Dan Wesson’s Kodiak is a suitable choice for hunters.
Dan Wesson, known for their high quality 1911s, have just released their new Kodiak chambered in 10mm. With a 6″ bull barrel and chambered in 10mm, it’s a reasonable choice for those who choose to hunt with a handgun. The long barrel maximizes bullet acceleration and its weight helps mitigate the effects of recoil. It’s a handsome firearm in two color configurations, two-tone black and bronze, or tritone black and bronze with a grey slide (pictured here). And yes, it’s only available in 10mm.
It comes in black with a bronze barrel or tritone with a grey slide pictured here.
The Kodiak is a handgun built to serve you well and then be passed on to the next generation. Everything about it is made to last. Many manufacturers use metal injection molding (MIM) to make small parts — things like safety buttons. MIM parts are composed of powdered metal chemically and thermally bound together and molded to the right shape. It’s less costly to manufacture with MIM than to machine each part, but it some applications it may not be as durable.
Dan Wesson has chosen to use all machined parts for the Kodiak, creating each piece of the gun from a solid metal billet. Where others may make a few hundred thousand guns per year, they anticipate making only 8- to 10,000 pieces per year, focussing their attention on quality. They intend this to be a lifetime gun.
The Kodiak has 6″ bull barrel for accuracy and reduced recoil.
And it feels like the kind of gun I’d like to keep for a lifetime. You can feel the quality in the fit and finish and in the function. The G10 grips are tapered at the top to fit your hand well and to guide your grip upward to help you put rounds on target. The front and back straps have precisely machined checkering with 25 lines per inch, which testing showed is optimal for grip and comfort.
The G10 grips are tapered upward to guide your grip high and the matte finish won’t spook your quarry.
The straps are checkered precisely at 25 lines per inch for a comfortable and sure grip.
It has fully adjustable fiber optic sights to ensure visibility at the edges of shooting hours and to get you shooting perfectly when practicing at the range. It’s got an accessories rail under the barrel, ambidextrous safety, and an extended magazine well.
Fiber optic front sight.
Fully adjustable rear sight.
Accessories rail under the barrel.
The Kodiak’s long bull barrel, quality construction, and 10mm “knockdown power” make it a good choice for handgun hunters, but it’s such a good looking gun that it should be considered by anyone looking for a 1911. MSRP for the Dan Wesson Kodiak Black is $2,999, and MSRP for the tritone (get the tritone!) is $3,049.
Visit DanWessonFirearms.com to learn more.
These hand-fit guns are made in small qualities and are intended to last a lifetime.
Specs
- Caliber: 10mm
- Barrel: 6″ bull
- Overall length: 9.7″
- Height: 5.8″
- Weight: 47.1 oz
- Width: 1.5″
- Trigger: Single action
- Grips: G10
- Material: stainless
- MSRP: $2999 black, $3049 tritone
The only reason I’m going to buy the 10mm is because they don’t make an 11.
That is one sexy beast. My only worry is the rail. The looks don’t really instill a lot of confidence in a solid lock-up that will endure serious, heavy load repetition. Wouldn’t want your light to fall off in that one time you actually need it.
I don’t have a lot of experience with weapons mounted lights but am looking to get into it.
Any input on this observation would be greatly appreciated.
I’m starting to think all these manufacturers are pricing all the cool stuff so they don’t sell a lot and don’t have to make many
The fully adjustable tritium night sights are very well blended into the sights, you can barely see them.
Ramped barrel or normal mil spec barrel?
I am waiting for someone to say , I would buy one if it came in 9mm.
I would buy one if it came in 9mm….