This is a rare example of a Colt Model 1907 military trials semi-automatic pistol manufactured by the Colt firearms Company under the U.S. Army contract of 1907. This pistol is one of 200 actually manufactured for the early U.S. military test trials and is accompanied by a Colt Factory letter dated May 2016. It was shipped to Springfield Armory in March 1908. This was Colt's first real entry into the large caliber semi-automatic pistol field and was chambered in the new, more powerful .45 ACP round. These early test trials pistols are very rare as most were heavily used during testing and most destroyed afterwards. The Colt letter notes that this model of test/trials pistol was manufactured with a modified hammer, extractor milled into the top of the slide (that indicates chamber is loaded), an automatic safety, a straightened stirrup, a lengthened trigger stirrup pin, a bottom magazine release, a lanyard loop on the lower left side, and vertical ejection. The left side of the slide is marked: "PATENTED/APR. 20. 1897. SEPT. 9. 1902" and "COLT'S PATENT F.A. MFG. CO./HARTFORD CONN. U.S.A." with the Rampant Colt behind the slide serrations. The right side of the slide is marked "AUTOMATIC COLT/CALIBRE 45 RIMLESS SMOKELESS". The left side of the frame has the early serial number (5) above the trigger guard bow. The upper left and right trigger guard bow and underside of the frame are all stamped with the unique non-factory initials "WP" in lieu of the usual "KM" inspector initials. The top of the slide has the early small, oval front sight with the later wider rear sight. It is fitted with the exposed extractor and later checkered round spur hammer with the early brass firing pin. The grips are deluxe factory diamond checkered pattern with sculptured edges. These early pistols have the Colt high-polish blue finish on the main components and the Colt niter blue finish on the trigger, extractor, grip screws and magazine release. It is complete with an all blue unmarked Colt magazine.

Fine with 60% of the blue finish overall, and general light thinning on the sides of the frame, the majority of the blue loss on the front and rear grip straps, and slight blue lose on top of the front portion of the slide. The right front edge of the slide does show some minor slight erosion, typically from once sitting in a leather holster. The hammer shows traces of its' case colors, mostly on the lower sides wit the balance a gray patina. The trigger and grip safety shows 70% of their original nitre blue finish on the sides, also mostly in the protected areas. The grips are in very good condition with nice, distinct checkering on both sides showing light wear across the tops of the checkering and a couple minor handling marks on the right side. Mechanically excellent. A rare example of a single digit Colt 1907 Model trials pistol.