1953
- 1976 started shooting IPSC
USPSA membership number is “CL-15” - 1977 started Wilson’s Gun Shop building 1911s in Berryville, Arkansas
optimized pistols with aftermarket parts from noted gunsmiths - 1983 he was making his own parts
- 1996 began building complete handguns
- 1996 co-founder of the International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA)
IDPA number is “CL-01.” - 2000 the company bought “Scattergun Technologies”
- 2005 gave up formal competition
- on Instagram (@wilsoncombat)
Wilson Combat
About Bill Wilson
Bill Wilson is the founder and owner of Wilson Combat, the Berryville, Arkansas company that helped define the modern custom 1911. A trained watchmaker and a serious competitor, he started shooting IPSC in 1976 and opened Wilson’s Gun Shop in Berryville in 1977, first tuning Colt 1911-A1 pistols and Smith and Wesson and Ruger revolvers with aftermarket parts. By 1983 he was making his own parts, and by 1996 the company was building complete 1911 pistols in-house. That same year he helped establish the International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA), and he worked with IDPA co-founder Ken Hackathorn on custom defensive pistols.
Wilson Combat grew with the spread of concealed carry laws in the 1990s. It began building custom AR rifles in 1999, bought Scattergun Technologies in 2000, and by the end of 2020 had an eight-building campus in Berryville with about 200 employees. The company also partners with Beretta, Glock and Sig Sauer on custom models. Wilson Combat received the Pioneer Award at the NRA Golden Bullseye Awards in 2023, and in 2026 it introduced the Bulwark, a more affordable 9mm pistol. The company remains privately owned by Bill Wilson.
Key Facts
- 1977: Founded Wilson’s Gun Shop in Berryville, Arkansas
- 1983: Began making his own 1911 parts
- 1996: Built complete pistols in-house; helped found IDPA
- 2000: Acquired Scattergun Technologies
- 2023: NRA Golden Bullseye Pioneer Award
- 2026: Introduced the Bulwark 9mm pistol
Sources
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