Wilson Combat WCP320 Carry Review

The Wilson Combat WCP320 Carry is one of the best 9mm pistols I’ve reviewed.

From its announcement as the new standard sidearm for the United States military, the popularity of the SIG SAUER P320 pistol seemingly exploded.

Original SIG pistols are in high demand and aftermarket accessories are plentiful. You can even build your own P320 pistol from scratch without going through a dealer or applying a serial number.

It is in this market that Wilson Combat recognized an opportunity and created the WCP320 Carry handgun.

Known for its premium work with 1911 pistols, shotguns, AR-15s and the Beretta 92-series pistols, it wasn’t hard to imagine the Arkansas crew wanting to put its own touch on the P320.

So, what is the WCP320 Carry? Who is it made for?

Let’s dive in and answer these questions and much more.

What is the WCP320 Carry?

While sharing some of the features of existing SIG branded pistols, the WCP320 Carry is a different animal.

It offers a full-sized grip with a compact-length slide and barrel. Many people see this as a professional-style gun, as it is a balance of concealability and firepower.

It uses a Wilson Combat designed grip module that takes 17-round magazines. Additionally, Wilson Combat custom cuts an unfinished SIG slide for this pistol and adds improved sights.

Wilson Combat offers two basic versions of the WCP320 Carry: one with the upgraded SIG XFULL trigger and one with a Wilson Combat tuned action. Both versions are available with either a black or tan frame.

For this review, I tested the base model with the SIG XFULL trigger and tan frame.

Before getting to the range review, I’ll give you an overview of the features of this pistol including those that set it apart from a standard SIG P320.

Features of the Wilson Combat WCP320

The basic SIG SAUER P320 pistol is a solid performer. Police departments and military units are flocking to this gun for a variety of reasons.

But even a great gun can be improved by the team at Wilson Combat.

Grip Module

Wilson Combat uses its new WCP320 Carry II grip module for this pistol. Compared to the stock SIG module, this one offers a new grip texture, shape and angles to improve your shooting.

The grip texture improvement is obvious with the visually striking starburst pattern. On the front and rear of the grip is a more aggressive stippling pattern that enhances the gun’s visual appeal. However, the feel of it is even more impressive than its look.

Wilson Combat’s grip locks the pistol in your hand. Although the pattern might look rough, it was not abrasive. Nor did it snag on clothing. It was perfectly comfortable in the hand.

The Carry II grip module also has an undercut in the trigger guard. This allowed me to get a higher grip on the pistol. Not only did it help improve the feed of the gun, but it also allowed me better control of the gun during recoil.

Wilson Combat scooped out the sides of the grip even to the trigger. For me, these recessed areas improved my ability to place my finger on the trigger and press straight back.

Protecting your hand from slide bite is a generously sized beavertail.

The mouth of the magazine well flares to a funnel-like opening. A flared opening guides magazines home during reloading.

Out front is a Picatinny-type accessory rail. I mounted a variety of lights on the pistol, and all fit without an issue.

Wilson Combat designers crafted the WCP320 Carry II module with internal slots for tungsten weights. The weights, sold separately, allow you to customize the weight and balance of the gun.

Weights insert from the top of the pistol and require you to remove the chassis. In the photo below, you can see the grooves from the perspective of the magazine well.

Available in either black or tan, the modules can be purchased separately (MSRP $64.95) from Wilson Combat.

Slide & Sights

SIG SAUER provides Wilson Combat with unfinished slides for the WCP320 Carry pistols. Wilson Combat custom machines the X-TAC pattern onto the sides and top of the slide. I found the X-TAC pattern provides a sure grip on the slide when manipulating it under stress.

Wilson Combat adds the company logo to the right side of the slide.

On top, the WCP320 Carry is fitted with a red fiber optic sight. In the rear, Wilson Combat adds a Battlesight. This is a wide U-notch that allows for fast front sight acquisition.

I don’t know if Wilson Combat spends any time on the slide rails. However, the movement of the slide is very smooth – slick even. Yes, there is moderate resistance due to the recoil spring assembly. But the actual movement of the slide is buttery.

XFULL Trigger

SIG SAUER offers a steel flat trigger on some of the top-tier P320 pistols. Called the XFULL, it offers a straight-back pull with a clean break.

The XFULL is the trigger used on the base model WCP320 Carry. Wilson Combat also sells a WCP320 Carry with an Action Tune. The upgraded pistols can be had with the flat trigger (as seen in this review) or with a traditional curved trigger.

Wilson Combat actions are widely regarded as being fantastic. However, the standard XFULL trigger system was quite nice. My pistol had a small amount of take-up, a short pull and clean break. The reset was very short.

I measured the pull weight on a Lyman digital trigger pull gauge as 4.94 pounds (5 pull average.)

WCP320 Specifications

Here are the Wilson Combat WCP320 specs:

Caliber	9mm
Standard Magazine Capacity	17
Barrel Length	3.9″
Overall Length	7.5″
Height	5.5″
Weight	26.8 oz
Grip Frame	custom polymer
Finish	black or FDE
MSRP	$1,195 (as tested)

Range Time

Is this the best shooting striker-fired pistol I’ve ever had on the range? I believe so. If it’s not, it is darn close.

In every area of importance I have for a defensive pistol, the WCP320 excelled. It was:

• completely reliable,
• incredibly accurate,
• easy to control,
• a natural pointer,
• fast to get on target, and
• easy to operate.

Let’s cover some of the highlights.

Ammunition Performance

What is the best ammunition for a SIG P320? Or in this case the Wilson Combat version?

I tested a lot of ammo in the WCP320 – more than 1,000 rounds – and recorded the following velocities:

	Velocity	Energy
American Eagle 115 gr FMJ	1,101 fps	310 ft-lbs
Blazer Brass 115 gr FMJ	1,050 fps	282 ft-lbs
Blazer Brass 124 gr FMJ	1,091 fps	328 ft-lbs
Federal HST 124 gr JHP +P	1,155 fps	367 ft-lbs
Federal PBLE 115 gr JHP +P+	1,245 fps	396 ft-lbs
Federal Tactical HST 147 gr JHP	946 fps	292 ft-lbs
L-Tech 124 gr CuHP	1,006 fps	279 ft-lbs
Liberty Ammunition Civil Defense 50 gr JHP +P	2,017 fps	452 ft-lbs
Remington UMC 115 gr JHP	1,066 fps	290 ft-lbs
SIG SAUER Elite 115 gr FMJ	1,209 fps	373 ft-lbs
SIG SAUER Elite V-Crown 147 gr JHP	979 fps	313 ft-lbs
Speer Gold Dot 124 gr JHP	1,071 fps	316 ft-lbs
Wilson Combat TAC-XP 115 gr HP +P Short Barrel	1,041 fps	277 ft-lbs
Wilson Combat Tactical Gold Dot 124 gr JHP +P	1,065 fps	312 ft-lbs
Wilson Combat Bill Wilson Signature Match 125 gr HAP	1,008 fps	282 ft-lbs
Wilson Combat 135 gr HBFN	872 fps	228 ft-lbs
Wilson Combat 147 gr RN Compact Optimized	863 fps	243 ft-lbs
Winchester USA Forged 115 gr FMJ	1,081 fps	298 ft-lbs

Accuracy and reliability were exceptional in this gun. (Scroll down to read more on both of these.)

For a target round, the Wilson Combat 135 grain HBFN was the clear winner for best accuracy and soft recoil.

For self-defense work, I almost always default to the Speed Gold Dot and Federal HST rounds. However, Wilson Combat uses a Gold Dot bullet in its Tactical 124 grain +P load. Don’t discount it.

For the high-speed crew, Liberty Ammunition continues to deliver amazing results. The 50-grain JHP load averages more than 2,000 fps out of this pistol. Liberty loads have little recoil and shoot flat, but they seem to have a louder report that other loads.

If you need an inexpensive range round, I recommend the Blazer Brass line. I’ve had excellent service from this ammo. It also tends to be very affordable. Well, affordable in normal market conditions. You might want to look at the rising costs of ammunition.

Reliability

This pistol demonstrated perfect reliability throughout testing.

I experienced no malfunctions of any kind. As you can see from the ammunition table above, I ran a wide range of loads through the pistol. All functioned flawlessly.

Accuracy

I tested the standard WCP320 – not the tuned action version. Even so, I shot exceptionally well with this pistol. Sub 1″ groups at 7 yards were a regular thing. For my aging eyes and increasingly arthritic hands, that’s impressive.

The loads that performed the best were manufactured by Wilson Combat. Of those, the load using the Berry’s 135-grain HBFN shot the tightest groups. My best 5-shot group was 0.69″ without a brace, bag or other support. I have no doubt a more skilled shooter could tighten that to less than 0.5″.

More common factory loads demonstrated excellent accuracy as well. Gold Dot and HST rounds all grouped under 1.5″ at 7 yards unsupported.

Sights and Control

Running this pistol was dead simple.

The magazine release is pronounced and easy to reach. Yet, it proved immune to accidental activation when carried.

Even though I am right-handed, I ran the gun southpaw for some of the testing. I was able to easily activate the magazine release with my left hand – without needing to reverse the button.

If you like to release the slide with the slide stop, no worries. The slide stop is large enough to hit reliably…and it is ambidextrous.

The front fiber optic sight glowed bright in a wide range of lighting conditions. It helped to draw my focus to it for fast aiming and good groups.

Throughout my testing, I controlled the gun with ease. The unique Wilson Combat frame module locked my hand into position while the aggressive texture prevented slipping. Muzzle rise was minimal and easily controlled.

Holsters

One of the questions you might have is “What holsters will fit the Wilson Combat WCP320? Carry?” It’s a good question.

According to Wilson Combat, all holsters that fit the P320 Carry or Compact pistols should fit the WCP320 Carry. For this review, I tested the gun with a DeSantis Speed Scabbard.

The Speed Scabbard is an open-top leather rig worn on the outside of the waistband. I found it pulled the butt of the gun close to the body. This seemed to mitigate the potential of printing from the full-sized grip.

Overall, I loved the gun-holster combination.

I’m compiling a list of P320 Compact and Carry holsters for another article now. I’ll include more of my experiences with the DeSantis rig there.

Final Thoughts

I like the SIG SAUER P320 pistol. It is a solid self-defense and duty pistol. Wilson Combat makes the handgun downright incredible with the WCP320 Carry.

I can find no fault with this pistol. Every aspect of it proved to be excellent. It is more expensive than a standard P320, but I believe you get your money’s worth out of it.

Without reservation, I recommend the pistol.

Where to Buy a Wilson Combat WCP320 Carry

Wilson Combat sells pistols directly. Also, some gun shops are Wilson Combat dealers.

Check with your local shop to see if they are an approved dealer. They might be able to get you a better deal, but no guarantees.

The best online prices for Wilson Combat guns are at Palmetto State Armory. Depending on the model, PSA can shave a few hundred dollars off of the MSRP.

Right now, PSA is not stocking the WCP320. But this is likely to change as the guns get into the distribution channels. I recommend checking this page for updates.

Last Update: August 23, 2021

Disclosure

As with all of my reviews, I provide you a full disclosure of all information that may impact my article.

I do not take money to post reviews. These so-called “sponsored posts” are situations where a company will pay a website to write an article about their product. Guess how many of those reviews are positive…

I have no financial interest in Wilson Combat, SIG SAUER or any other firearms manufacturer. Wilson Combat did not ask me to provide a positive review. The gun tested was a loaner and was returned to the company after I completed testing.

I earn money on the site with affiliate links to partners like Optics Planet and Palmetto State Armory. When you choose to purchase something through one of those links, I earn a small commission. Those links do not alter your price nor do I get to see what any individual buys.

I only link to companies – affiliate or not – that I believe will treat you right. I’ve turned down a lot of money from companies that want me to send them business because I don’t believe they have your service as their primary mission.

If you have a question about how I earn money or anything in the article, please leave a comment below. I ask that you keep things civil and devoid of profanity. I try to keep the site family-friendly.

FAQ

I’ve already received some questions in email. I’ll answer a few of the frequent ones here:

Is the SIG P320 any good?

Yes. In our testing, this pistol was 100% reliable with incredible accuracy.

Is the SIG P320 better than a Glock?

It depends. A shooter’s training, hand size, experience and needs greatly influence what handgun may be best for someone. Both pistols are quality guns worth considering for self-defense needs.

Is the SIG P320 Compact a good carry gun?

Yes. From the US military to hundreds of police agencies, the SIG P320 Compact has been tested, carried and used in field conditions. Further, our own testing shows the gun is accurate and reliable.

Keep in mind that this is the Wilson Combat version of the pistol. It was designed from the ground up to be a carry pistol, and it proved itself to be an excellent example of a modern self-defense firearm.