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Title:	PISTOL, SEMI-AUTOMATIC -  U.S. PISTOL T4.3 9MM SN# 3
Maker/Manufacturer:	COLT
Date of Manufacture:	1955
Eminent Figure:
Catalog Number:	SPAR 1464
Measurements:	OL: 17.7CM 7" BL: 10.1CM 4"

Object Description:

U.S. PISTOL T4.3 9MM SN# 3
Manufactured by Colt, Hartford, Ct. - Experimental. Submitted for Army 9mm trials in 1950s. Double action, with staggered 13-round box magazine. Aluminum frame. Differs from T3 with folding trigger guard and 4" barrel. Triggerguard missing.

Markings:
Frame: T4.3.
Magazine: JI.

Weapon transferred to the Museum on 21 May 1965. At that time weapon was appraised at $100.00.

Notes: "During World War II, United States military forces had an excellent opportunity to see what was new in handgun technology from all over the world. Germany's Walther P38 really impressed military leaders. It was double-action and chambered the 9mm cartridge that seemed quite adequate for military purposes, and was less intimidating to novice shooters. The Browning P35 High-Power was another 9mm pistol that made a lasting impression. WIth its 13-round staggered magazine, it offered nearly twice the capacity of the 1911A1. Shortly after the war was over, the United States military invited firearm manufactuers to make proposals for a high-capactiy, lightweight, double-action, 9mm Parabellum handgun for the armed forces.
Colt Proposes - The three firearms makers involved in the contest were Colt, Smith & Wesson, and High Standard. The Colt effort was designated the T4, the 'T' standing for Test. Colt made about 10 of these pistols. Each had the Colt 'family look,' and features an aluminum alloy frame, double-action trigger, a high-capacity staggered magazine, and a rowel-type, 'Commander' hammer. One interesting feature was a triggerguard that folded down for trigger access with heavy gloves or mittens.
The High Standard models, designated T3, were offered in both straight-and staggered-magazine formats. And the Smith and Wesson entrants, featuring 7-round straight-line magazines, appear to have been the prototypes for the later S&W Model 39. Apparently, none of the experimental pistols met the Army's expectations. The project ended in the early 1950s." - Atlas Editions.