I started carrying this antique mousegun

[sigp220.45]

After years of carrying sensible employer-approved guns like a .45 Sig and a Glock 27, I have begun carrying whatever I want, like this Colt 1903.



The pros: It is flat, absolutely reliable with FMJ ammo, has no recoil, and will drill those little bullets into small groups at 15 yards all day long.

The cons: The safety is small, the sights are small, and the mag release is on the butt. And it is a .32 ACP.



The safety is ok with a little practice, the sights work fine, and I don't even have a spare magazine so I don't care where the release is.

I found the grip safety isn't compatible with trying to shoot with only the pad of my finger on the trigger, which is good since I don't shoot that way. I shove my finger through as far as it will go and pull with the middle. No problem with the grip safety that way.

The caliber doesn't bother me, either. Lots of folks have been laid low by the .32 ACP, and if you believe the various "one shot stop" studies (which I don't) it performs completely out of proportion to its size. At any rate, my days of looking for trouble and shooting at sassy bandits are probably behind me. Nine of those Fiocchi .32s will probably get me out of any jam in which I find myself these days. If not, I'll look cool on the way out.

I needed a holster, so I rooted around the reject drawer and came up with this unmarked Made In Mexico Bianchi cheapie. I'd never used it, and wasn't sure what it fit. The leather was super thin, so in keeping with the flat nature of the little Colt I trimmed away (or crudely chewed) some leather and a match was made.



I didn't trim the back, so as to protect what little finish remains from my sweaty bod.



I've been carrying it for a while now, and have really come to appreciate JMB's design. If I had a zoot suit I could drop it in a pocket, but for now the Bianchi in my waistband works fine.

Oh, I know someone allegedly dropped one on its nose on a concrete floor and somehow the little bullet found its way into his chest and killed him. I have my doubts about the story, but I know untold thousands of non-Series 80 1911's are made that way and people still carry them. I will endeavor not to drop it nonetheless.

Thanks for looking - I hope someone else out there still puts these old timers to work.

 

[M29since14]

I have the little Browning .380. I forget the model... 1910? Talk about questionable sights - and tiny safeties!

I used to drag it with me when going out to dinner in dress clothes. It was about as flat as any gun I had, except for maybe my little TPh in .22. I don't carry it, or any other gun, much any more, but it is still as good as ever. As you said about your Colt - accurate, reliable, and sufficiently powerful. Still capable of doing the job it was designed to do.

 

[rburg]

Can we discuss your term for trimming? Good story, nice ending, but I think you should change the post to read "chewed" a little leather. Better matches the gnaw marks on the holster.bb

 

[ispcapt]

When I was in uniform chasing the bad guys this one rode in the plate pocket of my body armor. 1908. .380. Loaded with Hornady HPs.
I still carry it once in a while.

 

[Mike in Reedley]

I have one from 1927 in 380 and agree, they're awesome. I don't carry mine in a defensive role, since I don't want to bet my life on 89 year old springs and I'm just smart enough to not take it apart past field stripping.

 

[DocB]

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.

 

[dougb1946]

Neat gun. Sandpaper the cut leather smooth. Put a short length of dowel in a hand drill, put some shoe polish on the leather edge, and spin the dowel over it until the wax heats and sets in. A bit of water helps smooth it.

 

[G.T. Smith]

Very nice!

I traded for a 1908 vest pocket .25 a few years back. I shoots great. I did start to wonder if it had ever been detail stripped and just how dirty it might be. I very carefully tore it down to the frame. It was filthy, but like I said it never malfunctioned. Need a good punch to do it. It was made in 1922. I do carry it on occasion just for thinking it may be getting lonely stored away. If they could just talk. Here's mine.
Peace,
Gordon

 

[Wyo]

I never had any interest in those little pistols until a couple of years ago but maybe my advancing age made me appreciate the older designs more. I don't have one of old Colts but I do occasionally carry a Beretta Model 70 in 32 ACP and I feel perfectly well armed. If I'm really feeling like taking a chance I drop a little Belgian Baby Browning .25 in my pocket! Those old Colt pocket pistols are just pure class!

By the way, when are ya coming up here to shoot stuff with Iggy and me and maybe Keith44Spl?

 

[deadin]

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....

 

[Kiwi cop]

A beautiful little gun.

My 1903 is in .32 ACP as well. I have never shot it because here in New Zealand until very recently these guns could only be held on a collectors license with a stipulation that they be disabled. Pistols for club shooting had to be on an "approved" list with a minimum 4 inch (102mm) barrels. I have taken the firing pin out of it as well as in my Browning 1910, also in .32 ACP.

And although the rules have now been relaxed to allow these guns in Classic Pistol matches there are a few wrinkles still to iron out with the authorities on the 4 inch barrel rule.

But the little Astra is a different thing altogether. Modelled on the Walther PPK, again in .32ACP, I am allowed to shoot this one as it is on my Pistol Club license. A sympathetic District Arms Officer transferred it for me a few years ago. I bought it after a marriage breakup as a "cheer me up".

Unfortunately it does not like hard primers and Federal .32 Auto is in short supply in this country. I have the means to reload but have yet to work up a proper load combination. That is a project for a rainy day.

I would love to find another magazine or two for the Astra. Unfortunately they're just not available here and where I can find them for sale online they won"t ship internationally. I understand it is due to export restrictions etc.

 

[Faulkner]

I have one that I bought at a bargain because someone had left it in a sock drawer for 30 years or more. Unfortunately, although the 'up' side was pristine looking the the 'down' side had lost all it's finish. I sent it off and had it bead blasted and Parkerized and then put on a new pair of grips and it's now one of my favorite shooters.

I have several Colt's Model M Pocket Pistols in my collection and I find them all to be very reliable and very accurate. I have on occasion carried mine more out of nostalgia than anything else, but frankly, I have more modern handguns that are just as easy to carry, just as reliable, weight less, and are in a more powerful cartridge that are probably a better choice for concealed carry.

 

[iPac]

That holster looks just like the one I modified for my Detective Special. I ran across a seller on ebay who must have bought a display of Bianchi holsters from a closing gunshop and was selling them cheaply.

I got one just like that for a 3" Detective, and one for a 4" Python. I modified the Detective one to fit my 2" Detectives, and modified the Python one to fit my 2.5" Python with a deeper fit for complete gun coverage protection.

All in all, I have modified 4 holsters to get the better fit and protection I wanted. By the way, nothing wrong with carrying classic steel. I wouldn't carry anything else, but my tastes have my going with revolvers, not autos.

 

[Grayfox]

Ain't it funny how so many of us here think alike?
I'm also an admirer of the Colt Pocket Autos. I've got a 1903 .32, 1908 .380 and a Vest Pocket .25.
I never really gave much thought to carrying them. But since its been brought up, I wouldn't have a problem with it at all.

 

[LVSteve]

I would carry one if I could get one at a sensible price. Instead, I carry a FEG improved PP copy.

 

[chief38]

I own three and absolutely love those old Colts. The problem for me about carrying them is they are really tough to carry SAFELY loaded with a round in the Chamber. The small safety is too easily accidentally pushed off. If carried without a loaded Chamber then the gun requires two hands to bring into action. The last but not least is the small and lightweight caliber. I have one in .380 acp as well, and I am not in the .380 is a good SD caliber camp.

All that aside I truly enjoy shooting the old Colts and love the lines of the gun. They are exceptionally well made, have smooth and light triggers and are quite accurate. The best part is when guys at the Range come over to look at them who have never heard of or seen one. They are amazed at those old Colts.

 

[AJ]

Good gun, glad to see it still has some life to it. These deserve better than they usually get.

 

[petepeterson]

That holster looks just like the one I modified for my Detective Special. I ran across a seller on ebay who must have bought a display of Bianchi holsters from a closing gunshop and was selling them cheaply.

I got one just like that for a 3" Detective, and one for a 4" Python. I modified the Detective one to fit my 2" Detectives, and modified the Python one to fit my 2.5" Python with a deeper fit for complete gun coverage protection.

All in all, I have modified 4 holsters to get the better fit and protection I wanted. By the way, nothing wrong with carrying classic steel. I wouldn't carry anything else, but my tastes have my going with revolvers, not autos.

I use that holster (one model or another) for almost all of my carry guns. It adds very little to the thickness of the gun, and you can "trim" to what you need.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Boy this thread brought a lot of guys "out of the closet"....LOL admitting to carrying a .32.........and not a "teeny tiny" .32 but a big old .32,,,

Don't have one; but always thought they were neat guns...... slim and classy.

If I could find one at a "good" price...... I would be sorely tempted!!!!

Till then the best I can do for a "Tux gun" are a couple of PPKs in .380 and .32.

 

[federali]

Nice Gun

I enjoy seeing old guns returned to service. As the OP mentioned, these old guns work best with ball ammo. A possible compromise would be to carry a JHP up the tube while loading ball in the magazine. Ain't no law against that.