Dan Wesson Bruin – Long Slide 10mm, .45 ACP

Just ahead of the new year, CZ-USA released a sneak peek at the new Bruin being manufactured under the Dan Wesson brand. The new pistol is a 1911-style gun in a long slide configuration that will be available in a variety of finishes and two powerful cartridges.

Sporting a 6.3″ match-grade barrel, the new Dan Wesson Bruin will be available in both 10mm and .45 ACP. The gun is quite a looker  in both the black and black and bronze two-tone finish. Both versions are fitted with some sharp looking VZ Grips. The black-only gun will be available in both calibers, while its 10mm only for the black & bronze model.

Truglo sights are used on this new pistol. The rear is adjustable tritium while the front is a fiber optic and tritium combination for a great sight picture throughout a range of lighting conditions. Dan Wesson is promoting this as a great gun for handgun hunting, so the light gathering characteristics of the front sight can be a real help in the twilight hours when many game animals are likely to be up and moving.

Specifications

• model name: Bruin
• caliber: 10mm, .45 ACP
• magazine capacity: 9 (10mm), 8 (.45 ACP)
• barrel length: 6.3″
• overall length:9.7″
• weight: not provided
• sights: Truglo tritium/fiber optic front, tritium adjustable rear
• MSRP:  $2064-2194

The suggested retail price will likely limit the number of guns sold. Depending on the model, the MSRP ranges from $2,064 – $2,194. While I can’t justify coming out of pocket $2k for a 1911 pistol, I know several people who will gladly drop that kind of money on a quality 10mm longslide. I expect this will be a popular gun in Dan Wesson’s 2016 stable.

The 10mm cartridge has always been popular with a select group of shooters. It seems the group has grown larger in recent years with more companies offering new pistols chambered for the cartridge.

Dan Wesson returned the Razorback 10mm to the line up in 2012. In 2014, the company began selling the Silverback, another 10mm. With the new Bruin in 2016, it would seem the company is on a two-year cycle for introducing 10mm handguns.

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