Savage Model 1907
Encyclopedia
The Savage Model 1907 is a 10-round semi-automatic pistol produced by the Savage Arms Company of Utica, New York, from 1907 until 1920 in .32 ACP
and from 1913 until 1920 in .380 ACP caliber. Although smaller in size, it is derived from the .45 semi-automatic pistol Savage submitted to the 1906-1911 US Army trials to choose a new semi-automatic sidearm. After several years of testing the Savage pistol was one of two finalists but ultimately lost to the Colt entry, which became famous as the Colt model 1911.
The model 1907 is often erroneously called a Model 1905 because of the date Nov. 21, 1905 date stamped into the top of the slide on all Savage semi-automatic pistols. This is the date Elbert Searle was awarded one of his firearm patents, which were the design basis for all the Savage semi-automatic pistols.
Advertised with the slogan "Ten shots quick!", the model 1907 was very popular because, despite its small size, it had a 10 round magazine. A safety lever is located on the left side of the pistol, at the upper rear of the grip. Model 1907s made from 1913 until 1917 had a collared barrel and a "loaded chamber indicator", allowing the shooter to tell by touching the shell ejection port whether a cartridge was chambered. The model 1907 uses no screws (even the grips snap into place) and is simple to strip. In 1912 the model 1907 underwent a major design revision modifying almost every major component.
As with most semi-automatics, the pistol is readied for firing by pulling back and releasing the slide
, which inserts a cartridge into the chamber and cocks the pistol. The recoil from firing a cartridge automatically extracts and ejects the empty shell, cocks the firing pin and loads another cartridge into the chamber, ready for firing.
Although the model 1907 was designed for civilian use, the French government purchased over 40,000 .32 ACP model 1907s between late 1914 and 1917 for the French military in World War I. These military "contract" pistols are recognized by the presence of a loaded chamber indicator and a lanyard ring, or mounting holes in the grip for a lanyard ring; lanyard rings were not available on civilian pistols. The Savage model 1907 pictured to the right is a French contract pistol.
Savage made two other very similar semi-automatic pistols, with many parts in common with the model 1907. The first was the "hammerless" (shrouded hammer) model 1915; the .32 model 1915 was made only in 1915 and 1916 and the .380 model from 1915 until 1917. Like the model 1907, the model 1915 uses no screws. The other is the model 1917, made from 1920 until 1926 in .32 and from 1920 until 1928 in .380. The model 1917 is mechanically the same as and shares almost all of its parts with the final version of the model 1907, but with a significantly larger handle. Because this required larger grips, the model 1917 uses one screw through each grip to hold them to the pistol frame.
In the 1978 film noir parody The Cheap Detective
, Sid Caesar
's character Ezra Desire uses a model 1907, as does Jude Law
's character Harlan Maquire in the 2002 crime drama The Road to Perdition.
.32 ACP
.32 ACP , also known as the .32 Automatic is a pistol cartridge. It is a semi-rimmed, straight-walled cartridge developed by firearms designer John Browning, initially for use in the FN M1900 semi-automatic pistol...
and from 1913 until 1920 in .380 ACP caliber. Although smaller in size, it is derived from the .45 semi-automatic pistol Savage submitted to the 1906-1911 US Army trials to choose a new semi-automatic sidearm. After several years of testing the Savage pistol was one of two finalists but ultimately lost to the Colt entry, which became famous as the Colt model 1911.
The model 1907 is often erroneously called a Model 1905 because of the date Nov. 21, 1905 date stamped into the top of the slide on all Savage semi-automatic pistols. This is the date Elbert Searle was awarded one of his firearm patents, which were the design basis for all the Savage semi-automatic pistols.
Advertised with the slogan "Ten shots quick!", the model 1907 was very popular because, despite its small size, it had a 10 round magazine. A safety lever is located on the left side of the pistol, at the upper rear of the grip. Model 1907s made from 1913 until 1917 had a collared barrel and a "loaded chamber indicator", allowing the shooter to tell by touching the shell ejection port whether a cartridge was chambered. The model 1907 uses no screws (even the grips snap into place) and is simple to strip. In 1912 the model 1907 underwent a major design revision modifying almost every major component.
As with most semi-automatics, the pistol is readied for firing by pulling back and releasing the slide
Slide
-Fiction:*Slide, a fictional creature in the Sword of Truth book series-Music:*Slides , an album by Richard Harris *Slide , an album by Lisa Germano*Slide , a single by the Goo Goo Dolls...
, which inserts a cartridge into the chamber and cocks the pistol. The recoil from firing a cartridge automatically extracts and ejects the empty shell, cocks the firing pin and loads another cartridge into the chamber, ready for firing.
Although the model 1907 was designed for civilian use, the French government purchased over 40,000 .32 ACP model 1907s between late 1914 and 1917 for the French military in World War I. These military "contract" pistols are recognized by the presence of a loaded chamber indicator and a lanyard ring, or mounting holes in the grip for a lanyard ring; lanyard rings were not available on civilian pistols. The Savage model 1907 pictured to the right is a French contract pistol.
Savage made two other very similar semi-automatic pistols, with many parts in common with the model 1907. The first was the "hammerless" (shrouded hammer) model 1915; the .32 model 1915 was made only in 1915 and 1916 and the .380 model from 1915 until 1917. Like the model 1907, the model 1915 uses no screws. The other is the model 1917, made from 1920 until 1926 in .32 and from 1920 until 1928 in .380. The model 1917 is mechanically the same as and shares almost all of its parts with the final version of the model 1907, but with a significantly larger handle. Because this required larger grips, the model 1917 uses one screw through each grip to hold them to the pistol frame.
In the 1978 film noir parody The Cheap Detective
The Cheap Detective
The Cheap Detective is a 1978 American satirical comedy film written by Neil Simon and directed by Robert Moore as a follow-up to their successful Murder by Death ....
, Sid Caesar
Sid Caesar
Isaac Sidney "Sid" Caesar is an Emmy award winning American comic actor and writer known as the leading man on the 1950s television series Your Show of Shows and Caesar's Hour, and to younger generations as Coach Calhoun in Grease and Grease 2.- Early life :Caesar was born in Yonkers, New York,...
's character Ezra Desire uses a model 1907, as does Jude Law
Jude Law
David Jude Heyworth Law , known professionally as Jude Law, is an English actor, film producer and director.He began acting with the National Youth Music Theatre in 1987, and had his first television role in 1989...
's character Harlan Maquire in the 2002 crime drama The Road to Perdition.