Daniel B. Wesson II

Daniel Baird Wesson II (April 1916 – November 1978) was an inventor and firearms maker and the great-grandson of inventor and firearms maker Daniel Baird Wesson who was co-founder of Smith & Wesson. Wesson worked in Smith & Wesson, the family company, from 1938 until 1963 when it was acquired by the conglomerate Bangor Punta. He left S&W and launched Dan Wesson Arms Inc. in 1968. The first Dan Wesson production revolvers, the Model 11 & 12(later revolvers were marked as D11 & W12) were shipped in August 1970.

Wesson's firearms are known for a high quality of craftsmanship. Dan Wesson Arms introduced a rare design among revolvers, the design featured the ability to change barrels and grips with simple hand tools, which made these guns popular with shooters.

In 1992, Dan Wesson Arms Co. was renamed Wesson Firearms Co. after Wesson's death and run by his son, Seth and wife Carol. Many innovative designs came to market during this period. Most notable were the following; The unique barrel compensator design, the "Fixed Barrel" DWs (designed to compete with certain S&W models on the market), and the 738P (nicknamed Lil' Dan). Sadly, the Wesson Firearms Co. company went bankrupt in 1995.

In 1996, the Wesson Firearms Co. name was bought by Bob Serva, and restarted as Dan Wesson Firearms Co. in Norwich, NY. The first 1911 autos were introduced to the DW lineup, along with the current revolver models in the catalog.

In early 2005, CZ-USA purchased the rights and manufacturing facilities of Dan Wesson Firearms. Revolver manufacture was continued for several years, with a focus on large caliber revolvers, notably the Alaskan Guide Series. At present, revolvers are no longer manufactured by CZ-USA, however excellent factory support for parts and service continues, as does an attractive offering of 1911 models of very high production quality.

In 2012 CZ-USA reintroduced the 357 caliber revolver in stainless steel.