Springfield TRP 1911 vs. Dan Wesson 1911

[chef1231]

My first 1911 was a TRP and it was very nice. I had a Ed Brown after that and know am looking at a DW. I have not shot the DW yet so...

 

[01deuce]

Over $2K ????



http://www.gunbroker.com/item/646738997


http://www.gunbroker.com/item/646714289

 

[Expat]

The stainless are cheaper than other coatings/finishes.
There have been reports of galling issues with the DW stainless models. Some say it was fixed, but you still see a new report pop up on the 1911 forums . I suspect it is mostly people not keeping them heavily lubed during break in.

Here you can see the entry LB model is nearly in the same price area.

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/646768782

 

[churchmouse]

The stainless are cheaper than other coatings/finishes.
There have been reports of galling issues with the DW stainless models. Some say it was fixed, but you still see a new report pop up on the 1911 forums . I suspect it is mostly people not keeping them heavily lubed during break in.

Here you can see the entry LB model is nearly in the same price area.

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/646768782

Stainless models need to be properly lubed. I have seen/had issues due to this.

 

[88E30M50]

Dan Wesson is a Mercedes, overpriced, upkeep is costly and god forbids it breaks down when you need it. Buy a worker, get a Honda. Runs for miles, cheap to keep.

...said the man who has most likely neither owned, nor can appreciate, either.

I have a couple DW pistols and that's become my 'go to' brand for a non-project 1911. I've owned a couple of Springfields and they are great pistols and make a good starting point for a project. If you go Springfield, you'll probably want to replace the internals with better parts. As CM how many of his guns run stock internals. He knows 1911s much better than most folks ever will and he sticks with the Springfield brand because of the quality of the frame, barrel and slide fit. But, I've never run one of CMs guns that did not have the guts replaced.

If you are looking for a project gun, go Springfield all the way. If you want a out of the box fantastic 1911, DW can give that to you for a good price. A Heritage has the exact same tool steel internals with a true-radius sear, as comes with the Valor. The only thing you give up on a Heritage is front strap checkering and grips. I tend to change grips on any 1911 I get, so I don't mind the Heritage coming with grips I didn't like.

 

[gglass]

The Dan Wessons you mentioned are closer in quality to the Springfield Professional than to the TRP... Get the DW if you want a no regrets purchase.

 

[Hopper]

Adding my thoughts, which probably aren't worth the 2 cents most people charge. I had a Dan Wesson V-Bob that was absolutely perfect in almost any way I could have imagined. Sights, trigger, accuracy, fit and finish... it was truly a flawless specimen of a 1911. Too perfect, in fact, for me. It was so flawless that it almost felt... I don't know... sterile, I guess? I could never really bond with it. I ended up letting go of it here in the classifieds, and just chalked it up to the 1911 platform not really being my cup of lead.

Not much time passed before a S&W SC-E Series roundbutt came up here in the classifieds, and with several boxes of 45 still in the safe, I thought I'd give the 1911 another go. THIS turned out to be the 1911 experience I was looking for. While I'm not overly keen on the full length guide rod, I don't dislike it, it's just not what I had gotten used to with the DW. Later, I picked up a Ruger SR1911 lightweight commander in 9mm that's the least expensive of the bunch, and has turned out to be one of my favorites... I can't think of any recent shooting trips where it didn't make its way into my range bag.

I'm not in any way disparaging what a DW brings to the table at all. I still remember racking the slide almost sounded more like a zip tie being pulled tight, it was that smooth. Maybe someday I'll give a DW another go, but it turned out to not be the best option for me.

 

[Expat]

The Dan Wessons you mentioned are closer in quality to the Springfield Professional than to the TRP... Get the DW if you want a no regrets purchase.

Isn't the Professional completely hand fitted by the Custom Shop?

 

[gglass]

Dan Wesson 1911's are hand fitted, and not just assembled by hand like many run-of-the-mill 1911's on the market.

Read the entire article to learn more about how Dan Wesson 1911's are made:
The Guns of Dan Wesson


Quote from the article:

The main differences between the guns of old and today’s Dan Wesson 1911s are the quality of the individual parts and the hand-fitting that goes into each gun.

My contention here is that the Dan Wesson line of 1911's is a closer match to a Custom Shop 1911, like the Professional than a mid-range Springfield Armory 1911. I stand by that statement.

 

[Dddrees]

Dan Wesson 1911's are hand fitted, and not just assembled by hand like many run-of-the-mill 1911's on the market.

Read the entire article to learn more about how Dan Wesson 1911's are made:
The Guns of Dan Wesson


Quote from the article:


My contention here is that the Dan Wesson line of 1911's is a closer match to a Custom Shop 1911, like the Professional than a mid-range Springfield Armory 1911. I stand by that statement.

Great article, thanks for sharing. It is a bit old however and it's my understanding that they make even more of their own parts and the duty finish they use now is even more durable due to a different process that they now use.

 

[Doublehelix]

Over $2K ????
http://www.gunbroker.com/item/646738997


http://www.gunbroker.com/item/646714289

I said the "MSRP" was over $2K. Thanks for those links, that gives me a lot of hope!

The stainless are cheaper than other coatings/finishes.
There have been reports of galling issues with the DW stainless models. Some say it was fixed, but you still see a new report pop up on the 1911 forums . I suspect it is mostly people not keeping them heavily lubed during break in.

Here you can see the entry LB model is nearly in the same price area.

http://www.gunbroker.com/item/646768782

That is pretty sweet!

 

[gglass]

I said the "MSRP" was over $2K. Thanks for those links, that gives me a lot of hope!



That is pretty sweet!

Here is a nice Valor in black if you want to avoid stainless:

https://www.iammo.com/cz-dan-wesson-valor-45-acp-8-round-5-1911-in-duty-black-valor-1926.html
Less than $1500 and ready to go!

 

[Doublehelix]

Here is a nice Valor in black if you want to avoid stainless:

https://www.iammo.com/cz-dan-wesson-valor-45-acp-8-round-5-1911-in-duty-black-valor-1926.html
Less than $1500 and ready to go!

That is $1,700 on my screen when I look at it. Looks nice though, and probably easier to care for than the stainless.

 

[gglass]

That is $1,700 on my screen when I look at it. Looks nice though, and probably easier to care for than the stainless.

That is quite odd. The figure changed for me as well. The price earlier was $1421 plus change, but I now see $1682.38. They must base the price on the number of views.

 

[Doublehelix]

That is quite odd. The figure changed for me as well. The price earlier was $1421 plus change, but I now see $1682.38. They must base the price on the number of views.

Haha! Dang! I get my money at the end of June, so I am still about 6 weeks away anyway.

 

[hog slayer]

I've got a TRP and it is wonderful. I've often wondered about this very topic. The lack of issues with my trp and cost kept me from the higher end market. Now, however, I've developed a thing for wheel guns.

 

[churchmouse]

If memory serves I believe DW is now owned by CZ.

I could be imagining this but I am pretty sure they are.

 

[88E30M50]

Yup, they are CM. That's how that CZ 1911A1 ended up being built for CZ by Dan Wesson. It's pure DW with only a minor cosmetic issue on the rear face of the extractor and stiff thumb safety.

 

[Doublehelix]

For you DW experts:

So how much difference is there going to be between the entry level Heritage model and something like the Silverback or Valor?

 

[Jeff]

For you DW experts:

So how much difference is there going to be between the entry level Heritage model and something like the Silverback or Valor?

Internally? Nothing at all.

Cosmetically? Sights, Checkering, Trigger, Finish.