I started carrying this antique mousegun

[Lee's Landing Billy]

I have a blue ANIB and a nickel and pearl that is WAY NOT anib. If you send it to Wayne Novak he does a great job of putting a SMALL Novak sight set up and also has an extended safety that is JUST big enough to use and not big enough to scratch you.

 

[Arik]

Totally gangsta!

Gotta change your name to SigACP.32!

I've handled a few at gun stores but like you said, the grips are way to skinny to properly hold and engage the safety. But that's irrelevant since some know it all designer decided to put the thumb safety on the wrong side of the gun!

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

 

[Faulkner]

All of you boys that are concerned about carrying a Colt Pocket Pistol safely these days need to read the advertising for them from back in the day. Why, they're safe enough to sleep with under the pillow.

Have we modern gun guys become a bunch of sissies?

 

[Guevera]

With a coat this big, this motorist could have concealed a trench mortar, but instead carried his Colt, "a necessary part of an automobile equipment."

As much as I love my Pocket Hammerless, I have other, better choices to carry these days. Were it my only pistol, though, I'd be perfectly confident in carrying it. To me the pistol is the essence of technology and design (circa 1930).

 

[petepeterson]

With a coat this big, this motorist could have concealed a trench mortar, but instead carried his Colt, "a necessary part of an automobile equipment."

As much as I love my Pocket Hammerless, I have other, better choices to carry these days. Were it my only pistol, though, I'd be perfectly confident in carrying it. To me the pistol is the essence of technology and design (circa 1930).

That is a beautiful pistol. Congrats.

 

[tompehret]

I have 2, an '03 .32 and an '08 .380. Both appear to be shot little but the .32 has some finish wear. The .380 looks like it spent its life in a sock drawer. I picked up a used IWB clip on holster (made for them) somewhere. The metal clip won't fit over my Bullhide belt but grips the waistband of my Levi's just fine. If I own a gun, I like to have a holster for it even if it's rarely carried. And once in a while I carry them, usually when my wife makes me get dressed up. (Levi's count as dress up in NM.)
I've heard the "old spring" argument and get it. But sometimes these old Colts fit and feel just right. Know what I mean?

 

[Qball]

This one I wish could talk... It came off of an 1890's homestead in North-Eastern Washington near a little town called Addy.. It's been ridden hard and put away wet, but I would bet it has tales to tell....

It still shoots flawlessly....

Nice.. One have to earn a finish like that.
Never ever reblue it, please.

 

[walter o]

I don't think you can beat a J.M.Browning design so i gathered a few

Just found another 1903 .2 of those pictured are 1908 -.380

 

[27 Man]

My Browning 1910 in .380 and my Colt '03 in .32 are my classic concealed pistols from another era. My current concealed carry consists of an air weight bodyguard or a PPK in .380. Great guns all.

 

[billwill]

The Colt is a superior design. Nothing feels as good in you hand as a 1903. Love the line in the ad...."Why not equip your car with a Colt?"

Still true today!

 

[Ozark Marine]

This one I wish could talk... It came off of an 1890's homestead in North-Eastern Washington near a little town called Addy.. It's been ridden hard and put away wet, but I would bet it has tales to tell....

It still shoots flawlessly....

Nice 5 digit Colt. Made in 1905. I have 3, and my oldest is 1912. Have been looking for older 1903's but they are rare. Do you have a "half tone" mag?

 

[jimmyj]

In my USCG days a shipmate bought a Colt .380 into the armory and ask if we could detail strip it and clean it. No one had ever stripped one before, but heck, it probably is similarly to a Model 1911 just with an enclosed hammer. So we stripped it, cleaned it, and reassembled it. Then we took it out to the range to test fire it. when the trigger was pulled ***** FULL AUTO !! The shipmate had some choice words about idiot Gunners Mates, plus our questionable family tree and left. We were the topic of conversation at the E.M club for many days.

 

[Ozark Marine]

In my USCG days a shipmate bought a Colt .380 into the armory and ask if we could detail strip it and clean it. No one had ever stripped one before, but heck, it probably is similarly to a Model 1911 just with an enclosed hammer. So we stripped it, cleaned it, and reassembled it. Then we took it out to the range to test fire it. when the trigger was pulled ***** FULL AUTO !! The shipmate had some choice words about idiot Gunners Mates, plus our questionable family tree and left. We were the topic of conversation at the E.M club for many days.

Would ya mind "cleaning" my shooter Colt M1903 .32ACP?

 

[Texas Star]

All of you boys that are concerned about carrying a Colt Pocket Pistol safely these days need to read the advertising for them from back in the day. Why, they're safe enough to sleep with under the pillow.

Have we modern gun guys become a bunch of sissies?

Note that this ad is from, "Cosmopolitan." Evidently, before Helen Gurley Brown took over as editor there, they were more gun friendly! The editorial content was likely much different, too, not a racy women's magazine.


I like the old Colt Models M nd N and would buy one if I could afford it. I would look for a really clean one, though.


About those old springs...does Wolff or anyone else make good replacement springs?


I saw the post above about the Model 1903 .38 Auto. I believe the Roosevelt brothers carried those on their Asiatic expeditions. They wanted the guns to wear concealed while trying to seem innocent/unarmed when meeting Asian officials.


The cartridge for those was later (1929) given a heavier powder charge and named the .38 Super. I think it'd have been more popular had they made the barrels to headspace on the case mouth. The small semi-rim was not large enough for headspacing consistency from one shot to the next, and accuracy was poor.


Many years ago, I rummaged through old issues of, American Rifleman at the library. I found an article on the Colt .32 auto as an outdoorsman's gun. The author noted the excellent accuracy. But I'm not sure the cartridge would reliably stop even a jackrabbit, with FMJ ammo. But that ammo might kill a deer, if well placed. Not at all sure that it would kill a bear.

 

[G.T. Smith]

All of you boys that are concerned about carrying a Colt Pocket Pistol safely these days need to read the advertising for them from back in the day. Why, they're safe enough to sleep with under the pillow.

Have we modern gun guys become a bunch of sissies?

I've been sleeping with a gun under my pillow, or under the covers for a lot of years. I also have the Teddy bear and a little rabbit named "cotton candy" that my grandaughter gave me a couple years ago. I know they feel safer.
Peace,
Gordon

 

[eveled]

Mine is from the teens and in 38 Auto. I've never carried it because the springs really are a little old and weak, but it has always shot well. It's a cool gun. A model of 1903 (I think) and made around 1914. Every time I post a photo of this gun, somebody wants to buy it. A LGS here is up to $850, but I kind of like it. I purchased it back in the early 1980's for $85 which was a ton of money for me back then, but I had never seen anything like it out for sale.

Nice gun, the top of the grip is interesting. It looks like an eye. I've never noticed that on any other Colts.

 

[italiansport]

I have several but here's one of my favorites. I bought this off a walkin at a gun show a few years back. It's in essentially brand new condition and I doubt it's had a full box of ammo thru it in its lifetime.
Note: The boxes for these are IMO extremely rare.
Jim

 

[Texas Star]

Doesn't anyone here have a later one with walnut grips?


I know that at least one member has an engraved blue one with ivory grips.


My father and my uncle owned one each, both the earlier sort seen here, with hard rubber (?) grips. I never got to shoot either.

 

[M1Garandy]

About those old springs...does Wolff or anyone else make good replacement springs?

Indeed they do: https://www.gunsprings.com/COLT/190...AMMERLESS <BR> .32 & .380 ACP/cID1/mID1/dID71

 

[sigp220.45]

This came today, addressed to my wife. I suspect there will be a heavy little package under the tree for me.

Or maybe she sneaked a .32 of her own into the house.