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11-26-2021, 01:19 PM
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an old Colt
I acquired this Colt a few years back. It came with a well used box, direction an original tissue.......Date is around 1921 0r22. the condition is good. but the box has seen better days. Colts are like magnets to me......They just draw my attention........ Any Colt collectors out there? Not refinished.....Same finish as the other 1903s and 1908s 25s and 380s in my collection.
Thanks for looking,
joe
Last edited by english; 11-26-2021 at 09:34 PM.
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11-26-2021, 01:21 PM
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Starting to acquire some double action vintage revolvers...still learning tho
Very nice addition!!!
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11-26-2021, 02:25 PM
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Dang it! You’re in my back yard and snagged that?
I’ve been looking for a nice one.
I’d expect one with the box and papers to fetch $700-$800.
She looks nice!
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11-26-2021, 02:46 PM
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Yours must be an 08 then.
If it was an 03 then by the serial number it would have Walnut grips. It looks pretty clean. Can you tell if it has been refinished or not?
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11-26-2021, 03:03 PM
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It is indeed a 1903, as the slide says .32 Rimless Smokeless.
But the serial does put it in 1926, which would indeed mean it should have come with wood.
Attached is a picture of close one, just a bit earlier (not mine).
Last edited by Absalom; 11-26-2021 at 03:10 PM.
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11-26-2021, 03:42 PM
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That is what I thought.
I could not make out the script on the barrel stating .32 caliber. So those grips are from an earlier gun.
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11-26-2021, 04:56 PM
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One of my favs!!!!
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11-26-2021, 06:57 PM
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I've git three and bought them just because I liked them. No real purpose, but no collection is complete without a .32, .380 and of course the .25 1908. GREAT pistols!
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11-26-2021, 07:34 PM
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My Colt pistols are 45 acp of course!
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11-27-2021, 09:54 AM
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I have a .25, two .32s and a .45. I would really like a .380 but every time I find one it's priced like the owner is married to it and I can't afford to break up a happy home. Larry
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11-27-2021, 05:15 PM
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What is it about the 1908 380 Colt that attracts collectors attention.....Not many made, or the mystique of the gangster 20s?
Joe
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11-27-2021, 05:40 PM
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According to the colt website that serial number is dated to 1926 and yes it could have come with walnut grips but more than likely not…..those are appropriate grips for that late of serial number, though it is cutting it close. The colt auto website says those grips ran from serial number 177000 through 455000….so yours is very close. And in that condition with the accoutrements….that gun will bring more than 700-800 dollars easily.
Last edited by moralem; 11-27-2021 at 06:00 PM.
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11-27-2021, 06:52 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by english
What is it about the 1908 380 Colt that attracts collectors attention.....Not many made, or the mystique of the gangster 20s?
Joe
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Probably a little bit of both!
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11-27-2021, 08:02 PM
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They started using Walnut grips in 1924.
Quote:
Originally Posted by moralem
According to the colt website that serial number is dated to 1926 and yes it could have come with walnut grips but more than likely not…..those are appropriate grips for that late of serial number, though it is cutting it close. The colt auto website says those grips ran from serial number 177000 through 455000….so yours is very close. And in that condition with the accoutrements….that gun will bring more than 700-800 dollars easily.
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John Brunner is pretty emphatic about this in his book. So it is pretty unlikely that a gun made in 1926 would not have Walnut grips.
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11-27-2021, 08:37 PM
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the 1908 bring over $1000 .1903 bring under $1000.Most of my 1903's have been $450.to $550 before the panic . Now every thing is up.
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11-27-2021, 08:42 PM
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Love those old Colt pocket guns!
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11-27-2021, 09:07 PM
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Very nice! 
I'm quite fond of the Colt Model M. That's a fine looking gun. 
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but no collection is complete without a .32, .380 and of course the .25 1908.
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I got it covered.
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11-28-2021, 01:14 AM
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In about 1959, dad bought a used 32 for $35. It still had the box and papers. The box had a hardware store tag on it for $17.50, so we assumed it was just before WW II. (Black stock panels)
Ivan
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11-28-2021, 01:46 AM
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I have a couple of 1903 Colts in .32 acp. Both date to around 1935 or so. One is pretty decent and one is strictly shooter grade. Both have the original checkered walnut grips with medallions in good condition. The ones on the shooter grade gun may be the best part of the whole gun 
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11-28-2021, 10:10 AM
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Is John Brunner's book the bible of Colt pistols?......Everything about this 1903 Colt, including the grips, are in excellent condition, and no doubt came in that box........It came from an 83 year old man, who I doubt, messed with it. It came from his Father...........I agree with Moralem's conclusions.
Last edited by english; 11-28-2021 at 03:52 PM.
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11-28-2021, 02:00 PM
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No, it is however the bible of the Colt pocket hammerless guns.
Quote:
Originally Posted by english
Is John Brunner's book the bible of Colt pistols......Everything about this 1903 Colt, including the grips, are in excellent condition, and no doubt came in that box........It came from an 83 year old man, who I doubt, messed with it. It came from his Father...........I agree with Moralem's conclusions.
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Looking further it is noted however that guns shipped to tropical locations continued to be shipped with plastic grips due to wood grips tendency to absorb moisture. You can of course believe whatever you like.
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11-29-2021, 07:02 PM
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Here is my 1903 converted to 380 with Novack sights and giraffe bone grips.
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11-30-2021, 02:14 PM
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I REALLY like your 1903 ! .. It's a beauty. My one and only is an all original 1924 mfg. I like to pull it out when I am watching a "film noir" .... 50/50 chance someone in the movie will be pulling one out of THEIR coat pocket. Mine shoots very well as they almost all do....One of my most favorite "off brand" handguns.
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11-30-2021, 05:57 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Foxtrott
Looking further it is noted however that guns shipped to tropical locations continued to be shipped with plastic grips due to wood grips tendency to absorb moisture. You can of course believe whatever you like.
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The OP’s gun certainly doesn’t appear to have headed to any tropical location 
But hard rubber (not plastic) grips did indeed continue to be a special order option until the end of production, even though checkered wood with medallion was the standard from 1924 on.
It was the same, the other way around, before 1924; while hard rubber was standard, wood grips were available.
If a gun is lettered, this should show up. On Colt letters, “Not Listed” for the stocks means the default type; otherwise it’s noted.
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11-30-2021, 07:00 PM
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Perhaps my favorite Colt auto.
And I own more than a couple of 1911s from Colt too.
But the Model M is special.
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11-30-2021, 07:44 PM
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After belonging to the Colt, S&W. Luger Forums for a number of years, I found the response to questions, presentation, and adds to be outstanding on this Forum. The other Forums are excellent , but this Forum is, again, outstanding.
Just my thoughts.....And thank you for all your comments!
Joe
Last edited by english; 11-30-2021 at 07:48 PM.
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11-30-2021, 08:52 PM
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Correct, hard rubber, not sure why I said plastic.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Absalom
The OP’s gun certainly doesn’t appear to have headed to any tropical location
But hard rubber (not plastic) grips did indeed continue to be a special order option until the end of production, even though checkered wood with medallion was the standard from 1924 on.
It was the same, the other way around, before 1924; while hard rubber was standard, wood grips were available.
If a gun is lettered, this should show up. On Colt letters, “Not Listed” for the stocks means the default type; otherwise it’s noted. |
I know that they did offer other custom options. Looking further it is noted that Wood grips were offered for guns earlier than 1924 but were seldom ordered and found quite rarely and when found were usually smooth with no checkering.
Additionally Brunner makes no mention of hard rubber grips being offered as an option past 1924 other than as noted earlier on guns that were shipped to the tropics. Where they were not offered as an option, but delivered as standard.
I would be interested to know if you have documented information on this as I have more than a passing interest in these guns.
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11-30-2021, 09:39 PM
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I guess you can believe what you want to believe!.......That makes sense!
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12-01-2021, 12:58 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Charlie Foxtrott
….
Additionally Brunner makes no mention of hard rubber grips being offered as an option past 1924 other than as noted earlier on guns that were shipped to the tropics. Where they were not offered as an option, but delivered as standard.
I would be interested to know if you have documented information on this as I have more than a passing interest in these guns.
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Not documentation as such, just a preponderance of the circumstantial evidence.
First, the material continued to be available and used on grips for other models, so it would make little sense not to make it available on this model on special order, especially if they were already keeping them on hand for the tropics-shipped guns.
Second, just searching through forums, auctions, and google-imagery I‘ve so far come across three more post-1924 Models 1903/08 with hard rubber which, like the OP‘s gun, did not look like they went off to the tropics.
Unfortunately, none was lettered, and I have not yet come across the ultimate proof, which would be a post-1924 gun lettered and the letter mentioning rubber.
Lastly, I think just because Brunner does not mention something is insufficient to assume it did not occur.
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02-10-2022, 11:04 AM
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Twins.
These are both .380. The .32 marked one was converted way before my time. The other is a Novak full custom.
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02-10-2022, 12:10 PM
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Got the chance to shoot a cas bud’s C&S .45acp Hammerless a few years ago. A very neat pistol. It had modern sights on it, imo it would have looked better with the traditional sights. I’ve never shot any of the .32-.38 Colt autos.
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02-10-2022, 03:11 PM
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Also this one.
Shown with the 1903 converted.
Last edited by squidsix; 02-10-2022 at 03:13 PM.
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02-10-2022, 03:27 PM
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Occasionally a Red Headed Colt gets my attention.
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02-10-2022, 04:34 PM
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Been after one of those for several years. But the only seem to come in two variations; beat to hell or really expensive. Have yet to find one in the sweet spot.
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02-10-2022, 06:43 PM
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One of mine was really bad. Novak did a great job. Now it is really expensive hahahaha!
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02-13-2022, 03:40 PM
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A trio of beauties!
1908, 1915, and 1926
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