Just Before Browning Made the 1911....

[denton]

This is a commercial pistol, made in 1905, using concepts that eventually became part of the 1911. Note that the hammer is not exposed, and the angle of the grip is different from what we see today.



This version is nearly the 1911 that we know and love. Note the improved angle of the grip, and the external hammer.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

Neato! These pics are from a museum, yes?

 

[jar]

Two 1903 Colts. One the left is a Type I that was made in 1906 and on the right a Type III made in 1919.

 

[Jim Watson]

This is a commercial pistol, made in 1905, using concepts that eventually became part of the 1911. Note that the hammer is not exposed, and the angle of the grip is different from what we see today.

Made in 1905? It has the single link of the 1909 patent and is a hammerless version of the Model 1909. Sam Lisker said they made 23 1909s, sending them out starting in February 1910.

I can't find anything about the hammerless. Bill Laughridge got a look at it in the Browning Museum but was focused on the 1910.

 

[denton]

Photos were taken at the Browning Museum in Ogden Utah. Dates and descriptions are per the museum.

 

[reddog81]

The first one is definitely not a commercial pistol from 1905. I don’t know what it is but it’s at least a couple years later than 1905 and was never some thing sold to the public.

 

[Jim Watson]

Right, a 1905 commercial is a "parallel ruler" gun with no grip safety.
If there is a hammerless .45 outside the museum from commercial sale I can't find it.
(Not counting the Cylinder & Slide kinda-sorta.)

Maybe a museum clerk hung the hammerless prototype on the wrong peg.

 

[halfmoonclip]

The hammerless uses left hand ejection?
Moon

 

[Jim Watson]

Vertical, maybe?

 

[denton]

The images are "one of" prototypes made in 1905, so they don't exactly match anything in circulation.

 

[BigBlue 94]

A beautiful (if i might say so myself) pre-1911 specimen, a 1903 pocket hammerless from 1905. And yes, it gets shot, occasionally. And yes, those are factory original grips.