Dan Wesson pistol pack, .44 mag

[contender]

Well, I'm in a quandary.

I had a local pusher call me this morning. Apparently he bought an estate of guns. In it,, a DW .44 mag pistol pack. I haven't seen it yet, and he says it's complete,, with (2) ported barrels. I was thinking the pack came with (3) barrels. Apparently it's in very good shape, with the case, patch, buckle, manual tools etc.

I really don't NEED it,, and I know it's a solid gun & all. he's asking $1800 for it. All I have to do is make the decision.

Decisions, decisions, decisions.

(I know,, coming here & asking this type of question isn't good for the pocketbook. Many will say to buy it.)

[magnumwheelman]

guessing a 2 barrel set is not a pistol pak in the sense of the word...

what length barrels???

BTW... the early ported barrels were great with jacketed bullets, but don't shoot cast, or at minimum disassemble the barrel & shroud each time to the range... FIL had a 6" ported, & no other barrels, so he never took it off... no amount of solvent would separate the barrel & shroud, fouling / lead goes between the barrel & the shroud, & if the shroud doesn't slide off, you can't remove the barrel... I ended up having a gun smith, (who couldn't remove it either ) cutting the barrel off, & make an un-ported snubbie barrel made out of the original to put back on

what is the manufacture location??? the Monson's are supposed to be the best...

BTW... FIL had an extra barrel & shroud of the same length, on his stainless 357 Max... some may have come that way, or were ordered as such

[needsmostuff]

Some thoughts that may help in decision making.
If you have never dallied with the large framed DWs they are rewarding but, an acquired taste. Don't expect them to feel natural in the hand at first.
I have a couple of the big boned DWs in 41 and 44. I found the 4"& 6" to be the sweet spots. The 8" was too beastly and the 2" too small as it was never gonna get concealed carried anyway. The ported barrels have no value to me, I just won't use them. Ported shrouds are fine.
All my stuff is blue but stainless seems to add a considerable amount to the value.

[jfs]

My Dan Wesson 744 is a solid and versatile revolver. I ordered my 44 from the last factory they owned before CZ....

[bradshaw]

James.... good set.
Your photo, are there three 8” barrel shrouds?
* 8” Vent.
* 8" Vent Heavy.
* 8” Vent Heavy with scope.
David Bradshaw

[jfs]

Jan 31, 2023 15:30:45 GMT -5 bradshaw said:

.
Your photo, are there three 8” barrel shrouds?
* 8” Vent.
* 8" Vent Heavy.
* 8” Vent Heavy with scope.
David Bradshaw

Yes Dave.... Have since added a 2 1/2" and 10" vent and vent heavy.... My regret was not ordering their .414 and .445 when I had the chance... Who knew they would close....

[bigbrowndog]

It’s funny when hey first came out I liked the heavy shrouded barrels and have since decided I prefer the regular vented. Like James I’d really like to find a 414, especially a 10”.

Trapr

[contender]

Thanks for all the info.
This pistol pack has a 6" & an 8" bbl.

I knew they had other barrel lengths.

And the comment about cast is good food for thought. I shoot mostly powder coated anymore,, so I do wonder.

I may have to let this one set go. Unless I can negotiate the price down a bit.

[bradshaw]

True, lead bullet will “fouling solder” the MUZZLE NUT to the barrel threads as gas blows through the 8 vent holes----one hole in each groove----just behind the muzzle of the M-44 barrel. (All Dan Wesson barrels were chrome-moly, even for the stainless M-744 and other stainless models.)

To remove DW muzzle nut:
* Note: if there is reason to suspect Loctite has been applied to muzzle nut, heat before attempt to loosen.
* Soak Kroil or other penetrant through POWR CONTROL vents in barrel shroud.
* Tighten stroud in padded vise.
* Clamp DWA spanner wrench or custom spanner wrench in large Vise-Grip.
* Push wrench with all your weight into muzzle nut.
* Turn wrench slowly counter-clockwise.

The muzzle nut is not hardened. I induced DWA to harden muzzle nuts, but the experiment failed due to warpage. A warped nut resists threading to muzzle. Unless spanner wrench is pushed forcefully against muzzle nut, the castellations will strip.
David Bradshaw

[contender]

Thanks David.

[pattontime]

If a new wrench is needed, try EWK Arms, their barrel wrenches are much better , in my opinion than original DW's.

[oddshooter]

Everyone has their own financial situation. Guns can really get the lust up and regaining control is not easy at times.

But if you have any investments, this is not a bad place to park cash. DW doesn't make them anymore. DW kits are continuing to increase in value. The downside risk is minimal and the upside looks attractive. In today's stock market, the downside risk is quite large.

The bonus is you get to shoot them.

I used to list my past ammo purchases as the best investment. The cartridges from 5 to 10 years ago have doubled and tripled. The problem with ammo, unlike guns, is that they lose value when you shoot them. I'm like an ice cream vendor being his own best customer.

Dan Wesson captured me many moons ago and hasn't let go.


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[bula]

Does the case, have a place for another barrel ? Just seems like 2 barrels, does not a Pistol Pack make ? An acquaintance had a 357 Pack and I recall 3 barrels total. A friend had a 445 just by itself, 8" I think. It saw a LOT of use, and mostly redlined loads. Was shot loose. 

[contender]

I haven't seen the gun yet. I plan on trying to go look at it this week. (Sam & I were both too busy with the FoNRA event.) I have a .357 pistol pack, and it has (4) barrels.

And I have a few other irons in the fire on a couple of other guns. I just found another OM .45 Colt convertible. Got a soft spot for those guns.

[bradshaw]

Feb 6, 2023 10:34:55 GMT -5 bula said:

Does the case, have a place for another barrel ? Just seems like 2 barrels, does not a Pistol Pack make ? An acquaintance had a 357 Pack and I recall 3 barrels total. A friend had a 445 just by itself, 8" I think. It saw a LOT of use, and mostly redlined loads. Was shot loose. 

*****

Three extra barrel assemblies, the most I recall seeing in a DWA Pistol Pac. Mostly Model 15 .357 Mags. Two extra big frame bbl assemblies crowds the DWA clamshell case. Do recall seeing Pistol Pac themes, such as Vent barrel shrouds only, or Vent Heavy only.

It was my understanding all shrouds begin as VH. To make a V shroud, the underdog is removed back to the ejector rod shroud. A trace of the underlug remains, a bottom rib. Probably eases manufacturing, and it looks good.

DWA sent the first M-44 out of the factory, including:
* 8” barrel, with, directly behind muzzle, one hole in each of the 8-grooves.
* 8” Vent Heavy barrel shroud, counterbored to channel gas from barrel vents, up through two oblong holes----one on either side of rib.
* 6” barrel, ported same as 8” bbl.
* 6" Vent Heavy shroud, same Power Control treatment as 8”.

Dan Wesson Arms was champing at the bit to release the revolver, but want my critique before shipping revolvers that might run afoul of IHMSA Production rules. There were a few, immediately sorted out. One critique warrants mention here: Ditch the Power Control, it’s redundant; compared to any other .44 Mag, the M-44 recoils like a muffin. Don’t even think about selling a barrel with vent holes drilled in it to IHMSA shooters. Someone at DWA saw Power Control as a marketing scheme. I saw Power Control as as fouling horror and potential accuracy killer on the competitive Firing Line. Many unvented barrels were shipped in vented shrouds----to obviate the mess of firing a vented barrel in an unvented shroud.

M-44 weight
IHMSA weight limit for Production category pistols was 4 lbs. DWA asked if I could work an exception. I refused. The M-44 with 8VH or 10V is right at 4 lbs. Addition of a Pachmayr grip puts some of these configurations over 4-lbs., as do some of the denser DWA walnut stocks.

A slight contouring of the 8VH shroud specifically address the IHMSA 4 lb. rule. (The M-44 was stretched to make the M-40 .357 Maximum. To make weight, the M-40 shroud was Vent-configured, limited to 8-inches, and slotted (M40 VS8----Vent Silhouette 8”).
David Bradshaw