This is my first post so I hope I'm in the right forum. I'm looking at purchasing a Dan Wesson 445 SuperMag w/8" Barrell from a friend. Anything you folks can tell me about it...never come across one before but I thought it might make a good addition to the "collection". Very good shape, 8 out of 10 for condition, Stainless Steel. Any idea what it might be worth? I'm guessing you can fire 44 mag in it, same as a 38 in a 357. Thanks in advance!
Dan Wesson 445 SuperMag
- Thread starter Chemist
- Start date
The 445 Supermag was designed to be the ultimate pistol silhouette round and revolver. Here is an excellent article by John Taffin:
http://www.sixguns.com/tests/tt445sm.htm
http://www.sixguns.com/tests/tt445sm.htm
It is sort of the 44 Maximum. DW used their stretched large frame (same as for the 357 Max) and introduced a series of cartridges in it, 41, 44, and 45 (I think) calibers. DW are good guns, hard to get parts for now unfortunately, scary accurate though. Ported barrels will soften up some of the recoil, but require REGULAR thorough cleaning, otherwise the barrel nut welds itself to the shroud and is a bear to remove. DA triggers are smooth but heavy, SA triggers are usually very good. FWIW - dan
Those stains in frame and cylinder could be very deceiving. They are highly visible on stainless gun. As for minute mars and scratches, they are easy to fix on stainless gun. Try that on blue one! I bet that once you clean it, it will look not 80% but rather 98%. However, pay attention that barrel forcing cone is not severely eroded, barrel is not bulged and cylinder locks properly when trigger is pulled all the way back. It should lock solid, no fore-aft pay but very small L/R play is OK. Check revolver for every chamber. Actually, small L/R play might benefit accuracy since it allows bullet to pas from cylinder into barrel with less deformation if cylinder is not 100% in line with barrel. BTW, Freedom Arms and some customs smiths are only ones making line boring so chambers are in right position. To find more how to check revolver, see http://w w w.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=1430. As for brass, Starline lists it, check with http://www.doubletapsports.com . If not available, 303 British or 30/40 Krag brass and some elbow grease will do it. Good luck.
