Kimber Fail

[orygun]

If you have any of the Clawson books, that's the most accurate info.

I know where to get one but had been putting it off because it's not a cheap book!
Guess I'll just have to step up.

 

[saread]

Actually it was designed with a grip safety, it didn't have a thumb safety. The Military wanted that added. In Sept. of 1910, a model was presented with a thumb safety.

Actually, it was a little earlier, say July 1910. Just sayin':

 

[wichaka]

Yep, approved July, but not delivered until Sept., ....just sayin'

Once in awhile I find the Clawson books for a really good price.

 

[saread]

When you get right down to it, none were delivered in 1910. All three guns above were prototypes. Although the last one wound up being the final version - it was still a prototype. I would say that the thumb safety appeared before July, but wasn't approved until then. The final 1911 prototypes were likely built in September of that year.

If you're interested, the photos were taken from an exhibit at the Woolaroc Museum. Woolaroc is the ranch of Frank Phillips (Phillips Petroleum) near Bartlesville Oklahoma. Phillips built the Museum in the '30's to house his indian artifact collection, western art, other items of interest and a Colt firearms collection. This particular exhibit is a single case showing the development of the 1911 from the Model of 1900 through 1911. It has all of the prototypes, production models, and some bench experiments. Absolutely the coolest 1911 exhibit I've ever seen.

 

[Joe Link]

I'm not surprised