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

[Greenbean]

Great review, You took a lot of time "during" and then "after" in the way of posting the pictures and stuff. I used to post a lot in a Honda/Acura forum and man the pictures were the most time consuming. And of course spelling for me though...lol...
I appreciate your work. And I haven't gotten a 1911 yet but have a chance at a SA TRP from a family member for a great deal. Less then 600 rounds through it and it was my first "Virgin" 1911 outing back on Thanksgiving of 2006.
Your review makes me really wish there was more of a market for nice 1911, "custom" I mean in the area I live in. I could drive to Charlotte but then again it's not like custom guns just sit in cases like Kimbers and such for month after month. Anyway...I apreciate your work and am looking forward to a Nighthawk/Rock River/LB review like this one.
Keep up the good work!

[VA_Dinger]

Did anybody read the SWAT magazine article on the Ed Brown "Special Forces"?

How can you buy and then write an article on this particular pistol and THEN flame it for being named "Special Forces"? The author (Michael Tan) could have purchased any one of the other fifteen or so Ed Brown models an it would not have been an issue. I think it's silly anyways, but to complain about so many times in the article is a joke. It seems it’s getting fashionable to flame pistols nowadays. I guess they feel this makes them look more qualified when they find something to bitch about. Regardless if it’s a legitimate problem or not.

[Greenbean]

Did anybody read the SWAT magazine article on the Ed Brown "Special Forces"?

I picked it up and thumbed through it and was going to get it b/c of that article and then started to read the article and put it down and walked away...

[rob_s]

Did anybody read the SWAT magazine article on the Ed Brown "Special Forces"?

How can you buy and then write and article on this particular pistol and THEN flame it for being named "Special Forces"? The author (Michael Tan) could have purchased any one of the other fifteen or so Ed Brown models an it would not have been an issue. I think it's silly anyways, but to complain about so many times in the article is a joke. It seems it’s getting fashionable to flame pistols nowadays. I guess they feel this makes them look more qualified when they find something to bitch about. Regardless if it’s a legitimate problem or not.

I don't like the name. With that said, it doesn't keep me from buying it and shooting the hell out of it and enjoying it.

I drive a GTO. Alot of people don't like that this car is called a GTO. It doesn't keep me from buying it, driving the hell out of it, and enjoying it.

I always say, they could call it the "pink bunny slippers model" for all I care.

[R Moran]

Well, I fed it to the sharks, and right out of the gate one comes out to circle.

http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=163213

You should see what I went thru, a few times, when I told them a Colt Ar was better the A,B,D,R, etc.

Pat, had to extract me once.

Bob

[carshooter]

Rob,

Excellent review with great pictures to illustrate your points.

I will add that I have been conducting my own personal review of similar models over the last couple of years.

I've been around the block a couple of times with $2000 1911's. I currently own a Wilson Protector (it has enough range time that it's been refinished once), a Wilson CQB, an Ed Brown Cobra and a Les Baer Concept.

I've had several other similar guns, including a Thunder Ranch.

IMHO, on a high use gun the warantee and customer service does carry some serious weight. If the gun in question is going to be a safe queen, then service may not matter. However, if you intend to shoot it much, it will require maintenance and you'll avail yourself of the manufacturer's customer service eventually.

For instance, average barrel life of a match grade 1911 barrel is in the neighborhood of 25K rounds of hardball. (Plated bullet or cast lead loads are easier on the barrels and cause less wear and you'll probably acheive 3 times the life or so) I've been shooting primarily Rainier plated bullets and currently have about 35K through my Protector alone. I'd estimate that I'm a little better than half way through it's barrel life.

In my experience, service through Wilson is very reasonable and they often replace worn parts at their actual cost. I have a shooting buddy who had his CQB overhauled at 80K rounds. Wilson replaced the barrel, several other worn small parts and refinished the gun for a total cost of $250.

My 2 cents...........

[jmart]

Did anybody read the SWAT magazine article on the Ed Brown "Special Forces"?

How can you buy and then write an article on this particular pistol and THEN flame it for being named "Special Forces"? The author (Michael Tan) could have purchased any one of the other fifteen or so Ed Brown models an it would not have been an issue. I think it's silly anyways, but to complain about so many times in the article is a joke. It seems it’s getting fashionable to flame pistols nowadays. I guess they feel this makes them look more qualified when they find something to bitch about. Regardless if it’s a legitimate problem or not.

Yes, I did, and the author was only commenting on the names used for pistols. Just like X-Treme labels, tactcial labels, etc.

Now here are the guts of his gripes with the weapon, none of which have anything to do with what name was stamped on to the slide.

"When it arrived it didn't work. The hammer wouldn't cock when the slide reciprocated and the trigger was depressed". Resolution: Sent back to EB who promptly replaced teh disconnector and everything was corrected.

Then when he went to shooting the pistol, it didn't work with a variety of mags -- brand new Chip McCormick Powermags, Wilson 47 (7 rounders), Wilson 47D (8 rounders) and new McCormick Powermag mag tubes fitted with Tripp Research springs and metal skirted followers. The problem noted was reliably chambering the last round in each of these mags. Also noted, with either Wilson mag, the slide would not lock back.

Resolution: The problem was corrected after sourcing additional Ed Brown mags which use the Metalform full metal-skirted follower. These can be had in either a removable or welded baseplate design (the author made the point that the gun was equipped with a single mag with a welded baseplate but along the way the welds popped and dumped the guts of the mag during firing).

I certainly know from the AR world that mags are a big component for reliability. But just about any new GI mag or C-Products or HK mag will run fine. I'm not 1911 savvy by any stretch, but are Chip McCormick and Wilson mags considered poor quality? I always assumed those folks were well repected within the 1911 community. With respect to mag sensitivity, does anyone consider this account to be a "hyper sensitive" issue or is this acceptable?

[John Fettes]

The review here was heads & shoulders above any review I have read in any of the gunzines.

I too have almost purchased a magazine based on a story on a certain weapon but put it back after taking a closer look. Sad to say, I don't always take a close look before paying for the magazine. I need to do better.

John

[Business_Casual]

I don't like the name.

Can you imagine what a dork I felt like when LAV asked to see my copy in a class? Talk about feeling like a poser.

M_P

[TREE]

Can you imagine what a dork I felt like when LAV asked to see my copy in a class? Talk about feeling like a poser.

M_P

Yikes. I imagine I would have done a spontaneous Ralph Cramdon impression, "Hamana-hamana-hamana..."


I'm glad to see this write up. Hopefully this will lead to more comparison posts with pictures for emphasis.