Every piece of steel in theM45A1is machined to specific tolerances and tested to the specifications put forth by the United States Marine Corps. The ejection port was modified by widening it and flaring it out. The M45A1 CQBP could very well be the 1911 for the 21st Century battles, but deep at heart it's still the same gun engineered by John Moses Browning over one century ago. In Oct. 2016 the U.S. Marine Corps announced Glock 19s would replace the .45 ACP-chambered Colt M45A1s carried by members . 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. 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. Depends on what version of the USMC rollmark. I'll be content with mine in Ion Bond marked M45A1 in the blue box. Edit to add: there are some NRA guns in that serial range, see if anything is laser engraved on the gun itself. 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. These particular pistols only had the USMC rollmark during the early production. M45A1 - Colt custom shop vs Production version.which should I buy? [2], The pistol's components are hand-fitted and are not interchangeable. The gun ran well. Brand new IonBond blue box can be had for less than $1500. The pistols are exceptional purely as shooters, and scarce and significant for several military and historic reasons. At any given time, one or two may show up on Gunbroker.com with prices that would only appeal to collectors. The decommissioned with the X is and will remain to be worth more. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. 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. However, the group all remarked that the pistols certainly seemed to be accurate using the government-issue hardball ammunition. June 4, 2015 While most will instantly recognize that the Officers sized guns arent known for reliability, I didnt know it at the time. Out of stock. I have a DECOMM and an unfired NIB Pelican case Custom Shop USMC. 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. [9], However, as the U.S. Marine Corps began its process of hand selecting members from its Force Recon to be submitted to USSOCOM as Marine Corps Special Operations Command, Detachment One (MCSOCOM Det-1), the selection of a .45 ACP M1911A1-based pistol meant roughly 150 units would be needed, more quickly than the PWS could produce them, as PWS were already backlogged with producing DMRs, USMC SAM-Rs, and updating M40A1s to M40A3s, so DET-1 began the search for COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) surrogates to use. I brought it into the dealer. Colt's crown jewel is sold at a little less than 3000 in Europe; and while the current MSRP in the United States is set at $1,699.00, the suggested retail price for the early models was way above the $2,000 threshold. The Picatinny rail on the bottom of the frame is a full-size Mil Standard 1913 rail which holds accessories nice and tight as compared to its competitors with smaller lower rails. The MEU(SOC) pistol, ("Marine expeditionary unit (special operations capable) (MEU(SOC))") officially designated the M45 MEUSOC,[5] is a magazine-fed, recoil-operated, single-action, semiautomatic pistol chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. Among its key improvements over its predecessors is the use of Colt's patented Dual Recoil Spring System, which heavily mitigates the recoil impulse of the powerful .45 ACP caliber allowing faster target re-acquisition and quicker follow-up shots, potentially a key factor in gunfighting and boosts the recoil springs' own service life. 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've been looking for holsters for mine. I was able to lay my hands on one of the decommissioned M45A1s to examine and evaluate it. By clicking the "OK" button, you are giving your consent for us to set cookies. Fit and finish were OK, but the Marines use it, so that is worth the premium. The included factory letter affirms that this is a genuine U.S.M.C. The solid, medium-long trigger broke at 4 lbs., 4 ozs., of pressure after a short bit of take-up to release the hammer. I dont know that any pistols, the old Quantico M45s or the new Colts, were ever truly benched or grouped. The pistols are exceptional purely as shooters, and scarce and significant for several military and historic reasons. Beyond the tan color, forward slide serrations and the section of M1913 Picatinny accessory rail immediately standout and separate the pistol from the typical service M1911. [12] When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. [11] Kimber shortly began producing a limited number of what would be later termed the Interim Close Quarters Battle pistol (ICQB). We are fortunate that they found their way onto the public market.. Just over 100 years separated the issue of the M1911A1-based Marine M45A1 Colts from the Corps initial shipment of the M1911. 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). A forum community dedicated to all 1911 firearm owners and enthusiasts. Marine Corps Systems Command announced February 17, 2005, that it was going to purchase 150 Springfield Armory Professional Model pistols for use as MEU(SOC) pistols. I suspect it will only be worth more as time marches on. 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. It was largely (maybe entirely) unannounced and seemed odd, or even suspect, but there was a factory letter from Colt to guarantee authenticity. 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. 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. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); S&W CSX Is it Really the New ChiefsSpecial? The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. VERY RARE AND VERY COLLECTIBLE! The FDE Cerakote finish was average at best, but it still looked cool. My only experience with a military .45 was at AFROTC summer training. Having read quite a bit of gun rags (this was the in mid 1990s during the pre internet days), I knew I needed a 1911 chambered in a mans cartridge, 45 ACP. Three versions ofM45A1were made. Novak was contracted for rear sights, Wilson Combat provided extractors and mag release buttons, while King's Gun Works supplied ambidextrous thumb safeties. The only factory parts Ill typically use are the receiver and bolt assembly, everything else is upgraded. 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. Weight of the gun, empty, is listed at 40 ounces. My friend, a 1911 aficionado accompanied me to the range. 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. If the highest accuracy and best trigger is your goal, get a custom shop model. 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. Quantico began exhaustive testing on other finishes to specify a modification to the contract. 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. The Marine Corps objected to Colt doing that so they had to change the rollmark on commercial pistols to "M45A1" instead. 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. 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. The Colt incorporates a slightly beveled magazine well to facilitate reloads. $ 6,900 This is very unique and very rare COLT 1911 USMC ROLLMARK U.S. MARINES M45A1 SEMPER FI FDE. was not the question, rather, it was how tightly I could group the splatter marks. Passionate Caretakers of Our Historic Military Firearms and Americas Wartime Heritage. We are fortunate that they found their way onto the public market. 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. Other features include Novak. 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. Professional dedicated to training and equipping people to live safely in a dangerous world. I personally wont sell either but if I did, Id keep the Custom Shop gun simply because its unfired. 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. Colt M45A1 USMC rollmark in the blue clam shellUltra rare version 01070M45, USMC Rollmark in Blue Box ( Not Pelican Box ) AboutPressCopyrightContact. In 2016, USMC command stated that MARSOC had replaced the M45A1 with the Glock 19, largely from a logistic standpoint, not from a performance and reliability standpoint, as a result of other SOCOM branches using the Glock 19. ) Black Hills 200-gr. It was the kind of day that a gun guy can never forget. I scored a 92-20X. Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives. The M45A1 has the traditional military lanyard loop in the flat, serrated mainspring housing. Similar to the Custom Shop CQB pistol, this is a production line version of the pistol that the Marines bought for the MARSOC units. Shooting two handed, strong side only and weak side only it functioned flawlessly. He keeps telling me that there has been at least one time his pistol worked the entire time, but I honestly dont have a recollection of this. This announcement no doubt delighted the tried-and-true 1911 supporters in the military. Even more so considering these guns were largely expected to be the last government-issue M1911s and, further, models specific to Marine Raiders and Force Reconnaissance. After a rigorous selection process, the United States Marine Corps selected this Colt Rail Gun as their Close Quarters Battle Pistol (CQBP). The mentioned non-captive, dual recoil spring solves cycling issues that 1911-type pistols usually experience due to spring strengths; a widened and flared ejection window and a polished and coated feeding ramp also address two other key design issues that are known to cause malfunctions on the 1911 pistol platform. The decoms will always be worth a premium. 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. 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. Comes with the original box, paperwork, and two magazines. 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. 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. I found a Don Hume 715 MC IWB holster that it fit-good enough. I still like my M45A1 (not the Custom Shop or USMC Issue gun) with it's matching knife by Ohio Knife Maker, Mickey Yurco: Dave I use a Galco Model Number FL212. 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. I was looking at the first shipment from that contract, and my Marines would be the first to be issued the .45s. The M45A1 features durable Decobond brown coating and an M1913-spec Picatinny rail for mounting lights . One thing is for sure: the M45A1 CQBP is not a handgun for everybody. 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. But if you just want a shooter get the current one with the Ion Bond. While not as corrosion resistant, it is far more durable of a finish. It is hand fit, hand tooled and came with a snazzy green Pelican case and cleaning kit. THIS IS A VERY ARE PISTOL, THEY ARE NOT AVAILABLE AND SELDOM COME UP FOR SALE. The one-of-a-kind markings are all there. My buddy brought his daughters Remington R1 1911 to test out. used but great shape. when unloaded. About that time, the Custom Shop was downsized and no more of the Custom Shop M45A1s were made. Apparently it wasnt staked right at the factory. Maybe they are worried theyll run out of hand grenades? Fans of the 1911 expressed their disgust as nearly 4,000 of the handguns were de-commissioned. Should you buy one? We decided to install Heine Ledge sights on our Series 80 Stainless Officers ACP. The triggers were uniformly pretty good. A case of 230 grain Winchester ball, and a few cardboard targets and I was ready. THESE PISTOLS WERE BUILT FOR THE USMC BY NOVAK FOR COLT, AND THERE WERE NOT MANY MADE.