Dan Wesson Valor Commander 45

I picked up this Valor last Wednesday before an IDPA match, then went right to the match and shot it.

Didn't do well, but the gun certainly did.

My impressions so far:

*Fit and finish

Excellent - not quite on the same level as my Ed Brown, but better than my Springers. The thumb safety could use a touch more softening of the angle on the rear as it barely rubs the web of my hand. Not enough for me to do anything about - as in I could just start to notice a tiny bit of irritation after about 400 rounds. As that is probably the upper bound I'm likely to do for a days shooting with this gun (or any one gun most of the time as I generally don't just shoot one gun), I'm not going to do anything about it.

Obviously from the pictures, its the bead blasted SS finish - which I can tell doesn't hold up well to holster wear - gets shiny in a hurry, but I don't really care. I got it to shoot, not look at.


I like the simplicity of the markings (or basic lack there of) on the slide, no front serrations, and like not having the Valkarie's carry cuts - and I'm glad I don't like the carry cuts as much as the simpler Valor as that saved me a few coins.

*Grips/Checkering
Love the VZ grips, and love the front and backstrap checkering.

*Trigger
Traditional metrics - excellent. Measures about 4.8 on my scale, crisp, clean, the usual accolades
One issue is that the overtravel screw hole cut my finger.
First time I've ever even noticed/felt the overtravel hole in a trigger on any 1911. Wasn't a blister, but actually just cut a nice circle shape like a hole punch. I took the trigger out, and sanded/beveled the edges a bit but haven't gotten back to the range to see if it makes any difference. If not, I'll swap for a trigger with a permanent screw that you file for overtravel adjustment and no hole. Its also possible that the VZ grips, being just a touch thinner than the rest of my 1911 grips, put my trigger finger in just a bit different place.

Accuracy- I'm not a bullseye shooter, but it seems very accurate. No complaints there.

Ammo sensitivity: I've shot 5-600 rounds 100 Federal range practice ammo (white box), 300 Winchester white box, and the rest reloads. I would have shot more reloads, but I was having FTF with about 1 in 15. It was a batch I had cranked out really quickly, so I suspect my re-sizing die wasn't seated deep enough. That said, all the rounds that were slightly too large for the DWValor, plunked and shot fine in my Ed Brown and a Springer I had with me. Definitely not the length, just a slightly tighter chamber on the DW. Unlike my issues with the Springfield RO 9mm, I'm blaming my reloading sizing die. No issues of any kind with the factory ammo.

Somewhat annoyingly, it likes to eject the brass about 15' forward and to the right - about 1-2 o'clock. Only annoying as a reloader as this means at most of the ranges I go to, I can kiss my brass goodbye (I don't fault the gun at all nor will I try to tweak where it ejects as there are no problems)

Sights:
First time using straight 8 style sights (for more than a shot or two). They worked ok for me - not crazy about it, but good enough I won't bother swapping them out. In light, the rear dot has less contrast than the front, so it is easy to ignore and focus on the front. In darkness, I found them less than ideal as it felt like I was seeing double and made me feel like everything was out of focus.

Recoil:
Definitely pushes harder than a government sized - including harder than my alloy framed government sized even though the Valor and the 5" Alloy are almost the same weight. (the 5" obviously has a little more front bias).
Definitely less snappy than an alloy Commander sized - which to me feel too sharp a recoil which is why I wanted a steel framed commander.

My original hunt was for a Colt Commander but I couldn't find one optioned the way I wanted with a steel frame. Clearly this blew that budget, but it is also a nicer gun IMHO.

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Dan Wesson Valor Commander 45