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The Specialist started as a direct response to law enforcement agencies asking Dan Wesson to build a more durable, feature-complete 1911 for duty use. The result was a pistol that checks every box without feeling like a committee built it. Chambered in 10mm Auto and built from forged stainless steel throughout, it carries serious weight both literally and in terms of what it brings to the table. At 42.3 oz., the gun soaks up recoil well, and that 5-inch match-grade barrel gives you a long sight radius and meaningful velocity from the 10mm cartridge.
The slide wears Clark-style serrations along with Dan Wesson's inset slide serrations, which are designed to cut down on glare between the sights. Up top, an inverted rib runs the length of the slide, and the night sight setup uses a green lamp with a white target ring up front and a single amber tritium dot in the stacked-dot rear. Both sights are fully tritium-illuminated, so low-light target acquisition is taken care of without adding any aftermarket hardware. Forward cocking serrations round out a slide that handles fast, no matter how you prefer to run your 1911.
The frame is built with real-world use in mind. The 25 LPI front strap checkering and G10 VZ Operator II grips in black and brown work together to drive your hand up and into the extended beavertail on every draw. The undercut trigger guard lets you get a higher grip without any discomfort, and the recessed slide stop is there specifically to allow laser grip installation if you want to go that route. Controls are set up for either hand with an ambidextrous thumb safety and grip safety combo, an extended magazine release, and a detachable two-piece magwell that speeds up reloads considerably. The integral 1913-style Picatinny rail on the frame means your light or laser attaches without any adapters needed.
The Specialist ships with two 8-round magazines with bump pads, so you're good to go from the moment it comes out of the box.
Like most tightly fitted 1911s, the Specialist benefits from running a few hundred rounds through it before expecting peak reliability, especially with hotter 10mm loads. The slide-to-frame fit on these guns is quite tight from the factory, which is part of what makes them accurate, but it means the action loosens up and smooths out noticeably with use. Giving it a thorough cleaning and lube before the first range session is always a good idea.
The Specialist was purpose-built to meet law enforcement specifications, so it comes from the factory with upgrades that most 1911s in this price range charge extra for or don't offer at all. The integral Picatinny rail, detachable magwell, tritium night sights, ambidextrous controls, 25 LPI frontstrap checkering, and G10 grips are all standard. Dan Wesson also uses forged stainless steel for both the frame and slide, which is a meaningful step up in durability over cast frames.
The 10mm Auto is an outstanding match for a full-size 1911 platform. The weight of the gun, around 42 ounces empty, does a lot of work managing recoil, and the 5-inch barrel lets the cartridge reach closer to its velocity potential compared to shorter barrels. The 10mm's power makes it a versatile round covering everything from home defense to hunting medium-sized game, which gives this pistol a wider range of practical uses than a comparable .45 ACP or 9mm setup.
Yes, the frame has an integral 1913-style Picatinny rail built in, so any light or laser designed for that standard mounts directly without adapters. The recessed slide stop was also designed specifically to allow the installation of laser grips if you prefer that option instead. It's a genuinely well-thought-out setup that gives you flexibility without any aftermarket modifications.
The Specialist ships with two factory 8-round magazines with bump pads. For aftermarket options, Dan Wesson recommends Metalform magazines for this 10mm platform specifically, as they tend to be more reliable than some other brands in this caliber. The detachable two-piece magwell that comes standard on the Specialist also helps funnel aftermarket mags in quickly during reloads.
Both the front and rear sights contain tritium vials that glow continuously without batteries or any external light source, so they work in total darkness. The front sight uses a green tritium lamp inside a white target ring for fast acquisition, while the rear is an amber single tritium dot configured in a stacked-dot style. This setup gives you a clear, usable sight picture in low-light conditions right out of the box.
| UPC | 806703018157 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | |
| Manufacturer Part Number | 01815 |
| Action | |
| ATF Type | Pistol |
| Barrel Length | 5" |
| Caliber/Gauge | 10mm |
| Capacity | 8 + 1 |
| Color | Silver |
| Length | 8.75 |
| Model | |
| Number of Magazines | 2 8 rd. |
| Package Height | 3.2 |
| Package Width | 8.9 |
| Product Type | 1911 |
| Safety | Ambidextrous |
| Shipping Weight | 4.0 |
| Sights | Fixed Tritium Night |
| Sights Type | Fixed Tritium Night |
| Slide Description | Serrated |
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