SITES Italy F.I.E. Spectre HC 9mm 5.5″ Semi-Automatic Pistol 3 Mags 1989
SOLD FOR: $2,625.00
LSB#: LSB260618MR042
Make: SITES – Società Italiana Tecnologie Speciali S.p.A., Italy. Imported by F.I.E. Corp., Miami, FL.
Model: Spectre HC Pistol
Serial Number: KB 1384
Year of Manufacture: 1989, “AU” Italian date code / Modern
Caliber: 9mm Luger / 9x19mm
Action Type: Closed-bolt, blowback-operated semi-automatic pistol fed by detachable quad-stack magazines, with ambidextrous manual safety and decocking controls.
Markings: The right side of the receiver is marked “SITES – SPECTRE HC PISTOL Made in Italy – Patented. cal.9 mm.” and “KB 1384”. The left side is marked “READ WARNINGS BEFORE USING GUN / MANUAL FREE FROM F.I.E., MIAMI, FL.” and “F.I.E. Corp., Miami, FL.” The safety controls are marked “F / S”. The bottom of the barrel is marked “SITES 1384” with Italian proofs and an “AU” date code corresponding to 1989.
Barrel Length: 5.5″
Sights / Optics: The front sight is an adjustable post protected by large steel ears. The rear sight is a fixed square notch protected by steel ears. The rear sight assembly also serves as part of the receiver takedown/latching system.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The pistol has a one-piece black textured synthetic pistol grip incorporated into the removable fire-control housing. The grip shows scattered light handling and operational wear. There are no notable chips or cracks. Overall, the grip is in Very Good condition. This American-market HC configuration does not have the M4’s forward vertical grip or folding shoulder stock.
Magazine Quantity & Condition: This pistol includes three original SITES quad-stack “coffin” magazines: one stainless 50-round magazine, one blued 50-round magazine, and one blued 30-round magazine. The magazines show scattered scratches, finish wear, discoloration, and spots of oxidation from use and storage. Overall, they are in Good to Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Polished Satin Bright Steel
Finish Originality: Refinished
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is sharp. There is light stubborn fouling. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates 9/10.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains 0% of the original factory dark finish remains. The exterior metal has been stripped and polished to a bright appearance. The surfaces show scattered polishing marks, scratches, handling wear, and light discoloration or oxidation in some of the protected areas and around the controls. The markings remain clear and legible. Overall, this pistol rates in Very Good condition as refinished.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this pistol. The Spectre HC uses a distinctive closed-bolt blowback mechanism with a separate linear hammer and ambidextrous safety and decocking controls. Its non-reciprocating charging handle is mounted atop the receiver. The magazine release is located inside the forward portion of the trigger guard. The decocker function still allows the firing pin to make contact with the a primer, enough to make a dent. Pulling the trigger while in safe moves the switch into the firing position and can fire. Basically, pulling the trigger twice while in safe will fire this pistol. This is a side effect of having adapted the original control mechanism into a safety. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with one stainless SITES 50-round 9mm magazine, one blued SITES 50-round 9mm magazine, and one blued SITES 30-round 9mm magazine.
Our Assessment: “The SITES Spectre HC is what would happen if a Glock pistol had a baby with an Uzi submachine gun and that baby was stolen from the hospital and raised in Finland by a gang of art deco biker thugs.” – Will Dabbs.
The SITES Spectre HC is the semi-automatic American-market pistol derivative of the unusual Italian Spectre M4 submachine gun. Rather than simply deleting full-auto capability, SITES adapted the design for the U.S. commercial market with a dedicated manual safety and without the M4’s folding stock or forward grip. The Spectre was an unusually sophisticated compact-firearm design for the 1980s, using a closed-bolt action, three condition firing pin, ambidextrous controls, a decocking system, top-mounted charging handle, and, most famously, its proprietary four-column “coffin” magazines. Those magazines compressed 30 or an extraordinary 50 rounds of 9mm into a comparatively short package. This example’s 1989 Italian proof date places it squarely in the classic period of F.I.E. importation.
This 1989 Spectre HC is particularly interesting with three original SITES magazines, including both 30- and 50-round configurations. The original dark exterior finish has been removed and the metal polished to its present satin silver appearance, with scattered handling marks and minor discoloration remaining. The matching barrel is marked “SITES 1384”, corresponding with receiver serial number KB 1384. The bore remains bright with sharp rifling and rates 9/10 despite some stubborn fouling. Original Spectre magazines have become an important part of assembling a complete example, making the pair of 50-round magazines and additional 30-round magazine particularly noteworthy accessories. Please see our photos for a better understanding of the condition and good luck with your bids! – L.S.