ET

To the factory, that was a 1902, in all of their literature from 1902 through 1940. No doubt about that. To modern-day collectors, its a 1905.

The Model of 1905, according to factory literature, like catalogs,etc, has a square butt. That was/is the distinguishing feature of the 1905. It is an identical gun to the 1902, except for the butt configuration. The Model of 1905 was introduced at serial number 58,000 , of the 1902 series. The very early 1905's are 4-screw frames, exactly like their counter-part 1902's.

The introduction of that 5th frame screw, in front of the trigger guard, came later - 6 months or so, at s/n 62,450. And then, in another few months, the rebound slide for the trigger was introduced, at about s/n 73,000 .

The collectors have decided, more/less, to hang their hats on
engineering changes. They don't consider the square/round butt
difference to be a significant engineering change, but rather the
introduction of that 5th frame screw is their turning point. So, they
withhold the 1905 designation until the 5th frame screw shows up.
That, for them, is the start of the model of 1905.

That is wrong, of course, but that is what they do. They do this
irregardless of the butt configuration, thereby losing the 1902 model.
But, of course, that is wrong, as well. Wrong by factory designations.

There is a method to their madness, and it has to do with consistency
between the two different grip configurations. At the introduction of
the 1905, before the 5th frame screw, there are identical 1902's, but
they are designated 1902 1st change, because they have the heavier
barrel. This heavier barrel is, of course, on the 1905's. So - we have
two otherwise-identical guns; a 1902 1st change, and a 1905.

From the collectors engineering-bent, this would be the start of a mess.
And it gets worse. In 1905, when the 5th frame screw was introduced,
that should have been, to the collectors, the 1905 1st change, and
the 1902 second change. For two otherwise identical guns.

This is not a tolerable situation, and so they redefine these models.
They drop the 1902, and call both grip-configurations the model of
1905. From this point forward, there is consistency, because there is
only one model.

And that is the story of your gun !

Regards, Mike Priwer