This is an extremely rare and significant Savage Arms Company Model 1907 "Test" pistol that was originally manufactured and submitted to the U.S. Army in the 1907-1911 U.S. military test trials. This specific pistol, serial number 11, is listed on page 261 in the book: "U.S. MILITARY AUTOMATIC PISTOLS" by Edward S. Meadows as being issued to Troop I, 3rd Cavalry Regiment at Ft. Wingate, New Mexico. Originally, the Savage Model 1907 test pistols were issued to the 3rd, 6th and 11th Cavalry units for field tests, with compensative tests being conducted by the Army as well. Compounding the rarity of this particular pistol is the "R 2" stamped on the forward face of the frame which by all indications was the factory archive collection marking: "R" being stamped on regular production pistols maintained by the factory and "P" stamped on prototype firearms held in the factory archive collection. This pistol was originally purchased in Sept 1977, directly from Savage Arms Company museum when they closed and were selling off their factory assets. The pistol is accompanied by various pieces of documentation including a hand written letter from the original purchaser dated September 25, 1977, which list this pistol as well as the original Savage 1907 Prototype "A" also being sold in this auction. These pistols came into being due to the horrible experience the U.S. Army had with the old Colt Model 1894 revolver that was used during the Philippine Insurrection and fired the anemic Colt 38 revolver cartridge. This resulted in the issuance of a Letter Of Invitation (LOI) in January 1906 by the U.S. Army under the direction of B.G. Crozier, then Chief of Ordnance, for a new and more powerful semi-automatic pistol chambered in the "45 ACP" cartridge designed by John Browning in early 1904. Eighteen companies initially responded with only eight companies actually submitted a test sample pistol and with Savage and Colt being two of them. Ultimately, this competition resulted in the contract award to Colt for the Model 1911 pistol. In total, only 288 Savage .45 caliber automatic pistols were actually manufactured and submitted to the U.S. Army for testing with most later being sold to the Tryon & Company after the competition. After the pistol was returned to the factory by the Army, it was refurbished in the 1st style high polish blue finish. This scarce pistol still retains the original caliber markings of "CAL 45" just in front of the ejection port, the original thin/narrow grip safety that is not integral with the rear of the frame and the Model 1909 improved frame marking of "FIRE" and "SAFE" with the wider checkered walnut grip panels. This fabulous pistol is also accompanied by various letters and correspondence along with a short letter from Bailey Bower Jr., author of the book: "Savage Pistols" published 2008, which discusses in detail these rare and highly desirable and historic pistols.

Very fine as factory refurbished (as noted above) with 99% of the blued finish. The walnut grips are also in very fine condition with nice distinct checkering on both sides and only a couple of handling marks. This wonderful pistol is complete with almost all matching numbers (the left grip is numbered 38 and the right grip is unnumbered) which also include the original magazine which is very rarely matching, correctly numbered "11" on the lower rear spine. This is another exceptionally nice early U.S. Army test pistols, the only issued example retained by the factory, and we are proud and pleased to offer for the first time at public sale.