STI vs Wilson Combat?

[BGREID]

I would like to know what makes Wilson worth double plus what a STI 1911 is. The STI seems to be a great deal for the price.

[amac]

I've never owned a Wilson, but have owned an STI. I've asked the same question. Basically, what you are going to hear is that STI is a mass produced product, where as the Wilson Combat is a fully custom 1911 with the highest attention to detail placed on the craftsmanship of the fit and finish. Both are excellent examples of the 1911. Buy what you are comfortable spending your money on. Both shoot the same caliber. One doesn't shoot better than the other, but might feel different in your hand. There are plenty of WC owners on this forum. I am sure they will chime in eventually.

Personally, I think Dan Wesson's Valor is as good as it gets for a semi-custom 1911. It's not much more than most STI's and is more than half the price of a WC. Personally, my STI gave me problems. I didn't have the patience to send it back to STI for review and repair, so I sold it. My Valor ran flawless and was as accurate as I could be. I'm currently without a 1911. If I bought another one today, I'd buy a Wilson Combat CQB! Good luck and I hope this gets your thread started in the right direction.

[theJanitor]

remember that the "percieved quality vs. cost" graph is not linear, with regards to 1911's

[samuse]

Some people can tell the difference, others can't.

I think STIs are hideous and not anything stellar in the performance dept either. 'Bout like a Springfield Loaded with a better sear. Except the STI is ugly and has been ruined with a ramped barrel.

[Pappabear]

I've never owned a Wilson, but have owned an STI. I've asked the same question. Basically, what you are going to hear is that STI is a mass produced product, where as the Wilson Combat is a fully custom 1911 with the highest attention to detail placed on the craftsmanship of the fit and finish. Both are excellent examples of the 1911. Buy what you are comfortable spending your money on. Both shoot the same caliber. One doesn't shoot better than the other, but might feel different in your hand. There are plenty of WC owners on this forum. I am sure they will chime in eventually.

Personally, I think Dan Wesson's Valor is as good as it gets for a semi-custom 1911. It's not much more than most STI's and is more than half the price of a WC. Personally, my STI gave me problems. I didn't have the patience to send it back to STI for review and repair, so I sold it. My Valor ran flawless and was as accurate as I could be. I'm currently without a 1911. If I bought another one today, I'd buy a Wilson Combat CQB! Good luck and I hope this gets your thread started in the right direction.

As you see, when you buy a better gun, you increase the chances it will run great and will be built with superior parts and craftsmanship. The above mentioned STI is gone! My favorite semi custom is the TRP.

[rathos]

I don't own a high end 1911 but I have shot a few. Honestly, they might look better, but they function the same as my springfields and my STI so far. My low end springfield loaded has been the best performing so far, though my STI is shaping up to be just as good if not better. My TRP has made one trip back to Springfield so far, but has been reliable so far since then (it was sent back due to feeding issues). Granted the STI is in 9mm and I have heard they are more prone to issues in that caliber but so far I have about 900 or so rounds through my STI Duty one 5.0 and the only issues I have had is with crappy PMC ammo.

I think the biggest difference you would notice is if you were going with a shorter format 1911 as wilson has seemed to figure those out. I went with an STI 9mm as it seems like they have that caliber figured out. The wilson would have also been a good choice, but I didn't want to wait.

[dsa]

My gunsmith told me that STI products are some of the most consistent in the industry.

[theJanitor]

STI single stacks are about the ugliest 1911's ever built, and would never commission a gun to be built on an STI base (all my 1911's are custom). Since the only pieces retained from base guns are the frame and slide, STI's single stacks are not considered

Pistolsmith extraordinaire, Jerry Keefer says their slides are the straightest and most consistent for building Bullseye guns, though. I would not doubt his assessment.

[beschatten]

STI single stacks are about the ugliest 1911's ever built, and would never commission a gun to be built on an STI base (all my 1911's are custom). Since the only pieces retained from base guns are the frame and slide, STI's single stacks are not considered

Pistolsmith extraordinaire, Jerry Keefer says their slides are the straightest and most consistent for building Bullseye guns, though. I would not doubt his assessment.

Thats a pretty cool fact I never knew. Both my Colts, S70 and S80 (mfg 2014 and 2012) had crooked slides that needed addressing.

[dutch]

Wilson is up there, would be my 1st choice other than a full custom. Most any good quality 1911 can be made to run, remember this is all the same platform so it's not like we're comparing cats and dogs. One of the best smiths I know and one that's on this site told me long ago that after a point all your paying for is his time, as in name, labor and art(cosmetics). That said, Cosmetics play a big part in my purchase or I would just have glocks or hks. It's all what u want and can afford, they cost more but there desired more and bring a premium. Get what you like as long as it runs. They're all 1911s.