Dan Wesson CZ Heritage 1911?

[Tar Heel]

Looking for feedback on the Dan Wesson CZ Heritage 1911. I've heard some good things and am considering another Springfield as well, but I can get the DW for $1200 with two new mags. Is the DW the way to go?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Hiram25]

A Dan Wesson is a very good gun!

[Sledzep01]

I have a DW CBOB not the heritage.
It has been completely reliable from day 1 (well over 1000 rounds now)
The quality fit and finish are amazing.
It is dead on accurate
and looks great.

Sled

[GM]

I have a DW CBOB .45, and I can tell that is is a beautiful firearm!

[cmdrdredd]

The Dan Wesson is a better gun than a Springfield, unless you're looking at something above their TRP. At $1200 it's not a bad deal at all. If you start moving up in price points there's tougher competition from semi-custom manufacturers. However, below $1500 is pretty much ruled by Kimber, Dan Wesson, and Springfield with a bit of Sig or Smith & Wesson in there too. Of all of these, the Dan Wesson is the best quality.

[1911PKR]

Great range gun! Very good quality and a fair price.

[pirate]

The DW 1911's are possibly the best semi-custom 1911s made today in the sub $1200 range.

My Pointman 7 has been a great performer. I paid about $825 for it acouple years ago.

[GM]

The DW 1911's are possibly the best semi-custom 1911s made today in the sub $1200 range.

My Pointman 7 has been a great performer. I paid about $825 for it acouple years ago.

...

Very nice piece! I wish I had gotten more DW's then.

[cmdrdredd]

To be clear, Dan Wesson is not a semi-custom. It's a high end production 1911. In the same league as a Springfield TRP or some of the Kimber Custom shop guns, which BTW kimber doesn't really have. A custom shop that is. They're not in the same league as something from the Smith & Wesson performance center or Springfield Custom Shop which are more along the lines of what you could get through Wilson Combat or Nighthawk etc. Something built with your personal tastes.

This doesn't necessarily denote the quality of the firearm in question, to say it's just a high end production gun. The fitting is very good on them and they look very clean. Some things could use more fine tuning or finishing touch but they are not out to compete with the semi-custom market so what they offer is actually quite good when compared to other firearms in the same class.

[1911PKR]

To be clear, Dan Wesson is not a semi-custom. It's a high end production 1911. In the same league as a Springfield TRP or some of the Kimber Custom shop guns, which BTW kimber doesn't really have. A custom shop that is. They're not in the same league as something from the Smith & Wesson performance center or Springfield Custom Shop which are more along the lines of what you could get through Wilson Combat or Nighthawk etc. Something built with your personal tastes.

100% correct information! They are NOT semi-customs guns. Just very nice "production" guns.

[DistantHorizon]

I've got a factory-second DW (CBOB).

Good: Dead-nuts accurate. I had a Springfield Mil-Spec before this, and this shorter gun is much more accurate. Eats a variety of JHP ammunition; has never malfunctioned. Thumb safety shape where it rides the plunger makes it engage with a certain nice firm "snap" I like. My favorite handgun.

Bad: Beavertail fit a little loosely and rattled a little; fixed in about 10 minutes with shims made from Harbor Freight feeler gauges (I think the beavertail fit made it a factory second... nothing else really wrong with it that I can see).

DW's have a pretty good reputation. As for the Heritage, I like that there are no forward cocking serrations. Does not appear to have a checkered frontstrap, which I'd spend extra for but may not be a problem for you.

[SIGP250]

The Dan Wesson is a better gun than a Springfield, unless you're looking at something above their TRP. At $1200 it's not a bad deal at all. If you start moving up in price points there's tougher competition from semi-custom manufacturers. However, below $1500 is pretty much ruled by Kimber, Dan Wesson, and Springfield with a bit of Sig or Smith & Wesson in there too. Of all of these, the Dan Wesson is the best quality.

Yes, an accurate statement except for the Dan Wesson Valor. It is going to be just about $1,700.

[1911PKR]

Yes, an accurate statement except for the Dan Wesson Valor. It is going to be just about $1,700.

Naw... I seen one today for just under $1500. 2010 model.

[SIGP250]

Naw... I seen one today for just under $1500. 2010 model.

I stand corrected.
I had 4 this year that had been on allocation for about 6 months. I didn't jack up the price. They were gone in 30 minutes. I sold them for $1430.00. I don't expect any more this year.

[pirate]

To be clear, Dan Wesson is not a semi-custom. It's a high end production 1911.

Semi-custom as a term does not denote that the handgun comes from a custom shop, it denotes its was built with certain custom made and fitted parts, features and attention to detail just like a custom shop gun but not to the same exacting degree, and regardless if its at time of final production or afterwards. But feel free to use whatever verbage you desire.

It has "semi-custom features" is the point here . The entire DW 1911 lineup is for all intents semi-custom shop pistols from CZ since they do not produce basic 1911's. All their 1911s have the custom like features as I stated. Its does not matter if it comes from a small garage shop or a hi tech manufacturing facility its the features, hand fitting and polishing of these parts and quality of the build that count. Any gun with these features therefore has to have many of them hand fitted and polished, which IMO is semi-custom work. Nobody really builds 1911's or AR either for that matter, they assemble parts, if we want to pick nits. High end production 1911s are semi-custom work guns by nature, with the work being performed at time of production as oppopsed to later by a custom shop.