The ejection port was modified by widening it and flaring it out. The M45A1 CQBP pistol is issued with Wilson black metal single-stack magazines, holding 7+1 rounds. In an effort to makegunsthat are traditionally built with steel more affordable, gunmanufacturers have created a process to mold low impact gunparts rather than forge or mill each one. In February 2015, the Marine Corps approved the Glock 19 for MARSOC units. JavaScript is disabled. The instructor basically told us the Air Force felt the Army .45 was too much gun for us. [8], A Marine operator may shoot as many as 80,000 rounds from this pistol during a training-cycle and subsequent deployment. Fans of the 1911 expressed their disgust as nearly 4,000 of the handguns were de-commissioned. which was officially adopted in 1986. It must have been a special single shot model. 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. 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. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The rear sight we ordered [], Weve been using Parabellum Armaments AKARS for 9 months. The M45A1 has a dual recoil spring assembly which seems to dampen recoil somewhat. IT12346351005. As much as its dress may change, this is still John Moses Browning's old reliable battlehorse. Depends on what version of the USMC rollmark. Builders of 1911s like Rock Island, Springfield, Kimber and Colt use MIM parts extensively in order to produce a competitively priced product. My M45A1 has had hundreds of rounds put through it, both ball and JHP, and has not experienced any type of failure. Rogers, Patrick A. Colt Custom Shop M45A1,O1070M45 CQBP Marine USMC Marked 1911 45ACP NIB THESE PISTOLS WERE BUILT FOR THE USMC BY NOVAK FOR COLT, AND THERE WERE NOT MANY MADE. 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. Does anyone know? ) Black Hills 200-gr. Before word could even circulate in casual conversation, the pistols were snapped up at prices that were lower than comparable commercial Colts. Most of the time standing slow fire at 25 yds. COLT MFG CO INC Marine M45-A1 Colt CCS O1070M45 M45-A1 SA 45ACP 5" 7+1 HAS USMC ROLLMARK on slide PRODUCT INFORMATION Slide Material: Stainless Steel Frame Material: Stainless Steel Slide Finish: Cerakote Brown Coating Frame Finish: Cerakote Brown Coating Model Name: GOVERNMENT Left Slide Mark: COLT*** USMC Right Slide Mark: Colt Government Model See also [ edit] About that time, the Custom Shop was downsized and no more of the Custom Shop M45A1s were made. Allrightsreserved. If youre interested in a unique, firearm with a military history at around $1600, go for it. The Colt M45A1 CQBP comes with a cold-hammer forged, polished stainless steel 5" National Match barrel and a NM bushing. It is assigned NATO Stock Number 1005-01-370-7353. It is big enough - yet snug enough to retain the M45A1 and other railed 5" 1911s. Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review. The Fora platform includes forum software by XenForo. This added weight, in addition to the dual spring slap back, provide for noticeably less recoil. 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. The one-of-a-kind markings are all there. An online platform dedicated to information about guns and shooting activities, as well as technical and cultural knowledge, for a better understanding and responsible approach to the gun world and its rules. Not bad- but not great. While the Colt Model 601 was the first AR-15 to be mass-produced, there were several design variations that came before during the platform's development. The included factory letter affirms that this is a genuine U.S.M.C. Colt M45A1 Review: USMC Pistol Review - rifleshooter.com 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. Colt M45A1 CQB Marine Pistol - rangehot.com Under normal circumstances, yes too much by $400, assuming it is a M45A1 rollmark. Colt M45A1 CQBP: the MARSOC pistol | GUNSweek.com Passionate Caretakers of Our Historic Military Firearms and Americas Wartime Heritage. Handgun Hard Choices: Colt M1911 or S&W M1917? 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. Sold Colt M45a1 Usmc Cqb Pistol With Rare Usmc Marked Slide Nib Outside of the mentioned ambidextrous manual safety, the controls configuration is the same as on any other 1911 variant. 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). Come join the discussion about optics, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! 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. Despite the planned purchase of the commercial pistols, Marine Corps Systems Command has continued to solicit parts to build additional MEU(SOC) pistols. It was largely (maybe entirely) unannounced and seemed odd, or even suspect, but there was a factory letter from Colt to guarantee authenticity. In the first post, we field stripped the gun between shots to verify that it []. 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 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. 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. Thats because at 40 oz., it is heavy. The gun ran well. 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. Desert tan Decobond finish, $1,699.00 (MSRP U.S.A.) [2], In 2012, the Marine Corps awarded Colt a contract for up to 12,000 M45A1 pistols with an initial order of 4036 pistols. Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. One feature is the dual recoil spring system that spreads out the recoil force of the .45 ACP round by lowering the peak force of the recoil pulse. This Colt Government Model M45A1 is a Colt Custom Shop Model introduced in 2012 as the civilian version of the United States Marine Corps Close Quarters Battle Pistol . After a rigorous selection process, the United States Marine Corps selected this Colt Rail Gun as their Close Quarters Battle Pistol (CQBP). 0. [16] The Colt design is considered an upgrade of the previous pistol, not an entirely new design. I was looking at the first shipment from that contract, and my Marines would be the first to be issued the .45s. 3. 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. COLT M45A1 MARINE PISTOL For Sale - Colt Armory USA As an avid Glock shooter, digging through my holster box to find one that fit was a chore. These decommissioned Colts will continue to be a hot item among both shooters and collectors for the foreseeable future. Colt's Manufacturing Company - firearms, handguns, pistols, rifles, revolvers. The M45A1 has the traditional military lanyard loop in the flat, serrated mainspring housing. Colt's M45 Marine Close Quarters Combat Pistol - David Freeman A large number of certified modern U.S. military handguns on the market is mostly unheard of. The feed ramp on theM45A1is polished and coated to make the surface extremely smooth. While not as corrosion resistant, it is far more durable of a finish. Colt Custom Shop M45A1 (NO USMC MARKINGS) "EGA" serial number. Trying to see if the USMC needs to find a home. Marine HQ requested Colt to stop marking the pistols as such. This pistol utilizes the Series 80 fire control system which means it has an internal firing pin safety. I dont know that any pistols, the old Quantico M45s or the new Colts, were ever truly benched or grouped. The FDE Cerakote finish was average at best, but it still looked cool. Comes with the original box, paperwork, and two magazines. Fit and finish were OK, but the Marines use it, so that is worth the premium. 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 In recent months, the auction houses have listed a few with the prices for the pristine unissued handguns estimated around $7,000. If you would like to make an offer for this gun please send an email to southeastgunshots@gmail.com. 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. 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. Among those are the MEU(SOC) and the Force Recon the special operation forces of the United States Marine Corps whose sidearm ever since the year 1986 has been the M45 MEUSOC pistol, a custom-grade 1911 variant assembled and tuned by the USMC armorers at the Quantico base, in Virginia. 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. The finish is a bit slick which is offset by the rather deep cocking serrations both front and rear on the slide. External enhanced hammer, automatic firing pin safety, Ambidextrous frame-mounted manual safety, extended beavertail grip safety, 127 mm / 5" National Match barrel For the pure sake of being worth more money down the line, no question about it. ), the grip of the M45A1 CQBP is akin to that of a double-stack magazine pistol, and is definitely not made for small hands. Last Of The Breed: Marine Corps M45A1 - An Official Journal Of The NRA 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. Wayne is one of the premier pistol smiths in the country. Normally his 1911 lectures are held during downtime at the range when he is repairing his 1911. used but great shape. Colt M45A1 Custom Shop (O1070CQB) $2,149.95 Colt Out of stock Quick view Out of stock Colt Government Model With Rail - (O1980RG) $1,154.95 Colt Quick view Add to Cart COLT LE6920 $1,349.95 Sale Out of stock Quick view Out of stock Colt Government Model Stainless With Rail - (O1070RG) $1,198.00 $1,079.95 $1,198.00 When the enemy breaches the position, any of them will do. 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. Colt M45A1 - Clyde Armory Inc. Sweet! In other cases on specific guns, the finish was not wearing as durably as expected. VERY RARE AND VERY COLLECTIBLE! An identical version coming off the same assembly line was sold to the civilian market. This makes for an incredibly well-constructedpistol. 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. 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. This is very unique and very rare COLT 1911 USMC ROLLMARK U.S. MARINES M45A1 SEMPER FI FDE. 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. 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. Pelican Storm Case. MEU(SOC) pistol - Wikipedia 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. [2], The pistol's components are hand-fitted and are not interchangeable. [2], In the late 1980s, USMC Colonel Robert Young laid out a series of specifications and improvements to make Browning's design ready for 21st century combat, many of which have been included in MEU(SOC) pistol designs. 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 will fit though. 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. 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. . It . 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. Shooting theM45A1feels different than shooting other 1911s. While most will instantly recognize that the Officers sized guns arent known for reliability, I didnt know it at the time. Support NRA American Rifleman DONATE. These particular pistols only had the USMC rollmark during the early production. And yet, it is still to completely abandon the battlefield, being a favourite of many special operation forces. 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. Two Wilson Combat magazines. And yet, a lot of gun enthusiasts andcollectors have been happy to wait to get one. My buddy brought his daughters Remington R1 1911 to test out. Copyright 2023 National Rifle Association. ) The M45A1 serves still today, but it will almost certainly be the final chapter in the U.S. military service life of the M1911. By the time my gun came back from Wayne, years had passed since the original purchase date. I overlooked that fact that whoever coated it, missed some spots. We ended the session shooting the old FBI pistol qualification course on a counter shaded QIT-99 (you can see the course of fire here). The USMC-marked pistol is from one of the early runs when Colt was using the same rollmark that they applied to the actual USMC guns. The slide of the Colt M45A1 CQBP pistol comes with front and rear serrations, and with dovetailed high-visibility sights with tritium night dots. 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. The decommissioned pistols and the custom shop pistols all appear to be in the hands of collectors. Colt. The .45 maintains a traditional military lanyard loop in the flat, serrated mainspring housing. Following some stop-gap and interim solutions, in 2012 the United States Marine Corps adopted an upgraded variant of the Colt CCU Rail Gun for its special operations capable units aptly dubbed the M45A1 CQBP Close Quarters Battle Pistol. The Marine Corps objected to Colt doing that so they had to change the rollmark on commercial pistols to "M45A1" instead. Customer experience was, and still is, the primary focus, a key to the firms longevity and success. Colt's Manufacturing LLC The action incorporates the Series 80 mechanism that blocks the firing pin until the trigger is pulled. 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. 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. To make an offer please complete the form below: Minimum price for the offer must be greater than or equal to $0. 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. At 40 yds. 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. of weight, with a very short 0.1"/2mm reset. 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. 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. This handgun has never been fired! Clearly I had no clue. If one looks closely at the trigger guard, Colt has the V-shaped proofmark that was present on earlier government handguns, such as the 1909 USMC revolver. M45A1 MARINE PISTOL. (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. SWC 1.49" Hornady 200-gr. THESE PISTOLS WERE BUILT FOR THE USMC BY NOVAK FOR COLT, AND THERE WERE NOT MANY MADE. You just need to be willing to spend the money it takes to grab a true jewel of firearm technology. Pistol, Model of 1911 to the Marine Corps. 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. 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. These pistols are the first U.S.G.I. 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]. [9] The frame is inspected and reused if it is still within military specifications. View all posts by David Freeman. Many of the issued pistols that came to market have the tells of service life: paint pen or spray paint stenciled rack numbers, holster wear, dings or gouges from rough use. Therefore, almost all of these pistols are marked M45A1 and only a small percentage have the USMC rollmark. I was an active duty Marine from 1992 to 1996, and at that time the standard issue. [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". Six right-handed grooves, 1 twist in 16", Novak LoMount or Trijicon high-visibility sights with Tritium dots, Machined stainless steel frame and slide [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. How about that? By clicking the "OK" button, you are giving your consent for us to set cookies. The pistols shipped in the original cardboard container with the contract-correct black Wilson Combat seven-round magazine. This sample proved that sentiment. Colt M45A1 Marine Government Full FDE 5 - Omaha Outdoors Interestingly, many of these very same pistols recently hit the civilian market in a way that took military enthusiasts and collectors completely by surprise. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission, which supports our community. [10], The final units as issued to MCSOCOM Det-1 are the Kimber ICQBs with SureFire Integrated Military Pistol Light (IMPL), Dawson Precision rail, Gemtech TRL Tactical Retention Lanyards based upon the jury-rigged telephone cord versions, modified Safariland 6004 holsters, Simonich G-10 Gunner Grips manufactured by Simonich Knives and Strider Knives replaced the original Pachmayr rubber grips, and Wilson Combat's '47D' 8-round magazines.