Wilson Combat

Wilson Combat in Berryville (Carroll County) was founded in 1977 by Bill Wilson. It has since grown into the largest custom firearms company in the United States, perhaps most known for its 1911 handguns, Double Stack handguns, and AR rifles, in addition to providing custom components for Beretta, GLOCK, and Sig Sauer weapons. In 2023, the company received the Pioneer Award during the 2023 National Rifle Association Golden Bullseye Awards ceremony.

Bill Wilson originally trained as a watchmaker but, having long been enamored of firearms, opened his own retail store in Berryville, Sportsman’s Headquarters. Three years later, he established Wilson Combat as a one-man gunsmithing operation. The company steadily grew, especially in the 1990s, with the growth of “concealed carry” laws across the United States, permitting average Americans to carry a concealed weapon provided the proper license. Wilson himself was a leader in the 1996 establishment of the International Defensive Pistol Association, “a competitive shooting association…focused on real-world scenarios using practical handguns.”

By the end of 2014, Wilson Combat employed 125 people, fifty of whom were gunsmiths. That same year, Wilson Combat constructed a new warehouse as well as another building for housing the rifle and shotgun building areas. Political strife and the COVID-19 pandemic helped to drive firearms sales, and by the end of 2020, the Wilson Combat campus in Berryville encompassed eight buildings and the company employed 200 people, with plans to expand its workforce. The company exclusively uses American-produced components

Wilson Combat is perhaps best known for its custom 1911 handguns, the initial model Bill Wilson produced in 1977, which come in a variety of models and calibers. Beginning in 1999, the company began producing custom AR rifles, including the AR-15, AR-10, and AR-9. Wilson Combat also produces the Border Patrol Model shotgun (used by the U.S. Border Patrol) and the NULA (New Ultralight Arms) line of bolt action rifles, as well as its own range of suppressors and custom ammunition.

In 2014, Wilson Combat began a collaboration with Beretta USA to produce the limited-run Beretta/Wilson 92G Brigadier Tactical, a 9mm, semi-automatic pistol built by Beretta and outfitted with Wilson Combat custom parts. This was the first such collaboration by Wilson with a major firearms manufacturer and led, two years later, to another partnership with Beretta to produce a pistol for the concealed-carry market. Wilson Combat has since engaged in similar partnerships with GLOCK and Sig Sauer.

For additional information:
Magsam, John. “2 Firms Team up on Concealed-Carry Pistol.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, January 10, 2016, pp. 1G, 8G. Online at https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2016/jan/10/2-firms-team-up-on-concealed-carry-pist/ (accessed October 10, 2025).

———. “Berryville’s Wilson Combat Expanding.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, December 13, 2020, pp. 1G, 7G. Online at https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2020/dec/13/berryvilles-wilson-combat-expanding/ (accessed October 10, 2025).

———. “Gun-Maker Gets Shot to Upgrade Classic.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, December 21, 2014, pp. 1G, 8G. Online at https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2014/dec/21/gun-maker-gets-shot-to-upgrade-a-classi/ (accessed October 10, 2025).

——— “Gunmaker’s Sights on New Niche.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, April 2, 2017, pp. 1G, 8G. Online at https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2017/apr/02/gunmaker-s-sights-on-new-niche-20170402/ (accessed October 10, 2025).

———. “Gunsmith to Customize Glocks.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, September 3, 2017, pp. 1G, 8G. Online at https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2017/sep/03/gunsmith-to-customize-glocks-20170903/ (accessed October 10, 2025).

Wilson Combat. https://wilsoncombat.com/ (accessed October 10, 2025).

Staff of the CALS Encyclopedia of Arkansas