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Founded in 1977,
Wilson Combat has grown to include more than 50 employees – no one
else in the custom gun business has as many professionals, as many
years of experience, or as much history with hand-crafting custom
guns as we do. Here’s an idea of the type and number of years
experience you will find at Wilson Combat:
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Direct or relevant firearms industry experience – over
466
years
Military and/or law enforcement experience – over
48
years
Shooting sports experience – over
276 years
Hunting and field experience – over
705
years
Firearms engineering experience – over
110 years
Patents and other significant awards –
113 |
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Here are a few members of the Wilson Combat
Team, and a record of their relevant experience:
Bill Wilson
History:
First Firearm received at age 8 and a
lifelong obsession with firearms and hunting began
Retail gun and revolver action tuning business (Sportsman’s
Headquarters) 1972 – 1977
Started Wilson’s
Gun Shop in fall of 1977 customizing 1911 pistols and various
revolvers
Current President and CEO of Wilson’s Gun Shop, Inc. dba Wilson
Combat
Education:
Graduate
Berryville High School - 1972
Graduate Oklahoma
State Tech school of Business, Jewelry and Watch Making - 1974
Industry
innovations:
SHOK-BUFF frame saver/recoil buffers, the original 1911 frame buffer
Series 47 1911 magazines, the industry standard in reliability and
durability
Accu-Comp
compensators, used to win numerous IPSC championships
Trak-Lock II
tactical shotgun sights, the industry standard in law enforcement
Bulletproof unbreakable ejector for the 1911 pistol
KZ-45 polymer
frame 1911, 11round .45 ACP firepower in a standard 1911 size
package
1911 Versa-Tool, for all our 1911 disassembly needs
Firearms Industry
Associations:
Member American
Pistolsmiths Guild and was awarded the honor of PISTOLSMITH OF THE
YEAR in 2002
Life member NRA since 1975
Member Gun Owners
of America
Life member (#CL-1), president and founder of the International
Defensive Pistol Association
Life member
(#CL-15), former Section Coordinator and BOD member of the United
States Practical Shooting Association
Member Handgun Hunters International
Member Texas Trophy Hunters Association
Competitive
Shooting Accomplishments:
IPSC/USPSA National Championships - 1977 - 14th, 1980 - 8th, 1981 -
12th, 1982 - 14th, 1983 - 4th, 1984 - 3rd, 1986 - 11th
IPSC World Championships - 1979 - 5th, 1983 - 11th
Member IPSC Gold Team - 1983
Member IPSC Silver Team - 1981 and 1986
IPSC 15 year Reunion Invitational - 1st
Bill Wilson is one of the Original Southwest Pistol League IPSC
"Combat Masters"
World Speed Shooting Championships (Steel Challenge) - 1981 - 6th,
1982 - 12th, 1983 - 4th, 1984 - 12th
Arkansas Speed Shooting Championship - 1984 - 1st, 1985 - 2nd
Second Chance Street Combat Shoot - 1978 - 3rd, 1979 - 1st, 1980 -
2nd, 1982 - 1st
NRA Bianchi Cup Invitational - 1979 - 9th, 1980 - 16th, 1982 - 5th,
1983 - 12th, 1984 - 7th, 1985 - 7th, 1986 - 7th
Soldier of Fortune 3-Gun Invitational - 1980 - 5th, 1984 - 12th
IPSC Midwest Championship - 1978 - 1st, 1979 - 5th, 1980 - 2nd, 1982
- 1st, 1983 - 2nd, 1984 - 2nd, 1985 - 1st
Florida IPSC FIPT - 1983 - 2nd
Arkansas Combat Pistol League Champion - (IPSC) 1977, 1978, 1979,
1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, (IDPA) 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000,
2001, 2002 and 2003
Arkansas State IDPA Champion - 1997, 1999, 2000 and 2001
Tulsa Practical Pistol League Champion - 1981, 1983 and 1984
Missouri State
USPSA Limited Champion 1994
Oklahoma State IDPA Champion - 1998 and 2000
IDPA Inaugural Invitational - 1997 - 4th SSP Master
IDPA National Championship - 1997 - 3rd SSP Master, 1998 - 3rd CDP
Master, 1999 CDP Champion, 2000 CDP 2nd Master
KC Winter IDPA Indoor Championship - 1998 - 1st CDP Master
IDPA Midwest Spring Nationals - 1999 - 1st CDP Master
IDPA Rangemaster Winter Championship - 1998 - 1st CDP Master, 1999 -
2nd CDP Master
Venezuela IDPA
Champion (CDP division) 2001
South African
IDPA Champion 2004 and 2005 (CDP division), 2006 1st
Master
Stopped active and serious competition from 1987 – 1995 due to burn
out and business demands and again in 2003 – present to pursue other
interests, primarily recreational shooting, hunting and ATV riding
Bill Wilson is the only shooter in the world to have finished in the
TOP 5 at all of the following events: IPSC Nationals, IPSC World
Championships, IDPA National Championships (USA), IDPA National
Championships (South Africa), IDPA National Championships
(Venezuela), Second Chance Street Combat Shoot, Bianchi Cup
Invitational, World Speed Shooting Championships (Steel Challenge)
and the Soldier of Fortune 3-Gun Championships.
IPSC =
International Practical Shooting Confederation. USPSA = United
States Practical Shooting Association, membership #CL-15. IDPA =
International Defensive Pistol Association, membership #CL-1
Firearms
Training:
Thunder Ranch Defensive Pistol II
Thunder Ranch
Team Tactics
Thunder Ranch
Home and Vehicle Defense
Thunder Ranch
Urban Rifle Course
Rob Haught
Tactical Shotgun Course
Hackathorn/Haught
3 Gun Tactical Shooting Course
Hunting:
Veteran of over 25 African safaris since 1979 to Rhodesia, Zambia,
Zimbabwe and South Africa
Extensively hunted Australia’s northern Territory and recently
hunted New Zealand
Veteran of too many hunts to count in Arkansas, Texas, Montana and
Tennessee
Total years
experience in the firearms industry:
38
Ryan Wilson
History:
First
Firearm received at age 5 and a lifelong obsession with firearms and
hunting began
Began my career at Wilson Combat in 1985
Current
Vice President of Wilson Combat
Started
Wilson Tactical in 2000 producing hand-made knives
Started
Para-Cord.com in 2008 producing products made from paracord
Current President and CEO of Para-Cord.com
Education:
Graduate Berryville
High School - 1996
Industry Innovations:
Cop Tool – Specialized tool used by police and military
professionals worldwide
Firearms Industry Associations:
Life
member NRA since 1993
International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA) Membership #6
Reserve
Officer – Berryville Police Department
Team
Member - Tri-City Special Response Team (SRT) - Entry
Competitive Shooting Accomplishments:
1991 – IPSC – Ozark Mountain Practical Shooters – 1st
Juniors Tac Combat
1991 – IPSC – Ozark
Mountain Practical Shooters – 1st Juniors Open Combat
1991 – IPSC – Ozark
Mountain Practical Shooters – 1st Juniors Open Pins
1992 – IPSC – Ozark
Mountain Practical Shooters – 2nd B Class Open Combat
1998 – IDPA – Arkansas
State Championship – 3rd CDP Expert
1998 – IDPA – Arkansas
Combat Pistol League – 1st CDP Expert Overall
1998 – IDPA – National Championships – 7th CDP Expert
1999 – IDPA – Arkansas
State Championship – 3rd CDP Expert
1999 – IDPA – Arkansas
Combat Pistol League – 2nd CDP Expert Overall
2000 – IDPA – Arkansas
State Championship – 2nd CDP Expert
2000 – IDPA – National Championships – 1st CDP Expert
Firearms Training:
Rogers Shooting
School – Advanced Pistol
Thunder Ranch - Defensive Pistol II
Thunder Ranch - Home and Vehicle Defense
Rob Haught - Tactical Shotgun Course
Hackathorn/Haught - 3 Gun Tactical Shooting Course
A.L.S.
Certified Less Lethal Instructor
ATOA
Conference
Hunting:
9
African Safaris to South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe – Have taken 2
of the big five
Extensively hunted in Arkansas,
Montana and Texas
Hunted
Australia’s
Northern Territory
Total years experience in the firearms industry: 26
Victor Tibbets
Vic Tibbets is not
only a master pistolsmith, he is also the manager of the Wilson
Combat Custom Shop.
Vic Tibbets started
working at Wilson Combat when he was 17 years old, already an ardent
hunter and firearms fan. He spent the next eighteen years with us,
first learning to be a gunsmith, and then refining and practicing
his skills until he became one of the finest pistolsmiths in the
country. Vic wanted his own business, and left Wilson Combat to
start and manage a firearms company for the next three years. He
then joined with a long-time friend and co-founded Guncrafter
Industries, where he firmly established himself as a premier
pistolsmith and businessman. He remained a partner in Guncrafter
Industries for the next 4 years, until he decided to return home to
Wilson Combat. Vic has over 25 years experience working on quality
firearms, and a national reputation as a premier 1911 pistolsmith.
Organizations:
National Rifle Association
Shooting
Experience:
I.P.S.C. and
Bullseye competitive shooting.
Hunting Experience:
Victor has hunted
both large and small game for over 25 years with firearms, and 15
years with archery equipment.
Jim Wilson
Jim has been
involved with shooting and guns most of his life, and has been with
Wilson Combat for over 22 years. During this 22 years, he has become
one of the world’s acknowledged masters of the 1911 design, and
quite possibly the ultimate practicing 1911 pistolsmith. Trained by
a Vocational-Technical institute as a machinist, he has parlayed
that education in working with metal into hand-crafting and
hand-fitting some of the finest pistols to be found.
Organizations:
National Rifle Association
North American
Hunting Club
Competitive/Hobby
Shooting:
For over 30 years,
Jim has shot in competitions in I.P.S.C., trap, skeet, and sporting
clays.
He has also been an
active 3D archery shooter.
Hunting
Experience:
Jim has hunted elk,
deer, hogs, small game, and upland birds for over 30 years.
Steve Kelley
History:
Steve Kelley spent
21 years in the HVAC business before becoming a gunsmith in Florida,
where he worked for 3 years. He has been a pistolsmith with Wilson
Combat for over 10 years. For the past 7 years, he has also owned
and operated, with his wife, his own gun shop.
Organizations:
National Rifle Association
National Wild Turkey Foundation
Ducks Unlimited
Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
Shooting Experience:
Steve is a recreational shooter and enjoys Sporting Clays.
Hunting Experience:
Steve has hunted large and small game for over 42 years.
Training:
Steve Kelley is a Concealed Carry Permit Instructor.
Bobby Sims
Bobby Sims spent 2
years in construction, and has been the owner/operator of his own
farm for over 5 years. He joined Wilson Combat 6 years ago, and
works in the custom pistol shop, hand-fitting 1911-style pistols..
Organizations:
National Rifle Association
Competitive/Hobby
Shooting:
Bobby has been a
recreational shooter for over 16 years, and particularly enjoys
shooting skeet. He also shoots pistols and rifles, and is an avid
archery shooter.
Hunting Experience:
Bobby has hunted
elk, deer, hogs, small game, and varmints for over 20 years.
Mike Campbell
Mike
Campbell worked for over 15 years in construction, welding, and as a
mechanic, including 2 years in the U.S. Army as an aviation
mechanic, before joining Wilson Combat. He has been building custom
pistols for us for 12 years.
Organizations:
National Rifle Association
Competitive/Hobby
Shooting:
Mike
was a member and shot in competition in the New Mexico Precison
Shooters Club (benchrest rifle) for several years.
Hunting
Experience:
Mike
has hunted elk, deer, hogs, and small game for over 25 years..
Greg Martin
Greg Martin worked
for 13 years in the construction, landscaping, and mechanic fields
before coming to Wilson Combat. This is his 10th building
and working on 1911 style pistols.
Organizations:
National Rifle Association
IDPA
USPSA
Boy Scouts of American (Webelos Den Leader)
Firearms Training
Completed courses
led by Ken Hackathorn, Rob Haught, and Eric Grauffel (IPSC World
Champion). Attended Texas Defensive Shooting Academy and the
Practical Shooting Academy.
Competitive/Hobby
Shooting:
Participated in
competitive shooting with IDPA for 10 years and USPSA for 3 years.
Hobby shooting includes skeet, trap, and long-range rifle.
Hunting Experience:
Greg has hunted elk,
whitetail and mule deer, antelope, hogs, exotics, small game, and
upland birds for over 30 years.
Awards and
Accomplishments:
3-Gun Master in IDPA.
A-Class in limited 10 and single-stack in USPSA.
Won numerous state and regional IDPA Championships
2nd place in IDPA National Championships 6 times in CDP
Class
Shot 3 USPSA National Championships, placed in top 16 at all 3, was
the High A-Class competitor in all 3.
James Waters
James Waters grew up
with firearms and shooting. He spent 4 years as carpenter, then 2
years as a mechanic, and then joined Wilson Combat. This is his 6th
year with Wilson Combat hand-crafting pistols. He also owns and
continues to operate his own farm.
Organizations:
National Rifle Association
Competitive/Hobby
Shooting:
James has been a
recreational firearms shooting enthusiast for over 25 years,
including handguns, rifles, and shotguns. He has also done his own
reloading, and participates in archery competition/.
Hunting Experience:
James has hunted
local game animals, including deer, varmints, turkey and small game,
for over 20 years.
Duane Wormington
History:
Cost Accounting
& programming NC & CNC mills & lathes 1979 – 1984
Accountant –
Private industry 1985 – 2004
Received CPA
certification 1999
Currently
CFO of Wilson’s Gun Shop, Inc. dba Wilson Combat
Education:
Graduate Purdy,
MO High School 1975.
Graduate
Southwest Baptist University, Bolivar, MO 1979
BS degree in
Business Administration, Accounting, & Economics.
Firearms
Industry Association:
NRA member
Hunting:
Deer, Quail,
Pheasant in Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas & South Dakota
Total
years experience in the firearms industry:
3
John May
History:
Twenty
years in the gun industry, including 3 years with Wilson Combat, and
2 years as the General Manger for a high quality retail gun
establishment.
Twenty-seven years hunting various native game. Hunted with my
family from the age of thirteen, but always loved handguns. Got my
first handgun at twenty and first 1911 at twenty-one. Fell in
love! I started making holsters sometime in 1989 found out I didn’t
know much about shooting pistols, joined a gun club and started
shooting competitively. On weekends I worked gun shows and in
various gun shops since 1987 and found out that I truly loved all
things gun related, especially shooting. Joined IDPA in 1998 and
started shooting regularly. Attended my first Nationals in 1999 and
have only missed one since. While working as Operations Manager at
Contour-Med became interested in firearms instructing. I spent all
my free time going to shooting classes and any instructor classes I
could find. Joined OPS ( Options For Personal Security ) as an adjunct instructor and started
teaching as often as possible. I still teach some and shoot as
often as possible. I still am in love with three things: My wife,
my kids, and my 1911……
Competitive Shooting Experience:
Match Director 2003-2006 IDPA Nationals
1st Place Expert 2002, 2005 Arkansas State IDPA Match
2nd Place Expert 2001, 2003, 2004 Arkansas State IDPA
Match
1st Place at a host of other state and regional IDPA
Matches
Central Arkansas Shooters’ Association IDPA Director 1999
Central Arkansas
Shooters’ Association Vice President 2000-2001
Central Arkansas
Shooters’ Association President 2002-2004
Training
Experience:
NRA Pistol Instructor
NRA Rifle Instructor
NRA Shotgun Instructor
NRA Personal Protection Instructor
IDPA CDP, ESP, SSP Expert
Adjunct Instructor OPS
Chief Instructor and CO founder DFI
Arkansas Concealed Carry Instructor #409
IDPA Safety Office Instructor
Graduate: Jim Crews’ Urban Tactical Carbine Instructor
Graduate: Ken Hackathorn Tactical 3 Gun
Graduate: Rob Haught Tactical Shotgun
Graduate: OPS Tactical Pistol
Graduate: OPS Tactical Rifle
Graduate: OPS Dynamic Tactics
Graduate: OPS Tactical Rifle Instructor
Graduate: OPS Tactical Pistol Instructor
Graduate: Firearms Instructor Development
Graduate: Gary Lawrence Self-Defense and Arkansas Law
Safety Officer 1999-2000 IDPA Nationals
Chief Safety Office 2001-2002 IDPA Nationals
Paid Expert Firearms Witness
Firearms
Industry Associations:
IDPA Member since 1998
NRA Life member
Other
Significant Accomplishments:
U.S.
Patent # 7,058,439 Issued 6/6/2006
Total years experience in the firearms industry:
20
Nick Moraitis
History:
Nick Moraitis, a U.S. Army Veteran and Graduate of the PGS
Pennsylvania Gunsmith School, joined Wilson Combat in the sales
department offering technical/customer service since 2003. Growing
up, Nick worked as a cook and manager for the family restaurant,
Marino’s Seafood in Columbus Ohio. Once Nick started attending PGS
in 2002 he started working for high end sporting goods store as a
sales associate and gunsmith.
Organizations:
International Defensive Pistol Association
Arkansas Combat Pistol League
International Ammunition Association
National Rifle Association
Competitive Shooting:
IDPA and ACPL Member Since 2003
Shooting pistols and long guns since 1983
Awards/Accomplishments:
Firing Range Safety Office Certificate 2009
Certificate of Achievement, 4 day Pistol Course at Front Sight 2005
First Place in the Arkansas 2005 Winter Classic, CDP/Marksman
Master Gunsmithing Program Diploma from PGS 2003
Glock Armorers Course 2002
Certificate of Training, Fort McCoy, 2000
Certificate of Achievement, Golden Medic Award, 2000
Certificate of Completion of P.L.D.C., Fort Dix, 2000
Certificate of Achievement, Fort Polk 2000
Army Achievement Medal, 2000
Army Achievement Medal, 1999
Army Achievement Medal, 1998
Certificate of Training, Fort McCoy, 1997
Certificate of Training, Fort Sam Houston, 1994
Certificate of Training, Fort Leonard Wood, 1993
Hobbies/Other Interests:
Collecting and researching everything related to the 1911-style
pistol since 1983
Greg Gimenez
History:
Greg Gimenez worked
in the building industry, and in building material sales for 12
years before coming to Wilson Combat in the sales department, where
he has been for the last 10 years. He also raises cattle on his farm
in northern Arkansas.
Organizations:
National Rifle Association
IDPA, has been a member since it’s inception.
Education:
AA Degree, North Arkansas Community College
BA Degree, University of Arkansas
Firearms Training:
Hackathorn Shotgun Class
Hackathorn Pistol
Class
Competitive/Hobby
Shooting:
For over 30 years, Greg has shot rifles, pistols, and
shotguns for recreation and practice.
Hunting Experience:
Greg has hunted
large and small game in the area for over 15 years.
John LaHue
History:
John LaHue was
self-employed for many years before joining Wilson Combat, primarily
in farming enterprises. He has been in the sales department at
Wilson Combat for 8 years.
Organizations:
National Rifle Association
IDPA ( International Defense Pistol Association )
Competitive/Hobby
Shooting:
John has shot in
USPSC competitions for 15 years, and in IDPA competitions for 8
years. He has also been a recreational shooter for more than 30
years..
Hunting Experience:
John is an active
small game hunter, and has been for more than 30 years.
Matt Riker
History:
In 2005, Matt began his career with Wilson Combat as a Sales
Associate and Customer Service Representative. Matt spent the
previous four years in sales in the automotive industry. Trained as
a French Chef by his father and fellow chefs and worked in the food
service industry for several years. He worked in the family owned
Restaurant in Eureka Springs,
Arkansas for 20 years and that is where his customer service career
began. He worked as an
Italian Chef at Ermillio's in Eureka Springs and a line cook at
Bubbas BBQ restaurant also in Eureka Springs. While Matt owned his
own landscaping business in Holiday Island,
Arkansas for 5 years, he continued cooking nights in Eureka
Springs. Matt has one son Austin, who is an avid
shooter that knows as much, or more than Matt does about Wilson
Combat products, Austin has attended many of the
Wilson Combat gun events across the US with Matt and is always
eager to lend a hand. Matt's love of guns began as a young boy with
his father and family friends that took him and his brother dove and
deer hunting. He enjoys hunting with any kind of gun as well as bow
hunting. “We are blessed to live in an area where we can hunt
and fish all year, and we don't take that for granted.”(Matt)
If there is a gun show, you will find Matt there, most likely with
the entire family.
Matt is now teaching his son the skill of target shooting and
respect for all weapons. Austin loves it!
When they shoot on the weekends, the whole family goes along to
strengthen their knowledge of gun safety and general gun skills.
Training Experience:
Three Gun Training under both Bill Wilson and Rob Haught.
Firearms Industry Associations:
NRA
Member
Competitive Shooting Experience:
Just started competing in IDPA
Total years experience in the firearms industry: 3
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And one
other thing – we, the company and the employees,
strongly support the NRA and what they do for all
firearm enthusiasts. Every Wilson Combat employee
is a member of the NRA. We hope you are, too. If
you make a qualifying* firearm purchase from Wilson
Combat, we’ll even pay your first (or next, if already a
member) years membership fee.
Here’s
what you gain because of our
experience:
We know
guns. We understand how they’re used, and what they are
supposed to do, and how they are supposed to work. You
won’t find us building you something that,
intrinsically, is just not smart. Because we know what
we expect from a firearm, the odds are
that we know what you expect, too.
We don’t
have to look outside our own company to develop a new
product. Between our professionals, our engineers, our
managers, and every single employee – and our customers
– there is just not a better source of new ideas about
the market we serve. It often amazes us when our
competitors announce a new XYZ pistol, designed by none
other than Mr. Somebody Special. It seems like these
announcements occur monthly. We build dream-guns for
customers, every day, that are far superior – in design,
features, and practical use – than these celebrity
endorsed guns designed to mass market. But then, we’re
not mass-marketers, and our customers don’t generally
buy what everyone else has. We are custom gun
crafters, building guns for custom gun owners.
Firearms
are machines. Our firearms are hand-built by skilled,
experienced craftsmen, but sometimes, one will get
through that shouldn’t have. It may have a problem that
did not show up here, no matter how extensive our Q.C.
program and test-fire protocol is. If you happen to have
any kind of problem with a firearm from Wilson Combat,
you will be happy to discover that when you call, you
will end up with someone who knows what you’re talking
about, and can usually help troubleshoot the problem
over the phone. When that can’t be accomplished, we’ll
tell you how to get the gun returned to us. And since we
know what it means to not have a favorite gun, it will
go straight to an experienced gunsmith who will get the
problem resolved, then back in your hands ASAP. The
point is, we own and use guns, we understand problems,
and, just like you, we get impatient when we feel like
we aren’t getting the attention we need. We’ll treat
your gun like it was our own, and we’ll treat your issue
like it was our own. We’re empathetic, because we know
just how you feel.
We can
talk with you about what kind of firearm, and accessory,
will best meet your needs, whether it’s for defense,
competition, plinking, hunting, concealed carry, etc. We
can talk with you about the environment you’ll be using
your weapon in, and the conditions you might normally
encounter. We can talk about these sort of things
intelligently, because we been there and done it, not
just read about it. We are gun enthusiasts all day every
day. We’re real proud of what we do, and thankful that
we get to do it with Wilson Combat. We want you to be as
proud of your firearm as we are proud to have crafted
it.
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*Qualifying
Firearm Purchase for FREE annual NRA membership: Every firearm
purchase with a retail value of $1300.00
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