Handling
The WCP320 is built for speed — literally. I’m a 1911 grip angle kind of guy, so pistols like Browning’s original, M&Ps, Springfield Armory XD-family pistols, and most SIG SAUER platforms point naturally for me. If I raise any of those (unloaded) to target with my eyes closed, I’ll be lined up pretty darn well right off the bat, with no vertical sight movement required. If I try the same thing with a GLOCK or similar pistol, I almost always have to lower the front sight into position as the pistol naturally points a bit high for me. No hate mail please; I’m perfectly happy with a GLOCK, I’m just sharing a personal observation about the convenience of built-in natural point of aim. Of course, plenty of other shooters have the exact opposite experience and raked grip pistols point naturally for them. To each his or her own.
The WCP 320 with its custom Wilson Combat frame maintains the more vertical grip angle, so it’s a natural fit for me. Raising the gun to target from a holstered or low-ready position is an exercise in efficiency. Thanks to its natural pointing (for me) there isn’t a millimeter of wasted motion or nanosecond of extra sight alignment time required.
The sights are also built for speed. The front sight houses a red fiber optic tube. Given the nature of fiber optic sight construction, it’s simple to pick your color of choice and insert a new tube, so don’t feel limited by red if green or orange are more your thing. The rear sight is flat black on the back (no dots) and features a “U-shaped” notch. Combined with the narrow front sight post, the picture is fast to acquire. If you’re a bullseye shooter, you might struggle a bit with the extra daylight on either side of the front sight post as it takes an extra picosecond or so to ensure you’re precisely centered. For me, however, this design is a benefit, and it’s done entirely on purpose. The narrow front blade translates to speed. For competition or carry, you’ll love it. As a side note, the rear body uses a combination of front flat edge for emergency slide racking with beveled top surfaces for cut-free slide racking and snag-free reholstering.
The distinctive Wilson Combat X-TAC pattern on the frame and slide are outstanding. The pattern is subtle if you consider the raw “depth” of pattern grooves but is remarkably effective in preventing movement of the gun while firing. I’ve been shooting the WCP320 in 95-plus temperatures with 100-plus heat indexes, so sweaty hands have been the norm. No worries — once you take a grip on this pistol, it stays put. The subtlety of the pattern cuts offer another benefit for concealed carry. The grip pattern won’t tear up holsters, clothing, or your midsection nearly as much as other pistols using aggressive sandpaper-like surfaces. I’m happy to report the WCP320 supports my favorite cause: Save the love handles!
As for recoil, the 9mm chambering makes it gentle right off the bat, but the frame shape, contours and texture provide additional help in softening what you feel in the hand while shooting. Even +P defensive ammo was perfectly controllable. I had no trouble keeping this handgun under control, even with a more relaxed grip.
Read the full article here