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My Opinion About Wilson Combat

9K views 138 replies 36 participants last post by  SpringerTGO 
#1 ·
As I've stated several times in the past I really like Wilsons but I've also mentioned that, in my opinion, they were a bit over-priced and Wilson thinks all their parts are made of gold. Quality is not cheap and they have spent a boatload of money over the last fifteen years to tool up and produce their own parts, very high quality parts. I can remember years ago when some of their lower end models used MIM including some critical parts such as the hammer and sear.

Thanks to Kimber and their crappy MIM, in the early years, people started to wonder why the hell does my expensive Wilson 1911 have these MIM parts in it. Wilson said screw you, even though the parts were good parts, we'll just start using some tool steel parts and raise the price $400. That was a long time ago.

I came across this thread earlier today and it was quite the eye opener. Again I think Wilson is one of the premier semi custom 1911s and have shot several. But if I had just spent $6K on this Supergrade I would certainly wonder what the hell has this market come to. It's a long read but the awesome pictures really tell the story. Thoughts.



https://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=497792&highlight=extreme+engineering
 
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#5 ·
#7 ·
And it's one of the nicest pistols I've ever shot, I'll give you $3200 for it. Just let me know where to send the FFL my friend.
 
#9 ·
Just recently, I sent a virtually brand new Beretta slide to them to have a fiber optic drilled into the front sight. It came back with scratches on it. I was a little miffed at the time, but didn't say anything being as it was going to be a carry gun. Now that I see some of the insane prices these guns (92G compact) are going for, it would definitely hurt if I decided to sell.
 
#16 ·
I was also looking at a Cabot thread the other day and it was also very interesting. :upeyes: I forgot to save the link. One thing I will say, if any manufacturer can get $5K for a gun they might have 20 hours into, God bless them. I hope they sell a ton of them.
 
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#17 ·
I agree. I think the point where prices have gotten for premium 1911's are absurd. But there are plenty of people who have the money to burn and who don't mind burning it on what many feel are overpriced pistols. That's capitalism and business, and I think it's fine. But even though I could pay those prices for a new Wilson, there is no way I see the value beyond about $2000. And I'm sure Wilson, Brown, Nighthawk, et al will do just fine without my money.
 
#18 ·
Value is something that's really hard to call. I tend to think of things of value offering something in return, like buying gold or real estate. Guns can be that way too as there are a lot of people on here that are constantly buying, selling and trading to find that perfect gun. Even one of our most respected collectors here, liquidated a very large part of his collection to allow him to be more selective. That's not me at all. I still have every gun I've ever owned over the last 40+ years, including a few that have been in the family for well over 100 years. None of them will ever be sold, at least by me, so the value in this instance, is purely personal. Whatever happens to all of them after I've gone, doesn't concern me in the least. I don't show any of them off and I don't brag about them. They're not status symbols. Most people that know me, just think I have a couple of Glocks. Most of the time when I go to the range, my wife and I are the only ones there.
 
#19 ·
I sure think they're overpriced, especially the SGs, but it seems lots of others don't agree with me, as I'm pretty sure they still outsell all the other semi custom shops.

If I were to rate the semi custom shops, Wilson would probably be last on my list. That said, I'd still like to own one eventually. :)
 
#74 ·
I sure think they're overpriced, especially the SGs, but it seems lots of others don't agree with me, as I'm pretty sure they still outsell all the other semi custom shops.

If I were to rate the semi custom shops, Wilson would probably be last on my list. That said, I'd still like to own one eventually. :)
Definitely not fair to post up that WC would not be your 1st choice if you don't post up what would be your 1st choice, 2nd choice, & 3rd. Don't mind me, I'm just nosey. I'm a WC fan blue, true, & through. But I also love SC CS TGO1's , EB's, & LB's. And yes, my WC Classic is a SG, & I wouldn't have it any other way.
 
#21 ·
I bought a WC Classic SG new about 6 yrs ago. It was priced at $4595.00 at that time. OTD in the PRk with tax it was $5000 or there about. I also have a LB PII, a Ed Brown ET, a Springfield Armory Custom Shop TGO1 Rob Letham, and a early '70 series Colt Jim Hoag longslide Mastergrade, and the WC SG is in a class by itself. It's failure rate is 0%. Eats anything fed to it. I have heard that any model SG, less customer extras is about 6K now with tax in the PRK.
The fact that WC always has a SG order waiting list and very few shops can get them in without an order should validate their worthiness.
 
#23 ·
I bought a WC Classic SG new about 6 yrs ago. It was priced at $4595.00 at that time. OTD in the PRk with tax it was $5000 or there about. I also have a LB PII, a Ed Brown ET, a Springfield Armory Custom Shop TGO1 Rob Letham, and a early '70 series Colt Jim Hoag longslide Mastergrade, and the WC SG is in a class by itself. It's failure rate is 0%. Eats anything fed to it. I have heard that any model SG, less customer extras is about 6K now with tax in the PRK.
The fact that WC always has a SG order waiting list and very few shops can get them in without an order should validate their worthiness.
This can be said of almost any well-set-up 1911. One doesn't need to spend more than $800 or so for a Colt 1911 to have a perfectly reliable 1911. On the other hand, it's perfectly easy for a $6000 SG to jam if the extractor gets a little out of spec or there is some issue with the magazine.

Spending huge amounts of money on a 1911 doesn't necessarily result in any more reliability than you can have with an $800 1911.
 
#26 ·
An SG is sort of like a nice Rolex that you can shoot. I have a few of their 'regular' grade 1911s and they're tough as nails, accurate, and good enough for what I subject them to (extreme weather EDC).

Birdy's threads are always amazing and this one kind of supports what I've always suspected. Spend the money you save on an SG for a rich Turnbull blue instead.

Not to knock Wilson, but if you're looking for a more affordable "high end" 1911, Guncrafter, SA, and EB (Alpha series) will get you in on the action for about a grand less.
 
#32 ·
I don't understand the picture threads on CQB Wilson pistols. What different look could any of them have ??? It like a thread on show me your glock 19.
Actually, that's a good point - but it could also be made about Nighthawk, Ed Brown, or Les Baer 1911s. They're all excellent weapons, I'm sure, but stylistically each maker's models look pretty much the same, gun to gun.
 
#33 ·
Most of all of our chatter online and photo sharing is because we enjoy guns, but can't be out there shooting them all-day every day, so we do the next best thing and talk about them and share pictures of them.

Wilsons are good 1911s, but there are plenty of good 1911s that are 1/4 the price, every bit as reliable, and every bit as accurate. If the money is no issue and someone wants or needs the prestige ownership... a Wilson, Nighthawk et al can meet that need. But the desire for a high quality 1911 is easily met without spending nearly so much money.

I spent my time and money with Wilson 1911s and costly Colt customs and had no complaints about them, but the Wilsons are gone now because I discovered that my 1911 needs were just as nicely met with other options and that money better spent on other things.
 
#34 ·
I might get flamed here, but I'd never buy a Wilson. It is simply my own prejudice against the brand. "Back in the day", Wilson was an aftermarket, parts company...making great parts. That's where they are still, stuck in my head. I actually took some grief here on GT a few months back because I put Wilson grip panels on my Dan Wesson. Somebody asked why I'd do that because my gun isn't a Wilson. I told them because in my mind, Wilson makes parts. I know that isn't true today, but it is in my prejudicial mind.

Also, I'm an RSO at a club that does LOTS of matches. I think that without exception, when a competitor shows up with a new Wilson, we have reliability problems.

Again, I respect many here that collect them and have great knowledge on them. This is just my own personal experience.
 
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#36 ·
I might get flamed here, but I'd never buy a Wilson. It is simply my own prejudice against the brand. "Back in the day", Wilson was an aftermarket, parts company...making great parts. That's where they are still, stuck in my head. I actually took some grief here on GT a few months back because I put Wilson grip panels on my Dan Wesson. Somebody asked why I'd do that because my gun isn't a Wilson. I told them because in my mind, Wilson makes parts. I know that isn't true today, but it is in my prejudicial mind.

Also, I'm an RSO at a club that does LOTS of matches. I think that without exception, when a competitor shows up with a new Wilson, we have reliability problems.

Again, I respect many here that collect them and have great knowledge on them. This is just my own personal experience.
Yes, they were such a great parts company that they couldn't make their own frames and slides and instead were tweaking Brazilian guns. There are still a few of these IMBEL labeled Wilson Combats floating around, that's essentially what Springfield Armory was doing with their $600 range officers a decade ago.

And don't get me started when they actually decided to pimp out a Norinco. They may not have invented it, but they are the ones who perfected the 4'' bull barrel 1911 at a time when most companies were throwing bushings on everything and could not fathom using 1911s with bull and flange barrels and instead were trying to cut down the traditional barrel bushings to work with these applications.

You may not like them, but if you are a fan of smaller, lighter, different profile style 1911s, they have contributed pretty considerably into making these designs mainstream at a time when the only other innovator was Kimber, and we know how well that turned out.

I'm not particularly a fan of them working on Berettas, taking crappy Remington shotguns and raising the price for five times, and their ARs are a dubious value when they are priced along guns such as LaRue, KAC, Noveske, and above Daniel Defense.

They are not who they that used to be. They no longer bob their frames to the extent Ed Brown does it, their in house bluing is not that spectacular, and their current obsession with making a reliable 9 mm seems extremely ambitious and hasn't borne the fruit they were hoping for.

But I guarantee you that if you purchase one of their CQB's, Pros or Protectors in full-size frame or compact frame and 4 inch barrel, it is going to be bulletproof and you can abuse the ever living **** out of it without any problems.

My CQBc 45 is the toughest, most reliable gun I own.
 
#50 ·
Supply and demand. If people are lined up ready to throw away that much on a pistol the prices will stay high. Its a handgun, nothing makes it worth thousands of dollars, sorry thats IMO
 
#54 ·
I could say the same thing about Corvettes, BMWs, Mercedes and Cadillacs. However, there are a hell of a lot of people driving them.

I know a guy that biOtches about the price of a Wilson 1911 but he drives a new $68k pickup. Now I think that's simply foolish, $68K for a fawkin truck, mindless bafoon.
 
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