Cowgirl Corner: Dan Wesson A2 1911
Posted: Wed May 31, 2017 8:41 pm
A 1911 may not be considered a cowgirl or cowboy gun to a lot of folks, but the 1911 does have some history of use in the the days when the West was still pretty wild. For sure, I do get a deja vu kind of thing whenever I pick one up. Maybe I carried one in a past life. 
Anyway, cowgirl gun or not, I love them.
Here's one that showed up, yesterday, after an 8 month wait. Nothing fancy. In fact, if you saw this one in a display case you might pass it by, thinking its just another plain jane, military grade 1911 in 45 auto. Plain it might be, but a military grade gun it is not. It's actually a limited production gun made by Dan Wesson called the A2. It's Wesson's interpretation of what the next generation 1911 might be after the 1911-A1, hence the model label A2.
Don't let that military look fool you. The Dan Wesson A2 is a premium grade 1911, made in the U.S. (though Dan Wesson is owned by CZ). That finish is matte blue, not a coated finish. All parts are forged steel or cast and hand matched for fit. No MIM parts on this gun. Not one. The slide to frame fit has zero play, even if I try to force it, but the slide runs butter smooth. The trigger is, well, perfect. In short, it's a typical Dan Wesson as far as build quality, though it is not a typical Dan Wesson 1911 in that it is a limited production gun, not a standard catalog gun. I was actually very surprised to get one.
Why would I spend a lot of money to get such a plain, simple 1911, you ask? The answer is that I'm something of a minimalist with my 1911s. Always have been. Don't like fancy this or fancy that on a 1911. If it doesn't make the gun shoot any better, I don't want it on my 1911. The match barrel, decent, easy to use fixed sights I can use. Plain walnut grips that I can tighten with a screw are fine. A blued finish that it shows wear as I use it is exactly what I want. It's very much in the tradition of the classic 1911.
Does the DW A shoot? Of course it does. Put 100 rounds of mixed ammo though it, this afternoon, on its first time out and not a single malfunction of any kind. I expected no less. As for accuracy ... compliments of a match barrel and properly fit parts
What is it about a fine 1911? Why do I feel so at home with one of these guns? Every time I shoot one, I get that funny feeling that I've been here, before ... another time ... another place. Magic gun for me, the 1911.
Anyway, cowgirl gun or not, I love them. Here's one that showed up, yesterday, after an 8 month wait. Nothing fancy. In fact, if you saw this one in a display case you might pass it by, thinking its just another plain jane, military grade 1911 in 45 auto. Plain it might be, but a military grade gun it is not. It's actually a limited production gun made by Dan Wesson called the A2. It's Wesson's interpretation of what the next generation 1911 might be after the 1911-A1, hence the model label A2.
Don't let that military look fool you. The Dan Wesson A2 is a premium grade 1911, made in the U.S. (though Dan Wesson is owned by CZ). That finish is matte blue, not a coated finish. All parts are forged steel or cast and hand matched for fit. No MIM parts on this gun. Not one. The slide to frame fit has zero play, even if I try to force it, but the slide runs butter smooth. The trigger is, well, perfect. In short, it's a typical Dan Wesson as far as build quality, though it is not a typical Dan Wesson 1911 in that it is a limited production gun, not a standard catalog gun. I was actually very surprised to get one.
Why would I spend a lot of money to get such a plain, simple 1911, you ask? The answer is that I'm something of a minimalist with my 1911s. Always have been. Don't like fancy this or fancy that on a 1911. If it doesn't make the gun shoot any better, I don't want it on my 1911. The match barrel, decent, easy to use fixed sights I can use. Plain walnut grips that I can tighten with a screw are fine. A blued finish that it shows wear as I use it is exactly what I want. It's very much in the tradition of the classic 1911.
Does the DW A shoot? Of course it does. Put 100 rounds of mixed ammo though it, this afternoon, on its first time out and not a single malfunction of any kind. I expected no less. As for accuracy ... compliments of a match barrel and properly fit parts
What is it about a fine 1911? Why do I feel so at home with one of these guns? Every time I shoot one, I get that funny feeling that I've been here, before ... another time ... another place. Magic gun for me, the 1911.
Excellent shooting. I'd really like to shred a target like that someday....maybe with more practice-practice-practice I'll get there. 