The rollmark has now changed to "COLT***M45A1" for both Custom Shop and regular production guns. When Remington offered a [], 1911 Rear sight installation (Novak style cut) Aftermarket sights are a common upgrade on 1911 pistols. 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. The Marine Corps objected to Colt doing that so they had to change the rollmark on commercial pistols to "M45A1" instead. 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. 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. THESE PISTOLS WERE BUILT FOR THE USMC BY NOVAK FOR COLT, AND THERE WERE NOT MANY MADE. Based on the classic 1911, which has served the United States since 1911, the M45A1 CQBP continues the tradition of having John Brownings. In Oct. 2016 the U.S. Marine Corps announced Glock 19s would replace the .45 ACP-chambered Colt M45A1s carried by members . 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. In other cases on specific guns, the finish was not wearing as durably as expected. At more than 100 years old, theres undeniable attraction to the John Moses Browning design, even brand new ones with elegant upgrades that enhance performance without compromising his vision. The earliest production samples had isolated instances where the application of the tan coating was suspected by the end users to be causing reliability issues. Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review. 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. About that time, the Custom Shop was downsized and no more of the Custom Shop M45A1s were made. The gun ran well. We are fortunate that they found their way onto the public market.. The third version was the Colt Custom Shop edition, also known as the Civilian version. Colt AR15A4. A variant of the M1911, it has been the standard-issue side arm for the Force Recon Element of the United States Marine Corps' Marine Expeditionary Units since 1985. Now before you could even buy one you had to sign up for the Gunbroker Gold program. At 40 yds. Fast forward twenty years and Im at the same dealer, picking up some transfers and he shows me a Colt M45A1. IT12346351005. 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 . That short resurrection of the M45A1 as the primary sidearm for U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) Marine Raiders and the Corps Force Reconnaissance Marines resulted in some fine hardware becoming available to those of us who appreciate fine shooting gear and others who have the resources and desire to collect unusual and limited issue guns. 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. It was largely (maybe entirely) unannounced and seemed odd, or even suspect, but there was a factory letter from Colt to guarantee authenticity. The thumb safeties are ambidextrous and slightly larger than the original 1911 thumb safeties. I was at my local gun shop when a Marine was picking up two that he had won. Smith & Wessons Americas Guardians Program. 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. 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. A forum community dedicated to all 1911 firearm owners and enthusiasts. 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. The pistols with no front strap checkering are production line guns. which was officially adopted in 1986. 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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. Weight of the gun, empty, is listed at 40 ounces. Add to cart. 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. Edit to add: there are some NRA guns in that serial range, see if anything is laser engraved on the gun itself. ), the grip of the M45A1 CQBP is akin to that of a double-stack magazine pistol, and is definitely not made for small hands. MIM parts are widely accepted as the standard in the industry. In the mid 1990s he was the go-to 1911 gunsmith and made the best combat style sights around. 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. The used Glock 19 I bought in 1994, still shoots well. I went through the boxes with the armorers, examining a few random Colts to get a sense of the pistols. Buy, Sell, and Trade your Firearms and Gear. It is either a custom shop gun or an early production gun. 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. The M45A1 pistol is 21,6 cm / 8.5" long overall and weighs 1,7 kilograms / 40 oz. THIS IS A VERY ARE PISTOL, THEY ARE NOT AVAILABLE AND SELDOM COME UP FOR SALE. I am very interested in the pricey but very cool looking new Colt 1911 M45A1 Marine Close Quarters Battle Pistol. However, the group all remarked that the pistols certainly seemed to be accurate using the government-issue hardball ammunition. 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. 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 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 rear sight we ordered [], Weve been using Parabellum Armaments AKARS for 9 months. 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.