None of these individual features--save the screw-in barrel system--are unique to Dan Wesson revolvers. Other companies have broached rifling and choke-bored barrels. Other companies utilize sideplate-free, solid-frame modular construction. Other companies' revolvers latch their cylinder assemblies at the crane (Ruger's Redhawk and GP-100 Series revolvers are noteworthy examples).

new revolvers from CZ will be chambered initially for .445 SuperMag and will feature the interchangeable barrel system and cylinder/crane lockup of the original Dan Wesson design.

But no manufacturer other than Dan Wesson has combined all these modern and innovative design elements into one refined revolver package, and the results are obvious. No other revolver manufacturer offers the same level of overall performance confidence with an average store-bought, off-the-shelf, regular-production gun.

With the performance comes the versatility, which is also a basic result of the interchangeable-barrel system. Think about it: one gun with as many different barrel lengths and styles as you care to put on it. If you want a multipurpose fixed-barrel revolver, you have no choice but to compromise.

If your uses are weighted toward the short side, you have to get a four-incher; if your uses are weighted toward the long side, a six-incher. Barrels that are shorter or longer than those two are special-purpose only and not for "general use." But with a Dan Wesson, you can get one gun and as many different specific-purpose barrel lengths as you need. No compromises or tradeoff choices are necessary. Depending on the caliber you select, available Dan Wesson barrel lengths have run from 21/2 inches to 15 inches.

The range of Dan Wesson calibers has included blued "carbon" (chrome-moly) steel and stainless-steel models in .22 Long Rifle, .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire, .32 H&R Magnum, .38 Special, and .357 Magnum, all in a medium-size format with sideplated frame. The large-size, solid-frame model list has included blued and stainless versions in .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum, .45 Colt, .357 SuperMag, and, at the upper reaches of revolver power, the .375 SuperMag and .445 SuperMag (0.3 inch longer than a standard .44 Magnum case). From plinking and small-game cartridges through law enforcement and defense to serious competition shooting to the biggest of handgun big-game loads, not much is missing.

Plus, there is a variety of shroud styles for nearly every barrel length. The standard (S) shroud has a short underlug ejector-rod housing and a solid top rib. The vented (V) shroud has the same profile as the standard shroud but features a vented top rib. The vent-heavy (VH) shroud has a vented top rib and a solid steel full-length underlug. These interchangeable shrouds allow you to easily use and switch different sight systems on the same barrel.

With one six-inch V shroud you might use standard metallic sights and then set up a different six-inch VH shroud with an Aimpoint electronic sight for action-shooting competition. Or set up an eight-inch or 10-inch shroud with a 1.5-4X or 2-7X variable-power scope for hunting and keep an open-sighted eight-inch shroud handy for other purposes.

The front sight blades on all the shrouds are also interchangeable. Red-insert ramp style is standard, but you can get yellow or a plain black Patridge-type competition blade.