Lot 3321

Cased Colt Employee Shipped USMC Marked Colt M45A1 Pistol

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Cased Colt Employee Shipped USMC Marked Colt M45A1 Pistol

Estimate: $7,500 - $12,000

Starting Bid: $6,500

(0 Bids)

by Rock Island Auction Company
August 23, 2026 9:00 AM CDT
Live Auction
3600 Harwood Road
Bedford, TX, US 76021

Scarce Colt Employee Shipped and U.S. Marine Corps Marked Colt M45A1 Semi-Automatic Close Quarter Battle Pistol with Case and Factory Letter Developed beginning in 2010 and adopted by the United States Marines Corps on July 20, 2012, as a replacement for the MEU(SOC) Model 1911 based pistols, roughly 4,000 Colt M45A1 Close Quarters Battle Pistols (a railed dust cover version of Colt's XSE line of Model 1911 pattern pistols) were initially delivered for use with USMC special operations groups, including this 2013 production example, with a "COLT***USMC" roll-mark on the left side of the slide and desert sand Cerakote finish on the stainless steel slide and frame. The slide marking and finish were subsequently changed in 2014 to "COLT***M45A1" and Colt Decobond (a proprietary flat dark earth ion bond finish) on the roughly 8,000 remaining pistols of the contract, with some of the earlier batch of pistols decommissioned with an "X" engraved through the "USMC" slide marking, this example excluded. The included factory letter confirms the pistol's configuration, referring to it as an "Employee Edition", including the 5 inch barrel in .45 ACP caliber, desert sand Cerakote finish, and desert camouflage G10 composite grips, when sent as the only pistol of its type in a shipment to Newington Gun Exchange at 210 Market Square in Newington, Connecticut, on May 8, 2014, for Colt employee David Mills. The factory letter notes that pistol was sold to David Mills, a production specialist for Colt at the time, with an also included 2026 dated letter from David Mills, a USMC veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan before working for Colt, listing the pistol by serial number as an item that he purchased through the Colt's Employee Purchase Program. Features Trijicon tritium lamped Novak three-dot blade front and notch rear sights, "-COLT 45 AUTO N.M.-" marked stainless steel barrel, wide slanted serrations at the front and rear of the slide with the "USMC" marking on the left side and Colt Government Model designation roll-marked on the right side, the Colt address, serial number, UID, and "U.S." marking on the right side of the frame, and an integral four-slot Picatinny rail on the dust cover. Fitted with a long solid aluminum trigger, enhanced skeletonized hammer, an up-swept beavertail grip safety with palm swell, Colt Tactical ambidextrous thumb safeties, a flat serrated stainless steel mainspring housing with lanyard loop, and a pair of desert camouflage patterned G10 composite grips. Also included is a Colt branded Pelican hard case with a matching numbered end label, containing a cleaning kit, an extra sealed magazine, a launch day lapel pin, two challenge coins, and a miniature pewter model of a 1911 in a glass paneled hardwood display case which is noted in the letter from David Mills as a Colt marketing item typically given to senior company members and vendors.

Manufacturer: Colt

Model: M45A1

BBL: 5 inch round

Gauge: 45 ACP

Finish: desert sand Cerakote

Grips: G10

Serial Number00199EGA

Class: Modern Handgun

  • Provenance: Colt Employee David Mills; A Private Collection
  • Condition: Excellent overall, retaining 99% original desert sand Cerakote finish with limited minor handling evidence along with crisp markings and grip checkering. Mechanically excellent.

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $199 $10
$200 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $199,999 $10,000
$200,000 + $25,000