Wilson? Nighthawk? what's the big deal?

[willis68]

I had a Wilson (I bought used) and the happiest day of my life was when I sold it. Most finicky POS I've ever had in my hand. Never had a problem with the off the shelf Colts.

Was it a real 1911 Wilson (all steel) or on of the KZ models, a hybrid that I have no idea why Wilson came out with it?

[et45]

I have had some work done by this guy.He really knows what he is doing and has had a gun featured in American Handgunner a few years back.Check out the Custom and the Peerless packages.www.harrisoncustom.com

[willis68]

John Harrison does awesome work indeed, I had the pleasure of meeting him a couple of years ago he is truly a gifted gentleman

[Guest Coal Creek Armory]

I've been asked whose 'base' guns we are using for our custom CCA 1911s.

We use our own frames and slides. Marked "Coal Creek Armory Knoxville TN, USA"

These are not pistols that we buy and retrofit with parts, they are pistols made and built by us here in Knoxville.

[Guest Coal Creek Armory]

John Harrison does do amazing work. We have a working relationship with him and provide him with certain services from time to time.

[Guest Halfpint]

Maybe so, but I bet the typical Glock shooter's blood pressure is lower. F1 cars often require F1 mechanics.

A friend of mine once said " A 1911 is like a true sports car, alot of people want one, not every one should own one"

If you're happier with a Glock by all means a Glock is a fine firearm, but a Wilson Combat, Nighthawk, or Ed Brown is a religious experience.

Quite possibly the two best explanations of the "1911-vs-everything-else" and "Glock-vs-everything-else" arguments I've ever read. In my (limited, compared to many) experience, the 1911 lends itself to accuracy and the Glock to dead-nuts reliability. If you have a Glock that is sub-2.5" accurate when shot free-hand at 25+ yards and/or a 1911 of ANY price, ANY manufacture, that you can count on--come hell, high water, mud, silt, sand, dog crap, motor oil, or blood--and it's what you're looking for, consider yourself blessed and don't let others convince you to trade/upgrade/rethink what works for you.

As far as the original question, I'm considering a Wilson, but not because I think it's any better than my Kimber, my H&K, the family Glock, or any of my wheelguns--the reason I'm thinking about a Wilson is that no other 1911 manufacturer/custom builder makes EXACTLY what I want, and they do. To me, getting exactly what I want and not having to "settle" is the third-best reason for paying that extra premium--the two most important, obviously, are reliability and accuracy.

[Im Neero]

I'm starting to suspect that Deerslayer has some kind of magnetic field around him that causes 1911s to malfunction.

[Guest Verbal Kint]

[et45]

I've been asked whose 'base' guns we are using for our custom CCA 1911s.

We use our own frames and slides. Marked "Coal Creek Armory Knoxville TN, USA"

These are not pistols that we buy and retrofit with parts, they are pistols made and built by us here in Knoxville.

So you actually own a foundry in Knoxville that forges or casts 1911 frames,slides,barrels and other small parts?.Cool.

[Magiccarpetrides]

So you actually own a foundry in Knoxville that forges or casts 1911 frames,slides,barrels and other small parts?.Cool.

On some of the guns I was shown they used Kart (sp?) barrels....dont know about the rest of the parts...they probably wouldnt need a foundry but a C&C machine would be helpful:cool:

[willis68]

Kart barrels are the most accurate made for the 1911, They use these and Ed brown and STI small parts, the slide and frame are the only parts that they make, that is my understanding anyway, I am strongly considering trading in a Les Baer pistol to own one of these, they appear to be first rate custom 1911's

[Guest sermon8r]

You can't compare Kimber with Wilson, Brown, Baer or other true 'custom' 1911 builders.

In regards to the Glock vs. custom 1911, well, that's just silly. A Glock is like a Monte Carlo and the custom 1911 is like an F1 car.

Well put:koolaid:

[Guest Verbal Kint]

So you actually own a foundry in Knoxville that forges or casts 1911 frames,slides,barrels and other small parts?.Cool.

I was waiting for someone to say that.

I'm also curious as to what frames and slides they use in their builds, regardless of the name is marked on the side.

CCA, you guys willing to divulge such info? Using a specific mfg? Mill your own?

[willis68]

I was waiting for someone to say that.

I'm also curious as to what frames and slides they use in their builds, regardless of the name is marked on the side.

CCA, you guys willing to divulge such info? Using a specific mfg? Mill your own?

Verbal,

If you look closely on one of the frames they have CCA before the serial number,But then again Nighthawk does that and does not make theirs, I am not sure either but it appears that they manufacture them I am waiting to see if they are forged

Edited August 10, 2008 by willis68

[Guest Grout]

Having your company name stamped on a frame does not mean you manufactured said frame.For example at one time or another Wison,Kimber and S&W all had their frames made by Jerhico.

[willis68]

Having your company name stamped on a frame does not mean you manufactured said frame.For example at one time or another Wison,Kimber and S&W all had their frames made by Jerhico.

You are absolutely correct,

[Guest Verbal Kint]

Having your company name stamped on a frame does not mean you manufactured said frame.For example at one time or another Wison,Kimber and S&W all had their frames made by Jerhico.

Yeah, that's why I asked... although it's possible that they could make their own, I'm assuming they are procuring the slides and frames through someone else. I can understand if they do not want to disclose who, but I was just curious.

[TGO David]

I guess it would be nice to know what manufacturer made the frame if you are worried about the metallurgical properties or something... but really I don't see the ultimate importance of it to the average consumer. For instance, Tokico makes the shocks and struts for many Ford vehicles but Ford assigns each a Ford Motor Company part number and in effect they become "Ford Parts".

This sort of OEM sourcing happens all the time and isn't consequential to most folks.

[Guest grimel]

Verbal,

If you look closely on one of the frames they have CCA before the serial number,But then again Nighthawk does that and does not make theirs, I am not sure either but it appears that they manufacture them I am waiting to see if they are forged

I can call Caspian and get grimel, snowwhite, or anything else I choose before the serial number (and I can pick the serial number too!). They'll even fit the slide to the frame.

[Guest grimel]

I guess it would be nice to know what manufacturer made the frame if you are worried about the metallurgical properties or something... but really I don't see the ultimate importance of it to the average consumer.

Maybe because a statement like: We use our own frames and slides. Marked "Coal Creek Armory Knoxville TN, USA" after being asked who made the base guns implies they made the frame.

[Guest GUTTERbOY]

Maybe because a statement like: We use our own frames and slides. Marked "Coal Creek Armory Knoxville TN, USA" after being asked who made the base guns implies they made the frame.

Or maybe it implies that, rather than starting with a complete gun and then modifying it, they build them completely from scratch. That's the way I read it.

[DaveTN]

..they probably wouldnt need a foundry but a C&C machine would be helpful

If a C&C machine would be helpful a CNC machine would really be great.

[TGO David]

Maybe because a statement like: We use our own frames and slides. Marked "Coal Creek Armory Knoxville TN, USA" after being asked who made the base guns implies they made the frame.

That's taking things pretty literally. Don't look now, but the car in your driveway isn't whatever nameplate is on the trunk lid. It's actually an amalgamation of at least twenty or thirty manufacturer's parts.

[Guest gcrookston]

Guess what, I shot my new Nighthawk today with DaveTN. Ya know, I wasn't impressed. I'm a piss poor shot and all it did was reaffirm I don't deserve a pistol like this... see it on the for-sale section shortly, I'm going back to my Jennings and Lorcin

[bwswanson]

willis68

How do you compare the Ed Browns to your Nighthawk? Thanks