The Colt Model 1910 Automatic Pistol is one of the most important transitional firearms in American military history. While it was never mass-produced or officially adopted, it directly led to the adoption of the Colt Model 1911, arguably the most iconic military pistol in U.S. history. The 1910 served as John Moses Browning’s final prototype to meet the U.S. Army’s stringent requirements for a .45-caliber semi-automatic sidearm.

🔫 Overview

• Name: Colt Model 1910 Automatic Pistol
• Designer: John Moses Browning
• Manufacturer: Colt’s Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company
• Caliber: .45 ACP
• Action: Short recoil, locked breech, tilting barrel
• Magazine Capacity: 7 rounds, single-stack
• Safety Features: Grip safety + thumb safety added later
• Production Quantity: Fewer than 20 pistols produced as test models (estimates vary from 10 to 23)

📜 Historical Background

By 1909, the U.S. Army was still seeking a replacement for its .38 caliber revolvers. Although Colt’s earlier semi-automatic pistols like the Model 1905 and Model 1907 showed promise, they lacked key features—particularly safety mechanisms and ruggedness—deemed essential for military use.

The Army wanted a .45-caliber semi-automatic that was:

• Safe to carry loaded
• Rugged and reliable in the field
• Accurate and powerful
• Equipped with manual and passive safeties

Browning took the lessons learned from these earlier tests and, in 1910, presented a refined prototype to the Army — what we now call the Colt Model 1910 Automatic.

🔧 Design Features

The 1910 combined everything Browning had learned over the past decade:

✅ 1. Thumb Safety (New) added later

• This was the first time a manual thumb safety was implemented in a Colt pistol.
• Allowed the hammer to be cocked and locked while preventing accidental discharge.
• A key Army requirement for safe carry by cavalry troops.

✅ 2. Grip Safety

• Carried over from the 1907 prototype.
• Prevented the gun from firing unless gripped firmly in hand — another military requirement.

✅ 3. Barrel and Slide Improvements

• Implemented from the 1909 a revised tilting-barrel linkage and internal barrel locking lugs.
• Refined recoil spring and recoil spring guide (a precursor to the 1911 design).

✅ 4. Ergonomics

• Improved grip angle for better pointability and recoil control.

🔍 Rarity and Collector Interest

The original Colt Model 1910 pistols are among the rarest Colt firearms in existence:

• Fewer than two dozen were ever made.

🧱 Key Differences: Colt 1905 vs. 1907 vs. 1910 vs. 1911

Feature	Colt 1905	Colt 1907	Colt 1910	Colt 1911
Grip Safety	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Thumb Safety	No	No	Later added	Yes
Reliability	Moderate	Better	Better yet	Excellent
U.S. Army Adoption	No	No	No	✅ Yes (1911)

🧭 Legacy of the Model 1910

While the Colt Model 1910 was never intended for commercial sale or mass production, it represents the culmination of ten years of innovation. It was the final hurdle before adoption of one of the most legendary sidearms in military history — the Colt M1911.

The 1910 was:

• The first Colt auto to feature both a grip and thumb safety
• A true pre-production M1911
• The last major prototype tested before official Army adoption