By R.K. Campbell | Contributing Editor
Model 1911 handguns are part of the American fabric of guns and values.
An icon to be certain and one that is not only still useful it is at the top of the heap, and 1911 pistols are the greatest defensive handguns and are proven in competition as well.
The problem is, there has been a race to the bottom in manufacturing. Fit finish reliability and pride of ownership have suffered in this race. There are good quality reliable 1911 handguns from Colt, Ruger, and Springfield. They are well worth their price. There are those that raise the bar even higher.
The original 1911 that ran through a grueling 6,000 round test in 1911 was made of the best material of the day manufactured to exacting standards.
The Dan Wesson Specialist shows us what may be done when quality is bumped up and hand fitting is more than a catch phrase. There isn’t a cast part in the pistol. The frame and slide are forged, and the frame is hand fitted. This shows in the slide rails and slide ways, with a tight fit, close tolerances and hard fitted barrel lugs. A pistol that is well fitted will exhibit less eccentric wear. Without slop in fitting the parts return to the same position time after time with less chance of wear. Eccentric wear once begun simply proceeds.
I chose the Dan Wesson Specialist Commander as my only Dan Wesson 1911. This is a steel frame gun with a shorter slide and barrel. The 4.25-inch barrel makes for real speed from concealed carry and offers a fast handling platform in personal defense. While the pistol is stainless steel, I chose a black coated version because of its non-reflective finish.
On examination the fit of the barrel to the slide is first class what is called hard fitting. The feed ramp is nicely polished and the barrel bushing is snug, tight enough that a tool is needed for disassembly. The extra tightness results in excellent accuracy. The muzzle is nicely crowned, something seldom seen even on high end 1911 pistols, and the barrel bushing and guide spring plug are stainless.
My pistol is chambered in .45 ACP, while a 9mm version is also available. The slide features both forward and rear cocking serrations. The Specialist features a scalloped ejection port. A rib runs between the barrel hood and front sight, and the front sight features a tritium dot while the rear sight is a wedge type with serrated rear. The hammer is skeletonized.
Featuring a serrated spur, the hammer is easily lowered or raised with the thumb. The thumb safety is ambidextrous, while the beavertail grip safety serves several functions. It features a memory bump to insure the shooter contacts the grip safety correctly, and this grip safety funnels the gun hand into the grip.
Some shooters using the thumbs forward grip will form a cup in the hand and miss applying pressure to the grip safety. This will not occur with the Dan Wesson beavertail grip safety. Both front and rear straps are nicely checkered in a 25 line per inch pattern. A cut-out under the trigger guard lowers the bore center line (bore axis) more so than in most pistols. A conversative but effective magazine well helps funnel the magazine into the grip frame during speed loads. The magazine release is slightly extended compared to a GI gun, but the slide stop is not. The solid trigger is ideal for service pistol use.
This pistol also features a light rail.
The Dan Wesson is as well made as a machine can be. The trigger action should be controllable and consistent in a handgun of this type and it is. Breaking cleanly at 4.75 pounds, the trigger boasts a sharp reset, which is as important as a clean break for rapid follow up shots.
The frame features a light mount for mounting combat lights. Be certain to take this into account when ordering a holster. Grip panels are from VZ, and are crafted from G10 material and offer a balance of adhesion and abrasion for a reliable, firm grip. Two eight round Dan Wesson magazines are supplied along with a padded accessory bag and bushing wrench. I did not explore the optics ready feature of the Dan Wesson Specialist, this is certainly a selling point in the current market.
The Specialist Commander is nicely turned out, no question there. The fit and finish are as good as any 1911 at any price.
I conducted several firing tests engaging in off hand fire, speed to an accurate first shot being foremost, executing double taps, hammers, controlled pairs, and also failure to stop drills. In short, during the past month the pistol has fired over four hundred rounds without a single failure to feed, chamber, fire or eject. There is no handgun faster to an accurate first shot hit than a properly carried cocked and locked 1911. The trigger press is crisp and controllable and reset is a dream. The pistol may be made instantly safe by pressing the safety upward. Th and I noticed the safety is tighter in the upward swing as it should be.
Every control is set up ideally for personal defense shooting.
Most of the ammunition expended has been clean burning and affordable 230 grain FMJ ammunition from Black Hills Ammunition with a small amount of handloads from a ten year old cache thrown in. The pistol has delivered good results. Get on target press the trigger smoothly to the rear and you have a hit. Allow the trigger to reset during recoil obtain the sight picture and fire again. No secret just accumulated skill.
If there is any shortcoming in the pistol I am not clever enough to discover it. My educational orientation is toward personal defense and I assure you this a handgun that will save your life if need be. But it isn’t a handgun to purchase if you are not willing to train and practice and expend the necessary time and ammunition to master the piece.
The Commander length handgun clears leather quickly yet the steel frame makes for excellent control. My final test was for accuracy. I used a Real Avid shooting rest and took every advantage in firing five shot groups at 25 yards. This type of test isn’t about combat shooting but it tells us a great deal about the quality of the trigger action, barrel fitting, sights and consistency.
By no surprise, the pistol is as accurate as most of the full size Government Model handguns I have fired. I would suppose the 5-inch barrel Specialist may be slightly more accurate, but then it may not be. Well fitted 1911 handguns are individual. I give the Dan Wesson Specialist Commander a clean bill of health. If you need a once in a lifetime 1911 this one should be at the top of your list!
Here’s the result of my 25 yard accuracy test with five shot groups, measured from the inside of the most widely spaced bullet holes, average of two groups.
Load Group in inches
Black Hills Ammunition 185 grain JHP 2.5 inch
Black Hills Ammunition 200 grain L/SWC 1.8 inch
Black Hills Ammunition 230 grain JHP 1.9 inch
Handloads
Hard Cast Magnus Mold 207 grain SWC/790 fps 2.0 inch
200 grain SWC/Titegroup Powder/909 fps 2.25 inch
Specifications
Caliber: .45 ACP
Capacity: 8
Action: Single Action semi-auto
Safety: Manual slide lock safety/Grip safety
OAL 8 inches
Weight: 40 oz.
Sights: Front night sight, wedge rear
Average price $1849.00
