Colt M45 CQBP

Firefighter88 · September 21, 2012, 01:33 PM

Is the Colt M45 CQBP available to civilians yet, just seen it in American Rifleman magazine and it looks nice. If available, what's the price tag? I own a 1911, but don't have much experience with the rail, are there holsters that fit a 1911 with a light or laser mounted on the rail?

Michael Wilson · September 23, 2012, 01:07 PM

I hope it will be available.

Aguila Blanca · September 23, 2012, 03:59 PM

Quote:

are there holsters that fit a 1911 with a light or laser mounted on the rail?

Check out Safariland.

sigcurious · September 23, 2012, 04:09 PM

I don't think they're available on the open market. Depending on which features you find appealing about the m45, the Sig 1911 scorpion is similar in aesthetics.

RickB · September 24, 2012, 07:14 PM

To a certain extent, the M45 is a Rail Gun, painted tan. There are some detail differences, including relocated and reshaped cocking serrations (there was a lot of hand-wringing over pictures on the 'net that showed a slide, apparently a government test article, with cracks in the forward serrations), and a dual-spring recoil system. The M45 may also have a lanyard loop of some kind? It would be cool to have the "real deal", but the Rail Gun is pretty close.

Fishbed77 · September 25, 2012, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Is the Colt M45 CQBP available to civilians yet, just seen it in American Rifleman magazine and it looks nice.

As RickB mentioned, it's already on the market, since it's just a Colt Rail Gun with a tan Ceracote finish and a different recoil spring.

I personally own a new-production Colt XSE (same pistol as the Rail Gun, but without the Picatinny accessory rail), and I can tell you from my personal experience so far that it is an amazing firearm. Beautifully finished and suprisingly well-fitted. I doubt there is a nicer non-custom 1911 on the market today in the same price range.

Colt has really stepped up their game as of late.

RickB · September 25, 2012, 10:33 PM

A buddy of mine, an engineer by trade, recently toured Colt's facilities, and the one thing that he kept mentioning was how much gauging they do as the parts are made. It looks like (he took a ton of pictures, where allowed) there's some sort of gauging fixture at almost every machine, and the parts are popped out of the mill, the lube blown off, and into the gauge they go. He was very impressed with both the level of automation (lots of new CNC machines), and the amount of handwork being performed.

Sinlessorrow · December 18, 2012, 12:06 AM

RickB, the cracks were real. Colt made a mistake in lighting the frame(that oval cut you see in the rail) which caused binding of the spring, thus the slide beat the frame to death.

The handguns were sent back so Colt could examine and fix them, They did by fixing that weight reducing cut and adding a dual action spring.

The cracking issues are no longer existent.

Fishbed77 · December 18, 2012, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Colt made a mistake in lighting the frame(that oval cut you see in the rail) which caused binding of the spring, thus the slide beat the frame to death.

I wouldn't say Colt "made a mistake." The slide and recoil spring designs were the same that Colt had used for many years succesfully.

The MARSOC tests were designed to test the pistols to failure, which they did after many many thousands of rounds with little or no lubrication, and with the guns filled with sand, dirt, and other debris.

The end result was to take an excellent pistol design and make it even better.

Constantine · December 18, 2012, 12:35 PM

Yeah, what was recently said. It's the Colt Rail GunColt Rail Gun

I would think it would be readily available just like the Marine Corp. is getting it eventually. Just don't count on it any time soon.

Look at the SIG P226 "Navy" which is a normal P226 with a different internal finish and a sticker on the frame. A good marketing idea I guess.

RickB · December 18, 2012, 12:58 PM

Quote:

RickB, the cracks were real. Colt made a mistake in lighting the frame(that oval cut you see in the rail) which caused binding of the spring, thus the slide beat the frame to death.

The handguns were sent back so Colt could examine and fix them, They did by fixing that weight reducing cut and adding a dual action spring.

The cracking issues are no longer existent.

My point is that the guns with cracked SLIDES were not M45s. Production started months after those pics hit the web, and as you note, and is noted above, the pre-production guns were altered to address the problem. It will be interesting to see if the Rail Gun is modified to more closely match the M45 spec.

Noreaster · December 18, 2012, 04:09 PM

As for the cracks the same thing happened to Beretta. Navy Specwar guys fired thousands of rounds until failure to test the weapon and the slide broke and the rear half hit the users. Beretta fixed it by installing a piece so the slide couldn't come back. The point of the test was to break the gun, they just wanted to see how much it would take.

Tucker 1371 · December 18, 2012, 04:32 PM

That's part of the reason I picked this up yesterday...

So far it's NICE, haven't shot it yet but the slide sounds and feels MUCH smoother than the Springfield operator I had, less scratchy sounding.

Constantine · December 18, 2012, 04:45 PM

Quote:

GSUeagle1089

Nice! You finally got it. You've been searching high and low man. Congrats! It's gorgeous. Please post a range report.

Tucker 1371 · December 18, 2012, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Please post a range report.

Thank you sir! Will do, I'll probably get to put a few mags through it Thursday or Friday.

Stringfellow · December 18, 2012, 11:35 PM

Quote:

So far it's NICE, haven't shot it yet but the slide sounds and feels MUCH smoother than the Springfield operator I had, less scratchy sounding.

The recoil spring and guide rod are often more of a factor than the pistol itself--with full length guide rod providing the smoothest sound IMHO (for whatever that is worth to you).

But that said--VERY sweet pistol--congrats!

Stringfellow · December 19, 2012, 12:37 AM

duplicate--sorry

Auto426 · December 19, 2012, 09:32 AM

Colt has announce that for 2013 they will be offering a civilian version of the M45 to the consumer market. It will be hand fitted in the custom shop and supplied with a test targete showing a minimum of a 1" grouping (distance for that grouping unknown). The will be packaged in a special case and come with two magazines that have been pre-tested with the gun to ensure function.

While it certainly won't be cheap, it sounds like a nice package. Clicky to see for yourself.

RickB · December 19, 2012, 12:33 PM

I've heard it will cost about $1800. I've already heard some whining that it's too much for "just a Colt", but, as usual, there's only one place to get a Colt M45, so you don't really have a choice.

Fishbed77 · December 20, 2012, 04:28 PM

Quote:

I've heard it will cost about $1800. I've already heard some whining that it's too much for "just a Colt", but, as usual, there's only one place to get a Colt M45, so you don't really have a choice.

Honestly, $1800 sounds pretty good for a Custom Shop Colt these days.

The last few stainless steel Rail Guns I've seen in shops locally were priced at $1159, and by the time you factor in the cost of the VZ grips, Ceracote finish, night sights, Pelican case, Custom Shop hand-fitting, and "cool factor" of the M45, $1800 isn't that far off the mark.

September 21, 2012, 01:33 PM	#1
Firefighter88 Member Join Date: July 3, 2012 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 60	Colt M45 CQBP Is the Colt M45 CQBP available to civilians yet, just seen it in American Rifleman magazine and it looks nice. If available, what's the price tag? I own a 1911, but don't have much experience with the rail, are there holsters that fit a 1911 with a light or laser mounted on the rail? __________________ Amateurs practice until they get it right. Professionals practice until they don't get it wrong.

September 23, 2012, 01:07 PM	#2
Michael Wilson Member Join Date: October 10, 2009 Location: N. Texas Posts: 40	I hope it will be available. __________________ GOD Bless and Semper FI

December 18, 2012, 12:35 PM	#10
Constantine Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2010 Location: Miami, Florida Posts: 4,039	Yeah, what was recently said. It's the Colt Rail GunColt Rail Gun I would think it would be readily available just like the Marine Corp. is getting it eventually. Just don't count on it any time soon. Look at the SIG P226 "Navy" which is a normal P226 with a different internal finish and a sticker on the frame. A good marketing idea I guess. __________________ Sáncte Míchael Archángele, defénde nos in proélio, cóntra nequítiam et insídias diáboli ésto præsídium. Ímperet ílli Déus, súpplices deprecámur: tuque, prínceps milítiæ cæléstis, Sátanam aliósque spíritus malígnos, qui ad perditiónem animárum pervagántur in múndo, divína virtúte, in inférnum detrúde. Ámen

December 18, 2012, 04:32 PM	#13
Tucker 1371 Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2008 Location: East TN Posts: 1,685	That's part of the reason I picked this up yesterday... So far it's NICE, haven't shot it yet but the slide sounds and feels MUCH smoother than the Springfield operator I had, less scratchy sounding. __________________ LCpl Williams, Evan T. USMC-R, 02-08-2010 ~ D Co, 4th CEB, Engineers UP!! OEF 21JUN-20SEP2011 REV. 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

December 19, 2012, 12:37 AM	#17
Stringfellow Senior Member Join Date: November 29, 2009 Posts: 187	duplicate--sorry __________________ Well-armed Liberal Last edited by Stringfellow; December 19, 2012 at 12:53 AM.

September 23, 2012, 04:09 PM	#4
sigcurious Senior Member Join Date: May 26, 2011 Posts: 1,633	I don't think they're available on the open market. Depending on which features you find appealing about the m45, the Sig 1911 scorpion is similar in aesthetics.

September 24, 2012, 07:14 PM	#5
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Posts: 4,775	To a certain extent, the M45 is a Rail Gun, painted tan. There are some detail differences, including relocated and reshaped cocking serrations (there was a lot of hand-wringing over pictures on the 'net that showed a slide, apparently a government test article, with cracks in the forward serrations), and a dual-spring recoil system. The M45 may also have a lanyard loop of some kind? It would be cool to have the "real deal", but the Rail Gun is pretty close.

September 25, 2012, 10:33 PM	#7
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Posts: 4,775	A buddy of mine, an engineer by trade, recently toured Colt's facilities, and the one thing that he kept mentioning was how much gauging they do as the parts are made. It looks like (he took a ton of pictures, where allowed) there's some sort of gauging fixture at almost every machine, and the parts are popped out of the mill, the lube blown off, and into the gauge they go. He was very impressed with both the level of automation (lots of new CNC machines), and the amount of handwork being performed.

December 18, 2012, 12:06 AM	#8
Sinlessorrow Senior Member Join Date: September 25, 2011 Posts: 145	RickB, the cracks were real. Colt made a mistake in lighting the frame(that oval cut you see in the rail) which caused binding of the spring, thus the slide beat the frame to death. The handguns were sent back so Colt could examine and fix them, They did by fixing that weight reducing cut and adding a dual action spring. The cracking issues are no longer existent.

December 18, 2012, 04:09 PM	#12
Noreaster Senior Member Join Date: January 30, 2011 Location: New England Posts: 975	As for the cracks the same thing happened to Beretta. Navy Specwar guys fired thousands of rounds until failure to test the weapon and the slide broke and the rear half hit the users. Beretta fixed it by installing a piece so the slide couldn't come back. The point of the test was to break the gun, they just wanted to see how much it would take.

December 19, 2012, 09:32 AM	#18
Auto426 Senior Member Join Date: November 24, 2007 Location: South Louisiana Posts: 1,299	Colt has announce that for 2013 they will be offering a civilian version of the M45 to the consumer market. It will be hand fitted in the custom shop and supplied with a test targete showing a minimum of a 1" grouping (distance for that grouping unknown). The will be packaged in a special case and come with two magazines that have been pre-tested with the gun to ensure function. While it certainly won't be cheap, it sounds like a nice package. Clicky to see for yourself. __________________ *"Si vis pacem, para bellum"* - If you want peace, prepare for war.

December 19, 2012, 12:33 PM	#19
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Posts: 4,775	I've heard it will cost about $1800. I've already heard some whining that it's too much for "just a Colt", but, as usual, there's only one place to get a Colt M45, so you don't really have a choice.