Founded in the back of his family's jewelry store in 1977 to help support his competition pistol habit, Bill Wilson's little custom gun shop has grown to become a household name and employs hundreds.
Bill Wilson was one of the original custom M1911 competitors back in the days when Chip McCormick was on the circuit and a Mickey Fowler was on the cover of American Handgunner beside a young Rob Leatham.
Beginning with basic gunsmithing and parts, Wilson's one-man operation grew quickly, and many of the world's top pistol shooters were soon carrying guns with some of his ingredients. To this day, the Wilson Combat's legendary 1911 magazines are the go-to for many and often ship as O.E. with some of the better .45s on the market today outside of WC's own creations.
Over the years, Wilson Combat has expanded into defensive carry guns and gear, tactical shotguns, and AR rifles. Along the way, the company has brought Chip McCormick Custom, Lehigh Defense, New Ultralight Arms, and Scattergun Technologies under its banner. According to the most recent data available from federal regulators, Wilson Combat in 2020 produced no less than 9,409 pistols and 7,532 rifles in its Berryville, Arkansas, flagship facility.
"It's hard to believe that the one-man gunsmithing shop I started in a 10'x20' area in the back of my dad's jewelry store 45 years ago has grown to a multi-brand enterprise with over 200 employees in three states," said Wilson. "It's been quite a ride, and it couldn't have been accomplished without our awesome team members."
45th Anniversary 1911
Wilson Combat just wouldn't be where it is today without Bill Wilson's soft spot for the 1911 platform, so it just makes sense that it would salute the past 45 years of living the dream by crafting a small run of "retro" style guns that would be instantly familiar to those who have leafed through one of WC's late 1970s and early 1980s catalogs.
Other features include a fully hand-polished deluxe blue finish with WC's volant eagle logo, and premium desert ironwood grips featuring a smooth finish. As you would expect, it has a three-hole trigger that has a pull weight of between 3.5 and 4.5 pounds. The hand-fit pistol, in a nod to today's shooters, runs a full-length guide rod, an ambi thumb safety, and a 30-LPI checkered front strap.
MSRP on the 45th Anniversary gun is $4K, which is only $725 when adjusted back to 1977 dollars, but good luck getting one for that President Carter-era price point. Who says inflation isn't a thing, eh?