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Old 09-01-2015, 07:38 PM
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Default Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless

I shared in a story in the Lounge about how I acquired this addition to my collection at the link below, but this post is a little about the pistol itself.

The Sergeant-Major's Colt 1903




The serial number of 440xxx indicates it was made in 1924 and is a "Type III" variant with integrated barrel bushing and 3 3/4" barrel and no magazine safety. It's marked on the slide "calbre .32 rimless smokeless" which indicates it's .32 ACP and the magazine holds 8 rounds. This one has Colt's famous highly polished finish common in that day and factory walnut grips.

Although Colt marketed these as "hammerless", this pistol was actually fired by action of a hammer striking and driving a firing pin into a center-fire cartridge's primer. The hammer was covered by the rear of the slide. The "hammerless" designation was merely an advertising designation pointing out the pistol's particular suitability for concealed carry. Special features include a serrated slide to prevent slippage during manual cycling of the slide, and two safety mechanisms (a grip safety and a manual safety). The grip safety is a spring-loaded piece making up the back strap of the pistol. The grip safety, though not solely restricted to them, was a typical feature of Colt automatic pistols of the period.

So as to indicate a size comparison, I've pictured the Colt 1903 alongside a full size 1911A1.

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Last edited by Faulkner; 04-23-2020 at 12:59 PM.
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Old 09-01-2015, 07:44 PM
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Whew, that's a nice one! (even nicer after reading the story behind it.)

Thanks for the photos.

Last edited by Shorty 45 MK2; 09-01-2015 at 07:55 PM.
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Old 09-01-2015, 07:47 PM
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Read your story.
One reason I'll never go into one of them homes.
Shady Pines is not for me....
It's a nice one.
Had one at one time about 40 years ago but not in such nice condition.
Don't even remember what happened to it or who I sold it to.
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Old 09-01-2015, 08:48 PM
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As a retired Sergeant Major who also owns a Colt 1903,
I would like to say thank you for the way you handled the situation.

My 1903 was carried thru WW2 and Korea by my Dad and I had it
safely tucked away in my flight suit during my 18 months in the Nam.
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Old 04-23-2020, 01:01 PM
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While doing a search on posts about Colt 1903's I ran across this old post. Cool read, especially the link in the first post of the thread.
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