1903 Colt

[english]

I acquired this from a dealer friend of mine, and it will make a nice addition to my Pocket pistol collection. The cost was 425 which I thought was a steal at that price. the one MOP grips has a crack but hardly noticeable; I really don't care....Just glad to have it. ( The finish is the exact same as the other 1903 and 1908s..... I own 8 altogether.
I also acquired the (Prewar) Army Belgium H.P. from the same dealer...(Tangent sight, stock lug) price 1300
Thanks for looking,
Joe

 

[leonardocarrillo]

Muy lindas sus armas.Esa Colt se vé muy bien,en mi pais(Argentina)se pueden conseguir por $350 a $500 dependiendo de su estado de conservacion.
Su Browning HP me gusta mucho,seria fantastico si pudiera conseguir la culata para esa pistola.
Exelentes compras,lo felicito.
Perdon que escribo en español pero no hablo ingles.
Gracias-

 

[jmace57]

I agree with Leonardo - they are beautiful. I would guess here, that 1903 would be worth at LEAST $600 - with the factory MOP grips. Has it been refinished? I can't tell. If that's original finish, even more. Really nice HP as well!!!

 

[Gene L]

The grips are probably worth $200. To me, it looks refinished, not that it matters.

 

[HardToHandle]

Total steal @$400 and change. Recently I picked up a 1921 manufacture for $550 and was happy with the price. 1903’s in my area have been increasing price at least 10% a year for the last half decade.

 

[les.b]

Those forward facing medallions are very scarce. The guys ove on the Colt forum would love to see them... Go to the "Hammerless" thread....

Best Regards, Les

 

[raljr1]

That Colt at $425 is a steal. I never see any that nice for prices anywhere near that. Mostly they are asking north of $800, and often higher.

 

[Early Bird Dave]

This one was my grandfather's. He was law enforcement when all the young men went to war during World War II. Kalamazoo Michigan Police.
I was told this was his off duty backup weapon. Notice very early serial number. Bluing, what Bluing!

 

[Kurusu]

Those forward facing medallions are very scarce. The guys ove on the Colt forum would love to see them... Go to the "Hammerless" thread....

Best Regards, Les

Yeah! Do what Les said.

 

[Kurusu]

I acquired this from a dealer friend of mine, and it will make a nice addition to my Pocket pistol collection. The cost was 425 which I thought was a steal at that price. the one MOP grips has a crack but hardly noticeable; I really don't care....Just glad to have it. ( The finish is the exact same as the other 1903 and 1908s..... I own 8 altogether.
I also acquired the (Prewar) Army Belgium H.P. from the same dealer...(Tangent sight, stock lug) price 1300
Thanks for looking,
Joe

It is I who thank you for sharing.

Me. I only have one Colt model M, not nearly as good looking as yours.

But I got a good excuse. Mine went through WWI. 1916 made Belgian (of all people) contract.

 

[Absalom]

This one was my grandfather's. He was law enforcement when all the young men went to war during World War II. Kalamazoo Michigan Police.
I was told this was his off duty backup weapon. Notice very early serial number. Bluing, what Bluing!

You wonder what level of use just rubbed that bluing off over time.

I've got one like that too. Not quite as early, shipped 1917, and no cool story with it like yours. Went to a wholesaler in Wisconsin.

No sign of corrosion or neglect, smooth functioning, but the blue finish just gone, except for some brown patina in nooks and crannies.

 

[PALADIN85020]

There were TWO types of 1903 Colts!

It's not generally known, but there were actually two types of 1903 Colts. Both were John Browning creations.

Here's the first, the 1903 Pocket Automatic, in 32 ACP; this one dates to 1918:

And here's the second: the 1903 Pocket Hammer in 38 ACP; this one dating to 1913:

Interesting fact!

John

 

[chief38]

I've got 3 of the M Series Pocket Pistols. One in .380 acp, one in .32 acp and a .25 acp to complete the package. I do shoot each of them at least once or twice a year and absolutely love them. Most of the Mag's I have are the two tone originals but I have a few Plain Jane versions too. I NEVER remember having a single malfunction with any of them!

 

[walter o]

This is the best of mine the others are plain

these are the others

 

[Kurusu]

It's not generally known, but there were actually two types of 1903 Colts. Both were John Browning creations.

Here's the first, the 1903 Pocket Automatic, in 32 ACP; this one dates to 1918:

And here's the second: the 1903 Pocket Hammer in 38 ACP; this one dating to 1913:

Interesting fact!

John

And of course there is "the other" JMB 1903, but it isn't a Colt.


The very same design was used by Colt and FN, Colt made a pocket pistol and FN made a full size military pistol.

Mine is not an FN. It's a licensed copy by Husqvarna made in 1917.

Edit. I understand that the majority of these pistols that were exported to the US were converted to .380ACP, but the original caliber is 9x20 Browning Long which is only slightly less powerfull than the 9mm Luger.

 

[vrichard]

Here is also a early type 1,4 in.barrel.ser,#7228.
Dick

 

[robertrwalsh]

FYI, the people who make the New 1903 pistols will sell magazines. I have bought several, they work great and cost about what the junk generic manufacture magazines cost.

 

[walter o]

Yes they do make mags that are good .Watch out for some auction sellers ,they are buying the new production mags and chemically stripping the blue off the top and selling them as original old COLT two tone mags.

 

[Absalom]

And of course there is "the other" JMB 1903, but it isn't a Colt.


The very same design was used by Colt and FN, Colt made a pocket pistol and FN made a full size military pistol.

Mine is not an FN. It's a licensed copy by Husqvarna made in 1917.
.....

Edit. I understand that the majority of these pistols that were exported to the US were converted to .380ACP, but the original caliber is 9x20 Browning Long which is only slightly less powerfull than the 9mm Luger.

This, by the way, appears to be the reason Colt did not pick up its option on J.M. Browning's next major new design, which became the FN 1910, the main step forward being the recoil spring wrapped around the barrel resulting in a much more compact pistol.

Colt had taken the 1903 design and established itself in the compact pistol market with the .32/.380 version. FN had not, and was still serving that market segment with the FN 1900, which was getting a bit long in the tooth.

So when the 1910 design came along, FN needed a new compact pistol. Colt didn't. The rest, as they say, is history.

 

[les.b]

Well....I guess I should show my one and only Model M...along with a nice Eubanks holster gifted me by a very generous forum member...

And I echo robertwalsh's recommendation on the very nice magazines made up by the company currently manufacturing the new model Ms. They look and function beautifully, and are reasonably priced.

Best Regards, Les

 

[italiansport]

Here's a couple of my favorites!! Both are essentially brand new in the box!
Jim

 

[jmace57]

Since we're showing off a little...here are my 3 best. I have another couple that are a little rougher.

 

[Wyo]

I have this one built in 1931, I think. Bought it from a forum member. It had been in his family for years. I’m told it had fired two mags of ammo during its years in the sock drawer. I fired one more mag, it worked fine and I put it away. I really don’t have any qualms about shooting it, though, and I should get it out more often. It really is fun!

 

[PALADIN85020]

I own a couple of early Colt Model 1903 pocket pistols. The one I prize once belonged to legendary lawman Harry Wheeler. He worked his way up through the ranks of the Arizona Rangers to become its Captain. He then became Sheriff of Cochise County, Arizona, and as such, ramrodded the Bisbee Deportation (look it up!). Next he accepted a captaincy in the U.S. Army and, while passing through Baltimore on his way to go overseas for WWI, he bought this pistol. He had it stamped with his name and rank on the frame, and scratched his name inside the grips.

He died at the age of 50 in 1925. He is buried in the Evergreen cemetery in Bisbee, Arizona, just yards from my own maternal grandparents' graves.

The badges pictured are of course reproductions, but the gun is the real deal.

John

(Click on it to see a larger picture)

 

[Charlie Foxtrott]

I have three 1903s and a 1908.

And I happened upon John Brunner's book on them, complete with dust cover not too long ago. And another endorsement for US armaments magazines for the 03s. They are supposed to be coming out with an 08 at some point. I should try and get a better picture.

 

[turnerriver]

An obviously good friend gave me this one. I run into a lot of holsters for the Colt Pocket Auto, it was a very popular gun and one frequently carried for decades.
Regards,
turnerriver

 

[Qc Pistolero]

While I ain't no spring chicken myself,I've heard of a few and read from many old folks that they were liked a lot.
And somebody please correct me if I'm wrong but I think I've read somewhere that Gen Patton once carried one.
If that is true,what an endorsement!

 

[dandyrandy]

Interesting to note that I consider the Colt 1903 pistol to be a "striker fired" pistol style. Many people carried that old Colt with no problems at all but now the modern day "stricker" gun is a big issue to carry??? I dont get it...

 

[bigl1911]

This is a 380 picked up recently. Important note early type 1 variations had a barrel bushing as is the case with this one. This gun was factory inscribed delivered to Metropolitan Parks Commission. The first police contract semi-auto..

 

[Kurusu]

Interesting to note that I consider the Colt 1903 pistol to be a "striker fired" pistol style. Many people carried that old Colt with no problems at all but now the modern day "stricker" gun is a big issue to carry??? I dont get it...

Well, you consider it wrong. They are hammer fired. It's just they have a concealed hammer.