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LOT 445
Very Scarce U.S. Test Trial Savage Model 1907 Semi-Automatic Pistol - Serial no. 80, 45 ACP cal., 5 1/4 inch round bbl., blue finish,
walnut grips. This is a very scarce example of
a Savage Model 1907 pistol that was manufactured for the U.S. 1907 military test trials. Based on the poor
performance of the Army’s .38 caliber revolvers during the Philippine Insurrection, in January 1906 U.S. Army Ordnance Chief B.G. Crozier issued a letter of invitation to the gun manufacturing industry to
develop and submit new semi-automatic handguns utilizing the then new .45 ACP cartridge. Eighteen companies initially responded with only eight actually submitting a
test sample pistol. Of the competitors, only the offerings of Savage, Colt, and Luger were found to merit additional trials, though Luger would voluntarily withdraw due to concerns that the Americans wouldn’t
pick a European offering regardless of virtue. The final result, which involved a few rounds of revisions and corrections for each pistol, was the adoption of Colt’s Government Model pistol as the Model of 1911,
which in turn would be America’s sidearm from World War I to the closing days of the Cold War. Estimates on the total number of Model 1907 pistols vary in the 288-290 range, and many of those were destroyed or
misplaced during the course of testing. Aside from a small handful earmarked for retention by museums, all the Savage pistols in government stores were released for commercial sale. Between the number destroyed from the stress of government testing, the number “lost” in transit, and additional wear and tear from civilian
buyers, good surviving examples are rare in any condition. This example is remarked with the two-line
Savage address and patent dates, as well as “CAL .45” ahead of the ejector port, and the “FIRE” and “SAFE” markings on the side
of the frame. These markings were an addition requested by the Army partway through testing and were added to the pistols
already made, as well as applied to those made after. This pistol is listed by serial number on p. 40 of “Colt .45 Service Pistols:
Models of 1911 and 1911A1” by Clawson as one of the pistols listed in government records. The pistol is not listed on p. 261 of “U.S.
Military Automatic Pistols: 1894-1920” by Meadows, as one that was known to be in private collections. The slide shows the signature heavy serrations towards the rear. It has a ribbed
hammer and smooth trigger. The slide legend is removed except for “CAL 45” as is typical of the Tryon refurbished examples. This example still retains the thin/narrow grip safety that is not integral to the rear of the frame, and it has the improved Model 1909 markings of “FIRE” and “SAFE” at the rear of the frame along with a pair of checkered walnut grip panels, the left panel numbered “100” and the right numbered “89”. The pistol is numbered “80” with two circled “S” proofs on the underside of the slide. A swiveling lanyard loop is present, which can be folded into the magazine well if not needed, and the magazine is blue finished and has “140” marked on the spine.
CONDITION: Fine, retains 60% of the Tryon refurbished blue finish with the balance having thinned to mostly a plum-grey patina, most noticeably on handling areas and edges. The grips are also fine with few minor blemishes and flat spots, mostly on the left panel, and otherwise well-defined checkering. Mechanically excellent.
Estimate: 9,500 - 16,000
LOT 446
Very Scarce Documented Martially Inspected Colt Military Model 1902 U.S. Army Contract Semi-
Automatic Pistol - Serial no. 15049, 38 Colt auto cal., 6 inch round bbl., blue finish, hard rubber grips. This Colt Military Model
1902 “U.S. Army” contract semi-automatic pistol was manufactured in 1902. This pistol is one of the key models required in any advanced Colt
martial arms collection. This pistol eventually lead to the development and adoption of the Colt Model 1911 pistol. There were exactly 200 of this model
manufactured, they were shipped on two different dates and serial number
blocks on July 1902. This example was shipped in the first block of serial numbers as shipped to Springfield Armory in
15 July 1902, as noted on pages 42-47 in the excellent reference book “U.S. Military Automatic Pistols 1894-1920” by Meadows. It is correctly marked with the “U.S.” on the left side trigger guard bow, with the U.S. Ordnance inspector initials “J.T.T.” for Capt. John Thompson on the right side of the frame and the sub-inspector initials “R.A.C.” for Rinaldo A. Carr on
the upper trigger guard bow. It has the correct military style square end butt with the lanyard loop on the lower left rear side and sporting style round hammer spur. The left side of the slide is marked with Colt’s two-line, two-block patent marking and address markings “BROWNING’S PATENT PAT’ APRIL 20.1897” followed by “COLT’S PATENT FIREARMS MFG.CO./HARTFORD, CONN.U.S.A.”, with the Rampant Colt logo stamped at the rear. The right side is marked “MODEL 1902” directly behind the slide checkering with “AUTOMATIC COLT/CALIBRE 38 RIMLESS SMOKELESS” behind the ejection port. The left side of the frame has the serial number stamped above the trigger guard bow. It is complete with the an original nickel plated magazine marked “PAT’D Sept 9. 1894” on the base plate. These pistols have a Colt high polish blue finish with checkered hard rubber grips with “Colt” at the top and the Rampant Colt logo in the center of the grip. The trigger, slide stop and rear sight have the niter blue finish. The hammer and lanyard loop are casehardened. The barrel is blue.
CONDITION: Very good with strong traces of the bright original high polish blue finish still remaining overall mostly in the protected areas of the frame, with the balance of the metal a mixed gray/brown patina finish in some areas. The grips are very good with distinct checkering and markings on both sides showing even honest wear across the tops of each grip panel. Mechanically excellent. This example will nicely fill that vacant slot in your U.S. military collection!
Collector’s Fact
Only 288 Savage Model 1907 .45 ACP Trial Pistols were produced for testing.
Collector’s Fact
One of only 200 Colt Model 1902 pistols contracted by the U.S. Army.
286 Estimate: 8,000 - 11,000
SERIAL NUMBER LISTED IN THE BOOK U.S. MILITARY AUTOMATIC PISTOLS (1894-1920) BY MEADOWS