The tale of the Dan Wesson Razorback

It arrives tomorrow. Bit of a shipping/FedEx SNAFU, no tracking information sent, so, of course, I was out when FedEx rang the bell yesterday. I’ll be home all day tomorrow, so it’s been rescheduled.
 
I wouldn't use grease on a 1911, oil and lots of it. I think DW recommends FP10.
What’s the definition of insanity?

Generally I’d agree on oil, and maybe all is solved...

But I’d try this:

 
I wonder what they did to it? I thought about the problem that you were having and wondered if using lapping compound on the slide and frame rails would have done the trick.
 
It’s back. The slide operates smoothly. They appear to have lapped it, as the frame looks similar and the oil in the frame rails and slide grooves was quite black. No apparent stoning, filing, or grinding from the looks of it.

The fit feels tight, still. No hint of sloppiness like I feel in my SA 1911A1, for example.

I apologize for the crummy cell phone picture.

My range time has been curtailed by other priorities in the last couple of days. But I’ll report back when I do take it.
 

Attachments

  • 5035ABDC-D5F3-4B72-A29A-7A556BD32EA0.jpeg
    5035ABDC-D5F3-4B72-A29A-7A556BD32EA0.jpeg
    85.5 KB · Views: 81
Range report:

1. accurate gun
2. Sweet trigger

I loaded 5 rounds in each mag and started shooting...

It jammed on rounds 4, 9, and then rounds 14, and 19...see a pattern? Further, when I pulled the mag out to clear it,
slide slammed home without any intervention by me. So, jam, yes, but not because the slide was jamming on the frame rails.

I think it’s got a mag problem. It jams up on the next to last round. With both mags.

So, I loaded up 8 rounds in a mag. Shot 5. Topped off to 8. Kept shooting.

Zero problems.

Pics attached, first jam, and end of the box.
C60BA1AE-C37C-442E-8070-94C4C61EEE69.jpeg
the

So, clean and lube when I get home, and next time at the range, I try out a couple Wilson Combat 10mm mags.

I’m optimistic.
A8B58860-85B7-4CC4-8067-A2668F4C606D.jpeg
 
Last edited:
I loaded 5 rounds in each mag and started shooting...

It jammed on rounds 4, 9, and then rounds 14, and 19...see a pattern? Further, when I pulled the mag out to clear it,
slide slammed home without any intervention by me. So, jam, yes, but not because the slide was jamming on the frame rails.

I think it’s got a mag problem. It jams up on the next to last round. With both mags.

So, I loaded up 8 rounds in a mag. Shot 5. Topped off to 8. Kept shooting.
Sounds like the mag followers could be "snagging" slightly near the top of the mag. Push the followers down with something to put it around the position it's in with one round and see if the follower slides smoothly up and down there, or if it snags a little bit. Look for any irregularities in on the inside surface of the mags in that area.
 
Last edited:
DW will probably tell you to bend the follower. If you send it back again they will probably (over) ream the chamber and bend the followers.

They should be Checkmate mags which are GTG. Of course last time I looked DW was too stupid to use dimpled followers which doesn't help. What lip style do they have?

Get the blueprints and the calipers, gauges and mics out and all will become clear.

FWIW the stoppage looks like a FTRB to me.
 
Is it your belief that the FTRB is caused by a defective magazine/follower or some other reason? OP said that when he removed the magazine the slide went home without any issues so maybe I am not understanding your comment. Your last comment about it being a FTRB seemed to be a stand alone thought.
 
I think it’s a follower issue as well. The DW magazines are quite different than every other 1911 magazine I’ve got; Chip McCormick, Wilson Combat, Springfield Armory, US GI.

While the followers moved smoothly in the DW magazines, and they appear to be well made stainless steel, the shape is quite different, and presents the round at a different angle.

In all four cases, the gun jammed as it was feeding the next to last round. In all cases, magazine removal (first step I took) let the gun slide into battery, where it operated normally.

I’ll take it to the range tomorrow with a Wilson, and Chip McCormick magazine and see how they do. My money is on a magazine fault.
 
Is it your belief that the FTRB is caused by a defective magazine/follower or some other reason? OP said that when he removed the magazine the slide went home without any issues so maybe I am not understanding your comment. Your last comment about it being a FTRB seemed to be a stand alone thought.

I assume that is directed at me.

I don't really have a belief about what caused the FTRB. Well I sorta do in a large sense. But my point is this:

To truly diagnose a stoppage you first have to identify the stoppage, entire webpages and probably books have been written on the subject.

If the DW mags are Checkmates they are some of the best mags out there for a 1911.
 
Range report/update.

100 rounds. Flawless operation.

Used a Wilson Combat, and a Chip MCCormick, magazine. Same ammo as before. Sig Sauer and American Eagle. Even threw in some S&B, which some guns don’t like. The Dan Wesson liked them all.

So, I believe the gun is sorted. Worked just great, both in my hands, and in the hands of a new shooter (guest of mine at the range).

For comparison, here are a couple of pictures, Dan Wesson on the left, Wilson center, McCormick on the right. The followers are quite different, and the angles at which the round are presented, appear to be different.

I put the Dan Wesson mags back in the gun case with the original paperwork and tool. I’ll keep them, but I won’t use them. Gun works great without them.
6B87F455-4310-4FC8-AD9C-F972C0D03CEC.jpeg
C7DC7542-5380-457A-9F14-E853396E64EA.jpeg
310575D7-CAA5-440D-AE4E-3AFA199EC26B.jpeg
 
Back when this was happening, DW approved Mi-Comm TW25b as a lubricant.
Its a good product..... pricey.
Prior to that they said no grease, only oil.

Grease on parts that slide, oil everywhere else.

TW25 and Ultima-Lube and you'll be fine.
 
That’s a MecGar. Which explains a lot.

The Wilson looks to have a Checkmate follower maybe the wised up too from the junk plastic followers. (And dimpled too, Kudos)

Glad it is sorted.
 
Last edited:
I’m pleased as well.

Dan Wesson did fix it, and quickly, without any change to the tight fit.

The Gun shoots great...very nice trigger. Excellent accuracy.

I used Wilson Combat Ultima Lube and with the right mags, it handled several brands of ammo. With about 200 rounds through it, we’re not quite broken in, but I’m looking forward to shooting and enjoying it now, instead of dreading a problem.

Thanks for everyone’s suggestions and insights. I appreciate them all.

Cheers,
Astro
 
No idea on who makes DW magazines, but that convex follower is odd. Never seen one like it on any magazine.

The Chip McCormick and Wilson Combat magazines are very similar - a heavy, smooth, well-finished magazine of welded stainless steel with metal follower and silicon spring. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that they were made on the same assembly line.

Edit: found this on the Chip McCormick website:

All Power Mag™ Series and Match Grade™ Series mags are designed for extra heavy duty usage and 100% built in the USA on Chip McCormick Custom’s own complete sets of tooling (which is quite rare since almost all other 1911mags are built on the same generic tooling and then re-labeled by dozens of other brands). Chip McCormick Custom’s higher quality and innovative designs are unique. Chip McCormick Custom are held to die controlled tolerances that are 75% tighter than the decades old Military Specifications common among all the generic re-labeled 1911 mags.

Since our founding in 1986, Chip McCormick Custom has been the manufacturer of the World Famous Chip McCormick Shooting Star 1911 pistol magazines. Now owned by champion shooter and firearms industry legend Bill Wilson, the goal of Chip McCormick Custom products is to be the preferred source of high quality and innovative practical firearms accessories for shooters of all skill levels. You can shop our expanded line of products with confidence that you will experience fast shipping and industry leading customer service.
 
A bad magazine makes you want to pull your hair out. I've learned to test fire every magazine I might need to depend on in my .45 1911 and in my Colt Commanders.
I've also had very good luck with my 8 round Chip McCormick magazines. I did buy a couple of their 10 round Shooting Star mags and they won't feed worth a darn. Now they are paper weights.
Grabbed a armload of Kimber mags on sale a while ago, but haven't tested them yet. I'm hoping they they don't join the 10 round paper weights.

Glad you got the Dan Wesson sorted. Good info on the Wilson's and Chip's. If I recall, the Chip McCormick Shooting Stars can be had at a significant discount to the Wilson's.
 
Back
Top