I’d pay as much for a Wilson 1911 as I’d pay for a Dan Wesson 1911. As far as I’m concerned, that’s as good as a 1911 gets, and there’s no reason to pay more unless it’s engraved and wearing ivory grips.
I ordered a frame and slide from them years ago, they told me they sold already fit. What a joke, I lost count of the hours I put into getting the slide to fit the frame
I have handled and shot WC guns. They are great. But not $3-4k great. My $800 Kimber shoots just as well. Even after 60000 rounds. My shooting buddies Dan Wessons, Springfield Custom shop, and STI’s shoot just as well. Other friends have Les Baers, which actually shoot better than any Wilson I have seen. Another had a custom 1911 built by a well known gunsmith for less than an average Wilson. It was built exactly how he wanted, how he dreamed of a 1911. It shoots like a laser. Wilson just charges too damn much.
You are right. After a certain point, a 1911 is just a 1911. I have less that 800 dollars in my Citadel and it will easily do 1″ at 25 yards. All the extra money past that which is spent on acceptable quality component fitting is just for the smoke and mirror show of a brand. Fancy engraving, finishes, and grips have nothing to do with reliability.
Agree. My $750 Springfield Milspec has never failed me and like and AK its “loose” fit is more tolerant of dirt and grime then a precision built $3K Wilson Combat. If you are a serious competitive shooter a high price piece makes sense. If you bought it for everyday carry and occaisional IDPA there is no need to spend more than $1K on a 1911.
I had a base 1911 modified by them in the early 2000s. Still came in under the price of what you’d pay for a regular Kimber and way better than any Kimber I’ve tried. YMMV.
They have milling machines!
And a seat of SolidWorks!
And video, where executives talk about “quality.”
Color me unimpressed. Their setup doesn’t look very sophisticated. Their 1911s are par for the course when spending that kind of money on a 1911. Their ARs are a joke.
I sent my Colt off to them a few months ago should be here before the end of Sept. I’m pretty excited. I’ve had a few 1911, this will be my first “custom” I’ve shot a WC and really liked it that’s why I went with them. Other than that the best under 1500 1911 by far is my s&w.
Because their like me, and are just jealous because they will never be able to afford one, or be able to justify spending that much on one. If money were no object and I were on the market for a 1911, I’d get a compact WC. But since I don’t have a trust fund, or a rich uncle that just died, I’ll save my pennies for a $700 Filipino made, American assembled STI Spartan IV.
I don’t think it is hatred. I just think it is more befuddlement. That we can’t understand why they charge 4 times as much as other brands. They are veryt nice. But not $4k nice
Personal preference, I have owned or shot many different 1911’s over the years. I now own multiple WC 1911’s, because I do believe there is a difference in build quality and aesthetics and their lifetime (of the firearm, not the owner) warranty. Doesn’t mean that other makers make crap, I just prefer WC.
No way can I justify $3000-4000 for a 1911. I own an Auto Ordnance 1911-A1 that I had a local gunsmith do a little work on, and got a great shooting gun for quite a bit less than list price of a Colt at the time (early 1990’s).
Since I got the Sig Sauer P210, I’ve gained some measure of appreciation for the “next level” in guns. Granted, the P210 is not a full custom piece like the $3K – $4K guns, but when I shoot it side by side with my Sig P229, it just blows the 229 out of the water accuracy-wise.
The only 1911 I have shot is my Springfield Armory Loaded, which ran just south of $1000 when I bought it last year. It shoots damn well, but not as good as my Sig P220 Super Match gun in .45 which cost close to the same price. It seems that $3K is about the entry price for a high end 1911. That seems about $1K too much to me. Then again, I’ve never shot any gun that cost $3K so what do I know.
Myeh–show me that a Wilson Combat gun is four times better than another and show me that I would notice the difference, and I’ll let you know when I can afford it. Until then, how about I just buy more ammo?
I have owned 2 Kimbers, 2 Sig 1911’s, a Remington and a Para and every single one had some type of stoppage or malfunction within the first 1000 rounds (sometimes less). I admit that the causes could be multi-factorial but the fact remains there were times when each one of these 1911’s would not go bang when I wanted it to.
What I can say about my Wilson is that it has never had a stoppage or even the hint, the whiff, of a hesitation with 1000+ rounds through it. If you look at the QA checklist that comes with your pistol, you see that 80 rounds of ammo of various grains (both FMJ and JHP) were test fired before it ever left the Wilson facility. It really is a beautiful piece (nothing too flashy, the “entry level” X-Tac) and is an EDC that I can have confidence in. I cannot say that about any of those other pistols.
And, for the record, I am sorry that there are some who believe the only means of achieving something you desire is through a trust fund or a rich uncle. I myself started off living hand to mouth and sometimes avoiding the landlord when the rent was due, but through study and hard work (working my ass off), I have been able to occasionally indulge myself with some nice things. Generally speaking, my hard earned money goes to more family oriented expenditures (read- where my wife thinks it should go.)
I should also point out that I traded a couple of my other 1911’s for the WC making my out of pocket price much more reasonable.
Never had one problem, misfeed, FTE, FTF, with any of the Kimbers I’ve owned…after 1000’s of rounds. So often I hear guy’s buying super expensive 1911’s saying the same things. Not saying it’s you or you are; but those guy’s often seem to say those things in part to justify the huge $$ spent or to simply lament being in the uber-expensive 1911 boy’s club.
Bottom line – a quality production 1911 (perhaps with a little fine-tuning), is going to run absolutely flawlessly with any kind of quality ammo and go bang every time (in my experience). Would I rather have a Wilson over my Kimber? You betcha. I just could never justify paying that much for a 1911 myself.
Wilson’s are indeed great 1911’s, no doubting that.
I agree that there are many quality production 1911’s out there. The Kimber I traded for the WC was my favorite pistol (the Sig 1911 I also traded, on the other hand, was a problem child and I shed no tear seeing it go, but that is a story for another day).
I am not knocking other manufacturers, I am just relaying the personal experiences I have had with the 1911’s that have come in and out of my life. Some were better than others and some were dogs (I was thrilled when the Para I owned would feed a full magazine without some type of stoppage). If I am going to carry a pistol, I have to have a very high degree of confidence that it will work when called upon. The Wilson gives me that.
I’d never buy one of their production pistols. Too expensive. But the parts I bought from them were great and the work they did on my Springfield GI model was spectacular.
It’s a wonderful gun and I still paid less than a Kimber and other high end 1911s for it.
Never had a single issue with it.
No hate here. Their not a bad company.
That said, it would be a cold day in hell before I would spend more than $1500 on a Wilson. They just are not that good. I’d much rather have a top end 1911 from Les Baer, Ed Brown, or one of the other numerous custom makers.
They are a TERRIBLE deal. They are a terrible bargain when it comes to quality per dollar.
I can see why there might be sticker shock on the WC. I own a frame and slide set of theirs and while I own 5 other 1911’s ( I have a small 1911 problem) their frame is fitted better than my Kimber TLE RL II, SW Performance Center, PARA P13, RIA tactical 9mm, and RIA tactical .45. I am having my local 1911 pistol smith put my Wilson slide and frame together for me. I was going to build it with all Wilson parts but the serial number was one of their first 25 for this particular series and when I spoke to our Wilson Rep he said that the wait on any 1911 is up to 2 years.
I think Wilson Combat is high end at its best, for us guys it’s hard to compare the Mustang Saleen to a Ferrari because we know how to get the most out of our Saleen. That the price difference is not as valuable to us or we see greater value elsewhere. 1911 is an awesome platform, WC makes great mags, parts, and guns price might be high but I know you get what you pay for. In closing Bill Wilson has done a ton for the sport of shooting so figure it as a fee (tax if you’re from California) for all those helpful tidbits Bill has passed along.
Is the WC worth the money? Couldn’t tell you. Is it worth it to the people who buy them? Sure sounds like it! Hey some people buy their dress shirts fro J.C. Penny’s for $35, others spend $250 for a custom made one. Is there a difference in marginal utility between them? Probably not. Is there a difference in overall quality, fit and finish? You bet!
Lets take this in a different direction. How many of you go look at a new pickup, look at the 3/4 ton model, with four doors, four wheel drive and the diesel, and say, “sure, I’ve got no issues paying $60,000 for this.” Same thing with the Wilson Combat.
We should all be very happy that this American made product is built by a company that is doing well and seems to give a shit about it’s employees.
I think the video actually hurt their case for selling expensive 1911s. The shop with the plywood, pegboard, and manual drill presses just does not scream sophistication.
Its a hard choice to make. My smith and Wesson shoots good enough for me and it was only $890 out the door. Their mags are nice but I don’t wanna pay 2800 for ANY gun. I’ve never shot their ammo, the shipping cost would be way to high to warrant the purchase.
I bought a WC “Classic” from my LGS. Traded in a very nice Sig X-Five and … I love it. My brother and niece came to visit and spent a couple hours shooting it at my range. He enjoyed it so much he bought one too.
What can I say? Is it 3x as nice as a $1,500 weapon? No! Is a Porsche 2x as nice as a Corvette, or a Ferrari 2x as nice as a Porsche? No, there are decreasing returns in life.
quality products from a quality company. i just can’t get into the 1911 platform. if i lived antwhere but ca i would check into their ar.
Well it costs me around $1,000 every time I get the urge to shoot a 1911, so I don’t think price is really a factor…;-)
I’d pay as much for a Wilson 1911 as I’d pay for a Dan Wesson 1911. As far as I’m concerned, that’s as good as a 1911 gets, and there’s no reason to pay more unless it’s engraved and wearing ivory grips.
Yep.
+1
I ordered a frame and slide from them years ago, they told me they sold already fit. What a joke, I lost count of the hours I put into getting the slide to fit the frame
I have handled and shot WC guns. They are great. But not $3-4k great. My $800 Kimber shoots just as well. Even after 60000 rounds. My shooting buddies Dan Wessons, Springfield Custom shop, and STI’s shoot just as well. Other friends have Les Baers, which actually shoot better than any Wilson I have seen. Another had a custom 1911 built by a well known gunsmith for less than an average Wilson. It was built exactly how he wanted, how he dreamed of a 1911. It shoots like a laser. Wilson just charges too damn much.
You are right. After a certain point, a 1911 is just a 1911. I have less that 800 dollars in my Citadel and it will easily do 1″ at 25 yards. All the extra money past that which is spent on acceptable quality component fitting is just for the smoke and mirror show of a brand. Fancy engraving, finishes, and grips have nothing to do with reliability.
Agree. My $750 Springfield Milspec has never failed me and like and AK its “loose” fit is more tolerant of dirt and grime then a precision built $3K Wilson Combat. If you are a serious competitive shooter a high price piece makes sense. If you bought it for everyday carry and occaisional IDPA there is no need to spend more than $1K on a 1911.
My Tanfoglio Witness Elite Match is just as accurate at 600.00 NIB.Mind you it’s a CZ Clone platform,it performs.
Ha, my CZ 75 is more accurate than almost any gun I have ever shot. Except for some custom CZ’s. And Sig p210. And a Les Baer Monolith.
Zero$ for Wilson Combat. I’d rather buy an extra SP101 in .357 and then send it off for $500 worth of custom work.
Strikes me as a lot of hype.
I’m just fine with my $1,000 and under 1911s.
But, hey, if you want one, fine by me.
I had a base 1911 modified by them in the early 2000s. Still came in under the price of what you’d pay for a regular Kimber and way better than any Kimber I’ve tried. YMMV.
I haven’t shot their 1911 or ARs, but the 6.8 SPC ammo they make is top notch.
Oh my god!
They have milling machines!
And a seat of SolidWorks!
And video, where executives talk about “quality.”
Color me unimpressed. Their setup doesn’t look very sophisticated. Their 1911s are par for the course when spending that kind of money on a 1911. Their ARs are a joke.
I sent my Colt off to them a few months ago should be here before the end of Sept. I’m pretty excited. I’ve had a few 1911, this will be my first “custom” I’ve shot a WC and really liked it that’s why I went with them. Other than that the best under 1500 1911 by far is my s&w.
I don’t get the hate….not one single positive comment. They are a great company.
I feel sorry for your spouses.
Because their like me, and are just jealous because they will never be able to afford one, or be able to justify spending that much on one. If money were no object and I were on the market for a 1911, I’d get a compact WC. But since I don’t have a trust fund, or a rich uncle that just died, I’ll save my pennies for a $700 Filipino made, American assembled STI Spartan IV.
I don’t think it is hatred. I just think it is more befuddlement. That we can’t understand why they charge 4 times as much as other brands. They are veryt nice. But not $4k nice
Personal preference, I have owned or shot many different 1911’s over the years. I now own multiple WC 1911’s, because I do believe there is a difference in build quality and aesthetics and their lifetime (of the firearm, not the owner) warranty. Doesn’t mean that other makers make crap, I just prefer WC.
No way can I justify $3000-4000 for a 1911. I own an Auto Ordnance 1911-A1 that I had a local gunsmith do a little work on, and got a great shooting gun for quite a bit less than list price of a Colt at the time (early 1990’s).
Since I got the Sig Sauer P210, I’ve gained some measure of appreciation for the “next level” in guns. Granted, the P210 is not a full custom piece like the $3K – $4K guns, but when I shoot it side by side with my Sig P229, it just blows the 229 out of the water accuracy-wise.
The only 1911 I have shot is my Springfield Armory Loaded, which ran just south of $1000 when I bought it last year. It shoots damn well, but not as good as my Sig P220 Super Match gun in .45 which cost close to the same price. It seems that $3K is about the entry price for a high end 1911. That seems about $1K too much to me. Then again, I’ve never shot any gun that cost $3K so what do I know.
Well, all the OFWG’s are gonna flame this but….
I wouldn’t trade a single one of my 37 Glocks for a single one of them.
Have a nice day!
Why 37?
Damn! Are the curator of the Glock museum or something?
I can put them all on a quarter with my Kimber TLE RL II custom production…good enough for me. Was $1100.
Myeh–show me that a Wilson Combat gun is four times better than another and show me that I would notice the difference, and I’ll let you know when I can afford it. Until then, how about I just buy more ammo?
Look up diminishing marginal utility. Things that cost 4x as much as a similar product never offer 4x the utility.
Sigh…..
I have owned 2 Kimbers, 2 Sig 1911’s, a Remington and a Para and every single one had some type of stoppage or malfunction within the first 1000 rounds (sometimes less). I admit that the causes could be multi-factorial but the fact remains there were times when each one of these 1911’s would not go bang when I wanted it to.
What I can say about my Wilson is that it has never had a stoppage or even the hint, the whiff, of a hesitation with 1000+ rounds through it. If you look at the QA checklist that comes with your pistol, you see that 80 rounds of ammo of various grains (both FMJ and JHP) were test fired before it ever left the Wilson facility. It really is a beautiful piece (nothing too flashy, the “entry level” X-Tac) and is an EDC that I can have confidence in. I cannot say that about any of those other pistols.
And, for the record, I am sorry that there are some who believe the only means of achieving something you desire is through a trust fund or a rich uncle. I myself started off living hand to mouth and sometimes avoiding the landlord when the rent was due, but through study and hard work (working my ass off), I have been able to occasionally indulge myself with some nice things. Generally speaking, my hard earned money goes to more family oriented expenditures (read- where my wife thinks it should go.)
I should also point out that I traded a couple of my other 1911’s for the WC making my out of pocket price much more reasonable.
Just sayin’.
Never had one problem, misfeed, FTE, FTF, with any of the Kimbers I’ve owned…after 1000’s of rounds. So often I hear guy’s buying super expensive 1911’s saying the same things. Not saying it’s you or you are; but those guy’s often seem to say those things in part to justify the huge $$ spent or to simply lament being in the uber-expensive 1911 boy’s club.
Bottom line – a quality production 1911 (perhaps with a little fine-tuning), is going to run absolutely flawlessly with any kind of quality ammo and go bang every time (in my experience). Would I rather have a Wilson over my Kimber? You betcha. I just could never justify paying that much for a 1911 myself.
Wilson’s are indeed great 1911’s, no doubting that.
I agree that there are many quality production 1911’s out there. The Kimber I traded for the WC was my favorite pistol (the Sig 1911 I also traded, on the other hand, was a problem child and I shed no tear seeing it go, but that is a story for another day).
I am not knocking other manufacturers, I am just relaying the personal experiences I have had with the 1911’s that have come in and out of my life. Some were better than others and some were dogs (I was thrilled when the Para I owned would feed a full magazine without some type of stoppage). If I am going to carry a pistol, I have to have a very high degree of confidence that it will work when called upon. The Wilson gives me that.
I’d never buy one of their production pistols. Too expensive. But the parts I bought from them were great and the work they did on my Springfield GI model was spectacular.
It’s a wonderful gun and I still paid less than a Kimber and other high end 1911s for it.
Never had a single issue with it.
No hate here. Their not a bad company.
That said, it would be a cold day in hell before I would spend more than $1500 on a Wilson. They just are not that good. I’d much rather have a top end 1911 from Les Baer, Ed Brown, or one of the other numerous custom makers.
They are a TERRIBLE deal. They are a terrible bargain when it comes to quality per dollar.
I can see why there might be sticker shock on the WC. I own a frame and slide set of theirs and while I own 5 other 1911’s ( I have a small 1911 problem) their frame is fitted better than my Kimber TLE RL II, SW Performance Center, PARA P13, RIA tactical 9mm, and RIA tactical .45. I am having my local 1911 pistol smith put my Wilson slide and frame together for me. I was going to build it with all Wilson parts but the serial number was one of their first 25 for this particular series and when I spoke to our Wilson Rep he said that the wait on any 1911 is up to 2 years.
I think Wilson Combat is high end at its best, for us guys it’s hard to compare the Mustang Saleen to a Ferrari because we know how to get the most out of our Saleen. That the price difference is not as valuable to us or we see greater value elsewhere. 1911 is an awesome platform, WC makes great mags, parts, and guns price might be high but I know you get what you pay for. In closing Bill Wilson has done a ton for the sport of shooting so figure it as a fee (tax if you’re from California) for all those helpful tidbits Bill has passed along.
Either Josh has a hard-on for WC or he works for them. Which is it? Fee for “helpful tidbits”? WTF is that? Put down the koolaid, son.
Is the WC worth the money? Couldn’t tell you. Is it worth it to the people who buy them? Sure sounds like it! Hey some people buy their dress shirts fro J.C. Penny’s for $35, others spend $250 for a custom made one. Is there a difference in marginal utility between them? Probably not. Is there a difference in overall quality, fit and finish? You bet!
Lets take this in a different direction. How many of you go look at a new pickup, look at the 3/4 ton model, with four doors, four wheel drive and the diesel, and say, “sure, I’ve got no issues paying $60,000 for this.” Same thing with the Wilson Combat.
We should all be very happy that this American made product is built by a company that is doing well and seems to give a shit about it’s employees.
I think the video actually hurt their case for selling expensive 1911s. The shop with the plywood, pegboard, and manual drill presses just does not scream sophistication.
Its a hard choice to make. My smith and Wesson shoots good enough for me and it was only $890 out the door. Their mags are nice but I don’t wanna pay 2800 for ANY gun. I’ve never shot their ammo, the shipping cost would be way to high to warrant the purchase.
I bought a WC “Classic” from my LGS. Traded in a very nice Sig X-Five and … I love it. My brother and niece came to visit and spent a couple hours shooting it at my range. He enjoyed it so much he bought one too.
What can I say? Is it 3x as nice as a $1,500 weapon? No! Is a Porsche 2x as nice as a Corvette, or a Ferrari 2x as nice as a Porsche? No, there are decreasing returns in life.
But it is a very, very nice handgun.