Savage Military Trial .45

[LKGMADMAX]

Replay time, hard to believe I've been away from the forum for close to 5 years. Hope all is well with everyone.

This is the cornerstone of my Savage collection, it's my Savage 1907 Serial #78 Military Trial Test .45, one of the original 200 sent to the US Military and tested and competed against the Colt .45 auto for the Government's first contract for a semi-auto which resulted in Colt winning and being awarded the production contract for the 1911. Savage produced around 288 total units during production between 1907-1911. It's unknown how many still exist today.

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

 

[somd_mustangs]

That would be the cornerstone of pretty much any semi-auto collection
There are 2 grail guns on my list, this one and the Colt 1905/07 competitor...
Is one you got from Mr. Brower?

 

[P-12 Norm]

Replay time, hard to believe I've been away from the forum for close to 5 years. Hope all is well with everyone.

This is the cornerstone of my Savage collection, it's my Savage 1907 Serial #78 Military Trial Test .45, one of the original 200 sent to the US Military and tested and competed against the Colt .45 auto for the Government's first contract for a semi-auto which resulted in Colt winning and being awarded the production contract for the 1911. Savage produced around 288 total units during production between 1907-1911. It's unknown how many still exist today.

Sent from my SM-S918U using Tapatalk

Beautiful piece of history.
You take excellent care of it from what I can see.

 

[TI-tick]

You reference your Savage collection. Additional photos of your collection would be appreciated.

I have a small collection of Savage pistols and enjoy seeing what's out there.

 

[mawkie]

You reference your Savage collection. Additional photos of your collection would be appreciated.

I have a small collection of Savage pistols and enjoy seeing what's out there.

Oh you'll be impressed with his Savage auto collection. I know I am!
Agree with somd_mustangs, a serious corner-stone of a collection.
Had to do a quick search to see what one of these brings in the market and the only example I could find that was close to the OPs in condition sold at RIA for $15K about 3 yrs ago. To be honest I thought that might have been weak. Then again, RIA had the pre-auction estimate at $5500 - 8500 so they weren't even close.

 

[TI-tick]

Oh you'll be impressed with his Savage auto collection. I know I am!
Agree with somd_mustangs, a serious corner-stone of a collection.
Had to do a quick search to see what one of these brings in the market and the only example I could find that was close to the OPs in condition sold at RIA for $15K about 3 yrs ago. To be honest I thought that might have been weak. Then again, RIA had the pre-auction estimate at $5500 - 8500 so they weren't even close.

I have Brower's book and enjoy it immensely. IIRC I've seen some things from his collection at auction years ago; maybe the same one you reference; but too rich for my cheap ass.

IIRC there are 17 variants of the 1907 Savage; my bucket list is to get one of each. The 32's are fun to shoot but IDK about a 45.

I was temped at one auction for an advertised French 1907 with a lanyard ring but it did not look quite right to me so I let it pass.

I need to get back into looking at auctions.

 

[somd_mustangs]

You reference your Savage collection. Additional photos of your collection would be appreciated.

I have a small collection of Savage pistols and enjoy seeing what's out there.

If you search through the C&R section, you'll see some other stellar items in the OP's collection.
That search answered my question about it being from Bailey Brower's collection too

 

[TI-tick]

If you search through the C&R section, you'll see some other stellar items in the OP's collection.
That search answered my question about it being from Bailey Brower's collection too

I checked my book quickly and did not find a pic.
Off to the MDS C&R archives I go!

 

[somd_mustangs]

Oh you'll be impressed with his Savage auto collection. I know I am!
Agree with somd_mustangs, a serious corner-stone of a collection.
Had to do a quick search to see what one of these brings in the market and the only example I could find that was close to the OPs in condition sold at RIA for $15K about 3 yrs ago. To be honest I thought that might have been weak. Then again, RIA had the pre-auction estimate at $5500 - 8500 so they weren't even close.

Len Antaris has had two trial pistols on his site for a while, one a professional resto and the other a "rework". Interestingly the restored one is 2k more than the other.

 

[mawkie]

I have Brower's book and enjoy it immensely. IIRC I've seen some things from his collection at auction years ago; maybe the same one you reference; but too rich for my cheap ass.

IIRC there are 17 variants of the 1907 Savage; my bucket list is to get one of each. The 32's are fun to shoot but IDK about a 45.

I was temped at one auction for an advertised French 1907 with a lanyard ring but it did not look quite right to me so I let it pass.

I need to get back into looking at auctions.

There were two French contract pistols offered at auction recently. I believe both were issued as the condition on both was rough, what you'd expect of a pistol that spent time in the abysmal conditions of the trenches. As with the Belgian Contract Colt 1908s some of the French Contract 1907s were sold commercially here in the US. Those are in MUCH better condition when found, though they're tiny in number and rarely come up for sale.
So this is one of those times where a rough finish isn't always a bad thing if you want a field issued example. I know that the Belgian fielded Colts almost never have original hard rubber grips, they're sporting replacements and usually have weak and pitted blued finishes. That beautiful Colt bluing really didn't like the trenches, no better than those that Savage produced.

 

[TI-tick]

There were two French contract pistols offered at auction recently. I believe both were issued as the condition on both was rough, what you'd expect of a pistol that spent time in the abysmal conditions of the trenches. As with the Belgian Contract Colt 1908s some of the French Contract 1907s were sold commercially here in the US. Those are in MUCH better condition when found, though they're tiny in number and rarely come up for sale.
So this is one of those times where a rough finish isn't always a bad thing if you want a field issued example. I know that the Belgian fielded Colts almost never have original hard rubber grips, they're sporting replacements and usually have weak and pitted blued finishes. That beautiful Colt bluing really didn't like the trenches, no better than those that Savage produced.

On that French contract auction this was about 10 years ago or so. IIRC I posted either on here on CalGuns asking for thoughts but got few responses before hammer time.

IIRC the condition was not too bad but:
The SN did not line up with those on the French contract.
Maybe the serrations on the slide did not match what was in Brower's book; in fact I think that was it, it did not match closely enough the pic in the book.

Whatever it was it turned off my usual C&R drive to let that one pass. It would not be too tough for someone to drill holes and install a loop and deem it a French contract.

Maybe my paranoia got the best of me but that's ok. All part of the fun of C&R.

 

[AlBeight]

This pistol is the subject on tonight’s Gun Stories with Joe Mantegna on the Outdoor Channel.

 

[rbird7282]

OP, that piece is absolutely stunning!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk