Congratulations on your new acquisition. I think the 1903 .32 auto is the nicest .32 auto ever made. I have one and a 1908 .25 auto. When I get rich I will get a 1908 in .380. Larry
Finally got a 1903 Colt Pocket Hammerless
- Thread starter sigp220.45
- Start date
sigp if I'm not mistaken your early model with the barrel bushing has
a 4" barrel. The barrel length was reduced to 3 3/4" in later versions.
I've got a pretty decent model 03 .32 auto that I bought around 15 yrs
ago when prices were still pretty reasonable. Prices for these things
just keep climbing. I'd like to have one in .380 but I don't expect to
ever find one at any reasonable price.
a 4" barrel. The barrel length was reduced to 3 3/4" in later versions.
I've got a pretty decent model 03 .32 auto that I bought around 15 yrs
ago when prices were still pretty reasonable. Prices for these things
just keep climbing. I'd like to have one in .380 but I don't expect to
ever find one at any reasonable price.
I like mine a lot. I have two. This one's from 1916
Been using it for CCW lately. Doubt if I need more gun, really...
This is my nicer one from 1909
I recommend a set of aftermarket grips if you're going to shoot it as the original rubber ones can be fragile
Nice Colt! I am a lifelong fan; my Dad's off duty was the similar Colt 1908 Pocket in .380ACP. He had no idea how old it was, he purchased it used in the early 60's and carried it until retirement. I have it now, it is worn and pitted (Dad is a Marine but not a gun guy) and shoot it once and a while. Sometimes I consider carrying it out to dinner.
Attachments
A shooter with little finish and correct magazine I think you would be looking at around 400.00ish..... Maybe a bit less if you spend time looking. This is based on what I have been seeing on GB recently. Prices are all over the place and going up it seems. Be patient and you may find a nice one locally for around that price.
CScott
Member
I got mine from my mother. When she was about 93 years old she realized that she couldn't remember how it worked. I showed her but her hands were too weak. So she wanted me to give it to my son, which I might do someday. . .
Anyway, it's in great shape and when I take it out and "limber it up some", I remember my mom quite well. She called it her "38".
Anyway, it's in great shape and when I take it out and "limber it up some", I remember my mom quite well. She called it her "38".
It just tickles me how whenever a post about these 1903's is done somewhere, it always attracts a lot of posts from people that either have one or want one... amazing how much staying power these little pistols have maintained.
Too bad Colt's reintroduction is a pricey rendition of a government issue "officers gun", instead of a reasonably priced, humble, John Q. Public edition, otherwise I'd snap one of the new ones up in a second, and give my original a chance for an occasional rest... I'd feel a lot better about sending a Buffalo Bore load down range from a new gun than out of one from 1918, which is why I've yet to do so.
Although, it is rumored that after the parkerized military version, they plan to produce a blued version... hopefully, less expensive. I think with the original military versions being so rare, they decided to make these in equally low numbers to ensure that it doesn't affect the premium on the originals.
I'm hoping the opposite will occur with the blued commercial model being so "common".
Sigh... back from dreamland, I keep forgetting... I'm in California, no chance in getting any new issue of a semi-auto pistol due to our current laws.
Too bad Colt's reintroduction is a pricey rendition of a government issue "officers gun", instead of a reasonably priced, humble, John Q. Public edition, otherwise I'd snap one of the new ones up in a second, and give my original a chance for an occasional rest... I'd feel a lot better about sending a Buffalo Bore load down range from a new gun than out of one from 1918, which is why I've yet to do so.
Although, it is rumored that after the parkerized military version, they plan to produce a blued version... hopefully, less expensive. I think with the original military versions being so rare, they decided to make these in equally low numbers to ensure that it doesn't affect the premium on the originals.
I'm hoping the opposite will occur with the blued commercial model being so "common".
Sigh... back from dreamland, I keep forgetting... I'm in California, no chance in getting any new issue of a semi-auto pistol due to our current laws.
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Old Corp
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jmace57
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For what it's worth, at one time I had a dozen 1903s. The aftermarket mags worked in two of them, and were jam-o-matics in 10 of them.
LoadedRound
Member
Awesome!
Congratulations. A timeless, elegant weapon. Hope to have one myself someday.
Congratulations. A timeless, elegant weapon. Hope to have one myself someday.
John F.
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"Although, it is rumored that after the parkerized military version, they plan to produce a blued version... hopefully, less expensive. I think with the original military versions being so rare, they decided to make these in equally low numbers to ensure that it doesn't affect the premium on the originals.
I'm hoping the opposite will occur with the blued commercial model being so "common"
Colt did something similar with their WW1 Repro 1911's, which were very well detailed -- proper inspector's stamps throughout, very nicely fit and finished. They started with a limited edition of between 3,000 and 4,000 that were Carbona blued, and very handsome indeed. They omitted one step that the originals had, which significantly impacted their appearance vs the originals. They did not polish the slide flats after roll-marking, which would have eliminated the "puddled-up" metal raised around the lettering by the stamping process, as was done on the originals. That, and their "diamond" grips weren't nearly authentic. Otherwise, they did quite well.
They then introduced another run of them, this time in the less-expensive, modern hot blue, which they justified by calling them repros of the late-war "Black Army's." The Black Army 1911's (original)
were not hot-blued, but had significantly less metal polishing to hurry production due to wartime needs.
Colt does not have the facilities to do their original, old finishes, such as furnace blue, etc. They had to contract out the "Carbona" blue repros to a restoration shop for final finish. That had to have raised the expense.
When I saw they chose to produce this repro as a Parkerized "Military Issue" pistol, I figured that simplified their production and lowered costs significantly. I'm guessing a run of blue ones will follow. Hopefully, they will be carbona blue, but if so, they won't be cheaper. Also, the WW1 repros did not have anything like the exquisite polish of the Colt pocket autos. If they do the blue ones right, the extra polish is going to cost.
At first, I couldn't figure out why they chose to do the .32 ACP first, as people really want the .380's. (IIRC, there were 535,000 orig. .32's made, vs. c. 130,000 .380's.) Then it hit me: Sell all the .32's you can, and THEN make a run of .380's! If they offered .380's at first, I fear they'd likely sell only a few .32's.
I don't see these pistols doing much to affect demand/price for the originals, myself. The repros had no effect on the original WW1 1911's.
The price is going to be high enough to preclude all but enthusiasts from buying them. Personally, I'll stick to the originals, although these may be very nice pistols, indeed!
John
I'm hoping the opposite will occur with the blued commercial model being so "common"
Colt did something similar with their WW1 Repro 1911's, which were very well detailed -- proper inspector's stamps throughout, very nicely fit and finished. They started with a limited edition of between 3,000 and 4,000 that were Carbona blued, and very handsome indeed. They omitted one step that the originals had, which significantly impacted their appearance vs the originals. They did not polish the slide flats after roll-marking, which would have eliminated the "puddled-up" metal raised around the lettering by the stamping process, as was done on the originals. That, and their "diamond" grips weren't nearly authentic. Otherwise, they did quite well.
They then introduced another run of them, this time in the less-expensive, modern hot blue, which they justified by calling them repros of the late-war "Black Army's." The Black Army 1911's (original)
were not hot-blued, but had significantly less metal polishing to hurry production due to wartime needs.
Colt does not have the facilities to do their original, old finishes, such as furnace blue, etc. They had to contract out the "Carbona" blue repros to a restoration shop for final finish. That had to have raised the expense.
When I saw they chose to produce this repro as a Parkerized "Military Issue" pistol, I figured that simplified their production and lowered costs significantly. I'm guessing a run of blue ones will follow. Hopefully, they will be carbona blue, but if so, they won't be cheaper. Also, the WW1 repros did not have anything like the exquisite polish of the Colt pocket autos. If they do the blue ones right, the extra polish is going to cost.
At first, I couldn't figure out why they chose to do the .32 ACP first, as people really want the .380's. (IIRC, there were 535,000 orig. .32's made, vs. c. 130,000 .380's.) Then it hit me: Sell all the .32's you can, and THEN make a run of .380's! If they offered .380's at first, I fear they'd likely sell only a few .32's.
I don't see these pistols doing much to affect demand/price for the originals, myself. The repros had no effect on the original WW1 1911's.
The price is going to be high enough to preclude all but enthusiasts from buying them. Personally, I'll stick to the originals, although these may be very nice pistols, indeed!
John
Yep... I agree with your assessment of the "repro" 1903's, it sure does make sense to do the .32 acp's first, when one thinks of the reason you gave.
If they were ever to become more reasonably priced, and I'm relocated out of CA to some where that doesn't require new semi-auto pistols to micro engrave their S/N's on fired cases, I would want a new one, as I've become apprehensive about how much longer my 1918 produced 1903 is going to hold up, with it's 100th anniversary only a few years away.
Shorty 45 MK2
Member
Late to the party, but congrats! 
They are cool "little" guns and would love to own one someday.
They are cool "little" guns and would love to own one someday.
ron farmer
Member
I am a fan.
The newly manufactured 1903's are actually not made by Colt's. They are manufactured in Pennsylvania by US Armament Corp. I was on the waiting list to get one but decided against doing so. For that amount of money I will remain happy with the one I have or even perhaps get another original. I would have gone to bat at $1K, but even then I am getting old enough that I may not live long enough to see an appreciation in value. And I probably would have taken it out to shoot it which would have decreased the value to the collectors. They do look nice, but I am certain that matching the quality of the old originals has proven to be quite a task.
I have one of each and never fired either one...the 32 is unfired, so I probably never will shoot that one. I have to say one thing about John Browning...the cat must have had magnificent eyesight, because every handgun he designed had those tiny little micro sights. Maybe the old saying, "aim small, miss small" was on his mind. And maybe he really did make the sights this way...everyone that does shoot one of these pistols always remarks about how accurate they are.
Edit: There is one other thing that everyone remarks about these pistols...how difficult they are to put back together if you completely dissassemble one.
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Faulkner
Member
One of my 1903's, this one manufactured in 1927.
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