COLT M45A1 MARINE PISTOL. $ 6,900 This is very unique and very rare COLT 1911 USMC ROLLMARK U.S. MARINES M45A1 SEMPER FI FDE. The front slide serrations are perfectly placed and have a noticeably deep depth and width, so much so that you can easily feel them while wearing gloves. 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 finally got my .45 10 years after I retired. Quick view Add to Cart. From what I can remember, this included a barrel, bushing system, bar dot night sights, memory groove beavertail safety and Birdsong Black-T finish. This is the so called blue box Colt pistol, model 01070M45. The coarse checkering on the multi-colored G10 panels assists in anchoring the handgun, as does an undercut trigger guard which allows a high hand hold. Under normal circumstances, yes too much by $400, assuming it is a M45A1 rollmark. Just over 100 years separated the issue of the M1911A1-based Marine M45A1 Colts from the Corps initial shipment of the M1911. As much as its dress may change, this is still John Moses Browning's old reliable battlehorse. 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. [9] However, it is more common for a Marine to return the pistol to the PWS at Quantico for a rebuild after 10,000 rounds have been fired. Quick view Out of stock. And yet, it is still to completely abandon the battlefield, being a favourite of many special operation forces. The trigger is smooth even by series 80 standards and breaks cleanly at 5 lbs. Whether or not Colt had the time to honor the contract, is unknown: on September 30, 2016, the United States Marine Corps announced that all 1911 type pistols still used by its special operation units would be replaced by the Glock 19 and it seemingly included the new Colt M45A1 CQBP. The gun ran well. 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. The Marine Corps is aware of this yet opted for steel, so consequently the CQBP does not use any MIM parts. As the time went by and the adoption of the M9 pistol depleted the stock of spare parts, making the old M45 MEUSOC pistols unserviceable, a replacement had to be found. There is the EGA serial suffix (for the Corps iconic eagle, globe and anchor insignia), the U.S. markings, and the small set of numbers and CQBP denoting the official description of Close Quarters Battle Pistol. The inboard side of the handgun has a rather large COLT***USMC marking that struck me at the time of issue as gaudy and a blatant attempt by Colt to mark the government-contract pistols in such a way as to facilitate marketing the look-alike commercial version. Colt's Manufacturing Company - firearms, handguns, pistols, rifles, revolvers. pistols to be offered on the civilian market since the Director of Civilian Marksmanship (DCM) stopped handgun sales over 50 years ago. Handgun Hard Choices: Colt M1911 or S&W M1917? Smith & Wessons Americas Guardians Program. (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. There were only 20 of these made and this one is the 17th of the series. The Colt incorporates the dual recoil spring assembly of the firms recent commercial models, which seemed to dampen recoil somewhat. Edit to add: there are some NRA guns in that serial range, see if anything is laser engraved on the gun itself. Marine HQ requested Colt to stop marking the pistols as such. I scored a 92-20X. While not as corrosion resistant, it is far more durable of a finish. An MEU(SOC) 1911 pistol, built by PWS at Quantico, Virginia. I fired representative groups from a rest with several loads rather than the full five-group protocol typically used in product reviews in order to minimize the rounds and wear on the Colt. The Colt M45A1 CQBP comes with a cold-hammer forged, polished stainless steel 5" National Match barrel and a NM bushing. The M45A1 features durable Decobond brown coating and an M1913-spec Picatinny rail for mounting lights, lasers, and other accessories. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. 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. The authors example of the M45A1 exhibited tight fit and shot well at the range. We decided to install Heine Ledge sights on our Series 80 Stainless Officers ACP. I've been looking for holsters for mine. Genuine Marine Corps M45A1 Coltsused by Marine Raiders and Force Reconnaissancewere decommissioned and became available on the civilian market complete with their original packaging and letters of authenticity. To make an offer please complete the form below: Minimum price for the offer must be greater than or equal to $0. On July 20, 2012, the Colt 1911 Rail Gun was selected and won a contract to initially deliver 4,000 pistols for MARSOC and Force Recon. THESE PISTOLS WERE BUILT FOR THE USMC BY NOVAK FOR COLT, AND THERE WERE NOT MANY MADE. This particular sample earned every bit of the National Match stamping on the barrel hood. The frame comes with a machined MIL-STD 1913 Picatinny accessory rail, and also sports highly textured G10 panels that make the grip basically slip-proof, if a bit wide: with a circumference of about 7" (that's almost 18 cm! It must have been a special single shot model. [11], Discovering that the Los Angeles Police Department was pleased with their special Kimber-made M1911 pistols, a single source request was issued to Kimber Manufacturing for a similarly built pistol, despite the imminent release of their TLE/RLII models. Normally his 1911 lectures are held during downtime at the range when he is repairing his 1911. Under the new contract, Colt was to deliver 4,000 samples initially and up to 12,000 samples in following years. Since 2017, Colt has been offering a commercial variant of the M45A1 CQBP with either a Decobond FDE or a two-tone finish over a stainless steel receiver and slide. But if you just want a shooter get the current one with the Ion Bond. He somehow managed to convince me to shoot one of his reloads. That was me who snagged. Colt decided to employ a National Match barrel in theM45A1instead of their normal barrel option. 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. Years later, my father-in-law bought it from me for about 40% of what I paid for it, to this day I consider it an act of mercy. JavaScript is disabled. NEW IN THE COLT ISSUED BLUE BOX EXACTLY AS WAS SHIPPED TO THE USMC. A forum community dedicated to all 1911 firearm owners and enthusiasts. The Picatinny accessories rail is machined on the slide, Colt's M45A1 comes with a 5" National Match barrel, The sample of this pictures mounts Trijicon night sights. 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. My M45A1 has had hundreds of rounds put through it, both ball and JHP, and has not experienced any type of failure. 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? I can clearly recall the day that I met up with our Close Quarters Battle instructors to try out the new M45A1s for the first time. It turns out the rear stake of the safety plunger tube broke off causing the safety lock detent to move over the bottom edge of the factory safety. These pistols are the first U.S.G.I. A source request was sent out to Springfield Armory and the Springfield Operator, based on the FBI's TRP pistol was built. I recently came across a passage from Jeff Cooper written in 1961 that read, the big pistol [1911] has been with us for half a century, and as yet no better sidearmfor serious combat workhas been devised. It is a testament to the enduring nature of the M1911 that a full 50 years later the Corps was issuing the latest version of the design in the M45A1. I brought it into the dealer. I found a Don Hume 715 MC IWB holster that it fit-good enough. Clearly I had no clue. IT12346351005. He told me the extractor and ammunition were bad. The Marine Colt pistol was designated the M45A1. Two bigthings happened to me when I turned 18, I joined the Marines and I bought my first pistol (in the state I live in, you used to be able to obtain a handgun license at the age of 18). 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. for most service pistols. We have put a few rounds through the Decomm & it shoots and handles great. 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. I figured I needed some professional intervention so I sent the pistol off to Wayne Novak. The used Glock 19 I bought in 1994, still shoots well. [16] The Colt design is considered an upgrade of the previous pistol, not an entirely new design. The one-of-a-kind markings are all there. The Marine Corps had chosen the tan Colts, official designation M45A1, as a commercial replacement for the legendary, custom, Quantico-built M1911s issued to U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) Marine Raiders and the Corps Force Reconnaissance Marines. 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. This handgun has never been fired! For the pure sake of being worth more money down the line, no question about it. That cartridge didnt cycle my gun either. Barrel length is 5 inches, dual recoil springs reduce perceived recoil and magazine capacity is seven rounds. The one with the intact usmc is a custom is not the same gun as the the decoms. Marine Corps HQ demanded that Colt stop using the USMC rollmark, so all subsequent pistols were marked M45A1. And yet, a lot of gun enthusiasts andcollectors have been happy to wait to get one. It is a Fletch High Rise OWB Holster. 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. This handgun has never been fired! [2], In 2012, the Marine Corps awarded Colt a contract for up to 12,000 M45A1 pistols with an initial order of 4036 pistols. The .45 maintains a traditional military lanyard loop in the flat, serrated mainspring housing. A slight bevel at the magazine well enhances reload speed and the thumb safety is ambidextrous. SWC 1.49" Hornady 200-gr. The early finish problems encountered by the Marines were all fixed by the time the first 1,000 units had been issued. (2003)"Marines New SOCOM Pistol", Marine expeditionary unit (special operations capable), "Some MEU's Still Carry Proven M1911 .45's", "10--Parts for M-45, MEUSOC Pistol - Federal Business Opportunities: Opportunities", "Strong Men Armed: The Marine Corps 1st Force Reconnaissance Company Part III Section 2", "MEU 1911 .45: the Legend Lives in the Hands of Today's Marines", "SNOTE - 10 - MEU(SOC) 45 caliber pistols - 17-Feb-05 - FBO#1179", "SRCSGT - 10 - MEUSOC .45 PISTOL - 09-Nov-08 - FBO#2540", "Corps considers 2 guns for new MARSOC .45", "Colt Defense LLC Announces Award of Marine Corps M45 Close Quarter Battle Pistol (CQBP) Contract", Why the Marines adopted the M45 Colt 1911, "Reconnaissance Marines train with Close-Quarters Battle Pistol", M45A1: A New Colt .45 for the 21st Century, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MEU(SOC)_pistol&oldid=1136083215, Trained Weapons Training Battalion armorers, This page was last edited on 28 January 2023, at 17:30. Southeast Guns 2023. It is a Fletch High Rise OWB Holster. I went through the boxes with the armorers, examining a few random Colts to get a sense of the pistols. I headed to the range with my 1911, a case of Winchester 230 grain ball and a couple hundred rounds of Cor-Bon 185 grain JHP (the gun rags of that day told you to shoot 200 rounds of your defensive load of choice). 3. We are fortunate that they found their way onto the public market.. The pistols are exceptional purely as shooters, and scarce and significant for several military and historic reasons. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); S&W CSX Is it Really the New ChiefsSpecial? 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. There were only 20 of these made and this one is the 17th of the series. The quality and engineering on the National Match barrels is exceptional. The improved M45A1 CQBP features several changes to the original M1911A1 design. The Custom Shop price list indicates theyll checker the front strap at either 20 or 25 lpi for $260. When I sat down to write this story, I did my best to research the quantities of each type of pistol made and to get an idea of what might be available. These decommissioned Colts will continue to be a hot item among both shooters and collectors for the foreseeable future. Stack upon stack of crisp-cornered cardboard boxes weighed down a work bench in the armory of what is now called the Marine Raider Training Center. The revised parts list included barrels, bushings, link pins, sear springs, ejectors, firing pin stops, mainspring housings and mainsprings, all from Nowlin Manufacturing. 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. Handguns, Reviews 0. [9], The Officer In Command of the Precision Weapons Shop in 2001, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Ken Davis, stated that the M1911 is "the only pistol that can stand up to this use". And after all, the ongoing XM17 MHS (Modular Handgun System) program which is slated to lead to the replacement of the Beretta M9 as the standard service pistol for the U.S. Armed Forces seems to have narrowed down its entrants to a number of strictly striker-fired, polymer frame pistols. 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. all 1911 type pistols still used by its special operation units would be replaced by the Glock 19, eyeing the Glock 19 as the next standard service pistol, Extrema Ratio 25 years: Misericordia Desert, IWA OutdoorClassics 2023: highlights on a revolutionary edition, Chiappa Firearms M6 X-Caliber: the survival rifle coming from the sky, Safety recall for Smith & Wesson M&P-9 and M&P-380 Shield EZ pistols, Kel-Tec KSG410, the small-caliber bull-pup pump shotgun. THESE PISTOLS WERE BUILT FOR THE USMC BY NOVAK FOR COLT, AND THERE WERE NOT MANY MADE. 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I was at my local gun shop when a Marine was picking up two that he had won. 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. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. The ejection port was modified by widening it and flaring it out. Get your piece of American history before is gone. Sweet! [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. Im thinking having that done would make my pistol less valuable as a collector item, plus its not a gun Ill shoot very often so my front strap will remain smooth. An identical version coming off the same assembly line was sold to the civilian market. USMC Colt Custom Shop, Pelican case - might be as high as 800 made. Over the years Ive built quite a few custom rifles on Remington 700 actions. My only experience with a military .45 was at AFROTC summer training. Depends on what version of the USMC rollmark. Models mustered out of the Marine Corps are scarce today and fetch lofty prices, but factory-fresh models with nearly identical features are still available from Colt. I didnt think much on it at the time, but as we received those first tan Colts and issued them out to our Raiders it was just a few months more than 100 years since Colt had delivered its initial shipment of the U.S. I was at my local gun shop when a Marine was picking up two that he had won. Buy, Sell, and Trade your Firearms and Gear. Thats because at 40 oz., it is heavy. Model O1070CQB is the Custom Shop version with tuned trigger and oversized fitted barrel, green Pelican case, Otis cleaning kit, test target, and two Wilson 7-round magazines. My pistol is the commercial, non-custom shop version and I wouldnt own it had I not been a gun shop owner who could buy wholesale when these became available. Match 1.60" Winchester 230-gr. He switched over to a Dan Wesson 9mm 1911 with gamer sights on it. Wayne is one of the premier pistol smiths in the country. The feed ramp on theM45A1is polished and coated to make the surface extremely smooth. You just need to be willing to spend the money it takes to grab a true jewel of firearm technology. If youre interested in a unique, firearm with a military history at around $1600, go for it. What started off as sending my officers ACP off for new Lo-Mount sights, turned into over two thousand dollars worth of work. Colt inspected the M45A1s and issued a letter of authenticity with them and x out the USMC to show they had been demilled. At the time, he even sighted in the gun at the range using the ammunition choice you wanted, I selected 10 yards with Cor Bon 185 JHP. 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. We are fortunate that they found their way onto the public market. [9][10] There are frames in the USMC inventory that have had as many as 500,000 rounds fired through them. There is slight movement and a feel of roll through the break, but I wouldnt necessarily call it creep in a negative sense. 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. Support NRA American Rifleman DONATE. When it was first launched, the Colt M45A1 was described as "a highly enhanced version of an already excellent combat weapon" by William F. Keys a retired Lieutenant General of the United States Marine Corps who was also Colt's President and CEO back then. I had left the Marines as a Sergeant and was starting civilian life as a full time college student and worked part time at a gun dealer. Apparently it wasnt staked right at the factory. Every piece of steel in theM45A1is machined to specific tolerances and tested to the specifications put forth by the United States Marine Corps. 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]. It is bug enough - yet snug enough to retain the M45A1 and other railed 5" 1911s. Here are the features to watch out for. He told me this happens all the time with Colts and sent it back for repair. My buddy brought his daughters Remington R1 1911 to test out. This makes for an incredibly well-constructedpistol. Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review. Hitting an 8" plate at 50 yds. Based on the classic 1911, which has served the United States since 1911, the M45A1 CQBP continues the tradition of having John Brownings. The decommissioned pistols and the custom shop pistols all appear to be in the hands of collectors. We use cookies on this website, our and third parties, to enhance your user experience. Before word could even circulate in casual conversation, the pistols were snapped up at prices that were lower than comparable commercial Colts. The only difference between this one and the one sold to the Marines was the USMC roll mark which did not exist on the civilian model which was delivered in a blue plastic Colt case. [11] Kimber shortly began producing a limited number of what would be later termed the Interim Close Quarters Battle pistol (ICQB). Weight of the gun, empty, is listed at 40 ounces. The M45A1 CQBP pistol is issued with Wilson black metal single-stack magazines, holding 7+1 rounds. [14] In 2010, requirements were once more issued for an off-the-shelf system to replace the custom-built pistols. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The Marine Corps objected to Colt doing that so they had to change the rollmark on commercial pistols to "M45A1" instead. The current M45A1 does not have a USMC rollmark on the slide for either Military or Civilian sales. The decoms will always be worth a premium. Come join the discussion about optics, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! The pistol is, IN 92% ORIGINAL CONDITON WHICH IS ALMOST UNHEARD OF IN A RUSSIAN WW2 TOKAREV, WE HAVE A 1942 PRODUCTION TOKAREV, IN 98% ORIGINAL CONDITION, WE HAVE A VERY CRISP EXAMPLE OF A RJ MARKED WALTHER PP. 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. Second Media Inc., 30800 Telegraph Rd, Suite 1921, Bingham Farms, MI 48025 USA. [9] The frame is inspected and reused if it is still within military specifications. These were going right to work, and they looked promising. Just four short years after the M45A1s were initially issued to the Marines, on September 30th, 2016, the USMC announced that all 1911 type pistols still used by its special operation units would be replaced by the Glock 19. What should the discerning collector look for in a potential buy? My old unit carried them on special operations missions around the world for a couple of years and then completed the en masse switch to the Glock 19 that had been occurring gradually even before the Colts adoption. It is hand fit, hand tooled and came with a snazzy green Pelican case and cleaning kit. Two Wilson Combat magazines. The firearm felt like it had close tolerances, with everything locking up firmly, but without that hand-fitted exactness one can feel in a custom M1911. [15] The pistol was redesignated the M45A1 Close Quarter Battle Pistol (CQBP) and up to 12,000 will be delivered. The third version was the Colt Custom Shop edition, also known as the Civilian version. Scarcely mentioning the soon-be-collectible kept demand low, and availability proportionately high. The M45A1 ships with Wilson Combat 47 7 round magazines, and is a production grade weapon, rolling off the same line as the commercial M45A1 with identical markings and parts. With the exception of the overtly poor, reloaded cartridge, the Colt M45A1 was 100% reliable and the front sight didn't fly off. Manufacturer: Colt Model: M45A1 Marine Government Width: 1.25" Height: 5.5" Accessories: Manual, Lock Action: Single Barrel Finish: Polished Barrel Length: 5" Barrel Twist: 1:16 Barrel Type: Match Caliber: 45 ACP Capacity: 7 # of Magazines: 1 Frame Color: FDE Frame Finish: Decobond Frame Material: Steel Front Sight: Novak Night Sight I couldnt say no and bought the gun (Id buy a broken toaster with USMC stamped on it). A round indexed in the chambering position on feeding ramp of the M45A1, The M45A1 skips the mainstream Cerakote finish for a more resistant IonBond Decobond coating. 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. Despite the planned purchase of the commercial pistols, Marine Corps Systems Command has continued to solicit parts to build additional MEU(SOC) pistols.