Been wanting one for a while now, they are quite scarce here in Switzerland and the few I saw were expensive and in poor condition.

Saw this one last night on the website of an LGS I’ve bought other nice stuff from and trust, so I texted him and asked him to put it aside for me. $ 650, now waiting for the permit. Colt serial nbr lookup says it’s made in 1940.

Until when were those made ?







And I’ve got abt 2000 rounds of ammo waiting for it

According to Wikipedia they were made until 1945. Looks like a very nice example and that was a very fair price for the gun. They are fun to shoot and the sights will test your vision.

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Jim
Many K and N Frames

Very nice pistol. The production of these guns ended with WWII. Yours appears to be what Colt called a "double header," i.e. a gun with a duplicate serial number. The second digit appears to be stamped over to give it another number.

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Kevin Williams SWCA1649 HF208

Classic12, thanks for your post and sharing this one with us. I have been casually on the lookout for one of these locally for the past 5 to 7 years. When I would be at a gun show, I would run into the same challenges you have. That is, very poor condition and the price was very high.

Year after year I would see the same 1903's for sale by the same vendor and the price would be far too high for condition; they really do not want to sell them. Fair enough.

Thank you for your additional information in the other thread about purchasing and firearms ownership in Switzerland. I really appreciated it and it was great to learn about how another country handles gun ownership.

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Rather be outdoors

Congratulations on your Model M. They, for me anyway, compete with the 1911 for JMBs best pistol design.

If from 1940, it would be a Type IV I believe with the magazine disconnect. I think you'll find it to be surprisingly accurate and just a joy to shoot, tiny sights notwithstanding.

I'm curious if "yours " has any other proof markings that provide clues about it's journey over the decades from Colt to you. These, in .32 and .380 were very popular worldwide. Any national proofs or other markings?

Have been several Model M threads lately and I've put pics up recently but in the spirit of never having enough gun porn..."1908" in .380 from 1926, a Type III.

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Took it home last night for $ 570.- in a three guns deal. Well I actually stopped by the range before heading home. The good news is that it came with a box and two magazines, the bad news is that the box is in poor shape, shows that metal and wood is more resistant than cardboard.





















Shot at 15 meters. The grip is a tad small for my hands, the pinky is either squeezed in or under the mag, and it shoots a bit to the left, so I’ll have to (carefully) drift the rear sight. Great gun though.

Another fan of the Colt "M" models here. That's a beautiful specimen you've got there. Congratulations on a great find.
I have a 1903 and a 1908. Although not as nice as yours. here they are with their little brother.

Very nice 1903!

Mine are rougher, but shoot great. They are two of my favorite carry pistols.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

I'm thinking that little jewel would have brought much more over this way.
Really nice

I agree, that one would bring around $200 - $300 more in the US.

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They are one of the coolest guns to come out of Hartford.
I’ve been looking for one that I could afford for years.
Still looking.
I had a chance at one of the re-makes a few years ago NIB. Price was $850 IIRC.

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I told you not to use Lifebuoy

Mine is about like your top one, but a little rougher still. Rides in my Jeep. Love those things . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

I had a Model 1908 .380 in similar condition to yours. It had the box in much better condition, as well as the factory target, instruction sheet, and trigger guard hang tag.

Unfortunately, while in grad school I sold it to finance a semester's studies. I still kick myself whenever i think of that mistake, wondering why I didn't take on a second job. Who needs sleep?

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Only a cold warrior

You paid a great price for that pistol, especially that you got what looks to be the original box, even though it is in poor condition (box). That is a Type 4, with the magazine disconnect. I have a US military issue like yours, my SN is 560xxx, which makes mine a 1944 manufacture. It's odd, but none were produced the year of 1943. Mine was my stepdad's issued sidearm (he was a courier in WWII). The list I looked at could make yours a 1939 manufacture, it showed 543XXX as the start for 1940 guns, but data varies, even within mfg records sometimes. In any case, it's a wonderful pistol. You may find that ball ammunition (round nose FMJ) is the best to use with it, the feed ramp is cut for that type and flat nose or JHP may not feed well. At least that's the way mine runs. I get perfect function with FMJ ammo, but either factory JHP or my JHP reloads tend to cause failures to feed frequently.

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If you are a "film noir" fan AND a gun guy, you HAVE to own one !! When a gun is being pulled out of a trench coat pocket ...... good odds on it being a Colt 1903. For me, my 1927 mfg has just the right amount of wear.
Your new purchase is a BEAUTY !!

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Y. B. Ord & A. Ree

Agreed, about the movie part. I read somewhere that one of the reasons the M was so popular in movies, aside from its overall popularity, was that it was super reliable with blanks where many other early autos were not. I know they're very reliable with FMJ, even with a pretty wide range of brands, so maybe so.

These things are everywhere in the early 20th century photographs. You can even find a picture of Mark Twain shooting his. Not to mention Patton, Eisenhower, Cagney, Bogart, Charlie Chan...and the list CAN go on and on.

With that small safety .... what's the best condition to carry them???

Have to agree with you on that. And, like Cassic12, I lusted for one. They are not very common in Continental Europe, where FN produced the Browning designed weapons. But I also managed one a few years ago. it's not in such great shape as Classic12's. But it went to war. WWI. And Irony. It served under Belgian banner.






And, Oliver. Congratulations on your "new little jewel".

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Expect the unexpected

Thanks for volunteering the purchase price.
That makes this thread more informative and shows what
a great deal you got on a fine condition Colt.
Original looking finish from here.

Round in the chamber, safety on.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

In addition to being a beautiful gun, that spare magazine alone would fetch $100-$200.

These used to be my collecting interest and have gotten rid of all but two. A shooter, and this 1912 version in gold plate. With a second gold plated magazine. My daughter has called "dibs" on it.

But remember that they are not drop safe.

I like the military ones.

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Kevin Williams SWCA1649 HF208

Neither are any 1911s pre-Series 80.

Its not something I worry about. Good enough for John Garfield, Mark Twain, and Lawrence of Arabia, good enough for me.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

I share the interest, I have an early 3rd model with the integral barrel bushing, non mag safety. They balance and point very nicely. They were issued to General Officers, awhile ago one went up on Gunbroker with holster and supposed provenance. They would be considered heavy by today's standards, much like the Walther PP. I've seen them with fire blued triggers, safety...I do not know if that was done at the factory. Mine also has its magazines that were finger dipped like the early 1911 magazines, I also have the box.

The fire blued triggers and safety levers are factory for the type I and type II pistols that have the separate barrel bushing.

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Expect the unexpected

And let's not forget it was also "good enough" to be in the survival pack for Charlton Heston in "Planet of the Apes".

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Y. B. Ord & A. Ree

That's AWESOME, and hilarious.

Thanks for my morning smile.

And Bogey. Don't forget Bogey.

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Expect the unexpected

The Colt Model 1903 had a production span of 43 years, from 1903 to 1946. Some guns were later assembled from existing parts and were sold through 1953. I devoted a chapter to it in my book 101 Classic firearms.

This is one of two I own, and once belonged to Harry Wheeler, who was the final captain of the Arizona Rangers, which disbanded in 1909. He was also two-term sheriff of Cochise County and became a captain in the U.S. Army. He in all probability purchased this gun for personal protection when he was on his way to France during WWI.

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Alan Ladd killed people all along the west coast in this 1942 film. He used either a Colt 1903 or 1908 as his weapon. These Colts were perfect for pocket carry in the standard raincoat. It's fair to guess these moderate size Colts were convenient for the not-so-big Movie stars.

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Bob.
SWCA 1821

I have a 1903 in about the same condition that spent most of its life in my uncle's nightstand drawer. I paid about the same as you did for a 1908 that is nowhere near as nice. In the US, you gun would probably bring $1000.



Robert

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Robert
SWCA #2906, SWHF #760

IMHO...this Colt is the best thing they ever made. Super pistol

This is my own Model 1903, a "type III" shipped in July, 1918. It's shown on a copy of John Browning's original patent drawing for the gun.

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

I'm fond of the Colt Model M and have several in my collection. They're certainly a classic that is well designed, reliable, and accurate for a pocket sized pistol. Sights are smallish by modern standards, but adequate for the ranges one would typically use a pocket pistol for.

This one was manufactured in 1923

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