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LOT 1301
Very Rare Grant Hammond .45 ACP Semi-
Automatic Military Trials Pistol with Extra Frame
-A) Grand Hammond Military Trials Pistol, Serial Number 9 - Serial no. 9, 45 ACP
cal., 6 3/4 inch round bbl., bright finish, hardwood grips. Developed in the mid 1910s
by Grant Hammond of the Grant Hammond Manufacturing Company, the Hammond
Pistol (aka the Liberty Pistol, due to the use of plant space owned by Liberty Motors
in manufacturing) was one of the post-1910 rivals to Colt’s Government Model/1911
pistol. Brought to the attention of the Small Arms Division of U.S. Army Ordnance in
1917, the Hammond was subjected to multiple rounds of evaluation by individual
officers, small groups, and finally formal trials by both the Army and Navy. For the
men who tested it, the Grant Hammond was something of a heart-breaker; it was
often described in glowing terms by those who shot it, but had issues that were never
fully corrected even after multiple rounds of feedback to the manufacturer. Almost
universally the testers loved the handling and the accuracy of the pistol, though
chronic issues were experienced with the magazine, and the novel bolt mechanism,
which could be pulled out quite easily for basic cleaning, was much harder to deal
with in a detail strip scenario, and would be more complicated than the Colt’s slide to
maintain. The design had great potential and some novel features, but was unable to
make the evolution from an exciting prototype to a field-ready pistol, and as a result
was not able to knock the 1911 off its perch. This particular pistol appears to be the
later version used for the Navy/Camp Perry trials in 1918, which included revisions like
a more conventional magazine catch arrangement and the rear sight being shifted
back for a longer sight radius; this version removed the capacity to auto-eject the
magazine when the last round is fired, but retained the capacity to automatically
release the bolt on insertion of a fresh magazine, a feature also seen on a few later
European military pistols. Per Meadows (“U.S. Military Semi-Automatic Pistols 1894-
1920”, page 292), only approximately 13 of these pistols were made in total. Blade front
and fixed notch rear sights, with “PATENTED MAY 4, 1915 OTHER PATENTS PENDING”
on the left side of the receiver, “GRANT HAMMOND MFG. CORP. NEW HAVEN, CONN.,
U.S.A.” on the right, and “HAMMOND” on top, knurled
hammer spur, bright bolt, smooth trigger and smooth
grips. The serial number is marked on the front of the
receiver and the frame, and repeated as “9.” inside the
right grip panel, with either “91” or “16” on the bolt face.
CONDITION: Good, showing a bright appearance overall
with scattered shallow pitting and light handling
marks. The reoiled grips are also good, with minor dings.
The replacement front sight pin is absent. Mechanically
functions, although magazine sticks a bit. B) Grant Hammond .45 ACP Trials Pistol
Frame - NSN, N/A cal., N/A bbl., bright finish. Made in similar configuration to Item “A”
in the lot, with the later pattern magazine catch arrangement. No serial numbers or
other markings are present. Overall features are fairly close to “A”, but some differences
are present, as would be appropriate for a handmade prototype weapon. Slightly
different beveling has been performed on the upper edges, with a pinned and welded
reinforcement plate set into the left side just below the receiver rail, no beveling
around the takedown button, a sleeved and polished feed ramp, and an adjusted sear
safety cut. While no particular history was supplied with the pistol, a thin crack in the
left side of the frame suggests that the reinforcement plate may have been a period
repair for damage caused during testing. Aside from a pin that appears to help secure
the feed ramp, no additional components are included.
CONDITION: Good as period repaired, with 20% of the original blue finish, showing a
mixed gray patina overall, light spotting and minor handling marks.
Provenance: The Collection of Clive Cussler.
Estimate: 12,000 - 18,000
According to "U.S. Military
Automatic Pistols 1894-1920"
by Scott Meadows, approximately
13 Grant Hammond .45 ACP Trial
Pistols were produced in total.