Dan Wesson M15 Unfluted cylinder

lcdrdanr

I have a question regarding a Dan Wesson Model 15, 357 mag, Monson Mass production that I acquired a while back. After getting interested in Dan Wessons and the ability to switch barrels I found sometimes I had to purchase another gun in order to acquire a barrel I wanted. Such was the case when I found a hunter pac case with a clean blued M15 and three barrels, one of them being a 15" vent rib heavy.

I was so excited about finding the barrel I didn't notice at the time that the pistol cylinder was unfluted. The gun itself didn't appear to have been used very much, there was just a hint of a turning line on the cylinder, it locked up like a bank vault and the 15" barrel appeared completely unused.

I have since seen on an auction site an unfluted cylinder by itself which the seller claimed was one of only two made by the Dan Wesson Arms. I have never seen another unfluted cylinder in blued 357 mag although I have seen few 15" barrels since then.

Anyone familiar with Dan Wesson or has anyone else seen an unfluted cylinder in a Model 15? I swapped a minty 2" S&W Model 19 and a well used Winchester M94 for the set which probably was a fair trade for the long barrel and the pistol pac case.

It's the one on the left wearing the Pachmyer grips in the following photo : http://allyoucanupload.webshots.com/v/2003525807560584681

Appreciate any help, I don't plan on getting rid of it but it would be nice to know how rare it is, if it's a shooter or a safe queen?

Dan R

dfletcher

I've been shooting Dan Wessons for about 35 years and have always had at least one around - believe it or not,since these are hard to find in CA I just sold a heavy barrel 70's Pistol Pac - still in wrapping paper with the extras - for $1,200.00. Lasted all of about 2 days at the gun store.

I've never seen an unfluted cylinder on a DW - I think you'd need to verify this somehow, I suppose the fellow making the "only two made" assertion would be a point of contact, ask him how he knows this.

So far as value goes, the DWs are definitely a niche market. I imagine most shooters would say "big deal" to the unfluted cylinder, but a DW afficianado would probably pay extra.