Dan Wesson DWX - Deep Dive Review, We Take it Apart!

The Dan Wesson DWX hybrid platform was the rage and talk of SHOT Show 2019, but what happened. Well in 2023 they finally started hitting the shelves and I was pumped. I wanted to learn more, was it a CZ, was it a 1911, or something else? Well I shot it, and shot it a lot, as well as tear it down to show you all the great things this handgun has going for it. Want to learn more before spending the money, this is the video for you!
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[@Jawnwickkk]

The fact that the 1911 design is 113 years old and the Dan Wesson DWX, Wilson Combat SFT/EDC, Oracle Arms 3211, Stealth Arms Platypus , Staccato, SVI, and the Rock Island Double stack are all adding a new take on it is outstanding.

[@digitalpunk5365]

Reluctantly picked up a dwx compact. I find at 2k it shoots better then many of my customs and semi customs. It is hard to explain. It fits so well in the hand and the trigger is surprisingly perfect. Few more hundred and it will replace my entire 2011/1911 carry rotation.

[@virgillivingston8079]

I was looking at that gun. Looks pretty nice

[@652barry]

Bullshit

[@digitalpunk5365]

@@652barry reraise all in.

[@mistatobias6405]

@@652barry It isn't. Once I shot my DWXc I sold both of my EDC X9s and SFX9 (and a handful of other guns) because it's that much better.

[@Rothbardy]

@@mistatobias6405what about holster compatibility? I wish there’s an option for a wider safety to rest your thumb while shooting.

[@82lowe36id]

Hybrid is how I would describe it as well. I think DW took the best of both platforms and made an amazing pistol.

[@kevcom82]

I agree. Should be optic ready. Especially for the price. Thanks for the review. I’m a CZ fanboy and love 1911s. Be curious how this compares to the TS2.

[@johnbuntin7188]

I like it better.

[@bigoz7]

Great video very informative and thanks for sharing!!!

[@BaddFrogg777]

Excellent, detailed, thorough, and fun reviews as always. Absolutely love the compact, sleek DW DWX Compact. Its like a beautiful piece of jewelry. Inexpensive 9mm ammunition. For protection FEDERAL HST, SPEER GOLD DOT, Buffalo Bore, Lehigh, Double Tap, etc..

[@MrDucatiV4]

No optic cut is ridiculous and is a hard pass! Anything made after 2021 should have an optic ready option available. Dan Wesson really drop the ball on this DWX 💯

[@k1ngdomdefense404]

I love mine. I do agree with you that it should have been optic ready.

[@silverbackgorilla2112]

Nice review. I ordered mine this morning. I don't care about optics, so I should be good to go.

[@DaveandDebe]

Great video!! 👍

[@GunsandTactics]

Thank you!

[@J.Young808]

That’s why I ordered a Platypus since I have Glock mags too. I really wanted one of these as I have a 10F, 10C & 10C Tactical (+2 basepad)

[@trapperjohn8508]

Awesome video. Can you please do this for the DWX Compact? Much appreciated!

[@antilaw9911]

I dont like or need optics. Uuug! This pistol is badass! Checked it out today at my gun shop.

[@gregscott2563]

And I just did a CGW mod on my SP01 Tactical, take down looks much easier than the CZ As mentioned looks to be the best of both worlds. The FCU seems to be on the P320 side of design, modular. Great video, subscribed.

[@MG77740]

I love the early warning that beware, I’m a nerd…Oh, God bless your soul, haha.

[@kittrainbow7]

Very nice and a smart project 😃👍, great both the 5 inches and the 4 inches compact (love the 4). Low snag light rail and ambi safety should be mandatory. I don't like aggressive checkering but I saw that it is selled also with golf ball / chain texture, that are still grippy and way more comfortable if you shoot seroius amounts of ammo. It would be better with bead blasted stainless, still low glare and more practical, like DW 1911s Valor (fantastic 1911, quality pistol in a mass market of pure polymer trash). Hope to see it in Italy 🇮🇹

[@BertShackleford]

Always high praise when someone like you, Dave, elects to purchase the firearm for their personal collection. Many reviewers do the same but not all of them are worthy of recognition. I had planned on acquiring a Dan Wesson 1911 (perhaps a Specialist OR, TCP or Guardian) for '1911 Day' this recent Friday (3/29/24). Unfortunately, life happens and my visit was postponed. That was up until yesterday when I decided to pulled some strings and call-in my markers. Now I finally have a DWX (both Full Size and Compact w/ rail) on the way, along with a plethora of other Dan Wesson models from which to choose. Like many, I have been anxiously waiting for my opportunity to acquire this unicorn since the day they made their first announcement. I even pestered Dan Wesson relentlessly throughout 2020 until they _finally_ caved and told me the insider info as to why the DWX was nowhere to be found. Needless to say, I was devastated to hear the news. Alas, good things come to those who wait! Now I must endure yet another waiting period for at least two more weeks until the shipment arrives. Either way, I *_will_* be coming home with a Dan Wesson! Stay classy my friend.

[@GunsandTactics]

Heck yeah man! You’ll love them. I have a specialist OR on my short list.

[@BertShackleford]

@@GunsandTactics Thank you. It's not often that I get excited about _anything_ these days. If you don't mind me asking, do you have a preferred caliber for your Specialist OR? May I ask why? I am genuinely curious now that Dan Wesson makes the Specialist OR in 9mm, 45ACP and the highly lauded 10mm. I have heard rumblings of a .38 Super model which would make sense given the stable of calibers currently in the Dan Wesson inventory. Nevertheless, I am always interested in your thoughts on a myriad of subjects. Appreciate the info, Dave. Stay classy my friend.

[@BassWhoopinFishingTeam]

I'm not trying to stir the pot here but I bought this along with a Staccato P because I couldn't decide lol. I ended up trading in my Staccato P without an optics cut for the DWX and just decided to buy the new model P with the new grip and optics cut too. ( It was an expensive night. But the misses approved!) And I gotta say... This DWX gives the Staccato a run for its money. They are both EXCELLENT guns. I took mine to the range at the same time and man... What an amazing pair to take for a range day. I would have a HELL of a time trying to pick only one. Really glad I got both. If you are on the fence and already have some Staccatos, definitely pull the trigger on the DWX. Only real negatives in my opinion is no optics cut and only 2 mags. But at 1800 Tacos it's a hell of a piece. It's basically a Shadow 2 and a 2011 that had a baby. And MAN does it feel good in the hand too. The thick knurled grip is REALLY nice if you like a more aggressive style.

[@EdmundDworakowski-rh3xu]

I live behind enemy lines in NJ and would love their Compact/optics Ready model with NJ legal 10 round magazines !

[@rustytaylor7708]

Very nice. The black looks better to me as well.

[@awokeone7997]

Always like your well informed videos. Would you choose the DWX over the Staccato P?

[@GunsandTactics]

Good question, going to do a comparison, P vs DWX vs Oracle 2311 vs Platypus lol

[@rodanone4895]

i have platypus, prodigy, and DWX. DWX, then platypus, then prodigy. The trigger in the platypus is stellar imo. All around. DWX. Prodigy is hard to beat for the money.

[@Phenom2606]

I felt like the safeties are running little low for my grip and I have flipped up the safety on my support hand side while shooting. Wondering if you have experienced something similar. Otherwise, love this gun and its reliability!

[@johnbuntin7188]

Did you tune the leaf spring at all for the trigger? I found the trigger pull to be a touch heavy but seems to be shooting in ill give it another 200rds or so before looking at the trigger. Another good video.

[@johnbuntin7188]

First thing i did was get rid of those red grips and mag base plates. The gun is phenomenal.

[@MG77740]

I'm having trouble deciding between this and a DWX compact. I would like a gun that is less snappy than the Staccato C2. I like the 1911/2011 and CZ ergonomics.

[@gair1944]

Excellent review of the DWX! I have a Shadow 2 optics ready/SRO and S2 Compact/507Comp. Want to get a 2011/1911 double stack and the DWX checks the boxes other than no optics cut. But I can get that done by a competent shop. Any thoughts on the DWXc versus the full size DWX? (Ultimately I'd probably want both) but will start with one and go from there.

[@emeryemond7904]

Excellent review, thanks ! Are small internal parts steel, any MIM pieces ?

[@GunsandTactics]

None

[@tylervandiver5423]

Where can you buy the black trigger do you have to call Dan Wesson?

[@mikelyon5595]

Still N/A in Calizuela!

[@isidrosevier1125]

It will probably take the p07 and p09 mags I've used a p10 mag in my p07 before. Now if you can figure out a way to put that trigger in the p07 would be awesome.

[@georgekirby3361]

Looks so much better in black. But yes also must have a optics cut.

[@652barry]

Steel frame?

[@troychild]

Where can you purchase the black trigger?

[@russdennis7026]

I would really like to see the break down on the FCU if that's what you call it?? Asking for all my Glock friends.

[@mc4056]

Are you getting the compact too?

[@palpatov]

What is the point of steel frame when the rails are on the removable insert? Is that for the additional weight to help with competition shooting?

[@JW02828]

How does the Dan Wesson full-size compared to the CZ shadow 2 full-size ? Since CZ owns Dan Wesson

[@frnzprncp]

What holster did you end up using?

[@Richard-wz9uh]

That gun looks so much better with a black trigger and grips!! CZ really should offer that as a factory option. I was shocked to see that it has a “fire control group” modular set up. This gun is just asking for a long slide full rail aluminum frame with a compact checkered grip accepting 15 round magazines. I really don’t like the “frag pattern” checkering on the compact model. For me, I won’t cry foul because CZ omitted the optics cut. Having the slide milled for a specific optic is my preferred mounting method anyways. If I could have all of my wishes, I’d sure love to see this gun offered in 10mm. I know I’m dreaming now though.

[@d.b.hemlock]

I love the DWX, and probably would have got one but it not being optics ready is a huge fail on their end. Yeah I know they're supposedly coming later, but still considering the price tag it's hard to believe they didn't do it immediately.

[@GunsandTactics]

NRA show is next week, guess what might be there :-)

[@3of11]

It’s a nice gun. But you can get a “just as good” poor man’s version optic ready by taking a CZ shadow 2 OR, pop the disconnector, install a SAO trigger (there are several varieties with different shapes and pull lengths), and install one of many fat safety lever options (oem, eeman tech, rh, lh, both). Considering the optic milling prices of the dwx that’ll be over $1000 cheaper route. And to get cz75 mags which are just as good if not better than P10 mags. Also DWX compact takes different mags than the full-size. But the recently released shadow 2 compact (also OR and also capable of being converted to sao) can take full size 75 mags. Yes the shadow 2 sa trigger isn’t as good as the DWX. But it’s pretty close and it is tunable (and you don’t need to spend money and effort chasing a light DA pull with silly reduced hammer springs and extended firing pins)

[@raymondpedroza8729]

Since it uses a shadow 2 mag release, can it be reversed to the other side for a lefty?

[@a.d.c7941]

Not everyone shoots optics. And it can be drilled for personal choice so I love that its not optic ready.

[@rolandtimario2362]

Dwx vs voodoo priest!

[@bearpaw9204]

It actually exists? They announced that thing years ago and I never saw it brought to market.

[@GunsandTactics]

They are out now and can be found pretty easy

[@timothygarrity5181]

What is the best way to drop the slide if you have medium sized hands? I have held one and the safety seems to be in the way for me to reach slide stop.I have shot polymers in idpa uspsaetc..I haven't shot a gun like this.I would like to compete with this gun if i can solve not reaching slide stop.I'm a guy who drops his slide with his thumb in competition.I guess i could rack it after i go to slide lock, but real don't want to do it that way.If you know of any other method to reach slide stop with medium hands, please let me know.Excellent videos!!.

[@onegudman7]

I use the thumb of my support hand to release the slide stop as I reaquire my grip. It's pretty fast once you practice it a bit. But really, there is no need to go to slide lock is USPSA. Even the new IDPA rules now allow dropping an empty magazine with a round in the chamber. So in most stages, with some planning, you can avoid a lot of slide lock reloads.

[@chrisragone8785]

Any plans to review the DWX Compact?

[@GunsandTactics]

Ill ask and see if I can check one out

[@Rothbardy]

@@GunsandTacticsplease do! I want a DWX compact, just wish it had an optics cut

[@ehbird858]

Serious question but why is it so expensive?

[@Bedbassandbeyond]

This...or a hayes ria 2011...choices choices choices

[@Seanedmund]

I’m going back and forth on exactly those two choices. The fact that I don’t own a true 2011 makes me lean towards Hayes customs but the wait time is still crazy.

[@MealTeam6_]

Take the dollar value out of the equation, if it had an optic cut, would you choose this over a staccato XC?

[@GunsandTactics]

The XC shoots flatter, can't complete against the comp. But, compare it to say a P or XL, I think I like the ergo's better on the DWX :-). Now if the DWX comes out with the comp version ha ha. watch out!!!

[@MealTeam6_]

@@GunsandTactics You have convinced me to buy a DWX. I will send it to monsoon tactical for the optic cut and MIGHT figure out if we can incorporate a built in comp similar to the ARC Glock slide and port. I will get in touch with you once i get it done.🤓

[@MexicanNinja82]

Dose it fit in duty holster?

[@GunsandTactics]

Yup fits in a 2011 holster fine

[@paulgoss7596]

no optic cut.....no deal

[@anonymousdude6493]

Send the slide out and have it cut for direct mount. Much better than adapter plates.

[@reinaldoperez1725]

unless it comes cut for an optic, I would not consider it at all.

[@dallasroberts6932]

Is the magazine release reversible?

[@GunsandTactics]

Yes it is!

[@dallasroberts6932]

@@GunsandTactics thank you

[@SectionChief]

@@dallasroberts6932 I reversed mine. It's pretty much the same to remove as a 1911, just flip it around and slide it into place. Small flathead screwdriver will do the trick.

[@Bore_Punch]

The barrel and lockup is copied from the p220

[@rcg3496]

No optic capability; no buy ☹️

[@bb-zq3tl]

2k for a pistol, lol.That and its not optics ready. Even if you can afford it, it doesn't make sense.

[@russiancommy]

I wanna see this compare to a cz shadow or even an accu shadow. the 2k price point for a non optic ready firearm is absurd, when you have stealth arms making billet aluminum 2011's for sub 2k that are optic cut and customizable. It maybe an incredible firearm but the logic isn't there at all.