2020 Stainless Dan Wesson Valor - MD HG Roster

trickg · Sep 21, 2020

I just got notification today that my petition to the Maryland Handgun Roster for the re-release 2020 Dan Wesson Valor 1911 was approved, so for anyone who might have been interested in that particular handgun, it will soon be good to go here in Marylandistan.

You're welcome.

What a pain in the butt. Apparently I'll get another letter from them when it's actually ok to do the transfer. According to the document, the new roster doesn't get published until 10/9/2020, (something to do with 30 days of the approval of the petition for an appeal to be filed?) so it's not going to be a done deal for a while, and my Valor will continue to sit at my FFL until everything is copacetic. I can't wait to retire and leave Maryland.

Oh, and this is only for the Stainless Steel full sized Valor. It wouldn't do to have all model numbers for the Valor approved - oh no no no - this is MARYLAND by golly! Someone will have to petition for that one separately. :mad54:

(it will probably be me - I really like the looks of the Valor in Duty Coat, so I may well end up getting that one at some point in the future.)

Taco · Sep 21, 2020

Thank you, good sir. This is on my short list of guns to save up for. Be sure to give a quick range report once you finally get it. I assume it’ll be as sweet as most Dan Wessons but I’d be interested in how it compares. Enjoy!

trickg · Sep 22, 2020

Taco said:
Thank you, good sir. This is on my short list of guns to save up for. Be sure to give a quick range report once you finally get it. I assume it’ll be as sweet as most Dan Wessons but I’d be interested in how it compares. Enjoy!

I think it's going to be an awesome lifelong addition to my collection. I picked up a very gently used Dan Wesson Silverback from a fellow MDS'er and it was amazingly fun to shoot - flawless in function, light, crisp trigger, and a slide that is like butter. I will say this though - I had a chance to visit my Valor in jail, and although it's a super nice 1911, it may not be quite as nice as the Silverback. There are minor differences - the Valor has an extended magwell, but it has a fixed rear sight - the Silverback has adjustable rear sights so it's more of a range gun, and I think the Valor was designed as a duty gun. From what I can see, the Silverback is a two-toned slightly tricked out version of the older model Valor - lightweight trigger vs solid, adjustable sights vs fixed. I think I prefer the night sights on the Silverback - the 2020 Valor has a two dot combat sight with just one dot below the notch in the rear sight, and the Silverback has a traditional 3 dot sight setup.

For the 2020 Valor, Dan Wesson decided to go back to a GI 1911A1 style slide serrations - narrow, vertical/perpendicular, rather than the wider, angled serrations of its predecessor, and it also has a lightweight trigger as opposed to a solid trigger - it's like someone took a stainless GI style pistol and tricked it out with a match grade barrel, beavertail backstrap, lightweight hammer and trigger, combat night sights, extended ambidextrous safety, and a magwell. About the only thing it doesn't have is forward slide serrations or a picatinny rail on the frame, neither of which I'd want on a 1911.

I did a ton of reading and research on 1911s before I chose the Dan Wesson Valor. Initially I was all about the Sig STX, but there's a part of me that doesn't like messing with the 1911 platform, so the squared slide profile and external extractor were things I was going to have to live with. Then I decided that if I was going to spend that much for a 1911, I just as well look at the Springfield TRP, and that was my pick until I started reading up on Dan Wessons. CZ USA/Dan Wesson has a pretty stellar LEO/Mil/First Responder purchase program, and that put the Valor in roughly the same ballpark as the TRP from a price perspective.

Using that same logic I suppose that I could have continued down the path towards the entry level Les Baer, but from everything I'd read, it seems that Dan Wesson really hits the sweet spot when it comes to prices vs quality, so for the moment I see no point to push beyond that. At this point Wilson Combat or Nighthawk Custom are not being considered - there comes a point for me where I find it hard to justify spending a lot of money on a pistol when I could get into a perfectly functional and reliable Glock for less than $500. Maybe one day after I've won the lottery I'll throw money at whatever, but for now Dan Wesson is about where I top out.

Taco · Sep 22, 2020

trickg said:
I think it's going to be an awesome lifelong addition to my collection. I picked up a very gently used Dan Wesson Silverback from a fellow MDS'er and it was amazingly fun to shoot - flawless in function, light, crisp trigger, and a slide that is like butter. I will say this though - I had a chance to visit my Valor in jail, and although it's a super nice 1911, it may not be quite as nice as the Silverback. There are minor differences - the Valor has an extended magwell, but it has a fixed rear sight - the Silverback has adjustable rear sights so it's more of a range gun, and I think the Valor was designed as a duty gun. From what I can see, the Silverback is a two-toned slightly tricked out version of the older model Valor - lightweight trigger vs solid, adjustable sights vs fixed. I think I prefer the night sights on the Silverback - the 2020 Valor has a two dot combat sight with just one dot below the notch in the rear sight, and the Silverback has a traditional 3 dot sight setup.

For the 2020 Valor, Dan Wesson decided to go back to a GI 1911A1 style slide serrations - narrow, vertical/perpendicular, rather than the wider, angled serrations of its predecessor, and it also has a lightweight trigger as opposed to a solid trigger - it's like someone took a stainless GI style pistol and tricked it out with a match grade barrel, beavertail backstrap, lightweight hammer and trigger, combat night sights, extended ambidextrous safety, and a magwell. About the only thing it doesn't have is forward slide serrations or a picatinny rail on the frame, neither of which I'd want on a 1911.

I did a ton of reading and research on 1911s before I chose the Dan Wesson Valor. Initially I was all about the Sig STX, but there's a part of me that doesn't like messing with the 1911 platform, so the squared slide profile and external extractor were things I was going to have to live with. Then I decided that if I was going to spend that much for a 1911, I just as well look at the Springfield TRP, and that was my pick until I started reading up on Dan Wessons. CZ USA/Dan Wesson has a pretty stellar LEO/Mil/First Responder purchase program, and that put the Valor in roughly the same ballpark as the TRP from a price perspective.

Using that same logic I suppose that I could have continued down the path towards the entry level Les Baer, but from everything I'd read, it seems that Dan Wesson really hits the sweet spot when it comes to prices vs quality, so for the moment I see no point to push beyond that. At this point Wilson Combat or Nighthawk Custom are not being considered - there comes a point for me where I find it hard to justify spending a lot of money on a pistol when I could get into a perfectly functional and reliable Glock for less than $500. Maybe one day after I've won the lottery I'll throw money at whatever, but for now Dan Wesson is about where I top out.

Thanks for the initial thoughts. I couldn’t agree more on the value of Dan Wesson 1911s. I have a couple <$1000 1911s that have had some trigger work done and I love shooting them but my next 1911 will definitely be a DW. The quality for the price is phenomenal. I’ve shot most big name brands and DW feels better than anything priced remotely close to it. DW is probably where I will top out as well.

Huckleberry · Sep 22, 2020

Every man needs a BBQ Gun dressed out in a hand tooled leather holster and belt

You’re of to a great start with your Valor

photoracer · Sep 22, 2020

I love my Dan Wesson 1911 Guardian Bobtail Commander in 9mm, even more than my Colt 1911 Competition Series in .45.

trickg · Nov 9, 2020

Good day all - I wanted to update this - as of this morning, November 9th, 2020, the 2020 full sized Dan Wesson Valor 1911 in stainless, model number 01824 in 45 ACP, is showing on the Maryland Handgun Roster:

https://licensingportal.mdsp.maryland.gov/MSPBridgeClient/#/home

According to the literature I received from the MSP when I got notification that my petition had been approved, I'll be notified in writing regarding a "sale date" - I'm not quite sure what that means. Am I thinking incorrectly to think that if the Brand/Model is showing on the MSP licensing portal page that it's good to go?

fidelity · Nov 9, 2020

If it's in the published accepted handgun list, you can start your 77R paperwork with your FFL. Of course, the online portion could be done at any time, but now going to the dealer to finish it and have it submitted to the state police for review can start.

Congrats on the model addition. I've done this in the past as well.

trickg · Nov 9, 2020

fidelity said:
If it's in the published accepted handgun list, you can start your 77R paperwork with your FFL. Of course, the online portion could be done at any time, but now going to the dealer to finish it and have it submitted to the state police for review can start.

Congrats on the model addition. I've done this in the past as well.

Thanks - it has been an interesting process. In some cases, when it's just a model number addition for a gun model name already on the list they don't demand to see an actual specimen, and I'm wondering if I shouldn't do the whole MD shooters' community a service and submit for some of the other Dan Wesson models that are not on the roster. Right now, the Valor is available for stainless, but Duty Coat for the 2020 Valor will still be off limits due to the difference in model number. All it would cost me is time to write the petition and the cost of the certified letter to mail it.

My FFL is closed today, but I'll see if I can get over there tomorrow to get my 77R submitted. It seems a little silly that after waiting for months, I now have distinct privilege of waiting an additional 7 days, (because reasons/Maryland) but at least I'm going to be able to get it.

I've joked with my wife that this has been such an extended process that it will be close enough to Christmas by the time I get it that I could just let her wrap it up for me and give it to me as a Christmas present.

Actually I scrimped and saved out of my personal crazy money fund for a good long time before I had the money saved up - it would technically be my gift to myself.

On another side note, this is my very first purchase of a brand new firearm aside from the AR builds I put together, but those are out of disparate parts, so I don't really look at those as being the same thing. Everything else I either inherited, or I bought used. When I was a kid I was given a brand new Remington 870 Wingmaster youth model 20 gauge, which I still have, but I don't see that as being the same thing. Anyway, there are worse guns I could have bought for my very first brand new gun purchase.

fidelity · Nov 9, 2020

Congratulations on starting off with a highly regarded production 1911. I saw they added other Dan Wesson models today too, including one that my FFL was going to submit for me until they saw someone already had (the DW Wesson Vigil Commander model 1834). Otherwise he was going to send in a pistol that I've had waiting in the shop. I've heard they've wanted more and more sample submissions recently but you would think for the 1911 platform with its over 100 year old design from well established 1911 manufacturers that they've already reviewed samples of, paperwork would be sufficient. A few years back, my FFL previously sent a Walther pistol that I purchased. The state police did a good job in keeping it in "new" condition. I had the same gun transferred to me after it was on the roster.

Before you go to your LGS, go here and create an account ...

https://licensingportal.mdsp.maryland.gov/MspBridgeClient/#/home

You can start your 77R application. It's good for something like 90 days (or possibly longer). You don't need to specify pistol information. At the end, when you attest that it is you that is truthfully submitting this information (through a typed signature), you will receive an email with a four digit code. Print this out (or write the number down, screenshot on your phone, etc) for when you go to the LGS. It will save you time there. They will still check your ID, your HQL, and have you pay the $10 fee to the state police that initiates the 77R background check.

If you don't do it at home, they will have you do all these initial steps at the LGS, where it can be more time consuming, depending on the wait to use their computer.

trickg · Nov 9, 2020

Oh I'm not new to firearms or purchasing - I'm 50 years old, and have a bevy of things I've picked up here and there, including a very lightly/gently used Dan Wesson Silverback I picked up this summer - I think it had 50 rounds total through it. This is just my first brand new gun is all. I'm a MD Designated Collector too, although I have yet to make use of the ability to do multiple purchases in calendar month. (I had my C&R license at one point too, but I let it lapse because I never really used it.)

I did TONS of reading and research before landing on the Dan Wesson Valor for a new 1911. Initially I was going to get a Sig STX, and I'm sure it would have been fine, but I wasn't thrilled with the square slide profile or the external extractor. Then I was looking hard at the Springfield TRP, but at that point I figured that if I was already extending my budget that far, why not just go with a Dan Wesson - everything I've read says that they hit the sweet spot between price and quality, and the Silverback, which came up on me kind of unexpected (consolation 50th birthday present in place of not getting to go on birthday trip) is certainly no exception - it's a very slick, well made, straight shooting pistol.

I have an HQL, but in an odd twist in timing, I got my HQL in October of 2014, and in March of 2015 I enlisted/re-enlisted in the MD National Guard after a 10 year hiatus, so my military ID supersedes the HQL. (That was "fun" - I was almost 45 years old, standing in my tighty whities on a cold tile floor at MEPS, doing the same duck-walk and ortho tests the 17-18 year old kids were doing - the same crap I did over 25 years earlier when I'd enlisted in the Army to begin with.)

I'll get the ball rolling on the 77R tonight so that we don't have to mess with it in the shop. I have the day off on Wednesday - I may hold off a day and put in some trigger therapy when I go in to deal with the transfer. I've waited this long, what's an extra day, right?

wreckdiver · Nov 9, 2020

Nice choice. I have a DW pointman major I bought about 20 years ago when DW was a small operation owned by Bob Serva. It’s a great well made 1911, but I wouldn’t stake my life on it. It’s never been 100% reliable even after a trip back to DW. The new CZ guns are much nicer and border on custom 1911 quality.

fidelity · Nov 9, 2020

trickg said:
...
I have an HQL, but in an odd twist in timing, I got my HQL in October of 2014, and in March of 2015 I enlisted/re-enlisted in the MD National Guard after a 10 year hiatus, so my military ID supersedes the HQL. (That was "fun" - I was almost 45 years old, standing in my tighty whities on a cold tile floor at MEPS, doing the same duck-walk and ortho tests the 17-18 year old kids were doing - the same crap I did over 25 years earlier when I'd enlisted in the Army to begin with.)
...

Lol, too funny. Looking forward to the pics. Of the DW in case unclear.

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