This exceptional Colt Model 1905 .45 Automatic Pistol was manufactured in 1911, the final year of production for the Model 1905 pistol. This pistol is accompanied by a Colt factory letter which shows that it was part of a two-pistol shipment to William Read & Sons of Boston, Massachusetts, on August 26, 1911. The pistol has the late spur hammer with border-less knurling, half-moon shaped front sight and round-top rear sight. The two-piece walnut grips have flat top checkering. The slide, frame and barrel have a high polish commercial blue finish. The seven-shot magazine is blued. The rear sight, trigger, slide lock, ejector spring and grip screws have a fire blue finish. The hammer is color casehardened. The right side of the slide is roll stamped: "AUTOMATIC COLT/CALIBRE 45 RIMLESS SMOKELESS". The "45" portion of this unique "factory error" roll die stands out in that Colt, in their well documented frugality, modified a Model 1900-1902 .38 Auto roll die in order to complete their production run of Model 1905 due to the Model 1911 production looming. The left side of the slide has the fourth style marking which consists of "PATENTED/APR.20.1897.SEPT.9.1902.DEC.19.1905." in two lines followed by COLT'S PT. F.A.MFG. Co./HARTFORD CT. U.S.A." in two lines. The circled Rampant Colt trademark is roll-stamped on the left side of the frame behind the grip serrations. The left side of the frame is stamped with the serial number "5653" above the trigger guard bow. The Colt triangle/VP proofmark is stamped on the upper left side of the trigger guard bow and a "W" assembler's mark is stamped on the lower left side of the bow. This gun is pictured and described on page 48 of “The Colt Model 1905 Automatic Pistol” by John Potocki.

Excellent. The barrel and frame retain 98% plus of the bright original high polish blue finish. Nearly all of the nitre blue finish is present on the trigger, screws and pins; the rear sight has about 50% of the fire blue finish intact. The hammer retains nearly all of the muted case colors. The grips are in excellent plus condition with minimal wear. Nearly all of the blue finish is present on the magazine. This is a great looking example of a high condition and very desirable Colt Military Model 1905 Automatic Pistol.