Colt 1903 Detailed Reassembly – The Difficult Parts

[Gunhacker]

I think a Sainthood is in order here!!

Another happy, happy M 1903 owner weighing in. Now... if I could only find info as good as that for an ancient Stevens 235 SxS shotgun

 

[LVSteve]

As we say in England, "What a palaver!"

 

[Cpo1944]

Hi Bob I tried to thank you once before ,but don`t know if you received it, so here goes again.
You saved my bacon when I tried to repair a friends .380. I NEVER would have gotten it back together with out your excellent tutorial. Many thanks for a job very well done.
Jack

 

[Bob Smalser]

Thanks for the nice comments, gentlemen.

I come from a long line of craftsmen (the Newhart-Moll-Kuntz line of "golden age" gunmakers) and like to document these skills for a book I'm preparing for my grandchildren. Posting the drafts in user forums provides me much better feedback for clarity revisions than any editor.

Tools and Wood with Bob Smalser

 

[billwill]

My 1903 in .380 is a beautiful piece. Wish they made something like that today. The 1903 is a great carry size.

THanks for the detail info...great stuff.

 

[Recoil Rob]

Bob,

I may be a bit late to the party but I have a Type 1 (s/n 533XX) that is gunked up (probably has never been cleaned since it was made in 1908) and needs to be taken completely down and cleaned. I have an ultrasonic bath to clean it and your tutorial to get it back together.

I would be interested to know your thoughts on where to use gun grease (I use Brownells Action Lube) and where to use oil.

Also about the magazine take down? Just move the follower or any special instructions?


thanks,

Rob

 

[Bob Smalser]

I tend to use grease on the high-friction areas like the tip of the disconnector, and oil everywhere else...although I don't believe either way is critical with this pistol.

The Smith Safety Hammerless revolver is the only pistol I can think of that I've had react badly to modern lubes. They can be too slick to use the trigger to "cock" the internal hammer.

 

[civil1977]

Bob,

Great post! I too am a fan of the Colt 1903s and this post will definately come in handy in the future. Great photos too.

 

[Recoil Rob]

I didn't take mine down completely, rather I field stripped it, put it in an heated ultrasonic bath, then clean boiling water, compressed air, water displacing oil and then let it sit in ATF. More compressed air, grease and oil on appropriate spots, reassembled and shot. What a fun gun to shoot! Mine was pretty accurate even though the grooves were frosty.

Taking it out again next week and will shoot from rest to see how good we really are.

Thanks to Bob for his help.

 

[williamr]

Reassembly Tip

One thing I didn't notice in this excellent reassembly advice for the 1903 Colt is the fact that you can not finally, fully insert the combination safety knob/hammer axis pin into the frame UNLESS THE HAMMER IS COCKED. In other words, after you wiggle the safety pin to start it into the frame, but get it most of the way in, you THEN have to cock the hammer, since the safety only installs through the enlarged cutout in the frame when it is in the "up" or "safe" position, and it only will do that if the hammer is cocked. Additionally, I found the hammer hard to hold and push into position against the mainspring pressure, until I used vise-grip pliers on the top of the hammer (and no, the pliers didn't mar the hardened steel hammer).

 

[1sg]

What a very informative post; thanks much!

 

[first-model]

This post will be very useful when I reassemble the 1903 Pocket Hammerless that I picked up this weekend past in Louisiana.

Mike

 

[TNExposure]

Colt 1903 Repair?

Hello,

I have my dad's "Pocket Colt .32" or Colt 1903. We have not used this pistol for a while because it will fire after releasing the slide. Any suggestions on how to repair? Thanks.

 

[H Richard]

This again confirmed my opinion to "NOT" disassemble mine beyond field strip. A spray can of parts/brake cleaner and some fresh break free and some compressed air will have to suffice.

 

[jimmyj]

ONE QUESTION :
Where were you in 1958 ??
Long story, short: a USCG buddy bought a Colt .380 to the armory to strip and clean. We did disassemble , cleaned, and reassembled. Then took it out to the testing range to test fire. Inserted full magazine, aimed, squeezed the trigger, and FULL AUTOMATIC !! (diaper change time). He wrapped it in a cloth, took it home, and hide it away.

 

[olgandalf]

I just found this fine thread yesterday. I'd had to disassemble my 1903 because of a jam with a live round in the chamber. That's all taken care of safely! But I must be doing something wrong in reassembly. With the mainspring and grip safety installed with a thin slave pin, The long thin end of the mainspring extends higher than the hole for the slide safety. as a result it seems impossible to push the hammer down enough for the hole in it to line up at all with the holes in the frame. Or am I just a 90 pound weakling?!

 

[olgandalf]

I solved the problem of the mainspring extending too far by seating the tabs on the shorter leaf in the rounded slots in the grip, rather than trying to insert the mainspring and grip safety as a unit. I have a slave pin anchoring the bottom of the grip safety and have a cord tourniquet squeezing the trigger and grip safety. I still cannot exert enough force on the hammer to align its hole with those on the frame.

 

[Hair Trigger]

Really great tutorial. Hope I never have to use it. I didn't read where you said what version/series this 1903 is. You don't mention a magazine disconnect (different from 'disconnector'). My 1903 was made in 1943 and has the magazine disconnect. At what place in the reassembly do you have to address that part?

I only take mine out rarely; I enjoy shooting it, but the gun's value is great enough I don't want anything happening to it. I was given it by my Stepdad, it was his brother's service issue during WWII.

 

[olgandalf]

I'm still unsuccessful. I'm using the wooden clamping top of my sears workbench as a substitute for my weak grip. Several times I've gotten a small then a larger slave pin through frame and hammer, but can't get the hole wide enough for the slide safety pin. Adjusting the cranks of the workbench top variably moves the slave pin (and the hole) up or down but never enough toward the muzzle for the hole to get large enough.

 

[olgandalf]

Gave up and took it to local gunsmith. He called back in an hour: done. Well worth the $20! He said I had the disconnector in backward.