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Old January 20, 2008, 10:29 PM   #1
wjg686
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Wilson ADP failure -- Top This!!

I bought a new Wilson Combat ADP for a carry pistol two weeks ago. I really liked the weight and balance when loaded, the 10 + 1 capacity and 9 mm caliber, it fit very comfortably IWB (no sharp edges like the Bersa it replaced), and the shop let me put a magazine through one they were using in a poker shoot. Remarkably accurate for a small gun, and the recoil was pleasant, almost revolver-like with minimal muzzle flip.

I put 50 rounds through it and noticed that the pins on the slide and the rear of the grip assembly worked out about 1/4 of the way. Curious. I tapped them back in on returning home. They came out again the next trip to the range, and the shop suggested that I shoot it one more session and they'd return it to the factory if it happened again. (I still love the way it shoots and carries.)

Today, I went to the range with my 642 in my waistband, planning to shoot the pins of the ADP loose and send it in. Imagine my surprise when, on the
4th or 5th round, THE SLIDE WENT DOWNRANGE! We shut the range down, the RSO retrieved the slide and spring, and I apologized to everyone for having obviously assembled the pistol carelessly. I carefully reassembled the pistol, checked to see that I had done so, racked the slide a few times before loading it, and proceeded to fire again, with the same result: the target was hit, the case was ejected, the next round was chambered, and the slide continued forward 25 feet! This definitely alters the weight and balance, let me tell you.

So the pistol is on its way back to Wilson Combat. I am sure they will fix it, but with what? The stamped steel parts seem delicate, though I can't see anything broken when compared with the shop's poker shoot gun (which, they say, had been sent back to the factory for dropping mags). I bought this as a carry gun -- good thing this happened on the range, huh? What would it take for any of you to trust it for such duty now?

I don't want to be unreasonable, but I'm thinking of asking the shop to credit the $600 towards a Kahr or PPS. What do you think?
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Old January 20, 2008, 10:49 PM   #2
tenholewheels
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well i'll be frank

its a re-packaged heritage stealth el-cheapo i bought one of those 2 years ago it shot itself to pieces so i got 100.00 back out of it in a trade. i suggest you ditch it. but its your call. wayne
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Old January 21, 2008, 07:40 AM   #3
VinnyT
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WHOA...Wait here a minute....I thought Wilsons are supposed to be a top-of-the-line pistols?

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Old January 21, 2008, 08:06 AM   #4
Magyar
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Quote:
bought this as a carry gun -- good thing this happened on the range, huh? What would it take for any of you to trust it for such duty now?
Just goes to show you it can happen to a Wilson, Kimber, & yes, a LLAMA!
P.S. Let us know what Wilson did on the fix-it.....
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Old January 21, 2008, 08:20 AM   #5
ShootingNut
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The BG Better Watch It

Getting hit with a slide can be hazardous to his health!
Seriously, just reading another Thread, those karping about the quality nowdays of a Smith & Wesson.
This shows, that no manufacturer is immune to occasional defective products, and it isn't always how much dough one has laid out either.
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Old January 21, 2008, 09:09 AM   #6
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Now where are all the non-Taurus people and their quality rants ??!!!!
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Old January 21, 2008, 09:31 AM   #7
wjg686
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I'm thinking of asking the shop to trade it for a stick -- at least I can hit the BG twice!
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Old January 21, 2008, 01:38 PM   #8
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As I remember, some of the Heritage Stealth (now known as the ADP) had some problems with the slide release buttons at the back of the frame working properly.

One had to check to make sure that the slide was positioned all the way down flush to the frame, and that the slide release buttons were popped out all the way. If they weren't, then the slide wasn't secured.

Sounds to me that your $550.00 Wilson ADP inherited some of the problems of the $150.00 Heritage Stealth.
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Old January 21, 2008, 01:42 PM   #9
schmeky
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Quote:
This definitely alters the weight and balance, let me tell you.
This is a serious topic, BUT, I love your sense of humor about the situation. Please let us know how this turns out
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Old January 21, 2008, 01:48 PM   #10
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WHOA...Wait here a minute....I thought Wilsons are supposed to be a top-of-the-line pistols?
The 1911's are... that why they cost upwards of $2k

The ADP is a 'production grade' polymer 9mm that is imported... Not made by Wilson combat.
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Old January 21, 2008, 02:10 PM   #11
chris in va
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Doesn't the factory test fire the pistol before sending it out? Thats like driving your car off the lot, getting on the freeway and having the engine fall out.

Here's a pic of the gun in question.
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Old January 22, 2008, 09:02 AM   #12
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Quote:
The BG Better Watch It
Thats just what i was thinking, i can see it now, BG has to go to the
ER with a bullet in the shoulder and a broken nose from the slide flying at top speed twards the face! haha
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Old January 22, 2008, 11:54 AM   #13
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Better ditch that sissy gun and get a nice Hi Point JCP .45. If the slide flies downrange from one of those suckers it is going to do some serious damage.

To answer your question I would have a very hard time trusting the gun after that. It may be a fluke but confidence is everything when you have to produce a weapon.

Seems a shame because you like the gun. Time to fall in love again it would appear.
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Old January 22, 2008, 06:03 PM   #14
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That sucks! But I have a question. If you were going to go buy a polymer pistol why would you go with something with absolutely no history. There are obviously many examples that have a great track record and look a damn site better than that thing too. I'd demand a refund whether its from the shop or the manufacturer. Good luck and the next time you buy something keep in mind its performance history.

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Old January 22, 2008, 06:27 PM   #15
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I'm gonna agree with Jeo and ask you what were you expecting? Wilson combat has more than there share of stinkers and this Glock wannabe from them has absolutely no street credibility, none! Dump it, and get the real thing.:barf: I own many pistol's, and that includes a few .45's, but personally feel this company has the most overated and ridiculously overpriced examples on the market and that certainly carries over to there ADP.....:barf::barf::barf: "Mon Dieu" these folks market an 870-pump at just over $1500.00...:barf::barf:: Good luck......
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Old January 22, 2008, 07:05 PM   #16
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Quote:
If you were going to go buy a polymer pistol why would you go with something with absolutely no history.
The lure is the gas retarded recoil system of the HK P7 in a poly framed, concealable, moderately priced pistol coming from a supposedly "quality" gun maker. I'd been studying the ADP too for a while and it is impressive on paper and feels good in the hand. Unfortunately the ADP isn't a p7 and Wilson isn't H&K.
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Old January 22, 2008, 08:27 PM   #17
Bart Noir
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I read carefully and the posters in the thread had personal knowledge of 3 of these pistols. And all 3 were sub-standard

That is definitely indicating a broad production problem.

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Old January 22, 2008, 08:33 PM   #18
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Heritage Stealth:



The Stealth was a super cheap, poorly made and designed auto.

You can see the similarities between it and the Wilson. I've handed a Wilson at my local dealer and the price couldn't be low enough for me to actually buy it.
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Old January 22, 2008, 08:49 PM   #19
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"You get what you pay for!"

What a VALID statement!!!!!!!! A few - sometimes queer-looking - scratches on the piece and it is elevate [in the "wisdom" of some] to the status of "almost total perfecttion" PLUS these scratches confer on victims the "right" to look down on pieces that carry other names. "Armed robbery"!!!
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Old January 22, 2008, 08:58 PM   #20
wjg686
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PSP said it -- "The lure is the gas retarded recoil system of the HK P7 in a poly framed, concealable, moderately priced pistol coming from a supposedly "quality" gun maker."

I didn't know about the Heritage Stealth, though I'm sure the shop did -- so why are they selling what they know must be ordure rather than ordinance? It's a high-end kind of place, and I've dropped quite a few bills there. I expect some help here, such as "we've had a few of those back -- maybe it's not the best for carry."

The only possible use of this pistol is for CCW. It seems important (to me, at least) that it work every time. Most of the other pistols are too thick for IWB carry, the only way besides under-the-shirt shoulder rigs that I can carry all day. I haven't had my hands on the new Walther PPS, and I didn't like the feel, low capacity, or cost of the Kahrs. Kel-Tecs don't get good reviews on this forum. All the discussion on the ADP was over a year old, certainly enough time for a quality gun maker to iron out any kinks in what I thought was a domestically-produced pistol. So my little 642 looks to be the go-to guy. I'll ask for the sale to be credited towards a nice service revolver in .44 or .38.

Last edited by wjg686; January 22, 2008 at 08:59 PM. Reason: Clarity
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Old January 22, 2008, 08:59 PM   #21
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I told a friend at work about this post. He said that his friend, a deputy for the sheriffs department, bought one a while back, to use as a back up gun. They took it to the range to fire it for the first time, and not even through the first mag, the same thing happened to him. He said the slide just came off and went downrange a few feet. He said it was a 9mm ADP.
I wasn't there to witness it, but that is the story he told me.
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Old January 23, 2008, 10:14 AM   #22
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I know Bill Wilson is a business man and because of that he wanted to offer his customers another option for carry and something that was relatively inexpensive, but to put his companies name on that piece of junk was a very bad business decision, that will haunt him may years from now. I have yet to hear any positive things aboutthat gun. Bill....go back to what you do best!!!
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Old January 23, 2008, 10:55 PM   #23
Benzene
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That "little 642"!

wjgramann, WATCH that "little 642"! It carries the LOCK that COULD give the BG a certain advantage.

Don't get me wrong: I do have the 342 PD AirLite [that does NOT carry that sell-out lock].
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Old January 23, 2008, 11:34 PM   #24
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jeez, this lock thing finds its way into every thread on this forum. Lets not ruin this one....
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Old January 23, 2008, 11:38 PM   #25
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Quote:
I don't want to be unreasonable, but I'm thinking of asking the shop to credit the $600 towards a Kahr or PPS. What do you think?
PPS here you come!!!

Never actually held or even seen an ADP, maybe gotta look for one to avoid somewhere.

-Dane
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