No one knows 1911s the way Bill Wilson does. No one! And no one has been more successful in building a selling custom 1911s, accessories, and parts. The jeweler-turned-gunsmith was around when the sport of IPSC was just getting off the ground and started competing in the mid-1970s and winning. A lot! Lack of quality parts and knowledgeable pistolsmiths was the impetus for Wilson to begin the manufacture of his own parts. It culminated in the construction of excellent 1911’s like the Wilson Combat SFX9.
Wilson Combat Back in The Day—The Path To 1911’s Like the SFX9
In those early days there were just two manufacturers of 1911s—Colt and Springfield Armory. If you wanted to compete in the sport of IPSC, you’d have to drop your gun off with a custom smith. They would install new sights, a beavertail grip safety, and an extended thumb safety. A good trigger job was also a necessity.
Parts like extended thumb safeties and beavertails grip safeties were cast, and quality was, to be brutally honest, crap. Slide stops and thumb safeties often did not lie flat against the receiver. Parts often suffered from porosity, and sometimes a pore wouldn’t open until the final finish.
Bill Wilson changed this when he started manufacturing those parts. His quality control was second to none, and, at that time, his products were a “known entity” that a smith could count on. Wilson Combat became the go-to source for 1911 parts.
As Wilson Combat’s success grew, Bill Wilson became an actual manufacturer of firearms. As such, he machined his own frames, slide, and barrels at his facility in Berryville, Arkansas.
Not content to just build a 1911, Wilson designed his own concealed carry pistol and started manufacturing the EDC X9 in 2017. As I said, no one knows 1911s like Wilson. Using his experience, he designed a gun looking very much like a 1911 but possesses a number of innovative features. This made the EDC X9 better suited for more individuals to use as an everyday carry gun.
The EDC X9 is a Commander-size, lightweight, single-action, 9mm semi-auto pistol that features a double-column magazine, offering users nearly twice as much capacity. And because it’s made by Wilson Combat, it possesses great sights and an unbeatable trigger. Two crucial components for successful 1911 shooting.
Ground Up
Designed from the ground up as a concealed carry gun, the EDC X9 features a precision-machined frame carved from a block of T6-7075 aircraft-grade aluminum. While the frame has a beavertail tang, there is no grip safety. That’s a plus for those with smaller hands and who have a problem depressing the grip safety completely.
The plunger tube that is sometimes the Achilles heel of the 1911 with worst-time failure is now an integral part of the EDC’s frame, so separation is impossible.
Another troublesome 1911 component is its extractor. Too much tension or not enough will result in failures. Additionally, improper temper of the part can cause it to lose tension, again resulting in failures.
Bill Wilson solved this problem by redesigning the slide to accept an external extractor of his own design. Wilson Combat calls this part user-serviceable, which means the owner can replace the part.
The EDC X9 may not fit everyone’s budget, with a starting price of $2,995. However, it did appeal to true 1911 aficionados. Anyone who has had a custom 1911 built by a custom smith will understand that this built-to-order gun is lavished with an inordinate amount of hand fitting. In fact, every part in this gun is hand-fit to every part it touches.
Wilson Combat’s business model has never been about quantity but has always been about quality and maintaining its high standard. They have a very loyal following who understand that a purchase of a Wilson Combat gun is an investment not likely to devalue!
Latest Iteration
With the success of the EDC X9 I suppose it was inevitable that Wilson Combat would offer a smaller gun. That brings us to the real topic, a sub-compact version of the EDC X9 featuring a 3.25-inch barrel—the SFX9.
Wilson offers two versions. One with an abbreviated grip frame and a magazine capacity of 10 rounds. And another with a full-size grip and a magazine capacity of 15 rounds. The larger SFX9 is the version I received for testing. In fact, my sample was an early prototype with the slide stamped EDC X9 S-a. This is a name that was subsequently changed to SFX9.
When the gun arrived, I was immediately impressed with its fitment. It possesses a flawless frame-to-slide fit, and the extended thumb safety engages and disengages as crisply as the trigger breaks. The trigger tracks smoothly back in forth in its raceway, and there isn’t a hint of vertical or horizontal play.
While on the subject of the trigger, the SFX9’s breaks crisply at 4 pounds without any overtravel. Its reset is firm, and that’s what gives this little gun the ability to shoot so quickly.
A Grip-Less Gun?
Wilson Combat designed the SFX9 to be a grip-less gun. Rather than attaching grip panels to this mini pistol, Wilson machines the 7075 T6 aluminum frame with their X-Tac treatment. This allows the shooter’s flesh to press into the grooves, essentially locking the gun into their hand.
The X-Tac treatment isn’t sharp or coarse, and unlike checkering, clothes aren’t likely to hang up on it when worn concealed. All of the gun’s sharp edges are broken for pain-free, bloodless carry. It’s interesting to note that the double-columned SFX9’s grip is the same width as a standard single-stack 1911!
Portions of the SFX9’s frame rails are removed from both sides of the frame in the area of the magazine well. Alloy frames are notorious for the rails cracking above the slide stop window. So, this may be a preemptive solution by Wilson to remedy this issue.
Another benefit is that it gives debris and residue a place to go rather than tying up the gun. You’ll note that the barrel also has some fluting for the same reason. The shallow grooves give debris a place to go that might otherwise keep the slide from going into battery.
Like the 1911, the SFX9 from Wilson Combat is a single-action pistol designed to be carried in condition one, cocked, and locked. Its thumb safety is extended and can be easily engaged and disengaged.
Its slide release is also a custom part. While not extended, it is wider and can be engaged with the shooter’s thumb without breaking their firing grip. The magazine release is also extended, again, so the shooter can engage it while maintaining their firing grip.
The Wilson Combat Touch
The SFX9’s slide is a tri-top design, machined from stainless steel and then blackened with the DLC process. It features a serrated flat between the sights. Wilson Combat also lowers the ejection port to give empty casings every opportunity to escape the gun unhindered.
Rather than standard cocking serrations, the slide features an X-Tac pattern that matches the front and back strap patterns.
A match-grade stainless steel barrel is used on the SFX9, and it is fully supported. Its tapered cone shape eliminates the need for a barrel bushing, and it has a unique, concave crown. Wilson designed the gun to operate with a dual spring recoil system that can handle light 115-grain range loads to serious 147-grain +P defense loads.
Wilson outfits the SFX9 with a stout, one-piece rear sight which can be adjusted for windage by drifting it in its dovetail. It features a deep “U” notch and serrations on its rear to reduce glare. The front sight features a florescent red fiber-optic rod, which glows brilliantly with just a little ambient light.
Range Performance
I couldn’t have asked for a better day to shoot a perfect gun and fired all of my groups from a seated position utilizing a DOA Tactical shooting bench for support. I rested the SFX9’s railed dust cover on a Millett Benchmaster. So, all I had to do was maintain the sight picture while adding four pounds of pressure to break the shot.
Because of the abbreviated sight radius of the SFX9 I fired all of my groups at 15 yards.
I fired three groups with each ammunition with the accuracy chart displaying the best group. The aggregate group size was just 0.88 inches! Wilson Combat’s own 135-grain FMJ Flat Point rounds turned in the single best group. It measured just 0.65 inches for five shots at 15 yards!
On this outing, I also set up my MGM BC C Zone steel target. It approximates the size of a USPSA target with the D zone removed at 12 yards. I wanted to see just how controllable this subcompact was by firing double-taps at it.
Loading the SFX9 with 115-grain FMJ rounds, I fired ten different double-taps. My best split, or time between shots, was 16/100ths of a second, and my worst was 20/100ths. For a lightweight, compact concealed carry gun, I was impressed with its controllability.
A Custom Production Gun
Prices for the SFX9 start at $2,695 and may vary depending on the options you select for your pistol. Keep in mind, this is a custom production gun that involves as much hand work and fitting as any custom 1911 build.
If your concealed carry needs involve a 9mm single-action pistol in a lightweight package that weighs less than 30 ounces loaded with 16 rounds of ammo, the Wilson Combat SFX9 may be the gun for you.
I am happy to report the gun possesses an amazing amount of accuracy and never stuttered during my 400-round evaluation.
For more information, please visit WilsonCombat.com.
Wilson Combat SFX9 Specs
Caliber: 9mm
Barrel: 3.25 inches
Overall Length: 6.75 inches
Weight: 25.2 ounces (empty)
Grips: Integral, machined
Sights: Fiber-optic front, low-profile Battlesight rear
Action: SA
Finish: Armor Tuff
Capacity: 15+1
MSRP: $2,995
Performance
| LOAD | VELOCITY | ACCURACY |
| Doubletap 115 Solid Copper HP +P | 1,095 | 0.99 |
| Federal American Eagle 147 FMJ FP | 971 | 0.96 |
| Hornady American Gunner 124 XTP +P | 1,074 | 0.90 |
| Wilson Combat 135 FMJ FP | 873 | 0.65 |
Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in feet per second (fps) by chronograph, and accuracy in inches for best five-shot groups at 15 yards.
This article was originally published in the Personal Defense World April/May 2022 issue. Subscription is available in print and digital editions at OutdoorGroupStore.com. Or call 1-800-284-5668, or email subscriptions@athlonmediagroup.com.
