Colt Model 1905 – THE FIRST .45 ACP Blue 5” Semi-Automatic Pistol, MFD 1907 C&R

SOLD FOR: $2,810
LSB#: 150710HS02
Make: Colt
Model: 1905
Serial Number: 1873
Year of Manufacture: 1907
Caliber: .45 A.C.P.
Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto Pistol with Removable Magazine
Markings: The left side of the slide is marked “PATENTED / APR.20.1897.SEPT.9.1902.DEC.19.1905”, “COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. / HARTFORD, CT. U.S.A.”, and at the rear with a Rampant Colt logo. The left side of the frame is marked “1873”. The right side of the slide is marked “AUTOMATIC COLT / CALIBRE 45 RIMLESS SMOKELESS”. The left front of the trigger guard is marked with a “VP” in a triangle and at the rear with “1”.
Barrel Length: 5”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is thin rounded blade fixed to the top of the slide. The rear sight is a “U” notch dovetailed into the top rear of the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are checkered walnut with smooth diamond patterns around the grip screws. There are a few compression marks in the bottom surfaces of both grips. The checkering shows moderate wear except for at the bottom edges where it is worn smooth. There are a few light mars in the center of the left grip with a deeper compression mark on its lower front edge and a few compression marks in the center of the right grip. There is also a very faint crack in the right grip from the top edge of the grip to the grip screw and two tiny nicks in the top edge of the grip. The grips are in about Fair to Good overall Condition.
Type of Finish: The pistol has a bright blue finish. The trigger has a fire blue finish.
Finish Originality: The finish is original.
Bore Condition: The bore is gray with moderate wear in the rifling. There is light erosion in the rear half of the bore with moderate erosion in the front half.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 15% of its metal finish. There is pinprick surface erosion scattered over the slide and the right side of the frame, with a spot on the left side of the frame behind the trigger. Both sides of the frame also show small spots of solid erosion. There is surface loss on the slide, the underside of the frame, the front strap and backstrap with thinning on the sides of the frame. The slide has developed a mottled plum colored patina. There are tool marks around the trigger pin and the pin at the front of the frame on both sides of the frame. There are also four tiny nicks in the front half of the frame on the right side and a tiny nick in the right side of the slide below the port. The slide serrations show light wear. There are tiny dings in the edges of the hammer. There is very light wear in the checkering of the hammer and slide release which is still sharp to the touch. The grip screws are sharp. The markings are mostly clear but the address on the slide is partly obscured by erosion. Overall, this handgun rates in about Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly and the slide has a barely perceptible amount of play on the frame. This pistol does not have a safety other than a half-cock position on the hammer. The magazine release is on the bottom of the butt. We did not fire this handgun.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol does not come with a magazine.
Our Assessment: From http://unblinkingeye.com/Guns/1905ACP/1905acp.html: “The Ordnance Department of the U.S. Army convened a board of two men, Capt. John t. Thompson and Maj. Louis A. La Garde to determine a minimum handgun caliber for use by the U.S. Military in 1903. In 1904, a month before the report was released, Union Metallic Cartridge Company (U.M.C.) received “figures for the proposed ctgs.”. UMC began work on cartridges, and shortly thereafter Colt set to work experimenting on a .45 caliber pistol based on their 1902 Military model. U.M.C. came up with a rimless .45 cartridge that they were producing by April 1905. Meanwhile, Colt had John M. Browning try to figure out how to handle the stresses caused by higher powered cartridges using the M1902 pistol as a baseline. By May 1905 Browning had applied for a patent covering a new barrel design with locking lugs on the bottom to lock it to the frame. In 1907, tests began on guns from 8 different manufacturers, which was narrowed down to Colt’s Model 1905 and pistols from Savage and Luger. Changes were requested, and Colt came up with a prototype of the new Model 1907 by Sept.1907. Only about 207 of this new model were made, making them some of the most desired collector guns in the world.”. Further modifications resulted in the Model 1911 which was adopted by the Army and is still in use until this day as the M1911-A1. Although the M1905 wasn’t adopted by the Army, about 6100 were made and sold commercially except for those used in government testing. The oil polished mirror finish Colt put on the pistols, with a fire blue finish on the smaller parts, made them very desirable. This M1905 pistol was made in 1907, the third year of production. It has about 15% of its original finish remaining and is in about Good condition. There is pinprick surface erosion scattered over the slide and the right side of the frame with a spot on the left side of the frame along with small spots of solid erosion. There is surface loss in the slide, backstrap, front strap and under slide of the frame with thinning on the sides of the frame. The grips are checkered walnut that show moderate wear, and there is a hairline crack in the right grip from its top edge to the upper grip screw. The bore is gray with moderate wear in the rifling and moderate erosion in the front half of the bore. The pistol seems to be in great mechanical condition for its age, but unfortunately is missing its magazine. This model, along with its M1900 and M1902 predecessors, is a must have amongst Colt collectors as being the first of the large framed Colt semi-automatics. As only about 6100 of the M1905 0pistols were made, they become even more desirable. We expect the collectors of Colt autos are going to be very interested in this pistol.