Berryville, Arkansas– July 2022– In 1977, champion pistol shooter Bill Wilson started Wilson Combat in the back of the family jewelry store to support his passion for firearms. 45 years later, Wilson Combat is a fully integrated specialty gun and accessory manufacturer that employs hundreds of people in NW Arkansas, and at sister companies across the United States.
Beginning with basic 1911 gunsmithing, parts, and accessories, this little company quickly became the leading one-stop-shop for competition and defensive handgunners looking for high-quality pistol smithing and gear at a fair price. After supplying many of the world’s top pistol shooters, Wilson Combat branched out into defensive carry guns and gear, tactical shotguns, and AR rifles and now manufactures almost every gun part needed for production in their state-of-the-art precision manufacturing facility. New in-house designs like the immensely popular EDC X9 series of handguns and partnerships with industry leaders SIG-SAUER and Beretta have made Wilson Combat firearms more accessible and have boosted the company’s market share.
Over the years, Wilson Combat has been honored to employ some of the finest 1911 pistolsmiths in the country. These master craftsmen like Ron Phillips, Jim “Henry” Wilson, Mike Campbell, and Victor Tibbets have worked for decades refining the 1911 handgun, becoming true masters of the platform and ensuring that Wilson Combat Custom 1911’s remain among the most functionally reliable and cosmetically appealing available at any price.
Tremendous internal growth, as well as acquisitions of other innovative brands like Scattergun Technologies, Chip McCormick Custom, Lehigh Defense, and most recently New Ultralight Arms, has established Wilson Combat as an industry leader in the specialty firearms and accessory market, but our focus will never leave the design that helped bring us to this point-John Browning’s amazing creation-the 1911 Government Model.
“It’s hard to believe that the one man gunsmithing shop I started in a 10’x20′ area in the back of my dad’s jewelry store 45 years ago has grown to a multi-brand enterprise with over 200 employees in 3 states. It’s been quite a ride and it couldn’t have been accomplished without our awesome team members” – Bill Wilson, President CEO
“It’s such an honor to be a part of the family business and to have the opportunity to lead Wilson Combat into the future” – Cameron Ankele, COO
| Get A Glimpse Of Wilson Combat Through The Years |
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About The Author
I’ve been in the gun industry since Glock was new and derided as “Tactical Tupperware.”
You can contact me via thegunbulletin@gmail.com or leave loose change and a phone number under a fresh malt liquor tallboy down in Jax Square.
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