DIVISION 77

From the Skunkworks of Wilson Combat: Project One

Richard Mann

In 1977, a competitive handgun shooter from Berryville, Arkansas — who just happened to be a watchmaker by trade — started building custom 1911 handguns. Bill Wilson was a good jeweler and a good shooter, and he became one of the most recognized and best modifiers of the 1911 platform. Wilson said in an interview in 2020, “As I became a high-level competitor, I needed a better pistol, and when guns from the top pistolsmiths of the day did not satisfy me, I used my jewelry and watchmaking skills to work on 1911s.” And Wilson did make them better. In fact, his 1911s were so much better that they became highly sought after. Wilson said, “My goal was always to build the best product I could, charge what I had…

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Recoil (Digital) - 1 Issue, May/June 2025 #78

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