POTD: Almost The M1907, Not The M1911 – Trials Savage Model 1907
Sam.S 11.08.23
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! This rare Trials Savage Model 1907 pistol in .45 ACP participated in the pivotal 1907 US military pistol trials that selected the Colt M1911. With inadequate .38 revolvers in the Philippines, Chief of Ordnance Crozier had requested .45 semi-auto pistol prototypes in 1906. Savage stepped up by scaling up their Model 1907 pocket pistol to .45 ACP to compete against 7 other entrants, including Browning’s Colt prototype that would become the M1911. Only around 288 of these Trials Savage Model 1907 .45 test pistols were made from 1907-1911. This untouched original retains distinctive early features like the marked .45 CAL ribbed barrel and thin grip safety. Can you imagine if Savage had won? This pistol could’ve easily become our most iconic military .45 sidearm for decades instead of the M1911. While the Trials Savage Model 1907 lost out, this rare piece remains a totally fascinating artifact of firearms history’s pivots and near misses.
“This is an extremely rare and unique US Martial “Test” pistol that was originally Manufactured for 1907-1911 U.S. military test trials. During the Philippine Insurrection, the US Army had been equipped with the Colt Model 1894 revolver that fired the anemic Colt 38 revolver cartridge. Subsequent to that, in early 1904 John Browning was developing a substantially larger and improved cartridge, which resulted into the 45 ACP cartridge. In January 1906 BG Crozier, (Chief of Ordnance) issued a letter of invitation to the gun manufacturing industry to develop and submit a new semiautomatic handgun based on utilizing this new 45 ACP cartridge. Eighteen companies initially responded but only eight actually submitted a test sample pistol, with Savage and Colt being two of the companies. Ultimately this competition resulted in the contract award to Colt for the Model 1907 pistol. The Savage Model 1907 test pistols were issued to the 3rd, 6th and 11th Cavalry units for field tests, with compensative tests being conducted by the Army as well, between 1907 and 1911. In total only 288 Savage .45 caliber automatic pistols were manufactured between 1907 and 1911. At the completion of the 1911 competition all the pistols were sold to the Tryon & Company with most all examples being refinish and remarked.”
Lot 3724: Savage Arms Corporation 1907 Pistol 45 ACP – Outstanding, Unaltered, Rare and Desirable U.S. Army Model 1907 Savage Arms 45ACP Test Pistol. (n.d.-ay). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved November 7, 2023, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/55/3724/savage-arms-corporation-1907-pistol-45-acp.
