In the world of full-size handguns, there are countless options available at every price point imaginable. The number of options in the mid-tier or high-end market has increased exponentially in the last five years. This is especially true with the 2011 and 2011 hybrid market. Whether its companies like Night Hawk, Staccato, Atlas, Fowler Industries, or Infinity, there are a number of high end options for 2011 style pistols. The latest entry from Dan Wesson with the DWX has a few really interesting points that make it a challenger for these well-established 2011 makers. Let’s take a closer look at the new Dan Wesson DWX.
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Specs
Slide Profile
The Dan Wesson DWX is a mashup of three very established firearms on the market today. The top slide assembly is a version of Dan Wesson’s 1911 heritage. The slide has all the features most 1911 or 2011 fans will come to expect out of a high-quality range or competition gun. A bright green fiber optic front sight comes standard on every DWX with the addition of a fully adjustable rear sight. Other features on the slide include front slide serrations for press checks as well as a serrated rib to cut down on glare. The barrel is also flush with the slide and crowned for the extra bit of classy look I’ve come to really appreciate from Dan Wesson. Everything seems like its straight from the 1911 division of Dan Wesson but this is where the similarities end and the hybrid system begins for this pistol.
Frame and Magazines
Where things really start to get wild is in the bottom half of this pistol. The frame is almost identical to a CZ-75 with the extremely ergonomic feeling that CZ owners have talked about for years. There’s an aggressive front checkering that gives you a tactile grip securing your hand when firing. The mainspring housing also comes with this checking for added grip.
The DWX’s trigger looks almost identical to the classic 1911-style flat trigger and will be instantly familiar to anyone who’s ever trained with a 1911-style handgun. Both the trigger and grip panels are a bright red color bringing accents to the darker black finish. As far as magazines go, the Dan Wesson DWX uses the same magazines from the P10-F series of pistols and the P09 pistols. My example came with two 19-round magazines with red baseplates. MSRP on the new DWX is $2,099 and is available currently.
Spec List
- Aluminum Grips, Red
- MSRP, $2099
- DLC Finish, Black
- Ambidextrous Safety
- Fiber Optic Front Sight
- Adjustable Rear Sight
- Flat K-Style Trigger
- 1913 Picatinny Rail
- Chambered in 9mm
- 19 Rounds, (2) Magazines
Range Time
Over the last month, I’ve taken the Dan Wesson DWX pistol on a few outings just to get a good mix of slow relaxed shooting as well as timed drills. Being a full-size firearm, the DWX really is at home as a range gun or competition handgun. The trigger is crisp with a clean single-action brake. It hits a defined wall with a very tactile crisp reset. My model is breaking right at 3.75-4.25 pounds and after 850 rounds it’s currently breaking at the lighter 3.75lbs consistently.
The fiber optic front sight makes the iron sights pop in the sunlight with no issues of washing out. Some were frustrated with no optics cut from the factory, but there are companies like Impact Machining that offer optics cut for the DWX now. As time goes on, there will certainly be more options on the market for optics cut as well. The CZ-75 style frame is extremely familiar for those who shoot them and is really comfortable in the hand. I personally like the aggressive texturing since it keeps the handgun planted in your hand during rapid firing.
Accuracy and Reliability
The accuracy of the Dan Wesson DWX pistol is fairly impressive too. When shooting slow and under control, you can easily shoot a 1″ or smaller group at 15-20 yards. Even rapidly firing it at 25 yards, the DWX was consistently hitting tight groups compared to other handguns doing the same test. I really think this is due to the crisp fiber optic and short single-action trigger that tight groups are fairly easy to shoot with the DWX. As far as reliability goes, the Dan Wesson DWX was 100% reliable with the 850 rounds tested so far. I used mainly Federal 115gr range ammo, LAX Factory New 115gr ammo, and Blazer Brass 124 gr ammunition as well.
First 4 groups I fired out of the DWX at 20 yards
Place In The Market
The DWX is set to really disrupt the 2011-style handgun market. Right now Staccato has a huge share of the market, but the DWX is priced less and includes a metal frame. The CZ P10F magazines are way cheaper than the 2011 Staccato magazines so getting enough magazines for range use or competitions won’t break the bank. It’s less than a Staccato but has a higher quality than something like the Springfield Prodigy so it’s a real sweet spot between quality and price.
This DWX is truly positioning itself to be a higher quality full metal 2011 variant for less than the benchmark 2011 on the market today. Add in the fact there are aftermarket companies already offering optic cuts for the DWX and for roughly the same price as an optics-cut Staccato, you have a full metal 2011 variant. I think Dan Wesson knows exactly what they did when they priced the DWX and if they can supply enough handguns for the market demand, they will do very well with the DWX for the foreseeable future.
Overall Thoughts
Although the DWX took two years to hit the market from when it was announced, I think it offers a truly great value for its price tag. It may not be perfect and I wish they offered the DWX in all black without the red accents but that’s an easy fix in the grand scheme of things. I think the overall pistol shoots very smoothly and offers a better 2011 experience than some in a higher price bracket than the DWX. I have really grown fond of this pistol.
I’m not sure theres a better 2011 bargain than this pistol. What do you guys think of the DWX? Is it a bargain 2011 or do you see it as something else since it has the CZ75 frame? Sound off in the comments below. If you have questions about the DWX or firearms in general, feel free to shoot me a message on Instagram @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there and we will see you guys in the next one.
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