Yesterday I went down to my gun shop to pick up a gun I had already paid for and while I was waiting I saw something that to me seemed really special. It was a Colt 1903.. A model I admit I had never heard of.. But when I saw it I loved it immediately. It showed clear signs of age, but no signs of misuse or breakdown, just wear on the handle and a really nice looking mildly worn finish. The owner told me this one was manufactured in 1924. I did a littlr research and it sounds like the gun has a really neat little history. I would like to add a nice antique gun to my collection and I think this one would do great as long as there are no major negatives about this gun that I'm unaware of. I'm hoping someone here can tell me about this gun. I'm interested in it's importance in gun history, American military history, American history in general, and I'm also interested in it's performance. Would this be a gun I could take out and shoot, or is it something that would be more fitting as a display piece? All these things will help me in my decision. Thanks in advance!
Looking for a history lesson on Colt 1903 hammerless
- Thread starter The Good
- Start date
- Status
bainter1212
Member
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2012
- Messages
- 1,175
I have never fired one myself, however from what I have read these guns have quite a following and are generally considered accurate and reliable. I lust after one simply because I think it is one of the most aesthetically attractive designs of the 20th century.
There is abundant information on the internet in reference to the 1903 and 1908 Colt Hammerless autos. One of Browning's and Colts most successful get togethers. Both made up to the Second WWII and both used during that conflict. Both are reliable and were carried by the good guys and the bad guys. Well balanced, handles well in the hand. Not a target gun, it was never meant to be one, but a close personal defense weapon and in that mode it was outstanding.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
If you use the search feature on this forum (see dark green bar at top of page above the posts), you will find many, many threads on Colt's 1903 Pocket Model. It's a very popular subject and all of the considerable information is free. 
One thing to remember when researching those guns is that the terms "Model 1903" and "Model 1908" were not used by Colt, but were invented by collectors for convenience. Colt called them the "Pocket Model Hammerless, .32 [or .380] Caliber."
Further, in collector parlance, there is another Colt Model 1903, a dual link hammer model in .38 ACP, and another Model 1908, the Vest Pocket Model in .25 ACP. Then there is the FN Model 1903, in 9mm Browning Long, which was the larger immediate forerunner of the Colt Model 1903.
Jim
Further, in collector parlance, there is another Colt Model 1903, a dual link hammer model in .38 ACP, and another Model 1908, the Vest Pocket Model in .25 ACP. Then there is the FN Model 1903, in 9mm Browning Long, which was the larger immediate forerunner of the Colt Model 1903.
Jim
I have several because of the history associated with them and because they were fine handguns. It was also the first handgun I was shown how to shoot. They were popular with law enforcement, criminals, and the military. As a result I one, and only one, military Pocket Hammerless, one LE, and a few various grade civilian models.
In spite of the minimal sights they are fun to shoot and easy to carry.
Good read here - http://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/colt-1903-pocket-hammerless
In spite of the minimal sights they are fun to shoot and easy to carry.
Good read here - http://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/colt-1903-pocket-hammerless
Last edited:
Some writers say that the two calibers are the same except for the barrels, but that is not true. In the early guns, the .380 frame is slightly different and the magazine well is larger; a .380 magazine won't fit in a .32 frame. In addition, the slide and some parts, like the extractor, were different throughout production.
In later guns, the mag wells were made the same, with the result that a .32 magazine is a loose fit.
Also, no caliber marking was put on the .32 magazine until the .380 came out, so an original magazine with no marking is for a .32.
Jim
In later guns, the mag wells were made the same, with the result that a .32 magazine is a loose fit.
Also, no caliber marking was put on the .32 magazine until the .380 came out, so an original magazine with no marking is for a .32.
Jim
AlexanderA
Member
I have two WWII "U.S. Property" marked guns, one in .32 and the other in .380. (This particular .32 wasn't actually issued to a named General Officer until 1965, but that's another story.) The magazine from the .32 will fit in the .380 (it's not a particularly loose fit), but the .380 magazine will not fit in the .32.
BTW, the "U.S. Property" marked .32's are all Parkerized while the .380's are all blued. There may be extremely rare exceptions, but if you find a Parkerized .380 or a blued .32, chances are it's been faked. I've had one or two offered to me like that, where the "U.S. Property" marking was clearly bogus (wrong font, size, etc.). Since these guns are literally worth thousands, beware.
BTW, the "U.S. Property" marked .32's are all Parkerized while the .380's are all blued. There may be extremely rare exceptions, but if you find a Parkerized .380 or a blued .32, chances are it's been faked. I've had one or two offered to me like that, where the "U.S. Property" marking was clearly bogus (wrong font, size, etc.). Since these guns are literally worth thousands, beware.
Thanks guys, I appreciate all the info. It's always helpful to hear from people who have experience with the gun.
I'm saving up a little cash to hopefully buy the one at the store. I'm afraid if I let this one pass me by it might be tough to find another one that looks as nice as this one does. I've never even bought a used gun, nevermind an antique, and I'm really excited about getting one in my collection that looks so beautiful. It's got just the right amount of wear on it. Before I knew about this gun, I'd always been interested in a 1911 because I feel that it's the perfect gun for the .45 acp round. I knew of the Browning Hi Power and I had heard that it was the perfect platform for the 9mm. On the way to the shop that day, I had been talking to my Dad about the .32 acp. I was saying that it seemed like a round that had great potential if someone would just put it in a real gun and not one of these subcompact guns. I wonder why they make medum sized semi automatic pistols for the .22lr like walther p22 and sig mosquito, but if you want .32, you have to go subcompact. I have to say any of the guns I've tried in .380 seem like they would be incredibly fun in .32. So after having this discussion, I get to the counter at the gun store and while I'm waiting for the gun I was there to buy, I see this beauty. It's the gun I was imagining. I had to hold it and when I did I knew it was right. A nicely sized solid piece of metal. Nowadays a gun this size and weight would never get away with taking .32. It would be a .380. The .380 would be manageable, but still too much to make significantly quicker follow up shots. Unfortunately, you can't find a large handgun that fires .380. I think it would be very useful and very fun at the range.
I'm saving up a little cash to hopefully buy the one at the store. I'm afraid if I let this one pass me by it might be tough to find another one that looks as nice as this one does. I've never even bought a used gun, nevermind an antique, and I'm really excited about getting one in my collection that looks so beautiful. It's got just the right amount of wear on it. Before I knew about this gun, I'd always been interested in a 1911 because I feel that it's the perfect gun for the .45 acp round. I knew of the Browning Hi Power and I had heard that it was the perfect platform for the 9mm. On the way to the shop that day, I had been talking to my Dad about the .32 acp. I was saying that it seemed like a round that had great potential if someone would just put it in a real gun and not one of these subcompact guns. I wonder why they make medum sized semi automatic pistols for the .22lr like walther p22 and sig mosquito, but if you want .32, you have to go subcompact. I have to say any of the guns I've tried in .380 seem like they would be incredibly fun in .32. So after having this discussion, I get to the counter at the gun store and while I'm waiting for the gun I was there to buy, I see this beauty. It's the gun I was imagining. I had to hold it and when I did I knew it was right. A nicely sized solid piece of metal. Nowadays a gun this size and weight would never get away with taking .32. It would be a .380. The .380 would be manageable, but still too much to make significantly quicker follow up shots. Unfortunately, you can't find a large handgun that fires .380. I think it would be very useful and very fun at the range.
bainter1212
Member
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2012
- Messages
- 1,175
Sweet!
Make sure to post some pics when you pick her up.
Make sure to post some pics when you pick her up.
Best to buy now when you want it. The more you want it, the less likely it is to be there when you can buy it.
But actually quite a few of those guns turn up in good shape. They were a fairly popular home defense gun; one was bought, along with a box of ammo, then taken home and put away in the underwear drawer, where it sat for 80 years.
Jim
But actually quite a few of those guns turn up in good shape. They were a fairly popular home defense gun; one was bought, along with a box of ammo, then taken home and put away in the underwear drawer, where it sat for 80 years.
Jim
The 1903 is one of my favorite guns of all time. I inherited one and gave it to my sister :banghead: because I got many other guns and didnt want any hard feelings. Trigger is very close to a 1911 in feel. Guns are accurate even with the tiny sights. Low recoil of the 32acp in a all steel gun is a pleasure to shoot. They fit your hand and your pocket just as they were designed to do very very well. I will buy another one when I see the right deel.
ID-shooting
Member
I have one for sale here...
Nice little gun. Sights are easy to use and action is butter smooth.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=726590
Nice little gun. Sights are easy to use and action is butter smooth.
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=726590
MI2600
Member
One thing you NEVER should do is bump the trigger (thereby dropping the internal hammer) while attempting to get the barrel back in place...don't ask.
An odd bit of history on the pocket model. Browning's Model 1900, in 7.65 Browning, had been very successful for Fabrique Nationale. But as armed forces began to go to auto pistols, FN wanted a pistol to compete with new pistols like the Luger. That required a new design capable of handling a more powerful round. So Browning worked up a design which became the FN Model 1903. For a cartridge, he cut the length of the .38 ACP, resulting in the cartridge later called the 9mm Browning Long.
The FN Model 1903 was only marginally successful (Sweden was the largest customer), but Browning and Colt decided that scaling down the FN Model 1903 and chambering it for .32 ACP might be a good idea. And so it was. Later Browning developed the rimless .380 ACP, or 9mm Browning Short, as it was to be called in Europe, and altered the Colt pocket pistol to take that round.
Jim
The FN Model 1903 was only marginally successful (Sweden was the largest customer), but Browning and Colt decided that scaling down the FN Model 1903 and chambering it for .32 ACP might be a good idea. And so it was. Later Browning developed the rimless .380 ACP, or 9mm Browning Short, as it was to be called in Europe, and altered the Colt pocket pistol to take that round.
Jim
- Status
