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Handgun FAQ
1) Breaking-In a New Custom Handgun
Your new pistol is tightly fitted to very close tolerances to achieve the accuracy a 1911 is
capable of.
Even though a Wilson Combat pistol has been thoroughly tested by a professional test
shooter with almost 100 rounds of our custom loaded ammunition it will still require a
thorough break-in to achieve reliable function across a broad spectrum of shooters and
ammunition.
Load and unload your new magazines several times and keep them loaded for several days
in advance of your first range day to allow the stiff springs to take an initial set. This will
make them easier to load and reduce pressure on the bottom of the slide that could cause a
malfunction.
Ensure that your pistol is well lubricated with a light oil like Ultima Lube II Oil or Ultima Lube
II Lite Oil during break in.
http://shopwilsoncombat.com/Ultima-Lube-II/products/432/
Shoot a minimum of 300- 500 rounds of full charge ammunition through your pistol prior
to disassembly and cleaning for the first time. Keep your custom pistol well lubricated
throughout this Break-In period. If you experience recurrent malfunctions clean and
lubricate your pistol at that time during break in regardless of round count. Firearms will
require fresh lubrication when new since most guns leave the shop with minimal lubricant
added.
9mm pistols may require service ammunition for break-in depending on the grip strength
and stance of the shooter.
2) Lube
We recommend that you keep your custom handgun well lubricated during every shooting
session. Lubricate the barrel chamber area, bushing area and the slide rails with oil like our
Ultima Lube oil or Universal.
http://shopwilsoncombat.com/Ultima-Lube-II/products/432/
3) Ammo selection
Quality ammunition is important when shooting a 1911 style pistol. We suggest quality,
domestic brass cased factory new ammunition for best results. It is important to use
ammunition that closely approximates the profile of 230 FMJ ammunition for best reliability.
Your Wilson Combat pistol is a precision fitted firearm and deserves high quality
ammunition. The 1911 handgun design requires ammunition to fall between a range of
parameters for proper function.
For factory ammunition, only our line of custom ammunition is specifically designed for 1911
handguns and it will be the optimum ammunition for your pistol.
http://shopwilsoncombat.com/Wilson-Combat-Custom-Handgun-Ammunition/departments/
134/
We do not recommend +P, 230 grain ammunition in any compact 1911 handguns.
We do not recommend Critical Defense/Duty ammunition or other ammunition with a soft
polymer tip.
We are believers in the value of reloading your own ammunition for practice and
competition. For these venues we especially like hard cast H&G 68 200 grain bullets loaded
at 875 fps with an OAL of 1.250" and a taper crimp of .468"-470".
We recommend that your reloaded ammunition generally meet the following standards:
-1.250"-1.260" OAL
-.468"-.470" taper crimp at the case mouth
-800-850 fps muzzle velocity
-Tight bullet to case fit that resists "push back" when feeding
4) Maintenance
It is advised to clean your handgun thoroughly as soon as operation becomes sluggish or
impaired. We offer a full line of cleaning products for your firearms.
A complete video archive is available on www.wilsoncombat.com. Click the YouTube
channel link for all of our instructional videos.
9mm Handguns
A soft shooting and accurate 9mm 1911 is one of the most enjoyable custom handguns to
shoot but because of their low recoil energy you must take special care during break in and
usage or you may be faced with reliability issues.
Ammunition Requirements: A 1911 in 9mm will typically feed and fire most Full Metal Jacket
(ball) ammunition and jacketed hollowpoint ammunition that closely follows the profile of
FMJ ammunition. Since the 9mm cartridge has a tapered case and is shorter overall than
the 1911 was originally designed for, jacketed hollowpoint ammunition must be loaded on
the long side to prevent nose-down failures to feed.-approx. 1.150".
We recommend our ammunition for best results.
http://shopwilsoncombat.com/9mm-Parabellum/products/299/
You may need to download 10 round magazines to 9 rounds to feed square nose
hollowpoint ammunition.
1) Use plenty of lubrication during break in and thereafter. We recommend our Ultima Lube
Lite Oil or another very light, low viscosity oil like Weaponshield or FP-10. We find that most
service issues are caused by under lubricating tight 9mm pistols.
2) Make sure you tailor your recoil spring to the ammunition loads at hand. Our full size
9mm handguns come standard with a 10# recoil spring. For light loads during break in you
may need an 8# spring to run reliably. A 9mm 1911 will not require a shok-buff. A compact
9mm pistol usually has a 13# round wire or flatwire recoil spring installed.
3) Make sure your magazines are clean and the springs have taken a set. Our ETM 9mm
magazines are the most reliable 1911 9mm magazines on the market but when new the
springs are very strong to ensure proper round position and last round lockback. Load and
unload your magazines a few times and keep them loaded for a few days prior to first use.
Use a non-marring tool like a plastic bushing wrench to cycle the spring and follower as far
as it will travel for a few dozen cycles. This will ensure your springs are “set” and do not
exert undue pressure on the slide when cycling.
4) If your pistol locks back manually on an empty magazine but you experience a failure
to lock back on empty when shooting you likely need a lighter recoil spring or should use
a higher velocity or heavier bullet loading. Make sure there is no shok-buff installed on the
guide rod.
5) If you experience a failure to feed or chamber your handgun is probably under-lubricated,
lubricated with too thick of oil or fouled. We find that a 9mm 1911 must be kept cleaner than
a similar .45 ACP handgun for best reliability. Some hollowpoint loading will require the use
of a 12# recoil spring for best feeding.
6) If you experience a failure to eject the slide is not coming far enough to the rear and it
indicates you may need a lighter recoil spring or your ammunition is underpowered.
8) If you experience light strikes with military or surplus/foreign made ammunition you may
need to replace your firing pin spring with a #26 XP firing pin spring. We use a XXP Power
spring to increase drop safety but as a result some hard, military style primers may fail to
ignite. Also check your firing pin tunnel for fouling and primer shavings which are more
common in high-pressure rounds like 9mm.
9) Clean your 9mm 1911 every 300-500 rounds for best results. Excessive fouling from
cheap powder in most inexpensive 9mm ammunition will cause your pistol to quickly
become sluggish and will lose the energy required to strip, feed and chamber a round from
the magazine.
10) A properly broken in and sprung 9mm 1911 will shoot any factory ammunition from
a tame standard velocity load to +P+ major caliber factory ammunition and reloads.
Be advised if you are shooting +P or +P+ ammunition to be observant of any signs of
excessive pressure like swollen case heads, pierced or flattened primers or primer material
flowing into the firing pin hole as this debris can cause a failure to fire.
A complete video archive is available on www.wilsoncombat.com. Click the YouTube
channel link for all of our instructional videos.
1911 Magazine FAQ
Our magazine tubes have a lifetime satisfaction policy. We will replace any tube that
spreads, cracks or becomes unusable during normal use. Springs and followers are
considered consumable and may require replacing if you experience failures to clock back
or failures to feed on the last round. Plastic baseplates will break if you drop a loaded
magazine on a hard surface. We recommend metal baseplates for hard use.
1) Why won't the slide stop drop on an empty magazine?
Because we use extra power springs for improved feeding and lockback your unloadedmagazine should not allow the slide to drop when empty by using the slide release. When
the magazine is loaded with ammunition it will be easy to drop the slide using the slide
release.
It is not an important tactical feature for an empty magazine to allow the slide to drop over it.
Flawless feeding and reliable lockback on empty are more important.
2) Why is my magazine hard to seat when fully loaded?
If your pistol is made on the high end of magazine catch/frame specifications a fully
loaded, new magazine may be difficult to seat. This can often be rectified by allowing the
springs the break in by leaving the magazines loaded before your first time shooting them
or repeatedly loading them by hand until the springs relax and take a set. Some pistols
may even require a different magazine like our ETM model that has a longer tube and is
generally easier to seat.
3) Why do my 9mm magazines sometimes hang up when loading them?
To accommodate the wide variety of bullet profiles your magazine has been designed with
exacting tolerances. Occasionally the follower will catch on the magazine catch notch on
the tube, if this happens simply push it back in the tube with your fingernail while loading.
Eventually as your magazine is used this will lessen over time.
4) Why doesn’t my pistol always reliably lock back when empty?
Even though we use the strongest magazine springs in the industry, some pistols have
such excessive tolerances in the magazine well–slidestop internal lobe area that some
magazines will not reliably lock back on empty even when new. This is a known problem
with some Springfield Armory pistols. You may need to have a gunsmith replace, polish or
fit your slide stop for proper function. This may also be an indication that your springs need
replacing.
5) Why won’t my baseplates stay on?
All of our magazines baseplates are sized for a very snug fit on the bottom of the tube and
with the retention plate. After installing a 1911 magazine baseplate you may need to rap
the baseplate against your workbench to ensure that the baseplate is seated.
6) My pistol has a failure to eject the last round, it must be my magazines?
No, failure to extract and eject, especially on the last round, is typically a problem with
the pistol’s extractor. A 1911 pistol with a loose extractor will drag the last empty case
across the magazine lips on the way out of the pistol potentially ruining the magazine in
the process. This usually results in a failure to eject the last round. Pistols with external
extractors, clocking extractors or broken extractors can suffer from this. Make sure your
pistol’s extractor holds an empty case firm against the breechface before you blame your
magazine. If your pistol has a failure to feed the last round it may indicate you need new
springs or a magazine with heavier springs like our HD/+P magazines.
7) Can I use "full size' magazines in a "Compact"?
Yes and No. In a pinch you can use full-size magazines in a compact frame but it is not
recommended for carry or service use since the longer magazines can over-insert into
the frame on a reload causing malfunctions and damage to your pistol. You will be better
served using appropriate magazines for your pistol.
8) My black magazines seem stiffer than my stainless ones-is this normal?
The Melonite process we use to blacken magazines can sometimes add extra friction to a
new magazine. If your magazine feels sticky or rough when loading simply disassemble
the magazine and clean the inside of the tube with a cleaning brush and solvent. When
dry apply a light gun oil or mineral oil to the follower and reinstall. Cycle the magazine with
ammunition a few times prior to use to ensure the follower operation is smooth.
Magazine Sizes offered
We have 2 basic sizes of 1911 magazines-Full size and Compact.
Full Size: http://shopwilsoncombat.com/Full-Size-1911/departments/2/
Compact: http://shopwilsoncombat.com/Compact-Officers-1911/departments/3/
Spreadsheet of magazine compatibility by brand: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/
16394686/magazine-spreadsheet.xlsx
Full size is the traditional USGI 1911 frame size. Most 1911 pistols are "full size". Full size
grips have a measurement of 3.0625" of center-to-center between the grip screws.
Compact denotes a smaller frame similar in size to Wilson Compact, Colt Officers ACP or
Kimber Compact / Ultra Series. Compact grips have a measurement of 2.6875" center to
center.
This includes all of our models listed here:
http://wilsoncombat.com/new/custom-gun-models.asp
A complete video archive is available on www.wilsoncombat.com. Click the YouTube
channel link for all of our instructional videos.
Recoil Spring FAQ
The recoil spring in a 1911 pistol is an important part of the puzzle of overall autoloader
reliability. The primary purpose of the recoil spring is to strip a cartridge from the magazine
during the feeding process and secondly, to protect the frame from excess slide battering
during operation.
Our recoil springs are carefully wound and heat-treated in the USA of the finest ordnancespec music wire to give you long-lasting durability and resistance to heat and deformation
over time. They have been thoroughly tested and will maintain a consistent spring weight
during long-term use.
Even though Wilson Combat recoil springs are the best springs you can buy, we
recommend changing your recoil springs at regular intervals to optimize your pistol’s
performance and enhance reliability.
1) When is it time to change your recoil spring?
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If you start getting failures to return to battery while feeding it may be an indication
that your recoil spring is losing some of its overall length. Typically, compact pistols
will require more frequent length recoil spring changes than standard pistols.
If your Shok-Buff recoil buffer is becoming torn within a few hundred rounds after
installation, that is also evidence that your recoil spring is ready to be replaced.
Any easy way to check for a worn spring is to compare your recoil spring versus a
new spring of the same weight and brand. If your spring has lost approximately onehalf an inch of overall length, it is time to replace your spring. To ensure this you
should always have extra recoil springs of your desired weight(s) on hand.
Any time you buy a second-hand or older 1911 pistol, it is a good idea to bring all
unknown poundage springs back to factory spec for reliable operation. New, quality
springs are a cheap insurance policy against malfunctions and pistol damage.
If your ejection or extraction pattern suddenly changes, you may have a weakened
recoil spring.
2) What is the right spring weight for your pistol?
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The proper recoil spring weight for a 1911 pistol is dependent on the caliber, length
of the barrel and the tension of the hammer spring.
It is advised to tune your spring weights based on the type of loads you prefer to
shoot most often. If you shoot mostly lighter loadings, use weights at the lower of
the spectrum; conversely if you prefer heavier or +P loads, try heavier springs.
For all-around reliability try spring weights in the median of the recommended
spectrum.
If your pistol fails to lock back on the last round after installing a new recoil spring
you may need to try a lighter weight spring.
Wilson Combat recommended spring weight ranges are as follows:
Caliber/Barrel length
Recommended Recoil Spring Weight Range
.45 ACP 5”
15-18.5#
.45 ACP 4.25”
17-20#
.45 ACP 4”
18-22#
9mm 5”
10-12#
9mm 4”
11-13#
.38 Super 5”
13-16#
10mm 5”
18.5-2
When replacing your pistol’s recoil spring it is important to remember to change your firing
pin spring at the same time.
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The firing pin spring is one of the most important springs in your 1911 pistol.
•
A weak or broken firing pin spring can cause a failure to fire and can also reduce the
drop-safe qualities of your pistol.
A complete video archive is available on www.wilsoncombat.com. Click the YouTube
channel link for all of our instructional videos.
Extractor FAQ
The extractor is a critical part of 1911 reliability. The 1911 extractor is a brilliant John
Browning design that is easy for the user to adjust and maintain, it provides its own tension
and can be tuned to compensate for varying tolerances of different firearms. The main
downside to the 1911 extractor is that it often requires fitting or adjustment for perfect
function.
The sole function of the extractor is to remove an empty case from the chamber during
the firing cycle and hold it in position for the ejector to strike the case head and deflect
the empty out of the ejection port to make way for a fresh round. This sounds simple but
the shape and spring tension of the extractor influences the entire firing stroke; too much
extractor tension can cause failures to feed and too little can cause failures to extract.
• If you have failures of an empty case to extract, you may need to adjust or replace
your extractor
• If you have failures to eject an empty on the last round, you may need to adjust or
replace your extractor
• If you have erratic ejection of fired cases, you may need to adjust your extractor
or try an oversize firing pin stop that prevents excessive extractor movement in its
tunnel
• If you have failures to chamber, you may have too much extractor tension
• A good live fire extractor test is to fire your 1911 with the magazine removed a
minimum of 5 times-if the empty consistently ejects each time without a magazine in
place, you likely have sufficient tension on your extractor
1. Correct Tension
With the slide taken off the frame and with the barrel removed, slip the rim of a LOADED
cartridge under the extractor hook and position it so that the extractor is gripping the case
at the center line. To verify this use the barrel as a guide and move it into battery over
the round. You should now be able to lightly shake the slide in any direction, without the
cartridge falling off. The nose of the bullet should dip slightly. When using an empty case to
verify extractor tension, the case mouth should sit straight at 90 degrees to the breechface.
If this test is unsuccessful, you will need to adjust the tension.
For tension adjustment, place approx. 1/2″ of the tip of the extractor into the extractor
channel and apply just enough pressure to slightly bend the extractor. Be careful, a little
goes a long way!
Do not put more tension than needed to perform this simple test – too much tension will
result in feeding malfunctions whereas too little tension can cause failure to extract and/or
erratic ejection.
A complete video archive is available on www.wilsoncombat.com. Click the YouTube
channel link for all of our instructional videos.
Finish/Wear FAQ
In a nutshell, all firearms finishes, even Armor-Tuff will show wear over time. Metal on
metal contact will eventually cause wear to moving parts and ejected brass will leave
impact marks on the ejection port area. This is common and expected. Brass marks can
be influenced by shooter, ammunition choice, recoil spring weight and lubrication. Most
brass marks can be removed with copper solvent on a patch. Our finishes are designed to
prevent corrosion, add lubrication, reduce the firearm’s visual signature, but will show wear
from metal on metal contact as soon as you use the firearm.
A complete video archive is available on www.wilsoncombat.com. Click the YouTube
channel link for all of our instructional videos.
1911 Sight FAQ
This tutorial will cover all questions about Wilson Combat handgun sights including service
policy, sight heights, and sighting your handgun.
Tritium Sights
Wilson Combat handguns with tritium night sights exclusively use tritium lamps from the
best domestic manufacturer-Trijicon.
Since the glow from your night sights is actually a by-product of harmless radioactive tritium
decay, most sights have a brightness of less than 10 years. We will service our night sights
for seven years from the build date of the firearm (not the purchase date). If at any time
your sight(s) goes out or becomes unusable within that timeframe we will replace them. If
your pistol is older than seven years old you have various options. We can replace your
entire sights at standard gunsmithing rates and turnaround or you can return your slide to
Trijicon to replace just the tritium lamps for a nominal fee and 2 week turnaround ($18 per
lamp as of 1-1-2013), your choice.
To Contact Trijicon:
Trijicon, Inc.
ATTN: Service Department
RE: Include Your Return Authorization Number
49385 Shafer Ave.
Wixom, MI 48393
(800) 338-0563
To schedule a return to Wilson Combat:
Please contact one of our Customer Service Associates
Wilson Combat® & Scattergun Technologies™
2234 CR 719
Berryville, AR 72616
Order Toll Free: 1-800-955-4856
Technical Questions: 1-870-545-3618
Fax: 1-870-545-3310
[email protected]
Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 AM to 5:30 PM CST
A Note on Front Sight Heights
We build guns with a variety of front sight heights so it would be impossible to say what
front sight your particular pistol needs without inspecting it.
Most pistols with combat style, fixed rear sights will use between .150"-.200" tall depending
on barrel length, barrel fit, caliber, and height of the rear sight.
Most guns with fully adjustable rear sights (like our low-mount adjustable rear sight that is
used on the Classic model) will use a .170" front.
The best way is to either send us your slide or simply measure the height of the sight with a
depth micrometer from the top of the sight to the top of the base.
Here are the heights we offer:
http://shopwilsoncombat.com/Front-Sights/departments/342/
Most front sights will require gunsmith installation.
How to Aim your handgun with gold bead or fiber optic front sight?
For precision shooting, align the top of the front sight post and the top edge of the rear
sight. The POI (Point of Impact) should be close to the tip of the front sight. When shooting
groups, shooting at extended range, or shooting at a small target, you should ignore the
bead/dot. Don't try and align the bead/dot with the u-notch. The u-notch is just an aperture
for eye to look through.
For snap shooting, shooting at close range or shooting in dim light or shooting at HIGH
speeds the gold bead is used to maintain focus on the front sight and help you find it.
Test Targets
Every Wilson Combat handgun ships with a test target shot by a professional shooter that
establishes the correct windage and elevation (Point of Impact) for every gun we build. Most
handguns are set up to shoot approximately 1" high at 15 yards. This ensures that most
shooters have an effective point of impact with a dead on hold (Point of Aim) out to 50 yards
with service ammunition.
A complete video archive is available on www.wilsoncombat.com. Click the YouTube
channel link for all of our instructional videos.
AR Platform FAQ
1) Break In
To break in your new AR use a lot of light oil and hand cycle or fire the weapon several
hundred times. For best reliability it is important that your bolt and carrier rails be run “wet”.
New USGI, Lancer or Magpul magazines are recommended for best function.
Barrel Break In
Your barrel has been polished internally before it left our shop. We recommend that you
initially clean the barrel with a patch and light solvent before you shoot for the first time to
remove any debris it may have collected during storage. Surgically cleaning your rifle barrel
is not advised. For best accuracy remove heavy carbon fouling every few hundred rounds
and remove copper fouling only when accuracy starts to degrade.
To remove Carbon buildup use our Carbon remover.
http://shopwilsoncombat.com/Ultima-Lube-II-Carbon-Remover-4-oz-Bottle/productinfo/6034/
For Copper removal use our Bore Cleaner/Copper remover.
http://shopwilsoncombat.com/Ultima-Lube-II-Bore-Cleaner-4-oz-Bottle/productinfo/602-4/
Finish your bore cleaning job with Bore Polish.
http://shopwilsoncombat.com/Ultima-Lube-II-Bore-Polish-4-oz-Bottle/productinfo/604-4/
After a complete cleaning, you will need to fire a few rounds to foul your bore before you
see accuracy back at peak levels.
2) Lube
We recommend a quality lubricant for the bolt and carrier rails of your rifle.
3) Ammo selection
Best results will be had from domestic, brass cased ammunition.
4) Magazines]
We suggest new USGI, Lancer, or Magpul magazines in 5.56X45 caliber.
A complete video archive is available on www.wilsoncombat.com. Click the YouTube
channel link for all of our instructional videos.
AR Barrel Installation FAQ
1) Check compatibility
Prior to installing your barrel check compatibility with your rail, gas system and muzzle
device.
2) Headspace/Bolt Compatibility
Our AR barrels are individually headspaced to a master USGI bolt to .002-003”
tolerance. They will work with any quality USGI “Mil-Spec” parkerized bolt without
headspacing. Plating or other finishes may add tolerances that decrease headspace. To
check headspace properly you must follow the manufacturers recommendations on gauge
use. With a clean chamber remove the ejector and extractor from your bolt. Do not slam
headspace gauges in your chamber using spring tension or excessive force. Use only
gravity or hand pressure to gauge check your chambers.
3) Regulating gas/gas blocks/buffers
All of our rifles are set up to use a standard carbine spring or buffer except for heavy
calibers like .458 SOCOM. You can use heavier buffers than standard to reduce cyclic rate
in short barreled and suppressed rifles. Adjustable gas blocks are not recommended in
subsonic calibers like 300 Blackout.
A complete video archive is available on www.wilsoncombat.com. Click the YouTube
channel link for all of our instructional videos.
Service/Shipping FAQ
Our service policy follows the firearm during its service life.
We recommend that you use a reliable carrier such as UPS (highly recommended) or
Federal Express. We also recommend that you insure any firearm(s) that you ship to us.
Overnight shipping is required by UPS/Fedex for handguns. The use of UPS/Fedex Ground
Service is allowed for all long guns. You may also ship long guns via USPS.
Please do NOT send items such as gun rugs, gun boxes, bushing wrenches, etc.
Please include a detailed letter of the problem or services you require.
Wilson Combat® & Scattergun Technologies™
2234 CR 719
Berryville, AR 72616
[email protected]
Order Toll Free: 1-800-955-4856
Technical Questions: 1-870-545-3618
Fax: 1-870-545-3310
Office Hours: Monday - Friday, 8 AM to 5:30 PM CST
For product returns, please enclose a note with a detailed description of the problem and
your return address.