I’ve been searching for the right pistol for taking pigs and deer and the occasional trip into town for a little over a year. The most obvious choice: some flavor of 10mm. I’ve tried — and passed on — a safe-full of guns so far. Oddly enough, I hadn’t sampled anything in the Dan Wesson line. (In fact, I hadn’t shot any Dan Wesson guns since the pistol packs of yesteryear.) When CZ offered TTAG the Dan Wesson Bruin for review, I jumped right on it.

Out of the box, the Bruin’s a good-looking gun. In fact, it’s aesthetically unique; the slide has an angled cut up from under the muzzle that gives the gun a distinctive outline. It looks great but it’s a pain to reassemble.

[The recoil spring plug is also up-cut. The plug is long and heavy. There’s one and only one way to fit the plug into the slide’s recess. It takes a bit of turning with the spring to get it set-up right, and then a few cycles back and forth with the empty gun to get it seated just so.]

The Bruin’s slide includes two sets of cocking serrations, front and rear. They’re wide and deep and enable ideal hand placement. That said, the front cuts are completely unnecessary in a firearm primarily made for hunting, and they detract from the pistol’s otherwise clean look.

The rest of the Bruin’s 9.7-inch long slide is minimally marked; the model name in discreet script sits in front of the rear cocking serrations. The 10mm Bruin is available with a black slide and controls and a bronze colored frame, or dressed all in Dan Wesson’s very black Duty Finish. Both models are fitted with simple but functional G10 grips. If you’d like a Bruin in .45 ACP, it’s only available in all-black.

The Bruin’s slide lacks a cut-out for optics and there’s no rail underneath. At this price, for this application, I’d expected to see an optic-ready slide. I wouldn’t necessarily expect a rail for a light; not many owners are likely to take the 6.3-inch barreled Bruin out for a night hunt or carry it for personal defense.

The Dan Wesson Bruin ships with two quality eight-round magazines incorporating an overhanging ledge base in front of the grip. I wouldn’t want that feature on a carry gun, but I appreciate the ledge on a hunting handgun, where the user’s more likely to be wearing insulated gloves.

Unfortunately, the Bruin’s trigger well isn’t particularly oversized. There’s no way I could fit an insulated gloved finger in there without sending a round downrange. With thinner gloves, like my work gloves, this wasn’t much of a problem. But it’s something to keep in mind if you’re carrying the Bruin in colder climes.

The ergonomics on any 1911 feel great to my hands, and the Bruin is no exception. Dan Wesson has certainly done a better job with the controls than a Colt Series 70. The Wesson’s single-sided extended thumb safety moves quickly to both the on and off positions, and it’s well serrated for good purchase. Even in work gloves, I had no problems manipulating the safety. My thumb never slipped off the safety when firing the gun, whether I was wearing gloves or not.

Enough glove love. Let’s get to the shooting part of the program . . .

The Bruin’s trigger breaks cleanly after a small amount of pre-travel. Although the four-pound pull weight is about what most people would want on a defensive gun, I’d like it closer to 2.5 or three pounds on a hunting gun. Even so, there’s no discernible grit or catchiness to it, and the break is fast and unexpected.

Using American Eagle 180gr FMJ, Blazer 200gr TMJ, and 175gr Hornady Critical Duty store-bought rounds (ED: add to that a box of Creedmoor Sports XTP loads and a box of Underwood Xtreme Penetrator), I had no failures of any type. No problems feeding, extracting, loading or unloading. The magazine never got hung up or stuck on a reload, and the mags always dropped out cleanly.

The Dan Wesson Bruin was reliable in every aspect. The sights adjusted easily and consistently, and nothing on the gun shook loose during testing. There were no issues firing one-handed, and the grip safety easily disengaged with a high, one-handed grip — something I’ve learned to watch for with any 1911.

Considering the extra-long barrel and the accompanying sight radius, I was hoping for sub-0ne-inch accuracy. Off a front bag at 25 yards, my best five-round group measured 1.5 inches, using the relatively inexpensive American Eagle 180gr FMJ. None of the groups I shot ever quite hit the 2″ mark; the Hornady Critical Duty round clocked in at 1.76″.

Since the Bruin was built for hunting, I shot it standing and kneeling. My eyes aren’t quite what they used to be, but shooting a six-inch circle at 50 yards from the kneel with this pistol was completely doable. My group opened up to 10 inches standing at that range. Taking in mind the inherent accuracy of the pistol, I blame the result on the Indian more than the arrow.

Front and rear Trijicon night sights sit on the pistol’s flattened and serrated slide top. The combination accentuates the firearm’s real world accuracy, making the Bruin easy to aim. Equally, the front sight’s bright green fiber optic/tritium dot enables extremely fast sight acquisition in any light condition.

The 10mm Auto is no ballistic slouch. The Hornady Critical Duty round is going over 1,150 fps from the muzzle, generating more energy at 50 yards than my .45ACP defensive round delivers at the muzzle. But you wouldn’t know it with shooting the Dan Wesson Bruin.

The Bruin handles 10mm recoil easily; that bright green dot barely moves in fast fire. I could put two fast shots to the 4X6-inch center plate of my steel targets at 25 yards with combat compatible consistency. Having the option to place two rounds inside the vitals of a deer or black bear at that 25 yards would make me feel pretty good about my odds for a speedy game recovery.

Credit the Bruin’s weight; Dan’s handgun tips the scales at a hefty 44 oz. Additional props go to the Bruin’s excellent 25 lpi checkering on the front strap and the flat mainspring housing, and the extended beavertail. Even firing the Bruin one-handed, the gun soaks up recoil. It completely tames the 10mm cartridge.

I’m still looking for the right 10mm pistol for both personal defense and hunting. If the Dan Wesson offered the Bruin’s performance in a gun with a five-inch slide, it would be my constant companion. As is, the Bruin’s is a great purpose-driven gun –as long as your goal is backwood self-defense or pistol hunting light-skinned game, all the way up to and including black bears.

Specifications: Dan Wesson/CZ Bruin

Caliber: 10mm
Magazine Capacity: 8 rounds
Frame Material: Forged stainless
Slide Finish: Duty finish
Grips: G10
Overall Length: 9.7 in
Barrel Length: 6.3
Height: 5.8 in
Width: 1.5 in
Weight: 43.9 oz
Trigger: Mech single action
Front Sight: Tritium fiber optic
Rear Sight: Adjustable night sights
MSRP: $2,194

Ratings (out of five stars):

Style and Appearance * * * *
Although I generally like two-tone guns, I wouldn’t have chosen this color scheme. The Bruin’s up-cut snout makes the gun a pain to reassemble, but fashion conquers all (apparently). A well put together package.

Reliability * * * * *
Zero issues of any type with any round. Stake your hunt on it.

Accuracy * * * *
1.5″ to 1.75″ groups at 25 yards off of bags is very good shooting, just not exceptional shooting. The ease of fast follow-up shots, and keeping them on target, is a huge plus.

Overall * * * *
Dan Wesson has built a big gun that it serves its purpose well. The Bruin draws easily, points fast, and makes a 10mm feel like a 9mm shot from a G19.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

88 COMMENTS

  1. A $2k is a lot to spend on a single purpose handgun. Sure it’s beautiful, but for the same price, I can grab a Glock 20, slap a 20T custom slide on it and come away with at least as good a gun for far less out of pocket cost.

    • Yeah, that $2,000 price tag is quite honestly ridiculous as far as I am concerned. I can see maybe $1,000 (which I would NEVER pay).

      • $2k +. WTF! For hog hunting where guns get scratched, dropped and dirty?

        I think it’s pretty clear that this DW 10 will be carried and shown off but when it comes to rolling in the mud with pigs the Glock 10mm will be the gun in hand.

        • At least on the Glock 10mm, a gloved finger usually fits in the trigger guard.

          Looking at the thickness of the plastic on the grips, I wonder why they didn’t consider making it a double-stack magazine…

        • @jwtaylor

          I’m still trying to figure out what it is with you and handguns. It almost seems like if I want a gun to fail, all I need to do is get JW to review it.

        • Never could get a Glock 10mm to run on original-spec ammo, and when it did the brass was so swollen you could push primers in with your thumb.

        • I don’t get everyone having such terrible luck with the Glock 20. Mine runs like a top, and I police my brass and haven’t seen any deformed rounds.

          I can see the appeal of a beautiful 1911, but this isn’t it.

    • You’re comparing a Mercedes to a Chevy. They’ll both get you where you need to go. Whether or not the higher price of the Mercedes is worth it, is a matter of opinion (and disposable income).

      • Cost-analyzing cameras, tools, golf clubs, cars, underwear or guns is not necessary, get what you like and can afford, not what other folks like or want.
        As far as plastic goes, I’ve got lots of old ancient plastic stuff that has become brittle,fragile and cracked so I don’t trust it regardless of how long the “Testing” has said it would last. But suit yourself.

    • Heck yea or You could buy a g20, a g40 and a red dot to put on it. And still have a couple of franklins for holsters and ammo.

      • hahahahahaha…. that’s good, and while you are at it, head over the to the Ferrari dealership and let all those guys know that they could get a Tundra and a Camry and still have some money leftover for rims, tires, and a couple tanks of gas.

        No

        Just

        Stop

        • Yeah these people misunderstand why one might buy a Dan Wesson. It certainly has nothing to do with finding the lowest bidder!

          I certainly could have bought a Colt or a Springfield with the almost $1,000 I spent on my DW Heritage. But that’s not what I wanted.

    • Glock as good as? I think not. But it all comes down to preference. Sig Sauer Rules. Glocks are disposable plastic toys not built for the human hand.

    • Dan Wesson and C.Z. customer service is the worst ! My brand new Bruin did not shoot from the frist bullet ! RMA – R000019714. The so called gunsmith lied in the response that I got from first time it was sent back . James Ball

      • The Razorback is outstanding with Underwood ammo loaded to original Norma velocities (180@1320), though you might want a 24-pound recoil spring. For gloved use, swap in a short trigger. That DW “mid-length” trigger is a bad compromise.

    • I purchased a RazorBack 10mm and sent back to DW to have the Duty Coat applied .dont care for stainless finish. Replaced trigger and custom trigger work.and had front strap checkered.replaced sights with Kensites and barrell crowned. installed VZ grips. shoots exceptional and accurate. Keep your Glocks . I can afford a superior pistol and know the difference . I dont have to spend near as much time to be accurate. Quality speaks for itself!! I would not sell for 3000.00

      • I bought the SIG SAUER P220 ELITE STAINLESS/ROSEWOOD GRIPS 10MM! Best $1500 pistol for the money, will not sell, feeds anything, utterly reliable, high end investment shooter, IMO.

  5. I think for handgun hunting I would stick with a revolver. I have a Redhawk in .44 Mag that would be my hiking ‘companion’ of choice.

    • A Brit in TX,

      There is no question that .44 Magnum ballistics are utterly superior to 10mm, even maximum loadings in 10mm. For that reason, I carry a .44 Magnum when I am camping, hiking, or hunting.

      Having said all that, maximum charge 10mm loadings paired with long barrels have some wallop to them. More importantly, 10mm semi-auto handguns enable average shooters to deliver multiple shots on target about two to three times faster than a revolver in .44 Magnum.

      So, while a 10mm semi-auto may not have enough oomph with a single shot to consistently drop a charging bear in its tracks, it enables an average shooter to put multiple hits on that bear in short order. Assuming 200 grain hardcast lead bullets, that will enable an average shooter to consistently drop a charging bear in seconds.

      • Right. Stick with the .44 mag revolver unless you live in Siberia or Alaska and expect to be attacked daily by pesky roving bear gangs.

      • I agree! I definitely wouldn’t feel undergunned with 10mm and I do love the accuracy and fast follow up shots with the semi-automatic (& 1911 in particular!) platform. The Redhawk in SA is very accurate, it’s much harder to be accurate in DA though…… Perhaps not so important if a bear is on top of you but useful at all other times.

        I imagine that a Glock in 10mm is more common than a high end 1911 for this purpose, can you use hardcast lead loads in a Glock? I seem to remember something about the rifling fouling etc etc.

      • I was with you Uncommon right up until multiple hits on a charging bear. Not many real bears on your area apparently so you have a lot to learn. If you have time for multiple shots and your not specifically hunting bears then you shot way too soon and likely signed your own death warrant.

        Most bears will leave you alone. Until you shoot at them that is then they go zero to thirty five miles an hour in two seconds. Sure you can blast away early but in real bear country you have 20 yards from a threatening bear on a good day. Most likely only 5 or 10 yards. So it better be one shot one kill. Planning for a mag dump is for the movies.

        • The very concept of hunting brown bears with a 10 millimeter is asinine. When I talk about bear hunting and the 10 millimeter I’m talking about black bears.

        • Doktor,

          I think an average shooter could pretty easily rattle-off three or four shots in two seconds once they are pointing at a charging bear. Whether or not they actually have two seconds after pointing their handgun at a charging bear is a different matter.

          Obviously, a bear that springs upon you with no warning from 15 yards away is going to be on top of you before you can recognize what is happening and draw. If you happen to see a bear and draw before he charges and he is 40 yards away, I think you have an excellent chance of having those two seconds of time to rattle-off three or four shots.

          By the way, my understanding is that brown bears like to “bluff charge”. Shooting at one of them with an under powered handgun could be a bad idea. The problem is, you never know whether their charge is a bluff or the real deal. If a brown bear is charging at me and I can get my .44 Magnum revolver on target, I am going to pull the trigger every time rather than leave my life purely up to chance.

    • Strictly for hunting, a 7-inch 44 is hard to beat. And I have one, and 3 other 44s as well. But I can’t hide any of them even under a light jacket.

      • These are the reasons that I would have thought the obvious choice would be a .454 Casull, maybe in a 5″ single action, rather than a 10mm. It would also make a better conversation piece as a BarBQue gun(I’m assuming that is the meaning of occasional trip to town).

  6. JWT – Great series of 1911 reviews. Since you seem to be the resident SME and I’m in the market for 9mm 1911 for range/target duty – do you have any suggestions if $1000 is max budget. I recently sold some Glock 19s given the recent DA decision to roll deep with Sig. Preferring a 9mm single stack and 1911 grip angle, I’m all ears if you’re willing to teach another veteran…

      • Your point is certainly understandable – I’ve looked at the Ruger, Colt, and SA models. Do you prefer the SA Range Officer Operator vs the Range Officer Champion? Also if $1000 is a tough bracket – what’s your best option if I were to push towards $1500-2000 for a truly custom piece? Thanks for the help, I’m not opposed to saving for a better version – single stack 1911s seem to fit my hand better than double stack wonder 9s…

        • I don’t think I’ve seen a truly custom 1911 from a reputable manufacturer for under $4,500. They usually go up significantly from there. At that level, I would call Tim Thompson at Bill’s Custom Automatics and be done with it.
          At the $1,500 level to $2,000 I would go with an STI single stack.

        • I’m no Operator, but I still enjoy my plan-jane Range Officer. Not a custom gun, but a very reliable and accurate.

    • Iver Johnson offers a very adequate 10mm 1911 with a compensated 6″ barrel for under four figures. The trigger is a bit heavy, but it’s quite accurate, and works reliably with a variety of ammo.

  7. Seems like these 10mm should be tested with some more powerful loads. Underwood ammo 180gr is listed at 1300fps, quite a bit more energy than the hornady used here.

    • We did get to run a couple of magazines of Underwood through it. No issues and it did not feel any hotter than the Hornady round.

    • +1

      How about some buffalo bore. Even the sig10mm ammo it’s hotter than most of that stuff. The ae 10mm is solidly in 40sw range.

    • Yesterday (after the review was written) we ran a box of Underwood pushing 140 grain Lehigh pills at 1,560 fps+ through it without a hitch. Accurate, comfortable, reliable, etc. A box of Creedmoor Ammo 10mm w/ Hornady XTP bullets went through it also, but those aren’t loaded super hot (still probably beyond the design parameters of those projectiles though haha).

  8. Mr. Taylor, I’m in the market for a 10mm 5″ 1911 and trying to decide between a custom Dan Wesson or Wilson Combat. In your opinion, does Wilson Combat worth the extra money?

    • I’m not much help here since I’ve never shot a 5-inch 10 millimeter Dan Wesson, or any 10 millimeter Wilson Combat.
      I can say that I have shot many, and own several, Wilson guns and I have never been disappointed.

      • Dan Wesson is going to offer Valor in 10mm I believe, perhaps that will be a good one to review next. If you’re happy with every Wilson 1911 you have handled, that’s good enough for me. Your insights are much appreciated, thank you for all you do

        • We’ll be getting JWT another DW in 10mm shortly here. Standard slide length. I think it would be pretty cool if they made the Valor bobtail (the V-Bob) in 10mm, actually…

  9. The Bruin … makes a 10mm feel like a 9mm shot from a G19.

    So then you’re saying it’s a terrible gun to shoot and completely overrated?

  10. I have an EAA witness all steel (frame and slide) 10mm with a capacity of 14+1. Love it. Was about $500

    For something a little cooler – I could have gotten the EAA witness all steel hunter in 10mm with a capacity of 14+1 with a 6″ barrel for about $1050.

  12. @jw:
    Have you tried any of the Smith 10 series? I have a 1006 and I love that gun. It’s about the size of a 1911, real slim; trigger is ok (but the reset is shorter than anything I’ve ever shot, strangely) and has adjustable sights. The only downside is mags aren’t made for it anymore. Since they’re discontinued, they range from $600-$900 the last time I checked. I’m 5 foot 6 and I’ve worn it outside the waistband under a coat.

      • +1 on the 10 series! Mags are near impossible to find and stupid expensive when located ($150!?! at the last gun show I ran across one) Damn fine shooters. Getting harder to find at the lower end of your price range. With the resurgence of the cartridge and the limited production, I guess that’s just the new normal.

  13. I’ve got to say, between that color scheme and the strange cut, I find it to be a rather unattractive pistol.

  14. To each his own. I find it really purty, but have zero use for a caliber as esoteric as 10mm. How about the same thing in .45 with a 4-5″ barrel? Maybe a few hundred cheaper?

  15. Never understood the fascination here versus .45acp. If I want 10mm, I drop the bullet weight and add some powder. A Barnes +P 160gr in 45acp will punch in the 1200fps range. And it’ll have the same kick the snappy little 10mm bitch will as well because they are nearly identical at that point.

    Even worse, you don’t get the extra round or two that .40s&w normally allots you for the slightly smaller diameter. This pistol is a standard eight shot 1911 single stack 1911. For $2000. Save you money. Buy a reloading set up for .45 acp and a nice 1911, then load it to match 10mm ballistics. You’ll probably still have money left over.

    • In 10mm at standard 10mm pressure you can send a 160 grain bullet about 1,450 fps through a 4.7″ barrel. This is not the same as sending an overpressure 160 grain .45 slug at 1,200 fps through a 5″ barrel. My 10mm “bear load” is a 220 hard cast lead bullet at the 1,200 FPS (4.7″ bbl) you’re getting from a 160 grain pill.

      Typically you do get extra capacity. 10mm Auto is the same diameter case as .40 S&W, so when you compare capacity vs. .45 ACP you usually see the same increase (e.g. G20’s 15 rounds vs G21’s 13). Many standard, non-extended 10mm 1911 mags hold 9, and a few hold 10. For whatever reason, Dan Wesson has chosen to use mags that hold 8 (probably wanting to use a tall follower and a stiff spring to ensure feeding reliability considering the potential for sharp recoil w/ hot 10mm loads). BTW it can definitely be argued that 8 rounds isn’t standard for a 1911 but, rather, 7 rounds is. Though in this case Dan Wesson does use 8-round mags for their full-size .45s, so I’ll concede that point 😉

  16. Dan Wesson’s are forged and hand fitted, nothing is drop-in, they are every bit as good if not better in some cases than any of the 4-5 thousand dollar customs on the market. If you like 1911’s as I do and you want a high end hand fitted 1911 as good as an Ed Brown, Nighthawk and the likes at half the price you would be hard pressed to find anything better than a Dan Wesson. I own three, two Valor’s and an ECO. Since CZ bought Dan Wesson in 2005 they have been very serious about building the very best 1911, their customer service is also the best in the business.

  17. Look at all the pathetic little Glock fangirl douchebags in here. This Dan Wesson Bruin 10mm Shoots, and out classes any Glock piece of crap in every way hence the price tag. Don’t blame the gun just because the reviewer can’t shoot worth a damn. Plus this thing is hard to scuff up. You Glock sheep are just cheapskates.

    • JWT can shoot. He has plenty of other pistol reviews on here with nice, tiny little groups at 25 yards. And 1.5″ to 1.75″, 5-shot groups from a pistol at that distance aren’t bad anyway for what a pistol is capable of and are *great* for what most shooters are capable of. How many people do you think you’d have to go through at a typical shooting range before you found one capable of that sort of group from a pistol off a bag? I bet it’s WAY more than you’d [apparently] expect!

      • Temper, temper little Glock fangirl. He obviously CAN NOT shoot this 10mm. That is very clear.

      • If he’s shooting those 25-yard groups offhand its “impressive”. If any “rest” is involved, the group size is meaningless. Not to mention extremely unlikely since an “accurate” 1911 that averages 2″ groups at 25 yards in a machine rest is a pretty good shooting pistol. I’ve got a Les Baer Premier II Target with the 1.5″ group @ 50 yards guarantee. That’s an extra $300 so worth of handfitting and “accurizing” on a “standard” Premier II that “only” is guaranteed for 3″ at 50 yards. I’ve shot one exactly 1.5″ group with it a legit 50 yards and I’ve attempted it only once. I was shooting my own cast 200-grain SWC bullets in “varmint ammo” I’d loaded when I was in the 1911 phase of my “bucket list” goal of shooting a prairie dog with every gun I own. I eventually did get one with my R1 but haven’t “scored” with the Les Baer yet. I’ve got a little appreciation for what a gun and shooter need to be to shoot like you claim he does implying he’s doing the shooting and that appreciation includes being aware that anybody who is really knocking down consistent 1.75″ groups at a legit 25 yards and with REVIEW GUNS no less shouldn’t be wasting his time and talent doing “commercials” for companies that send him “free” stuff to “review”.

        And if he’s not including credible video of those 25-yard groups as they happen, that’s probably why he’s still “wasting his time and talent” making those “commercials”. And not necessarily because it hasn’t occurred to him that could be his ticket. I’m thinking more along the lines that its because what he says and shows he’s “shooting” and he’s actually doing to “shoot” them are different things.

        That you’re hear “backing him up” as just another “casual observer” doesn’t prove anything and I don’t know why you’d use that “evidence” to try to “disprove” what is pretty obviously NOT “that caliber” (pun intended” of shooting with a pistol that he should be able to shoot the hell of. Long-slide “heavyweight” 1911s set up like that one is aren’t legal for most competition shooting just about any other “1911” can find a class it fits in for a reason. They’re not “1911s” to start with because the barrel length was never offered by Colt who only “shrank” the 1911 “platform” and that seemingly minor extra “inch” of barrel makes it 20% longer than a stock 1911 barrel. All that extra length and mass makes for a MUCH smoother and “slower” shooting pistol and one that has LESS recoil than any 5″ 1911 and can be a better and lighter shooting pistol than some custom comped .45 ACP “modified” pistols. A 6″ barrel also has to tilt down much less during cycling than a 5″ barrel so you can by with a much wider and tigher “bearing surface” where the slide and barrel or bushing and barrel “meet” compared to a 5″ pistol. You get better barrel-to-slide concentricity and alignment either way and you don’t have to do the Les Bear super-tight “self-lapping” barrel/bushing fit thing to get amazing accuracy and precision. And you can do it without a bushing at all which is much cheaper and easier to mass-produce and get “custom fit” accuracy and precision out of given how much work and knowledge and skill and ability and eperience and even a little “luck” it takes to fit the bushing perfectly the the slide so the BARREL alignment is perfect even if the bushing alignment is “off”. Anyone that knows anything about “good” shooting period “offhand” knows that weight up front is almost ALWAYS a good thing whether its a rifle or pistol. ESPECIALLY with open sights which is WHY so few “rifle shooters” these days who have never shot a rifle WITHOUT “optics” have any clue when they start trying to “save weight” on the front end of a rifle. Even with optics, the most crucial part of accuracy and precision is getting and keeping the MUZZLE “on target”. Open sights make it easy to see if you’re doing that and if not why not and what you need to do differently. People don’t naturally “wiggle” back and forth shooting a rifle off hand and if their sights are “wandering” horizontally back and forth, its probably because they’re trying to hard and have a death grip on the rifle and/or are in an uncomfortable shooting position and/or are nervous about “failing” and its their heart pounding, pulse, etc and the way they “rock” their torso and chest side to side and their arms and the rifle along with it that are “waving” the rifle. VERTICAL waving is almost always BREATHING and can be the result of being “too relaxed” and breathing too deeply and then waiting too long to “take the shot” and becoming more fatigued and “cramped “and “locking up” and then breaking loose.

        Regardless, nobody that “learns to shoot” with an “optic” on a rifle and especially “off a bench” or “rest” has learned jack shit about actually handling, managing rather than controlling the rifle and the fundamentals that invariable improve with time and practice and a desire to do better you’ll never get if you’re a “good shot” from “day one” all because you manage to shoot “good groups” with an optic-equipped rifle at “normal” rifle distances by doing nothing arranging bags, tripods, rests, etc etc in such a way that a zeroed and sighted-in scope/rifle “weapon system” is “aimed” at the target consistently from shot to shot as you do nothing but arrange the rifle and “pull” the trigger as far as contributing to the rifle’s ability to do what its made to do.

        Honestly in this day and age, the amount of “rifle shooting” that’s done at what are “handgun distances” for even “decent” shooters who may not be able to even keep 5 rounds on an 18×18″ target paper at 50 yards offhand with their pistol yet but are still trying and are determined to IMPROVE THEIR SKILLS AND ABILITIES so their “investment” in shooting “long-term” pays and actual “dividend” because they were better on the last day than the first even if those days were 30 years and 3 eyeglass prescriptions apart and yet is seen as “good shooting” whether or not the “impressed” observer has any idea if it was offhand or benchrest, etc is kind of pathetic given how much potential is being wasted in hardware and “software” which is the shooters themselves.

        Guys will spend thousands of dollars on a rifle and “optic” and “training” and every other damned “write a check and be a better hot” shooting product or service they hear will make them a better shot and a $50 investment in a “Daisy BB gun” and a couple tubes of BBs and about 50 hours in the backyard “being a kid” would save them so much money and make them so much better shooters of anything they pickup while those “shooting aids” aren’t doing a damned thing but giving them something to blame when they don’t work and something to ignore when it does and they want the credit for “getting better.

        Not to mention all the “long-range” shooters dumping stupid amounts of money on “sniper rifles” chambered for “Magnum” rifle cartridges that are going to “wear out” a barrel a year at the minimum if they’re really shooting as much as they need to be and as consistently and and as well as they need to be and at the ranges they need to be with as little “help” as possible if they ever want to be really good “marksmen” instead of one of those clowns who by god hit a target at double or triple the “effective range” of his rifle and cartridge and has the video to prove it.

        Or at least the video that has a clip of him “shooting” and another of a bullet hitting a target supposedly a few seconds after the shot was fired from whatever claimed distance, etc. And it may have ONLY TAKEN 20 shots to “score that hit”. Yeah. Now do it again. 1 for 20 is batting .050. Do it again and you’re batting .100. Anybody who isn’t shooting, missing, making elevation and/or windage adjustments on his or her “optic” and is just changing his or her “hold” has no freaking clue what they’re doing or why they’re quite possibly the worst “long-range” shooter they can possibly be already with no help of ever improving if they don’t change immediately. Shooting at a target, missing it and then shooting at a different point to “try again” instead of at least shooting at the exact same point to see IF the rifle/scope/shooter “system” can at least SIGHT and HOLD and FIRE and MISS CONSISTENTLY and treating that “shooting” as anything BUT SIGHTING IN AND ZEROING THE RIFLE ON A NEW TARGET AT A MUCH LONGER RANGE THAN IT WAS PREVIOUSLY SIGHTED AND ZEROED FOR is the epitome of idiocy. And when I see some supposed “long-range shooter” who shows or says him “zeroing” his “long-range” rifle at ONE HUNDRED YARDS before he “goes long” and starts shooting HUNDREDS AND THOUSANDS OF YARDS, I know he has no clue and is just making it up as he goes along and is probably making a lot more than that up.

        A 100-yard “zero” for 1000-yard shooting is probably going to cost you a good 100 rounds of “practice” before you hit that same size target twice in a row at 1000 yards if you’re lucky. Compound your stupidity by “changing your hold” and “chasing zero” without actually changing any of the adjustments you made to the scope to ZERO IT AT 100 yards or if so not really knowing WHY or WHAT you’re actually doing and maybe just doing it because some other guy you saw or heard about doing it does it, and you could easily be in the 1000 round range before you hit that target twice consecutively and ON PURPOSE at 1000 yards. There isn’t a “Magnum” cartridge/rifle out there that 1000 yards is anything less than “halfway” to a “worn “out” barrel “on average”. Going with a stupidly expensive and heavy and hard to manage and hard to even “handle” rifle and barrel-burning Magnum cartridge to go with as a “beginning” long-range shooting is about like deciding you want to take up drag racing and buying a brand-new Pro Mod and heading to the track.

        By the time you can make two consecutive full passes at the cars full potential it’ll probably need “freshened up” and you’ll still be a long ways away from having an NHRA competition license and a chance to actually race somebody at a real event.

    • I agree: I’m going to buy it , I’ve been looking at a lot of Hand guns for personal home protection. This gun is beautiful and looks sleek to pull out of a holster with no hangups . Expensive but I always pay too much just in my nature.

  18. So what “controls” does a “Series 70 Colt” have that this Dan Wesson “1911” does not? Do you know what a Series 70 Colt actually is and what’s really different about them compared to a “1911” of any other “series”?

    • Hi, Serg. Look at the Sig TacOps in 10mm. Wessons are difficult to assemble/disassemble. I have all 3 of the Sig TacOps plus 12 other Sigs. In MY opinion for the price and reliability they can’t be beaten. Or is it beat?

      • I was actually going for the P220 elite first but then I started wanting silverback, Bruin , sig super sport, RIA ULTRA fs hc, colt delta elite (new version), but I really want a quality custom 10mm, and I liked the idea of no MIM parts. Keep talkin I need more thoughts from you n others lol

        • There is absolutely nothing wrong with MIM..or as I write this there has been ZERO problems with MIM or external extractors. I have the Elite…love it. I am partial to 1911’s. I have an old P220 that I will bet has over 15,000 rds run thru her. Not one hiccup. I have fired many Dan’s. They are excellent handguns but for “my money” it is and always will be the Sig. I have have had several Kimbers, Springfields, Brownings and others.My gun of choice in a combat situation, handgun that is, is the Sig. For the price of the Dan you could pick up two TacOps, 10mm, .357 sig (which I love) and the .45.

          Again this is just my opinion! 30 years USMC all ass in the grass looking for bad guys. Give me a Sig Sauer.

          • Hell yeah now that’s a great review!! Well said buddy and thank you for serving this country, no one realizes that they get to go shopping at there malls, etc. thanks to all the military and what they go through!!! I truly appreciate the risks you took, I have military in the family as I almost went into the marines myself and somehow I didn’t and regret it, but thank you!!!
            I’ll post pics soon!
            Best regards

            • Thank you for your kind remarks. To repeat myself I am just offering my opinion. I might recommend not going to a gun store with a “I gotta have” mind set. Pick em’ up. Hold them. Point them. If the crew at the gun store doesn’t seem interested in listening to you and kind of suggest a different gun to look at or seems in a rush to take your credit card just walk the hell away. I have only one gun shop I deal with. I will take a look at other shops but never buy a thing.
              Good luck in your search and I am sure you can make the best decision for you…and that’s what counts.
              Semper Fi

  20. I love my Bruin to shoot. That having been said, Dan Wesson and CZ, can kiss my collective hyne. They include a Dan Wesson Firearms Manual for all 1911’s that has nothing to do with the bobbed nosed Bruin or its useless and ultra cheep plastic wrench that they include with there two thousand dollar plus handgun. To take this firearm down without benefit of aid from its manufacturer is ridiculous.

    • Well guys, I did little ways back I bought the Sig P220 Elite Stainless/Rosewood grips 10mm! Got it dialed in quick, LOOOOOOOOOOOVE IT!!! If I had to keep one gun only, that’s my baby! Thanks guys!

  21. I am interested in a new Bronze 5″ Bruin but I have a question. Can a ambi safety be installed on the Bruin. Thank you Tim (MN.).

  22. Gear up as your favorite Delsin Rowe Vest. Slim Fit Leather Jackets brings this iconic jacket from animation to reality, especially for all the fans of this video game. Delsin Rowe is the main protagonist and playable character, a young Native-American man who later realizes he’s a Conduit with special powers.

  24. Dan Wesson and C.Z. customer service is the worst ! My brand new Bruin did not shoot from the frist bullet ! RMA – R000019714. The so called gunsmith lied in the response that I got from first time it was sent back . James Ball

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