I don’t shoot a lot of 1911s. I mean I’ve shot a handful over the years. However, it’s not a handgun platform that I’ve spent much time with. In fact and as far as I can tell, this is the very first post on this blog post tagged as a 1911 post. That said, 1911s have always interested me. They are an iconic platform. In certain cases, I’ve seen a 1911 be an ideal candidate for a defensive firearm given specific constraints. There is no doubt in my mind that they are useful tools. They are also a lot of fun to shoot competitively and recreationally. Along those lines, Dan Wesson stands out as a brand that I often hear recommended to folks who are looking to get serious about the 1911 platform in one capacity or another as the best bang for the buck. As such, a Dan Wesson 1911 has been on my radar for a long time and I finally got my hands on one.

Enter the Dan Wesson Pointman 45 or PM-45.

The Dan Wesson Pointman has been around for quite some time. From what I can tell, it has been around longer than this blog. It’s a very capable target pistol that comes equipped straight from the factory with some competition friendly features. It’s certainly one to entertain for recreational use and as a capable entry point for competitive use. It’s not one that I would suggest for defensive applications or hunting per se. Especially since Dan Wesson offers other 1911 pistols that are better suited for those tasks.

The Dan Wesson Pointman 45

As of writing, the PM-45’s MSRP is $1799. However if one shops around, a brand spanking new one can be found somewhere in the neighborhood of $1,500 to $1,600. I get it. Four digit sticker prices give most folks pause. Considering what one gets and how well it runs, I have to agree with others that it’s a lot of bang for the buck. One could spend a whole lot more money on a 1911 that performs on par with or slightly better than the Dan Wesson. I’ll admit that it isn’t perfect. Frankly, I’ll be making some tweaks to this one post haste for the competitive application I intend to use it for. That said, it’s a dang good starting point.

For a little over $1.5K one can expect to get:

• A pretty nice soft case,
• a manual,
• a trigger lock,
• a decal,
• two (2) eight (8) round magazines,
• and the 1911 pistol itself.

The 41.3 oz 1911 pistol has an overall length of 8.75″, an overall height of 5.5″, and measures 1.45″ at its widest point. This puts the PM-45 square in the middle of the full-size 1911 category which is within regulation parameters for USPSA Single Stack (SS) division and IDPA Custom Service Pistol (CDP) division.

On the business end of the pistol we find the muzzle of the crowned 5″ match grade stainless steel barrel that’s chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. Around the muzzle of the barrel is the bushing that locks the checkered recoil spring plug in place. The recoil system comes with a general issue (GI) length guide rod that I intend to replace with a full-length tool-less guide rod from Dawson Precision in the near future. This isn’t what I would consider an essential upgrade, but it is an important personal preference as I find it to make the field stripping for cleaning procedure faster and simpler to execute.

Behind the barrel bushing we find the stainless steel slide which is adorned by a dovetail high visibility green fiber optic front sight. The sides of the slide have been polished while the top and the traditional dust cover swoop maintain a matte finish. The matte finish on the top of the slide is helpful in reducing glare while running the gun. The sides of the front of the slide feature inverted serrated rib forward cocking serrations that are very easy to grip. Using those serrations for press checks or other slide manipulations will remain challenging until the 1911 is “broken in” as the fitment from the factory is exceptionally tight.

The top of the matte finished slide is serrate as well which further reduces the chance of glare interfering with operation in bright conditions. The rear of the slide is topped with a dovetailed elevation adjustable blacked out and serrated rear sight. The combination of the thin highly visible fiber optic front sight and the blacked-out serrated rear sight is an ideal combination for target or competitive shooting applications.

The sides of the rear of the slide feature additional inverted serrated rib cocking serrations. Like the front serrations, they are very easy to grip. I expect the ease of slide manipulations with these serrations will improve as the PM-45 breaks in.

Under the slide we find the steel frame which has also been polished on the sides just like the slide. As we work our way back from the front, we find the curved trigger guard which has been undercut near the stock. The undercuts, while subtle, make an undeniable improvement to how the gun feels in hand and runs.

The long “K-style” trigger which features serrations along the face of the trigger shoe is implemented masterfully. I might have just gotten lucky with such a good trigger on this PM-45, but it impressed me immensely.

The pre-travel engagement on the trigger could be shortened, but it isn’t long by any means. The wall is undeniably present. The break, which takes place at almost exactly 4 pounds, is crisp and is followed by virtually zero over travel. It’s not the lightest trigger in the world, but it feels fantastic. As much as it pains me to admit it, this trigger puts the trigger on the Staccato P, which I thought was excellent, on notice to say the least which is surprising given the price difference. It is without a doubt in my mind one of the finest triggers I’ve manipulated and on par with some far more expensive 1911s I’ve handled. As good as it is, I’m gonna look into lightening the pull a good bit for competition. Given the execution I’ve experienced, I don’t think a 2 pound trigger is out of the question.

Above the trigger on the left side of the 1911 pistol is the slide stop. There is nothing particularly notable about it other than how tightly fitted it was. How tight was it? Let’s just say I relied on the assistance of a brass punch to remove it and a rubber mallet to reinstall it. Was all of that necessary? I don’t know with unquestionable certainty, but the tools made things easier.

Behind the trigger on the left side of the 1911 we have the checkered magazine release. Like most other 1911s, it isn’t reversible. I did find it to be relatively easy to reach and manipulate while running drills on the range.

The front face of the stock is checkered. I found the 25 lines-per-inch (LPI) checkering texture to be moderate. It is absolutely not slick, but it’s not a cheese grater either. I’d describe it as a Goldilocks texture. It’s functional and is replicated on the mainspring housing found on the back of the stock.

The wood grips attached to the side of the stock are beautiful and also functional. They feature a diamond cut texturing that I suspect most folks will find grippy enough for most applications. They are without a doubt pleasing to the eye and feel pretty dang good in hand. Nevertheless, I intend to replace them with more aggressive textured grips from LOK Grips that include a thumb relief that will hopefully make reaching the magazine release a little easier and more consistent.

At the very bottom of the pistol’s stock we have a standard magazine well. While the inside of the well has been beveled, I intend to put an aftermarket flared magazine well to help me with reloads. Reloads are a given necessity in competition given the relatively low eight (8) round capacity of .45 caliber 1911s and corresponding competition requirements.

Moving back up the back of the stock we find the beavertail grip safety. Like a lot of other features on this 1911, the beavertail  is executed well. The contouring is comfortable. The additional material at the base of the safety makes manipulating it a thoughtless endeavor. Just above it, we have the manual safety which is not ambidextrous. It’s also a noticeably stiff manual thumb safety which I found unsurprising given how tight everything about the pistol was fitted. The skeletonized hammer sits between the grip safety and the slide.

Overall, it is a well made and functional 1911 which is what I expected given the many accolades I’ve heard and read. What I didn’t expect is how tight everything on this pistol was fitted. That screams a level of quality craftsmanship that I couldn’t fathom for the price point. Is it as nice and as well made as 1911s that have a price tag two to three times higher? I can’t answer that, but I also can’t imagine that being the case. However, I’m confident that the law of diminishing returns applies and the effects of it intensify rapidly as the price tag increases. We will have to see how this Dan Wesson PM-45 holds up as the round count increases, but I suspect it will do just fine and I fully expect for this pistol make to become one that I recommend to folks who are looking to get serious about competing with a 1911 or are looking for a high quality one for recreational purposes.

Handling

As I’ve alluded to, Dan Wesson, as a brand, has a strong and positive reputation in the 1911 community. Just like I expected good fit and finish, I also expected the PM-45 to handle well after it’s break in period. I was fully expecting to encounter a few malfunctions during it’s break in period. However, not a single malfunction manifested during that process.

The gun just ran.

I didn’t feed it any defensive hollow point loads since I have no intention to use this 1911 for defensive applications. However, I did feed it a combination of 230 grain full metal jacket (FMJ) and 200 grain semi wad cutters (SWC) that it had no problem digesting.

Subjectively speaking, the gun felt good to run. The PM-45 lifted during recoil as I expected, but it returned quickly. The recoil profile was very manageable which I suspect the weight from the stainless steel frame and slide helped with.

On one occasion, the Dan Wesson was run side by side with a Les Baer which retails for almost double. Neither my friend nor I could discern a difference between them other than the differences in grip panel thickness and texture. In terms of precision or accuracy, they were equally matched at common pistol target distances ranging from three (3) to twenty-five (25) yards.

The Dan Wesson PM-45 will run reliably and will provide more than enough precision than one will need for action pistol shooting sports.

Potential Applications

In my opinion, the most obvious application for the Dan Wesson Pointman 45 is competition. The adjustable target sites combined with the weight and size of the reliable 1911 make this pistol an almost turn key competition ready handheld blaster that limits the damage done to the wallet. The only thing it is really missing is at least four more magazines. I know I mentioned several modifications earlier in this post, but they aren’t necessary modifications to be competitive with it.

Also in my opinion, the pistol is a bit too heavy and large for defensive applications. I would also prefer non-adjustable fixed sights on it. While I think there are more optimal 1911 options for the self defense use cases, the PM-45 is capable enough to incapacitate two-legged and four-legged deadly threats.

Closing Thoughts

I’ve got nothing negative to say about the Dan Wesson Pointman 45. It’s functional. It’s reliable. It’s well made. It handles like a champ. All signs are pointing to the PM-45 being a fantastic option for anyone looking for a high quality 1911 for either recreational or competition purposes with a relatively affordable price tag.

I’m personally looking forward to getting myself intimately acquainted with the 1911 platform and competing with it in the Texas Single Stack 1911 Championship at the end of 2024. I fully expect to have at least a couple thousand rounds through it then which means a couple of follow up reviews will follow as the year progresses.