[Grandpas50AE]

Excellent post comparing the differences in those two holsters, thanks for the comparative info.

 

[JD11]

Love WCs. Hate the green, though.

Me too, after a LOT of consideration I settled on drab olive green (which I hate) for my 4-wheeler but only because it's a game warden color and less chance of it being vandalized when I'm away from it in the brush on foot. Less noticeable than one of the loud colors.

 

[ieathollows357]

i love everything except the Acro.... its like a New York skyscraper ontop of your gun....

otherwise this set up looks amazing!

 

[ieathollows357]

Nice pistol, congrats!

I do think Wilson is misleading calling that a melt job when it is just a solid dehorning.

When I hear of a melt job, this more in tune what I think of.

View attachment 658583

@Reinz kimbers carry melt is top tier

 

[aaronsappl]

Nice pistol and welcome to the WC forum. Some great people here and lots of knowledge.

 

[Reinz]

@Reinz kimbers carry melt is top tier

‘I really like a radical meltdowm like the original Ed Brown Meltdown and the Kimber one.
I have only seen one Kimber one in the wild and the guy would not sell it.

 

[[email protected]]

Congrats on a nice find. If you get tired of the green, Wilson can do a new AT job on it for a very reasonable price.

Also, moving this to the Wilson sub-forum where you may get some more responses.

Good to know, and thanks for your help!

 

[[email protected]]

I have a WLW Closer ROR and a Milt Sparks Summer Special 2. Both for a Commander. They are basically the same design of holster.

I like the Sparks much better. Reasons:

- The Sparks leather extends up to flush with the back end of the slide. It does not stick up further, behind the beavertail, like is shown in your picture of the WLW. My WLW sticks up that far, too. I don't like that for a few reasons.

One, it is not needed. My SS2 is my EDC holster and the beavertails on my guns have never poked me in the side (and I have sadly too much spare tire in that area).

Two, with all that extra leather sticking up on the WLW, when the gun is unholstered, it flops over and makes it harder to re-holster. The Sparks is much easier to re-holster into.

And three, when the gun is out of the holster, that piece flopping over makes the holster print a lot more than it does when the gun is in the holster. So, when I go someplace that does not allow concealed carry, and I just need to run inside for a minute (e.g. my bank, or the post office), I like to just take the gun out and leave it in my vehicle, keeping the holster in place. Having that tab of leather making my holster print is not at all what I want.

Since the extra leather is not needed at all and it makes it harder to re-holster the gun and it makes the empty holster print, I think the Sparks design is much better.

- The Sparks holster is slightly thinner leather. It makes the holster a little less bulky. Yet it still does not collapse at all when the gun is unholstered. I have shot a number of IDPA matches this year using my DW Guardian in my Sparks SS2 holster. Never any trouble getting the gun right back in the holster after shooting a string/stage. The WLW is thicker, for no reason. Since the extra bulk doesn't give any benefit, I think the Sparks design on that is much better also.

I noticed it initially just from the feel, so then I measured it. With the gun in the holster, measuring across the slide towards the muzzle end, the Sparks is 1.100" and the WLW is 1.265". Not a big difference, but I noticed the thicker feel and THEN measured it, so it IS noticeable.

- The pistol sits further down into the Sparks. It rides lower on my hip, which I prefer.

- If I put the same gun in both holsters, hold it upside and shake it, the pistol does not move in the Sparks. In the WLW, it starts to work its way loose and then fall out. The WLW has adequate retention, but the Sparks is better.

Most interesting. I had not heard of sparks as I am rather new to all this. I did a quick check of their website and it looks like they don’t make a cross draw holster. That is a requirement for me. I’ll call them tomorrow and chat with him about that.

I just ordered a WLW holster for that green Wilson Combat with its optics. I told them I didn’t want that extra leather behind the grip. So I’m with you there.

The look of the holster is also important to me, probably more so than to most. And I really like the look of my WLW Holsters. Also, I can get the WLW in 2 to 3 weeks, whereas the Sparks would take almost half a year. I’m not a patient man.

 

[Chance-dg]

Nice pistol....looks like a WC Buck Rogers Blaster.

 

[Chance-dg]

[email protected] try Mitch Rosen Leather. He makes 2 different cross draw holsters. One for seated driving etc and another a little less horizontal. I have 2 MR rigs for my 1911s and want his crossdraw for my next pistol. He does exceptional work. You have to call and order through his wife. they are great to work with.

 

[[email protected]]

Nice pistol....looks like a WC Buck Rogers Blaster.

Funny! Thanks for making me smile.

 

[[email protected]]

[email protected] try Mitch Rosen Leather. He makes 2 different cross draw holsters. One for seated driving etc and another a little less horizontal. I have 2 MR rigs for my 1911s and want his crossdraw for my next pistol. He does exceptional work. You have to call and order through his wife. they are great to work with.

That’s a good tip. Thanks! Can you post any pictures?

 

[Chance-dg]

That’s a good tip. Thanks! Can you post any pictures?

I will post several from my phone tomorrow. I have a shoulder holster and a OWB 5JR, both in Oxblood. I use the shoulder holster almost every day. Home

 

[[email protected]]

Nice pistol, congrats!

I do think Wilson is misleading calling that a melt job when it is just a solid dehorning.

When I hear of a melt job, this more in tune what I think of.

View attachment 658583

I’m afraid I don’t understand the difference. I have an ultra CDP with its wonderful melt, and now this Wilson.

 

[[email protected]]

i love everything except the Acro.... its like a New York skyscraper ontop of your gun....

otherwise this set up looks amazing!

Thanks. I understand and think most here will agree with you about the size of the Steiner MPS. However, I really like it.

 

[[email protected]]

I like everything but the frame color.

I have that same flat trigger in my EDC X9. Freakin' love it.


Want similar in EVERY 1911 now. 🤣

Thanks for your reply. The drab green has grown on me, mainly because of how it lights up with bright light or sun light. And it’s unlike all my other shiny pistols. Nice to have something different.

 

[Chance-dg]

I’m afraid I don’t understand the difference. I have an ultra CDP with its wonderful melt, and now this Wilson.

I have the Kimber Pro CDP 45 and love it. It has been my go to pistol for 8 years now. I have other 1911s but it is the one I reach for.

 

[[email protected]]

‘I really like a radical meltdowm like the original Ed Brown Meltdown and the Kimber one.
I have only seen one Kimber one in the wild and the guy would not sell it.

I have a Kimber Ultra CDP2 with its wonderful melt. I’ll post some pictures of it in that forum over the next few days. They are available. And they shoot great. Extremely reliable, all those ultras.

 

[Reinz]

I’m afraid I don’t understand the difference. I have an ultra CDP with its wonderful melt, and now this Wilson.

My understanding is that Ed Brown was the originator of the meltdown. You don’t have to look for the melt job, it is instantly recognizable, like a well used bar of soap.

On any Wilson meltdown, I don’t normally see it unless told it has it.

Kimber CDP’s can be easily seen, like in the pic I posted earlier; post #17. Those are mine.

 

[[email protected]]

I have a WLW Closer ROR and a Milt Sparks Summer Special 2. Both for a Commander. They are basically the same design of holster.

I like the Sparks much better. Reasons:

- The Sparks leather extends up to flush with the back end of the slide. It does not stick up further, behind the beavertail, like is shown in your picture of the WLW. My WLW sticks up that far, too. I don't like that for a few reasons.

One, it is not needed. My SS2 is my EDC holster and the beavertails on my guns have never poked me in the side (and I have sadly too much spare tire in that area).

Two, with all that extra leather sticking up on the WLW, when the gun is unholstered, it flops over and makes it harder to re-holster. The Sparks is much easier to re-holster into.

And three, when the gun is out of the holster, that piece flopping over makes the holster print a lot more than it does when the gun is in the holster. So, when I go someplace that does not allow concealed carry, and I just need to run inside for a minute (e.g. my bank, or the post office), I like to just take the gun out and leave it in my vehicle, keeping the holster in place. Having that tab of leather making my holster print is not at all what I want.

Since the extra leather is not needed at all and it makes it harder to re-holster the gun and it makes the empty holster print, I think the Sparks design is much better.

- The Sparks holster is slightly thinner leather. It makes the holster a little less bulky. Yet it still does not collapse at all when the gun is unholstered. I have shot a number of IDPA matches this year using my DW Guardian in my Sparks SS2 holster. Never any trouble getting the gun right back in the holster after shooting a string/stage. The WLW is thicker, for no reason. Since the extra bulk doesn't give any benefit, I think the Sparks design on that is much better also.

I noticed it initially just from the feel, so then I measured it. With the gun in the holster, measuring across the slide towards the muzzle end, the Sparks is 1.100" and the WLW is 1.265". Not a big difference, but I noticed the thicker feel and THEN measured it, so it IS noticeable.

- The pistol sits further down into the Sparks. It rides lower on my hip, which I prefer.

- If I put the same gun in both holsters, hold it upside and shake it, the pistol does not move in the Sparks. In the WLW, it starts to work its way loose and then fall out. The WLW has adequate retention, but the Sparks is better.

Excellent reply and information. I like all of your points, especially the one about riding lower, which I would really like.