Finally got a 1903 Colt Pocket Hammerless

[Joe Kent]

A very neat pistol from another age. One can never have too many. A great find. Sigp220.45 as an interesting side note, my first one came from Frank's a long time ago.

 

[tinstarfirearms]

I picked up a 3rd model lately with the original factory, two toned magazine. I also purchased two replacement magazines from US Armaments which is the company making the modern reproduction of the 1903. The magazines do not look like the factory Colt but they lock in and load just fine. I have no complaints about them especially at the $25 price tag. As as aside, their website checkout would not work for me and I had to make a phone call to order. Also the bottom of the mags are not stamped with the caliber or Colt like they say they are so that may put some people off.

Andrew

 

[DGT]

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.

I can attest to that. I've had mine apart a couple of times and reassembling one is a real pain.

 

[msinc]

Yep, a while back {about a year and a half or so} somebody posted a link on here that was a really good tutorial about reassembly....mine would still be in a box apart if not for that!!!!

 

[2152hq]

Nice pistols! The 1903/08 is a classic for sure. Everyone should at least get to fire one.
The very first one I bought was in the late 60's. A 32cal in about 75% condition from a local shop. The price was $29.95. I flirted at the time with buying the like new Savage 32 w/thebox next to it for the same price but figured the Colt was the better of the two.

Lots of them since have come and gone. The last one was a 1908/380 someone heavily polished and reblued but it had nice ivory grips on it. Bought it right, repolished it back to square, engraved & inlayed it.
Sold that one too.
I had a problem shooting the '03s the last few years,,not gripping them tight enough to disengage the grip safety. These and a couple other pocket pistols like the FNs.
So it's probably just as well I don't have one and try to work with it.

Yes they can be a bear to re-assemble if you don't know the procedure.

 

[S&WIowegan]

I bought one in 1964...

..a used 1903 from an old time gun shop in Illinois. I was working while Uncle Sam took his time inducting me into his Army. I also had a Ruger Standard model 22 LR. I tried shooting tin cans off fence posts at 15 yds. with the 32 like I did with the Ruger. I don't think I hit a can and quickly traded it off. We all tend to think ammo was cheap back then but it wasn't compared to wages at the time.

Now that I'm an OF with money I have a pristine 1903 and a shooter one also. I have also acquired a nickel 1908 that came with MOP stocks. If you get one with pearl stocks I suggest not using them while shooting. Mine were very fragile and flaked off lots of pearl.

Oh ...and the sights haven't gotten easier to see.

I watch old 30s-40s gangster movies and 1903s are quite common. Bogart, Robinson and Ladd were little fellas and 1903s fit their hands.

 

[sigp220.45]

I finally got to the range to try this old-timer out.

I did ok once I got used to the tiny sights. The target was provided by my buddy and I was having a hard time grouping on the bug monster, so I dialed in on the moon and let fly at 25 yards, the max distance on the indoor range.



It was a joy to shoot. No malfunctions at all in 50 rounds of Fiocchi ball, and the recoil was slight to the point of being non-existent.

Its a keeper.

 

[JH1951]

Here is a breath of life to the Colt 1903 thread.
One of mine in its proper box:

 

[italiansport]

Twins:
yes I am blessed with two of them virtually brand new 1903s in their original numbered factory boxes. The one on the left was made in 1919 and the one on the right in 1921. I have the original Bill Of Sale for the one on the left to a French Canadian police officer and I also have his pistol permit in French.
Jim