Wilson Combat CQB Elite

Wilson Combat built the CQB Elite as a standard-issue tactical package rather than a build-to-order custom gun, which makes it one of the more accessible entries into the company's full-size 1911 line. It ships with a consistent set of features the company selected specifically for tactical shooting professionals: Bullet Proof branded parts throughout, front and rear slide serrations, a Battlesight rear sight paired with a fiber optic front, checkered mainspring housing and front strap, and G10 grips with a cutout for easy reach to the extended magazine release. The CQB Elite comes in both 9mm and .45 ACP, with the 9mm version typically running a 10 round magazine and the .45 an 8 round magazine, both fed through a 5 inch match-grade barrel and bushing that Wilson hand-fits at its Berryville, Arkansas shop. Frame and slide are carbon steel, finished in either Wilson's black Armor-Tuff coating or a bead-blasted stainless option depending on the specific build. Unloaded weight sits around 41 ounces. A Carry variant exists as well, with a shorter beavertail, round butt, and two-tone Armor-Tuff finish aimed at concealed carry rather than a duty holster. Reviewers and owners describe the CQB Elite's recoil as soft for a full-size steel 1911, helped along by the Bullet Proof magazine well and Wilson's usual attention to fit between slide and frame. It's a gun built to work straight out of the box for someone who wants Wilson Combat's reputation for reliability without configuring every individual option, which is exactly the gap the CQB Elite line was designed to fill.