Daniel B. Wesson II

Daniel Baird Wesson II (April 22, 1916 – November 24, 1978)[1] was an inventor and firearms maker, who in 1968 founded the company now known as Dan Wesson Firearms. He was the great-grandson of inventor and firearms maker Daniel Baird Wesson, a co-founder of Smith & Wesson.

Daniel B. Wesson II
Born
Daniel Baird Wesson II

(1916-04-28)April 28, 1916
Springfield, Massachusetts
DiedNovember 24, 1978(1978-11-24) (aged 62)
Monson, Massachusetts
Alma materAmherst College
Occupation(s)Firearms maker and inventor
Known forfounder of Dan Wesson Firearms
SpouseRosamond Lefevre[1]
Children3
RelativesDaniel B. Wesson, great-grandfather
Signature

Biography

Wesson was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, in April 1916.[1] He was educated at Deerfield Academy and Amherst College.[2] He worked at Smith & Wesson,[3] the family company, for 30 years.[1] After the family company was acquired by conglomerate Bangor Punta, he left and launched Dan Wesson Arms Inc. in 1968.[4]

The first Dan Wesson Arms production revolvers, the Model 11 & 12 (later revolvers were marked as D11 & W12) were shipped in August 1970. Wesson's firearms were known for a high quality of craftsmanship, and the company introduced a rare design among revolvers; the ability to change barrels and grips with simple hand tools, which made these guns popular with shooters.

Wesson died in November 1978, having suffered a heart attack while chopping wood at his home in Monson, Massachusetts.[1] His company subsequently went through several ownership changes, was run by his son Seth from 1991 to 1995, and in 2005 was acquired by CZ-USA.

References
  1. "Daniel B. Wesson". The San Francisco Examiner. AP. November 26, 1978. p. 33. Retrieved September 14, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  2. "Daniel B. Wesson". The Boston Globe. November 26, 1978. p. 111. Retrieved September 14, 2019 – via newspapers.com.
  3. Boorman, Dean K. (2002). The History of Smith & Wesson Firearms. Globe Pequot Press. p. 27. ISBN 978-1-58574-721-4.
  4. Sweeney, Patrick (2006). The Gun Digest Book of the 1911. Iola, Wisconsin: F+W Media. p. 248. ISBN 978-1-4402-2431-7.

Further reading
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