My convently (but expensively) close Sportsman’s Warehouse had a new Dan Wesson DWX in the display case when I visited a few days ago. Like many I was hooked on the idea of mixing the best features of the 1911 and higher end CZ pistol when it was prematurely introduced in 2019. It all seemed to be mythical until they actually started shipping late last year. I recall being alarmed when the MSRP climbed by several hundred dollars when it seemed imminent that it would be actually produced, figuring that I wasn’t likely to buy another large, expensive and heavy 9mm competition style pistol (I own a CZ S2O and TSO, and a Beretta 92x Performance), especially since I haven’t been shooting handguns too much lately as I have bought several nice rimfire rifles and a couple of very nice Tikka T3X’s, as well as a 4.25” & 6” Colt Python. Lots of good stuff to shoot!!

However I was badly bitten by the bug, pondered over it for a few days and a couple of trips to visit it. A trip to my not-so-local mega gun shop demonstrated that the DWX actually was on sale at SW, not cheap but $150 below MSRP. I bit the bullet and bought it yesterday, having everyone behind the counter telling me what a beauty it was.

Keeping in mind that I hadn’t been to the range in several months since my local and convenient range has been under maintenance for over 6 months and hadn’t really shot too much 9mm lately, my results at the range were really impressive given my limited shooting ability. At the admittedly short range of 7 yards I tossed only 1 round outside the 9 ring on whatever target I was shooting out of about 40 rounds, very good for my shooting abilities. DWX ran 100%, is VERY smooth, the sights were outstanding as I really like the green fiber optic (I didn’t have to touch an adjustment either) and the trigger is amazing, measuring at around 3lb 6oz and very crisp! Fit-n-finish are outstanding as is the machining with no marks to be found on frame or slide. There is an ever so slight amount of slide to frame play, minimal really. Not as tight as my S2O but close.

In short the DWX is all that it has been advertised as, and more! Not so sure I needed to put out the cash but IMHO the DWX is worth the cost. Didn’t get to shoot it as much as I would like to today as I needed to sight in my new scope on my Tikka 270Win, shoot my new Springfield Armory 2020RF 22 for the first time and adjust the new Wilson Combat rear sight on my 6” Python. Hopefully I will get back to the range in a couple of days with the new Dan Wesson.

Congrats on the DWX but...

A shop on the other side of the city about an hour away has about 10 of them marked at $1999. Saw them when I was there fore a P226 X-Five Stainless...

Would like one, but I think I will wait for the eventual "optics ready" version. At the NRA Show this year I chatted with the DW reps and they said they kind of missed the boat due to the delays between intro and production and would have an optics ready one in a little while.

But that said, the build quality, controls and everything were fantastic. Black and Red color scheme is nice too. Matches my car, fraternity, and company colors...

I paid $50 less than that, plus the rewards points earned. Guess I didn't do too bad. An optics cut would be nice to have but it wasn't a deal breaker for me.

BTW... The only issue I had with the DWX is that I have to be careful how I place my right hand thumb. If I get a high grip on the pistol I tend to nudge the safety lever up, and actually activated it once.

Thanks for the great review! How does the gun compare to the Shadow 2, and is it worth the premium over one of those?

That’s a good question, and a difficult one for me to answer as I no longer own a Shadow 2. Had to sell it about a year and a half ago to pay for my son’s truck repairs. I loved that thing too. I shot it very well and enjoyed tinkering with the mainspring and recoil spring weights and firing pin return spring weights. The trigger was very nice as a result. I do have a Shadow 2 Orange still, as well as a TSO. Unfortunately I haven’t shot either in a while.

I would think the biggest difference would be the trigger as the DWX has a sliding 1911 style trigger as opposed to a hinged trigger on the CZs. However the triggers on my CZs are excellent, as is the one on the new DWX. I think I will take the S2O with me to the range along with the new Dan Wesson just to get a true comparison. This may seem to be a bit of a cop-out but I don’t think you can do wrong with any of them. The most direct comparison would be between the TSO and the DW because they are both single action. The action on the DW is smoother than the CZ, which is very tight still, while the trigger on the CZ is actually notably lighter, but not quite as crisp. The S2O has tighter slide to frame fit than the DWX and is smooth as silk since the rails and barrel are polished and hand fit, but the DWX isn’t far behind. They are all excellent guns and very easy to shoot well.

Honestly, unless you are a competitive shooter, which I am not, there would be little to choose between them, all else being equal. Since I don’t shoot at speed or am able to practice drawing from a holster at the range I frequent there is little of value I can give as I am the kind of guy who loads 5 rounds and takes my time lining up the sights and squeezing the trigger. Therefore how well the gun tracks or how great the reset is has little effect on how well I shoot. I like that the DW has a forged steel frame, and not a cast frame like the CZs, but that is of little consequence to me at the range. I just don’t shoot a whole lot of rounds through a gun. I just like nice stuff!

I hope that helps a little. Lots of words to say little of value, but that’s my thoughts.

quote:

Originally posted by 92fstech:
Thanks for the great review! How does the gun compare to the Shadow 2, and is it worth the premium over one of those?

In order to more thoroughly answer your specific question my Shadow 2 was an exceptional gun, especially for the money, and I shot it very well. Felt great in my hand, was built like a tank and to high standards of fit & finish, and looked great with the blue aluminum grips. Is the DWX worth the extra 66% when it comes to punching holes in paper, which is what I do? Probably not. Do I think it is worth what I paid for it? Absolutely!

Very nice report A3 I have a CZ Tactical Sport Orange and I'm very happy with it.
It makes me look like a pretty good shooter.
My question is how do you compare the TSO to the new Tactical Sport Orange Two?
I've been looking for one and they are kind of hard to find.
The Dan has been on my radar by now I'll have to take a closer look.

Thanks,
NeedaBiggerSafe

quote:

Originally posted by Needabiggersafe:
Very nice report A3 I have a CZ Tactical Sport Orange and I'm very happy with it.
It makes me look like a pretty good shooter.
My question is how do you compare the TSO to the new Tactical Sport Orange Two?
I've been looking for one and they are kind of hard to find.
The Dan has been on my radar by now I'll have to take a closer look.

Thanks,
NeedaBiggerSafe

I wish i was able answer your question, but I don't have a TSO2. I think my local RANGEUSA has one in the counter.

Thanks for the detailed response, that's very helpful!

My son and I shoot an informal steel challenge match at our local gun club whenever my schedule allows (which unfortunately isn't as often as I'd like). My son is 15 and has gotten pretty good. He's been shooting his PCR, and can give me a run for my money with my optic-equipped P320 Full-Size. Occasionally he beats me. He's been eyeing the Shadow 2s, and that might be the next thing on his list.

I've only had the opportunity to shoot a Shadow 2 one time, and it's been a few years, but I was pretty impressed. I like the CZ trigger, and the gun was very well put together. I'm not a big fan of the short slide grip area, but my son is already comfortable with that from his PCR. The other thing I don't like about CZs is the safety....the 1911 design is better (which is where the DWX comes in). My son hasn't had to deal with that on a CZ yet because his PCR has a decocker. I'm wanting him to consider all of his options, and would really like for him to try both before he makes the investment in one or the other.

When the DWX was first announced, I was excited because it is basically all the great things about a 1911 combined with everything I like about CZs. The originally speculated pricepoint was pretty reasonable, too. I figured it would be a 2011 killer. Then CZ took forever to release it and when they finally did had the price jacked up above what some viable 2011 options are going for. There have been a lot of complaints about the DWX not coming with optic cuts, too...that's not a deal-breaker for me, and might be the only way we can afford to get into one if they discount the non-cut models when they release a new version with the cuts.

Again, thanks for the detailed review and comparison. It's good to hear that the DWX lives up to CZ's reputation for quality and performance.

quote:

Originally posted by 92fstech:
Thanks for the detailed response, that's very helpful!

My son and I shoot an informal steel challenge match at our local gun club whenever my schedule allows (which unfortunately isn't as often as I'd like). My son is 15 and has gotten pretty good. He's been shooting his PCR, and can give me a run for my money with my optic-equipped P320 Full-Size. Occasionally he beats me. He's been eyeing the Shadow 2s, and that might be the next thing on his list.

I've only had the opportunity to shoot a Shadow 2 one time, and it's been a few years, but I was pretty impressed. I like the CZ trigger, and the gun was very well put together. I'm not a big fan of the short slide grip area, but my son is already comfortable with that from his PCR. The other thing I don't like about CZs is the safety....the 1911 design is better (which is where the DWX comes in). My son hasn't had to deal with that on a CZ yet because his PCR has a decocker. I'm wanting him to consider all of his options, and would really like for him to try both before he makes the investment in one or the other.

When the DWX was first announced, I was excited because it is basically all the great things about a 1911 combined with everything I like about CZs. The originally speculated pricepoint was pretty reasonable, too. I figured it would be a 2011 killer. Then CZ took forever to release it and when they finally did had the price jacked up above what some viable 2011 options are going for. There have been a lot of complaints about the DWX not coming with optic cuts, too...that's not a deal-breaker for me, and might be the only way we can afford to get into one if they discount the non-cut models when they release a new version with the cuts.

Again, thanks for the detailed review and comparison. It's good to hear that the DWX lives up to CZ's reputation for quality and performance.

It’s great to hear that you and your son are able to spend time together and to shoot. Both my sons are college grads now and, although they enjoy shooting they aren’t bitten by the bug as I always have been. In fact they think I am a bit of a nut with all the guns that I have acquired over the years . Unfortunately we have limited opportunity to go shooting.

Being an old Beretta/SIG guy the lack of real estate on the Shadow 2 slide certainly is a big difference. In the real world for me anyhow it had never been an issue, keeping in mind that I don’t shoot competitively. YMMV. I would think your son would be able to deal with that issue with a little bit of training and getting acclimated with the gun. Not to mention that CZ doesn’t run heavy springs on their slides and that they run so damn smoothly in the first place.

Concerning the safety it is interesting that the safety on the DWX is the only one I have ever had a problem with. I have several pistols with 1911 style safeties (a Beretta 92X Performance, a Springfield Armory Range Officer Operator, A Kimber Target Match a long time ago and a few SAO SIGS) and have never had an occasion to activate the safety while shooting with a high grip, including my SIG P220 SAO 10mm which is a heavy recoiling pistol. It seems it could be a bit more positive in its engagement or configured slightly differently. However it’s not something that I can’t deal with I don’t think. Two of my 3 Shadow 2’s had the extended safety installed, my Shadow 2 Orange and the AccuShadow 2 I used to own, which I was able to rest my thumb on top of with no problems, it was easy to get to and the engagement was very positive. It does tend to hide the slide lock lever a bit though. I am sure they are available to buy from guys who opted to not install them, or from CZCustom or Cajun Gun Works.

I would think either the DWX or the Shadow 2 would serve your son very well as they are both outstanding pistols. I would think your son would be very happy with a Shadow 2 and the $800 savings. Luckily for me, I guess) I am old enough to be able to spend the extra $$ if I want .

I would be interested in what choice your son makes, and how he likes whatever he buys.

Try running the DWX like you run most 1911s and put your right thumb on the safety and pressing down to get a better grip for recoil control.

quote:

Originally posted by DanH:
Try running the DWX like you run most 1911s and put your right thumb on the safety and pressing down to get a better grip for recoil control.

Thanks for the suggestion. I don’t shoot 1911s much actually. IIRC that’s what I did at first but it didn’t seem very comfortable, I think because there isn’t much of a shelf and your thumb is very close to the slide as a result. I will try it again tomorrow though, and pay attention to what’s going on. Maybe I am making a bigger deal out of it than I should be. I have seen other guys with similar concerns though.

As to the 1911 safety, like DanH suggested, I like to keep my thumb on top of the safety, which eliminates any chance of pushing it up under recoil. This works well for me with the slim grip and beavertail of a single-stack 1911, although I've not had occasion to try it on a double-stack like a 2011 or the DWX.

quote:

I would be interested in what choice your son makes, and how he likes whatever he buys.

He just got his learner permit, and he's saving for a truck right now, so the gun purchase may be a year or so out...or maybe sooner depending upon what kind of deal he can find on a truck and how much money we have to put into it to get it viable. Either way it's been a good lesson in money management, and I'm sure whatever we get will be old and busted enough that he'll get to build some mechanical skills as well .

When we do get around to buying something, I'm sure I'll put something up here about it. Thanks again for your input...it's been very helpful!

It's worked on the 1911s and 2011s I've shot and owned. I've never had my thumb interfere with the slide unless it was something like a P365 which has an extremely narrow safety that's practically flush with the frame. There's enough room to get your thumb on the safety and by pushing down on the safety while firing, your thumb stays away from the slide even during recoil.

Third range trip with the DWX for a total of about 125 rounds. Has run 100%. One thing for sure….it gets others to pay attention! Last trip I shot it against my CZ S2O, while this trip I took my CZ TSO.

Unfortunately the past several months I have paid more attention to shooting long guns, including several very nice rimfire and a couple of Tikka Roughtech rifles, which are awesome! Therefore it takes me several shots to settle in and begin to shoot to my abilities, which aren’t really all that great. Still my results with both pistols were pretty comparable. I finished off my string of shots with both pistols by resting my wrists across the small shelf, concentrating on the front sight and the trigger. There was little to choose between them at the end of the day. The trigger on the DWX is a bit more crisp, but the trigger on the TSO was definitely lighter, almost half the pull weight as the trigger on the DWX! Several pulls on the TSO trigger weighed between 1 lb 8oz and 1 lb 11oz! The lighter trigger of the TSO as well as the longer sight radius were definite advantages. It seemed the TSO was a bit lighter recoiling than the DWX as well. The thinner front sight blade and the crisper trigger were advantageous on the Dan Wesson.

I am not sure how helpful my post may be as I am not an accomplished shooter. I had very good results with my S2O as well. I guess if anyone is trying to decide between these three pistols it would depend on which set of features appeals to you. The slide/frame fit of the CZs is definitely tighter (the TSO is DAMN TIGHT!!), but it seems the DWX is easier To manipulate the slide because it has more real estate. The safety on the DWX seems a bit on the light side as unless I ride my thumb on it I tend to nudge it up (unfortunately it rides on a scar that runs along the crease of my thumb). The ergos are very similar obviously, trigger type not withstanding and minus the gas pedal on the TSO. Tough to choose between them.

Next trip I will be shooting it with my Beretta 92x Preformance.