In House Shipping:
Make: Colt
Model: 1908, Type IV Pocket Hammerless
Serial Number: 117703
Year of Manufacture: 1935 (https://colt.com/serial-lookup)
Caliber: .380 ACP
Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto Pistol with Removable Magazine
Barrel Length: 3 3/4”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a short rounded blade fixed to the front of the slide. The rear sight is a “U” notch dovetailed into the rear of the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are checkered walnut with silver-colored Colt medallions. The grips have no notable wear or damage, only light handling marks. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Excellent Condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original, the slide is serial-matching.
Bore Condition: The bore is mostly bright with sharp rifling. There is infrequent minor erosion, mostly along the edges of the lands. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 8+ out of 10.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 97% of its metal finish. The finish is lightly thinning at some edges. There are a few scattered tiny marks. The action shows minor operational wear. There is some stubborn, dried grease. The screw head is sharp. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in Fine Plus Condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We have not fired this handgun. As with all previously owned firearms, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with one vintage original Colt “two tone” partially blued 7-round magazine stamped “CAL. 380 / COLT” on the bottom floorplate.
Our Assessment: The Colt Model 1908 Pocket Hammerless semi-automatic pistol was designed by legendary firearms inventor John Moses Browning, and was the second of the Colt concealed hammer models, following the M-1903. Despite the “hammerless” title, the M-1903 and M-1908 pistols do have a hammer, which is covered and hidden from view under the rear of the slide. This allowed the weapon to be carried in and withdrawn from a pocket quickly and smoothly without snagging. A favorite among detectives, everyday civilians, policemen, and gangsters alike, including the infamous Al Capone, a total of 138,010 Colt Model 1908s were produced before manufacture ceased in 1945. The M-1908 most notably served as the US Army’s General Officer pistol from the 1940s until being replaced by the M15 in the 1970s.
This Colt M-1908 Type IV Pocket Hammerless Semi-Auto Pistol was made in 1935 and is in Fine Plus Condition. It features a 3.75” barrel, about 97% of its crisp, original blued finish, gorgeous checkered walnut grips with silver-colored Colt medallions, an elegant original Colt “two tone” partially blued 7-round magazine, strong mechanics, and a mostly bright bore with sharp rifling (there’s infrequent minor erosion, mostly along the edges of the lands). Lastly, this pistol comes from the personal collection of inventor, founder, and President of Universal Firearms, Abe Seiderman, and should be of additional interest to collectors for that ownership lineage.