Wilson Combat has built a reputation for excellence providing gun-owners with custom firearms ideal for tactical training, personal defense, home defense, hunting, and competition. Take a closer look at the company’s history and their current five best-selling weapons.
History Of Wilson Combat
Wilson Combat has been manufacturing custom firearms since 1977. Founder Bill Wilson was a trained watchmaker who had a life-long infatuation with guns. In 1974 Bill entered the firearm industry while working at a gun shop called Sportsman’s Headquarters in Berryville, Arkansas. Three years later he opened his own gunsmith business, “Wilson’s Gun Shop,” in the back of his family-owned jewelry store, “Wilson’s Jewelry.”
In the early days of Wilson Combat, Bill modified handguns like the Colt 1911-A1, Smith & Wesson Model 10, and various Ruger SA revolvers. By the 1980s, Bill was making his own parts to build custom pistols, usually 1911s. Customers were impressed by the quality of Bill’s work and it wasn’t long before his name was associated with excellence.
How They’re Made
In the video below, Vickers Tactical takes a trip to see how these beautiful weapons are made. Greg Martin shows how the company’s most popular handgun, the CQB, is made by hand. The demanding process requires incredible attention to detail, but the final product is well worth the effort.
Five Top Best Selling Wilson Combat Firearms
Using data collected from Gun Broker by Gun Genius, we’ve gathered the five top selling guns made by WC. Take a closer look at these popular firearms below.
Wilson Combat CQB
The CQB, Close Quarters Battle, is the flagship of the Wilson Combat armory. Easily the most popular handgun, the CQB is a modern version of John M. Browning’s iconic 1911. The CQB blends classic style with modern demands for accuracy, quality, and reliability.
Features
- Caliber: .45 ACP, 10mm, .40 S&W, .38 Super, 9mm
- Capacity: 8+1
- Barrel: 5″
- Empty Weight: 40 ounces
- Loaded Weight: 45.4 ounces
- Overall Length: 8.7″
- Width: 1.3″
- Height: 5.6″
- Sight Radius: 6.6″
Sin City Guns reviews the CQB after running it through three different IDPA custom defensive pistol division shoots.
Hunter
The Hunter is the WC version of a hunting handgun. Built on a classic 1911 frame, the Hunter adds an integral single-port compensator for improved recoil dampening and a Crimson Trace laser grip for better aim in low-light conditions.
Features
- Caliber: .460 Rowland, 10mm
- Capacity: 7+1
- Barrel: 5.5″
- Empty Weight: 42.8 ounces
- Loaded Weight: 47.2 ounces
- Overall Length: 9.2″
- Width: 1.3″
- Height: 5.5″
- Sight Radius: 6.9″
Sin City Review partnered with MK3 Firearms for a review of this incredibly unique Wilson Combat Hunter in .460 Rowland. This particular model was built from a gunsmith kit. The frame and slide have been provided by Wilson, but everything else is custom.
ARP Tactical
Based on the AR-15, the WC ARP Tactical is perfect for home or vehicle defense. The ARP Tactical is technically classified as a pistol in most states, but still maintains the accuracy, quality, and dependability crafted into each Wilson Combat tactical rifle. The Schockwave pistol brace comes standard and the barrel can be made suppressor-ready by request.
Features
- Caliber: 5.56x45mm/.223
- Capacity: varies with magazine
- Barrel: 11.3″
- Empty Weight: 6 pounds, 3 ounces
- Loaded Weight: varies with magazine
- Overall Length: 27″
CQB Elite
The CQB Elite takes the WC standard bearer up a notch with a series of custom features that come standard to meet the needs of tactical shooters. Bullet Proof® parts are used throughout the CQB elite along with G10 grips and a tapered cut-out for improved access to the raised mag-release.
Features
- Caliber: .45 ACP, 10mm, .40 S&W, .38 Super, 9mm
- Capacity: 8+1
- Barrel: 5″
- Empty Weight: 41 ounces
- Loaded Weight: 46.6 ounces
- Overall Length: 8.7″
- Width: 1.3″
- Height: 5.6″
- Sight Radius: 6.6″
Texas Gun Blog takes a closer look at the CQB Elite in the review below.
Recon Tactical
The WC Recon Tactical features a match-grade, medium-weight stainless steel barrel built for supreme accuracy and sustained fire. It’s the perfect AR for tactical training, hunting, and competition.
Features
- Caliber: 5.56 NATO, 6.8 SPC, .300 Blackout, .308 Win, 7.62x40mm WT, .458 SOCOM
- Capacity: varies with magazine
- Barrel: 16″
- Empty Weight: 7 pounds
- Loaded Weight: varies with ammunition and magazine
- Overall Length: 33″
Larry Vickers of Vickers Tactical takes a closer look at the Recon Tactical in .308 Win below.
Shotguns
Wilson Combat is known for their 1911s, but they also manufacture a range of custom shotguns that are perfect for defense, sport, and hunting. Take a look at some of their most popular models below.
Border Patrol
The Border Patrol is the main workhorse of the Wilson Combat Scattergun Technologies collection. Thousands of these rough-and-tumble pump-action shotguns are used by the United States Border Patrol agency every day. The Armor-Tuff finish keeps the Border Patrol free of corrosion in the harshest environments a firearm can encounter.
Features
- Caliber: 12 gauge
- Capacity: 6 + 1
- Barrel: 18.4″
- Empty Weight: 7 pounds, 7 ounces
- Overall Length: 39″
Professional
The Professional takes the quality and reliability of Wilson Combat’s scatterguns and condenses them into a smaller package. This short barreled shotgon offers supreme mobility in tight spaces. Equipped with a Surefire lighted pump grip, the Professional is a great option for home defense. This compact shotgun comes standard with a 6 round sidesaddle.
Features
- Caliber: 12 gauge
- Capacity: 5 + 1
- Barrel: 14″
- Empty Weight: 8 pounds, 4 ounces
- Overall Length: 31.4″