Posted: 4/16/2026 4:42:19 AM EDT
[Last Edit: spydercomonkey][Edited]
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*edit* pistol has leaked, called the Bulwark 1911 style sliding trigger with Glock safety tab is the only hint so far: https://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?65911-New-Wilson-Combat-design May be the mystery pistol briefly seen in 2023: https://john1911.com/mystery-polymer-gun/  Hoping this is genuinely something new and cool. And being Wilson, also hope its under $2000. |
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This just from looking on my phone, but the John1911 photos appear to be of a shrouded/internal hammer fired gun. No thumb safety was visible, but it had a grip safety. The frame looks more likely to be machined (so probably aluminum in that case) to me, but all of this is speculation based on not the highest definition photos. It'll be interesting to see what it really is, but so far if I'm correct, it would be kind of like a high end FN Reflex XL or Ruger Security 9 potentially with a grip safety (it may have been removed in favor of the trigger blade). |
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That trigger dongle is interesting. Why would they incorporate that unless there's no thumb or grip safety? I'd love to see a steel frame striker fired gun with a 1911 sliding trigger. Wilson got good at hicap mags while maintaining a somewhat thin grip. Wouldn't be a 2011, but it could be better if they got the trigger really good. |
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And the base model can be yours for the low low price of $2000. I'm only kidding of course. Maybe. As an aside, I see WC is having a fire sale on their 320s. Normal price is $1470, but you can get them now for $590. |
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Won’t be a “2011” … not a true one anyways. They already have a “double stack 1911” that’s based on the Walther magazine tube allowing for nice grip sizes and incredible reliability… they’re not only superior to stuffing 9mm into widebody 2011 mags, but 1/2 the price. Maybe a modular version of their doublestack that uses a separate frame and polymer grip and their WC mags more like a 2011? Maybe a new joint gun venture since the Sig 320 reputation is garbage now. And they’re firesale them now. Trigger makes me think maybe a Wilson-SW joint gun? |
From pistol forum, confirming that its striker fired + 1911 trigger + fun to shoot  "Think striker fired eXperior Elite and you will be very close. The frame is not polymer though, at least not initially. With a true 1911 style trigger system straight back, not hinged, like other striker fired pistols." another poster: "My wife and I have shot it 500 rounds or so, but that is all I am saying until it is officially released." --> "You can probably tell us #1, did it work, and #2, was it fun to shoot, without giving away a lick of info about the design." ---> "Yes and yes! PS, and it is 9mm." |
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Thrilled that it's Internal Hammer, and that MSRP is under $2k. Being a chasis system makes me hopeful for a future polymer grip option. Aesthetically, its nowhere near as stylish as the Wilson EDC X9, or their custom P320's and P365's. But as I've said before, I really do think Internal Hammer is the next phase of pistol design - get striker format with the trigger crispness of a hammer fired gun. Hoping we see S&W license this design and make an Internal Hammer Fired M&P mag version with polymer grips. |
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I will never look at an internal hammer as a good thing. I just don’t see the appeal of it. Getting rid of the thumb safety is dumping one of the best features of the 1911/2011 platform. Not for safety’s sake, but as one of the best leverage points for control ever put on a pistol. The frame has way too much going on. With that and the grip safety it just reminds me of an XD. |
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Originally Posted By -OdieGreen-: I will never look at an internal hammer as a good thing. I just don’t see the appeal of it. Getting rid of the thumb safety is dumping one of the best features of the 1911/2011 platform. Not for safety’s sake, but as one of the best leverage points for control ever put on a pistol. The frame has way too much going on. With that and the grip safety it just reminds me of an XD. Like I said, it could be described as a super high-end Security 9. Or the Hudson H9 done correctly. In terms of the manual thumb safety, I don't see the big deal. I carry with and without one. In terms of the grip safety, that is a weird implementation! The XD's grip safety is much closer to a normal 1911's and for the money I'd go with the XD. But here's what I like-- it's a modular FCU 1911 style pistol. It probably has a good trigger pull. The price is actually quite reasonable for a Wilson Combat. And with four independent safeties it probably is a good carry gun. Overall, I like the concept, but would not buy it over an Echelon, Prodigy, XD, P211, Kimber Warrior, etc. |
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Originally Posted By -OdieGreen-: I will never look at an internal hammer as a good thing. I just don’t see the appeal of it. Getting rid of the thumb safety is dumping one of the best features of the 1911/2011 platform. Not for safety’s sake, but as one of the best leverage points for control ever put on a pistol. The frame has way too much going on. With that and the grip safety it just reminds me of an XD. I agree. I don't understand why they went with an internal hammer. I am all for more designs and guns but overall it's very ugly and can't believe WC put their name on that. The longer I look at it, the more it hurts my eyes. |
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Originally Posted By spydercomonkey: From pistol forum, confirming that its striker fired + 1911 trigger + fun to shoot "Think striker fired eXperior Elite and you will be very close. The frame is not polymer though, at least not initially. With a true 1911 style trigger system straight back, not hinged, like other striker fired pistols." This could be my first Wilson.  |
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Originally Posted By spydercomonkey: Thrilled that it's Internal Hammer, and that MSRP is under $2k. Being a chasis system makes me hopeful for a future polymer grip option. Aesthetically, its nowhere near as stylish as the Wilson EDC X9, or their custom P320's and P365's. But as I've said before, I really do think Internal Hammer is the next phase of pistol design - get striker format with the trigger crispness of a hammer fired gun. How is an internal hammer a "striker format"? TBH the only internal hammers I've ever experienced are DAO J-frames. I'd imagine this is SAO? So it would have a thumb safety? So why the trigger dongle then, especially with a grip safety? |
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Originally Posted By dmk0210: Wait, I thought it was going to be a striker fired eXperior? That was just misinformation? How is an internal hammer a "striker format"? TBH the only internal hammers I've ever experienced are DAO J-frames. I'd imagine this is SAO? So it would have a thumb safety? So why the trigger dongle then, especially with a grip safety? The Alien has an internal hammer, but it looks exactly like a striker gun. The cocked indicator is identical to a XD, P99, or Caniks cocked striker indicator. It's also SAO with no manual safety, but it has a trigger dongle, hence a striker format but with the crisp trigger pull of a hammer gun. |
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Originally Posted By tt350z:The Alien has an internal hammer, but it looks exactly like a striker gun. The cocked indicator is identical to a XD, P99, or Caniks cocked striker indicator. It's also SAO with no manual safety, but it has a trigger dongle, hence a striker format but with the crisp trigger pull of a hammer gun. I don't get what you guys mean by "striker format". Do you guys mean just cosmetically because it looks like a striker gun because no visible hammer and it has a trigger dongle? |
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Originally Posted By dmk0210: I don't get what you guys mean by "striker format". Do you guys mean just cosmetically because it looks like a striker gun because no visible hammer and it has a trigger dongle? Originally Posted By dmk0210: Originally Posted By tt350z:The Alien has an internal hammer, but it looks exactly like a striker gun. The cocked indicator is identical to a XD, P99, or Caniks cocked striker indicator. It's also SAO with no manual safety, but it has a trigger dongle, hence a striker format but with the crisp trigger pull of a hammer gun. I don't get what you guys mean by "striker format". Do you guys mean just cosmetically because it looks like a striker gun because no visible hammer and it has a trigger dongle? You get the lower bore axis of a striker pistol, and also a bit shorter Overal length + less pokey AIWB bc there is not a hammer and long beavertail (although here they did give it en extended beavertail, but could be done away with unlike with exposed hammer) |
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Originally Posted By spydercomonkey:You get the lower bore axis of a striker pistol, and also a bit shorter Overal length + less pokey AIWB bc there is not a hammer and long beavertail (although here they did give it en extended beavertail, but could be done away with unlike with exposed hammer) I do like a comfy beavertail when shooting though. |
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| I get what they are trying to do but they went too far and tried to re-invent the wheel instead of just making a 2011 like everyone has been asking them to do. I get why they don’t want to do that, they invested a bunch of money developing their double stack 1911 series but this pistol and the crazy pice point isn’t going to sell that well IMO. |
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Originally Posted By MoenOkra: Fits Glock 19 holsters, good optics mounting system, modular FCU, trigger dingus, looks like a brick of shit. If this is what you’re looking for, you can either go: - RXM: $350 - Bulwark: $1800 *yawn* The difference is this has a real, actual sliding 1911 trigger and hammer fired crispness. That's what you're paying for. |
 New Wilson Combat Bul?? |
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Originally Posted By MoenOkra: Fits Glock 19 holsters, good optics mounting system, modular FCU, trigger dingus, looks like a brick of shit. If this is what you’re looking for, you can either go: - RXM: $350 - Bulwark: $1800 *yawn* Agreed. Looks like an overly milled brick of shit. I don't get the trend to start with an overly chonky slide and add all this unnecessary gaudy milling. |
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Originally Posted By Gotterdammerung: Agreed. Looks like an overly milled brick of shit. I don't get the trend to start with an overly chonky slide and add all this unnecessary gaudy milling. It looks very edgy in terms of how it is styled and the font is really off putting to me. It looks like the kind of font you'd see on some cheap Chinese crap and that combined with the overall styling makes the whole pistol look kind of like a futuristic video game pistol. |
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Originally Posted By BlitzPig: What if it turns out to be really good? It's probably a really good pistol being a Wilson Combat and being internal hammer fired, etc. But the styling is completely off from what I at least would expect from Wilson Combat. Anything made by Wilson Combat should be an heirloom grade gun with styling that makes it feel as such. I don't like the styling mainly because it doesn't present that way. It's too edgy. It's too aggressive. It's not refined enough. That's my opinion. And I doubt that the design elements lead to 3x the performance over a striker fired pistol while being 3x the cost. Once again that's me. It may be the perfect gun for someone else. Here's the crux of where I'm coming though, the Bulwark appears to be basically a compact 2011 for someone that doesn't want a thumb safety but doesn't mind or even wants a grip safety. How many people are there that fit into this? It also has to be better than the more "affordable" Daniel H9, which is (though striker fired) a similar concept (I suspect the Bulwark is the better implementation of this concept). And this is where the biggest disconnect is for me. Where does this unique design actually fit in and how does it compare to 2011's, H9's, Echelon's, Glocks, etc.? Why is it better than all of these other options and is it better enough to command that price? If I wanted something like the Bulwark, would I be better off getting a Prodigy or H9? As a long time XD fan, the grip safety doesn't bother me, but I still don't see the Bulwark being a better value than a new XD Mod. 4, 10 magazines, $1000 of practice ammo, and potential change. (And, yes, I get the irony of me defending the grip-zone and complaining about the Wilson Combat Bulwark font, but in my defense, the XD Mod. 2 was not a premium $1899 MSRP handgun, but rather a ~$500 polymer duty handgun.) I also don't see it being a better value to me than something like a Prodigy Compact or similar, even comparing more apples to apples. |