Picked up another M45a1

[stormvet]

Already have a regular production version Colt M45a1 with the Ion bond finish.
Completed a trade today for another, this one is a Colt custom shop model with a cerakote finish. It is a CQBX model, they are fairly rare, only about 100 made in this color combination FDE over black. Among the M45a1 fans it is affectionately called the ugly bastard stepsister. New they cost right around $2200, I traded a couple handguns for it. It helps feed my addiction to FDE handguns, I was happy to get.

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With production M45a1

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[AO3]

Nice.

[solipsism]

I have a grey custom shop M45A1, still haven’t seen another. I would love to have another one.

[Yodaman]

Nice

[Spartan301]

Nice!

Good job, OP!

[200Apples]

Very cool. I can appreciate that. And while I can also appreciate that a collector of certain Colt pistols might be reluctant to alter one in any way, what would that ugly stepsis look like with black G10 grips?

[stormvet]

Very cool. I can appreciate that. And while I can also appreciate that a collector of certain Colt pistols might be reluctant to alter one in any way, what would that ugly stepsis look like with black G10 grips?

[BennyW]

[stormvet]

[solipsism]

Are they all the same as far as options go? I noticed it doesn't have front strap checkering and mine does.

[stormvet]

Are they all the same as far as options go? I noticed it doesn't have front strap checkering and mine does.

Only the newer custom shop guns have front strap checkering, all the production guns and the older custom shop guns do not. I’m thinking they started the checkering around 2017, my Custom shop gun is a late 15 build. The contract guns for the MC wore ordered without checkering so until recently all the guns were built that way.

Besides that most everything is the same except for a few things, around 16 they went from the crappy cerakote to the much better Ion bond finish. The ambi-safety on my custom shop gun is is a Novak, different then my production gun and other custom shop guns that have the standard Colt ambi.

All the custom shop guns get a hand fitted barrel and trigger work, my custom shop gun trigger is a full pound lighter then my production gun.

[highpower]

Nice find! While I know that the finish on the cerakoted FDE M45A1's isn't as durable as the later ionbond, I just happen to think the earlier guns look better. I was fortunate enough to find a early production gun in lie new condition for a decent price a little over a year ago. It is a very nice shooting gun and I like the heck out out of it.

This one is an early production gun and just outside of the Marine contract serial number range.

[stormvet]

Nice gun HP I’m thinking a late 12 early 13. Those old cerakote models get a lot of character from holster wear and shooting, but a lot of people really like that. I’m sure after about a year mine is going to have a lot of character, ha ha. I may look at getting mine refinished down the road, I like the Ion bond. But it is expensive, I think Colt charges around $600 for it. Whatever I do I’ll keep the factory color combo, it’s growing on me.

[nitroxdiver]

Very outstanding, congrats!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[stormvet]

Made a couple functional and cosmetic changes to the custom shop M45a1
Ed Brown mainspring housing with magwell in chain link II
G10 starburst grips in Hyena brown

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