Springfield Armory Inc. Custom Shop "FBI" Prefix Bureau Model

Starting in 1994, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation sought a new pistol to equip its regional Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams, tasked with resolving a wide range of hostile situations deemed too dangerous for normal agents or law enforcement. Due in part to the outcome of the near disastrous 1986 Miami Shootout, in which two agents were killed, several injured, and the performance of the 9 mm Parabellum chambered pistols they used was considered less than ideal, the FBI released a contract request for a .45 caliber semi-automatic pistol design, with exact specification requirements drawn up by SWAT team member input. These requirements (which did not specify a 1911 based design outright, but implied it) included stringent reliability, fit, and accuracy thresholds, expectations normally reserved for National Match or other competition pattern pistols. Seven well-known American manufacturers answered the request with bids, including Colt, Kimber, and Les Baer, with samples from each being put through a battery of tests. At the conclusion of the trials, a Model 1911A1 pattern design submitted by Springfield Armory's Custom Shop was selected, due to the quality of the submitted sample pistols, the impressive performance displayed during the tests, and the shop’s ability to meet a production quota of 500 pistols a year, with a contract total of 5,000 per the initial contract in 1998. Being made by Springfield Armory's Custom Shop, these pistols were extensively tooled and fitted by hand, resulting in tight and exceptionally fine fit and finish normally not found in an agency duty pistol. The Springfield Custom pistols proved so popular that the FBI’s Hostage Rescue Team (HRT) also joined the contract. The first of these Springfield Custom FBI contract pistols were serialized with a "FBI" prefix and dubbed the “Bureau Model”. Springfield Custom also offered the model, with the same "FBI" prefix and markings, to the civilian market. The fact that FBI contracted and marked pistols were also being offered to the private market did not sit well with Bureau, which subsequently requested that Springfield Custom discontinue the prefix and change the model name in further production. Springfield Custom honored the request, changing the model name to the “Professional," without the prefix. Because of this change, only around 260 Bureau Models were produced with the "FBI" prefix, with less than 48 sold to the civilian market. The number of original Bureau Model pistols in FBI inventory has also decreased over time as FBI HRT and SWAT teams have requested continued upgrades to the pistols, including the addition of dust cover Picatinny rail mounts that require the complete replacement of the frames by Springfield Custom, making original variants such as this example increasingly hard to find. Rock Island Auction Company has had the pleasure of offering just one other example of an unaltered "FBI" prefix Bureau Model, serial number "FBI 200" from the Tom Selleck Collection, during the inaugural Bedford, Texas, auction (auction 4090, lot 1711) for a price realized of $21,150. Features dovetailed blade front and Novak rear sights with Tritium inserts, a "NOWLIN 45 ACP" marked barrel, ambidextrous thumb safeties, an extended beavertail grip safety, fitted speed trigger, aggressive 20 lines-per-inch checkering on the front strap, and checkered mainspring housing with integral flared magazine well. With the trigger and skeletonized hammer left bright, while the slide and frame are finished in a proprietary "Black T" coating. The frame is marked with the two-line Springfield Armory address, serial number "FBI 25," and "CAL .45" on the right side. The slide is marked with the Springfield Armory "crossed cannons ordnance wheel" logo, "SPRINGFIELD ARMORY," and "SPRINGFIELD/Custom" on the right, with "BUREAU MODEL/CAL .45" and matching serial number on the left side. Fitted with a set of attractive oiled, checkered coco bolo grips. Includes a generic hard case, an extra magazine, a matching numbered Springfield Custom certificate of authenticity with a "Completed and Test Fired" date of March 9, 1998, and a matching numbered copy of a receipt dated March 10, 1998.

Condition: Excellent overall, retaining 99% original "Black T" finish with some limited minor cycling wear visible on the chamber hood, but otherwise limited handling evidence and crisp front strap checkering. The grips are also excellent with limited minor handling evidence in the otherwise crisp checkering. The action is tight as requested by the FBI contract, but mechanically excellent. Of the original "FBI" prefix Bureau Models, very few remain in their original configuration today and even fewer were sold to the private market, making examples such as this exceedingly scarce and desirable additions for even the most advanced Model 1911 or law enforcement themed collections.