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August 20, 2017
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I found the forum during my dealings with Eric of EWK Arms. Great guy, and as you all know, high quality products. I have two Model 15s, both Monsons - one I inherited from my dad. It's a 15-2V6, serial range 86600. I bought a Monson 15-2V8 serial range 176300 and scoped the shroud with a Buehler mount, later buying a VH6 barrel for it and a zebrawood grip. In the late 70s and early 80s, a partner and I had an FFL and we sold a bunch of DWs.
A little back story. In 1978, I rode my motorcycle around the US and stopped in Monson one Saturday morning. The factory was closed, so I stood there pondering my next move, and with all my gear strapped on the back, looking like a two-wheeled version of the Beverly Hillbillies. Well, up drove a blue Ford stake bed truck with a gray-haired man driving. It was Dan himself. He had come in to pick up the mail. He invited me in and gave me the 50¢ tour of the factory. We talked about the .357s and their appeal. He handed me a prototype .44 frame for my wide-eyed approval, and he had an S&W 44 cylinder as a pencil holder on his desk. At that time, he was hoping that sales of the .44 would fund a Gen2 .357, but sadly, that never came to pass.
He also had a Sig P210 in his desk drawer, so he was no stranger to semis. A survivalist, he had storage tanks of gasoline on his property "just in case". I still have the copy of Robert DePugh's (Minuteman) book "Blueprint For Victory" that he mailed to my home address. No autograph, darn it! Tragically, he died just two months after I met him, but I was richer for the experience. An absolutely wonderful, personable man. A shame how the company bounced around after his passing, but it is great that CZ has taken up the banner.
Dans Club
October 17, 2008
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February 16, 2016
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Welcome to the forum and thanks for sharing your story .. very cool.
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DWF Supporters
June 11, 2016
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Welcome from Wisconsin! And as Stinger said thanks for sharing.
August 20, 2017
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Thank you very much! There are times in my life when my lack of planning actually paid off. This was one of them. I do lament the fact that I never bought a .44 though. Still, the .357s are enough to keep me busy.
Dans Club
December 5, 2008
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Welcome to the Forum! Great story.
February 16, 2016
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po18guy said
I do lament the fact that I never bought a .44 though.
Sounds like you need a SuperMag, that's the ticket !
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DWF Supporters
May 11, 2011
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December 6, 2015
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Welcome to the forum, and what a lovely history you bring to us!!!
Miss a lot my times of just wandering around in my bike...
Thank you very much!!!
Dans Club
January 17, 2015
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Great intro story about Dan himself. I miss my bike a lot, when my kids get a little older I will have the pavement below my feet again. Welcome to the forum.
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Moderators
January 24, 2009
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to the
and thank you for sharing your great story! I can only imagine how much fun that must have been to talk with Dan, and get a personal tour.
August 20, 2017
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Thanks to all! Three times in my life, I have managed to be in the right place at the right time. A chance meeting with Detonics president Sid Woodcock at the Seattle Police Athletic Association range and firing Detonics prototype #4 was the first. Meeting Dan Wesson was next and meeting Bill Jordan at the NRA show in Seattle topped it all off. Three highlights to an otherwise humdrum firearms career. But, pretty fair highlights. Will post up some pics of my Dans as soon as I can take some good ones.
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