Fun Gun Reviews Presents:The Dan Wesson CCO 1911 Pistol in 45 ACP. This 1911 features a Commander Slide and Officers Frame. A Perfect Combination for Conceal-ability and Reliability, but the quality is the real secret.
Just picked one up a week ago. Sootch never steered me wrong. Its super accurate and very high quality. I have met the man at a preppers conference in NC and he is a friendly and down to earth.
Tip. Order a dimpled spring plug from BROWNELLS. The tip of the spring coil will screw into the dimple and prevent it from shooting it off to the dark corners of your garage to be lost forever or shooting the plug into your face or eye. I replaced the spring plugs from my Les Baers as the bushings are so tight it takes a real wrenching to get it back together. So instead of trying to push the spring plug down, rotate the bushing, and keep it from shooting out, the dimpled plug will remove one less thing to control while working on two other things.
love your videos Sootch. you're videos and Tim Harmsen's are the best combination of being professional, well done, informative with attention to details that we serious shooters look forward to, and yet your videos are still fun to watch, good music and cut scenes with shooting footage, and you don't hesitate to occasionally break things down in simple terms for those who aren't caught up to page yet. i like that, you balance the finer points with the basics for all levels of shooters. your Henry Arms and Dan Wesson reviews are what motivated me to learn more and eventually buy (and get my friends to buy) a Dan Wesson Valor and a Henry 45-70. Already thinking about an ECO model, love the bull barrel, attention to detail and how it looks like a pristine little Valor. thx and keep up the superb videos! - Dan
As a 1911 fan I found your review complete, decisive, and entertaining. Thanks for the heads-up on this newline of 1911's. That's new to me anyway. In the past I've shot my share of series 70's ... pre-64's [my favorite] and hosts of Hardball .45's including their long-slide. That 1911 in particular can reach out and touch some one. Looking forward to my first Dan Wesson in a 1911 application ... thanks again Sootch00 ... keep up the good work.
Another good review. Also for a guy to be able to joke about your recording foopaws at the end of almost all your vids has gotta be a good guy. Thanks for the time spent bringing the info to the viewing audience.
Another Fantastic review on a Dan Wesson 1911. I must say I really do like the looks of this Dan Wesson CCO. This Dan Wesson 1911 has really peaked my interest. It is close the price point I would spend on a 1911. I really hope to you do more reviews on 1911's. Keep up the great work!
13:25 On every 1911 I own, I Dremel a shallow dimple on the rear face of the slide stop at the plunger contact point. This keeps the slide stop down with gentle pressure to prevent inadvertent slide lock back when recoil or bullet bump can knock the slide stop up when there are still rounds in the magazine. This is tuned with a small hand filed upside down teardrop groove so it will pop up easily by upward pressure from the empty mag follower. Bullet bump happens more with 230gr FMJ rounds than truncated hollow point rounds. Since 230gr fmj are both my practice and self-defense rounds, I also smooth the inside part of the slide stop if there is copper marking evidence of bullet bump (retaining the sharp shelf of the stop for full follower contact). This modification is explained in Bill Wilson's book "The Combat Auto" page 48.
They say three times is a charm. I already own the Dan Wesson 1911A2 5" 45 and the DW 1911 5" Valor Blue 9mm. Outstanding workmanship, phenomenal shooters. I was stuck in deciding whether to go for the ECO or CCO for my next 1911 carry. Sootch, your over the top review on the CCO just nailed my choice.
Finally a 1911 better than advertised. If this is the entry level Dan Wesson I can't wait for the next rung. I am flabbergasted at the quality and performance of this Firearm.
Just picked up a DW Specialist with the black duty coat this week. Not sure if I missed you mentioning the duty coat ceramic proprietary stuff that DW uses, but it is a very very nice finish on an already very nicely put together gun. Great review! Glad to see you show the lack of firing pin block and the field strip - both things I was looking for info on before I purchased. Keep up the great work on your channel - glad we see we have very similar interests in hand guns. CZs and DWs are great!
At 10:05 and 14:31, I am fairly certain the recoil spring is on backwards. The closed tighter-fitting end should be at the base of the guide rod shaft, and the open looser-fitting end should be forward. Main advantage is to keep the recoil spring more captive on the guide rod. Not as important for this set up, but with a full length guide rod it would cause lots of friction and unnecessary wear.
I started carrying a 4' Kimber w/ alum-a-numnum frame, Kimber! I understand DW makes a good gun, this 1911 is very good looking. Pride in ownership, Great vid...
Good review. I have one of these made in 2010. I traded a sig,,and a glockenspiel for it. Sent it in and had to duty treated. It's a gorgeous gun. All just like you described.
I had a chance to rent one of these at my range. I'll admit because of the lightweight frame, I was a bit surprised by the recoil, but the thing was DEAD ON accurate. Beautiful gun.
I enjoyed your review of my 1st and only 1911! When I was in the Marine Corps, and hunting for my 1st 1911, my local gun shop back in NC convinced me to get the Dan Wesson CCO vs the Kinmber Raptor back in February 2012. I'm so happy I took his advice! My 1911 has been the greatest 1911 I've ever owned and shot! Everyone that's ever handled my CCO loves and understood why I sprung the money for this weapon, BUT for the fit/finish, high quality of parts, assembly, precision accuracy, all who have shot my 1911 grew to understand why this pistol is such a great range weapon and my EDC! The only modifications I performed were: rear sight temp black out (black nail polish), Evolution Gun Works- oversized spring plug and barrel bushing, VZ Operator II grips and Turbine screws and grip tape on the front strap. Later on I'll do the Straight 8 Ledge sights, and that's it. With over 1800 rounds of various ammo and ZERO FTF/FTE, or any FAILURES, My CCO IS A DREAM 1911! The components from EGW, Ed Brown, Dan Wesson and the Match Grade barrell, hand fit forged parts, make the price well worth the money. I never nor will I shoot with the stock Shadow grips. They look too good and I really enjoy the VZ grips too much to risk damaging the stock Shadow grips. Thanks for the review! 👍🏽
What a great video. Guess it's time to start saving my In-N-Out double, double change. Oh,..I've been borrowing your end of video tag line for my Facebook posts! Hope you don't mind!!
Thanks for a great review on a great pistol. I didn't know that Dan Wesson was still in business. I have a traditional Sig 1911 that is configured similarly with a 4.25" barrel and an officer frame. My Sig is all stainless. I prefer a steel frame to aluminum or scandium(I've had both). The extra heft feels better to me when shooting but, doesn't matter much to me when carrying. You nailed it when you talked about how a full size grip prints. I love my Range Officer but the Sig is way more comfortable to carry.
Excellent review! I just put the DW V.Bob stainless on my combined Birthday/Christmas List. Half the problem here in Switzerland is finding a dealer for classic US made 1911 but I managed to find the CZ source quite easily.
Oh Crap. Not another 1911 that I can't live without. Thank's a lot. Freekin' Beautifulness there bud. And no take down lever scratch yet. Very Nice DW.
I carry this gun everyday, otb or apendix if I'm on my feet all day. I have over 10,000 rounds through this gun and only a handful of issues I can remember. I haven't change the springs or nothing and it still shoots perfect. The only thing I did do was replace the night sights once, I shot the gun so much the tritium popped out. They were trijicon, just replaced them. I also changed to the slimline alumigrips
Very nice feel, accuracy and intitial operation. On range day mine kept failing to extract in the third magazine. Took a cleaning rod to bang the spent shell out. Cleaned it, lubed it. Same same. Cleaned it lubed it, same same.
Sootch, I've been carrying this gun for the last 10 months. The barrel bushing will loosen up with time and use. The recoil guide rod is standard commander length. And they like Tripp magazines. Also factory the sights are 6 o clock hold but if you want it to shoot point of aim = point of impact you can send the slide to DW and they will put a taller front sight on for free.
Colt made a cco for talo some year back for about the same price point. I picked one up off buds guns. FANTASTIC Cary gun. Its a series 80. Doesn't have the feed ramp and a smaller guide "plug" ( not even a rod). I replaced the mainspring housing with the steel chain link type. Next is to get rid of the traditional 1911 sights. The stock magazines are crap and after replacing with Wilson combat the gun simply doesn't malfunction. It even runs hollow points with no problems. I have about 1000 rounds through it and it is very reliable ( minus the failure to feed from the stock mags). This gun looks even better with better reliability for the same price range for maybe 1-200$ more
11:15 the Commander guide rod has to be shorter due to the shorter slide but similar slide travel compared to the full length Government model. The Commander barrel bushing has to be shorter too to prevent "springing" of the barrel with the greater link down angle. Recoil spring weight is different too. Recommended recoil spring weight is 17 lbs for Government model and 20 lbs for Commander model and 22 lbs for Officers model.
11:37 The main reason for the integral barrel ramp and supported chamber in this model is to avoid wear of aluminum frame ramp. On steel framed models it's not a problem as long as the barrel throat is forward of the frame ramp. Novice gunsmiths think they can improve feeding by grinding the frame feed ramp flush with the barrel throat, but this step is part of Browning's design and is one way to permanently damage a 1911.
Hey Sootch, great video as usual, you can also get 8 round mags from Wilson Combat, I got some for my Night Hawk Carry Plus, which has an officer size frame, and a 3.8” barrell. These mags have stops, so you don’t over insert a mag, and damage your extractor, a lot of guys use mags from full size guns, which over insert, and mess up your extractor.
That's the ideal size for a concealed carry handgun in my opinion. I've been carrying a Kimber CDP Compact, which has a 4" barrel with an officer's size frame, for the last couple of years, and it really is a great gun. I don't see why more companies don't offer handguns in that CCO/Glock 19 size! (I really wish S&W would start making the M&P in that size!!!) There is one thing that just bugs me when I hear it, and I hear it a lot. If you can't carry IWB the slide is every bit as difficult to hide as the frame, even more so in many cases!
Gunslinger454, why settle for MIM parts in the Kimber and S&W (not to mention Colt, Springfield, RIA, etc.). Just go with a Dan Wesson 1911 for a few bucks more.
I have this 1911. It’s amazing, worth every penny. At the time my gun shop had a colt commander gi model about $100 less. The Dan Wesson fit and finish are far superior than the colt at around the same price.
I have carried my 1911 , trail master and my 06 woodsmaster remington 742 \10 round detachable mag pistol grip adjustable stock \ see under scope rings for iron sight close game on many many hunting trips with a pack of survival and game processing stuff alone ! I would tell my family that if I was late coming back that meant I was making jerky ! now it is to relive my younger days as a survival poacher to feed my very large family ! now I don't have to get that food and it is mostly just to get into the woods ( my church , no man could build anything as beautiful ) !!!!!!
A 1911 for concealed carry really makes me happy inside. The pure beauty and feel to it, and comparing it to the slide thickness of a GLOCK is a no brainier. And now a 1911 that can compete with the glock in weight, I'm getting excited just thinking about it. The problem is I'm a lefty. Is the safety interchangeable??
i would avoid kimber like the plague based on years of reliability complaints, The Dan Wesson is a gorgeous pistol and the craftsmanship is obvious and it would be my first choice for the price point, no one else can touch it....
14:20 I like to hone the bushing so it is snug, yet can be hand turned without tools in a pinch. It shouldn't be that much of a struggle with the wrench.
Fantastic looking weapon. It is a beauty. The overall looks reminds me of my beloved Para P-12, which is my EDC for the last 12 years. I know this is a lot more better weapon. Dan Wesson makes awesome stuff. But I have to tell you my Para has never failed me. It shoots everything I feed it without any complains. That is why I carry it all the time. That is a very accurate shooter. My Para is not quite as good but it is close to it. I am sure you'll enjoy that pistol for a long time. Great buy.
Looks like a truly fine pistol. It is out of my budget and I would be more inclined to get a full size for the range and carry a more "Practical" pistol, but anyone should be able to understand and appreciate something this finely made! I would love to have one.
Great video again. I'm wondering how you feel towards this as a concealed carry gun. Looking for single stack for summer carry. I just don't care for subcompacts. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Beautiful video. Awesome pistol. What camera do you use Sooch? I'm always trying to get great shots of my firearms but I find it difficult. Also how do you get the guns so clean? And the lighting?
