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Valor review, range report, and dirty dirty pics

1K views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  NAMVET72 
#1 ·
I picked up a 2010 SS Valor from Mr. Steele (whose prices and service were never less than excellent) a little while back, and after a few trips to the range I thought I'd finally get around to sharing a bit. This is my first DW but not my first 1911. I figure that Valor reviews are getting to be well-trod ground, so I'll keep it simple.

The great:

- Overall fit and finish is excellent for the price point. Lots of attention to detail, lots of semi-custom touches.
- Function is perfect so far. My typical range trip is 200 rounds of Magtech 230gr FMJ in about an hour. The slide locks back properly with the included magazines, and the gun is accurate beyond my reckoning.
- It comes out of the box the way I would configure a custom pistol. I'm still going to have a smith go over it, but I'm on DW's wavelength here. The nearly-naked slide is a thing of beauty.
- Lockup is tight as a drum. The bushing is fairly easy to turn with fingers only, which I like, but in battery the barrel is solid as a rock.
- I love the aggressive checkering and VZ grips. Sweaty hands are a fact of life in poorly air conditioned Arizona ranges, and I'm grateful for every last biting little tooth.

The not-so-great:

- After everything I've read, I must have gotten the loosest Valor to leave the line this year. Bare slide on bare frame there's side to side movement front and back. Assembled and lubed the rear shows no movement, but the front of the slide still has some play. I'm doing my best not to obsess about it; the gun is more accurate than I am and so far has been perfectly functional. I have no reason to think this will have any real-world consequences but it still bugs me somehow.:grumble:
- The Ed Brown beavertail is weirdly blended at the tangs and has quite a bit of side-to-side play, though the side of the grip safety never extends beyond the side of the tang. Looking at the Ed Brown picture thread it seems like the weird blending might be par for the course even on their guns.
- I don't have a super sensitive trigger finger, but I can discern some creep in the pull. I've decided not to have a smith remove it, as I don't think it's interfering with my accuracy and it may fade as I get more rounds through the gun. There's a spot on the inside of the frame that's rubbing a bright spot on the matte finish of the trigger. It's tiny but incredibly annoying. There's also enough up-down play that I'll probably have the trigger replaced with an identical Greider.

Overall, I'm really happy with this gun. The slide and beavertail fit are a little disappointing but at this price the pistol as a whole doesn't have many peers. It's an absolute pleasure to handle and to shoot. Speaking of shooting:



This is my best five-round group (at ten yards) from this evening's trip. I think the flyer actually makes it easier for me to put the rest of the rounds through a single hole; it's like the pressure is taken off.

I think the Valor pics we've seen so far look entirely too pristine, so I took it upon myself to contribute some dirtier ones. Those with more delicate sensibilities would do well to avert their eyes while scrolling.:eek:




 

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#3 ·
Welcome to the DW Forum and to the Proud Dan Wesson Owners. One Mod. is a Master PistolSmith (Dave), and one member is a Custom Pistol Grip Maker (Sarge43).
We will give you info, and our opinions, and yes, we joke around sometimes amongst ourselves. This is also the Best 1911 Forum on the Internet IMO…………..
Thanks for the Range Report with Dirty Gun Porn pics........

Clyde
 
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