From the Vault: Colt Model 1910 Pistol

Nope, that's not a typo in the title. Today, Brownells Gun Techs™ Keith and Steve are at Rock Island Auction Company to show us a Colt Model 1910, one of less than a dozen made. The U.S. Army Ordnance Dept. trials of the M1910 led directly to the adoption of the Model 1911. Looking at it from the right-hand side, you might mistake it for the M1911. It has the 1911's 74-degree grip angle, rather than the Model 1909's 84 degrees. But wait.... there are no grip screws; the grip panels are actually retained by the mainspring housing pin. Bigger differences from the 1911: no thumb safety and no plunger tube. The U.S. Cavalry wanted more protection from accidental discharges than just the grip safety, so the thumb safety was added to the 1911. The plunger is inside the side stop and bears against a stud on the frame. Other differences from the 1911: a color case-hardened grip safety, a slim-profile hammer, and a retainer plate for the grip safety pin. Given the small number of M1910s built, it's likely that John Browning himself supervised the construction of Rock Island's example. The gun is in excellent condition, with much of its original, lustrous, "commercial" gloss bluing intact. NOTE: We featured another Model 1910 in an earlier FTV episode titled "The Elusive Colt Model 1910." Check it out!