AS THIS IS A MODERN PEOPLE KILLING GUN, WE WILL NEED YOU TO PROVIDE AN FFL FOR TRANSFER. Colt also offers a custom shop civilian model to achieve higher accuracy; but the Marine issue model is the production grade pistol. 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). The pistol functioned well for the first three rounds, but then I couldnt find my front sight- literally- it flew off! Based on the classic 1911, which has served the United States since 1911, the M45A1 CQBP continues the tradition of having John Brownings. The pistols with no front strap checkering are production line guns. Springfield and Colt have done a great job in making these MIM parts extremely strong, thus increasing the durability and reliability of MIM-equipped firearms. The triggers were uniformly pretty good. 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. It was the kind of day that a gun guy can never forget. When Remington offered a [], 1911 Rear sight installation (Novak style cut) Aftermarket sights are a common upgrade on 1911 pistols. Springfield Armory entered a variant of the full-sized Loaded MC Operator M1911A1 pistol with a military-standard 1913 rail, tritium night sights and finished with a two-tone black slide with an olive-drab green frame. The Colt appeared to be unissued and had probably not been fired since leaving the factory. The action incorporates the Series 80 mechanism that blocks the firing pin until the trigger is pulled. First, there is the additional weight already mentioned. A large batch, rumored to be nearly 1,000 pistols, hit the Gunbroker auction site (gunbroker.com) described as decommissioned USMC 1911 M45A1s. These were going right to work, and they looked promising. The current M45A1 does not have a USMC rollmark on the slide for either Military or Civilian sales. [15] The pistol was redesignated the M45A1 Close Quarter Battle Pistol (CQBP) and up to 12,000 will be delivered. 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. [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. The M45A1 serves still today, but it will almost certainly be the final chapter in the U.S. military service life of the M1911. M45A1 - Colt custom shop vs Production version.which should I buy? For the pure sake of being worth more money down the line, no question about it. A case of 230 grain Winchester ball, and a few cardboard targets and I was ready. VERY RARE AND VERY COLLECTIBLE! I went through the boxes with the armorers, examining a few random Colts to get a sense of the pistols. 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. 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. I am very interested in the pricey but very cool looking new Colt 1911 M45A1 Marine Close Quarters Battle Pistol. What do you get for spending the extra money for a custom shop version? 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. 0. 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 was able to lay my hands on one of the decommissioned M45A1s to examine and evaluate it. I couldnt say no and bought the gun (Id buy a broken toaster with USMC stamped on it). Nonetheless, the Marines had been eagerly waiting for the new .45s, and they were going directly into operational use, so there was little patience for a learning curve, and many of the Marines demanded a change. The M45A1 features durable Decobond brown coating and an M1913-spec Picatinny rail for mounting lights, lasers, and other accessories. The prices seemed to stabilize in the mid-$3,000s, and then the pistols largely stopped moving, presumably occupying prized places in safes across the country. pistols to be offered on the civilian market since the Director of Civilian Marksmanship (DCM) stopped handgun sales over 50 years ago. 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 overlooked the fact that it was a Colt and my awful past with Colt. Solid aluminum grip and hammer XTP 1.47" Nosler 185-gr. 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. Cleaning kit. Under this point of view, the Colt M45A1 CQBP is definitely the 1911 of the 21st Century. The Marine Corps objected to Colt doing that so they had to change the rollmark on commercial pistols to "M45A1" instead. [18] Second Media Inc., 30800 Telegraph Rd, Suite 1921, Bingham Farms, MI 48025 USA. 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. 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. All three versions have serial numbers ending in 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.. He told me this happens all the time with Colts and sent it back for repair. Over the years Ive built quite a few custom rifles on Remington 700 actions. Get your piece of American history before is gone. JavaScript is disabled. I suspect it will only be worth more as time marches on. It is assigned NATO Stock Number 1005-01-370-7353. Comes with the original box, paperwork, and two magazines. The Colt incorporates the dual recoil spring assembly of the firms recent commercial models, which seemed to dampen recoil somewhat. Quantico began exhaustive testing on other finishes to specify a modification to the contract. The revised parts list included barrels, bushings, link pins, sear springs, ejectors, firing pin stops, mainspring housings and mainsprings, all from Nowlin Manufacturing. IT12346351005. 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. 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. MSRP comes in at $1,699. Since he edits this website, Ill pretend that I was there when one of them worked flawlessly. The .45s had a number of features that jumped right out: the light rails, the aggressively checkered G10 stockswhich replaced the Pachmayrs we had used for so longtritium vials in the Novak sights, and unique markings on the frames and slides. From what I can remember, this included a barrel, bushing system, bar dot night sights, memory groove beavertail safety and Birdsong Black-T finish. How big of a ragged hole is the group at 25 yards? ) Black Hills 200-gr. While not as corrosion resistant, it is far more durable of a finish. Come join the discussion about optics, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! 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. Second Media Inc., 30800 Telegraph Rd, Suite 1921, Bingham Farms, MI 48025 USA. NEW IN THE BOX, WE HAVE A COLT USMC CLOSE QUARTERS BATTLE PISTOL M45A1. The early finish problems encountered by the Marines were all fixed by the time the first 1,000 units had been issued. The included factory letter affirms that this is a genuine U.S.M.C. Then sold the entire lot to the company selling them on Gunbroker. The Colt M45A1 is just as reliable as a perfectly tuned competition-grade custom 1911, except this comes with that level of reliability right out of the factory and rightfully so. 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. In the hand, that level of precision translated to straightforward hits on tough and distant targets. Any assistance is much appreciated. 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. It is a Fletch High Rise OWB Holster. 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. You will hear different stories, but the simplest is that the M45A1 was Colts first large-scale run of Cerakoted pistols. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Three pistols were offered to the USMC as a replacement for current M45 Pistols. The Colt incorporates a slightly beveled magazine well to facilitate reloads. [8] Slides were ordered from Springfield Armory, with front sight pins, beavertail safeties and recoil spring guides from Ed Brown. used but great shape. In other cases on specific guns, the finish was not wearing as durably as expected. Colt M45A1 USMC rollmark in the blue clam shellUltra rare version 01070M45, USMC Rollmark in Blue Box ( Not Pelican Box ) AboutPressCopyrightContact. It would be hard to improve on this trigger with any kind of upgrade. He switched over to a Dan Wesson 9mm 1911 with gamer sights on it. 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The M45A1 has a dual recoil spring assembly which seems to dampen recoil somewhat. It's a carry gun, not a collection piece. I have it in quotes for a reason, it kinda looked like a 45 ACP cartridge, only it was bent and weird looking. The instructors had been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the pistols, the first new military-issue Colt M1911s since 1945. GUNSweek.com is a new online platform dedicated to the diffusion of technical knowledge in the gun world. Examples of both are usually exorbitantly-priced and something only a former Marine or hardcore collector of USGI 1911s would want to pursue. 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). Glocks uses MIM parts and a polymer frame yet are widely considered to be among the most reliable and durable firearms ever created. Scarcely mentioning the soon-be-collectible kept demand low, and availability proportionately high. They feature Novak three-dot night sights, M1913-spec Picatinny rail and Decabond brown coating with nicely matching Desert Tan G10 grips. News, Handguns, Semi-Auto Handguns. [2], In 2012, the Marine Corps awarded Colt a contract for up to 12,000 M45A1 pistols with an initial order of 4036 pistols. By far, the most common of the USMC rollmarks is the Custom Shop Pelican cased version, and is very likely to be the one anyone encounters. The letter also confirms the features including Desert Tan Cerakote finish, under barrel accessory rail, National Match grade barrel, forward and rear cocking serrations on the slide, long solid aluminum trigger, extended ambidextrous thumb safety, extended beavertail grip safety, flat serrated mainspring housing with a lanyard loop, Novak 3-dot night sights, and desert camouflage G10 composite grips. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Colt also offers a custom shop civilian model to achieve higher accuracy; but the Marine issue model is the production grade pistol. Quick view Add to Cart. (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. [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. That is quite a service legacy for any military firearm. The one-of-a-kind markings are all there. Wayne is one of the premier pistol smiths in the country. 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 rollmark changed around 006700EGA as far as I can tell. 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. I ran a series of 6-dot and 5-circle drills with my Colt M45A1. Marine HQ requested Colt to stop marking the pistols as such. And if you are looking for a 1911 derivative that can reasonably be called "the best 1911 on the market" at least when it comes to non-luxury, field-ready variants then look no further. (LogOut/ 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 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. THIS IS 1913 DATED DWM MADE, In 97% original unmessed with condition, we have an early war high polish Czech made CZ27 pistol. 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. it is in the cerakote finish with "USMC" rollmark, complete with original 2 mags. SWC 1.49" Hornady 200-gr. The M45A1 has the traditional military lanyard loop in the flat, serrated mainspring housing. Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinics, Volunteer At The Great American Outdoor Show, Marion P. Hammer Women Of Distinction Award, Women's Wildlife Management / Conservation Scholarship, National Youth Shooting Sports Cooperative Program, Colt M45A1: A Modernized M1911 For The Marines. Corporal Gravenese demonstrates the power of the pistol as shown as above. It . I was looking at the first shipment from that contract, and my Marines would be the first to be issued the .45s. 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. JHP handload 1.20" Wilson Combat 200-gr. The pistol wears bilateral thumb safeties, which have somewhat oversize, though low-profile, ledges designed to be easily disengaged while not interfering with the non-firing hands grasp. A slight bevel at the magazine well enhances reload speed and the thumb safety is ambidextrous. Builders of 1911s like Rock Island, Springfield, Kimber and Colt use MIM parts extensively in order to produce a competitively priced product. [13] This is the same pistol used by the Federal Bureau of Investigation SWAT and Hostage Rescue Teams; however, it had previously been rejected for adoption as the ICQB. [11] Kimber shortly began producing a limited number of what would be later termed the Interim Close Quarters Battle pistol (ICQB). He somehow managed to convince me to shoot one of his reloads. The Colt M45A1 is the new USMC service pistol. 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. He told me the extractor and ammunition were bad. THIS IS A VERY ARE PISTOL, THEY ARE NOT AVAILABLE AND SELDOM COME UP FOR SALE. 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. Passionate Caretakers of Our Historic Military Firearms and Americas Wartime Heritage. The Custom Shop price list indicates theyll checker the front strap at either 20 or 25 lpi for $260. The trigger was eminently usable and a good match for a combat pistol intended for highly trained special operations forces. The finish is a bit slick which is offset by the rather deep cocking serrations both front and rear on the slide. We have put a few rounds through the Decomm & it shoots and handles great. Fast forward twenty years and Im at the same dealer, picking up some transfers and he shows me a Colt M45A1. ), the grip of the M45A1 CQBP is akin to that of a double-stack magazine pistol, and is definitely not made for small hands. The Picatinny-railed 1911s were officially adopted by the elite troops in 2012, and featured all the special touches required by those operating on or behind the front lines in the global war on terrorism. This handgun has never been fired! The pistols with no front strap checkering are production line guns. The decoms will always be worth a premium. By the time my gun came back from Wayne, years had passed since the original purchase date. The civilian M45A1 is not currently in the Colt catalog, but theres a good chance it will be offered again as Colt tends to rotate model numbers in and out of production from time to time. Comes with the original box, paperwork, and two magazines. When the enemy breaches the position, any of them will do. USMC O1070M45 regular production, blue box - unknown how many released, probably less than the pelican cased version. 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. I dont know that any pistols, the old Quantico M45s or the new Colts, were ever truly benched or grouped. Under the new contract, Colt was to deliver 4,000 samples initially and up to 12,000 samples in following years. 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. You must enable JavaScript to remove this banner. An identical version coming off the same assembly line was sold to the civilian market. With the exception of the overtly poor, reloaded cartridge, the Colt M45A1 was 100% reliable and the front sight didn't fly off. I was at my local gun shop when a Marine was picking up two that he had won. In the first post, we field stripped the gun between shots to verify that it []. The Marines bought it and I had to have one. I believe there was also a run of grey M45s with front strap checkering that were not CS guns. The authors example of the M45A1 exhibited tight fit and shot well at the range. Other features include Novak. of weight, with a very short 0.1"/2mm reset. External enhanced hammer, automatic firing pin safety, Ambidextrous frame-mounted manual safety, extended beavertail grip safety, 127 mm / 5" National Match barrel 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. Professional dedicated to training and equipping people to live safely in a dangerous world. 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. Colt offered a modified version of their O1980RG (Rail Gun) pistol, which is derived from their existing XSE line of 1911-style pistols with a desert sand-colored surface treatment and Novak night sights. After a rigorous selection process, the United States Marine Corps selected this Colt Rail Gun as their Close Quarters Battle Pistol (CQBP). new homes for sale in porterville, ca,