Wilson Combat Hackathorn Special
- Category
- Pistol
- Barrel
- 127 mm
- Weight, empty
- 1.01 kg
- Introduced
- 2014
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Wilson Combat Hackathorn Special is a full-size, carbon-steel-framed 1911 semi-automatic pistol developed in collaboration with veteran tactical trainer Ken Hackathorn. Aimed at the serious defensive shooter, it combines Wilson Combat's hand-fit match-grade barrel and bushing, a one-piece Bullet Proof magwell, a concealment beavertail grip safety paired with a Commander-style rounded hammer, and a medium-length trigger sized for gloved use. Chambered here in 9mm, the pistol features a lowered and flared ejection port, an undercut trigger guard, 30-lpi checkering, tritium night sights, and Ken Hackathorn's signature and logo on the slide.
Ken Hackathorn drew on decades of practical shooting experience and his extensive collection of custom handguns to specify every feature of the pistol, distilling his personal preferences into a single production 1911 that bears his name.
Offered in 9mm, .45 ACP and .38 Super. A shorter-barreled Commander variant was introduced in 2017. Each pistol carries Ken Hackathorn's signature and logo on the slide.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Wilson Combat
- Category
- Pistol
- Country
- United States
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2014
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 127 mm
- Overall length
- 221 mm
- Height
- 142 mm
- Width
- 33 mm
- Sight radius
- 165 mm
- Weight, empty
- 1.01 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 1.14 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Short recoil
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single action
- Trigger pull
- 16.0 N
- Capacity
- 10
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Slide
- Steel
- Barrel
- Stainless steel
- Stock
- G10
- Finish
- Armor tuff
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 360 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 481 J
- Effective range
- 50 m
- Maximum range
- 1500 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Ambidextrous thumb safety
Concealment beavertail grip safety
Commander style hammer
Medium length trigger
One piece magwell
Lowered flared ejection port
Undercut trigger guard
30 lpi checkering
Tritium night sights
Fluted chamber- Reverse cut muzzle crown
G10 starburst grips
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 560 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 1.01 kg | 765 g | Heavier than about 80% |
| Overall lengthAmong 559 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 221 mm | 191 mm | Longer than about 80% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 569 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 127 mm | 105 mm | Longer than about 90% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 571 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 10 | 15 | Holds fewer rounds than about 80% |
Answers
Questions about the Wilson Combat Hackathorn Special
How much does the Wilson Combat Hackathorn Special weigh?
The Wilson Combat Hackathorn Special weighs 1.01 kg (2.22 lb) empty and 1.14 kg (2.51 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the Wilson Combat Hackathorn Special?
The Wilson Combat Hackathorn Special is chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum.
How many rounds does the Wilson Combat Hackathorn Special hold?
The Wilson Combat Hackathorn Special holds 10 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Wilson Combat Hackathorn Special?
The Wilson Combat Hackathorn Special is 221 mm (8.70 in) long overall, with a 127 mm (5.00 in) barrel.
Who makes the Wilson Combat Hackathorn Special?
The Wilson Combat Hackathorn Special is made by Wilson Combat (United States). It was designed by Ken Hackathorn.
When was the Wilson Combat Hackathorn Special introduced?
The Wilson Combat Hackathorn Special was introduced in 2014.
How does the Wilson Combat Hackathorn Special operate?
The Wilson Combat Hackathorn Special uses a short recoil action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
Provenance
Confidence in this record
85%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/wilson-combat-hackathorn-special' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "wilson-combat-hackathorn-special", "name": "Wilson Combat Hackathorn Special", "manufacturer": { "id": "wilson-combat", "name": "Wilson Combat", "countryCode": "US", "foundedYear": 1977, "website": "https://www.wilsoncombat.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:40", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:48", "version": "7f5e3023178d48f7553fcde5c65b4cb6000ffd1255840d0eb63837a52de8b11f" }, "category": { "id": "pistol", "name": "Pistol", "description": "Handguns designed to be fired with one or two hands" }, "country_of_origin": "US", "year_introduced": 2014, "barrel_length_mm": 127, "weight_empty_g": 1009, "action_type": "short_recoil"}