceptance as an "approved" NYPD service revolver.
The revolver I'm speaking of here is the very first Dan Wesson Service Revolver, the Model 11. It was chambered for .38 Special and had a four-inch "fixed" barrel. This Dan Wesson, at that time 70-71, was offered for sale to rookies upon acceptance to The Job. This NYPD Model 11 was one of three .38 Special Six-Shooters that a newbe cop could purchase. The other two six-guns were the S&W Model 10 and the Colt Metropolitan MK III. All three were blue steel and had a four-inch Heavy Barrel.
Any information on this NYPD Model 11 would be deeply appreciated. The Range Officers at Rodmans Range at the NYPD pushed the Smith & Wesson Model 10 and used it exclusively according to a couple of old retired NYPD buds and actually discouraged any rooks from buying the Colt or the Dan Wesson Model 11. So not many 11's were sold because of the 10 fans teaching the class. Thanks in advance!
Ever respectfully;
David
Range Officer
Range Officers
Dans Club
March 27, 2009
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The D-11 was in 38 and in 357 the only markings would be the shroud marked as so! The 11's were sold as interchangeable and fixed service revolvers. Although it was fixed the nut was removable and not sure how many remaind fixed! I think a couple folks on here may have the D-11 I have a couple though they are the ugly nut style removable BA. Not sure what info you are looking on these!
Oh and Welcome to the 
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Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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I can tell you that the date range you mention would be correct for a Model 11, which would have been a fixed rear sight revolver. The Model 11 retailed for $110, and would normally have been an interchangeable barrel revolver with a large external barrel nut. If the NYPD Model was truly a fixed (non-interchangeable) barrel gun, my guess is that the barrel nut was round, and thus not easily removed. In fact, I think we had some discussion of a W-11 with a round barrel nut at one point in time.
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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I've got a D11 .38 like you're describing. Mine was NIB when I bought it a few years ago, it didn't come with any paperwork suggesting that it was made for the NYPD, but who knows. The barrel does appear to be a standard threaded barrel, but the nut is smooth, effectively making it a fixed barrel. I don't see any way of unscrewing the nut without damaging it.
Here is a larger resolution pic… LINK
Two other DWF members have these, Dusty Trail & Werdunn. I don't recall this morning if any other members do.
I am fairly positive that the D11 .38 Special was available both as a FB gun & with a standard removable nut, although I assume that some FB nuts were later removed & replaced with standard ones. The main reason to remove the nut is because you can't remove the crane unless the shroud is removed first. A teensy flaw in the overall design.
I have not yet seen a D11 .357 with a FB nut.
The 1970 two digit s/n's in this model were just called an "11" (and the 12 was just "12"). So far I've only seen these as a .357 with a removable nut, but I assume that 38's were also available, I just haven't seen one yet to confirm. No idea if FB's were available in these.
Sometime between s/n 1082 & 1297, both the 11 & 12 were marked as "D11" & "W12". Caliber didn't matter. So far, I have only seen 4-digit FB guns, and the s/n's so far have a spread of just a little over 3,000. That number could have gone higher, but this is all I've seen up to this point.
Okay, sorry, I have probably put you to sleep by now from my Porkchop babble.
aboard, glad to have ya here!
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