Lot 420

Rare Sokolovsky Corp. .45 Automaster Pistol "No. 3" with Case

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Rare Sokolovsky Corp. .45 Automaster Pistol "No. 3" with Case

Estimate: $15,000 - $25,000

Starting Bid: $13,000

(0 Bids)

by Rock Island Auction Company
August 21, 2026 9:00 AM CDT
Live Auction
3600 Harwood Road
Bedford, TX, US 76021

Very Rare Sokolovsky Corp. .45 Automaster Semi-Automatic Pistol "No. 3" with Case Introduced c. 1983 as the "Rolls Royce of .45 Auto Pistols" with no more than 45 examples believed to have been completed, the Automaster was designed by Paul J. Sokolovsky (1926-2008) of Sunnyvale, California, as a target pistol devoid of external knobs, buttons, levers, pins, or screws that are typical features on most all other production pistols. Instead, the design utilizes two secondary triggers positioned next to the main trigger in the trigger guard as the only tangible controls, with the left side secondary trigger functioning as a safety and the right side secondary trigger acting as the magazine release. This feature was patented by Sokolovsky, along with a pneumatic slide decelerator assembly and singulating apparatus (increased drop-safe capability of the striker and reduced trigger pull weight) that he also incorporated into the pistol. The barrel is secured to the frame through the use of a series of spring detents, rather than pins or links. The Automaster is one of the rarest production semi-automatic pistols on the collectors market, with three examples housed at the NRA museum (a tool room prototype, a pre-production prototype, and a production version) and Rock Island Auction Company having previously sold a consecutive example to this pistol ("No.2") for $23,500 in December 2022. It has a fixed serrated blade front sight and adjustable notch rear sight on a rib atop the slide, the three-line Sokolovsky address on the left and two-line model and caliber designations on the right of the slide in script behind the serrations, the patent marking "Patent No. 4,203,348" on the left of the frame, and the serial number "-1st Edition No. 3 of 50-" on the right of the frame. Fitted with a pair of smooth hardwood grips secured to the frame via velvet fabric on the interior of the panels. Includes a "Sokolovsky 45" marked hardwood presentation case and a manual.

Manufacturer: Sokolovsky Corp Sport Arms

Model: Automaster

BBL: 6 inch round

Gauge: 45 ACP

Finish: stainless

Grips: hardwood

Serial Number-1st Edition No. 3 of 50-

Class: Modern Handgun

  • Provenance: The Gus Cargile Collection
  • Condition: Excellent overall, with bright and matte stainless surfaces, some minor edge wear and scratches, a few small specks of oxidation, and crisp markings. Mechanically excellent. The case is very fine with minor storage wear. A fleeting opportunity to own one of the rarest .45 caliber semi-automatic target pistols ever produced!

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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