Page 334 - 4090-BOOK2

LOT 1465
Rare Colt SSP Double Action Semi-Automatic .45 ACP Pistol - Serial no. GX9767, 45 ACP cal., 4 1/2 inch round bbl., stainless finish, walnut grips. First developed by
Colt as the Model 1971, with approximately 30-50 being
manufactured, this model would become the Stainless Steel Pistol (SSP) and was conceived as a way to get the jump on a future U.S. military handgun request. Before any formal requirements had been fielded, the company had managed to develop a solid read on the then-current trends in firearms, particularly the
rise of what would later be dubbed the “Wonder Nine”, the 9mm double-stack double-action semi-automatic pistol. While the knockdown force of the 45 ACP had (and still has) its adherents, the appeal
of being able to standardize to the 9x19mm NATO cartridge and get a 13+ round magazine capacity in the process was rather broad. Colt’s read on the Wonder Nine was a radical departure from the 1911A1, completely
changing much of the internal configuration and external appearance. The slide is secured with a set of full length external frame rails, and the barrel via a link-free ramp assembly, while the hammer and mainspring are configured as a one-piece “en block” assembly that can be slid out of the frame for maintenance and repair. The
SSP had an additional feature, specifically that it was designed to be convertible between 9x19 NATO and 45 ACP with just a few parts. While this option was not part of the later XM9/XM10 trial requirements, the post-XM9 trials
for a SOCOM-particular 45 handgun and the recent American adoption of the caliber convertible Sig-Sauer M17/ M18 to replace the Beretta M9 (which beat out the SSP and others at the XM9/XM10 trials) makes this seem like a nearly prescient move. Following the trials no commercial production was pursued, and the SSPs made for the trials
were either tested to death, given to VIPs as gifts, or disappeared into the American logistics system, and few can be found today. This SSP is marked “COLT’S MODEL S S P/45 ACP” on the slide, with “.45 ACP” on the chamber and the one line Colt address on the right side of the frame over the “GX 9767” serial. Sights are blade front and square notch rear, with the rear dovetailed into place and the front mounted on a small detachable panel at the front of the slide. Mechanical features include an ambidextrous pin-blocking safety, right handed slide catch and magazine release, smooth trigger, serrated grip straps.
CONDITION: Excellent, with a few minor scuffs and scratches. Grips are also excellent with crisp checkering. Mechanically excellent. These pistols are rarely found on the collectors market. Now is the time to fill the gap in
your collection!
Estimate: 7,500 - 12,000
LOT 1466
Documented U.S. Army Issued SIG Sauer M17 Semi-Automatic Pistol with Box and Accessories - Serial no. TF002751, 9 mm Luger cal., 4 3/4 inch round bbl., coyote pvd finish, plastic grips. In January 2017 it was announced that SIG Sauer had won the highly competitive U.S. Military Modular Handgun System (MHS) contract to replace the Beretta M9 as the standard U.S. military sidearm, and later that year the U.S. Army announced the 101st and 82nd Airborne divisions were to be the first units to receive the M17. Only 3,000 of these pistols were returned to SIG Sauer for sale on the commercial market. The M17 is a variant of the SIG Sauer 320 modular pistol and integrates an ambidextrous thumb safety to the fire control unit. Features illuminated night sights, optics mounting point on the slide, “+P” weight recoil spring,
and Coyote PVD metal finish and polymer color. The grip unit is marked size “M.” The original box identifies the pistol as “UDM17-9-SURPLUS” and contains an extra magazines, a standard weight recoil spring, cable lock, and papers. An included Freedom of Information Act letter from the Department of Defense states this pistol was received by the United States Army Infantry School TC at Fort Benning, Georgia, on December 4, 2017, and was later turned back in to the Fort Benning Logistics Readiness Center by Security F, Company A, 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Division on March 21, 2019. Also included are a hard drive containing a PDF of the included F.O.I.A., display stand, three patches, two challenge coins, and a signed lithograph copy of a M17 and M18 themed picture by Lorun Michki, numbered 22 of 100, with the pistol’s serial number included in the image.
CONDITION: Excellent overall for a U.S. Army issued M17 pistol, retaining 95% plus of the Coyote PVD finish with scattered handling marks and holster wear. The sights and optic mount cover retain 85% of their black finish, with edge wear. The polymer frame is also excellent, with a few scattered shallow dents and handling marks. Mechanically excellent. Estimate: 2,750 - 4,250
332