LKGMADMAX
Active Member
- Sep 9, 2017
- 151
I'm excited to report I've secured a deal on a Savage 1907 .45 Trial Pistol, it will be a week or so before it's here, needless to say I'm excited. It's one that was sent to Tryon for re-work back in the day, it was later restored by the late Steve Moeller, (His nickname was Wizard) Steve passed away in 2015, I had never heard of him but I searched his name in the various forms it seems that he did a lot of restorations on 1911's, it appears he was a very talented guy based on the examples of the work I saw that he had done the. This pistol is predominantly number 78 including the breech-block in frame and very small parts, it was sent the following unit during the 1909 Trials.
The Savage Historical Department is working on a letter now. The following is a detailed review of the pistol. I'll be posting more pictures once I receive it and a higher-resolution so you can see detail a little better.
Rare Savage Military Model 1907 pistol manufactured in 1908. Savage made a total of 288 caliber .45 pistols for competitive tests and troop trials conducted between 1907 and 1911. This pistol, serial number 78, is listed in "U.S. MILITARY AUTOMATIC PISTOLS" by Edward S. Meadows as being issued to Troop I, 3rd Cavalry Regiment at Ft. Wingate, New Mexico. The troop trials and competitive tests conducted by the Ordnance Department tests ultimately resulted in the selection of the Colt .45 Automatic as the Army service pistol. Savage re-conditioned and refinished the trials pistols; most of the reconditioned pistols were eventually sold to E.K. Tryon of Philadelphia. The pistol has a dull blue finish with bright barrel and trigger and smooth walnut grips. The eight-shot magazine has a full blue finish. The barrel is roll-stamped "CAL. 45" on the barrel rib; the Savage legend that was originally roll-stamped on the rib was removed when the pistol was re-conditioned. The left side of the frame has the "SAFE" and "FIRE" markings that were added to pistols from the 3rd Cavalry that were returned to Savage for repair in 1909. The pistol has the distinctive ribbed hammer and folding lanyard loop.
BBL: 5 1/2 Inch
Caliber: 45 ACP
Finish: blue
Grips: smooth walnut (These appear to be correct grips of the 1910 .45 Trial Pistol design) The 1907 grips would have been checkered.
Serial Number: 78
Condition: Very fine. The pistol retains at least 98-99% of it's finish. This is a restoration by the late Steve Moeller who did a good job with this restoration, he got the metal into very good condition and the color case hardening on the trigger and mag release are also good.
As we know the Army testers disassembled many of the guns and swapped parts around, and the factory also did some parts-swapping when they got the guns back from the Army and had to get them ready for commercial sale—so it is likely that this is the condition the gun was in when it left the factory. The breechblock, frame, magazine release, and sight/extractor are all marked no. 78. The slide is marked “87,” which may in fact be a transposed “78." The magazine is no. 200 and the slide stop is no. 165. The two piece, walnut grips are in excellent condition with minimal wear. The bore is bright.
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
The Savage Historical Department is working on a letter now. The following is a detailed review of the pistol. I'll be posting more pictures once I receive it and a higher-resolution so you can see detail a little better.
Rare Savage Military Model 1907 pistol manufactured in 1908. Savage made a total of 288 caliber .45 pistols for competitive tests and troop trials conducted between 1907 and 1911. This pistol, serial number 78, is listed in "U.S. MILITARY AUTOMATIC PISTOLS" by Edward S. Meadows as being issued to Troop I, 3rd Cavalry Regiment at Ft. Wingate, New Mexico. The troop trials and competitive tests conducted by the Ordnance Department tests ultimately resulted in the selection of the Colt .45 Automatic as the Army service pistol. Savage re-conditioned and refinished the trials pistols; most of the reconditioned pistols were eventually sold to E.K. Tryon of Philadelphia. The pistol has a dull blue finish with bright barrel and trigger and smooth walnut grips. The eight-shot magazine has a full blue finish. The barrel is roll-stamped "CAL. 45" on the barrel rib; the Savage legend that was originally roll-stamped on the rib was removed when the pistol was re-conditioned. The left side of the frame has the "SAFE" and "FIRE" markings that were added to pistols from the 3rd Cavalry that were returned to Savage for repair in 1909. The pistol has the distinctive ribbed hammer and folding lanyard loop.
BBL: 5 1/2 Inch
Caliber: 45 ACP
Finish: blue
Grips: smooth walnut (These appear to be correct grips of the 1910 .45 Trial Pistol design) The 1907 grips would have been checkered.
Serial Number: 78
Condition: Very fine. The pistol retains at least 98-99% of it's finish. This is a restoration by the late Steve Moeller who did a good job with this restoration, he got the metal into very good condition and the color case hardening on the trigger and mag release are also good.
As we know the Army testers disassembled many of the guns and swapped parts around, and the factory also did some parts-swapping when they got the guns back from the Army and had to get them ready for commercial sale—so it is likely that this is the condition the gun was in when it left the factory. The breechblock, frame, magazine release, and sight/extractor are all marked no. 78. The slide is marked “87,” which may in fact be a transposed “78." The magazine is no. 200 and the slide stop is no. 165. The two piece, walnut grips are in excellent condition with minimal wear. The bore is bright.
Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
Last edited:
