Springfield TRP 1911 vs. Dan Wesson 1911

[88E30M50]

I own a Heritage and from what I understand, the difference is in front strap checkering, sights, grips and fancy machine work. Internally, they are identical. The front strap checkering is not an issue for me since I like to run Pierce finger groove grips anyway and what ever grips a pistol comes with usually get replaced, so the Heritage black rubber grips did not bother me either. Ball cuts are nice to see on the slide, but I tend to like the GI style slide cuts better anyway, so a minimum of fancy machine work was not an issue for me. The Heritage comes with a tritium front sight and plain black rear, both with Novak cuts. Those will be replaced with TFX Pro sights eventually and in the mean time, the tritium front is quite serviceable. Fit and finish on all of my Dan Wesson 1911s is equal. This is with a Heritage, CCO, A2 and CZ 1911A1. All internals are identical too.

This is my Heritage:


A2:


CZ 1911A1:


CCO:


and a Springfield project I did:


All are great guns. The Springfield took a bit more time and effort to get there, but this was starting with a Mil-Spec, not a TRP. The TRP should be on part with the DWs out of the box except for the MIM parts inside.

 

[gmcttr]

...I really hate saying this after SA screwed the pooch in Ill.

Yeah, I read about that but when I go to the SA website now, I see this...



A bit of flip-flopping or an attempt to cover their butts???

 

[deo62]

Yeah, I read about that but when I go to the SA website now, I see this...

View attachment 55776

A bit of flip-flopping or an attempt to cover their butts???

Probably a bit of both.

 

[Thegeek]

If you want one that is really good looking the Dan Wessons are your pistol. I think the TRP is going to run just as good. When you get on the high end of the Valors, you are knocking on the door of Les Baer territory.

That's what I had been told when I bought my Valor. A friend has a Les Baer and in a side by side comparison, he actually preferred the Valor. I wanted one really good 1911 because it's just unamerican not to have at least one. The TRP and an entry level Wilson were both in the running. I chose the Valor because I found one $400 below list and couldn't pass it up.

That being said, here's my opinion on my Valor:

1) The two included magazines are good, and I also purchased 3 more DW branded mags from the CZ store. They're either Checkmate or Metalform manufactured, but branded for DW. All of the three I bought afterwards had to be adjusted.

2) Everyone talks about fit and finish. My slide and frame don't line up at the rear when it's in battery. The frame is just a bit proud. There's also a slight misalignment on the palm safety to frame. Neither are very noticeable, but enough you can't call it perfect. The extractor also protrudes a bit from the slide.

3) The checkering on the front of the grip is far too aggressive.

4) The night sights are nothing to write home about. The rear is so small and dim that it might as well be a GI iron sight.

5) The disconnector would hang up the slide (never drop the slide on a 1911, see Wilson's book on competitive 1911's). I had a ramp cut in the stripping block.

6) I'm a lefty, so I had to add an ambidextrous safety.



That's just one owner's opinion. I expected perfection. These are all pretty minor and subjective things and some may be unique to mine. It's not all complaints though...

A) After a couple hundred rounds and the magazine adjustments, it shoots like a dream.

B) The trigger out of the box is good enough that a guy at the counter of a range asked who did the trigger job and was speechless when I said it was factory.

C) Fitting on a 1911 is crucial. As far as I can tell, the functional fit (barrel bushing, barrel to slide, factory safety) were all in the realm of perfection.

 

[Doublehelix]

Thanks for all of the input guys.

@88E30M50, those are some beautiful guns for sure! Jealous!!!

So back to a couple of comments from earlier: How hard is it to take care of a stainless steel slide? What is involved?

 

[88E30M50]

Stainless is easy to care for. For cleanup, it's almost as easy to clean as an NP3 finished slide. On my stainless 1911, it just takes a bit of oil and a bronze brush to clean the breech face. Stainless is not rust proof, but it will take some serious neglect to get it to rust. I've had a pistol with a steel barrel show an orange coating of rust after a single day of hot summer carry but have never had any sort of issue like that with any of my stainless pistols. The beauty of stainless is that it can be easily restored if it gets scratched or messed up some how. For carry, I prefer a brushed stainless finish. That lets me remove a scrape that would require refinishing in another pistol with just a couple of swipes of 600 grit sandpaper.

 

[churchmouse]

That's what I had been told when I bought my Valor. A friend has a Les Baer and in a side by side comparison, he actually preferred the Valor. I wanted one really good 1911 because it's just unamerican not to have at least one. The TRP and an entry level Wilson were both in the running. I chose the Valor because I found one $400 below list and couldn't pass it up.

That being said, here's my opinion on my Valor:

1) The two included magazines are good, and I also purchased 3 more DW branded mags from the CZ store. They're either Checkmate or Metalform manufactured, but branded for DW. All of the three I bought afterwards had to be adjusted.

2) Everyone talks about fit and finish. My slide and frame don't line up at the rear when it's in battery. The frame is just a bit proud. There's also a slight misalignment on the palm safety to frame. Neither are very noticeable, but enough you can't call it perfect. The extractor also protrudes a bit from the slide.

3) The checkering on the front of the grip is far too aggressive.

4) The night sights are nothing to write home about. The rear is so small and dim that it might as well be a GI iron sight.

5) The disconnector would hang up the slide (never drop the slide on a 1911, see Wilson's book on competitive 1911's). I had a ramp cut in the stripping block.

6) I'm a lefty, so I had to add an ambidextrous safety.



That's just one owner's opinion. I expected perfection. These are all pretty minor and subjective things and some may be unique to mine. It's not all complaints though...

A) After a couple hundred rounds and the magazine adjustments, it shoots like a dream.

B) The trigger out of the box is good enough that a guy at the counter of a range asked who did the trigger job and was speechless when I said it was factory.

C) Fitting on a 1911 is crucial. As far as I can tell, the functional fit (barrel bushing, barrel to slide, factory safety) were all in the realm of perfection.

You just described some of the things I see in lower price point 1911's. None of this should be your experience with a Valor level offering. Both my TRPs are fit up better.

No knock on your Valor. None at all.

 

[Doublehelix]

Stainless is easy to care for. For cleanup, it's almost as easy to clean as an NP3 finished slide. On my stainless 1911, it just takes a bit of oil and a bronze brush to clean the breech face. Stainless is not rust proof, but it will take some serious neglect to get it to rust. I've had a pistol with a steel barrel show an orange coating of rust after a single day of hot summer carry but have never had any sort of issue like that with any of my stainless pistols. The beauty of stainless is that it can be easily restored if it gets scratched or messed up some how. For carry, I prefer a brushed stainless finish. That lets me remove a scrape that would require refinishing in another pistol with just a couple of swipes of 600 grit sandpaper.

Thanks Tim, that does not sound so bad. I am probably leaning towards the Silverback. I really love the look.

 

[Thegeek]

You just described some of the things I see in lower price point 1911's. None of this should be your experience with a Valor level offering. Both my TRPs are fit up better.

No knock on your Valor. None at all.

I'm a perfectionist. I'll pull it out and post up a few pictures. I think some of the complains are subjective, like the checkering. Magazines can be overlooked because 1911 mags just need adjustment sometimes. Although, out of the box they should have had proper adjustment. Overall, I'm happy with it. I was just trying to give the OP my personal experience with the Valor since I can't speak to anything other model.

 

[churchmouse]

I'm a perfectionist. I'll pull it out and post up a few pictures. I think some of the complains are subjective, like the checkering. Magazines can be overlooked because 1911 mags just need adjustment sometimes. Although, out of the box they should have had proper adjustment. Overall, I'm happy with it. I was just trying to give the OP my personal experience with the Valor since I can't speak to anything other model.

I have been told I am way to critical myself.
Mag issues and 1911's go hand in hand. I believe the spec diff. in the platform from marque to marque is part of the issue. Cheap mags are exactly that....cheap.

 

[Thegeek]

I'd hardly call them cheap. Dollar wise, yes, cheaper than a WC, but still expensive enough to wonder where the hell quality control went.

 

[churchmouse]

I'd hardly call them cheap. Dollar wise, yes, cheaper than a WC, but still expensive enough to wonder where the hell quality control went.

Not referring specifically to your mag choice just addressing the issue in general.
I have found a solid and reliable mag in the Wilson offerings in 8 rd and Chip 10 rd.
No failures that are mag related from either so far.
I never even load the factory mags anymore as they just stay in the factory case.

 

[Thegeek]

Extractor:

Grip safety:

Frame/slide (and ejector is proud too):

 

[Thegeek]

Not referring specifically to your mag choice just addressing the issue in general.
I have found a solid and reliable mag in the Wilson offerings in 8 rd and Chip 10 rd.
No failures that are mag related from either so far.
I never even load the factory mags anymore as they just stay in the factory case.

No offense taken. When I compared mine to the WC you loaned me, it was immediately apparent how important proper adjustment is.

 

[gregkl]

I compared my RO to your pics. My extractor stands proud but that is because it was replaced when I buggered up the tip. I remember the original sitting flush. My safety grip looks just like yours. However when I squeeze it it lines up perfectly. I 'm not sure you can have it both ways.

My slide to frame fit is perfect.

The extractor is easy enough to fix. The only thing that would bug me would be that frame/slide fit. I would be contacting DW to see what they can do.

But hey, according CM my slide is loose so there you go! But I still like mine so much that I'm having a hard time warming up to my CZC Custom Shadow Target that cost about $500 more than my RO.

 

[churchmouse]

I compared my RO to your pics. My extractor stands proud but that is because it was replaced when I buggered up the tip. I remember the original sitting flush. My safety grip looks just like yours. However when I squeeze it it lines up perfectly. I 'm not sure you can have it both ways.

My slide to frame fit is perfect.

The extractor is easy enough to fix. The only thing that would bug me would be that frame/slide fit. I would be contacting DW to see what they can do.

But hey, according CM my slide is loose so there you go! But I still like mine so much that I'm having a hard time warming up to my CZC Custom Shadow Target that cost about $500 more than my RO.

Hey I said a "Little" loose not loose.

 

[churchmouse]

No offense taken. When I compared mine to the WC you loaned me, it was immediately apparent how important proper adjustment is.

I had forgotten about this one. So many people....so many guns....

Yes that is a bit sloppy on fit up. That would have me a bit twisted as well.

 

[gregkl]

Hey I said a "Little" loose not loose.

lol. I stand corrected. Doesn't seem to affect the accuracy...in my hands...

 

[Dddrees]

I just came across the following post today and although it doesn't include a Springfield TRP it does include others such a Les Baer, Dan Wesson, Ed Brown, and a Colt.

I agree you can't go wrong with either a Baer or a Dan Wesson. I own both. Specifically, I own two Baers and 7 Dan Wessons. Dan Wesson makes all their pistols with same quality parts and attention to fit. The cost differences you see in their models appear to be due to the additional work done on "accessories." By this I mean, things like a checkered front strap, types of sights, type of finish/treatment to the metal. Baer pretty much does the same unless you get a pistol with the 1.5 inch guarantee or his Presentation Grade.


If you haven't already done so, I would suggest you read through this thread on the Dave Severns 2010 Holiday Shootout. Dave is a well respected gunsmith. You will particularly want to look at what he had to say about the Baer TRS and the stock Dan Wesson Valor (he also included another Valor he had modified). The accuracy results from a ransom rest are here: https://forums.1911forum.com/showpost.php?p=2470861&postcount=21

 

[Doublehelix]

I just came across the following post today and although it doesn't include a Springfield TRP it does include others such a Les Baer, Dan Wesson, Ed Brown, and a Colt.

Great stuff Dddrees. Thanks for sharing that.