Dan Wesson DWX: the complete guide before you buy

Published on August 6, 2026 · Updated on September 25, 2026 · 9 min read · Anthony Baillon

Verified by a gunsmith

The Dan Wesson DWX combines the single-action-only trigger of a 1911 with the ergonomics of a CZ 75: 1,276 g, 19 + 1 rounds, a break listed at 1,474 g on every shot. Single action only bars it from IPSC Production, but not from Standard, Optics or Open.

At a glance

	Dan Wesson DWX
Weight	1,276 g, stainless frame
Trigger	1,474 g, single action only
Barrel	127 mm
Capacity	19 + 1 rounds of 9 × 19
Magazines	those of the CZ P-10 F and P-09

Its argument: a 1911 break, the same on every shot, in a CZ grip.
Its limit: excluded from Production and Production Optics, like any single-action-only pistol.
For .22 LR practice: no DWX, but 1911 replicas at €415 to €470.

The DWX. A single-action-only 1911 trigger, the handling of a CZ 75 and CZ P-10 F and P-09 magazines, on a stainless frame. © Česká zbrojovka a.s. — Dan Wesson

Dan Wesson DWX: pros and cons

Pros

A 1,474 g break on every shot, with no double action2.
19 + 1 rounds in CZ P-10 F and P-09 magazines1 2.
The ergonomics of a CZ 75, according to CZ2.
Standard 1911 parts, grips and magwells included1.

Cons

Excluded from Production and Production Optics10.
A pistol carried cocked, safety on1.
No optic cut listed on the spec sheet1.
1,276 g to carry through a stage1.

Dan Wesson DWX: a 1911 trigger, a CZ grip

CZ, which owns the Dan Wesson brand, presents the DWX as "Combining the perfection of the 1911 trigger with the ergonomics of the CZ 75"2. In practice:

On the 1911 side: a single-action-only trigger, a hammer that must be cocked to fire, an ambidextrous manual safety, and many standard 1911 parts that fit it1.
On the CZ side: the angle and handling of a CZ 75, and CZ P-10 F and P-09 magazines2.
On the Dan Wesson side: a linkless lockup and a bushingless barrel, which the brand presents as a gain in consistency1.

The current spec sheet lists a 127 mm barrel, a length of 216 mm, a height of 139 mm, a width of 38 mm, a stainless frame and aluminum grips1. A DWX Compact also exists, with a 102 mm barrel, 15 + 1 rounds and an aluminum frame3.

Dan Wesson DWX trigger: 1,474 g on every shot

The DWX's break against other range 9mm pistols

Figures listed by the manufacturers, in grams; for hammer-fired pistols, break with the hammer cocked

On the DWX, this break applies to every shot: there is no double-action first shot, which rises to 3,000 g on a 92X Performance and 4,691 g on a Shadow 2. Sources2 4 5 6 7 9.

View the data

Pistol	Break	First shot
Staccato XC	1,134 g	identical
Dan Wesson DWX	1,474 g	identical
Beretta 92X Performance	1,500 g	3,000 g in double action
CZ Shadow 2	1,530 g	4,691 g in double action
Glock 34 Gen5	2,447 g	identical
Walther PDP Steel Frame Match 5"	2,500 g	identical

CZ lists 3.25 pounds to drop the hammer, about 1,474 g2. That break applies to every shot: the DWX has no double action.

That is what separates it from a CZ Shadow 2 or a Beretta 92X Performance. Hammer cocked, all three break within 56 g of each other; hammer down, the Shadow 2 needs 4,691 g and the 92X Performance 3,000 g on the first shot4 5. A 2011 such as the Staccato XC breaks lighter still, listed at 2.5 pounds, or 1,134 g9.

The three mechanisms are compared in our guide double action, single action or striker-fired. Any trigger work belongs at a gunsmith, as our trigger guide explains.

Dan Wesson DWX: single action only, carried cocked

A single-action-only pistol fires only with the hammer cocked. The DWX is therefore handled loaded, hammer cocked and safety on, the ambidextrous safety coming off only at the moment of firing1.

Two practical consequences:

The safety is part of the movement: it comes off as the pistol comes up on target and goes back on before holstering or setting the pistol down.
The finger stays outside the trigger guard until the sights are on target: a 1,474 g break is unforgiving.

Dan Wesson DWX seen from the front three-quarter: accessory rail, fibre-optic front sight, red trigger and grips — Three-quarter view: 19 + 1 rounds of 9mm, in CZ P-10 F and P-09 magazines. © Česká zbrojovka a.s. — Dan Wesson

Dan Wesson DWX weight: 1,276 g of stainless steel

The Dan Wesson DWX against range 9mm pistols

Weight listed by each manufacturer, in grams

The DWX sits in the family of steel range pistols, 54 g under a CZ Shadow 2. Sources1 4 5 6 7 8.

View the data

Pistol	Weight	Mechanism	Capacity
Beretta 92X Performance	1,350 g	Double then single action	15
CZ Shadow 2	1,330 g	Double then single action	19 + 1
Dan Wesson DWX	1,276 g	Single action only	19 + 1
Walther PDP Steel Frame Match 5"	1,195 g	Striker-fired	18 or 20
Staccato P	936 g	Single action only	17 + 1 or 20 + 1
Glock 34 Gen5	743 g	Striker-fired	17

Dan Wesson lists 45 ounces, about 1,276 g, for the full-size DWX1. That is the weight of a steel range pistol: 54 g under a CZ Shadow 2, 74 g under a Beretta 92X Performance4 5. A 2011 such as the Staccato P weighs 340 g less8, a Glock 34 533 g less7.

That mass slows muzzle rise between shots; through a stage, it has to be carried.

Dan Wesson DWX in IPSC: Standard, Optics and Open

IPSC shooting, called TSV in France, follows the IPSC rulebook12. In the January 2026 edition, the DWX's mechanism decides its divisions10 11:

IPSC division	DWX	Condition
Production	Not allowed	Single action only prohibited
Production Optics	Not allowed	Single action only prohibited
Classic	Not allowed	Single-stack 1911
Standard	Allowed	225 × 150 × 45 mm box, no optic
Optics	Allowed	Milled slide allowed, magazine of 141.25 mm at most
Open	Allowed	Magazine of 170 mm at most

The Production rules state that "handguns deemed by IPSC to be single-action-only are expressly prohibited"10. In Standard, the listed dimensions, 216 × 139 × 38 mm, fit in the gauge box1 10, and the 9mm scores Minor there. The divisions are covered in detail in our article on IPSC in France.

Dan Wesson DWX in TAR and at 25 m: the fibre must go

The DWX leaves the factory with a fibre-optic front sight and an adjustable rear sight1. Fibre-optic sights, however, are forbidden at ISSF 25 m as in TAR event 83013 14.

With the front sight changed, its dimensions fit both rulebooks:

In TAR event 830, the French federation's service-pistol discipline: a 127 mm barrel, under the 13 cm limit; protruding magwells remain forbidden there1 14.
In 25 m centerfire: 1,276 g for 1,400 g at most including the empty magazine, a 127 mm barrel for 153 mm, a 1,474 g break for 1,000 g at least1 2 13.

The other events are covered in our article on pistol eligibility by discipline.

Close-up of the Dan Wesson DWX: red trigger, manual safety, hammer and red aluminum grips — The detail that sums up the pistol: a single-action-only 1911 trigger, a hammer to cock and a manual safety, in a CZ 75 grip. © Česká zbrojovka a.s. — Dan Wesson

Optics on the Dan Wesson DWX: a slide to mill

Dan Wesson's spec sheet lists interchangeable sight cuts and an adjustable rear sight, with no slide cut for an optic1. Mounting a red dot therefore means having the slide milled by a gunsmith.

Optics division expressly allows it: "Milling of the slide is permitted to install the optical/electronic sight"11. Open also accepts the optic. Footprints and the full cost are in our red dot guide.

Dan Wesson DWX, CZ Shadow 2, 2011: what sets them apart

Against a CZ Shadow 2: the same CZ 75 ergonomics, the same listed capacity of 19 + 1. The Shadow 2 opens Production, at the cost of a 4,691 g first shot; the DWX breaks at 1,474 g on every shot, but closes Production2 4 10.
Against a 2011: the same principle of single action only and a double-stack magazine. The Staccato P weighs 340 g less, the Staccato XC breaks 340 g lighter8 9.
Against a 1911: the same trigger, but 19 rounds instead of a single-stack magazine; the 1911, on the other hand, keeps Classic division11.

Our comparison of competition 9mm pistols places the DWX among the other range pistols.

Dan Wesson DWX in .22 LR: no such version, but a 1911-22

Dan Wesson offers the DWX only in 9mm1. For .22 LR practice with the trigger and safety of a 1911, .22 LR 1911 replicas sell new for €415 to €470, such as the Mauser 1911 .22 LR15 16. Their single-stack grip lacks the ergonomics of a CZ 75.

Under French law, a .22 LR pistol is still a category B firearm20; the choice between the two calibers is set out in our comparison 9mm or .22 LR.

Dan Wesson DWX budget: €624 of ammunition a year

Item	Amount
Handgun safe	€115 to €28918 19
9mm ammunition, at 200 rounds a month	€624 a year17

Excluding the pistol, license and club fees, the first year comes to about €740 to €910 for the safe and ammunition. In the following years, ammunition remains the main item, €624 a year at €0.26 a round17. A .22 LR 1911 replica brings that item down to €312 a year by the case of 500.

On top come spare magazines, a front sight without fibre for 25 m or TAR, and slide milling if an optic is planned.

In France, the DWX is a Category B firearm, like every centerfire pistol: buying one requires a prefectural authorization, and storing it a gun safe, a strong cabinet or a strongroom20 21. The license, the club and the Category B authorization are costed in our first-year budget.

Buying a Dan Wesson DWX: who it suits, and who less

What it brings, by objective

For IPSC, in Standard or Open, the DWX brings a light break identical on every shot and 19 + 1 rounds. In return, it closes Production and Production Optics.

For Optics division, it takes a red dot after slide milling, which the rules allow. In return, that work adds to the price of the pistol.

For a shooter used to CZs, it keeps the handling of a CZ 75 with a 1911 trigger. In return, it is handled cocked with the safety on.

For a first pistol, single action only demands rigorous handling; our criteria for a first sport pistol approach the question by discipline.

Three misconceptions about the Dan Wesson DWX

"It is a Production pistol." The 2026 IPSC rules expressly prohibit single-action-only pistols there10.
"It is a 1911, so it fits Classic." Classic division requires a single-stack 1911; the DWX is double-stack11.
"It takes Shadow 2 magazines." CZ lists P-10 F and P-09 magazines2.

Sources 22 references

Dimensions, weights and trigger pulls come from the manufacturers' sheets and presentations; eligibility, from the IPSC, TAR and ISSF rulebooks in the edition stated; prices, from dated readings. Click a reference number in the text to highlight the matching source.

Dan Wesson — DWX (SKU 92003), manufacturer sheet, re-read 24 September 2026: 9 mm, 10- or 19-round magazines ("10+1", "19+1"), stainless frame, DLC finish, aluminium grips, length 8.5 in, barrel 5 in, height 5.47 in, width 1.5 in, weight 45 ounces, "Trigger Mech Single Action", "Fiber Optic" front sight, "Adjustable" rear sight, "Manual/Ambi" safety, list price $2,999.00; "linkless locked-breech design", "bushing-less, match-grade barrel", "Many standard 1911 components", "Interchangeable sight cuts […] and compatibility with widely supported grips and magwells"; the DWX is offered only in 9 mm. ⚠️ American price; no euro price found on 24 September 2026: the DWX is in the catalogue of none of the French gunsmiths consulted (Le Pistolier, Armurerie Douillet, Deville Armory, Armurerie Auxerre, Armurerie de la Bourse, GunMarket).
CZ — Dan Wesson DWX, presentation by the group that owns the brand, 19 December 2022, re-read 24 September 2026: "Combining the perfection of the 1911 trigger with the ergonomics of the CZ 75"; "The DWX uses CZ P-10 F/P-09 magazines"; "you simply have to press 3.25 pounds of effort to drop the hammer"; 19 rounds in 9 mm; steel frame and 43 ounces for the 2022 version.
Dan Wesson — DWX Compact (SKU 92104), manufacturer sheet, re-read 24 September 2026: 9 mm, 10 or 15 rounds, aluminium frame, 4-inch barrel, length 7.5 in, single action, list price $2,999.00.
CZ — CZ Shadow 2, manufacturer specification sheet, re-read 24 September 2026: trigger pull 15 N in single action and 46 N in double action; consulted 20 August 2026 for the 1,330 g weight with an empty magazine and the listed capacity of 19 + 1.
Beretta — Pistol User Manual 92X Performance (PDF, latest edition June 2022), re-read 24 September 2026: 1,350 g with an empty magazine, 15 rounds, "Trigger pull (kg/oz) 3,0/105.8 double action; 1,5/52.9 single action".
Carl Walther — PDP Steel Frame Match FS 5" (ref. 2872218), manufacturer specification sheet, re-read 24 September 2026: weight 1,195 g, 18 or 20 rounds, trigger pull 2,500 g.
GLOCK — G34 Gen5 MOS, manufacturer specification sheet, re-read 24 September 2026: trigger pull 24 N, weight 743 g with an empty magazine, 17 rounds.
Staccato — Staccato P, manufacturer specification sheet, consulted 20 August 2026: 17+1 or 20+1, weight 33 oz (936 g) in the steel version, 4140 steel frame.
Staccato — Staccato XC, manufacturer specification sheet, consulted 20 August 2026: "Balanced 2.5lb Trigger".
IPSC — Production Division List, "Updated: 2026-03-09", re-read 24 September 2026, which names no Dan Wesson model; and IPSC Handgun Competition Rules, Jan 2026 Edition, appendices D4 and D4a (Production, Production Optics) — "Note that handguns deemed by IPSC to be single-action-only are expressly prohibited"; appendix D2 (Standard) — 225 × 150 × 45 mm box, Major reserved for calibres of 10 mm and above and .357 SIG, no optic.
IPSC — IPSC Handgun Competition Rules, Jan 2026 Edition, Final 29 Dec 2025, link published by the official IPSC Rule Books page, re-read 24 September 2026: appendix D3 (Classic) — "Handguns must be based on and visibly resemble the profile and contours of the classic 1911-genre design. This means a single-stack, one piece metal frame"; appendix D6 (Optics) — one optic required, "Milling of the slide is permitted to install the optical/electronic sight", magazine of 141.25 mm at most; appendix D1 (Open) — optic allowed, magazine of 170 mm at most.
Fédération française de tir — Règlement administratif du tir sportif de vitesse, saison 2019-2020 (PDF, in French), article I: discipline « régie au niveau international par l'IPSC » [governed internationally by IPSC]; article VII: « seul le règlement officiel de l'IPSC en anglais est valable sur les compétitions de Niveau III et plus » [only the official English IPSC rulebook applies at Level III competitions and above].
Fédération française de tir — Règles Pistolet ISSF, mise à jour 08/2026 (PDF, French translation of the 2025 edition, second print in force from 1 July 2026), re-read 24 September 2026: 8.4.1.2 a — fibre-optic sights forbidden; table 8.12, 25 m centrefire pistol — 1,400 g at most including the empty magazine, trigger of at least 1,000 g, 300 × 150 × 50 mm box, barrel of 153 mm at most.
Fédération française de tir — Règlement TAR, saison 2025-2026 (PDF, in French, issued 12 January 2026), re-read 24 September 2026: appendix A, event 830 — not allowed: pistols with a barrel over 13 cm, « Tous systèmes de visée de type laser et fibre optique » [all laser and fibre-optic sighting systems], « Puits de chargeur proéminents » [protruding magwells].
Armurerie Douillet — pistolet Mauser 1911-22 neuf (in French), price recorded 24 September 2026: €415.00 instead of €465.00. ⚠️ Commercial data, promotional price displayed.
Armurerie Auxerre — pistolet Mauser 1911 .22 LR noir (in French), price recorded 24 September 2026: €470.00. ⚠️ Commercial data.
Armurerie Centrale — 1 000 cartouches STV Scorpio 9 mm Luger 124 gr FMJ (in French), price recorded 24 September 2026: €259.00 including VAT, or €0.26 a round; at 200 rounds a month, €624 a year. .22 LR comes to €0.13 a round by the case of 400 to 500, or €312 a year at the same volume (reading of 30 July 2026, taken from our first-pistol guide). ⚠️ Commercial data.
Armurerie Loisir — prices recorded 24 September 2026: coffre-fort Fortify Delta 1 pour arme de poing €115.00; coffre-fort Infac C3A €259.00. ⚠️ Commercial data.
Safepro24 France — coffres-forts pour armes de poing (in French), prices recorded 24 September 2026: Rottner GunBox €68.90, Profirst NY 2 €289.00 instead of €374.95. ⚠️ Commercial data.
Légifrance — article R311-2 du code de la sécurité intérieure (in French), version in force on 7 September 2025: category B, II, 1° « armes à feu de poing et armes converties en armes de poing non comprises dans les autres catégories » [handguns and firearms converted into handguns not included in the other categories].
Légifrance — article R314-3 du code de la sécurité intérieure (in French), in force since 11 May 2017: category A and B firearms stored « soit dans des coffres-forts ou des armoires fortes adaptés au type et au nombre de matériels détenus » [either in safes or strong cabinets suited to the type and number of items held], or in a strongroom. See also Service-public.gouv.fr, fact sheet F2250 (in French), checked 20 March 2025.
Images — manufacturer renders and photographs, reproduced without retouching, cropped to their content: Dan Wesson, DWX feature.

A single-action-only pistol is handled differently. The hammer must be cocked for the shot to fire, and the pistol is carried cocked, safety engaged. The DWX's spec sheets changed between the 2022 version and the current one, weight and frame included: eligibility and dimensions are checked on the pistol actually bought, and the club's range officer decides before the gunsmith does.

Frequently asked questions

What is a Dan Wesson DWX?

A 9mm pistol that combines the single-action-only trigger of a 1911 with the ergonomics of a CZ 75, as presented by CZ, which owns the brand. It weighs 1,276 grams, has a 127 mm barrel and takes 19 rounds in CZ P-10 F and P-09 magazines. Many standard 1911 parts fit it.

Is the Dan Wesson DWX allowed in Production division?

No. The 2026 IPSC rules expressly prohibit single-action-only pistols in Production and Production Optics, and the Production list does not name the DWX. It remains allowed in Standard without an optic, in Optics with a red dot, and in Open. Classic division, reserved for single-stack 1911s, is also closed to it.

What is the DWX trigger pull?

CZ lists 3.25 pounds to drop the hammer, about 1,474 grams. That break applies to every shot, since the DWX has no double action: it is barely lighter than the single action of a Beretta 92X Performance, 1,500 grams, but without its 3,000-gram first shot.

Is there a DWX in .22 LR?

No, Dan Wesson offers the DWX only in 9mm. For .22 LR practice with a 1911 trigger and safety, .22 LR 1911 replicas sell new for 415 to 470 euros; their single-stack grip, however, lacks the ergonomics of a DWX.

Do you need an authorization to buy a Dan Wesson DWX in France?

Yes. Like every centerfire pistol, the DWX is a category B firearm under French law: a sport shooter can only buy one with an authorization from the prefect, applied for online after three supervised shooting sessions. Four to seven months usually pass between the license and the purchase, and the pistol must then be stored in a gun safe, a strong cabinet or a strongroom.