October 29, 2013, 03:42 PM | #1 |
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Who likes pork chops?
Dan Wesson model 15 pork chop barrels that is.
I found this gorgeous lady today for a few bucks less than I would have expected considering her excellent condition. Don't worry, I'm not keeping the hogue mono grip on there. It's gone as soon as I get home, |
October 29, 2013, 04:20 PM | #2 |
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Nice find!
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October 29, 2013, 04:24 PM | #3 |
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I've got a couple of Dan Wesson's in the 15. I've never considered the pork chop but I might. Tell me about your 12 and how it shoots. I wonder if the grips from the 15 fit the 12. I've got several I don't use.
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October 29, 2013, 04:51 PM | #4 |
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Who likes pork chops?
Here we go. Looking better already!
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October 29, 2013, 05:00 PM | #5 |
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Who likes pork chops?
Actually, this is a 15. The model 12 is the more unusual looking pre-cursor to the model 15. Big honkin adjustable sights, and a barrel nut that looks like a gear at the muzzle end, though also with the 'pork chop' barrel shroud. The 12's (and 11's) were only made for a short time and were replaced by the original pork chop 15's, which are nearly identical to the final configuration - the 15-2. There were 15-1's in there as well, but I think they were more of a transitional model.
This is my first pork chop, all my other Dan's are -2 era guns |
October 29, 2013, 05:19 PM | #6 |
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I've never seen these before. They look nice. Why are they called "pork chop?"
And where's the cylinder release? (I assume the release has something to do with that thing on the crane.)
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October 29, 2013, 05:45 PM | #7 |
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Nice find! I always love a Danny. My Dan Wessons are among my favorites in my safe.
Nick, the cylinder release is just forward of the cylinder. |
October 29, 2013, 06:07 PM | #8 | |
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Who likes pork chops?
Quote:
It's called a Pork Chop because of the lower edge of the barrel shroud, it has a 'ledge' on it to keep it lined up with the frame. Later models used a roll pin on the frame and an index hole on the barrel shroud to line the two up. Dan Wesson revolver feature removable, replaceable barrels. So you can have a single gun with various barrel lengths, that you can change yourself in moments with the provided tools. The company was named after one of the two founders, Dan Wesson, who happens to be the great grandson (and name sake) of Daniel B. Wesson, one of the two founders of his own gun company - Smith & Wesson. These guns were quite popular in silhouette shooting in the late 70's and early 80's. The company changed hands a few times after Dan Wesson's death and really always had trouble keeping things together. They are currently better know for their semi-custom 1911 pattern pistols. At the present time they are owned by CZ. |
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October 29, 2013, 06:16 PM | #9 |
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My brother has one
A fine gun. I hate the cylinder release though. Just not natural like smith or even colt.
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October 29, 2013, 06:38 PM | #10 |
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The story is that the non-traditional location of the cylinder latch results in better cylinder alignment which adds to the inherent accuracy of the Dan Wesson revolver. The way the barrel threads into the frame, then is pulled tight to the shroud at the muzzle end causes a uniform tension across the length of the barrel, which is also said to aid in accuracy. Lots of things were done in a deliberate and intentional way by guys who knew how to build solid guns.
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October 29, 2013, 07:27 PM | #11 |
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The cylinder release is a bit weird at first. After a while it becomes second nature. I don't even think about it any more when I shoot mine. I'd love to get a large frame some time, but they tend to go for so much money that I'd rather spend a bit more and get a Freedom Arms. Great guns.
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October 29, 2013, 11:33 PM | #12 | |
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Quote:
I never owned one but they always impressed me as handsome looking guns, accurate, and real shooters in that you could put *lots* of rounds through one without fear of harming it or shooting it loose. I always had a desire to get the 'pistol pack' with all the barrels. The price today makes me hesitate. Very nice find!!! |
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October 30, 2013, 06:04 AM | #13 |
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Who likes pork chops?
I agree, the cost of the pistol pac is out of control. I bought one earlier this year from my trusted local source, but even with the good deal they gave me it was still a lot more than I usually like to spend on my stuff.
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October 30, 2013, 06:14 AM | #14 |
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darn, i thought this thread was about wheelguns and their owners that have Prork chop Sideburns, or BBQ wheelguns and BBQ Pork chops.
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October 30, 2013, 06:47 AM | #15 |
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Love them porkchops! Here's mine:
I have since added the broomhandle stock to go with the snub barrel. Last edited by micromontenegro; October 30, 2013 at 06:55 AM. |
October 30, 2013, 06:33 PM | #16 |
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Who likes pork chops?
I'm noticing mine has an unusual rear sight. It's lower than any other 15's or 15-2's I've ever seen. It's held on with two screws instead of a hex screw and a pin, and my front sight looks odd in its height and placement. It's possible this is a 14 that was converted to adjustable sights, but if it was, it has been re-blued. Also the top side plate screw is a slotted screw. A normal DW side plate screw won't fit it, but it's doesn't look like a repair.
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October 31, 2013, 07:24 AM | #17 |
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That doesn't look like any factory DW sight I've ever seen. Just guessing here, but, based on the shape of the milling in front of your rear sight it might be that someone has added an adjustable rear sight that isn't OEM to an older fixed sight DW to make it adjustable?
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October 31, 2013, 11:58 AM | #18 |
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Who likes pork chops?
That was my initial thought as well, but even the 14's have a 'hump' around the rear sight notch. Would it be practical for somebody to pay to have the top of the frame chopped down and reblued, just to add an adjustable sight? It would seem like a simpler job to mill a small notch and drill a pin retainer hole for a factory sight. Clearly this doesn't look to be factory, but I don't get the motivation for going through the effort/expense to do this to a gun when there were factory guns with adjustable sights.
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October 31, 2013, 02:23 PM | #19 |
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Now I have to look at my DW M-12 and M-15 to see if the pork chops fit on the M-15. That Hogue Monogrip ? Try it first. Both mine wear Pachmayrs.
That looks like an S&W rear sight on that one DW. The cylinder release is postioned just right to be operated by the left thumb. And, yes, they are good shooters. |
October 31, 2013, 04:08 PM | #20 |
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I don't know about practicality or economics, but those have frequently been at the bottom of the list of requirements for many shooters. I've been guilty of this myself just to get something that, to me, is "Just Right".
What does the front sight look like? I'm wondering if someone didn't want a specific front sight & had to get the S&W look alike rear to go with it for the "perfect" sight picture. Some machining would be involved anyway so it might not have cost that much more to go the whole hog? A bit like this, but not quite. I really liked the EWK fiber-optic front sight, so I made a different color fiber-optic rear as none existed then. Grips & sights (who'da thunk it?) are the most popular things to mess with on a revolver.
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October 31, 2013, 04:26 PM | #21 |
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Who likes pork chops?
I've got EWK fiber optic front sites on my 715, and on one of my 15-2's. Williams makes a F/O rear sight for the Ruger GP-100 that fits - here is my 15-2 with F/O sights, 6" EH EWK barrel, muzzle brake, Pac 'Gripper' grips, and jeweled hammer and trigger (and internals) just for fun:
Back to the porkchop - The front site on the 15 is a bit taller than a 14 sight, but it's back a bit from the muzzle, unlike some of the 15 sights I've seen. Here is the hump on my 14-2 Here is porky with his rear sight removed The sight body is similar to an S&W but a bit different. The size and the screw holes don't match any of my K, L, or N frames of any era (that I have access to). Last edited by hAkron; October 31, 2013 at 04:47 PM. |
October 31, 2013, 04:47 PM | #22 |
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What's a good price for a used Dan Wesson?
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October 31, 2013, 04:49 PM | #23 |
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Who likes pork chops?
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November 1, 2013, 03:43 AM | #24 |
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Quote:
"A fine gun. I hate the cylinder release though. Just not natural like smith or even colt". I disagree. My first gun was a Taurus POS that had the S&W type cylinder release, and I didn't think much about it. When that that gun went away to Taurus for the second time, I bought a used DW 15-2 from a pawn shop, and instantly thought "This is the way the latch should be on all revolvers!". About 35 years later, I still feel the same way. The other latches all seem wrong to me. Maybe I'm more ambidextrous than most people are, but it just seems totally logical and "right". When I empty/load my friend's 686, it's just weird. |
November 1, 2013, 07:53 AM | #25 | |
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Quote:
I actually like the OOO sight picture. Might the rear sight be a Williams, but not for an S&W? Re the "odd positioning" of the cylinder latch. It doesn't bang your thumb in recoil, if you pop it with the (for a right hander) thumb of the off hand & stick the fingers through the hole in the frame to cradle the cylinder as it opens then you can rotate the barrel semi-vertical with the left hand while tapping the ejector with the left thumb. This leaves the right hand free to grab a fresh speed-loader form a right side front pouch at the same time. It may be unconventional & unfamiliar, but its really not aquward at all
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