Special Operation Unit test pistol

[Stopsign32v]

Then if it is legit I will put my guess at......$4,700 ending bid

[WillBrink]

Ken is very much alive and well but getting old. A wise man that sell his guns while he's healthy and can dictate how much the prices are instead of relying on an estate sale after he's long gone. They filmed this video over the summer. I spoke to Ken last week and he's as feisty as ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83qkLvUZV2o

The Springfield is his, I've never asked how those letters are composed, produced, signed, etc. The gun is not my style so I'm not interested in it, Ken's or not.

That SFT9 might be the ticket. I really wanted to like the X9 Series when it came out, still found the grip/ergos not to my liking. That new model is thin enough it may take care of the one reason I didn't get one at the time. I went ahead and filled out their lengthy order form for a SFT9!

[Sam]

That SFT9 might be the ticket. I really wanted to like the X9 Series when it came out, still found the grip/ergos not to my liking. That new model is thin enough it may take care of the one reason I didn't get one at the time. I went ahead and filled out their lengthy order form for a SFT9!

They have a bunch of them in stock, isn't there one that suits your need?

[WillBrink]

They have a bunch of them in stock, isn't there one that suits your need?

I did want to special order one, but they do have some nice ones in stock. I will order one. Always wanted to own a Wilson pistol. A lot of $ for a pistol, but the good stuff always is.

[rushca01]

The seller has sold several other Hackathorn pistols over the last year or so. I trust this as being legit but would always verify.

[Sam]

If anyone is questioning the legitimacy of the auctioneer, they are legitimate. The items are legitimate.

This post was not intended as an advertisement for the auction. Its intention was to show a rare item that some 1911 fans might find interesting. There were also other very rare and interesting items posted in the last couple of years.

[Straight Shooter]

No I don't. The letter has obvious misspellings and incorrect punctuation in it, and the signature doesn't look like pen ink to me. I would feel better if a picture of Ken holding the pistol, with the serial number clearly shown, were included with the other pictures. Buy the gun, not the story.

From this website: https://www.1911fanatics.com/threads...ber-prefix.41/
If you are looking for a Springfield Armory piece made from the Illinois factory look for a serial number consisting of the following:
LW
EMP
TGO-2
TGO-3

"If it's a true Springfield Armory Custom Shop piece it will have this in the serial number:
CRG
FBI
DEA
TGO-1"

The pistol in the listing doesn't have any of the above.

I too have questions, as I have heard Hackathorn for years now saying he does NOT like ambi safety's nor doesnt care for extended spring guides, which this pistol has both. That, and the spelling in the letter..I dont know. But for me personally..it being from S.A. is a non-starter.

[RHINOWSO]

At least it doesn't say RARE in the auction title... lol...

[Sam]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fWYjwvcoIE

The introduction to the video explained one of the reasons Ken has been liquidating his guns. It also revealed who is the recipient of some of the rarest 1911s in Ken's collection.

BTW, the rare special ops Springfield just sold for over $3K.

[gunnerblue]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fWYjwvcoIE

The introduction to the video explained one of the reasons Ken has been liquidating his guns. It also revealed who is the recipient of some of the rarest 1911s in Ken's collection.

BTW, the rare special ops Springfield just sold for over $3K.

I'm no expert on 1911's but $3k is the staring point for premium brands. I would've thought that with the pedigree the final slae price would've been higher.