ltwguns.com

Now I know that this is not a full blown custom. Maybe a semi-custom? Or just another mass-produced pistol. The reason I am posting this is for a good friend and college. He was dead set on purchasing a Thunder Ranch Special and decided against it. He is now looking at a used Wilson Protector. Round count is unknown but it definitely looks as though it has been carried quite a bit. It is an older model I believe he said 96’ or possibly 97’. It is a carbon steal frame and slide with the lower hard chromed and the upper coated in whatever Wilson was using at that time.
The question is what do you folks know about this particular model? Good, bad or ugly. Also what would be a fair price on something like this? The gentleman he is dealing with on this pistol is asking $1500 but I have no idea if this is even a fair asking price. He’s in no hurry and I offered to ask around a bit. I thought this would be a good place to ask.

Thanks for your time gentleman.

_________________
09/11/01
Never forget, Never forgive

I had one of those early Protector. They're excellent pistol. Fully custom they're not, but they're accurate and reliable, that's what you're looking for in any gun for any reason. The slide's finish is an early generation of Wilson's teflon/moly, they call it Armor Tuff. $1500 is a little high for a gun of that age, no matter what condition it's in. $1300 or less would be more attractive.

I'm a bit wary of those. I went through a class with a guy that had one. When he left the "shock buff" in it ran fine, but when he took it out , it choked. He tried changing recoil springs and it was still the same deal.

_________________
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE
Thunder Ranch THG & UR(x2), Gunsite 250C,
Yavapai Firearms Acad HG1(x2), HG2, & SG,
Shootrite Prvt Inst HG, NRA Life Member

If some of what you read here looks familar most of it should be. Same basics goes for this gun as well as the question you asked on the Thunder Ranch but I added a few items that pertain to the Wilson Line.

I retail most if not all of the Custom as well as Higher End 1911's for many more years than I care to remember and you will find satisfied, extremely satisfied folks with all makes and craftsmen as well as the one or two who are not.

I just post here to give you a bit of a perspective.

I and many, if not 99.999999% of the readers and actual users have found out the 1911 is very, very, very, hard to wear out. And also take some one who can spell GUN or think 1911 is not long distance emergency to use one as it was designed to be used.

I still use as a demo a 1911 built in 1920 or there abouts. (Serial number 191111 for you colt fans if you have one of the books and can PM me the actual date). I have a Baer gun, with the original Baercoat in stock that I know is pushing 8 k. I also use a Wilson Tactical Service Pistol (1998 or there abouts) with about twice that round count (16K). Again neither has issues. I got both second or third or fourth hand. Never bothered to check. I do now one has had 7 owners, myself being 3 of that seven. I know these things are hard to wear out if you get a good one to begin with.

But get what you feel best with or the company that will support you better. Something I did not mention before. Wilson will service a used or second owner (not first owner) gun provided some "expert" has not carved on it. Something you may check on with the others out there. On the early armortuff, as with all of the teflon poly wonder finishes of that time all wore a bit more but I never had an armortuff gun with much holster wear rust. That will also apply to the other wonder finishes of that time. i.e. Black T, Bearcoat etc.

Why not take the time get the serial number of the protector from your friend who is interested and either you or your friend call Wilson at 1800 955 4856 hit the 1 prompt and ext 120 and ask Greg Gimenez when the gun was made. Then ask if this particular gun had been back for service by the first or how ever many owner it has had. (Part of "do your research" in my tag line)

Point I have found from many, many, folks is this. The devil is in the details. Many times I hear this is cheaper than that and is just as good. No it isn't as in the long run you will pay.

Well there is a reason one gun is ceaper that the other. Parts costs, time to build, availability, Blue steel instead of stainless, not true parts, i.e instead of Novak sights a knock off. Corrosion protection of a coating, plating or stainless over blue.

Keep also in mind that price is regional and not the same in every area. Texas and other very little restriction states have a large supply and medium demand meaning prices are less then for example New York City with one range and one gun store or California and all of those wonderful save us from ourselves laws.

Also remember used or trade price is usually related to new price. Wilson recently has had a price increase and as a retailer to replace my trades I have for sale the trader or seller will get a bit more as the price increase sinks in.

How many times have we heard, "My whatever is just as good as your whatever", want to bet, Reputations are earned not given. The average guy on a production gun will fire maybe 500 a year. Readers of this forum may shoot that a month on average. Keep also in mind you will always find someone some where who has an issue with a maker whether the issue is user or product is never remember just there was an issue.

Remember, discounts are for a reason and your undying gratitude has nothing to do with it. Small example prices too good to be true new are probably used being sold as new.

Check out the fine detail on each make and model. If you are on the coast with high humidity and salt. A blued gun may not be for you.

One other thing on complaints on various makers. Please keep in mind something I learned from retail and forums. Most of the complaints are operator issues not gun issues and the written communication such as this is many times written MISS communication.

Again just to give you a bit of a thought.

Best in your quest and pay heed to my tag line.

_________________
Be safe and keep the brass flying

Terry Peters

Do your research but you get what you pay for front end or back end
http://www.pt-partners.com
@ptpartners_tx

I want to thanks the forum member who took the time to look up the serial number of my WWI and it was made in 1918.

Just to support if you get a good one, these darn things are hard to wear out.

_________________
Be safe and keep the brass flying

Terry Peters

Do your research but you get what you pay for front end or back end
http://www.pt-partners.com
@ptpartners_tx

I am in the process of bobtailing a Protector for a customer, and I think that there are pics of it here somewhere. It was posted a while ago. Anyway, I just got the gun back from Tripp for hardchrome on the frame. He did an excellent job of matching the hardchrome. Gun looks great.
I found these problems with the gun when I recieved it:
Sticky slide lock. Would not lock back everytime the mag went empty. Problem was isolated to the slide lock, not mag related.
Sticky and very stiff thumb safety. I like to have the guns that I use and work on, unless otherwise preferred by the customer, to have a very usable thumb safety. That means that they should be able to wipe it on and off with their thumb and it should "snick" into place very positively.
Trigger pull. Pull was very light, creepy and not predictable. The trigger broke at less than 3-3.5 lbs. That is ok if that is what is desired, but you could not "feel" the trigger at all. I examined the sear and did not see a definite primary and secondary cut. More of a rounded nose. I do not know if the sear had been worked on by someone else, or if this is the way that it came from Wilson.

And don't know if you know, but some of the Wilson rail guns are Caspian frames. I have not checked lately and they may still be getting the rail frame from Caspian. So, at least you know that the quality of the frame and slide is very good.

I have several customers with Wilson, Baer, Rock River, Ed Brown and other "semi" custom guns. Some are great, some are mediocre and some are not as well fitted or functioning as you would think they would be for what they cost. When you get a custom gun from a smith, then you are getting exactly what you want, the way that you want it, and working the way it should. And built with more care to function and detail than the "semi" custom guns. That is why it cost more. Having said that, I have a couple of guns from some of these makers and they are put together very well and run very well. One of them has not needed any tuning or tweaking at all. The best thing is to not worry about who makes the gun so much as how it works and was put together. You know that most of them have good parts in them. Just make sure that when someone you know, or yourself, is buying any new or used pistol, make sure that you do your home work and know what to look for. What would be ideal is if they would let you strip the gun as much as possible to examine as much internal detail as possible. And if you don't have the expertise to know what to look for, then see if you can find a friend or "expert" to take along to check the gun out. Most of the dealers and shops that I used to buy at have a 1-3 day right of return if you find something grossly wrong and need to get an exchange or refund. Or have a good smith on staff to correct any minor problems. Almost any quality 1911 can be made to run right. Unless the gun has been butchered by some kitchen table gun smithing, then it can be fixed.

Jess