Wilson Combat 1911 .45 for how much? no way! no really, that much?

[gm652]

I was gun shopping today and found a new wilson combat 1911 .45 with a price tag of $7100. I did ask if that was a misprint. The young man assured me it was correct and went on to say that similar models have sold very well in the same ballpark on price. I'm all about charging a price that the market will bear. I believe in capitalism 100% but someone please help me understand what makes wc pistols worth that much. I have had several guns worked on by very qualified gunsmiths with outstanding result for many times less then the cost of this gun..someone please help me understand..I'm all ears..

 

[BiscuitNaBasket]

Some of their high end stuff is really outrageous to me, but I'm sure there are some 1911 people who can afford to pay and will pay that much for one.

 

[SERparacord]

I was gun shopping today and found a new wilson combat 1911 .45 with a price tag of $7100. I did ask if that was a misprint. The young man assured me it was correct and went on to say that similar models have sold very well in the same ballpark on price. I'm all about charging a price that the market will bear. I believe in capitalism 100% but someone please help me understand what makes wc pistols worth that much. I have had several guns worked on by very qualified gunsmiths with outstanding result for many times less then the cost of this gun..someone please help me understand..I'm all ears..

It didn't happen or you would have pictures. But my guess would be that is was a Super-grade Tactical w/Turnbull additives.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I have had several guns worked on by very qualified gunsmiths with outstanding result for many times less then the cost of this gun..someone please help me understand..I'm all ears..

Why does a Breitling cost so much more than a Timex when it doesn't keep time any better?

 

[Butch627]

Why does a Breitling cost so much more than a Timex when it doesn't keep time any better?

Do those watches share the same basic design with interchangeable parts?

 

[Disposable Heart]

Even for their Supergrade series, that's a bit high (MSRP, NEW, is about $5200).

Then again, there are no lists, first come, first serve, so I would imagine some huckle-**** marking it up. Like the Milt Sparks holsters, sure, you can wait a year and pay a few hundred, or buy one now online for ALOT more and get it immediately.

Having fired two in my life, there is a solid reason they are worth that much... Yes, there is a name thing. One can get a Les Baer or similar full custom build for about 2-4k, but there's an aesthetic quality not present in those customs.

 

[NHT3]

Wilsons are as good a 1911, IMHO, as your money can buy.. When you get to a 7K Wilson (or any other pistol) you are talking about a barbecue gun. Just my .02
[FONT=&quot]NRA Life Member[/FONT][FONT=&quot]-- [/FONT] NRA Basic pistol instructor[FONT=&quot] [/FONT][FONT=&quot][/FONT]
[h=3]Certified Glock armorer—GSSF Member[FONT=&quot][/FONT][/h] [FONT=&quot] [/FONT]1911, M&P & Ruger MK III Mechanic[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]

 

[jwh20]

As with beauty, value is also in the eye of the beholder. The Wilson Combat 1911's are hand-made by craftsmen and are, if you look closely, a work of art. Do they perform better than a mass-produced 1911? Probably not so much to justify the price. But then why would anyone pay $500K for a Lambo that vs. $75K for a Corvette when both will do essentially the same thing, at least under the circumstances where you can use them.

Clearly there is a market for high-end 1911's like the ones from Wilson and so I have to assume that there are people who believe it's something they WANT to have.

For me? No way! If I had $7000 to spend on firearms I think my shopping list would be a bit longer than:

QTY DESCRIPTION PRICE
----------------------------------
1 Wilson Combat 1911 $7100

 

[churchmouse]

As with beauty, value is also in the eye of the beholder. The Wilson Combat 1911's are hand-made by craftsmen and are, if you look closely, a work of art. Do they perform better than a mass-produced 1911? Probably not so much to justify the price. But then why would anyone pay $500K for a Lambo that vs. $75K for a Corvette when both will do essentially the same thing, at least under the circumstances where you can use them.

Clearly there is a market for high-end 1911's like the ones from Wilson and so I have to assume that there are people who believe it's something they WANT to have.

For me? No way! If I had $7000 to spend on firearms I think my shopping list would be a bit longer than:

QTY DESCRIPTION PRICE
----------------------------------
1 Wilson Combat 1911 $7100

Yup

 

[gm652]

The gun is for sale at the Indiana gun club in fishers..along with several others for 4-6k...

 

[churchmouse]

The gun is for sale at the indiana gun club in fishers..along with sever others for 4-6k...

They are known for stocking high end 1911 offerings but the area up there will support that. If I hit the lottery there would be a few of those in my safe. Until then (not holding breath) I will stay in the 1K area and do the internal love myself.

 

[Mark 1911]

Even for their Supergrade series, that's a bit high (MSRP, NEW, is about $5200).

Then again, there are no lists, first come, first serve, so I would imagine some huckle-**** marking it up. Like the Milt Sparks holsters, sure, you can wait a year and pay a few hundred, or buy one now online for ALOT more and get it immediately.

Having fired two in my life, there is a solid reason they are worth that much... Yes, there is a name thing. One can get a Les Baer or similar full custom build for about 2-4k, but there's an aesthetic quality not present in those customs.

Agree. You're paying more but don't have the 2 year wait that you do when you order the exact one you want custom from WC.

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

but the area up there will support that.

There's your answer right there.

 

[SERparacord]

Agree. You're paying more but don't have the 2 year wait that you do when you order the exact one you want custom from WC.

There you go, most will not wait and pay the price. Plus for that price you can have a Jones 1911.

 

[rockhopper46038]

I think SERparacord was right upthread. Indy Gun Club is only a few blocks away from me so I may go see it for myself, but they are a Master dealer for Wilson and they get to spec guns rather than take the simple allocations that other gun shops warrant. I'm seen a couple pictures on the Wilson site of guns that ended up going to the Indy Gun Club. One of them was a Turnbull blued, case colored Supergrade with fossilized Wooly Mammoth tusk grips. Take a $5K Supergrade, add $1K for the grips alone, another $1K-$2K for the custom bluing and the French border machining, checkering, etc. and that gun hit $7K pretty quick.

I think mine are worth what I paid for them, but past the $3K or so of a CQB Elite, Professional or BWC I concede that you're buying personalization and gunsmithing art.

 

[88E30M50]

To me, a $7100 1911 speaks volumes about why I love 1911s. I'll never be able to afford something like that, but am happy that it exists none the less. The 1911 can be anything from a pedestrian Rock Island or Remington to a hand crafted work of art and still be pure 1911. There is a place in the world (and my safe) for the utility guns like a Glock but I'll always have room for something that was crafted by a human being. In an age of automation that's taking the human out of a lot of production work, you have to love something that's built by a craftsman.

 

[SERparacord]

To me, a $7100 1911 speaks volumes about why I love 1911s. I'll never be able to afford something like that, but am happy that it exists none the less. The 1911 can be anything from a pedestrian Rock Island or Remington to a hand crafted work of art and still be pure 1911. There is a place in the world (and my safe) for the utility guns like a Glock but I'll always have room for something that was crafted by a human being. In an age of automation that's taking the human out of a lot of production work, you have to love something that's built by a craftsman.

Great post, till you said Glock.

 

[MikeDVB]

My WC 1911 was ~$2700 from IGC and I put about $700 into it after that.

Worth every penny IMHO - it's my EDC and I trust my life with it.

 

[palerider0485]

you can spend 7100 on a 1911 and it wont shoot any better them my 1700 dollar invested colt.

 

[churchmouse]

you can spend 7100 on a 1911 and it wont shoot any better them my 1700 dollar invested colt.

Maybe not but the rush is greater.