RARE ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL GENERAL OFFICER PISTOL

This is an excellent example of late manufactured U.S. Army M15 General Officer pistol complete with the GO issue leather holster, one M1911A1 M15 pistols were manufactured solely by Rock Island Arsenal starting in the early 1970s through approximately 1985 when the US Army adopted the Beretta M9 Beretta pistol. These pistols were fabricated by using a standard M1911A1 pistol, milling off old markings and then applying the new markings and shortening the slide and barrel assembly to 4 1/2 inches, installed a high profile front and rear sight, serrated main spring housing with the National Match style checkered front grip strap. The left side of the slide was marked with "General Officer Model/RIA" with "Serial No. GO 515" on the right side of the frame above the grips. The grips are checkered walnut and the right side has inlaid into it, a cast, Ordnance emblem that consists of the "crossed-cannons/leather belt" insignia with "ROCK ISLAND ARSENAL" on the belt, with the Shell/Flame and Ordnance Bomb. While the left grip panel is inlaid with a small silver name plate, this one is still blank. The pistol has a highly polished blue finish on all the parts and the barrel is chrome plated. The magazines also have a polished and blue floor plates and are electro-penciled with the pistol serial number on the lower left side. This pistol is complete with an open-top black leather holster with single strap marked on the back "DEPUTY/BUCHEIMER, VALENCIA CALIF/CLARK, B16-74