Well, today you can from Dan Wesson. For many years, they have been known for quality, reliability, and attention to details in their outstanding fit-finish-function 1911 pistols. As they say, they “hand-fit and polish each and every part, creating the best possible production 1911.” Their slides and frames are tightly fit together to get a solid, consistent and reliable lockup without rattles. The added weight of a steel pistol can be an advantage, even for concealed carry, since it sits solidly in the hand and helps provide an essential and stable foundation for shooting and control. It helps with aiming, minimizes some perceived recoil, contributes to reducing movement, and, thus, influences accuracy.
Of course, a shorter barrel and lighter weight gun make carrying somewhat easier. See my recent 1911 sub-compact reviews and the comparison of my eight top 1911 sub-compacts. But, recognize that a 4.25″ barrel, like with this Dan Wesson Pointman Carry PM-C, is long enough to provide a decent sight radius to help with accuracy, while still being able to be comfortably carried and controlled.
Dan Wesson introduced their 1911 Pointman Carry (PM-C) compact 1911 as an expansion of their successful Pointman Nine (PM-9) Government Model size 1911. The overall reduced size of the PM-C combines a Commander-size slide and barrel with an officer-size frame, making it easy to conceal.
A nice “Thank You” to parent company CZ-USA and their Dan Wesson subsidiary for sending me their PM-C 1911 to review. I was anxious to test and evaluate it to see if the PM-C fits in my top 9mm compacts for concealed carry. I want to analyze, evaluate, rate, and compare the PM-C to my other top compact carry guns.
Is the Dan Wesson 1911 PM-C 9mm ideal for concealed carry?
Dan Wesson Pointman Carry PM-C Specifications And Features
First, I want to present the Specifications and features of the Dan Wesson Pointman Carry PM-C. Then, I will give my ten criteria, range test results, and my opinions for each criterion to help you analyze the PM-C to see for yourself if it is the concealed carry gun for you. You can add or subtract from my criteria to meet your needs and preferences.
I will also give you my recommendation for a quality leather holster for the PM-C, my basic Concealed Carry Drill for close-up self-defense practice, and some tips for breaking-in your pistol.
Recognize that I am not on the Dan Wesson or CZ payrolls, have not been paid or compensated by them in any form for this review, and not given any gratuities nor influenced to say certain things about the gun. I want to be as objective as possible, honest and straight-forward with my opinions and ideas the way I see the pistol to help folks and myself sincerely. Also, please know that manufacturers do not buy advertising on my personal website. I have even turned down several guns to review, because of data indicating a gun may be unreliable, had recalls, accuracy problems, safety concern, ammo feeding problems, extractor or ejector concerns, etc.
Dan Wesson Pointman Carry PM-C 9mm Specifications
| Model Number | Model #1867, Pointman Carry- PM-C |
| Caliber | 9mm |
| Barrel Length / Type | 4.25"; Match Grade; with Bushing, Ramped Bull with 30-Degree Crown |
| Sights | Fiber Optic Red Front Sight; Black, Fixed-Ledge, U-Notch Rear Sight |
| Frame / Material | Forged Stainless Steel; Officer's-Style; Brushed Steel |
| Slide / Finish | Forged Stainless Steel; Commander's-Length; Rear Slide Serrations; Sides of Slide- Mirror Polished; Top of Slide- Sandblasted & Matte to Reduce Glare |
| Trigger / Type | Single Action; Medium-Length Solid; Serrated Face; Steel |
| Trigger Press | To Be Determined- (as measured over ten trials with my Lyman Electronic Trigger Pull gauge); Factory Estimated 4# Press |
| Magazines / Capacity | 8 Rounds; 2 Mags Included; Steel; Single Stack |
| Height | 5.00" |
| Width | 1.45" |
| Overall Length | 8.00" |
| Weight (Unloaded) | 36.7 oz |
| Safeties | Manual Thumb Safety (Left-Side Only); Extended Beavertail Grip Safety |
| Grips | Classic Double-Diamond Cocobolo Hardwood; Checkered |
| Other | 5-Year Warranty on Parts; 1-Year on Wooden Treatments/Parts |
| MSRP | $1,597 |
Dan Wesson Pointman Carry PM-C 9mm Features
- All steel, hand-fitted and assembled internal parts; all forged parts, no metal injection molded parts
- Quality, precisely-crafted with a very tight slide-to-frame fit
- Rounded bobtail butt to help concealment
- Front strap and mainspring housing checkering both with fine 25 lines per inch
- Undercut trigger guard to allow high backstrap grasp, less muzzle rise, and comfort
- Bull barrel with a recessed crown to better match the exit plane with the bore axis and for protection
- Tactical skeletonized hammer to reduce weight
- Slight magwell beveling to help with magazine insertion
- Reduced radius firing pin to help with extractor and ejection reliability and to reduce felt recoil
- High-ride grip safety with extended beavertail and memory bump
- Attractive classic checkered, cocobolo hardwood grips
- The ejection port is lowered and flared for reliability
- Series 70 1911 with no firing pin safety plunger
- Classic internal extractor and no accessory rail
- The barrel is match grade with fully-supported feed ramp to enhance rounds feeding and improved support of casehead of a chambered cartridge
Holster for the Dan Wesson Pointman Carry PM-C 9mm
Kramer Handgun Leather makes a beautiful, very high-quality, custom OWB Belt Scabbard Horsehide leather holster constructed with top-quality black sharkskin with a top reinforced-leather support to help with re-holstering, which is very rigid and very durable. This holster is made of horsehide with a Sharkskin overlay. This custom classic “pancake” design has attention to details with its hand molding and has superior workmanship. The Dan Wesson PM-C smoothly slides into this excellent Sharkskin holster like it was meant for only this holster. This holster is very comfortable, extremely durable, has excellent retention, covers the trigger, and conceals well. The Kramer Handgun Leather OWB holster has a high-riding FBI forward cant for easy draw. It is designed for wear outside-the-waistband on the strong side hip. The butt of the gun is tucked snugly into the body, and this holster really does help with concealment. This is an outstanding, premium-quality leather holster with beautiful exotic Sharkskin. I really like the superb look, feel, and exceptional function of this holster. And, it works well for concealment, for the range, for home use, and to showcase the excellent pistol. A quality handgun deserves a first-class leather holster, and this is it.
My Criteria And Considerations for the Dan Wesson Pointman Carry PM-C 9mm Review
Here are ten of my criteria and factors I use for evaluating any handgun, which I will use for this Dan Wesson Pointman Carry PM-C 9mm review. In addition to my criteria, there are other subjective features that may be appealing for some, like smooth rounded corners, a particular style, magazine release location, action, caliber, appearance, number of mags included, type of sights/modifications, bore axis, rail, grip angle, non-porting or porting, included extras like a holster and pouch, and customer service. So, I combined these into my last Miscellaneous criterion. I must admit that all gun-choice decisions involve tradeoffs, but I really want all of my criteria to be met. I assigned a total possible point score of ten points for each of my ten criteria for a total possible score of 100 points. You can certainly add your own additional criteria, preferences or subtract any of mine.
My General Impressions: Dan Wesson Pointman Carry PM-C 9mm
The match-grade barrel is flush-cut, has a fully-supported ramp, and has a traditional bushing bull-type barrel with a target crown. It is compact and easy to disassemble. The barrel crowning helps protect the internal lands and grooves rifling, gets the exit plane of the bore precisely perpendicular to the bore axis, and some say adds to accuracy.
The front fiber optic front sight of the PM-C is red and stands out for some. But for me as a color-blind shooter (Protanopia – with no working red cone cells), it is not very accessible. I want a bright green or yellow fiber optic front sight so I can quickly pick it up. Green and yellow help color-blind eyes for quick sight acquisition, as about 8% of the U.S. population (mostly males) have color blindness.
Sight Color General Tips:
- Bright green and fluorescent yellow are the most visible colors by the human eye whose rods and cones are most color sensitive and stimulated by wavelengths of near 555 nanometers, per some scientific studies.
- Generally, the color “red is actually the least visible color at a distance,” reports a Sciencing.com study.
- Under normal lighting conditions, the eye is most sensitive to a yellowish-green color.
- A 2015 National Eye Institute, U.S. National Institutes of Health Report says that men are more likely to be colorblind than women because of the inherited deficient X chromosome responsible for it. Males only have one X chromosome, while females have two X chromosomes which help them compensate for the loss.
- Generally, about 2.6 million people in the U.S. and approximately 6.1 million people in the world are color blind.
The PM-C’s rear sight is wide, rounded, serrated to reduce glare, and black with a fixed windage-adjustable Novak-Style U-Notch. They are steel, very sturdy, look great, and really help get a nice sight picture.
“Beauty is power; a smile is its sword,” said philosopher John Ray. Yes, the pistol is beautiful and performs as well. The pistol frame and slide have a high-quality finish. The flat areas are attractively brushed stainless steel, and the entire top of the slide and frame are sand-blasted to hold down the glare. I like that edges are rounded and are sandblasted for smoothness. But, the slide serrations for racking are rough on the hands for me. The sides of the slide are mirror polished with a matte finish on top. Be careful you don’t scratch it when disassembling it. The PM-C has a tactical skeletonized hammer to reduce weight.
With a very tight fit and tight tolerances, the PM-C 9mm compact is a high-quality 1911 gun. Its fine near-custom craftsmanship, excellent ergonomics, and nice extra features make it a very desirable pistol. It radiates quality, and there is not a rattle to be heard. The beautiful and classic double-diamond hardwood cocobolo grips look beautiful and are very durable and comfortable.
The mainspring housing has a rounded bobtail butt to help with concealed carry. Dan Wesson finely checkers the front and back straps with 25 lines per inch (LPI) which allow the shooter an enhanced non-slip grip. The frame has a nice high-rise beavertail grip safety with a “memory bump” to maintain a high grip.
It was easy to takedown the Dan Wesson Pointman Carry PM-C 9mm even though there was a barrel bushing. It has a nice medium-length, solid single action trigger with a serrated face. The slide was easy for me to rack and the felt recoil and muzzle rise were very manageable, partially due to its decent 36.7 ounces unloaded weight, which kept felt recoil to a minimum. This pistol is a SERIES 70 1911 with no firing pin safety and no added extra parts to malfunction or maintain, but uses a heavier spring and very strong firing pin to prevent firing if dropped. Remember, that mechanical safeties are not foolproof and all can and do fail sometimes.
Note that the Dan Wesson Instruction Manual has helpful suggestions for breaking-in your PM-C. Please reference it for details. Here are some general, manufacturer-specified tips for breaking-in your new 1911:
- Tightly-fitted 1911s usually require sufficient range time to smooth parts and to overcome sluggish operations;
- Only use quality factory ball ammo (NOT JHPs) for the break-in process;
- Lubrication and cleaning are vital, especially initially for the break-in process;
- The factory-recommended rounds for break-in are about 300-500 rounds before the gun is combat, self-defense, and competition ready.
Dan Wesson Pointman Carry PM-C 9mm Range Test & Results
To evaluate and assess the Dan Wesson Pointman Carry PM-C 9mm, I fired about 250 rounds total for my review, mostly using full metal jacket/ball and some hollow point rounds. The Dan Wesson Instruction Manual suggests you break-in the pistol with up to about 500 rounds with FMJ/Ball rounds. I did not shoot reloads, steel case, or low-quality ammo. I also recommend shooting at least 500 rounds to break-in a pistol before you bet your life on your defensive pistol. I do want to see how the gun handles both the hollow point and full metal jacket ball rounds before I bet my life on any handgun and carry it. So I shot both, but mostly FMJ ammo. I usually notice at about 250 rounds a change in the trigger press and action of most pistols I review.
Below are my evaluations for each of my ten criteria for my concealed carry purpose for the Dan Wesson Pointman Carry PM-C 9mm. I put the gun through its paces with my Concealed Carry Drill at seven yards with a magazine change and checked it thoroughly for malfunctions, stoppages, and performance with premium, quality JHP, and FMJ rounds.
I want to thank Sig Sauer for providing their fine Elite Performance FMJ and premium V-Crown ammo to test and evaluate the Dan Wesson Pointman Carry PM-C 9mm. I shot high-quality Sig Sauer V-Crown JHP and FMJ Elite Performance ammo both in 115 grain and 124 grain weights to determine how well the gun cycled and handled different loads. The 115 grain and 124 grain FMJ Sig rounds performed great, while I had seven failures to extract with one magazine of eight loaded with a few on hand Aguila 124 grain FMJ rounds. I only shot one mag of Aguila. The PM-C did not like the Aguila 124 grain FMJ rounds.
I used my standard “Col Ben’s Concealed Carry Drill” to test and evaluate the Dan Wesson Pointman Carry PM-C 9mm after I initially thoroughly cleaned it. You can use my Concealed Carry Drill to test and evaluate your handguns. I like the realistic five, seven, and ten yard distances best to simulate deadly-force close encounters, with a draw and within 20 seconds.
You can have my Concealed Carry Drill for free for your practice. Permission to download, print, and share “Col Ben’s Concealed Carry Drill” is granted when my website address and copyright are included and kept on it.
You can download and print “Col Ben’s Concealed Carry Drill” and targets by clicking on the link at my website’s Articles Page at www.FloridaHandgunsTraining.com.
Also, you can download it from USA Carry here, Concealed Carry Drill.
Dan Wesson Pointman Carry PM-C 9mm Range Results
With a magazine change, all Sig Sauer FMJ 15 rounds hit in my drill’s five various-sized circles at seven yards and in 19 seconds, meeting the par goal of 20 seconds. I shot the excellent Sig Elite Performance ball-full metal jacket rounds (in 115 grain) per the PM-C’s Instruction Manual for break-in with FMJ ammo. Then, I shot a few rounds of the Sig V-Crown JHP rounds in 115 and 124 grain, with no malfunctions or stoppages. See above photo.
Ammo Matters
For me, the Dan Wesson Pointman Carry PM-C 9mm was very accurate, reliable, and I had no malfunctions. Because of the very tight fit of the slide to frame, I did have a lockup of just the very first mag rounds I shot. My first mag had eight rounds of Aguila 124 grain FMJ, and that’s where I had the lockup, starting with the second round fired and through the 8th round. I switched to Elite Performance 115 grain Sig Sauer FMJ rounds for the second magazine and had no more lockups and no problems at all from the Sig rounds. I probably did not lubricate the pistol sufficiently at first, but ammo matters. I learned the critical importance of lubricating this 1911 and finding ammo your gun likes. Then after disassembly at the range and applying oil, I had no stoppages then for the next 250 rounds or so, with the Sig Sauer ball and JHP ammo. It operated very smoothly then, and the accuracy was excellent. And the felt recoil was very manageable. This pistol was a work of refinement and was fun to shoot. The trigger was very crisp and had a definite and solid click to it after it reached the short reset point. So did the manual safety when I switched it on which made a nice solid click and it felt like a quality pistol.
I found the SIG Elite Performance FMJ and V-Crown JHP both in 115-grain rounds to be very accurate and not too overpowering nor underpowered, but just right. All my groups were three inches or less at varying distances.
Opinions And Evaluations For Each Criterion
1. Accuracy and Reliability – Score: 10
The accuracy of the Dan Wesson Pointman Carry PM-C 9mm was excellent for me at close distances of three, five, seven, and ten yards. As always, I used my Modified-Isosceles Stance, a two-handed grip, and shot various 115 grain and 124 grain FMJ and JHP rounds. I did not shoot reloads. I had no problems shooting the Sig Sauer hollow points, and the gun functioned perfectly with them. The press was soft, short, and crisp and the recoil was very minimal for this average shooter. I was certainly impressed with its RELIABILITY. Accuracy and Reliability were BOTH excellent with the premium Sig Sauer 115 grain and 124 grain ammo used for this Series 70 1911 with a bushing.
2. Trigger Press – Score: 10
I was very pleased that the trigger press for this new PM-C 1911 9mm right “Out-of-the-Box” was outstanding, averaging 4.96 pounds, with ten readings with my Lyman Electronic Trigger Pull Gauge. All of the readings were less than or very near my desired maximum press range of five pounds for a single-action trigger pistol which is not “broken in” yet. After more rounds downrange for break-in, I expect the press will get a little lighter after internals smooth out. The PM-C had an excellent trigger press, and I wanted to keep shooting it, but I ran out of ammo after 250+ rounds down range.
3. Trigger – Score: 10
The PM-C’s 1911 single-action trigger was crisp, smooth and excellent, with no creep and minimal takeup. It had a nice, short travel distance and a short reset for quick follow-up shots. Does “smooth as butter” ring a bell? The reset was very identifiable. I really like its crisp, short and soft trigger.
4. Barrel Length: Score: 10
The PM-C match-grade barrel has a bushing and is a bull-cut 4.25″ barrel. It has a fully-supported ramped and crowned barrel which is precisely hand fitted to the slide with very tight tolerances. Given its tight tolerances, I recommend you oil it frequently at first and then regularly. Keep it well-oiled and ensure a sufficient break-in period for optimal performance. The felt recoil was manageable for both my wife and me.
5. Sights – Score: 10
The front fiber optic sight was nice and bright to help me quickly pick up the front sight initially and for follow-up shots. I strongly prefer a fiber optic front sight and an all-black rear sight, given my color-blind eyes and diminishing eyesight. I had no problems, even at dusk, picking up the front sight. At nighttime, tritium night sights are helpful, but most of them are too small to help my eye deficiencies during the day and dusk times. I like fiber optic front sights.
6. Proper Gun Weight – Score: 9
The almost 37-ounce unloaded weight was a little heavy for carrying, but it certainly helped to minimize felt recoil and significantly improved accuracy. So, there are tradeoffs between weight and concealability, a personal and situational decision. For me, I did not mind the extra weight, but I carried it only for a few days. While all of these factors are important, accuracy and shot placement are priority over concealability for me and my usual dress and activity patterns. Yes, proper concealability is very important (varies by state and jurisdiction), but most folks don’t even bother to look for a concealed weapon. This PM-C is not too heavy to regularly carry in my opinion. But, I did subtract one point for it. The felt recoil was very manageable, albeit primarily due to the added weight and less movement.
7. Caliber – Score: 10
The Dan Wesson Pointman Carry PM-C 9mm was easy and fun to shoot, and I managed the recoil well. I know most recognize that shooting 9mm ammo is much less expensive than most other calibers and modern 9mm ammo with improved ballistics gets the job done. I prefer the 9mm for concealed carry.
8. Capacity – Score: 9
Nine total rounds in the gun are adequate for me. I liked the 8+1 capacity of the 1911 PM-C compact 9mm. There was two steel, high-quality magazines included with witness holes for rounds as standard. I prefer three mags to be included as standard, but this adds cost for everyone to the package.
9. Ergonomics – Score: 10
My wife with her small and short (but beautiful) fingers and I with my medium mitts could comfortably operate the controls of the Dan Wesson 1911 PM-C 9 mm. It has excellent ergonomics, and we were easily and comfortably able to reach all controls like the thumb safety, slide stop lever, and magazine release. My wife did have to slightly rotate the gun for the slide stop because of her small (but exquisite) hands. Its fit, function, high-quality craftsmanship, and performance were very apparent. The excellent very crisp trigger, rounded bobtail butt, precise semi-custom extras, no metal injection molded or cast parts, all forged steel parts, all rounded edges that are sandblasted to prevent glare, quality front and back strap 25 LPI fine checkering, and classy double-diamond hardwood grips complemented this outstanding pistol. It felt so very nice to not only hold this thin-profile 1911 commander-officer combination pistol but to shoot it and get accurate hits. The grip safety with its extended beavertail and memory bump was natural, comfortable, and I had no problems grasping it, operating it, and firing it. The rounded-bottom bobtail butt of the mainspring housing did help with concealed carry. The undercut trigger guard did help us grip the pistol higher up.
10. Miscellaneous – Score: 9
The nice hard plastic case included two magazines, a lock, bushing wrench, Allen Hex Key wrench, and Instruction Manual. The Dan Wesson Pointman Carry PM-C 9mm looks beautiful, and it is a high-quality, accurate, and reliable 1911 compact pistol. The slide to frame fit is very tight, so keep it well lubricated. The sand-blasted edges do prevent glare. After continuously shooting about 250 rounds, the highly-mirror polished sides of the slide and its serrations were just a little rough to my hands, and I got a minor irritation to my support hand’s index finger from rubbing on the slide when racking it over the top. But, this buttercup shook it off. The attractive cocobolo hardwood grips are durable and fit my medium-sized hands very well. The short and soft, single-action trigger press was very crisp, and the felt recoil was very controllable for both my wife and me. The 25 LPI checkering on the front and back straps helped with a firm grip. The bull barrel was solid, and its target crown helped to protect the inner bore, and both were impressive. The nice included bushing wrench is useful for disassembly and can be used with the PM-C’s bushing. The Dan Wesson folks were helpful and very pleasant to deal with.
Total Points = 96 out of 100 Possible.
Conclusions
I highly recommend this quality Dan Wesson Pointman Carry PM-C 9mm pistol for concealed carry, home defense, competition, range use, and fun plinking. This finely-crafted, tightly-fitted 1911 9mm compact is definitely one of my top 1911 Compact 9mms for concealed carry. I suggest you consider it for your concealed carry since it is one of the best 1911 compact 9mm pistols I have reviewed. I was very impressed with the PM-C’s accuracy, reliability, and its very controllable recoil for a compact 9mm. It is an all-steel, hand-fitted pistol with forged steel parts. This all-steel construction really helps with control and accuracy. It was not a problem for me to carry for just a few 2-3 days I carried it. And the Kramer Custom Sharkskin Leather pancake OWB holster was perfect for it. A quality holster for a quality pistol.
The outstanding trigger with its 4.96 pound trigger press was great… short, soft, and crisp, right out of the box. The match-grade, bull barrel with target crown (to remove burrs and unevenness, so the exit plane of the bore will be more perpendicular to the bore axis to help some with accuracy) and exceptional ergonomics were very impressive. Its accuracy and reliability are there. The fiber-optic front sight worked well, but my colorblind and diminishing eyes wanted the green rod, not the included red one. Dan Wesson was kind enough to send me a green rod when I requested it, and it worked great for me.
The extra touches like rounded butt, slightly beveled magwell, high-quality brushed stainless-steel finish, rear sight ledge for one-handed racking, and undercut trigger guard combine to make this an almost custom 1911 but at a non-custom, production price. After more rounds down range for a total of 500 rounds for reliability confirmation, I would bet my life on this fine pistol and carry it every day. Since I do sincerely believe that you do get what you pay for, I will probably buy it. This compact, commander-sized slide and barrel, combined with its officer-size grip, 1911 pistol represents quality craftsmanship and has excellent accuracy and reliability.
I hope this Dan Wesson Pointman Carry PM-C 9mm review has helped you gain some information about your concealed carry decision. Consider that this is just my point of view with limited live-range fire and shooting only 250 rounds of premium full metal jacket/ball and JHP ammo. I recommend that you shoot any handgun yourself before you purchase it and have at least 500 rounds break-in range time through it for yourself. Decide on your criteria, how you will primarily use the gun, and what’s important to you ahead of your range live-fire time. Then critically evaluate the gun yourself per your criteria and purpose, with various ammo types and brands, different magazines, over an extended break-in period.
Continued Success and Be Safe!
Contacts
Dan Wesson Firearms
1-607-336-1174
Norwich, NY 13815
Kramer Handgun Leather holsters
1-253-564-6652
Tacoma, WA 98411
Sig Sauer for Elite V-Crown 9mm JHP-FMJ ammo
1-603-610-3000
Newington, NH 03801
Photos by Author and Dan Wesson Firearms.
* This personal opinion article is meant for general information & educational purposes only, and the author strongly recommends that you seek counsel from an attorney for legal advice and your own personal certified weapons trainer for proper guidance about shooting & using YOUR firearms, self-defense and concealed carry. It should not be relied upon as accurate for all shooters & the author assumes no responsibility for anyone’s use of the information and shall not be liable for any improper or incorrect use of the information or any damages or injuries incurred whatsoever.
© 2018 Col Benjamin Findley. All Rights Reserved. This article may not be reprinted or reproduced in whole or in part by mechanical means, photocopying, electronic reproduction, scanning, or any other means without prior written permission. For copyright information, contact Col Ben Findley at [email protected].
