Name Daniel Wesson Role Inventor | Died November 1978 | |
Full Name Daniel Baird Wesson II Born April 28, 1916 ( 1916-04-28 ) Occupation Inventor, industrialist | ||
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. and run by his son, Seth and wife Carol until 1995.