With the discontinuation of the Valor lineup I was forced to finally get one. I have wanted one merely on internet reviews and such for years. Almost got one once or twice but something always got in the way. Well, ole twogunjay had some pretty good deals so I bought a fullsize stainless 9mm Valor.

On initial handling the same things you heard all the time are still true. This is a tight, well fitted gun. Very smooth slide to frame cycling, no marks, all the parts are blended well. I love the Heinie straight 8's. Never knew the rear was amber and the front green. Nice touch. The front also seems to have a big white ring which makes it stand out in daylight shooting. Not Triji HD stand out but still pretty good.

I had heard that the sights are the same as on the 45 so that they tended to shoot high or low (don't remember which the interwebz said). Well, on mine that isn't true. I spray painted some steel targets and this gun prints right at the top to the front blade at 13-15 yards. It is also retardedly easy to keep putting the bullets right on top of each other.

I don't shoot 1911's much so I rode the slide stop once or twice. My fault. I stopped at 50 rounds and wiped it down and relubed like the owners manual stated. Every 50 rounds they say.I have to read the manual again for how many rounds till I stop doing this. 300-500 would be my guess. I suspect I will not get to 500 breaking it down every 5 mags worth.

Two things surprised me. Or more correctly one thing surprised me and one just was an expected but pleasant surprise. One, this thing just is a plain soft shooter. Not shocking. All steel, full size, 9mm. Still, nice shooter. The surprise was how lightly sprung the 9mm's are. I had a bushing wrench but it not only doesn't need one, it is simply EASY to push in plug and rotate bushing. Nothing at all like my 30 year old Colt 45.

I need more mags. The 10 rounders are nice but I think my aesthetic inner asshole would prefer flush fitters. So 9 I guess. I know I can spend a small fortune on WC ETM's but I sure wouldn't mind a cheaper, reliable alternative.

Thanks for the write-up. I’ve got a V-Bob in 45 on layaway right now. I’m still debating on if I really want to spend the money. It is nice to know that you are not disappointed with your DW.

I use 9 round metalform mags in mine. Got them from Cdnn, but it would appear they no longer carry them.
Like these but I paid <$10.

For my DW Vigil 9mm, I really like the Ed Brown magazines. If you have some 1911 mags that you aren't using, they have an excellent trade option.

Awesome thread! I just got a DW Vigil Commander in 9mm myself! Had it to the range and I have to say it's awesome. I'm a 1911 fan and I've got a few to choose from but this was my first Dan Wesson and my first 1911 in 9mm. It makes for a great package overall.

It's so good in fact, that bet it would even make Para a 1911 fan! That's saying quite a bit as he's not normally a 1911 fan.

Anyway, I'm very impressed with Dan Wesson. It's a shame they discontinued the Valor line. The Vigil Commander I have seems to offer a lot of great features, fit & finish for the money though. I may even spring for a Bruin one of these days.

I still love their lineup and when I accrue some more gun funds I will get a Valkyrie. The Valors and the all steel nature of them really appeals to me. I put it next to my 1985 Colt Govt model and it feels the same but just better in every respect.

PS. I just won a GB auction for another Valor 9mm but in their Duty Coat or whatever the black version is.

I’m spent for awhile. Lol

Edited: I actually bought the blued version which I didn’t even knew was an option. Kind of disappointed actually, wanted the duty cost. I’m sure once I get it it will be fantastic but it’s my fault for not checking. Oh well.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: pedropcola,

In the past two years, I have been soo impressed with my Dan Wesson 1911s, I have them in 9MM, 10MM, and .45. I got rid of my Les Baers!!! LOTS of GREAT gun for the money!

quote:

Originally posted by pedropcola:

Edited: I actually bought the blued version which I didn’t even knew was an option. Kind of disappointed actually, wanted the duty cost. I’m sure once I get it it will be fantastic but it’s my fault for not checking. Oh well.

They didn't make many of the blued ones. They ended up having an issue with the finish and had to discontinue offering it. I had a custom blued DW on order because I prefer the look and carbon steel. When it was almost done, they notified me they couldn't blue it. I had to cancel it since the finish was the whole point of the build in the first place. At any rate, you have a great gun. You could easily add a duty coat version later as there are way more of them out there.

I have a V-bob in 45 and have been very impressed. The Dan Wesson's could easily replace my Baers but I'm not about to start selling them off.
So thanks to this post, I just bought a Vigil 5" in 9mm..

Looking forward to the new toy!

Ok, first mild but easily corrected gripe. The branded DW 10 round mags which I believe are Metalform, are clearly oversized for this gun. It looked odd at first but it kept bugging me. There is a good quarter inch of mag body that just extends past the magazine well. If you had a magwell attached you probably wouldn’t even see it. Bugs me.

I needed some more mags anyway so I bought some flush fitting 9 rounders, problem completely solved. Here is the odd part. I also, ring practical, bought some more 10 rounders. MecGar. Standard great qualityItalian mags just like I expected. They don’t have any gap between baseplate and magazine well. None. The baseplate is slightly extended as I would expect but it is flush with frame.

Why are these notstandard on an otherwise, dare I say, perfect 1911?

Most 8 round (.45) or 10 round (9mm) 1911 mags will protrude slightly from the bottom of the grip.

Sometimes this is visible as bare magazine body:



Or sometimes the protruding area is fully enclosed in the baseplate:



Either way, it still protrudes. But that's a good thing. It's the (tiny) price you pay for having a fully reliable magazine with an extra round in it.

Any flush fit 8/10 round magazines have to cram an extra round into what is essentially a 7/9 round magazine body. So they can be tough to seat when the slide is closed, and sometimes can be unreliable. They don't have the extra built-in "wiggle room" of the purpose-built protruding 8/10 rounders.

Flush fit 7/9 round magazines work just fine, though.

If the slightly protruding look bothers you, get some flush fit 7/9ers for times when you want the tiny bit of extra concealment, or you want to show the gun off in photos or while wearing a swanky OWB BBQ holster. And get some slightly protruding 8/10ers for times when it doesn't matter, or to carry as reloads.

Just filled it paperwork and noticed something. I bought this one LNIB but used. It looks exactly as advertised. All the Valors, and the blued ones as well, appear to have the skeletonized hammer. This one has a blued spurred hammer. The same hammer is in th A2 models. I kind of like it better. It keeps with the old fashioned blued “heirloom” type quality. Could the original owner have ordered it special this way?

The DW pistols are outstanding production pieces; while there could be very minute improvements with customization (DW is best described as "semi-custom), I don't think there would be much value for the cost: they're already very good.

All of mine have excellent triggers, fit and finish, and function. All have no excess play in the barrel linkage, extractors are good, no frame/slide play, and they all look good, and feel good, as well as shoot very great. There's nothing I'd do to change or improve them.

Just found a "limited" run of Valors at LGS. Bull barrel-commander, length slide and Heartwood grips. These the last of the DW Valors produced.

https://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=980544

Some range time with the Vigil.

Next Saturday I pick her up. I will post some side by sides. I figure they just put some together with the standard Valor hammer and some with that A2 style. Parts bin randomness.

I need some leather holster to start some good holster wear and make this thing look classic. If it shots as good as its stainless brother I will be in good shape.

I imagine it will shoot fantastic. I have had my vigil in a Nightingale holster for several trips out to the back 40 and all my shooting has had the gun started in the same holster so far its not showing much of any wear like my Baers do. I think the Duty Finish is quite resistant. (I was hoping for some wear also!)

quote:

Originally posted by pedropcola:
I need some leather holster to start some good holster wear and make this thing look classic.

Shoot me an email at the address in my profile, pedropcola. I've got two leather holsters for you: a Tucker HF1 OWB and a Galco Summer Comfort IWB.

Instant Karma. Your two new Valors can ride in style.

Nice karma Rogue.

Indeed. I've always loved the Southern Comfort.