Dan Wesson Guardian .45 -- For ME!!

[Jessebolt]

My first 1911.

My first Dan Wesson.

Just took delivery of my new Guardian yesterday. Took her home and fondled her for a bit, stripped her down and gave her a good bath, then proceeded to oil her down. Put her to bed with thoughts of what I hoped today would bring.

She didn't let me down.

I was concerned before I took delivery of her, wondering if the magazines would work okay. Or if I was going to end up being disappointed after shooting her for a bit, if she ended up not being what I was expecting. After shooting 300 rounds of various types of ammo through her this afternoon, all I can say is...

WOW!!

THIS is what I've been searching for. Absolutely flawless operation. No issues, no problems, no hiccups, just smooth as silk.

Now, I haven't had tons of experience shooting handguns, I'm more of a rifle guy. I do own a few pistols though and have shot some others, but they're usually of the variety that just doesn't lend themselves much to any kind of accurate target shooting. I thought I'd try it out at some distance and supported to just see how good she is off the bat, trying to take as much of the shooter out of the equation as possible.

I set up 5 rounds in the first magazine, chambered a round and sighted at the target at 25 yards, shooting supported on a table. Trigger is so smooth and crisp and LIGHT! I wish I had a camera (daughter has it off at college) to show those first 5 shots. Not so I could boast or brag, but just so I could have proof that I now have (me! it's MINE!!) a gun that can shoot THAT good!

Shot a few more magazines through it at 25 yards off the table, EVERYTHING stayed on target. I mean CENTER of target. Thought to myself, okay, the gun shoots great, let me see how I can do with it unsupported. Moved up to 10 yards, went to a fresh 8 inch target, first shot was a bulls eye. SLIGHTLY left of direct center of the bulls eye, but still in the center. Emptied the rest of the magazine and most were in the 9 ring or bull, 2 hit the 8 ring. Damn, I'm NOT that good! It seemed like everything I fired out of it was like a guided missile, they refused to miss. I even started doing some rapid fires, emptying whole magazines as fast as I could see the front sight back on the target. I had ONE round that hit the left edge of the target. Everything else was completely inside the 8 inch circle.

To say I'm happy is the understatement of the century. I'm as giddy as a school girl!

I know I'm not that good of a shot with a handgun, but I've always wanted something that I can use to help me GET better with a handgun. Because I budget myself pretty harshly, I try to get things that can fit the bill for several things. In this case I wanted a handgun that I could carry concealed for self-defense AND could shoot consistently and accurately enough that when I practiced with it, if the shots weren't going where they were supposed to that it was my fault, not the gun. That said, fit and finish was important to me too. Hey, we all like a sexy gun!

I have found what I'm looking for! WOOHOO!!!

BIG thanks for you folks here on the 1911 forum. It's because of the research I've done both in this forum and from information gleaned from this forum that led me to this purchase. I was thinking many months ago when I first started thinking I wanted to try the 1911 platform that I'd go with a Kimber. Not saying that a Kimber could have made me any less happy, I dunno...but I KNOW I couldn't be any happier than with this Guardian.



PS:

To the moderators:
I know that everybody and their brother starts up a thread like this everyday, but I just felt I had shout this out here. The wife just doesn't get it. Feel free to delete if ya gotta.

[dred]

Congrats and enjoy.

[Onegoodshot]

Congratulations! Great choice.
My Guardian 9mm gave me Happy Feet too!
The CCO I had to go buy is superb too. Put it on your list.
The Guardian .45 is on my short list.

[rbert0005]

Welcome to the world of 1911s.

Now you are getting the idea of why they have been around for 100 years.

Bob

[Laudanum]

I know the feeling, sort of. I had shot 1911's before, but never owned one and hadnt shot one in a while, years actually. My first was the Ruger SR1911. I didnt want to spend too much not being sure I would like the 1911 platform. I do and the Ruger has been a fine, affordable 1911 and a joy to shoot and better groupings with the Ruger than my polymers from the first day at the range with it.
I picked up my Valor in duty treatment last week and cannot get to the range with it I think next week I can find some time, finally. "Playing" with it at home, there was some concern with it not wanting to chamber the top round, but think I have it worked out. The Range will tell but great looking, very well done, quality 1911.
Im already thinking about a bobbed commander for carry. I was considering carrying a full size 1911 but probably wont. Ive been carrying polymer framed guns for a long time. The Range is calling and it's been driving me nuts not being able to get there with so much going on the past couple of weeks.

[rwd]

"Plastic Guns...We DONT Need No STINKIN Plastic Guns"

[Laudanum]

Originally Posted by rwd

"Plastic Guns...We DONT Need No STINKIN Plastic Guns"

I still like my plastic guns Taboo? Nah, not for everyone. Variety is the spice of life

[69charger]

Originally Posted by Laudanum

I still like my plastic guns Taboo? Nah, not for everyone. Variety is the spice of life

Congrats on a fine choice in a 1911.
As far as plasteek fantasteek goes.
I agree variety keeps things spicy.
Now if I could just convince my wife.
Dave

[Jessebolt]

Thanks for the replies guys, still smiling today, except when I realize that I'm out of ammo.

"Playing" with it at home, there was some concern with it not wanting to chamber the top round, but think I have it worked out. The Range will tell but great looking, very well done, quality 1911.

The ONE thing that happened yesterday that I neglected to mention in the earlier post, was the fact that the first time I loaded the magazines they refused to feed. This was with a full load of 8 rounds, first time the magazines had been loaded. All I did was back them off to 5 rounds in each, for 2 cycles in each magazine through the gun. Then went to 6 rounds in each for 2 cycles, then 7 in each for 2 cycles, then fully loaded to 8 from then on. Had no issues doing that. Just had to break things in a bit I guess. When you do get to the range with your Valor hopefully your experience will be the non-issue that mine was.

[Laudanum]

Originally Posted by Jessebolt

Thanks for the replies guys, still smiling today, except when I realize that I'm out of ammo.



The ONE thing that happened yesterday that I neglected to mention in the earlier post, was the fact that the first time I loaded the magazines they refused to feed. This was with a full load of 8 rounds, first time the magazines had been loaded. All I did was back them off to 5 rounds in each, for 2 cycles in each magazine through the gun. Then went to 6 rounds in each for 2 cycles, then 7 in each for 2 cycles, then fully loaded to 8 from then on. Had no issues doing that. Just had to break things in a bit I guess. When you do get to the range with your Valor hopefully your experience will be the non-issue that mine was.

I loaded up a few mags and left them overnight. Filled the 8 rounders with 8 and 7 rounders with 7 (colt). It seemed to feed the top ones fine after that. But as you mention, without compressing the spring for any length of time, it would only chamber the top round if I had 5 or 6 in the stock 8 round mags. I ended up loading a 7 round colt mag full with Federal JHP's for, I think, a couple of days. It chambered the JHP as well. So that's why I say I think it's sorted out. I hope all goes smooth at the range, hopefully next week. But you just inspired some more confidence that it will since we seem to have had the same experience. Thanks.

[KyJim]

From the looks of your post, you seem to be happy with your gun. Congratulations! A number of people report initial problems with the 8 round mags but break them in by leaving them loaded overnight or just using them to shoot a few times.

To many of us, it's not just about accuracy, though that is important. It's about the feel of a good 1911 and shooting it. It's a ton of fun.

[Bigmant]

Haha giddy as a school girl is an understatement. I am so jealous though! Congratulations.

[JustAHack]

No need to apologize, we certainly get it. Great purchase, you chose well.

I saw somebody's sig line (maybe in this forum, I wish I could give proper credit) from an old film noir starring Alan Ladd called Appointment With Danger from 1951. Fun movie, Alan Ladd is great in it as a hard-boiled postal inspector (really). Jack Webb and Harry Morgan play bad guys in it many years before they were partners in Dragnet, that alone is worth watching it for.

One of Alan Ladd's fellow inspectors asks him when he's going to settle down, if he even knows what love is. Ladd replies "Yeah. Love is what happens between a man and a .45 that doesn't jam."