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12-11-2013, 02:34 PM
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The Colt .32 Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless pistol...
This is a preview of a coming article - as usual, comments are welcome. Hope you find it interesting.
John
Folks as diverse as gangster Al Capone and General George S. Patton Jr. carried these little .32 Colt automatics for personal protection. Throughout the first half of the 20th Century, they were the gold standard for discreet carry. Flat, concealable, easy to draw, accurate and reliable, they were immensely popular. The U.S. military services adopted them as standard issue sidearms for flag officers. Even today, 60 plus years after production ceased, they are still popular and good examples of the Colt .32 hammerless pocket pistol are in high demand. More modern pistols have never fully supplanted them, and the design is secure as one of the major all-time stars of the pocket pistol niche.
Master gun designer John Browning had made agreements in the late 19th Century with Fabrique Nationale (FN) in Belgium and with Colt in the U.S. to manufacture his pistol designs. FN had exclusive rights to market their blowback pistols in Europe, and Colt was authorized to do the same with recoil-operated pistols in the U.S. One of FN’s most popular Browning-designed pistols was their 1899/1900 Browning semiautomatic blowback pistol in .32 ACP caliber. FN was also beginning to make a scaled-up version in 9mm Browning Long, the 1902/1903 “Grand Modele.” Since FN held those patents and had the exclusive right to make the pistols, Colt was left hanging in the U.S. They quickly asked Browning to patent a modified FN design in the United States and let them manufacture a .32 blowback pistol on these shores. Browning tweaked his design only slightly by modifying the barrel bushing. The appropriate patents were filed by Colt on April 3, 1902, and granted on December 22, 1903. Colt was quite confident of securing the U.S. patent and began tooling up in late 1902. Production began on the “Colt Automatic Pistol, Pocket Model” in June of 1903 and sales began in August of that year. Colt had an existing Browning recoil-operated design (in .38 ACP caliber) that utilized an external hammer which was also called a Model 1903. To distinguish this newer pistol, they regularly referred to it as the “Colt Hammerless.” The design actually had an internal hammer. At the Colt factory, the working designation was the “Model M.” Negotiating in early 1902 and then in an agreement dated January 11, 1902, John and Matthew Browning sealed compensation particulars with Colt. The terms included a 40-cent royalty on each .32 automatic pistol made, and a mandate on Colt to make at least 100 pistols a day at a cost which would enable competitive pricing with revolvers in the U.S. while maintaining high quality of materials and workmanship.
The resulting pistol’s prototype was essentially based on features in the Belgian-made Grand Modelle, and differed in only minor details from the later production pieces. The grips were checkered wood instead of the eventual molded black hard rubber types, and the manual safety was a bit larger than that eventually used. Colt chose .32 ACP (7.65 mm) as the caliber for this scaled-down version of the FN G.M. This semi-rimmed cartridge was designed by Browning, first made by Winchester Repeating Arms’ ammunition group, and was subsequently used by both FN and Colt.
The first mention of this new hammerless model was in an article appearing in the July 16, 1903 issue of Shooting & Fishing magazine. The initial month’s sales in August were quite strong, and the pistol became successful from the start.
The gun’s hallmark was its simplicity, a feature of most Browning designs. It incorporated a grip safety, a new feature among pocket pistols of the day. Field stripping was a snap. The gun had the recoil spring mounted under the barrel, and the barrel itself was secured firmly to the frame by lugs on the barrel which fit into grooves in the frame. The hammer, all springs and the disconnector mechanism were located behind the magazine well, as was the grip safety. The magazine release was located in the heel of the grip frame. There was no automatic last-round hold-open device, but the manual safety doubled as a slide lock. The single-stack magazine had a capacity of eight rounds. The trigger and manual safety had a special fire blue color. The quality of its materials, fitting and finish were all first-rate. In 1908, a .380 ACP version appeared, differing only in the bore, the magazine, the extractor, and the width of the magazine well. The .380 version could easily be converted to .32, while converting the .32 to .380 was somewhat more difficult to accomplish.
The Model 1903 .32 Pocket Hammerless pistols had a production run spanning 43 years, from 1903 until 1946. Some guns were later assembled from existing parts and sold through 1953. There were some major variations along the way. The first guns (serial numbered 1 to 71,999) had four-inch barrels and a separate barrel bushing similar to the one used on the Model 1911 .45 pistol. Checkered hard rubber grips with “Colt” enclosed in scalloped bands near the top were standard. The “rampant Colt” logo was molded into the grips near the bottom. The second type (serialed from 72,000 to 105,000) saw a reduction in barrel length from four to 3 ¼ inches. At serial number 95,801, the extractor was widened to accommodate both .32 and .380 cartridges. A third type (serialed 105,051 to 468,097) eliminated the barrel bushing and a lug was added to bottom of the barrel near the muzzle to fill the resulting gap and keep it locked into place. This version, in 1911, saw the scalloped bands enclosing the word “Colt” on the grips changed to straight bands. The pistol illustrated is of this type and was manufactured in July, 1918. Other minor changes were made in this series. In 1924, checkered wooden grips with a Colt medallion became standard, and in 1926 the rear sight notch was made square rather than “U”-shaped. A fourth variation added a George Tansley-designed magazine disconnect safety in 1926. The fifth variation was the WWII version, the majority of which had Parkerized finishes. These serial numbers ran from 554,100 to 568,834. .380 versions from serial 134,100 to 137,484 fell into this category. Pistols from these production runs were used by flag officers and other special military units where smaller size and concealment were considerations. .32 and .380 pocket hammerless pistols found favor in Great Britain as well, and numerous pistols were sold to the British in both WWI and WWII. The French ordered a number of .380 guns in 1942 for use in Shanghai, China. These guns had lanyard rings and were marked “CONCESSION FRANCAISE CHANGHAI.”
Field stripping the 1903 Hammerless for cleaning is fairly straightforward. Remove the magazine and clear the chamber. Be sure the manual safety is depressed and draw the slide back until the arrow on the right front of the slide matches up with the front of the frame. Twist the barrel counterclockwise (viewed from the front), and the lugs on the barrel will rotate out of their grooves in the frame. Draw the slide and barrel assembly forward off the front of the frame. The barrel is then rotated to its original position and withdrawn from the slide.
These pistols were trend-setters with their hammerless configuration and grip safeties, prompting competing firms to scramble to adopt these features. Their production spanned most of the first half of the 20th Century, and they were among Colt’s best sellers. They occupy a strong and classic place in the history of semiautomatic pistol design and maintain their appeal and usefulness even today. One could still be well-armed with this pistol designed over 100 years ago, particularly with today’s improved ammunition.
(c) 2013 JLM
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Last edited by PALADIN85020; 12-12-2013 at 12:23 PM.
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12-11-2013, 03:01 PM
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Another great article, John. I love it. My favorite small auto, by far. With all the 1911 and SAA clones, I don't know why someone doesn't make these.
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12-11-2013, 03:03 PM
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I am still kicking myself. Years ago I had one in 380 with wood grips. I believe it was made like around 1924. When I bought it, it looked unfired. I dont have it anymore.
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12-11-2013, 03:05 PM
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Beautiful Colt and a great synopsis, John!
About 20+ years ago I bought a M1903 (.32 ACP) and then of course HAD TO HAVE the 1908 (.380 ACP) and it's little Brother the .25 ACP as well. I still shoot them a few times a year and I will also state they are extremely accurate (even the puny .25), all have excellent triggers and have been 100% reliable for me.
When I first got my .32 ACP I brought it to the indoor Range and shot over 100 rounds - no problems except that after the first few shots I saw something fly off the gun - but did not realize what had happened. After a quick inspection & not noticing anything broken or missing I continued to shoot the remaining batch of the 100 rounds without incident. When I was sweeping up the floor after we shot and stowing the empties back in their box I found what had flown off the gun - the extractor. The gun had fired flawlessly even without the extractor installed! What had happened is the pin that holds the extractor in, came out and the extractor went flying. Luckily after I realized what had happened, my friends and I searched for the small pin and actually found it. The next day I ordered a new pin (the old one was shot) reinstalled it a few days later and all has been fine since then.
Isn't it amazing that a 100+ year old gun can shoot like these do even with a part missing and some of the new out of the box guns can't even function reliably from the get to.
All three of mine have the wooden grips, two original "two tone" cyanide treated magazines, and are in pretty good shape. In fact now I am gonna take one of them out and shoot it this week. I'll try and take some photos when I do.
Thanks for reminding me!
Regards,
Chief38
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12-11-2013, 03:10 PM
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Interesting read, thanks.
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12-11-2013, 03:33 PM
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Dad is a migratory bird, the cold has come to Ohio and he is off to Florida. his ccw is a 1903 and he can still hit from the hip with it. Last summer he was in the hospital and while recovering, was somewhat delusional, he thought snakes were crawling around his room. His right hand kept sweeping his hip pocket area,(exactly where he kept the little Colt when I was a kid) and calling out "Snakes!" The nurses wanted to know what he was doing, "Protecting his kids" was all my brother or I would say. Ivan
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12-11-2013, 03:38 PM
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I thought George carried a 380. Wasn't that the caliber of the General Officer's Pistol - a 1908 Model M, not a 1903 Model M?
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12-11-2013, 03:54 PM
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Nice article on a great pistol. Is this the one Dillinger died with or was that the 1908?
I would have liked more information of the developement of the .32 ACP, if it wouldn't disrupt the flow of the original subject.
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12-11-2013, 04:02 PM
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The KNIL (Dutch Indie Army) had ordered some 1903 to. They where delivered just before the war broke out. Some of them came to Holland. I do own one. It is the only pistol I have.
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12-11-2013, 04:23 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alpo
I thought George carried a 380. Wasn't that the caliber of the General Officer's Pistol - a 1908 Model M, not a 1903 Model M?
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Actually, the jury is out on that. Patton usually carried one of three "insurance" handguns - a Colt Model M, a Colt Detective Special, and a Remington .380 Model 51. The NRA states that he was issued a regulation .32 Model M. By the same token, he may or may not have had a privately-owned .380 Model M. He apparently always had one of these backup guns on him, even though he may have been carrying either his larger and flashier Colt SAA or S&W Registered Magnum.
Here is one quote I discovered on the internet. Not sure where it came from.
Although the Colt .45 and Smith & Wesson .357 are the so called "favorites" worn by the General, over the years Patton collected and used many different pistols. In Europe during WWII Patton had a small .32 caliber Colt automatic pistol which he called his "social pistol". He usually wore this .32 in a small clip-holster in his right hand trouser pocket when he was in the rear areas. He wore it inside his jacket as an additional "safety precaution" when he was in the front lines. On rare occasions, such as the formal ceremony when Patton turned over the command of the Third Army to Lt. General Lucian K. Truscott, Patton wore a more "subdued" weapon; a Colt .38 snub-nosed Detective Special with black, hard rubber grips."
In the movie "Patton" the gun George C. Scott used in the scene where Patton is shooting at a Messerschmidt from the ground, the pistol is a 1903 .32 Colt Hammerless. Reports abound that he actually used the Remington 51 during that incident.
So - who knows. We know for sure that he was issued a .32; I'll have to guess that at least on occasion he packed it.
John
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12-11-2013, 04:35 PM
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I did not know they issued the 32. I thought all the issued Ms were 380s.
Learn somethin' ever day.
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12-11-2013, 04:37 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by zzzippper
Nice article on a great pistol. Is this the one Dillinger died with or was that the 1908?
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Actually, it's reliably reported that Dillinger had no gun on him when he was killed. The Colt that the FBI welded up and had on display for years was reported by the Colt historians as having been originally sent by the factory to someone after Dillinger was dead and gone.
J. Edgar Hoover reportedly said that he had the Dillinger hammerless Colt pocket auto, but that he gave it to Red Skelton. If so, its present whereabouts is unknown and its caliber is unconfirmed.
John
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12-11-2013, 04:38 PM
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Sure wish decent magazines were available. I've got one mag for my 1903, and one that is shared between my two 1908s.
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12-11-2013, 04:45 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alpo
I did not know they issued the 32. I thought all the issued Ms were 380s.
Learn somethin' ever day.
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Yup. Here's an example of an issue .32.
John
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12-11-2013, 06:51 PM
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John, very nice write-up. The only problem my editor's eye noticed on a fast read was the missing word "an" in front of the word "internal."
I've liked these smaller-frame Colt semiautos since I first learned of them. I am in the process of acquiring a .32 right now whose serial number puts production in 1920. I already had a US GOVERNMENT .380 that was issued to Brigadier General Clarence Irvine after WWII -- one of the last ones issued, apparently.
I have a 1908 Vest Pocket in my safe that once belonged to my uncle. I also just made a deal on a seemingly unfired specimen from about 1922. I'll post pics as soon as I can, but that probably won't be until January.
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12-11-2013, 07:56 PM
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Have Three!
One is near mint, one was owned by my Dad and the 3rd one just went up for sale today on WAGUNS.com. I love them for their feel, design, compactness and wish someone would make them again! Great gun!
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12-11-2013, 08:11 PM
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Great article John. I too am a fan of the Model Ms. Got one of each.
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12-11-2013, 08:35 PM
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Ever since my first Humphrey Bogart movie I've had a special place in my heart for these pistols.
So far I have a .32 ACP Pocket Hammerless from 1909 and a .380 from the mid 20s. I'm still looking for a reasonably priced .25 to complete the set.
Thanks for another great article.
David
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12-11-2013, 09:26 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PALADIN85020
Field stripping the 1903 Hammerless for cleaning is fairly straightforward. Remove the magazine and clear the chamber. Depress the grip safety and draw the slide back until the arrow on the right front of the slide matches up with the front of the frame. Twist the barrel counterclockwise (viewed from the front), and the lugs on the barrel will rotate out of their grooves in the frame. Draw the slide and barrel assembly forward off the front of the frame. The barrel is then rotated to its original position and withdrawn from the slide.
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Just an FYI, I saw the bold wording above and it didn't register. I pulled all four of mine out of the vault and it was not necessary to depress the grip safety on any of them to draw the slide back for disassembly. I think that actually should be "depress the slide safety" instead.
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Last edited by Faulkner; 12-11-2013 at 09:43 PM.
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12-11-2013, 09:35 PM
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Good point. I think, if you do it correctly, it is impossible to "depress the grip safety".
You make sure the empty gun is cocked, the put your left thumb in the triggerguard and your left index finger on what would be, on a 1911, the recoil spring plug, and pinch your thumb and finger together until the arrow is to the line. Grab the muzzle with your right hand and unscrew it. You're nowhere near the grip safety.
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12-11-2013, 09:46 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alpo
Sure wish decent magazines were available. I've got one mag for my 1903, and one that is shared between my two 1908s.
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Original two tone Colt magazines are priced outlandishly, but I have half a dozen aftermarket magazines that work just fine. I've never had a problem finding aftermarket magazines at gun shows.
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12-11-2013, 10:25 PM
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By far my favorite forearm. Well the J frame are nice. Carried a 32 in my vest plate pocket instead of the plate when I worked a late shift. Never had misfire and dropped it once and no problems. Round chambered and safety on.
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12-12-2013, 12:46 AM
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One was for sale on G.B. last week It was documented as owned by Cider Joe Stillwell .A 32cal -1903 colt marked U.S. Government property.Last price that i saw was $3500.00 and did not make the min.
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12-12-2013, 01:18 AM
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My 1930's .380 and a holster I picked up online. The original grips are in the safe. A pleasure to shoot, never fails to function. I carry it once in a while and feel pretty well-heeled when I do. Thanks for the article.
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12-12-2013, 01:19 AM
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In the late 1950s, I was in the 56th Brigade, ADA, in Boston, MA. We had a major general in charge. I never saw his pistol but in the supply room I did see the box of commercial 32 ACP that was authorized for the pistol. They were 32s, not 38os.
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12-12-2013, 11:57 AM
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I have one. What bugs me, there's a guy I know that wants it. I keep saying No. He says: "I'll give you cash money for it." NO!
His latest: "I want to give it to my dad for Christmas, keep it in the family."
No. No means NO!!!!
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12-12-2013, 12:21 PM
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I do not want to sell this one.
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12-12-2013, 12:27 PM
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Many thanks to those who offered corrective and editorial comments on this. I have modified the OP to reflect these corrections.
Correct on the grip safety disassembly boo-boo. I should have said "manual safety," as the slide cannot be retracted if it is engaged.
I appreciate the feedback!
John
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12-12-2013, 12:36 PM
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Nice informative article. You are correct about the .32 being issued to flag officers. Here is mine, which came with all the paperwork, original magazine, etc. The box is rough but still there. This 1934 pistol still functions flawlessly and one my heirs will have to deal with as I'll never part with it.
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12-12-2013, 01:06 PM
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Very timely for me. I have wanted one of these for several years, but at auctions where any were available they went for way more than I felt I could spend. Two weeks ago at a gun show I spotted one in a case with several other vintage colts, and the price wasn't outlandish. I asked to see it, then I noticed it had no sights. They had been cleanly removed at some time in the past. After a little negotiation it came home with me. S/N 34884X, which I believe to be a 3rd model and I was told puts it in the early 20's for a origin date. I looked around the internet for original sights and came up blank, then I spotted several pictures of slightly larger sights, including a Novak's on 1903's. Beings as I had several sets of 1911 sights laying around it is now at my gunsmith having a pair of 1911 sights fit to it. I told him to leave the front sight a little tall and I would regulate it at 15 yards.
So many of these in any level of condition are going from $800 up, I was able to get this one for about half that.
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12-12-2013, 01:12 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PALADIN85020
This is a preview of a coming article - as usual, comments are welcome. Hope you find it interesting.
John
Folks as diverse as gangster Al Capone and General George S. Patton Jr. carried these little .32 Colt automatics for personal protection. Throughout the first half of the 20th Century, they were the gold standard for discreet carry. Flat, concealable, easy to draw, accurate and reliable, they were immensely popular. The U.S. military services adopted them as standard issue sidearms for flag officers. Even today, 60 plus years after production ceased, they are still popular and good examples of the Colt .32 hammerless pocket pistol are in high demand. More modern pistols have never fully supplanted them, and the design is secure as one of the major all-time stars of the pocket pistol niche.
Master gun designer John Browning had made agreements in the late 19th Century with Fabrique Nationale (FN) in Belgium and with Colt in the U.S. to manufacture his pistol designs. FN had exclusive rights to market their blowback pistols in Europe, and Colt was authorized to do the same with recoil-operated pistols in the U.S. One of FN’s most popular Browning-designed pistols was their 1899/1900 Browning semiautomatic blowback pistol in .32 ACP caliber. FN was also beginning to make a scaled-up version in 9mm Browning Long, the 1902/1903 “Grand Modele.” Since FN held those patents and had the exclusive right to make the pistols, Colt was left hanging in the U.S. They quickly asked Browning to patent a modified FN design in the United States and let them manufacture a .32 blowback pistol on these shores. Browning tweaked his design only slightly by modifying the barrel bushing. The appropriate patents were filed by Colt on April 3, 1902, and granted on December 22, 1903. Colt was quite confident of securing the U.S. patent and began tooling up in late 1902. Production began on the “Colt Automatic Pistol, Pocket Model” in June of 1903 and sales began in August of that year. Colt had an existing Browning recoil-operated design (in .38 ACP caliber) that utilized an external hammer which was also called a Model 1903. To distinguish this newer pistol, they regularly referred to it as the “Colt Hammerless.” The design actually had an internal hammer. At the Colt factory, the working designation was the “Model M.” Negotiating in early 1902 and then in an agreement dated January 11, 1902, John and Matthew Browning sealed compensation particulars with Colt. The terms included a 40-cent royalty on each .32 automatic pistol made, and a mandate on Colt to make at least 100 pistols a day at a cost which would enable competitive pricing with revolvers in the U.S. while maintaining high quality of materials and workmanship.
The resulting pistol’s prototype was essentially based on features in the Belgian-made Grand Modelle, and differed in only minor details from the later production pieces. The grips were checkered wood instead of the eventual molded black hard rubber types, and the manual safety was a bit larger than that eventually used. Colt chose .32 ACP (7.65 mm) as the caliber for this scaled-down version of the FN G.M. This semi-rimmed cartridge was designed by Browning, first made by Winchester Repeating Arms’ ammunition group, and was subsequently used by both FN and Colt.
The first mention of this new hammerless model was in an article appearing in the July 16, 1903 issue of Shooting & Fishing magazine. The initial month’s sales in August were quite strong, and the pistol became successful from the start.
The gun’s hallmark was its simplicity, a feature of most Browning designs. It incorporated a grip safety, a new feature among pocket pistols of the day. Field stripping was a snap. The gun had the recoil spring mounted under the barrel, and the barrel itself was secured firmly to the frame by lugs on the barrel which fit into grooves in the frame. The hammer, all springs and the disconnector mechanism were located behind the magazine well, as was the grip safety. The magazine release was located in the heel of the grip frame. There was no automatic last-round hold-open device, but the manual safety doubled as a slide lock. The single-stack magazine had a capacity of eight rounds. The trigger and manual safety had a special fire blue color. The quality of its materials, fitting and finish were all first-rate. In 1908, a .380 ACP version appeared, differing only in the bore, the magazine, the extractor, and the width of the magazine well. The .380 version could easily be converted to .32, while converting the .32 to .380 was somewhat more difficult to accomplish.
The Model 1903 .32 Pocket Hammerless pistols had a production run spanning 43 years, from 1903 until 1946. Some guns were later assembled from existing parts and sold through 1953. There were some major variations along the way. The first guns (serial numbered 1 to 71,999) had four-inch barrels and a separate barrel bushing similar to the one used on the Model 1911 .45 pistol. Checkered hard rubber grips with “Colt” enclosed in scalloped bands near the top were standard. The “rampant Colt” logo was molded into the grips near the bottom. The second type (serialed from 72,000 to 105,000) saw a reduction in barrel length from four to 3 ¼ inches. At serial number 95,801, the extractor was widened to accommodate both .32 and .380 cartridges. A third type (serialed 105,051 to 468,097) eliminated the barrel bushing and a lug was added to bottom of the barrel near the muzzle to fill the resulting gap and keep it locked into place. This version, in 1911, saw the scalloped bands enclosing the word “Colt” on the grips changed to straight bands. The pistol illustrated is of this type and was manufactured in July, 1918. Other minor changes were made in this series. In 1924, checkered wooden grips with a Colt medallion became standard, and in 1926 the rear sight notch was made square rather than “U”-shaped. A fourth variation added a George Tansley-designed magazine disconnect safety in 1926. The fifth variation was the WWII version, the majority of which had Parkerized finishes. These serial numbers ran from 554,100 to 568,834. .380 versions from serial 134,100 to 137,484 fell into this category. Pistols from these production runs were used by flag officers and other special military units where smaller size and concealment were considerations. .32 and .380 pocket hammerless pistols found favor in Great Britain as well, and numerous pistols were sold to the British in both WWI and WWII. The French ordered a number of .380 guns in 1942 for use in Shanghai, China. These guns had lanyard rings and were marked “CONCESSION FRANCAISE CHANGHAI.”
Field stripping the 1903 Hammerless for cleaning is fairly straightforward. Remove the magazine and clear the chamber. Be sure the manual safety is depressed and draw the slide back until the arrow on the right front of the slide matches up with the front of the frame. Twist the barrel counterclockwise (viewed from the front), and the lugs on the barrel will rotate out of their grooves in the frame. Draw the slide and barrel assembly forward off the front of the frame. The barrel is then rotated to its original position and withdrawn from the slide.
These pistols were trend-setters with their hammerless configuration and grip safeties, prompting competing firms to scramble to adopt these features. Their production spanned most of the first half of the 20th Century, and they were among Colt’s best sellers. They occupy a strong and classic place in the history of semiautomatic pistol design and maintain their appeal and usefulness even today. One could still be well-armed with this pistol designed over 100 years ago, particularly with today’s improved ammunition.
(c) 2013 JLM
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Excellent post and one that hits pretty close to home for me. My dad was a B-29 pilot in WWII. When he was in the air he wore this pistol in a leather chest holster over his flight suit and under his flight jacket.
He gave it to me a year or so before he passed away. It had been fired 4 times. One of them was while we were visiting relatives in the country and we were in a cow pen and a rabbit ran across right in front of us. About 15' away. Dad pulled that pistol out of his hip pocket and plugged that little bunny right in the head. It surprised him more than it did me or my uncle or my cousin.
Anyway I took it to a gunsmith and asked him to take a look at it and let me know if it was safe to shoot. I was told it was in PERFECT condition and just like new. He did recommend that if I was planning on shooting it much I might want to replace the recoil spring but other than that it was cherry.
He offered me $2K for it on the spot. It has every thing that makes it valuable to a collector. Military parkerized finish. US GVT Property stamp. Perfect condition. I declined the sale of course but it felt good to know it was in such good shape. All the stuff in the 2nd pic is original and came with the gun. I bought a box of ammo and put about 25 or 30 rounds through it. It fed and cycled perfectly and is accurate. But I cleaned it and put it in with my dads flag and it will never be fired again in my lifetime.
When he passed away I was cleaning out his house and went through everything thoroughly and never did find that holster. I know he had it because I've seen it before but it was nowhere to be found, not even in the attic.
So Naturally I'm interested in this gun and I certainly appreciate your post. With your permission I'm going to save it to my permanent folder of this gun.
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Last edited by walkin jack; 12-12-2013 at 01:16 PM.
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12-12-2013, 04:36 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Walkin' Jack
So Naturally I'm interested in this gun and I certainly appreciate your post. With your permission I'm going to save it to my permanent folder of this gun.
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No problem. That brass cleaning rod is typical of those made for pistols and purchased by the government during WWII. I have a couple of them; one came with a S&W victory model, and the other with my stepfather-in-law's Colt 1911A1 that was his when he was in the service. They are beginning to be collectable in themselves, now.
John
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12-12-2013, 08:47 PM
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Here's one from my collection. When I bought it from a widow it had been sitting in a sock drawer for decades. The up side looked brand new, but the down side had seen some moisture and the finish was gone. I sent off to be bead blasted and parkerized and added some new walnut grips.
It's now one of my regular shooters and I often carry it in my inside vest pocket when I'm on my motorcycle.
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12-13-2013, 05:21 AM
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I've got a fairly decent one that I bought several years ago on one of
the net auction sites. I thought that I would be able to add a 380
version later but the prices on either caliber have gone up considerably
since I bought this one. This old Hunter brand holster looks like it was
made just for the Colt autos.
Last edited by alwslate; 12-13-2013 at 05:27 AM.
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12-13-2013, 12:22 PM
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I own two of the Model 1903 Hammerless guns. This is the other one, that once belonged to famed Arizona lawman Harry Wheeler. He was the last Captain of the Arizona Rangers and three-term sheriff of Cochise County, Arizona. He purchased this one before embarking for France as an Army captain in 1918. He was a confirmed "gun guy" and a crack shot.
John
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Last edited by PALADIN85020; 12-13-2013 at 12:32 PM.
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12-13-2013, 12:48 PM
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I splurged on myself this year and bought this little beauty this year in .380.
I am now hooked on the model.
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12-13-2013, 10:18 PM
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I have been wanting a nice M1908 .380 for years. They were only made in about 20% of the quantity of the M1903 .32's so are not nearly as common. Most I have come across were either beaters or buffed to within an inch of their lives and reblued and the sellers still wanted $600-$800. I found this one not long ago and decided I had better buy it before someone else did.
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11-19-2015, 12:44 AM
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You realize, of course that Colt manufactured 2500 of these this year (2015) and they sell for nearly $1500. These are a "carbon copy" of the original M1903 and are of the "Army Issue" (Parkerized) persuasion.
Snap one up while you can, because they'll go quickly... bet on it.
Last edited by Captain O; 11-19-2015 at 10:24 AM.
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11-21-2015, 04:07 PM
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Just an update note on this thread. The OP article is one included in my book 101 Classic Firearms, which is available only from Dillon Precision Products. Retail cost is $29.95 or $34.95 for an autographed copy. These books would make terrific holiday gifts for any gun-oriented guy or gal! You can order toll-free from Dillon at 1-800-223-4570. By the way, subscriptions to the Blue Press (where most of my articles appear) are free; you can get on the mailing list at the same number.
John
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Last edited by PALADIN85020; 11-21-2015 at 04:17 PM.
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