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This is a Royal Blue Colt Gold Cup Commander. This is a 4 1/2" barreled variation of the Colt National Match pistol. 500 of these were produced. The firearm has a "Custom Edition" roll mark and is wearing smooth African Ivory grips. It has the fine Eliason adjustable sights that the Gold Cups are known for. | |
This is a stainless steel Colt Gold Cup Commander. This is a 4 1/2" barreled variation of the Colt National Match pistol. 500 of these were produced. The firearm has a "Custom Edition" roll mark and is wearing smooth walnut grips. This one was fitted with an extended slide stop and an extended thumb safety from Safari Arms. Colt made two additional runs of 500 each but these later firearms were not Custom Editions and were not equipped and finished in the same fashion. | |
This is a current Gold Cup Trophy. The current series has all of the Colt Enhanced features including the Commander style hammer and the beavertail grip safety. I added the pin covered genuine African Ivory grips. | |
This is a Colt Delta Gold Cup, a 10MM variation of the Colt National Match pistol. These are no longer in production. This particular one is wearing smooth Ebony grips that were installed at the Colt Custom Shop. Both of the Delta Gold Cups I have had the opportunity to shoot have proved to be exceptionally accurate. Delta Gold Cups utilize the Accro sights in place of the Eliasons. |
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This is a Colt Elite IX. This is a 9MM variation of the Colt National Match pistol. 500 of these were produced on special order. The slide is blue while the frame is stainless. They shipped with smooth wood grips and oversized Colt serpentine medallions. | |
For 2002 Colt has reintroduced the 1911 series 70 pistols. Many shooters are glad to see the return of these fine firearms. These are true to form series 70s. There is no series 80 internal safety to hinder the fine trigger pull of a competition pistol. Pictured here is serial number 70 of those new series 70s. | |
This is a Colt LT. Commander. The LT is for Lieutenant, not light. This is a Commander frame mated to an Officers slide. The 3 1/2" barrel and full length grip make this easy to carry. 500 of these unique autoloaders were produced. | |
In 1986 the sport of IPSC shooting was 10 years old. To commemorate the anniversary S&W designed a special firearm, the model 745. This was a single action only, target version of the 645 semi automatic pistol. The slide was engraved with the IPSC logo and the dates then gold filled. 5000 of these were produced. The 745 went on to become a catalogued firearm, minus the engraving. Remember Diligentia, Vis, Celeritas (Accuracy, Power, Speed). | |
For the 20th anniversary of IPSC Colt produced a 1911 in 3 different grades. 1500 of the Standard model were produced, 500 of the Tactical model were produced and only 50 of the Deluxe firearms were ever manufactured. The Deluxe had an engraved blue slide with white and yellow gold inlays and Bomar sights. The stainless steel frame had a checkered magazine well, checkered magazine release, memory groove grip safety and African Ivory grips with the IPSC medallions installed. Due to some kind of problem between Colt and the Distributor that handled this project, very few of the Deluxe models actually got the Ivory grips, most were sold with checkered wood | |
STI produces one of the tiniest 1911 style firearms in existence, referred to as a sub-compact. The LS9 is chambered for the 9MM cartridge. This has a slimmed down slide and ultra thin Rosewood grips. Total width is only 1.06". The barrel is 3" and the firearm is very short, only 4.25" in overall height. Utilizing the new, STI designed, link less barrel lock up system, this baby transfers most of the recoil to the heel of your hand. The front strap is scalloped in what is becoming know as fish scale style. The rear sight is a Heinie "Low Mount" with an integral front sight. The slide has front and rear serrations | |
This is a Les Baer Concept VII pistol. This was one of the first of Les' Comanche sized Concept pistols. The slide and barrel are 4 1/4". The front strap of the frame is hand checkered at 30LPI. The slide stop is also hand checkered. The slide is serrated at the rear at 20LPI. The rear sight is from MMC. This one has a set of exotic smooth Amboyna Burl grips from Kim Ahrend's installed. Les Baer guarantees this firearm to produce 3" groups at 50 yards. |
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This is a Les Baer Target Master pistol. The unusual part of this firearm is that this one was manufactured as a 6" long slide. These are amazing target guns. The front strap of the frame is hand checkered at 30LPI. The optional oversized magazine release is also hand checkered. The slide is serrated front and rear at 20LPI. This one has smooth Les Baer laser engraved grips that were also produced on special request and the entire firearm is finished in Baercoat. Les Baer guarantees this firearm to produce 1 1/2" groups at 50 yards | |
The following firearm is a Springfield Armory V16 Long Slide. There are many unique features about this firearm. It was produced with a 6" barrel and slide. The barrel has 8 ports on each side, thus the V16 name. The firearm is designed and set up to utilize the powerful 45Super cartridge, it is supplied with an additional spring for conversion to shoot 45ACP. This one has a pair of Kim Ahrend's Tactical grips made from Kingwood. | |
This is a 7" Hardballer long slide from Arcadia Machine & Tool more commonly referred to as AMT. This was the first commercially available long slide 45 in the market place. Prior to AMT's release of this firearm the only choice for a long slide was to purchase a firearm and have a gunsmith weld another piece of slide to the front of it. The new slide was then buffed and refinished. Today long slides are available as parts or complete guns. Another nice feature is that AMT used wide triggers much like those used in the Colt Gold Cup pistols. These firearms are no longer available. | |
This next firearm was produced in 1996 to commemorate the US shooting Team. It is a Gold Cup National Match with some yellow gold work on the slide and an unusual narrow trigger. Colt produced 500 of this firearm in 1996. Their new logo is also pictured. | |
This next firearm commemorates the 2002 graduating class at the United States Military Academy at West Point. 2002 is the bicentennial for the USMA. The firearms are Colt 1991 blue steel firearms with gold scroll work and text on the slide. The hammer, slide stop, thumb safety, magazine release and grip screws are gold plated. The smooth wood grips have the USMA logo on one panel and the bicentennial logo on the other panel. 725 of these were produced with the first serial number being USMA02002. The entire production went to West Point. | |
This is an original S&W model 52. Chambered in 38 Special this autoloader is exceptionally accurate with very mild recoil. Only 3500 of these were manufactured. The original model had it's double action locked out by an internal set screw, later versions did away with the double action function. This one has a Bomar extended sight rib mounted on it. | |
This is the S&W model 952. Chambered in 9MM this autoloader is the modern version of the original model 52. It is much more forgiving with it's ammunition choice. These are very accurate autoloaders. | |
This is a S&W 559, an all steel variation of their 2nd generation 9mm autoloader. A very small number of these were produced. This one has a yellow insert front sight and an adjustable rear sight. The grips are carved ivory. The serial number of this example ends in four zeros. | |
This is a Smith & Wesson Shorty 45 MK-II introduced in 1997. The difference between this and the original Shorty 45 is the addition of adjustable sights. This has a titanium nitride barrel bushing, hand fitted oversize frame and slide rails, match grade barrel and more. | |
This 1998 Smith & Wesson offering is the Recon 45. This is a terrific defensive pistol. It shares many of the custom features of the Shorty 45s and adds a 4 1/4" extended and ported barrel to reduce muzzle climb. This autoloader has a slide mounted decocker. | |
This Smith & Wesson SIGMA 40Ti has a Titanium slide. It is unknown to me how many were produced, but I have never seen another. The convention version of this autoloader weighs 20% more. | |
This is a BDA (Browning Double Action) in 45 ACP. These were manufactured by SIG-Sauer of Germany and marked with the Browning name back in the late 70s. Less than 9000 were produced before SIGARMS was formed to handle US distribution. Of those 9000 over 6000 were in 45 ACP, the remainder were in 9MM and 38 Super. This is one of only three nickel BDAs and was on display at the Shot Gun News trade show in 1978. Hogue Goncalvo Alves grips have replace the factory plastic grips.. | |
This is a Ruger Mark 1. This one has been reworked by Volquartsen. It has his short bull barrel, adjustable sights, thumb mag release conversion, wide adjustable target trigger with a custom action. This is one very accurate, short 22 autoloader. | |
This is an early example of the Heckler and Koch P7, later renamed P7-PSP. Revolutionary in the implementation of the squeeze-cock design. The firearm also operates in a gas retard method with a fixed barrel. This was previously unheard of using a cartridge with this much pressure. This one is in a factory fitted walnut presentation case that holds a second magazine and has a compartment in the lid for additional storage. | |
In 2000 the German firearms manufacturer of Heckler and Koch celebrated their 50th anniversary. To celebrate they produced a special 45ACP USP Compact pistol. The slide is finished in a very fine bright blue with a white and yellow gold medallion set into the slide. There is also gold inlaid text on the slide just above the inlaid medallion that reads "50th Anniversary 1 of 1000". This is in a nice oak presentation case with a 50th anniversary coin set into the case. Both sides of the coin are shown. | |
The Heckler and Koch USP Elite is a long slide target version of the Company's famous Universal Self-loading Pistol. A special O-ring barrel to slide fit insures accuracy. The autoloader also has a match trigger with over travel stop. This fine firearm is chambered in 45 ACP | |
This is an original Wildey. Chambered in the powerful 45 Winchester Magnum. Optionally the even larger 475 Wildey Magnum can be used in the firearm. The adjustable gas system allows the use of a very wide range of ammunition. The Wildey gained notoriety in several motion pictures. Charles Bronson used one in Death Wish 3, Keenen Ivory Wayans had an occasion to try a Wildey Pistol in Low Down Dirty Shame, and one was used in the film Hard Way with James Woods and Michael J Fox. Available in barrels from 5" to 14" the one pictured is a 10" barrel. After meeting with Linda and Wildey Moore in Feb of 2003 I need to state the Company has never been out of business. They did move. In 2000 Colt Firearms contracted for some Wildeys with the Colt name on them. |
The firearms pictured on this page are not actively being
offered for sale.
Mark Calzaretta
Certified Firearms Instructor
Endowment (Life) Member NRA
Life Member NAHC
Member LEAA
SWCA #1597
SASS #42026 "J.R. Swackhammer"
This page contains copyrighted materials. All photographs are the property of Mark Calzaretta and may not be used without express written consent.