Army Expected to Sell Off Thousands of Surplus 1911 Pistols

**platoonDaddy** · 11-23-17, 08:45

The U.S. Army is expected to transfer upward of 8,000 surplus M1911 pistols for civilian sale in fiscal 2018.

Specifically, the bill would allow recently confirmed Army Secretary Mark Esper, previously the top lobbyist at defense contracting giant Raytheon Co., to transfer 8,000 or more .45-caliber M1911/M1911A1 pistols, spare parts and related accessories to the Corporation for the Promotion of Rifle Practice and Firearms Safety as part of a two-year pilot program.

The program would cap the number of transfers at 10,000 a year and also require the Army secretary to send an annual report to Congress on the number of pistols transferred, number of pistols sold and information on any crimes committed with the pistols.

For now, officials at CMP are sitting tight, according to a recent message on its website.

https://kitup.military.com/2017/11/a...1-pistols.html

**dwhitehorne** · 11-23-17, 09:15

Wow the article states an estimated 100,000 still in the inventory. I would have never imagined that many still floating around. David

**Co-gnARR** · 11-23-17, 09:30

Any estimates on price range?

**Dr. Bullseye** · 11-23-17, 12:26

This news about the 1911s has been around for months now. Even Tom Gresham did a segment on it last summer. When is this going to happen?

**Devious6** · 11-23-17, 19:12

The CMP is not really talking about it, yet. ANy mention on their forum gets locked quickly. Once the NDAA is signed, SECARMY has to sign the authorization. Once the actual transfer takes place, the staff will have to be trained on grading them, then the pistols will have to be graded for eventual sale. Still unknown is whether they will be able to be shipped to 03 C&R license holders (as other 1911A1s are) or if CMP will require and 01FFL transfer. No prices have been set but expect them to probably start around the $900 to $1000 range and go up from there. Rare makes will most likely end up on the auction. Even if the transfer happens quickly, I'm not convinced they will even be available in 2018.

**mgrs** · 11-25-17, 15:44

Originally Posted by Devious6

The CMP is not really talking about it, yet. ANy mention on their forum gets locked quickly. Once the NDAA is signed, SECARMY has to sign the authorization. Once the actual transfer takes place, the staff will have to be trained on grading them, then the pistols will have to be graded for eventual sale. Still unknown is whether they will be able to be shipped to 03 C&R license holders (as other 1911A1s are) or if CMP will require and 01FFL transfer. No prices have been set but expect them to probably start around the $900 to $1000 range and go up from there. Rare makes will most likely end up on the auction. Even if the transfer happens quickly, I'm not convinced they will even be available in 2018.

Key point in red. A previous NDAA included similar language, but SA (at that time) Fanning said no. Not sure where SA Esper will lean, but he might be more likely to approve given his appointment source but current events (high profile shootings, etc.) may influence his decision when it gets to his desk.

I would like to see this approved, but am not holding my breath until I see SA Esper's decision.

**Dienekes** · 11-26-17, 20:09

I still have my official notice from the old DCM dated 1962, stating that my request for an "unserviceable" (they were actually quite nice and VERY "serviceable" ) 1911 was on file and pending--but temporarily on hold. "Temporarily" is now up to 55 years. I expect to be first in line for mine and I also want to hold them to the old price of $17.50 as well.

A deal is a deal, dagnab it.