Colt M45A1 USMC - Cool Gun with a Cool Story

[KahrMan]

This all started almost a month ago.  With no notice, a company listed some Colt USMC M45A1 CQBP for sale on Gunbroker.  The seller claimed that these were the actual guns issued to and carried in theater by USMC Special Operations units, including Force Recon. 

 

People were very skeptical and thought this had to be a scam.  I mean when was the last time you could buy an actual, carried military handgun.  A discussion started on the Colt forum and the 1911 forum about these.  Some of the guys knew some Colt employees and called them.  Colt verified that these were the actual guns sold to and carried by the USMC Special Operations units.  The USMC was not happy with the way the coating was holding up and returned a batch to Colt to be replaced.  Colt inspected the M45A1s and issued a letter of authenticity with them and x out the USMC to show they had been demilled.   Then sold the entire lot to the company selling them on Gunbroker.

 

Now before you could even buy one you had to sign up for the Gunbroker Gold program.  It is $50/year and gives you access supposedly to some good deals.

These went up for sale Friday afternoon and were sold out by Monday morning.

A couple of guys have stated tracking all the sales and compiling a list of the serial numbers.  It looks like approx. 475 of the used guns were sold.  Word is that there will not be anymore used ones.  Then people started hearing rumors of some more guns that were going to be available but these were supposed to be “nib”.  Meaning they were bought by the USMC and shipped to their armories but not carried.  These went up for sale at a little higher price at the beginning of last week.  They sold approx 368 of  these with the majority going in the first two hours.  They would put a small batch sell them and then raise the price for the next batch. 

 

I think they underestimated what the demand for these would be.  These have become instant collectibles.  Some of the used ones have shown back up on Gunbroker selling for 2.5-3 times what they cost.  I was lucky enough to get one of the used ones and one of the “nib” ones.  I just got the used one and the “nib” one should arrive next week.

 

 

 

Edited April 15, 2017 by KahrMan

[A.J. Holst]

From the unique ablative coating on this run, I'd be scared to handle the NIB without kid gloves...

Cool additions, safe queen and shooters grade

[Ronald_55]

 I am scared to know the pricing

[KahrMan]

Cheaper than you would think.  The company that sold these could have made twice as much had they priced the original run correctly.  The used guns went for $1299 and $1349.  The "nib" started at $1890.  They steadily increased the price of those as the sold.  They have like 17 left and they are priced at 2995.95.  I paid $1349 for the used and got one of the first "nib" ones for $1890.

[jpx2rk]

Cool looking gun, congrats on your purchases.  

[runco]

Envious, envious, envious......

[gregintenn]

Neat stuff and a great investment!

[MikeW]

On 4/14/2017 at 5:43 PM, KahrMan said:

Cheaper than you would think.  The company that sold these could have made twice as much had they priced the original run correctly.  The used guns went for $1299 and $1349.  The "nib" started at $1890.  They steadily increased the price of those as the sold.  They have like 17 left and they are priced at 2995.95.  I paid $1349 for the used and got one of the first "nib" ones for $1890.

 

I'd offer ya $1650 for the used one

 

Cool gun's and I will keep an eye out for a used one... NIB is not what I would want for my collection of "prior-military service" firearms.

 

[Capbyrd]

Wow.  Thats cool.  I don't really do 45 but I would have loved to have had one. 

 

[KahrMan]

Got my nib one.



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[hlb14]

Very cool guns and story to go with them.  Nice score!