Is there a reason for a significant price difference between a VBob & a valor 5", both in stainless 9mm. Bout $300 less for the VBob.

$300 worth of frame material removed by the bobtail

Good question. That's a pretty expensive 0.75" of slide.

I have a CBOB and had a Valor (1st gen). Guess why I still have the CBOB?

You makes yo choices, and pays yo money.

Good Luck,

RMD

quote:

Originally posted by wolfe 21:
Is there a reason for a significant price difference between a VBob & a valor 5", both in stainless 9mm. Bout $300 less for the VBob.

Where are you seeing that large difference?

For example: GrabAGun has the Stainless Valor priced at $1451.77 and the Stainless VBob at $1473.74.

For range i prefer 5" government 1911, for carry and defensive practice, vbob all the way.

If i could only have one it would be the vbob.

I have had 7 dan wesson 1911s, currently own 5.


I still would pick the vbob.

LGS. Vbob in the case for $1299, but quoted $1550ish for a Valor. I honestly wasn't impressed with the feel of the Vbob. The cut off frame feels weird to me, & I don't carry so no benefit for me.
I didn't figure a magwell was worth $250.

quote:

Originally posted by wolfe 21:
LGS. Vbob in the case for $1299, but quoted $1550ish for a Valor. I honestly wasn't impressed with the feel of the Vbob. The cut off frame feels weird to me, & I don't carry so no benefit for me.
I didn't figure a magwell was worth $250.

Valor price is still within range of normal (around here).
BUT
That is a REALLY good price on the VBob.
Are you sure it wasn't used or possibly a blem (blems will have a lambda-like symbol at the end of the serial number)?

The VBOB is a Valor and comes in two configurations, a Commander (4") and a full size (5"), or at least when I bought my VBOB Commander last year. The difference in price was about $300.00.

5" VBOB never seen one of those ever!
4.5" yes but 5" even last year and before.
I thought the forerunner of the VBOB was my CBOB?
Love to see a photo.
But ones could be wrong.

Commander length gun in 9mm, cut off frame, heinie style night sights, strong side safety, speed hammer, short guide rod, no mag well, bushing barrel. I did not see a lambda, but did not look that close either. Serial number is not usually something I look at on new gun, as very few things I look at are triple numbered anymore. If it was a blem gun, DW has pretty high standards as I could see nothing wrong with it.
Honestly, they seem to usually have good prices. Nothing exceptional, but good.

When I was looking, the black finish was a lot more on both. Stainless to stainless, they should be around the same price. V-Bob sounds like a good deal.

Yeah, the black finish I wanted put me @ $1800+. I can like matte stainless for $300.

quote:

Originally posted by wolfe 21:
Commander length gun in 9mm, cut off frame, heinie style night sights, strong side safety, speed hammer, short guide rod, no mag well, bushing barrel. I did not see a lambda, but did not look that close either. Serial number is not usually something I look at on new gun, as very few things I look at are triple numbered anymore. If it was a blem gun, DW has pretty high standards as I could see nothing wrong with it.
Honestly, they seem to usually have good prices. Nothing exceptional, but good.

To clarify:
The Valor @ $1550 is not a great deal but is still in the ballpark of retail pricing around this area, just at the higher end.
I am reasonably certain that the V-Bob @ $1299 (if new) is near or below dealer cost.
At any rate, one can easily search the internet and find that often the V-Bob is priced slightly higher than the Valor for like finished pistols.

Many of the blems on Dan Wesson pistols are nearly imperceptible.
Often the new owner has to first look at the accompanying sheet to determine what or where is the cosmetic issue.
The lambda at the end of the serial number is the quickest way to tell.

One other thing, you implied the Valor had a magwell.
They don't come with a magwell so it may have been a custom ordered pistol thus adding to the price (Dan Wesson will do custom orders).

quote:

Originally posted by jbcummings:
The VBOB is a Valor and comes in two configurations, a Commander (4") and a full size (5"), or at least when I bought my VBOB Commander last year. The difference in price was about $300.00.

The V-Bob comes in 4.25" (barrel).
I have never seen a 5" V-Bob, either in person or in an advertisement.

I wanted a specialist in 9mm, which has the magwell, and is similarly priced to the Valor according to my lgs. The vbob is what happened to be in the case and its relatively low (to my understanding of the DW pricing structure) tag price led me to ask if this was the norm or not. That is all.

If it is a blem, does the price become more in line with current market value. No mention was made of such, but it could have slipped by I guess. If it is still there on my next visit, I will verify. The only other DW I've seen there was in the case for several months, so...

quote:

Originally posted by Steve 22X:

quote:

Originally posted by jbcummings:
The VBOB is a Valor and comes in two configurations, a Commander (4") and a full size (5"), or at least when I bought my VBOB Commander last year. The difference in price was about $300.00.

The V-Bob comes in 4.25" (barrel).
I have never seen a 5" V-Bob, either in person or in an advertisement.

Last year when I ordered mine, I was specifically asked Commander or Full size. Ray's Sporting Goods in Dallas, Texas was pulling it from a distributor in California. I've never seen one either, but that was the question. Now I'll grant grant you the VBOB that I have is nothing more than a Commander sized Valor, even has Valor stamped on the slide, so maybe he was thinking more about the Valor than the VBOB. Essentially, they're the same except for the frame bobbing and barrel length as far as I can tell, so a full sized VBOB doesn't sound that far out.

quote:

Originally posted by wolfe 21:
I wanted a specialist in 9mm, which has the magwell, and is similarly priced to the Valor according to my lgs. The vbob is what happened to be in the case and its relatively low (to my understanding of the DW pricing structure) tag price led me to ask if this was the norm or not. That is all.

If it is a blem, does the price become more in line with current market value. No mention was made of such, but it could have slipped by I guess. If it is still there on my next visit, I will verify. The only other DW I've seen there was in the case for several months, so...

Some consider the Dan Wesson blems to be exceptional values since the price reduction very often FAR exceeds the actual cosmetic flaw.
There are purchasers that have found the flaw was simply a dimple under a grip panel or a slight misalignment of an edge.
Nothing is supposed to be wrong with a blem regarding either tolerances or mechanical function.

It sounds as though you aren't really interested in the V-Bob but should you change your mind and go back;
*) The first two digits of the serial number indicate the year made
*) The lamda at the end of the serial would indicate a blem (as already mentioned)
*) If it is a blem, ask to see the box, it should have paperwork indicating where the blem is located.
You can then decide if it is too badly flawed regarding cosmetics.
BTW the blems carry the same mechanical warranty as full priced pistols.
*) If it is not a blem or otherwise damaged (after being shipped to the dealer) then that is a really good price for a 9mm V-Bob

Since it is stainless, several years back Dan Wesson did have some galling problems which they would fix and pay for to/from shipping.
I have not personally had any issues with my 2015 stainless V-Bob (in .45 ACP) and do not know if this issue even affected any V-Bobs and/or if it affected any 9mm pistols.
Galling did not occur on the Duty Treat finishes but as you know, they are about $300 more.
Supposedly this issue has been resolved in the past year or so.
One thing that was highly emphasized online and is listed in the owners manual is to use the recommended lube and clean/lube every 50 rounds during break in.

quote:

Originally posted by jbcummings:
Last year when I ordered mine, I was specifically asked Commander or Full size. Ray's Sporting Goods in Dallas, Texas was pulling it from a distributor in California. I've never seen one either, but that was the question. Now I'll grant grant you the VBOB that I have is nothing more than a Commander sized Valor, even has Valor stamped on the slide, so maybe he was thinking more about the Valor than the VBOB. Essentially, they're the same except for the frame bobbing and barrel length as far as I can tell, so a full sized VBOB doesn't sound that far out.

Perhaps a better question is why Rays would be ordering anything from CA when plenty of distributors/dealers for CZ (they own Dan Wesson) are far more local.
Certainly would not be a cost cutting measure and could explain the $300 difference you previously noted.

There is also the possibility that either Rays or the distributor might not know what they are talking about.

Any of those are possible. They went to a CA distributor because they were the only one that had the gun in stock at the time. I had checked several places around town. Ray's was the only one that could get one at the time.

I am a range shooter, so the bobbed frame is of little interest to me. I was however quite impressed with the overall quality of said gun, having never handled one before.