In 2017, the Wilson Combat EDC X9 was released. Wilson Combat had a double-stacked 1911-style gun called the Spec Ops 9 before the EDC X9. It is much closer to a traditional 5-inch government 1911. The Wilson Combat Spec Ops 9 was made of a polymer frame. It never took off and was eventually discontinued. Review of the Wilson Combat EDC X9 The EDC X9 was introduced in 2017. The EDC X9 is a modernized double stack version of the 1911. It was more unique than the 2011 and double-stacked 1911 offerings. It is roughly the same size as a Glock 19 and has the same capacity. The EDC X9 was a new format that the market had never seen. At least in a production format. Other options, at least, other than the extremely high-end Infinity and SVI custom carry guns. Guns that were $100+ per month required regular maintenance by a skilled gunsmith. Wilson’s unique approach gave hope that a reliable, low-maintenance double-stack 1911 would soon be available. New and Pre-Owned
EDC X9s in StockGuns.com The Wilson Combat EDC X9’s lightweight aluminum frame and external extractor make it easy to conceal carry. It still has a 1911 trigger. You can order it with or without a light-rai. If you can find a suitable holster, you can add a laser or light to the order. It looks great on the outside. It stands out among similar-sized competitors such as the Glock 19 or the Sig P320 X Compact. However, it does come with a $3,000 price tag. Let’s take a closer look to see if the Wilson Combat EDC X9 is worth the $3,000 price tag. Features The Wilson Combat EDC X9 features a double stack 15-round capacity. They also offer double stack limited-capacity 10 round Wilson Combat Magazines in states that full-size magazines are prohibited. The magazine body is the same design as the Walther PPQ series. The magazine covers of the Walther PPQ won’t fit in the Wilson Combat EDC X9 because they are too narrow. The magazine design is so similar that Walther PPQ extended base pads can be used. I don’t have the magazine extensions so I can’t confirm. However, I tried switching the baseplate from the Walther PPQ magazine to a Wilson Combat EDC X9 mag. They fit. Refinements The magazine’s top sides have chamfers. This allows you to remove the magazine in the event of a malfunction. The EDC X9 also features a beveled magazine hole that makes it easy to insert a magazine. The mags are easier to insert than they are to drop. They almost shoot out of the gun due to pressure from the orange/reddish-colored follower. Wilson Combat has outsourced EDX X9 magazines from Mec Gar. They are widely considered the best manufacturer of handgun magazines in the world. The magazines are available in three sizes: a 10 round capacity, a 15 round capacity, and an 18-round configuration. To prevent over-insertion, the base plate on the 18-round magazine is raised to protect it. Despite the gun’s high price, magazines are still relatively affordable. The price of 15 and 10 round magazines is $42.00 each. The 18-round EDC X9 Magazines were $44.00 at the time this article was published. The FN509 and Sig P320 magazines, HK P30/VP9 magazines, Walther PPQ magazines, and P365 magazines all cost the same. Despite the fact that the guns are only a fifth the price of the Wilson Combat EDC X9, they still cost the same. The magazines are quite affordable considering the low production numbers. The magazines cost $70.00 to $125.00 for the highest-end guns, such as Infinity and Staccato 2011, depending on which magazine. Magazines from 2011 are known for being finicky. They can be finicky and need to be tuned, while the EDC X9 mag body is a more reliable and updated design. Pre-Owned and New
EDC X9s in StockGuns.com Wilson Combat made a great decision to use a newer magazine design. It did however take them more time to design the magazine. Grip The Wilson Combat EDC X9 can be ordered with a small or large backstrap/beavertail. This allows you to customize the gun for your hand size. VZ grip panels were created for Wilson Combat and are exclusive to the EDC X9. They are available in multiple colors, but only one size. Wilson Combat offers several length options for triggers. This allows the EDC X9’s ergonomics to be tailored to the shooter (more details later). Wilson uses their X-TAC texturing for both the backstrap and front strap. The X-TAC texturing has a deep, but also rounded look. It’s not aggressive but it gives you a good grip even when your hands get wet. It’s a good compromise between a grip that is aggressive and one that looks nice but slips around. The VZ Grip panels have the Wilson Combat starburst texture. These grips are more aggressive that X-TAC texturing. It only touches those parts of your hands that aren’t affected by recoil. It won’t cause any damage to your hands if you shoot 100’s of rounds at once. The grip of this gun is only slightly chubby. The gun fills your hands and touches every part of your palm. This grip will appeal to those who like their hand to feel all parts of the gun. The Wilson Combat EDC X9 is not recommended for those with small hands. It’s about the same length as a Glock 19 grip in terms of grip length. Your hand will grab the same amount of real estate on an EDC X9 grip as it would on a Glock 19 grip. Review of the Wilson Combat EDC X9 Sights. The Wilson Combat EDC X9 features a unique front sight cut. Wilson Combat will provide all options. Wilson Combat could have used a more common sight, such as a Novak 1911, Sig or Glock to take advantage the extensive aftermarket offerings that support those cuts. Wilson Combat does offer a variety of sight options for the EDCX9. I can’t think if there is another company that offers so many sight options for a proprietary model. They offer front sights in plain tritium front and Ameriglo tritiumfront night sights with an orange ring surrounding the tritium vial. They also offer both green and red fiber optic front sights and gold beads front sights. These sights measure.125 in width. Wilson Combat should offer a plain black front sight (my preference), and a fiber optic sight with a width of.115. New and pre-owned
EDC X9s in StockGuns.com I find the current offerings a little too wide. Using a standard front sight would allow the consumer to tailor the Wilson EDC X9 to their needs. Rear Sight This rear sight is adjustable in elevation and designed more as a battle sight rather than a target sight. It is very durable. A screw is located in the sight’s notch that can adjust the elevation. You will need to drift the sight if you need to adjust windage. The sight is held in place by 2 set screws. The adjustable rear sight on the Wilson Combat EDC X9 is extremely sturdy. The rear sight also has horizontal 40 LPI (Lines per Inch) serrations that match the 40LPI serrations at the slide’s back. This will reduce glare. The rear sight features a U-notch, which theoretically makes it easier to align the front sight than a square notch. Although it would be nice for Wilson to offer the square notch, the U notch is acceptable. Sights systems are personal preferences. Wilson Combat has done a wonderful job in making sure that every EDC X9 buyer has an option they like. A standard sight cut would have allowed virtually anyone to install their ideal sighting option on their Wilson Combat EDC X9. This is one of the main complaints in my Wilson Combat EDC X9 review. Wilson Combat EDX-X9 RMR Wilson Combat offers the option to mount a slide-mounted optical with the Wilson Combat True Zero System. Wilson Combat True Zero System will be an option when you order your EDC X9 directly. You can also send it in to them to add it to the gun. The Wilson Combat True Zero System uses a plate system that allows you to choose from multiple optics, as long as there is a plate for that particular optic. The Wilson Combat True Zero system currently has plates for the Aimpoint Acro and Leupold DeltaPoint Pro. The Trijicon plate should fit the Holosun optics, such as the Holosun 507v2, which are designed to work with RMR mounting patterns. I would love to see the Trijicon RMRcc option. It’s thinner and would match the slide better. Controls Safety The EDC X9 can be ordered with either a left-side or ambidextrous safety. I ordered my gun with an ambidextrous safety. The safety is ergonomic and does not cause any discomfort to the thumb of the primary hand when it is being used for shooting. Wilson does a great work of avoiding any potential sensitive areas. This helps to prevent the pain that primary 1911 style safetyties can cause. Engaging and disengaging is very safe. That part is, frankly, perfect. One problem is that sometimes my right-handed shooter grips the gun with a palm below the index finger’s thumb. This causes the safety to become pinched. This would not happen with all shooters, I think. Only shooters with hands that are almost identical to mine. This wouldn’t have been an issue if I had chosen the non-ambi safety. I can’t recreate the situation when I shoot with my left hand. This is a strange thing that shouldn’t be a problem for many. EDC X9 Review: No Grip Safety Despite being based upon the 1911 and using a 1911-style trigger, the EDC X9 doesn’t have a grip safety. You don’t need to worry about the gun going off if your grip is not perfect or your hands aren’t able to disengage a grip safety. Slide Stop The EDC X9’s slide stop also acts as a takedown lever just like the 1911 model. Wilson moved a little more forward with the smaller gun format than a standard 1911. However, it is still difficult to press down with your primary right hand thumb on a Reload if you have normal-sized male hands. It’s easy to drop the EDC X9 with your left-hand index fingers if you’re a lefty. Reload The slide stop on the EDC X9 is large and comprehensive. It is easy to locate with your left-hand thumb using Vicker’s method. Drop the slide with your support thumb on a slide lock, reload. It would have been nice if they moved the slide stop further back so that most people could reach it with their thumbs. Another minus in the EDC X9 review. EDC X9 Magazine Review. This is how the magazine release for the EDC X9 works. The mag will fall out when you press it. I have never accidentally pressed it and lost a magazine. It works exactly as it was intended. This is a part that is simple and appreciated by many. Wilson Combat chose to not overemphasize the gun’s area and instead focus on its function. It is designed for right-hand shooters only. If you are a lefty, you will need to learn how to release the magazine using a different method than your primary thumb. I can reach the magazine release of the EDC X9 without having to loosen my grip. Wilson Combat designed the EDC X9 so that your thumb can reach the magazine release. Some might find it helpful to make the grip more secure. Trigger Wilson Combat used a series 70 trigger to operate the EDC X9. The system does not have a firing pin block. It won’t be as safe if you drop it off a structure as a series 80 1911, or a stock Glock. Grip safety is also missing from the system, as I mentioned earlier. Grip safety is more of an asset than a liability in many guns, according to me. Wilson Combat EDC X9 has it. Wilson Combat offers a variety of trigger options for your EDC X9: you can choose from a short, medium or long trigger. A Wilson Combat shooter suggested that I go with the short trigger and small grip. This was after I had examined my grip at the 2018 NRA Show. Wilson Combat is a good place to start. There are six possible combinations of triggers and backstraps available, so you will likely find the one that suits you best. Shootability EDC X9 Review Using this system you can get the perfect trigger reach, which is crucial for shooting the gun accurately. You won’t have as much trouble breaking the trigger if the length of your pull on the trigger is right for you. I love the gun’s adaptability. If the setup you ordered from Wilson Combat is not right for you, you can order a different one at a gun shop or online. Wilson Combat can help you order a different size EDC X9 Trigger. Both new and pre-owned
EDC X9s in StockGuns.com Wilson Combat EDC X9 Trigger Is a good trigger, but not a great deal considering the price. Consistency My sample’s trigger had a little bit of takeup before hitting the wall. There will be some movement after hitting the wall. The break is almost like a carrot snapping, with a little bit more overtravel. Although the reset is brief, it doesn’t have any positive spring action. The trigger resets at the wall and is comparable or slightly better to other 1911 triggers I have used. It is definitely at the 4.5-pound end Wilson Combat’s advertised 3.5 to 4.5 pound trigger. The trigger’s feel and weight are more important than its weight. A 1911 trigger that is heavier than it actually is can feel lighter. A 1911 trigger that is not as clean can feel heavier than it really is. It’s a great trigger, and I don’t want you to believe I’m deducting points from this EDC X9 review. It’s a great trigger to use with a $1800 gun, and a great trigger with a $3000 gun. This was the only problem I found when my gun arrived. It has been through a little more than 1200 rounds. Although it is not tracked, I would guess that the gun has had a similar amount dry fire. It has not been used beyond what it was shipped from the factory. Reality: The trigger on the EDC X9 trade show sample I handled was completely outlandish. It had a crisp, short wall and was probably the most 1911-style trigger I have ever felt. Although it would be easy for Wilson to assume that he had stacked the deck for public events, I have seen Wilson Combat EDC X9s being handled at the same booth. It was probably a demo model that was handled a lot more often at the shows. The EDC X9 was the only one, and there were probably 20 or more 1911s. This meant that the EDC X9 had a long line of people waiting to handle it, while the 1911s didn’t. Some of the demo 1911 triggers were comparable to my EDC X9 trigger. Overall Ergonomics EDC X9 Review: The gun has a lot of upsides. You can adjust the trigger reach and the size of your back strap to suit your pull length. Although the gun feels a bit thicker than I prefer, it’s not a problem. The grip’s texturing is great and will work well for anyone, even those with very sensitive hands or those with thick calluses. The slide’s front and rear serrations are too large. This is my biggest complaint. Wilson Combat also used the X-TAC texturing. It’s very effective in this application, but they didn’t give enough. The gun would have taken a significant aesthetic hit and would have looked strange if they had. They made the right business decision by going this route. Aftermarket There isn’t a mentionable market built around the EDC X9. Because of the small production numbers, I don’t think we’ll see an aftermarket anytime soon. Wilson combat does provide most of the products that people want from an aftermarket. I don’t have to worry about their support for the gun as they are a well-established business. The gun also uses standard 1911 parts such as the recoil spring and guide rod, spring plug and firing pin stop. You can find most of your consumable parts from a variety quality sources. Aesthetics EDC X9 Review I think the EDC X9 looks great. If I had to order the gun again, I wouldn’t have chosen the polished stainless slide. Overall, I think the Wilson Combat EDC X9 looks great but is one of my least favorite EDC X9s. If I had to do it again, I would get a completely black gun with the Black Cherry Grips. The gun won’t leap out at you unless someone knows about Wilson Combat EDC X9. This gun won’t turn heads if you’re looking to make a statement. It does have a modern, understated elegance that is non-traditional. Shooting The gun is easy to load and the slide seems slightly easier to rack than other similar-sized 9mm pistols. This can be attributed to the smooth action. The Wilson Combat EDC X9 pistol is a very soft shooter. For small-statured shooters, I would recommend a narrower grip. The gun is painless and does not cause discomfort. It just shoots and shoots well. Both new and pre-owned
EDC X9s in StockGuns.com The Wilson Combat EDC X9 has had just over 1k rounds through it and there have been no issues. There have been reports of EDC-X9s that can fire thousands of rounds without any issues. Mine hasn’t had to be cleaned and shows no signs it is slowing down or sluggish. Is it faster than other guns? EDC X9 Review This is the most difficult part to write about. My lightly modified Glock 19s shoot better than the Wilson Combat EDC X9. You should also consider that I have fired thousands to tens of thousands of rounds through my Glock 19 platform, and probably 100 times as many dry fire reps. I am certain that the EDC X9 would improve my shooting if I committed to it. If you are proficient on a particular platform, it is unlikely that you will switch to a more advanced platform that will improve your skills. Once you get used to the platform, the results will start to show over time. Is the EDC X9 really worth it? Is the $3,000.00 price tag worthwhile? The Wilson Combat EDC X9 retails for $3k direct from Wilson Combat, but I have seen them at as low as $2400 at a few retailers. It’s not easy to swallow at $3k and it doesn’t offer the value I would like. Both new and pre-owned
EDC X9s In stockguns.com These usually take longer than Wilson Combat’s lead times, and are typically more expensive than the EDCX9. New Options All while using a less reliable and more expensive magazine design. Staccato(Formerly STI), now offers the Staccato C2 at $2k. The Staccato C2 duo is for optics, and costs $2500. The Staccato has a historically (there have been improvements) less reliable magazine layout than the Wilson Combat EDC X9. The Staccato C2 is a slightly smaller and less refined version of the Wilson Combat EDC X9, but I haven’t had much time with it. The Wilson Combat is not worth $1000 more than the Staccato, however. A Wilson Combat EDC X9 is worth $2400 if you can find it (even though you may have to modify the trigger and backstrap). It’s not a exact value at MSRP. If you’re looking for a bargain, I recommend that you test it out before you buy. The law of diminishing returns plays a part. I will still purchase another Wilson Combat EDC X9 if it is available at a fair price, and send it to Wilson for the True Zero System to be added for a Trijicon RMR. It is small enough to be easily carried. The grip’s circumference is my biggest complaint. For me, the Wilson Combat EDC X9 is the best-concealed carry option in a single-action double-stacked 1911 format. Your mileage may vary. As an example:Like Loading…
