This special pistol has a practical matte blue finish, and what really sets it off are the Bar-S-Grips Tru Ivory stocks. These add a distinctive look and give the pistol a little Southwestern flair. The stocks offer a few practical advantages over real ivory, such as being capable of withstanding most common solvents. Although they are not what this New England Yankee would choose, they are quite appropriate for this model.

The Ed Brown-designed Perfection hammer is machined from bar stock. The extended tactical thumb safety is easy to manipulate yet is not obtrusive.

"I asked for the Tru Ivory grips on my 1911 to honor the traditions of Southwestern lawmen," the Sheriff said. "Many of them were my teachers...and most of them packed ivory-stocked 1911s."

When the pistols are completed by Ed Brown's staff, they are then checked for reliability. If any functioning problems are encountered, the problem is diagnosed and the pistol is reworked.

Regarding accuracy, I was told when fed a quality match load, such as Federal's 185-grain Gold Medal Match, this pistol is capable of grouping into approximately 1 inch at 25 yards and 1.5 inches at 50 yards. Each Sheriff Jim Wilson pistol has approximately four hours of careful handfitting in its assembly.

The mainspring housing is arched for a comfortable fit. The Memory Groove beavertail safety is nicely fitted. The rear of the slide perfectly matches the frame, and the ejection port is flared and lowered for trouble-free ejection of spent cases. And as specified by Sheriff Wilson, the grips are Bar-S-Grips's Tru Ivory.

A Top-Notch Shooter
My initial impressions of Ed Brown's Sheriff Jim Wilson model were quite positive. I mean, what's not to like? It's an aesthetically pleasing take on a classic design using only basic commonsense modifications. The sights are simple, rugged, and straightforward. I like the clean looks of the slide without the front cocking serrations. The single safety lever is easy to manipulate yet unobtrusive. Handling it, I liked the way the pistol pointed with the arched mainspring housing and the long trigger just right for my average-length fingers. Sure, the flat 1911-type mainspring housing looks cooler, but the U.S. Army didn't ditch it following the Great War on a whim. For the majority of shooters the arched 1911A1-type mainspring housing is simply a better fit.

Working the action I noted that the slide mated nicely to the frame with very little play, and it reciprocated smoothly and easily. Pushing down on the hood of the match barrel revealed zero movement. Dry-firing revealed a crisp 3.5-pound trigger with just a hint of creep. Magazines inserted easily, thanks to the beveled well, and ejected cleanly with a push of the button.

Taking stock of the Ed Brown Sheriff Jim Wilson limited-edition pistol revealed tightly machined parts specced out by its namesake that come together to make a no-nonsense Model 1911 work gun.

To be blunt, though, this really is to be expected of a high-end 1911. So I scrutinized the Ed Brown a bit more closely. I noted the 25-lpi machine-cut checkering was attractive, perfectly executed, and provided a secure grip without being too sharp and tearing flesh. The beavertail was nicely fitted, and the rear of the slide matched the rear of the frame perfectly. Although the barrel bushing was tight, a wrench was not required for its removal. With just a little effort it was easily popped out by hand. Examining the slide and barrel I checked how the lugs were cut and the lockup. Everything looked nicely done. All in all, it was pleasing to the eye and the hand.