Besides the awful name (which was actually the winning submission in a contest they had BTW...) anyone play with one of these? It's essentially a 16+1 9mm polymer framed 1911 with focus on a higher end market with higher end (hopefully) custom 1911 quality....Conceptually, I like it. Price tag...not so much...but Wilson is not a budget gun.... Here's the 411 on it:
The SPEC_OPS 9 Concept
A polymer framed carry pistol with a proven 16 round metal magazine, 1911 style fire control system, completely new barrel lockup and reengineered recoil system scaled for the 9x19 cartridge-all under 30 ounces unloaded. Add Wilson Combat’s legendary heritage for steadfast quality and you get the perfect high capacity 9mm for range or street with the following cutting edge features:
• The unique, mid-length, reduced mass slide design generates minimal muzzle flip with any 9mm loading and is trimmer in every dimension than a standard 1911 slide. Angled front carry cuts enable easy reholstering and press checking while adding a distinctive custom profile.
• The all new, premium grade 416 stainless steel barrel with enhanced lockup geometry is ideally matched to the recoil impulse and pressure of even the hottest 9mm loading. The SPEC-OPS 9 chamber area has been likewise strengthened and the muzzle smoothly interfaces directly into the precision bored slide without the need for a separate bushing.
• The stainless steel frame rail assembly is CNC machined from solid billet steel to exacting dimensions and permanently fused to the polymer grip for unfailing, precise rigidity. Unlike other polymer 1911 style guns, this grip is guaranteed to never come loose when you least expect it.
• The SPEC-OPS 9’s Kevlar and Zytel reinforced polymer grip has Wilson Combat’s popular Starburst pattern molded in for the perfect amount of traction in varied conditions and enhanced concealed carry comfort over traditional grip designs.
• A reduced profile grip safety tang and unique, matching hammer reduce the concealment footprint profile of the SPEC-OPS 9 over a traditional 1911.
• The SPEC-OPS 9 retains the extensively tested Wilson KZ-9 16 round double column magazine for ultimate in 9mm feed reliability. The tapered magazine ensures rapid reloading under stress.
• The new low-profile sighting system is perfectly scaled to the SPEC-OPS 9 slide’s reduced width and height. The front sight is easily end-user removable from its longitudinal dovetail.
If you have always wanted the ergonomic controls and exceptional trigger action of a true 1911 in a low profile, high capacity design this may be the perfect new everyday carry pistol for you.
Wilson quality, extensive testing and uncompromising engineering have taken the polymer 1911 to the next level.
End O Marketing spiel...
Reviews? Opinions? Experiences?
Obviously, if one just wants a production polymer framed gun in the DAO/Glock/XD/MnP mold, this is not the gun for you. If you want the 1911 platform, the weight of the polymer, 16+1 rnds of 9mm, and the QC and higher end attention to detail one gets from the Wilson, Brown, (ego higher end semi custom production 1911s) guns, and are willing/able to pay for it, this could be a very interesting gun "on paper."
"On paper" has been the famous last words of a lot of guns and people, so until I, or someone I know and trust, really tests out one of these guns, it's an unknown.
It's my understand this gun was designed and built from the ground up to be chambered in 9mm and be a double stack gun, and I hope that's true.
9mm chambered 1911s tend to have reliability issues (although I have noticed that has improved greatly in recent years) and double stack 1911s are famous jam O matics...
The SPEC_OPS 9 Concept
A polymer framed carry pistol with a proven 16 round metal magazine, 1911 style fire control system, completely new barrel lockup and reengineered recoil system scaled for the 9x19 cartridge-all under 30 ounces unloaded. Add Wilson Combat’s legendary heritage for steadfast quality and you get the perfect high capacity 9mm for range or street with the following cutting edge features:
• The unique, mid-length, reduced mass slide design generates minimal muzzle flip with any 9mm loading and is trimmer in every dimension than a standard 1911 slide. Angled front carry cuts enable easy reholstering and press checking while adding a distinctive custom profile.
• The all new, premium grade 416 stainless steel barrel with enhanced lockup geometry is ideally matched to the recoil impulse and pressure of even the hottest 9mm loading. The SPEC-OPS 9 chamber area has been likewise strengthened and the muzzle smoothly interfaces directly into the precision bored slide without the need for a separate bushing.
• The stainless steel frame rail assembly is CNC machined from solid billet steel to exacting dimensions and permanently fused to the polymer grip for unfailing, precise rigidity. Unlike other polymer 1911 style guns, this grip is guaranteed to never come loose when you least expect it.
• The SPEC-OPS 9’s Kevlar and Zytel reinforced polymer grip has Wilson Combat’s popular Starburst pattern molded in for the perfect amount of traction in varied conditions and enhanced concealed carry comfort over traditional grip designs.
• A reduced profile grip safety tang and unique, matching hammer reduce the concealment footprint profile of the SPEC-OPS 9 over a traditional 1911.
• The SPEC-OPS 9 retains the extensively tested Wilson KZ-9 16 round double column magazine for ultimate in 9mm feed reliability. The tapered magazine ensures rapid reloading under stress.
• The new low-profile sighting system is perfectly scaled to the SPEC-OPS 9 slide’s reduced width and height. The front sight is easily end-user removable from its longitudinal dovetail.
If you have always wanted the ergonomic controls and exceptional trigger action of a true 1911 in a low profile, high capacity design this may be the perfect new everyday carry pistol for you.
Wilson quality, extensive testing and uncompromising engineering have taken the polymer 1911 to the next level.
End O Marketing spiel...
Reviews? Opinions? Experiences?
Obviously, if one just wants a production polymer framed gun in the DAO/Glock/XD/MnP mold, this is not the gun for you. If you want the 1911 platform, the weight of the polymer, 16+1 rnds of 9mm, and the QC and higher end attention to detail one gets from the Wilson, Brown, (ego higher end semi custom production 1911s) guns, and are willing/able to pay for it, this could be a very interesting gun "on paper."
"On paper" has been the famous last words of a lot of guns and people, so until I, or someone I know and trust, really tests out one of these guns, it's an unknown.
It's my understand this gun was designed and built from the ground up to be chambered in 9mm and be a double stack gun, and I hope that's true.
9mm chambered 1911s tend to have reliability issues (although I have noticed that has improved greatly in recent years) and double stack 1911s are famous jam O matics...
