I have had this gun for about 10 years I bought it at a local auction. It was in a ratty shadow box frame it was in the frame with the ejection port side up so I had no idea that it was a Colt. The funny thing was there was several nice prewar Colt 1911's that brought big money. When this one came up I decided to bid on it as it was interesting to me. I set myself a limit of $300 only me, and one other person bid on it my total out the door was $290. When I got home, and got it out of the frame, and started researching it I realized I had something special. It is certainly no prize winner in the looks department, but is probably one of my favorite guns. With such a low number produced it is the rarest gun I own. I shot it yesterday with very mild loads. I shoot it about once a year it is surprisingly accurate. For those wondering the internals are much better shape than the exterior. I am probably one of the few people that have shot one of these. An interesting side note mine is one serial number off and one day off from one shipped to John Browning.
Shooting A Colt 1900 38 Rimless Automatic
- Thread starter merl67
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merl67, That's really a cool-looking pistol! The fact that you actually shoot it occasionally makes me feel good! Obviously not a pristine example, but the fact you're not afraid to make it do what it was made to do makes me feel good...for anyone that may get one like it or me if I were able to get something like it. I like that! And, it's a pretty cool-looking pistol. Did I mention that? 
One question: accuracy, as you mentioned, I know it's old but what's the max distance for, say, a paper plate? Cool-looking pistol!
One question: accuracy, as you mentioned, I know it's old but what's the max distance for, say, a paper plate? Cool-looking pistol!
OP
I don't think I would have a problem keeping all shots on a plate out to 20 yards
Pisgah
Member
That's quite a nice bit of history, and to my mind a danged good snag! The test bed which led to the immortal 1911. As for condition -- to my way of thinking, if it still functions as it was designed to do after more than a century, that's great condition.
Cool precursor of the 1911! Does yours still have the sight safety?
I had a 1902 Sporting, but sold it. I still have a 1903 Pocket Hammer, which is similar but shorter and shoots the same cartridge. I kept the Pocket Hammer, because it's in far better condition than my 1902 and I just wanted a represented example.
These are interesting guns. The slide is retained by a wedge, similar to those that held the barrel on a Colt Percussion revolver. The locking barrel operates on twin links and moves like a parallel ruler. When you remove the wedge, the slide comes off the back of the frame. Unfortunately, these early .38 auto's will chamber a .38 Super cartridge. I'm sure you already know this, but NEVER attempt to shoot a .38 Super in gun marked .38 Rimless Smokeless or .38 Colt Auto. It's difficult to get through airport metal detectors with a slide sticking out of your forehead!
I had a 1902 Sporting, but sold it. I still have a 1903 Pocket Hammer, which is similar but shorter and shoots the same cartridge. I kept the Pocket Hammer, because it's in far better condition than my 1902 and I just wanted a represented example.
These are interesting guns. The slide is retained by a wedge, similar to those that held the barrel on a Colt Percussion revolver. The locking barrel operates on twin links and moves like a parallel ruler. When you remove the wedge, the slide comes off the back of the frame. Unfortunately, these early .38 auto's will chamber a .38 Super cartridge. I'm sure you already know this, but NEVER attempt to shoot a .38 Super in gun marked .38 Rimless Smokeless or .38 Colt Auto. It's difficult to get through airport metal detectors with a slide sticking out of your forehead!
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OP
Those both are beautiful Colts. My Colt 1900 is sight safety altered. I am not sure if it was done before it was shipped out or returned. I know not to shoot 38 Super, but thank you. I have developed a hand load that is just strong enough to cycle the action, and ejects the cases about two feet away in a neat pile. I am thinking about doing a video next time I shoot it for those that might be interested in seeing such a thing. I just noticed the vintage box I have 3 of those not quite as nice as yours.
bmcgilvray
Member
Great gun and great posts Randy! Love the photos and reading your thoughts on the pistol.
I have a shabby Colt Model 1905 with a story behind it about coming up out of Mexico. It's been shot 200 times in the past couple of decades I've had it. I made up moderate loads for it using a middle-of-the road charge of Unique and 200 grain cast lead round nose bullets. It liked the loads and is fun to shoot. I need to make up another batch as I've had a hankering to shoot it lately.
I have a shabby Colt Model 1905 with a story behind it about coming up out of Mexico. It's been shot 200 times in the past couple of decades I've had it. I made up moderate loads for it using a middle-of-the road charge of Unique and 200 grain cast lead round nose bullets. It liked the loads and is fun to shoot. I need to make up another batch as I've had a hankering to shoot it lately.
OP
I would assume that the 45 rimless isn't the same as the 45 acp or is it?
bmcgilvray
Member
One and the same Randy.
The original loading featured a 200 grain jacketed round nose bullet. Velocities were quoted at around 910 fps.
The original loading featured a 200 grain jacketed round nose bullet. Velocities were quoted at around 910 fps.
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DWalt
Member
I had a Colt Model 1903 pocket hammer (.38 ACP) for several years but I traded it off maybe 20 years ago. Much the same design as the 1900 and 1902 but more compact. Sort of wish I had kept it. It was in pretty decent shape but the grips were badly cracked. I replaced them with replica grips. It may have been reblued, but if so it was a good job. The story goes that the Colt 1903 Pocket Hammer was very popular in Mexico for some reason, much less so in the USA. Sort of like revolvers chambered for the .41 Long Colt, a caliber the Mexicans seem to have liked more than Gringos did.
One thing to look out for with these is a crack(s) in the slide notches that hold the transverse wedge (same goes for the Model 1905 .45). Some people fired them with the more powerful but dimensionally identical .38 Super cartridge, and that slide notch would not take the additional battering force for very long. I have seen a handful of them with the cracked slide at the notch, and there is no way to repair it. The Model 1905 in .45 is the same story. The .45 cartridge it was originally intended to use is dimensionally very similar to the .45 ACP, but less powerful as it used a 200 grain bullet. I have also seen a few of those with slide cracks resulting from shooting the hotter .45 ACP load. You really don't want to shoot any 1900/02/03/05 with a cracked slide notch, as if it fractures completely, you are going to get a slide in your face.
When I had my 1903 pocket hammer, I handloaded very light .38 ACP loads with lead bullets, not wanting to take any chances about cracking the slide.
In one of the old editions of Gun Digest (maybe from the 1960s) there is a very good article about the Model 1905 .45 pistol.
One thing to look out for with these is a crack(s) in the slide notches that hold the transverse wedge (same goes for the Model 1905 .45). Some people fired them with the more powerful but dimensionally identical .38 Super cartridge, and that slide notch would not take the additional battering force for very long. I have seen a handful of them with the cracked slide at the notch, and there is no way to repair it. The Model 1905 in .45 is the same story. The .45 cartridge it was originally intended to use is dimensionally very similar to the .45 ACP, but less powerful as it used a 200 grain bullet. I have also seen a few of those with slide cracks resulting from shooting the hotter .45 ACP load. You really don't want to shoot any 1900/02/03/05 with a cracked slide notch, as if it fractures completely, you are going to get a slide in your face.
When I had my 1903 pocket hammer, I handloaded very light .38 ACP loads with lead bullets, not wanting to take any chances about cracking the slide.
In one of the old editions of Gun Digest (maybe from the 1960s) there is a very good article about the Model 1905 .45 pistol.
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4barrel
Member
I bet you have a load figured out that you can shoot every day. I will say something close to 3.2 of 231 with a 140 bullet. That is one good looking gun. How close did I get? Me and John have the same birthday --just 90 years apart and my dads name was J. Mose
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Rock185
US Veteran
Neat old guns. I have a 1914 Pocket Hammer, and an old box of Peters ammo that I'd guess might be from the same era. Mine's definitely not collector grade example, but it still functions reliably. I shoot it once in a while, using the plated Speer 124 grain bullets loaded to about 950 FPS.
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I have a 1900 that also had the sight safety converted by Colt for the more conventional rear sight (and no safety.) Found that it fit the IDPA maximum dimensions "box" like it was made for it, so shot it in several competitions in the early 2000s. Old Winchester .38 Auto ammo is quite accurate! Bigger bullets than the Remington/ Remington-Peters/Peters ammo from the 1960's and 1970's. (Groove dimensions on my various .38 ACPs run about 0.359"-0.360") Fantastic "glass rod" breaking trigger, like the 1903 Pocket Hammers.
The R/Os had to buy off on it before shooting as it has no slide hold open and no safety. (Sometimes I would "unload and show clear" by removing the slide!) Otherwise, it ran was well or better than most single stack pistols. Super easy to burn through a stage, soft recoil and surprisingly good natural POA along with the excellent trigger. Reloads weren't too bad, even with the bottom release.
Haven't shot it in some time, almost out of the old ammo, but it brings back fond memories of days and nights at Ft. Benning shoots.
The R/Os had to buy off on it before shooting as it has no slide hold open and no safety. (Sometimes I would "unload and show clear" by removing the slide!) Otherwise, it ran was well or better than most single stack pistols. Super easy to burn through a stage, soft recoil and surprisingly good natural POA along with the excellent trigger. Reloads weren't too bad, even with the bottom release.
Haven't shot it in some time, almost out of the old ammo, but it brings back fond memories of days and nights at Ft. Benning shoots.
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