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The stopping power of the old bigbore .45s proved to be far superior. However, they were stopgap measures. An effective standard modern handgun was needed.

What was needed? The famous Thompson-LaGarde tests, which involved shooting live stockyard cattle and human cadavers, provided one part of the answer: the new handgun would be a 45-caliber. Thus, the search for a new sidearm began in the early 1900s. Although semiautomatic pistols were coming into use, the cavalry still firmly favored the dependable revolver. The stage was set that any “automatic” considered must have reliability equal to that of the revolver and be a .45. A series of tests, to begin in 1906, was contemplated by the Army.

PRIOR TO THE TEST TRIALS

Two 45-caliber cartridges would be used: revolver use, and a rimless one for the automatic The rimless version was essentially similar

The rimless version was essentially similar to a commercial round produced by Winchester for Colt since the spring of 1905. The Winchester ammunition was made for Colt’s new 45-caliber autoloading pistol, which had been introduced in the fall of 1905.