Any input on Wilson CQB Compact??

[Spicy McHaggis]

Originally Posted by CCWInstructor

Hank,

Can I ask what the reason are. I hope it has nothing to do with external extractors. Out of over 400 I've seen last year, one broke a recoil guide, one broke a ambi safety. Another had a sear go bad.


Greg

And don't forget that really, really dirty one that was having FTF problems because it was cleaned too much!

No mechanical issues there; just user error.

[BonoVox]

Originally Posted by tango-52

I have all four of the CDP IIs (Ultra, Compact, Pro and Custom) and they are all great guns. The only one that gave me grief was the Compact because it was very tight. Took about 2000 rounds to break it in. The others took less than 500. They are all more acurate than I am.

I have 3 of the 4 CDPs only had 2 FTE in 2,000 rounds through all three. Those as it turns out were with the Compact when it was still breaking in and I must admit a little dirty.

My Ultra has been perfect from day ONE! I LOVE it and trust my hide to it today and I think for many years to come.

Hey you can never go wrong with a Wilson CQB. Damn they are beautiful guns. But I promise you, the Ultra CDP II will stack up for CCW duty just as good "reliable and accurate" as the Wilson CQB.

[SVTNate]

Wilson CQB... great gun. Flawless in fit and function. All forged and barstock steel. No MIM as of 2003. If you have been into Ade's Gun Shop in the past week, you might have seen my CQB full size on consignment (it sold already).

Why did I sell it? I never shoot it, as I prefer my Springfield Custom and Les Baer pistols. No real quantifiable reason... I just do. Wilson builds a great gun.

I have a custom Colt Defender, and just bought a stainless Colt Commander. With the money I got from the CQB (well, some of it), I am customizing the Commander with an Ed Brown bobtail, safety, bead blasted finish, dehorn, and some other good stuff. It shall be sweet, yes indeed.

I came *this close* to buying an Ed Brown Kobra Carry, but decided I don't want to carry a $2500 gun. My Defender will end up being around $1300-1400 total, and my Commander will be a bit more than that, but my money went a bit further and I honestly trust a 1911 that's been through Springfield Custom Shop (I send them all there) more than I trust anything else. Okay, now that I actually own a Colt, I should call it an O-Frame (the Commander, anyway)

I have owned nice 1911's, my new custom Colts being the cheapest of the bunch. Wilson Combat builds with the best of them, and I can attest to their top-tier customer service.

But yes, the trigger pull on the CQB will be below OC requirements from the factory, most likely. The test target that came with my CQB said that my gun measured at 3.75 pounds.

It will work, and will need nothing. There is nothing to be improved on a CQB, and it would be an excellent choice for a defensive weapon.

One more thing... If your CQB needs a break-in, it's broken. It should never fail from Round One. That has been my experience with Wilson, Les Baer, Springfield Custom, and Ed Brown, even with two Les Baers that are so tight you must slap the muzzle before you can rack the slide. Nobody builds 'em tighter than Baer. Twice I have taken Baer TRS pistols out of the box, without any cleaning or lube, and fired hundreds of rounds (one 400 rounds, one 800 rounds) before cleaning. Zero malfunctions. This is the way Les intended, as the guns come drenched in CLP in Les' famous cardboard boxes and Ziploc bags

[BonoVox]

Originally Posted by hygyliac

In my case its the shorter grip size that helps it concealability especially with the forward cant. The 4" slide and barrel are in a IWB holster so they are concealed very well. My 4" Dan Wesson Patriot which is bobtailed is even easier to conceal.

Have to agree. The shorter grip does help for concealment.

It is short, but not too short. With my large hands I still get a solid full contact grip on it. So IMO best of both worlds. 4" barrel with the shorter frame. Yeah you potentially lose a round of capacity. But following the advice of CCWI, I carry 8 round reload mags anyway.

That is why my Compact CDP is joining my Ultra CDP on my CCW.

As always YMMV.

[Hank Dodge]

Thanks Nate. That's definitely the kind of out-of-the-box reliability I would expect from a pistol of that pricerange. I'm one that would give it a workout just to be sure; but, I like your sense of security with it as it arrives from the factory. That echos what the man at Wilson said about their guns being "Ready to run...".

I'll have to call around and see if anybody has one in stock. I'd sure like to fondle one a bit and see what it feels like. I've held the CDP Compact and it felt OK. The aluminum frame seemed a bit weird. I'm sure it just takes getting used to.

[TheGanzman]

You r*t b*st*rds are gonna put me in a 4" Kimber no matter WHAT, aincha? I j'es wish it was "one color" - looks like it can't make up its mind...

Great - I'm gonna buy a FULL custom gun and THEN change it - MSH, grips, and a refin - my wife will pistolwhip me with the damned thing FIRST!

[CCWInstructor]

Look at the Raptor then

[PUNK]

Originally Posted by TheGanzman

You r*t b*st*rds are gonna put me in a 4" Kimber no matter WHAT, aincha? I j'es wish it was "one color" - looks like it can't make up its mind...

Great - I'm gonna buy a FULL custom gun and THEN change it - MSH, grips, and a refin - my wife will pistolwhip me with the damned thing FIRST!

Kimber - Continuing The Legacy

Many of the 4" models are monotone. And after you buy one, you will want another and another and another. It happens to the best of us

[BonoVox]

Originally Posted by BonoVox

I have 3 of the 4 CDPs only had 2 FTE in 2,000 rounds through all three. Those as it turns out were with the Compact when it was still breaking in and I must admit a little dirty.

My Ultra has been perfect from day ONE! I LOVE it and trust my hide to it today and I think for many years to come.

Hey you can never go wrong with a Wilson CQB. Damn they are beautiful guns. But I promise you, the Ultra CDP II will stack up for CCW duty just as good "reliable and accurate" as the Wilson CQB.

Ok look what followed me home.......



Now I just need a stick to fend off the chicks!!!!

[Yoda]

Originally Posted by BonoVox

Ok look what followed me home.......



Now I just need a stick to fend off the chicks!!!!

It just followed you home? Just like that...

Did you order a TT Holster Yet?

[sholling]

I like the 4" barrel CCO format a lot - much more than the 3" "Ultra" format but own both. When looking for a CCO I thought long and hard about the Wilson Compact CQB but "The List" limitations forced me to aim for a Kimber Compact CDP. The only Wilson Compact CQBs available in California are steel framed and I wanted aluminum. Minus the limitations of the !@#$ list I my choices would have been 1) (money allowing) Wilson Compact CQB - alloy frame, 2) S&W SW1911ES. But neither are on the !@#$ list. The Kimber Compact CDP is and that's what I bought. So far I'm happy.

What I've done to mitigate Kimber's habit of building too tight for a non hand fitted pistol is I removed the guide rod and spring and worked the slide a couple of hundred times. That smoothed out all of the spots that tended to drag. The grip safety feels "different" because you can feel slight resistance when the Swartz lever and pin lift up the firing pin bock. It doesn't feel bad just different with a bit of extra resistance. Anyway the bottom line is that if you want a CCO format pistol in California you have two choices. Wilson or Kimber, and if you want an alloy frame you only have the Kimber. I am not a Kimber fanboy but in my opinion this was a good choice for me.

[X-ffdo]

Nice!.
Question. Can you field strip this gun without special tools?
I was looking at an Ed Brown Kobra carry and they claim that you can field strip it without special tools. The configuration seems similar to the gun in question, it has somewhat of a rounded butt, which I think would help with printing. The price is about same. $2,200.00. I don't think a lot of people are in the market for something this expensive.
I would want three things in this gun. Reliability, reliability, reliability.

[BonoVox]

Originally Posted by X-ffdo

Nice!.
Question. Can you field strip this gun without special tools?
I was looking at an Ed Brown Kobra carry and they claim that you can field strip it without special tools. The configuration seems similar to the gun in question, it has somewhat of a rounded butt, which I think would help with printing. The price is about same. $2,200.00. I don't think a lot of people are in the market for something this expensive.
I would want three things in this gun. Reliability, reliability, reliability.

Yes you can field strip it without a tool. I looked at it cross eyed for a bit to figure out how I was going to field strip it. Finally as I was online I read a post regarding it.


I also believe you can buy that recoil spring setup from Wilson and it will work in your Kimber. (don't quote me 100% that it will work, but I read it would on another forum)

Yes the bobtail rounded butt is awesome and eliminates the one spot of discomfort I get with my CDPs. Plus does help with printing.

[BonoVox]

Originally Posted by sholling

I like the 4" barrel CCO format a lot - much more than the 3" "Ultra" format but own both. When looking for a CCO I thought long and hard about the Wilson Compact CQB but "The List" limitations forced me to aim for a Kimber Compact CDP. The only Wilson Compact CQBs available in California are steel framed and I wanted aluminum. Minus the limitations of the !@#$ list I my choices would have been 1) (money allowing) Wilson Compact CQB - alloy frame, 2) S&W SW1911ES. But neither are on the !@#$ list. The Kimber Compact CDP is and that's what I bought. So far I'm happy.

What I've done to mitigate Kimber's habit of building too tight for a non hand fitted pistol is I removed the guide rod and spring and worked the slide a couple of hundred times. That smoothed out all of the spots that tended to drag. The grip safety feels "different" because you can feel slight resistance when the Swartz lever and pin lift up the firing pin bock. It doesn't feel bad just different with a bit of extra resistance. Anyway the bottom line is that if you want a CCO format pistol in California you have two choices. Wilson or Kimber, and if you want an alloy frame you only have the Kimber. I am not a Kimber fanboy but in my opinion this was a good choice for me.

You made a good choice. I am not selling any of my Kimbers. Trust me.

[X-ffdo]

Thanks Bono!