Colt inspected the M45A1s and issued a letter of authenticity with them and x out the USMC to show they had been demilled. I headed to the range again with my custom 1911, and while it looked great and shot well, reliability wasnt where it should have been. [9][11] Tritium Novak LoMount sights replaced the originals which were made in-house by the Marines.[9][11]. It was the kind of day that a gun guy can never forget. For the pure sake of being worth more money down the line, no question about it. The third entry from Karl Lippard Designs, a Colorado Springs-based arms maker, was called the Close Quarter Battle Pistol: an M1911A1-style pistol, built using S7 tool steel and a large number of proprietary components including accessory rail, grip safety, and sights. How did the pistols get to market? Buy, Sell, and Trade your Firearms and Gear. Marine HQ requested Colt to stop marking the pistols as such. Change). of weight, with a very short 0.1"/2mm reset. in the shooters hands was the measure of the pistols accuracy. Representative five-shot group (25 yds. It is a Fletch High Rise OWB Holster. SO WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS AN EXACT SAME AS ISSUED USMC CQB PISTOL THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BEING THAT IT HAS THE EGA SERIAL NUMBER. Corporal Gravenese demonstrates the power of the pistol as shown as above. Unique and very rare COLT 1911 USMC ROLLMARK COLT 1911 USMC ROLLMARK U.S. MARINES M45A1 SEMPER FI FDE, Colt M45A1 USMC Close Quarter Battle Pistol, Smith & Wesson .44 Magnum Model 29 S&W CLASSICS 6 1/2 Blue Revolver, Colt AR-15 A2 HBAR Gov Model in .223 Z-COTE Limited Edition of 250 Pre-ban. Cold-hammer forged, polished stainless steel barrel The Colt appeared to be unissued and had probably not been fired since leaving the factory. The slide is correctly roll marked with the USMC marking that has been factory stuck with an X to signify it as being decommissioned from the U.S.M.C. Each time I handle the M45A1, though, I silently bemoan Colts decision to leave the frontstrap untextured, particularly in a .45 that is often fired while wearing gloves. I believe there was also a run of grey M45s with front strap checkering that were not CS guns.. And for those concerned, I've found that a good set of G10 grips are sufficiently inherently grippy to significantly mitigate against the need for front strap checkering on a 1911 (although it certainly doesn't hurt). The pistols shipped in the original cardboard container with the contract-correct black Wilson Combat seven-round magazine. I was an active duty Marine from 1992 to 1996, and at that time the standard issue. In a corridor of the Pentagon there is a larger-than-life mural showing a circa-1915 Maj. Smedley Butler leading his men in the recapture of Fort Rivier during the Banana Warsthe newly issued M1911 in hand as he and his Marines engaged the Caco rebels in hand-to-hand combat. I was at my local gun shop when a Marine was picking up two that he had won. Three versions ofM45A1were made. Normally his 1911 lectures are held during downtime at the range when he is repairing his 1911. The decoms will always be worth a premium. Remember me, IN 95% ORIGNAL CONDITION, ALL MATCHING WITH AN EXCELLENT BORE, WE HAVE A NICE SOLID MAUSER C96 BROOMHANDLE IN 9MM, IN 97% VERY CRISP ORIGINAL CONDITION, WE HAVE A VERY RARE AND SIGNIFICANT LUGER. Sweet! The Colt gobbled up a wide variety of bullet profiles, cycling smoothly and without hesitation, while grouping each in a cluster that fit within the space the front sight covered at any given distance. He switched over to a Dan Wesson 9mm 1911 with gamer sights on it. Get your piece of American history before is gone. Nearly every time weve shot together, he has had some sort of issue that he usually attributes to ammunition, the gun, recoil spring weight, the magazine, the chamber, extractor fit, lubrication, or maintenance. Copyright2016-2023 DigitoolmediaSrls VATNo. It is big enough - yet snug enough to retain the M45A1 and other railed 5" 1911s. The company made its humble start in 1963in Gussago, Italywhen Giuseppe Pietta made a commitment to produce guns as authentic and true-to-original as possible. My friend, a 1911 aficionado accompanied me to the range. If you would like to make an offer for this gun please send an email to southeastgunshots@gmail.com. this isnt your cheapie m45a1 model. Which do you guys would think would be more desirable down the line.. This handgun has never been fired! This full-size lower rail adds some of the noticeable heft to the gun,but that heft seems to balance out thepistolso that the gundoesnt feel nose heavy. USMC Colt Custom Shop, Pelican case - might be as high as 800 made. CCS M45A1 is really a good deal @ $2k price point (MSRP). [18] You just need to be willing to spend the money it takes to grab a true jewel of firearm technology. Tan cerakote finish. That cartridge didnt cycle my gun either. Similar to the Custom Shop CQB pistol, this is a production line version of the pistol that the Marines bought for the MARSOC units. I scored a 92-20X. MIM parts are widely accepted as the standard in the industry. I bought a used Generation 2 Glock 19 to shoot the rest of the time I was home, before heading back to my duty station in MCAGCC, 29 Palms, CA, a few thousand miles away. I know what you are thinking, why carry a gun that holds twice as many rounds, weighs less, is more compact, more reliable and costs a third as much- I must be nuts? Just over 100 years separated the issue of the M1911A1-based Marine M45A1 Colts from the Corps initial shipment of the M1911. Shooting two handed, strong side only and weak side only it functioned flawlessly. One thing is for sure: the M45A1 CQBP is not a handgun for everybody. The improved M45A1 CQBP features several changes to the original M1911A1 design. The contract was said to be worth $22.5M to Colt. Other features include Novak. Cycling the pistols revealed the fit to be smooth but clearly tighter than a typical commercial M1911. He refuses to touch a polymer gun, expect for the Springfield XD I sold him around 2000 (I think he sold it within days). You must enable JavaScript to remove this banner. The first version is one that went to the military, stamped USMC on the slide and delivered in a cardboard box with two Wilson 7-round magazines. The first contract, as published on July 20, 2012, bound Colt to deliver 4,000 samples initially, and up to 12,000 samples in the following years; the contract was said to be worth $22.5 million to Colt. I've been looking for holsters for mine. The pistols are exceptional purely as shooters, and scarce and significant for several military and historic reasons. The gun ran like a top. However, the group all remarked that the pistols certainly seemed to be accurate using the government-issue hardball ammunition. [12] Nearly 20 years to the day that I first brought my original Colt 1911 to the range, I prepared to head out with my new M45A1. Firearm Discussion and Resources from AR-15, AK-47, Handguns and more! The gun ran well. Despite a host of refinements and enhancements, the new models method of operation and construction remain essentially unchanged from those of the John Browning-designed original. SOLD COLT M45A1 USMC CQB PISTOL WITH RARE USMC MARKED SLIDE NIB $ 3,795.00 Out of stock Add to wishlist SKU: Item #: 07/16/2015-3 Category: Pre98 Classic Sold Description NEW IN THE BOX, WE HAVE A COLT USMC CLOSE QUARTERS BATTLE PISTOL M45A1. [7] They were then assembled with after-market grip safeties, a rounded hammer, ambidextrous thumb safeties, lighter triggers made by Videcki, improved high-visibility sights, accurized match-grade barrels made by Bar-Sto, Pachmayr rubber grips, front cocking-serrations, and improved stainless steel magazines made by Wilson Combat. The only other USMC-marked pistols on the market are the real ones that had been returned to Colt and then re-sold to the civilian market. Under the new contract, Colt was to deliver 4,000 samples initially and up to 12,000 samples in following years. Fast forward twenty years and Im at the same dealer, picking up some transfers and he shows me a Colt M45A1. Buy 2013 Colt Government CQBP .45 ACP Desert Sand *ULTRA RARE USMC ROLLMARK* : GunBroker is the largest seller of Semi Auto Pistols Pistols Guns & Firearms All: 967208438. . The "U.S. Rifle, Caliber .30, Model of 1903," better-known as the M1903 Springfield, has become one of the most popular U.S. military small arms to collect. [9][10] There are frames in the USMC inventory that have had as many as 500,000 rounds fired through them. I dont know that any pistols, the old Quantico M45s or the new Colts, were ever truly benched or grouped. The rollmark has now changed to "COLT***M45A1" for both Custom Shop and regular production guns. By clicking the "OK" button, you are giving your consent for us to set cookies. I am considering having the dealer I bought it from send it back to have Colt correct the finish so it actually covers the entire frame and slide, but Im worried they may go out of business or bankrupt before I get it back. Description. The instructor basically told us the Air Force felt the Army .45 was too much gun for us. Minimum price for the offer must be greater than 0% of the Product. Hes only had one run away gun and a hand full of hammer follow situations Ive witnessed- normally they dont function well enough to get that worn (keep in mind this is over the course of decades, during which time he has owned scores of 1911 pistols). Collectors and shooters reacted predictably, and the Colts began to flip over on Gunbroker at two-week intervals, each time gaining several hundred dollars in asking price. Sold WALTHER PP REICHS JUSTICE MARKED VERY CRISP! This year, H&R announced an expansion of its AR-15 lineup, bringing additional "retro" models to the market, including a 9 mm Luger-chambered Colt SMG clone, an M16A2-styled rifle and the carbine-size 723. Those should be Novak LoMount sights, according to the official technical specs, but some M45A1 CQBP samples ours included are issued with Trijicon sights. Enter your email address to subscribe and receive notifications of new posts by email. Bill Marr Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Colt AR15A4. I was able to lay my hands on one of the decommissioned M45A1s to examine and evaluate it, one author for American Rifleman wrote two years ago. The M45A1 feels heavy compared to other full-size 1911s. VERY RARE AND VERY COLLECTIBLE! I couldnt say no and bought the gun (Id buy a broken toaster with USMC stamped on it). They were certainly the genuine article, with the exception that Colt had marked through the large USMC on the slide with a laser-etched X to signify the decommissioning. At 40 yds. 4. (LogOut/ The M45 serves on with a few specialized Marine Corps units and is expected to for a few more years when most think it will be replaced by a polymer-frame, striker-fired 9 mm, thus ending a long and historic run for the M1911 and its .45 ACP cartridge. Unlike the CQB pistol, this one does not have USMC roll marked on the slide, but it does have EGA (Eagle Globe and Anchor- the Marines symbol) as a serial number suffix. So I headed to the store and purchased a new-in-box lightweight Colt Series 80 Officers ACP. What do you get for spending the extra money for a custom shop version? Quick view Add to Cart. When the change was specified, a substantial number of the early pistols were recalled back to Colt, and it disposed of them, leading to the market frenzy. I ran a series of 6-dot and 5-circle drills with my Colt M45A1. The M45A1 CQBP pistol is issued with Wilson black metal single-stack magazines, holding 7+1 rounds. The Custom Shop price list indicates theyll checker the front strap at either 20 or 25 lpi for $260. Colt CR6940. Fans of the 1911 expressed their disgust as nearly 4,000 of the handguns were de-commissioned. Manufactured by Colt and available for commercial and professional sales alike, the M45A1 CQBP has been available to civilian shooters in the United States for quite some time; nowit is available to European gun enthusiasts as well. This announcement no doubt delighted the tried-and-true 1911 supporters in the military. The M45A1 pistol is 21,6 cm / 8.5" long overall and weighs 1,7 kilograms / 40 oz. The Colt M45A1 CQBP semi-automatic pistol is the latest iteration of the .45 caliber 1911 pistol, as adopted in 2012 by the United States Marine Corps, The M45A1 was conceived for the USMC Special Operations Units. It . Brand new IonBond blue box can be had for less than $1500. Handguns, Reviews While Maj. Butler might be taken aback by the tritium capsules in the M45A1s sights or perhaps a mounted SureFire light, it is likely that he could operate and fieldstrip the new USMC Colt with no difficulty. And yet, a lot of gun enthusiasts andcollectors have been happy to wait to get one. In July 2012, the United States Marine Corps System Command announced that Colt Defense LLC of Hartford, Connecticut, was the winner of the new CQBP pistol contract. We have put a few rounds through the Decomm & it shoots and handles great. I was at my local gun shop when a Marine was picking up two that he had won. So, while it costs less than the custom shop version and doesnt have the USMC roll mark; it is more like the pistol the Marines bought, because it is off the production line and not hand fitted (I confirmed this). What should the discerning collector look for in a potential buy? Copyright 2023 National Rifle Association. ) This is very unique and very rare COLT 1911 USMC ROLLMARK U.S. MARINES M45A1 SEMPER FI FDE. There is slight movement and a feel of roll through the break, but I wouldnt necessarily call it creep in a negative sense. The Colt M45A1 CQBP pistol is based on the tried and true Series 80 platform: it comes with a single-action trigger, a skeletonized enhanced hammer, an automatic firing pin safety, an ambidextrous frame-mounted manual safety, and an improved and crisp trigger pull - about two kilos or just under 6 lbs. [10] A rebuild entails discarding almost all of the gun's parts except for the frame, which prior to 2003 was a U.S. Government frame last manufactured in 1945. Professional dedicated to training and equipping people to live safely in a dangerous world. All tests most notably those carried on by civilian and military experts in the U.S. with a wide variety of commercial and service-grade ammunition show an incredible and constant accuracy level, with an average group width of 10 cm at around 20 metres (4" groups at 25 yards). Should you buy one? A large batch, rumored to be nearly 1,000 pistols, hit the Gunbroker auction site (gunbroker.com) described as decommissioned USMC 1911 M45A1s. Solid aluminum grip and hammer More importantly, this feature was intended to decrease the battering the pistol takes on recoil. I have a DECOMM and an unfired NIB Pelican case Custom Shop USMC. External enhanced hammer, automatic firing pin safety, Ambidextrous frame-mounted manual safety, extended beavertail grip safety, 127 mm / 5" National Match barrel Southeast Guns 2023. A forum community dedicated to all 1911 firearm owners and enthusiasts. The quality and engineering on the National Match barrels is exceptional. The decommissioned pistols and the custom shop pistols all appear to be in the hands of collectors. Then sold the entire lot to the company selling them on Gunbroker. The rear sight we ordered [], Weve been using Parabellum Armaments AKARS for 9 months. A close-up of the rear portion of the gun with its hammer cocked. The rollmark changed around 006700EGA as far as I can tell. Head to the range this week with American Rifleman staff as they discuss a trim little repeater from Savage Arms that comes chambered for the .22 WMR cartridge. [6][7], In 2002, an article in American Handgunner stated that "Marine armorers from the Precision Weapons Section, MCBQ" are making 789 MEU (SOC) 1911's. This added weight, in addition to the dual spring slap back, provide for noticeably less recoil. I overlooked the fact that it was a Colt and my awful past with Colt. The trigger was eminently usable and a good match for a combat pistol intended for highly trained special operations forces. Sold WALTHER PPK RARE EAGLE F DURALUMINUM, Pre98 Antiques Military Firearms Collecting Outlook for 2020. Come join the discussion about optics, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! All content Copyright 1998-2018 Rifleshooter.com, FTC disclosure: some links on this site are monetized, Sig Sauer MCX Virtus PCP Air Rifle Review- Initial Impressions, Project Guns- Gunsmithing articles and posts, 1911 Rear Sight Installation (Novak style cut), Quick rifle bedding tip: Easy removal of bedding material from pillars, Tactical Shotgun Build: Back Boring a Barrel and Lengthening a Forcing Cone to Increase Performance, Back when Sears sold a Mauser: The J.C. Higgins Model 51, Short and Loud: The 16 inch 308 Win Precision Rifle, 224 VALKYRIE- Effect of barrel length on velocity, Bipod rail installation (Atlas bipod adapter). JHP handload 1.20" Wilson Combat 200-gr. Despite the planned purchase of the commercial pistols, Marine Corps Systems Command has continued to solicit parts to build additional MEU(SOC) pistols. These decommissioned Colts will continue to be a hot item among both shooters and collectors for the foreseeable future. Interestingly, many of these very same pistols recently hit the civilian market in a way that took military enthusiasts and collectors completely by surprise. The USMC is about double the price and if I understand correctly, its a production gun from Colt whereas the civilian version goes through the custom shop - is that correct? Outside of the mentioned ambidextrous manual safety, the controls configuration is the same as on any other 1911 variant. He told me this happens all the time with Colts and sent it back for repair. See also [ edit] I found a Don Hume 715 MC IWB holster that it fit-good enough. of weight, with a very short 0.1"/2mm reset. The finish is a bit slick which is offset by the rather deep cocking serrations both front and rear on the slide. 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This is important in a gun meant to endure nearly as many rounds in the weeks-long Marine Raider training regimen as the original M1911 was intended to see throughout its entire service life. Match 1.60" Winchester 230-gr. From what I can remember, this included a barrel, bushing system, bar dot night sights, memory groove beavertail safety and Birdsong Black-T finish. THESE PISTOLS WERE BUILT FOR THE USMC BY NOVAK FOR COLT, AND THERE WERE NOT MANY MADE. I was able to put five of eight shots onto my 3"-wide truth teller steel targeta task that is normally a tough slog at 25 yds. THE GUN IS MATHCHING, IN 90% ORIGINAL CONDITION, WE HAVE A VERY RARE AND HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER POLICE EAGLE F MARKED WALTHER PPK WITH, IN 96% ORIGINAL UNMESSED WITH CONDITION, WE HAVE A VERY NICE EXAMPLE OF A 1944 PROUDCTION FN HIGH POWER PROUDCUED, IN 90% CONDITION, NICE BLUE BUT ALOT OF PITTING, WE HAVE A FANTASTICALLY RARE WALTHER MODEL 6 PISTOL IN 9MM, Colt General Officer & Rare US Property Pistols, SOLD GERMAN G43 ORIGINAL MOUNT AND ZF4 SCOPE EARLY DUV CODE, SOLD RARE ORIGINAL SIMSON EAGLE 6 LUGER TOOL, sold 1913 DWM LUGER VERY NICE AND HARD TO FIND, Sold RUSSIAN TT 33 TOKAREV 1942 WITH MATCHING MAG. Due to wear and tear of the MEU(SOC) pistols and increasing numbers of Marine personnel in Force Recon and MARSOC, the U.S. Marines are looking commercially for replacements. THIS IS A VERY ARE PISTOL, THEY ARE NOT AVAILABLE AND SELDOM COME UP FOR SALE. It also has 3-dot tritium night sights, a 5-inch national match barrel, ambidextrous safety, picatinny rail, and a desert tan Cerakote finish.[19]. This particular sample disproved decades worth of gun magazine lore about a combat-grade .45 needing to be loose for reliability and thus incompatible with custom-level accuracy. Under normal circumstances, yes too much by $400, assuming it is a M45A1 rollmark. Related Products. 2.939,00(Europe). That is quite a service legacy for any military firearm. Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives. Dec 1, 2014 (Edited) It's kinda tricky, commercial sale frames were pulled right from the contract gun production line. Shooting theM45A1feels different than shooting other 1911s. It is assigned NATO Stock Number 1005-01-370-7353. [17], The original pistols were hand-selected standard government issued Colt M1911A1s that were gutted, deburred, and prepared for additional use by the USMC Precision Weapon Section (PWS) in Quantico, Virginia. It will still feed from any type of 1911-compatible single stack magazine, as demonstrated by our test through the use of aftermarket MEC-GAR magazines. when unloaded. The earliest production samples had isolated instances where the application of the tan coating was suspected by the end users to be causing reliability issues. My buddy brought his daughters Remington R1 1911 to test out. With the exception of the overtly poor, reloaded cartridge, the Colt M45A1 was 100% reliable and the front sight didn't fly off. Some of the early Marine pistols began showing excess wear and 1,000 of these pistols (470 used and 530 unissued) were traded by the Marine Corps under warranty back to Colt in exchange for newer Ionbond finished replacements. The Civilian Model M45A1 Ships in a Colt Blue Plastic Box Originally the Colt Custom Shop pistols had the Marine USMC roll marks on the slide, but the United States Marine Corps filed a cease & desist letter with Colt Manufacturing regarding the use of USMC on pistols not actually going to the Marines. Customer experience was, and still is, the primary focus, a key to the firms longevity and success. This year, H&R announced an expansion of its AR-15 lineup, bringing additional "retro" models to the market, including a 9 mm Luger-chambered Colt SMG clone, an M16A2-styled rifle and the carbine-size 723.