The birth of a unique Tactical Supergrade, our finest combat pistol is profiled here, for the first time. Recently, we heard from an old friend-a “Been There-Done That” kind of guy who really understands the 1911, wanted a Supergrade for his daily use. We were happy to oblige and this is the chronology of this very special pistol built to his discriminating specifications by a team of our Supergrade pistolsmiths.
This pistol was ordered as a Tactical Supergrade, gray and black Armor-Tuff with a little extra carry bevel, new Battlesight rear and tritium front.
A medium length solid trigger was chosen since this shooter normally wears gloves while on the range. A GI-style recoil rod with a smooth Bullet-Proof plug, left “in the white” was added for a classic look.
The slide wears ball endmill cuts reminiscent of the original 1911 pistols with the rear serrated to match the Battlesight. A nice set of aggressive Gray/Black G-10 grips were also specified and the users initials finish it off.
This is the birth of our finest combat pistol, a unique Tactical Supergrade. Click on an image below to enjoy the slideshow. Click the arrows to move to the next picture.
-
- Master pistolsmith James Waters starts by deburring the forged frame rails
-
- Rails are deburred to get a long-lasting, smooth even fit
-
- Every corner must be broken and smooth of chatter or machine marks
-
- The slide barely starts on the frame prior to hand lapping- a tedious job.
-
- James takes measurements along the way to ensure a proper fit
-
- The slide rails get a good workover
-
- Hand chamfering the vertical impact surface of the frame-a critical job
-
- A True breechface, within spec is required prior to barrel fitting
-
- This breechface is perfected by James
-
- Hand filing the barrel hood for a minimal clearance, “hard fit” that will eventually be lapped in
-
- A perfect barrel fit starts with the hood. James eyeballs for adequate clearance
-
- Finishing the lower lugs, by hand-the Supergrade way. No power tools here..this is a cut and try operation.
-
- Fitting the bushing skirt, by hand
-
- The slide, frame and barrel are “hard fitted” as one unit.
-
- Chris Davidson, Supergrade Pistolsmith inspects the fitted slide frame and barrel and is getting ready to commence with reliability tuning-extractor, ramp and barrel chamber/throat.
-
- Notice the machine work has already been accomplished by a Wilson machinist-sight cuts, checkering, and slide serrations are complete and just need final detailing.
-
- Chris makes sure the preliminary job meets his approval.
-
- At this point, it is starting to look like a pistol.
-
- Lets get that extractor fit just right-that is critical to the reliability of a 1911.
-
- Supergrade Pistolsmith Mike Campbell gets ready to begin where Chris left off.
-
- First, he attacks the trigger job by getting the hammer hooks perfectly square.
-
- Fitting the mainspring housing is an integral part of any trigger job. A loose one can ruin the feel of your pistol.
-
- Making sure all the parts meet his critical eye, Mike starts fitting small parts and takes on the daunting task of hand finishing the checkering-there are several hours in that task alone
-
- Mike polishes out a Bullet-Proof beavertail for flawless fit-these parts are oversized and will require skilled handwork.
-
- Remember that extractor that Chris fit? Well, Mike blends it in and serrates it perfectly, by hand.
-
- The finished rear of slide.
-
- Things are starting to come together. Lots of bench-testing along the way.
-
- After Campbell finishes his tasks, he passes the pistol off to James Waters, a Supergrade pistolsmith with a keen eye for detail.
-
- James will now start critiquing the overall fit and finish-the third set of eyes to inspect each part!
-
- A “naked” slide getting ready for custom markings
-
- James working the laser to burn perfect markings for this Super Grade
-
- Getting there!
-
- James gets that perfect Wilson carry melt and bevel with files, stones and special compound loaded wheels.
-
- Getting the muzzle contour just right-no sharp edges here! A slip here could be a disaster.
-
- All small parts have been finish prepped and inspected-again for proper fit, finish and correctness.
-
- Getting ready for the bead blasting. Every part has been blended and finished by a Supergrade pistolsmith.
-
- Bead blasting all external parts to a uniform finish prior to Armor-Tuff.
-
- A “basket” of gun getting ready for the finish shop. James’ work is now done.
-
- Master craftsman Brandon Collier immerses the cleaned and blasted parts into a phosphate bath. No shortcuts here. The phosphate is crucial to a long lasting, hard wearing application of Armor-Tuff.
-
- Cleaning the phosphated parts-notice there are two stainless parts that do not darken in the solution.
-
- Brandon starts applying the Armor-Tuff to the super-clean, freshly phosphated parts.
-
- An eye for detail and an artist’s touch is required here.
-
- Special fixtures hold parts in special ovens designed for the curing process.
-
- The Armor-Tuff coated parts are allowed to rest for a while and then they make it back to the bench of Chris Davidson for final assembly and a once over.
-
- Special attention is placed on the parts to ensure that everything meets his critical specifications and that the finish job is acceptable.
-
- Chris is happy with the final build and applies a few tweaks- a little stoning here, a spring tweak there and its almost ready for testfire.
-
- Chris ensures the Speed-Chute magwell was perfectly blended by Mike. it is.
-
- The customer specified some nice gray/black G-10. We happened to have a set with the old medallions set aside for him.
-
- Testfire technician now picks the ball up and rolls with it.
-
- The Wilson Combat testfire protocol is over 80 rounds, freestyle and strong hand only trying to get the gun to choke with a variety of ammunition types. This one ate everything in sight with nary a bobble. We test all full-size 1911′s with 47-D, ETM and 10 round magazines.
-
- Scott shooting with the 10round magazines.
-
- Scott’s test target at 15 yards. This gun, like all Supergrade pistols will SHOOT!
-
- The customer specified our new Battlesight, with a matte black rear blade and tritium front.
-
- Top view
-
- The “business end” Perfect muzzle crown and customer specified stainless plug.
-
- A perfectly blended Speed-Chute.
-
- A nice view of the Bullet proof thumb safety, grip safety and how this area is blended and radiused for shooting comfort.
-
- The owner’s initials. I guess the jig is up.
-
- Larry Vickers’ new Tactical Supergrade with a few thoughtful options
-
- Our ultimate fighting pistol-The Tactical Supergrade
-
- Larry Vickers with his new Wilson Combat Tactical Supergrade.
14 Responses to The Building of a Masterpiece-The Chronology of a Special Tactical Supergrade-From Start to Finish
Leave a Reply
Search Our Blog
Categories
Prices and Specifications Subject to Change without Notice, Firearms will be Invoiced at Prevailing Prices at Time of Delivery.
Unique Gun Gallery
Need some inspiration for your next gun build? Check out our Unique Gun Gallery
by clicking here!Current Build Times
Contact customer service at
(800) 955-4856
for current build times.
If you are in need of a Wilson Combat firearm sooner than our current build time allows, please contact one of our stocking dealers. Find one in your area by clicking here.
Wilson Combat Catalog
Click here to download the 2012 Wilson Combat Catalog.
Price List
Click here for the current price list for all handguns, shotguns, rifles and accessories.
Service Policy
Click here for information about the world famous Wilson Combat service policy.
Great photos on the process. Thanks for sharing.
Wow!……… Great series of pictures showing the amount of hand work and detail that goes into a Wilson Combat. There is a difference. I’ve got a new XTAC on the way, my second WC, and this makes me appreciate these works of art all the more. Awesome post. Thanks.
Why the scowl, Larry? If that were my custom Supergrade with “DMD” engraved on it I would be grinning ear-to-ear!!
I’ve acquired 5 or 6 Wilson’s over the years, as well as a slew of other 1911′s that have been sent in for this or that. Matt Riker will have my new Xtac done in a week or two as well–thing is, I’ve always been baffled about how you guys do it for the price. Guess it’s true: “Only costs a little more to go first class”. What I want out of a 1911 is absolute reliability, precision, and accuracy. Hell, like Clint Smith always said, it sure don’t hurt either if its purdy. Good to finally get a glimpse of how you do all that!
Excellent work………….. I own over dozen 1911s from all different makes and models, I have being shooting over 25 years and never shot a pistol with this much consistent accuracy and reliability. I own two Wilson Combat 1911s (CQB Elite and Classic custom) they are worth every penny!! Wilson Combat is currently building my third firearm, an AR15 model for my Police duties which I will carry in the squad car. Great job WC!!!!!!
Nicely done !
It’s great to see all the steps that go into the build process.
And hard to wait the next six weeks for my CQB Elite.
Nice! Love the sequential pictures, snarl, and the 80rd test fire!
I’ll take it!
Nice photographic chronology of the work.
You know, I was looking at these pictures of the process again last night, and something struck me that hadn’t before. Larry Vickers is one of those 1911 icons everyone of us would love to sit down and have a beer with if we could…..he wanted a Wilson. And then it hit me: Wilson Combat, aside from a few specs here and there, didn’t do anything really “special” that they don’t already do for any of their guns, or would tweek for the rest of us if we asked them to. American made by a 100% American company, a unique American style gun that’s been around in one form or another for nearly 100 years, all made possible by the American Constitution, American free market, and American way of life. All for a fair price. You can probably tell already that I spent 32 years in the American Army and damned if this don’t make me love being an American all over again. Just sayin’. Gator-6 Out.
I’d like to have one EXACTLY like it, except for different initials of course.
Did you take video of this Tactical Supergrade process to produce DVD’s like your videos on Combat Customizing the 1911?
LAV is an American Hero and an awesome firearms instructor, he deserves the very Best!!! Congratulations to Wilson Combat for stepping up to the plate.
Fraternally yours
Jimmy Ward
“FOR THOSE WHO GO IN HARMS WAY,
LIFE HAS A SPECIAL FLAVOR THE PROTECTED WILL NEVER KNOW”
beautiful gun, i have never seen those grips, are those wilson grips ? if so what are they called ? i got a tactical elite with the g10 starburst grips. i like those grips you got, id like purchase a set of them
[...] out the article here: Wilson Combat’s Tactical Supergrade. This may be an old post, but its still a good [...]