POTD: Colt 1900 Browning Slide Lock Prototype – Browning’s Genius
Sam.S 11.24.21
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Here we have another upcoming auction item from Rock Island Auction company. This is a Colt Model 1900 with one of five different improvements, additions, and prototypes. The first prototype used a “Parallel Ruler” hesitation locking feature which allowed for more powerful cartridges. Then, there is the single link barrel patent prototype, the grip safety Colt 1900, and one other unnamed prototype. This particular Colt 1900 is a product of improving a design going through military trials. Apparently, the Colt 1900 without a slide lock/slide stop was a pain in the butt to “get back into action.”
“John Browning developed and engineered this fix specifically to resolve one of the weaknesses identified during the U.S. Army test of the Model 1900 pistol. Testers remarked that it took two hands to get back into action after the last shot was fired and asked for a design change to allow for faster reloading. Using this pistol, serial number 1433, as a base John Browning personally made the modifications which backed up the patent application and served as the model for production adoption of the improvement. “
Photo Courtesy of Rock Island Auction Company
https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/84/3387/documented-colt-model-1900-browning-slide-lock-prototype-pistol
