Monson, Norwich, Palmer ???

[skid2964]

Ok, I keep hearing about all these different places these revolvers were made and I read about them in the "History" sticky post but it doesnt indicate which, if any, is preferred? Meaning are any of them of higher quality or accuracy over the others?  

I have a 744 that is stamped "Palmer, Mass".

[RollTide]

I have an early Monson 445 Supermag and a Palmer 445 Supermag.  The fit is a little better on the Monson gun and the cylinder lockup is quite a bit more solid on the Monson.  But the Palmer gun is still very good, at least as good as S&W and Ruger in my experience.  Dan Wessons usually lock up a little tighter than Smith's but that is not to say that Smith's are bad.  They are very good guns in there own right, just as the Palmer Dan Wessons are.

[Archblackmage]

I have a monson 15-2 357mag pistol pack and a norwich 44mag 10" that has been tuned. both good the 357mag is blued while the 44mag is stainless, I heard monson had the best blued or purple color finishes, I like the hammer on the norwich better and they both will wear hogue rubber combat grips.

[GrantCunningham]

DWs were originally made in Monson MA, then Palmer MA, and finally in Norwich NY.

Of them, the Monson guns are still consistently the best. Some Palmer guns are fine - though not up to the best of the Monsons - and some are sub-Rossi quality. If looking at a Palmer gun, one needs to check it thoroughly for defects.

The Norwich examples, gunwriter hype notwithstanding, are roughly on a par with the better Palmers; they still aren't as well constructed as a good Monson specimen. I've actually had to send brand new Model 715s back to Norwich because of severe fitting issues; the replacements weren't much better.

Just MHO, of course, but I see more DWs than most do.