Daniel B. Wesson II

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title: "Daniel B. Wesson II" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["firearm-manufacturers-of-the-united-states", "american-gunsmiths", "1916-births", "1978-deaths", "20th-century-american-inventors", "people-from-springfield,-massachusetts", "deerfield-academy-alumni", "amherst-college-alumni", "20th-century-american-artisans"] description: "American gunsmith (1916–1978)" topic_path: "geography/united-states" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_B._Wesson_II" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary American gunsmith (1916–1978) ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]

Field	Value
name	Daniel B. Wesson II
image	Daniel_Baird_Wesson_II.jpg
birth_name	Daniel Baird Wesson II
birth_date
birth_place	Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S.
death_date
death_place	Monson, Massachusetts, U.S.
occupation	Firearms maker and inventor
known_for	founder of Dan Wesson Firearms
spouse	Rosamond Lefevre
children	3
relatives	Daniel B. Wesson (great-grandfather)
alma_mater	Amherst College
signature	Daniel_B._Wesson_II_signature.png
::

| name = Daniel B. Wesson II | image = Daniel_Baird_Wesson_II.jpg | image_size = | caption = | birth_name = Daniel Baird Wesson II | birth_date = | birth_place = Springfield, Massachusetts, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = Monson, Massachusetts, U.S. | occupation = Firearms maker and inventor | known_for = founder of Dan Wesson Firearms | spouse = Rosamond Lefevre | children = 3 | relatives = Daniel B. Wesson (great-grandfather) | alma_mater = Amherst College | signature = Daniel_B._Wesson_II_signature.png Daniel Baird Wesson II (April 22, 1916 – November 24, 1978) was an American inventor and firearms maker, who in 1968 founded the company now known as Dan Wesson Firearms. He was the great-grandson of inventor and firearms maker Daniel Baird Wesson, a co-founder of Smith & Wesson.

Biography

Wesson was born in Springfield, Massachusetts, in April 1916. He worked at Smith & Wesson, the family company, for 30 years.

The first Dan Wesson Arms production revolvers, the Model 11 & 12 (later revolvers were marked as D11 & W12) were shipped in August 1970. Wesson's firearms were known for a high quality of craftsmanship, and the company introduced a rare design among revolvers; the ability to change barrels and grips with simple hand tools, which made these guns popular with shooters.

Wesson died in November 1978, having suffered a heart attack while chopping wood at his home in Monson, Massachusetts. His company subsequently went through several ownership changes, was run by his son Seth from 1991 to 1995, and in 2005 was acquired by CZ-USA.

References

References

1. (November 26, 1978). "Daniel B. Wesson". [[The Boston Globe]].
2. Boorman, Dean K.. (2002). "The History of Smith & Wesson Firearms". Globe Pequot Press.
3. (November 26, 1978). "Daniel B. Wesson". [[The San Francisco Examiner]].

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