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Thread: Ed Brown Special Forces vs Wilson Combat CQB vs Yost-Bonitz 1* Springfield Armory GI

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  1. #1
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    Ed Brown Special Forces vs Wilson Combat CQB vs Yost-Bonitz 1* Springfield Armory GI

    Ed Brown Special Forces
    Wilson Combat CQB
    Yost-Bonits 1* Enhanced Springfield Armory GI

    I have been wanting to do a comparison of $1800 1911 pattern pistols for awhile. I was somewhat holding out until I got an Rock River Arms to go with these, but figured I could always add the RRA to the list later on. In fairness, I cheated a bit with regards to the CQB in that I bought it used. I am not letting the wear frm the used gun color my perception of these pistols, and I have handled plenty of brand new CQBs to know what issues with my gun are wear related.

    I'm going to give each pistol a "score" for each aspect, with 3 being the best and 1 being the worst. This is totally arbitrary, and I have no idea what the outcome will be. In many cases one aspect should be weighted higher or lower than another, but I'm just going to stick to a simple scoring system. If you like it then use it, if you don't then ignore it. We don't, however, need to hijack the thread discussing it.

    I finally got the pictures taken and thought I'd at least post a few of those. I'm going to put up a separate post in the thread for each aspect of the pistols, and say which of the 3 I like the best and why for each aspect. I'm going to start with the general photos in this post.

    So, on with the general pics.


















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    Slide to frame fit

    The Yost is the "grittiest" feeling of the three. I do not believe that much was done as a part of the 1* package to address the slide-to-frame fit, and it feels in the way that the slide moves back and forth. It doesn't bind, but it's not exactly smooth either. The Brown, on the other hand, feels like it is on ball bearings. It is so smooth in the way that the slide moves that it's amazing. The Wilson feels on par with other Wilson's I've felt, and while close to the feel of the Brown, it's just a little bit rougher.

    I'm not sure what any of this has to do with function. Many people would say "as long as the gun shoots, who cares?" That is a good point, but I have to say that the Brown also feels like it recoils the smoothest as well. It does stand to reason that the gun that has the smoothest action when hand cycling would also have the smoothest action when firing.

    So, for this portion:
    Brown 3
    Wilson 2
    Yost 1

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    Finish

    I will also say that the finish (or lack thereof) of the Yost gun is the most lacking. You will see in subsequent pictures that the matte stainless finish is rusting in places. I am not a big fan of excessive maintenance on firearms, and all three of these have been equally (mis)treated. The Yost by far is the least resistant to rust. Which isn't to say that you can't get the gun teflon finished, or finished in whatever hi-tec gun finish you like, but that would add $200+/- to the cost of the gun, and thereby take it out of the $1800 range of the other two. Of the other two, the Wilson has the most wear, but it's also the most outwardly abused. I am impressed at how the exposed metal under the worn finish does not rust. The Brown apears to display this same characteristic, but that finish appears to be wearing a bit fast for my tastes.

    So for this portion:
    Wilson 3
    Brown 2
    Yost 1

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    Aesthetics

    I prefer the overall look of the Brown to the other two. The basic black finish with the basic wood grips, lack of cocking serrations, lack of port-side slide markings, and the striking "chain mail" checkering make for a neat twist on an otherwise "classic" looking gun. My next preference would be for the Yost. The black grips on the stainless gun just looks damn functional. Last would be the Wilson. I know that you can order the Wilson in a variety of colors now, but when the CQB first came out it was introduced in black and green and that seems to be the color scheme most often associated with it. The slightly off black color of the stock grips just doesn't seem to fit either.

    So for this portion:
    Brown 3
    Yost 2
    Wilson 1

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    Slide Stops

    The overall profile of the slide stop on each of the pistols is identical. None of the three are recessed on the starboard side. As such, the only thing to judge them on is the surface treatment. The Yost is checkered while the Brown and Wilson are serrated. The Yost piece is, I think, one of their own so I don't believe it to be an issue of the stock Springfield piece just coming that way. I honestly don't have a preference either way; serrated or checkered. In theory the checkered part should cost more, so I'll call it advantage Yost. This leaves the Wilson and Brown tied. I think the Wilson part may be MIM (this is an older gun) which would make me prefer the Brown, but since the current CQB is de-MIMed I'll call it even.

    Yost 3
    Wilson 1
    Brown 1






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    Quote Originally Posted by rob_s
    The Yost is the "grittiest" feeling of the three. I do not believe that much was done as a part of the 1* package to address the slide-to-frame fit, and it feels in the way that the slide moves back and forth. It doesn't bind, but it's not exactly smooth either.
    Unless you order the 1* Elite package, they do not do any frame fitting. You also have to remember that the gun was built up using a SA GI frame and slide, not on oversize frame and slide like the Bown or CQB. My old Yost and my Les Baer were totally different in feel. I think it would be more fair to compare the frame fit between the CQB and the Ed Brown.

    I do know what you mean though when you say your Brown is super smooth. That is how my Les Baer feels. Granted it was so damn tight I could barely rack the slide when I got it - now it seems to be on ball bearings.

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    Quote Originally Posted by STS
    Unless you order the 1* Elite package, they do not do any frame fitting. You also have to remember that the gun was built up using a SA GI frame and slide, not on oversize frame and slide like the Bown or CQB. My old Yost and my Les Baer were totally different in feel. I think it would be more fair to compare the frame fit between the CQB and the Ed Brown.

    I do know what you mean though when you say your Brown is super smooth. That is how my Les Baer feels. Granted it was so damn tight I could barely rack the slide when I got it - now it seems to be on ball bearings.
    I would disagree with you and agree with Rob on this. They are all $1800ish pistols and should be compared on an even playing field. The Elite is more expensive and would be compared to more expensive EB's and WC's.

    For the amount of money they charge for the 1* (base) package there should be more hand fitting done to the frame/slide.
    Full disclosure - I am an Engineering Supervisor at Trijicon, Inc.

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    bullit has it spot on. The issue here is what's available at a certain actual street price and how they stack up against each other. Nobody is giving out A's for effort or rewarding someone for starting down a tougher path. Yes, Y-B could have built the gun on a different frame and slide, but that would cost more than $1800 in almost every case.

    I wanted, and still want, the best 1911 I can get for $1800; real world price. I don't know if one of these three is it or not, but I think that in comparing these three the photos speak for themselves in many cases. Hopefully in doing this photo-comparison and adding to it as time goes on, I can help other people make their own decisions about what is best for them.

    I'm hoping to be able to sell-off the two "losers" in this comparison and pick up a couple examples from other manufactuers to add to it. RRA and Nighthawk being tops on my list of desired guns to work in here. I'm not sure that Nighthawk has anything that I can scrounge up for $1800 though.

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