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Title:	PISTOL, SEMI-AUTOMATIC -  U.S. PISTOL MODEL 1911 GALLERY PRACTICE .22 SN# 565686
Maker/Manufacturer:	BROWNING, JOHN M.
Date of Manufacture:	1918
Eminent Figure:
Catalog Number:	SPAR 1383
Measurements:	OL: 20.9CM 8 1/4" BL: 13.3CM 5 1/4"

Object Description:

U.S. PISTOL MODEL 1911 GALLERY PRACTICE .22 SN# 565686
Manufactured by Colt, Hartford, Ct. in 1918. Modified at Springfield Armory - One of twenty-five blowback operated, semi-automatic, gallery practice pistols assembled at SPAR in 1919. Blued finish with two-piece checkered wood grips. Weapon designed by J.H. Carl and developed at the Springfield Armory. Mixed model with Springfield slide and Colt frame.

Markings:
Frame: Eaglehead/S/2. UNITED STATES PROPERTY/NO. 565686.
Slide: Eaglehead. U.S. SPRINGFIELD ARMORY NO. 17 (Left): .22 CAL. LONG RIFLE. Triggerguard: 37.
Bolt: 18.

Weapon transferred to the Museum on 29 April 1921. Weapon listed as being here in special inventory of March 23, 1933.

Exhibit label: "SPRINGFIELD .22 CAL. CONVERSION .22 caliber, 1912, experimental. In 1912 Springfield Armory began work on an adaptation of the .45 caliber weapon to fire .22 caliber cartridges. The object of the government experiments was to develop a gallery practice pistol that would use less expensive .22 caliber cartridges."

ANNUAL REPORTS:
AR, 1914 - "Gallery Practice Pistols: A gallery practice pistol adapted to fire a .22 cal. cartridge was designed and 25 have been manufactured and issued for test."
AR, 1915 - "Semi-automatic pistol, cal.22: The effort to provide for the service need for a semi-automatic pistol firing cal..22 cartridges, for gallery practice which should have the weighs and balance of the service cal..45 pistol, has been continued during the year. Such a pistol, adapted to fire the .22 caliber short cartridge, now issued to the service for gallery practice was finally designed at this Armory and five pistols have been manufactured for test. The preliminary tests at this Armory indicate that the design is satisfactory."
AR,1916 - Cal. .22 Automatic Pistol. A cal. .22 Automatic Pistol, firing the .22 short cartridge, has been designed and six were manufactured for test. The results of the test were satisfactory so that the manufacture of an additional number is contemplated.

Letter from the Ordnance Office, Washington, D.C. to Commanding Officer, Springfield Armory, dated 21 June 1913.
"Subject: Development of gallery practice pistol.
1. Inclosed herewith for your information is O.O. file 38805/227. As the automatic pistol, caliber .45, model of 1911, is now being issued to the service, the Chief of Ordnance directs that an effort now be made to design or procure a pistol firing the .22 caliber gallery practice cartridge, and matching the same weight and balance as the service pistol, or to provide a sub-caliber tube which can be used therein.
2. The initial expense in procuring or designing this gallery practice pistol or tube should be charged to your allotment for contingencies, under the appropriation, 'SMALL ARMS TARGET PRACTICE, 1914-1915,' but an estimate should be submitted as early as practicable. - John T. Thompson, Lt. Col., Ord. Dept."

Letter from J.H. Carl, Gilroy, California, dated 18 July 1914 to Chief of Ordnance, Washington, D.C.
"Dear Sir: In replying to yours of May 4th, NO. 39244/2817 will say I have not yet received a report on the .22 cal attachment for the automatic pistol, model of 1911, so do not know wherein it is lacking.
I made the drawings for this attachment from drawings of the M1911 model and did not know the position of the ejector and found I had to remove same.
Have been examining the slide which I have in my possession and find that if the attachment slide is made the same height as the regular slide, and the barrel centers the same, the groove for the regular ejector can be cut in the bottom of the bolt and the ejector left on, this groove can serve as one of the grooves for the lips of the magazine, an ejector for the .22 cal. shells can be inserted in the top of the barrel extension as in the model sent you. As the magazine would have to extend higher a new magazine would be made entirely. I am sending a sheet of rough drawings illustrating my idea.
Trusting I may hear from you soon, I remain, Yours truly, J.H. Carl."

NotesThe pistols all functioned exceptionally well.
The accuracy compares favorably with pistols of this type previously tested at the Armory.
The following precautions should be observed in using the pistols.
The action, particularly the bolt and recoil rod, should be oiled every 200 rounds.
The action should be brushed out frequently, as residue from the powder and lubricating wax accumulates rapidly.
In loading the magazines, seven rounds only should be loaded; care being taken to see that the last cartridges lays flush with the mouth of the magazine and not down or up.
In charging the chamber, the bolt should be drawn clear to the rear and released suddenly.
The parts of the pistol are all hand made and fitted, and should not be interchanged." - James L. Hatcher, June 26, 1919.

See, Clawson, pg. 347. Also see, catalog folder.

References:
Clawson, Charles W. COLT .45 SERVICE PISTOLS: MODELS OF 1911 AND 1911A1. Charles W. Clawson. Ft. Wayne, In. 1993.