colt m45a1 usmc rollmark colt m45a1 usmc rollmark

I headed to the range with my 1911, a case of Winchester 230 grain ball and a couple hundred rounds of Cor-Bon 185 grain JHP (the gun rags of that day told you to shoot 200 rounds of your defensive load of choice). The Colt M45A1 CQBP pistol is based on the tried and true Series 80 platform: it comes with a single-action trigger, a skeletonized enhanced hammer, an automatic firing pin safety, an ambidextrous frame-mounted manual safety, and an improved and crisp trigger pull - about two kilos or just under 6 lbs. The Marines bought it and I had to have one. Note the X through the USMC marking. It . 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. Shooting two handed, strong side only and weak side only it functioned flawlessly. By clicking anywhere on the page, or scrolling down the content you can temporarily hide this banner. [16] The Marine Corps issued the M45A1 to Force Reconnaissance companies, MARSOC and Special Reaction Teams from the Provost Marshals Office. In the hand, that level of precision translated to straightforward hits on tough and distant targets. The M45A1 features durable Decobond brown coating and an M1913-spec Picatinny rail for mounting lights . Sold WALTHER PPK RARE EAGLE F DURALUMINUM, Pre98 Antiques Military Firearms Collecting Outlook for 2020. 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. I figured I needed some professional intervention so I sent the pistol off to Wayne Novak. XTP 1.47" Nosler 185-gr. The revised parts list included barrels, bushings, link pins, sear springs, ejectors, firing pin stops, mainspring housings and mainsprings, all from Nowlin Manufacturing. News, Handguns, Semi-Auto Handguns. 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. However, the group all remarked that the pistols certainly seemed to be accurate using the government-issue hardball ammunition. 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. AFTER THE MILITARY RUN COLT STARTED TO PRODUCE THESE FOR THE COMMERICIAL MARKET WITH THE USMC LOGO AND JUST A THOUSAND OR SO WERE MADE WHEN THE MARINE CORPS ASKED THEM TO STOP USING THE USMC ROLL MARK. Copyright2016-2023 DigitoolmediaSrls VATNo. 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. 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. (LogOut/ When the enemy breaches the position, any of them will do. when unloaded. The rollmark changed around 006700EGA as far as I can tell. The pistols are exceptional purely as shooters, and scarce and significant for several military and historic reasons. And yet, a lot of gun enthusiasts andcollectors have been happy to wait to get one. this isnt your cheapie m45a1 model. View all posts by David Freeman. 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. These particular pistols only had the USMC rollmark during the early production. I was at my local gun shop when a Marine was picking up two that he had won. SWC 1.49" Hornady 200-gr. of weight, with a very short 0.1"/2mm reset. Reviews (0) After a rigorous selection process, the United States Marine Corps selected this Colt Rail Gun as their Close Quarters Battle Pistol (CQBP). Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives. I finally got my .45 10 years after I retired. The third entry from Karl Lippard Designs, a Colorado Springs-based arms maker, was called the Close Quarter Battle Pistol: an M1911A1-style pistol, built using S7 tool steel and a large number of proprietary components including accessory rail, grip safety, and sights. What started off as sending my officers ACP off for new Lo-Mount sights, turned into over two thousand dollars worth of work. I found a Don Hume 715 MC IWB holster that it fit-good enough. Each knotted tight groups that would do a custom pistol proud, averaging 1.48" for five separate loads. 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. 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. Outside of the mentioned ambidextrous manual safety, the controls configuration is the same as on any other 1911 variant. 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]. By clicking the "OK" button, you are giving your consent for us to set cookies. This is very unique and very rare COLT 1911 USMC ROLLMARK U.S. MARINES M45A1 SEMPER FI FDE. The Colt incorporates the dual recoil spring assembly of the firms recent commercial models, which seemed to dampen recoil somewhat. 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. 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. This sample proved that sentiment. I overlooked that fact that whoever coated it, missed some spots. In the first post, we field stripped the gun between shots to verify that it []. [2], In 2012, the Marine Corps awarded Colt a contract for up to 12,000 M45A1 pistols with an initial order of 4036 pistols. [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. Colt AR15A4. 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. There were only 20 of these made and this one is the 17th of the series. Colt. A slight bevel at the magazine well enhances reload speed and the thumb safety is ambidextrous. Colt has not published the quantities of the EGA suffix pistols that were issued, at least not in any list Ive been able to find. Just over 100 years separated the issue of the M1911A1-based Marine M45A1 Colts from the Corps initial shipment of the M1911. The contract was said to be worth $22.5M to Colt. A close-up of the rear portion of the gun with its hammer cocked. The Marine Corps is aware of this yet opted for steel, so consequently the CQBP does not use any MIM parts. 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. I ran a series of 6-dot and 5-circle drills with my Colt M45A1. NEW IN THE COLT ISSUED BLUE BOX EXACTLY AS WAS SHIPPED TO THE USMC. All M45A1s are currently marked COLT***M45A1 and have a darker, flat dark earth Ion Bond type finish referred to by Colt as Decobond. 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. As of March 2019, Force Recon, and other units still use the M45A1 and some units have the Glock 19 or Beretta M9A1 as an alternative. 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. Change), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Thats because at 40 oz., it is heavy. VERY RARE AND VERY COLLECTIBLE! [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. The M45A1 serves still today, but it will almost certainly be the final chapter in the U.S. military service life of the M1911. The USMC is about double the price and if I understand correctly, its a production gun from Colt whereas the civilian version goes through the custom shop - is that correct? Out of stock. JavaScript is disabled. [8], A Marine operator may shoot as many as 80,000 rounds from this pistol during a training-cycle and subsequent deployment. Interestingly, many of these very same pistols recently hit the civilian market in a way that took military enthusiasts and collectors completely by surprise. The silence was deafening, though, when they became available and Colt continued to produce a civilian variant. These pistols are the first U.S.G.I. I have a local company that can make a kydex holster but I dont like kydex. 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. (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. This pistol utilizes the Series 80 fire control system which means it has an internal firing pin safety. External enhanced hammer, automatic firing pin safety, Ambidextrous frame-mounted manual safety, extended beavertail grip safety, 127 mm / 5" National Match barrel 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. Buy, Sell, and Trade your Firearms and Gear. CCS M45A1 is really a good deal @ $2k price point (MSRP). 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. Then sold the entire lot to the company selling them on Gunbroker. [8] Slides were ordered from Springfield Armory, with front sight pins, beavertail safeties and recoil spring guides from Ed Brown. Barrel length is 5 inches, dual recoil springs reduce perceived recoil and magazine capacity is seven rounds. That level of accuracy is truly noteworthy in a randomly selected, government-issue pistol. Passionate Caretakers of Our Historic Military Firearms and Americas Wartime Heritage. As much as its dress may change, this is still John Moses Browning's old reliable battlehorse. Colt inspected the M45A1s and issued a letter of authenticity with them and x out the USMC to show they had been demilled. The M45A1 feels heavy compared to other full-size 1911s. 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. This full-size lower rail adds some of the noticeable heft to the gun,but that heft seems to balance out thepistolso that the gundoesnt feel nose heavy. was not the question, rather, it was how tightly I could group the splatter marks. 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. (camp). Hitting an 8" plate at 50 yds. Six months later, I was home on leave and my gun was back from Colt. M45A1 - Colt custom shop vs Production version.which should I buy? Fans of the 1911 expressed their disgust as nearly 4,000 of the handguns were de-commissioned. Colt M45A1 USMC rollmark in the blue clam shellUltra rare version 01070M45, USMC Rollmark in Blue Box ( Not Pelican Box ) AboutPressCopyrightContact. Every piece of steel in theM45A1is machined to specific tolerances and tested to the specifications put forth by the United States Marine Corps. 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.