It is bug enough - yet snug enough to retain the M45A1 and other railed 5" 1911s. I overlooked that the fit for a gun, that cost me $1,600 plus tax ($1,748 total), was similar to a $800 gun. 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. You just need to be willing to spend the money it takes to grab a true jewel of firearm technology. 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 large batch, rumored to be nearly 1,000 pistols, hit the Gunbroker auction site (gunbroker.com) described as decommissioned USMC 1911 M45A1s. I was an active duty Marine from 1992 to 1996, and at that time the standard issue. The quality and engineering on the National Match barrels is exceptional. 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. It is a Fletch High Rise OWB Holster. Colt added this spring assembly to the M45A1 and some of its commercial models with the intent to decrease the battering the pistol takes on recoil. Pistol, Model of 1911 to the Marine Corps. From what I can remember, this included a barrel, bushing system, bar dot night sights, memory groove beavertail safety and Birdsong Black-T finish. The Colt M45A1 CQBP comes with a cold-hammer forged, polished stainless steel 5" National Match barrel and a NM bushing. NEW IN THE BOX, WE HAVE A COLT USMC CLOSE QUARTERS BATTLE PISTOL M45A1. It is assigned NATO Stock Number 1005-01-370-7353. The only factory parts Ill typically use are the receiver and bolt assembly, everything else is upgraded. We have put a few rounds through the Decomm & it shoots and handles great. 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. Dec 1, 2014 (Edited) It's kinda tricky, commercial sale frames were pulled right from the contract gun production line. I overlooked that fact that whoever coated it, missed some spots. 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. JHP handload 1.20" Wilson Combat 200-gr. But if you just want a shooter get the current one with the Ion Bond. GUNSweek.com is a new online platform dedicated to the diffusion of technical knowledge in the gun world. The grip safety features an extended beavertail. In addition to the desert tan color, the forward slide serrations and the section of M1913 Picatinny accessory rail immediately stand out and separate the pistol from the typical service M1911. 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The rollmark has now changed to "COLT***M45A1" for both Custom Shop and regular production guns. 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. It would be hard to improve on this trigger with any kind of upgrade. Shooting theM45A1feels different than shooting other 1911s. Description: COLT USMC MARKED M45A1, Cerakote blue box edition, slide has the very rare USMC rollmark. 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. The pistol functioned well for the first three rounds, but then I couldnt find my front sight- literally- it flew off! SWC 1.49" Hornady 200-gr. With the exception of the overtly poor, reloaded cartridge, the Colt M45A1 was 100% reliable and the front sight didnt fly off. While not as corrosion resistant, it is far more durable of a finish. AS THIS IS A MODERN PEOPLE KILLING GUN, WE WILL NEED YOU TO PROVIDE AN FFL FOR TRANSFER. A slight bevel at the magazine well enhances reload speed and the thumb safety is ambidextrous. 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. Colt also offers a custom shop civilian model to achieve higher accuracy; but the Marine issue model is the production grade pistol. Out of stock. Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives. 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. Tan cerakote finish. 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. While most will instantly recognize that the Officers sized guns arent known for reliability, I didnt know it at the time. Colt released these original Marine Corps pistols to the public. Not all civilian M45s go through the Custom Shop. Three versions ofM45A1were made. 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. Never miss a post! Other features include Novak. In the mid 1990s he was the go-to 1911 gunsmith and made the best combat style sights around. The used Glock 19 I bought in 1994, still shoots well. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. One thing that makes this particularpistolso much more than a normal Colt Rail Gunor similarly railed 1911 is the absence of MIM (or Metal Injection Molding) parts anywhere in the gun. Then sold the entire lot to the company selling them on Gunbroker. He refuses to touch a polymer gun, expect for the Springfield XD I sold him around 2000 (I think he sold it within days). Now before you could even buy one you had to sign up for the Gunbroker Gold program. In Oct. 2016 the U.S. Marine Corps announced Glock 19s would replace the .45 ACP-chambered Colt M45A1s carried by members of its Marine Expeditionary Unit Special Operations Capable (MEUSOC) teams. An MEU(SOC) 1911 pistol, built by PWS at Quantico, Virginia. In February 2015, the Marine Corps approved the Glock 19 for MARSOC units. I couldnt say no and bought the gun (Id buy a broken toaster with USMC stamped on it). 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. 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. 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. One thing is for sure: the M45A1 CQBP is not a handgun for everybody. Reviews (0) After a rigorous selection process, the United States Marine Corps selected this Colt Rail Gun as their Close Quarters Battle Pistol (CQBP). 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. The decommissioned pistols and the custom shop pistols all appear to be in the hands of collectors. Customer experience was, and still is, the primary focus, a key to the firms longevity and success. Interestingly, many of these very same pistols recently hit the civilian market in a way that took military enthusiasts and collectors completely by surprise. THESE PISTOLS WERE BUILT FOR THE USMC BY NOVAK FOR COLT, AND THERE WERE NOT MANY MADE. was not the question, rather, it was how tightly I could group the splatter marks. Change). The decision had been anticipated in February 2015, when the USMC first officially authorized its special operation units to carry Glock pistols in lieu of the 1911, at the operator's will. 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. What should the discerning collector look for in a potential buy? Minimum price for the offer must be greater than 0% of the Product. (LogOut/ External enhanced hammer, automatic firing pin safety, Ambidextrous frame-mounted manual safety, extended beavertail grip safety, 127 mm / 5" National Match barrel Lost your password? NEW IN THE COLT ISSUED BLUE BOX EXACTLY AS WAS SHIPPED TO THE USMC. The dual springs have a noticeable slap-back during firing, and the flared and lowered ejection port help to eject spent shells out and to the right of thepistoland not back into your face. If the highest accuracy and best trigger is your goal, get a custom shop model. 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. Maybe they are worried theyll run out of hand grenades? 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. Rogers, Patrick A. [9] The frame is inspected and reused if it is still within military specifications. 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. 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. 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. M45A1 MARINE PISTOL. The Marines bought it and I had to have one. [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. Maintaining the simple recoil assembly, 5-inch barrel (though using a stainless steel match grade barrel), and internal extractor, the ICQB is not much different from Browning's original design. It was the kind of day that a gun guy can never forget. Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives. 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). The finish is a bit slick which is offset by the rather deep cocking serrations both front and rear on the slide. Whatever side you're on in the neverending "Metal Vs. Polymer" battle, the facts remain: back in the 1980s, the well known Austrian company paved the way for the future and still leads the market, but nonetheless the 1911 pistol is still a pillar of the firearms industry and given its enduring popularity among law enforcement professionals and civilian shooters worldwide, it's likely to hold its position for decades to come. Colt M45A1 USMC rollmark in the blue clam shellUltra rare version 01070M45, USMC Rollmark in Blue Box ( Not Pelican Box ) AboutPressCopyrightContact. 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. 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. 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. [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. of weight, with a very short 0.1"/2mm reset.