Quality is the word that defines us here at Dan Wesson, and we have the history to prove it. Made with ingenuity, character, and creativity; Dan Wesson firearms are forged from the very grit, sweat, and hard work that shaped and defined the American frontier. From the early days of world class revolvers, to the present standard for 1911s, Dan Wesson combines the new frontier of firearms technology with the heritage of superior craftsmanship.
The history of Dan Wesson firearms began in 1852 when Daniel B. Wesson’s great-grandfather, D. B. Wesson, co-founded Smith & Wesson. One-hundred years later, carrying on the family heritage of firearms innovation, Dan Wesson founded Wesson Firearms Co., Inc in 1968. With a goal of making the world’s best revolver, straight out of the box, and a reputation for perfectionism, Wesson developed the Model 12, .357 Magnum. Soon after, Dan Wesson produced the model 15 and model 715, which revolutionized the world of revolvers with their switch barrel design and ability for consumers to change barrel lengths from their own home.
The father of modern silhouette shooting, Elgin Gates, once accurately said of Wesson: “He was one of the great men of the firearms industry and of his time; one of those individuals who made things happen, who kept the handgun world honest because he built the best guns that brains and material could turn out. Because of that, the others dared not do less.” Indeed, Wesson was setting the standard for quality revolvers with the 1977 release of the Large Frame 44 Magnum, followed by the 1982 SuperMag frame series. In 1996, almost twenty years after Wesson’s death, Robert Serva purchased the company and moved its factory to Norwich, New York. It was here that Dan Wesson developed its first 1911 in 2000, changing the future of the brand.
In 2005, Dan Wesson was acquired by CZ-USA, and the brand took off as the standard for quality made 1911s. In the decades that followed, Dan Wesson produced some of the finest 1911 handguns on the market, including staples such as the Pointman, Heirloom and the 10mm Specialist. As Dan Wesson looks to a future of growth and expansion, the innovative tomorrow of firearm technology and design waits on the horizon.
