I am sorry for posting so close to my previous thread but I was on looking at a gun Fri and I saw a colt 1903 hammer in desent shape for 349 and it got me thinking heavily. I ask the gun and he said that in it was 32 rimless and I wouldn't be able to find ammo so I got to looking it up and from what I found it it the same cartridge as 32 acp as I thought. I know it wouldn't be a carry pistol but I have a weak sport for the colt hammerless and it's right in my price range
colt 1903 hammerless 32 acp
- Thread starter jrbaker90
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GBExpat
Member
BuyIt! BuyIt! BuyIt! BuyIt! BuyIt! BuyIt! BuyIt! BuyIt! BuyIt! BuyIt! BuyIt! BuyIt!
I, too, have a soft spot for those pistols I would love to find one in good shape for $349.
Let us know what happens ... and if you get it, please share some pics.
I, too, have a soft spot for those pistols I would love to find one in good shape for $349.
Let us know what happens ... and if you get it, please share some pics.
jad0110
Member
Assuming that it is decent shape, $350 is an excellent price for a cool old Colt. .32 ACP is the ammo it takes. Perhaps not as common as 9mm or 40 S&W, but easier to find than .357 Sig or 10 mm in my area.
Colt's 1903 .32 Pocket Model (Enclosed Hammer) was produced from 1903 through 1945, and during that time a number of modifications were made. The most important ones date from 1922 (Serial #422000) forward and involve safety issues.
All were chambered to use the very common .32 ACP cartridge. The "Rimless" designation was to separate it from the equally popular .32 S&W revolver round, that won't work.
Currently the biggest problem is finding quality magazines and some other parts, particularly barrels with spotless chambers and bores.
Don't try to take one apart (field strip or complete disassembly) until you fully understand the right way to do it.
Those made earlier the serial #422000 if carried should be with an empty, not loaded chamber.
All were chambered to use the very common .32 ACP cartridge. The "Rimless" designation was to separate it from the equally popular .32 S&W revolver round, that won't work.
Currently the biggest problem is finding quality magazines and some other parts, particularly barrels with spotless chambers and bores.
Don't try to take one apart (field strip or complete disassembly) until you fully understand the right way to do it.
Those made earlier the serial #422000 if carried should be with an empty, not loaded chamber.
Dain Bramage
Member
The .32 Colt Semi-rimmed round came about before the Titanic sank. It is older than the aeroplane. It is as archaic as a steam ro-bot. For gosh-sake, it was used to start World War Uno!
You will never find any ammunition for it. You should send the pistol to me, so it can keep my 1903 company. In exchange, I will send you some vacuum tubes to keep your new-fangled tele-vision running.
You will never find any ammunition for it. You should send the pistol to me, so it can keep my 1903 company. In exchange, I will send you some vacuum tubes to keep your new-fangled tele-vision running.
bannockburn
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jrbaker90
That's a very good price for a Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless, especially if it's in decent condition. One of the all-time classic designs it would make for a great addition to anyone's collection.
That's a very good price for a Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless, especially if it's in decent condition. One of the all-time classic designs it would make for a great addition to anyone's collection.
scaevola
Member
Definitely head right back and buy it. I have 2 and if I'd seen one for that price I'd have 3!
Great pistol and fun to shoot.
Great pistol and fun to shoot.
Monac
Member
The Colt 32 automatic says "32 Rimless Smokeless" on the side. That name never caught on. The ammunition that pistol uses is known by several different names today:
32 ACP (ACP means "Automatic Colt Pistol")
32 Automatic
7.65mm Browning (This pistol was designed by John Browning, who designed many other famous guns, including the US Army Model 1911 45 caliber automatic pistol)
I have sometimes been able to find this ammunition at Wal Mart, but I have not looked in a long time.
With a gun you are unfamiliar with, it is best to start off with "full metal jacket" (FMJ) ammunition, because that has the least chance of causing jams. The standard FMJ bullet for 32 Automatic weighs 71 grains, IIRC. Fortunately, this is the cheapest kind of pistol ammunition.
"Hollow point" ammunition has better stopping power (although that's a whole big argument), but it did not become popular until long after the Colt 1903 went out of production. It will not harm it, but it may cause jams. There is no way to find out besides trying some.
If you could put up pictures of the gun, people here can tell you more about it. There were several variations of the Colt 1903, although the basics were all the same.
There is a good article about them, with instructions for taking them apart, here:
http://unblinkingeye.com/Guns/1903C/1903c.html
32 ACP (ACP means "Automatic Colt Pistol")
32 Automatic
7.65mm Browning (This pistol was designed by John Browning, who designed many other famous guns, including the US Army Model 1911 45 caliber automatic pistol)
I have sometimes been able to find this ammunition at Wal Mart, but I have not looked in a long time.
With a gun you are unfamiliar with, it is best to start off with "full metal jacket" (FMJ) ammunition, because that has the least chance of causing jams. The standard FMJ bullet for 32 Automatic weighs 71 grains, IIRC. Fortunately, this is the cheapest kind of pistol ammunition.
"Hollow point" ammunition has better stopping power (although that's a whole big argument), but it did not become popular until long after the Colt 1903 went out of production. It will not harm it, but it may cause jams. There is no way to find out besides trying some.
If you could put up pictures of the gun, people here can tell you more about it. There were several variations of the Colt 1903, although the basics were all the same.
There is a good article about them, with instructions for taking them apart, here:
http://unblinkingeye.com/Guns/1903C/1903c.html
Last edited:
Dain Bramage
Member
At least he's not looking for 7.65x17mm. He'd never find that.
Be careful
Baker,
There were two 1903 COLT pistols. One was the COLT POCKET HAMMERLESS often called the 1903. This fine gun was chambered for the .32ACP cartridge that you can buy in most WALMART'S.
It is an excellent shooter as a rule and will last for generations since the gun is overbuilt for the .32ACP.
Mine is accurate and reliable.
ONE THING, original COLT magazines are very pricey. Think over $100.00 each.
If the gun is in decent shape as a shooter, then $349.00 is a good price.
The other pistol was the old "parallel slide" model 1903. This was the predecessor of the 1911 and a good pistol to collect, but not so hot to shoot.
It was chambered for the .38ACP round. This is NOT THE .38 SUPER or .380ACP. It was a lower pressure round that used the same case as the .38 SUPER. It is hard to find now, but you can reload using .38 SUPER cases and bullets, but NOT USING .38 SUPER LOAD INFO.
Baker,
There were two 1903 COLT pistols. One was the COLT POCKET HAMMERLESS often called the 1903. This fine gun was chambered for the .32ACP cartridge that you can buy in most WALMART'S.
It is an excellent shooter as a rule and will last for generations since the gun is overbuilt for the .32ACP.
Mine is accurate and reliable.
ONE THING, original COLT magazines are very pricey. Think over $100.00 each.
If the gun is in decent shape as a shooter, then $349.00 is a good price.
The other pistol was the old "parallel slide" model 1903. This was the predecessor of the 1911 and a good pistol to collect, but not so hot to shoot.
It was chambered for the .38ACP round. This is NOT THE .38 SUPER or .380ACP. It was a lower pressure round that used the same case as the .38 SUPER. It is hard to find now, but you can reload using .38 SUPER cases and bullets, but NOT USING .38 SUPER LOAD INFO.
Monac
Member
The OP's post is confusing in that respect, golden, but apparently the store clerk told him the pistol took "32 rimless".
How long ago did the major ammunition companies stop loading 38 ACP, anyway? I've never had a gun in that caliber, so I never noticed.
How long ago did the major ammunition companies stop loading 38 ACP, anyway? I've never had a gun in that caliber, so I never noticed.
krupparms
Member
I got my first one from my Dad right before he passed away. I found one in great shape and bought it as a parts gun. It came with 2mag.s & was in great shape. I shoot them some. But mainly keep them put up.They are very accurate & reliable!
Pretty much a collectors item
Monac,
I have seen two of the .38ACP pistols recently in the TAMPA, FL area. One was in a large gun shop and they wanted collector prices for that one.
Some gun shops are not picky about who they hire and I was in a store where a clerk tried to sell someone a box of .45AutoRim for use in their 1911, so I err on the side of caution.
Since the OP, did not specify and 32 rimless and called it a COLT Hammer, I thought I would post the warning. If he had said COLT HAMMERLESS, then it would have been settled.
At this point, .38ACP is pretty much dead. Only the COLT and ASTRA blowback pistols used it. Unfortunately, the .38Super inherited the semi rimmed case, its biggest drawback.
Jim
Monac,
I have seen two of the .38ACP pistols recently in the TAMPA, FL area. One was in a large gun shop and they wanted collector prices for that one.
Some gun shops are not picky about who they hire and I was in a store where a clerk tried to sell someone a box of .45AutoRim for use in their 1911, so I err on the side of caution.
Since the OP, did not specify and 32 rimless and called it a COLT Hammer, I thought I would post the warning. If he had said COLT HAMMERLESS, then it would have been settled.
At this point, .38ACP is pretty much dead. Only the COLT and ASTRA blowback pistols used it. Unfortunately, the .38Super inherited the semi rimmed case, its biggest drawback.
Jim
Why wouldn't you carry it for concealed carry. It is flat, easy to carry, very reliable , well balance and fairly accurate. Unless you belong to the bigger has to be better club, there's nothing wrong with the 32 ACP , Before there were all these wonderful small autos I carried a 1903 ( In Chicago no less ) and found nothing wrong with it.
See post #5
.32 Colt Pocket Model pistols with pre-422000 serial numbers lack important safety features that were added about 1922. They're is no reason not to carry earlier guns that are in good condition - but do so with the chamber empty.
.32 Colt Pocket Model pistols with pre-422000 serial numbers lack important safety features that were added about 1922. They're is no reason not to carry earlier guns that are in good condition - but do so with the chamber empty.
"All were chambered to use the very common .32 ACP cartridge."
The reason that cartridge became so common in the U.S. was because of the Colt pocket model hammerless, not vice versa. Actually, the round had been introduced in Europe as the 7.65mm Browning with the FN Browning Model 1900, but those pistols were never sold in the U.S., so it was the Colt that brought the round to this country.
Jim
The reason that cartridge became so common in the U.S. was because of the Colt pocket model hammerless, not vice versa. Actually, the round had been introduced in Europe as the 7.65mm Browning with the FN Browning Model 1900, but those pistols were never sold in the U.S., so it was the Colt that brought the round to this country.
Jim
I had one many years ago and regret selling it, they are very cute, fun little guns. I recall reading somewhere that the 1903 32 auto was John Brownings favorite of his designs to shoot. Perhaps someone can help with the details of where that came from, I dont recall where I saw it.
My dad also had one of the 1903's. His was nicer than mine was. He also traded it off.
My dad also had one of the 1903's. His was nicer than mine was. He also traded it off.
R.Ph. 380
Member
I'm 69 years old, My Grandpa carried a 1903 Pocket Pistol in 32 rimless(acp) for 60 years. His was made in 1923 and he died at 86 in 83. At the funeral, my Dad and my Uncle decided I needed to have it to carry since they were getting older. I will never refinish it and will keep it just as he carried, but I bought a beater piece of rust in 2007 that I worked on for 2 years getting it reconditioned, reblued it with rust bluing and I carry it often. I have never felt under gunned and love to show it off when I go through the entry to a gunshow and the LEO ties the slide open.
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