Colt Defense contract for the U.S. Marine Corps with its new pistol M1911A1 Rail Guns 2607122.

Defense News - United States

The deal was finalized Wednesday night, according to Barb Hamby, a spokeswoman for Marine Corps Systems Command in Quantico, Va. Precise details are expected to be released Thursday, July 19, 2012, evening, but there is widespread speculation the order will total some 4,000 firearms.

The pistols will be manufactured at Colt’s plant in West Hartford, Conn., and delivered to the Marine Corps by 2017, Hamby said.

Designated the M45 Close Quarter Battle Pistol by the service, Colt’s Rail Gun takes a tried and true platform used since World War I and outfits it with a rail at the front of the receiver that can be used to mount the flashlights, lasers and infrared devices preferred by today’s special operations forces. While fundamentally unchanged since its inception, the weapon does use the company’s newer series 80 firing system, developed during the 1980s to increase safety by adding a firing pin block that prevents the discharge of a live cartridge if the gun is dropped or banged.

The weapon Colt submitted for this contract competition includes a dual recoil spring assembly, meant to reduce recoil. It was furnished in a desert tan color and featured a Cercoat finish designed to reduce reflection and prevent corrosion. The pistol also features more stainless steel parts, which should help it withstand the harsh environments where special operations and reconnaissance Marines operate — particularly in and around saltwater.