Description
Please read the Item Characteristics for important listing details. You must contact your FFL transfer dealer and have them send a copy of their license with your name, username, the item and order numbers to the seller.
Need more information? Need to email the seller? Ask Seller a Question.
Item Description
Bryant Ridge Auction Company is pleased to present this EARLY PRODUCTION semi-auto pistol today for a penny start auction, this is the Colt Model 1905!
The immediate forerunner of the venerable Colt Model 1911 pistol, the M1905 was the first of the Colt .45 caliber semi-automatic pistols and was introduced in 1905 with only 6,100 commercial models produced in a six year period.
The immediate forerunner of the venerable Colt Model 1911 pistol, the M1905 was the first of the Colt .45 caliber semi-automatic pistols and was introduced in 1905 with only 6,100 commercial models produced in a six year period.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Manufacturer: Colt
Model: M1905
Serial: 810
Date of Manufacture: 1906
Caliber: .45 ACP
Finish: Blue
Barrel Length: 5"
Optics/Sights: Fixed
Stock/Grips: Fully Checkered Walnut with Double Diamonds
Action: Semi-Auto
Markings: Standard
Bryant Ridge's Analysis:
In 1902 following the unsatisfactory performance of .38 service revolvers during the Philippine Insurrection the US Army began the search for a new sidearm. The .38 caliber revolver rounds failed to stop attacking Moro tribesmen and a weapon with greater stopping power was sought. With the US military involved in a new wave of colonial expeditions and incursions during the Banana Wars a new reliable side arm was needed. In 1902 Brigadier General William Crozier, the US Army Chief of Ordnance, authorized the testing of new sidearms and a large number of US and European gunmakers offered weapons for adoption.
One of the leading weapons to be tested were a series of John Browning’s designs offered by Colt. The first of these were chambered in .38 ACP with the Colt 1900 being purchased and tested by both the US Army and Navy. This was followed by testing of a military model of the Colt M1902 which evaluating officers disliked for its muzzle-heavy handling and the .38 caliber round it fired. In response to this Colt released the more ergonomic 1903 Pocket Hammer and began work on a .41 caliber round. In 1904 the Thompson-LaGarde Tests were carried out with the recommendation that the army return to using a .45 caliber round in any sidearm adopted.
Colt and Browning reworked the .38 ACP Colt 1903 Pocket Hammer to chamber the new .45 ACP round developed by Colt, Browning and the Union Metallic Cartridge Company especially to meet the Army’s requirements. The result was the 1905 Colt Automatic Pistol, Military Model this was launched for the civilian market as well as the military. The Colt 1905 was the first firearm chambered in the new .45 ACP round to be sold commercially. The pistols went on sale in 1906 just as a new major round of testing was ordered with Brigadier General Crozier calling on numerous firearms manufacturers to submit designs which met US Ordinance’s requirements.
The Colt 1905 had a 7-round single stack magazine with heel release. It had no manual safety and instead relied on a half cock hammer safety. There is a single control on the left side of the pistol to release the slide lock. Initial production models had a rounded hammer which in 1908 was replaced by spur hammers, many were finished in the rich charcoal blue. The Colt 1905′s grip had an almost vertical rake of 84° which it was reported caused users to shoot low. This was altered in the Colt Model 1909 which had a more ergonomic grip angle of 74° which was retained in the final 1911 model.
The Colt pistol design slowly developed through a series of iterations into what was finally adopted as the Colt 1911. The Colt 1905 was followed by the Colt 1907 which incorporated US Ordnance’s requests for changes including a grip safety and a loaded chamber indicator. The 1907 was then used in troop trials against the Savage Model 1907, where is suffered some problems before it was refitted in 1908. Colt continued to refine and improve the design through 1909 and 1911. The final trials in 1910 and early 1911 saw the pistol go up against the Savage Model 1907 and .45 ACP Luger with Luger dropping out and the Savage failing during endurance testing. After 10 years of development and testing the Colt Model 1911 was formally adopted in 29 March, 1911.
Condition:
This example is in Astonishing condition for its age, showing no evidence of misuse or even extensive consumer use that we can see!
Return Policy:
We gladly offer a 3 day unfired inspection policy from the time that the firearm is delivered to your FFL. Refunds are available for all qualifying orders.
Model: M1905
Serial: 810
Date of Manufacture: 1906
Caliber: .45 ACP
Finish: Blue
Barrel Length: 5"
Optics/Sights: Fixed
Stock/Grips: Fully Checkered Walnut with Double Diamonds
Action: Semi-Auto
Markings: Standard
Bryant Ridge's Analysis:
In 1902 following the unsatisfactory performance of .38 service revolvers during the Philippine Insurrection the US Army began the search for a new sidearm. The .38 caliber revolver rounds failed to stop attacking Moro tribesmen and a weapon with greater stopping power was sought. With the US military involved in a new wave of colonial expeditions and incursions during the Banana Wars a new reliable side arm was needed. In 1902 Brigadier General William Crozier, the US Army Chief of Ordnance, authorized the testing of new sidearms and a large number of US and European gunmakers offered weapons for adoption.
One of the leading weapons to be tested were a series of John Browning’s designs offered by Colt. The first of these were chambered in .38 ACP with the Colt 1900 being purchased and tested by both the US Army and Navy. This was followed by testing of a military model of the Colt M1902 which evaluating officers disliked for its muzzle-heavy handling and the .38 caliber round it fired. In response to this Colt released the more ergonomic 1903 Pocket Hammer and began work on a .41 caliber round. In 1904 the Thompson-LaGarde Tests were carried out with the recommendation that the army return to using a .45 caliber round in any sidearm adopted.
Colt and Browning reworked the .38 ACP Colt 1903 Pocket Hammer to chamber the new .45 ACP round developed by Colt, Browning and the Union Metallic Cartridge Company especially to meet the Army’s requirements. The result was the 1905 Colt Automatic Pistol, Military Model this was launched for the civilian market as well as the military. The Colt 1905 was the first firearm chambered in the new .45 ACP round to be sold commercially. The pistols went on sale in 1906 just as a new major round of testing was ordered with Brigadier General Crozier calling on numerous firearms manufacturers to submit designs which met US Ordinance’s requirements.
As with Browning’s earlier pistols the Colt 1905 used a short recoil system with the barrel riding in two tilting links attached to the frame, one at the muzzle and one at the breech. When the slide was forward with the pistol in battery the links lifted the barrel locking it into grooves in the slide. Early testing of the pistols with the new round saw several pistols fail as excessive strain was placed on the two pivoting links. To combat this Browning incorporated two sets of ‘saw-tooth’ grooves at the base of the barrel and on the frame below the barrel. As the pistol recoiled and the barrel pivoted backwards the ‘saw-tooth’ grooves in the barrel and frame would lock into each other preventing excessive strain on the links.
The Colt 1905 had a 7-round single stack magazine with heel release. It had no manual safety and instead relied on a half cock hammer safety. There is a single control on the left side of the pistol to release the slide lock. Initial production models had a rounded hammer which in 1908 was replaced by spur hammers, many were finished in the rich charcoal blue. The Colt 1905′s grip had an almost vertical rake of 84° which it was reported caused users to shoot low. This was altered in the Colt Model 1909 which had a more ergonomic grip angle of 74° which was retained in the final 1911 model.
A stocked carbine model of the Colt 1905 was also sold, with an attachable leather stock holster similar to those used by European pistols like the C96 Mauser. However, only 440 of these 1905 Colt Pistol Carbines were made and the pistols are extremely rare. 50 pistols with lanyard loops added were shipped to Britain in May 1907 and sold privately from Colt’s London, Pall Mall office. Only 6,210 Colt 1905 military pistols were produced between December 1905 and March 1911 when the US Army adopted the Colt 1911, however Colt continued to assemble pistols from completed parts and sold them until 1917.
The Colt pistol design slowly developed through a series of iterations into what was finally adopted as the Colt 1911. The Colt 1905 was followed by the Colt 1907 which incorporated US Ordnance’s requests for changes including a grip safety and a loaded chamber indicator. The 1907 was then used in troop trials against the Savage Model 1907, where is suffered some problems before it was refitted in 1908. Colt continued to refine and improve the design through 1909 and 1911. The final trials in 1910 and early 1911 saw the pistol go up against the Savage Model 1907 and .45 ACP Luger with Luger dropping out and the Savage failing during endurance testing. After 10 years of development and testing the Colt Model 1911 was formally adopted in 29 March, 1911.
Condition:
This example is in Astonishing condition for its age, showing no evidence of misuse or even extensive consumer use that we can see!
Return Policy:
We gladly offer a 3 day unfired inspection policy from the time that the firearm is delivered to your FFL. Refunds are available for all qualifying orders.
Shipping Details
Handgun Standard Shipping $50.00
Long Gun Standard Shipping $65.00
We strive to ship orders within the close of the following business day after payment and documentation is received.
Payment Details
We accept all forms of Payment including Personal Check, Business Check, PO Money Orders, Certified Check, Etc.
Please note we place a 7 business day hold on shipment, for all non-certified payments.
Return Policy
We gladly offer a 3 day unfired inspection policy from the time that the firearm is delivered to your FFL. Refunds are available for all qualifying orders.
Additional Details
Our #1 priority is customer satisfaction. We want to build a lasting trust in the relationship with our customers, so that you will always look to us for all your firearms needs. If you have any issues with your transactions please contact us, and we will work with you to resolve any issues you may have. We greatly appreciate your trust in us and we look forward to fulfilling all your future firearm needs.
Bryant Ridge also reserves the right to cancel any sales that may occur while gunbroker.com is experiencing technical issues that affects the entire site or a complete site outage, within an hour of the auction ending.
We have an amazing inventory of classic and collector firearms that we are adding to Gunbroker daily. Stay up to date on all of our latest auction by adding us to your favorite sellers list.
About Us
From a small town hobby, to a leader in the investment and collector grade firearms industry. Bryant Ridge Firearms is here to offer the best in quality and customer service when you are looking to unload your collector grade firearm collection.
