Dan Wesson Wraith

It was just over a month ago the new Dan Wesson Discretion test sample arrived and I was already ready.

First Impressions 

Wearing a new style finish, “Distressed Duty” the silencer ready 10mm Auto 1911 style pistol is quite the handsome pistol.

The slide was well fit to the receiver. The single-sided thumb safety was well serrated and operated with an audible click. A generous upswept beavertail is included with the grip safety, along with a palm swell. The tall rear sight is dovetailed into the slide, serrated on the face to eliminate glare, and incorporates a straight eight night sight.

Tall front sight is also dovetailed in and incorporates a straight eight night sight.  Machined into the top of the slide is a serrated ridge to cut down on glare. The match grade barrel is factory threaded 9/16×24.

The G-10 stocks are plenty aggressive, a few shooters complained of the aggressive texture. The mainspring housing and front strap are checkered to help with keeping a solid purchase. The serrated slide stop and checkered magazine catch working exactly as they should. The solid adjustable trigger broke clean at four and a half pounds with a little take up and very little overtravel.

Range Time

 

3 shot groups fired from a rest at 25 yards.

Conclusions 

After about four hundred rounds downrange of a good cross section of range and defensive ammunition without failure, I was satisfied the pistol was reliable but there was a bit of an issue when running really hot 10mm Auto, such as the DoubleTap 135gr jhp, with a silencer. The recovered rounds when ran with the Liberty Suppressors Cosmic, were all missing primers, though when the same round was run through the pistol without the silencer the primers were present. After calling the manufactures and some back and forth it was theorized the silencer is containing pressure within the bore after the bullet has exited the muzzle. In a 1911 style pistol, the slide begins to move backward the moment the bullet begins to exit the case. This is not a problem as the slide has to move rearward about a tenth of an inch before the link begins to pull the barrel locking lugs out of the mating lugs in the slide. By the time the barrel has unlocked the bullet has exited the bore and the internal pressure has dissipated into the atmosphere. When a silencer is installed the dissipation of pressure is greatly slowed, due to the containment nature of the silencer. When running high pressure ammunition there is enough pressure left in the system to pop the primer. When running lower pressure ammunition with the silencer there were no popped primers. All cases recovered, even the ones with popped primers, did not show any signs of bulging at the case web. Now we have that out of the way, the Wraith is another example of the fine 1911 pistols Dan Wesson is producing and with the threaded barrel you now can run your 10mm with a silencer so it will be hearing safe with much of the commercially available ammunition. I would see this pistol serving well in the woods or the streets with the night sights and a threaded barrel as a viable option for self defense.

Specifications 

Model: Wraith
Caliber: 10mm Auto, available in 9mm Luger and 45 Auto
Magazine Capacity: 8
Frame Material: Forged Stainless
Slide Finish: Distressed Duty
Grips: G10
Overall Length: 9 1/2″
Barrel Length 5 3/4″
Height: 6″
Width: 1.5″
Weight: 42.3 oz
Trigger Mech: Single Action
Front Sight: High Front Night Sight
Rear Sight: High Night Sight
Safety: Manual thumb safety, grip safety
MSRP: $2,077

Acknowledgments 

Dan Wesson 

Liberty Suppressors 

DoubleTap Ammo 

AmmoForSale.com 

Defender Ammunition 

Lee Johnson with Rebel Son

Tameka with TeamJesusClothing

By Hunter Elliott

I spent much of my youth involved with firearms and felt the call early on to the United States Marine Corps, following in my father's and his brother's footsteps. Just after high school I enlisted and felt most at home on the rifle range, where I qualified expert with several firearms and spent some time as a rifle coach to my fellow Marines. After being honorably discharged I continued teaching firearm safety, rifle and pistol marksmanship, and began teaching metallic cartridge reloading. In the late 1990s I became a life member to the National Rifle Association and worked with the Friends of the NRA. Around that time my father and I became involved with IDPA and competed together up until he passed away. I began reviewing firearms for publications in the mid 2000s and have been fortunate to make many friends in the industry. Continuing to improve my firearms skills and knowledge is a never ending journey in which we should all be committed. I am also credited as weapons master on a few independent films.

2 thoughts on “Dan Wesson Wraith, keeping the 10mm alive.”
  1. O Vey! Yet another 10mm 1911, this one without a rail. What we NEED is 10mm carbine from a trusted manufacturer – Stag, CMMG, Ruger, etc, with a 50 round drum mag from X-Products.

  2. Hunter really enjoyed this video — good information. I enjoyed shooting this Dan Wesson and a great idea came to me and it is — Mother’s Day is coming up and this would make such a great
    gift — what do you think?

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