Dan Wesson Arms was incorporated in 1968, with its headquarters and production located in a former school building in Monson, Massachusetts.

Wesson signed a production agreement with Lewis and began setting up the necessary machining and manufacturing equipment.

Urging Lewis to prepare prototypes for display at major gun shows, Wesson began promoting the company, while working to build a sales and distribution network.

The new Dan Wesson revolver proved extremely accurate, though sales were limited, in large part due to the gun's unorthodox appearance.

[2] A large-framed version in .44 Magnum caliber was introduced in 1980, and was also a success, particularly with competitors in IMSA metallic silhouette competition.

In 1995, poor sales led to yet another bankruptcy, after which Bob Serva purchased the corporation and its assets, moving the group to Norwich, New York, where it is currently located.

[1] Seeking to diversify its product line, the company introduced a popular series of high quality M1911A1-type pistols in various calibers.

The fact that the DW barrel is supported and placed under tension at both ends (along with the ability to fine-tune barrel-cylinder gap) resulted in markedly increased accuracy over conventional revolver designs.

The new models still used the "pork chop" flanged barrel assembly, but the muzzle nut was redesigned and recessed inside the shroud to improve the gun's appearance.

[8] In addition to the one-piece frame, the Model 44 incorporated other new features designed to increase accuracy, such as broached rifling and choke-bored barrels.

[8] The Model 44 or Large Frame Dan Wesson was initially offered with 4", 6", 8", or 10" interchangeable barrel/shroud options,[6] and most guns shipped with a 6-inch barrel.

[9] This was a stainless steel barrel drilled radially at the muzzle end with a series of small ports.

Two small vents cut into the top of the barrel shroud vented excess gas and reduced apparent recoil of the gun, although this feature eliminated the option of using cast lead bullets due to lead and carbon accumulation.

The Model 44's high level of intrinsic accuracy, combined with an excellent trigger, and fast lock time, caused a surge in popularity of the M44 in heavy-caliber revolver competition, though the gun was also popular with handgun hunters and sportsmen who desired a gun for personal protection against bears or other large predators.

The Power Control barrel and vented shroud were eventually dropped, though DW did experiment with an external shroud-mounted compensator in later models.