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Make: Colt
Model: 1908 Vest Pocket
Serial Number: 198195
Year of Manufacture: 1919 (https://www.colt.com/serial-lookup/)
Caliber: .25 ACP
Action Type: Striker-Fired Semi-Automatic Pistol
Markings: The left side of the slide is marked “COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. HARTFORD, CT. U.S.A. / PAT’D AUG. 25, 1896. APR. 20, 1897. DEC. 22, 1903. JAN. 25, 1910.”, and with the Rampant Colt behind the serrations. The right side of the slide is marked “COLT AUTOMATIC / CALIBRE 25”. The left side of the frame is marked with the serial number “198195”. The underside slide flat is also marked with the serial number “198195”. The left side of the trigger guard bow is marked with a “VP" within a triangle and “1”.
Barrel Length: 2 1/8”
Sights/Optics: The front sight is a small short blade. The rear sight is a small square notch milled into the slide.
Stock Configuration and Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered black hard rubber with “COLT” in a banner at their tops and Rampant Colts at their bottoms. There is a sizable chip missing from the bottom rear corner of the left grip. The grips have some scattered minor scuffs. There are no cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Good Condition.
Type of Finish: Blued, with Case-hardened trigger, slide lock safety, and grip safety.
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is gray. The rifling is dulled but still viable. There is erosion scattered through the bore. In this writer’s opinion, the bore rates at 5.5/10.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 80% of its metal finish. The slide has lost most of its finish, especially along the top. There is some thinning on the leading edges. There are some scattered minor scuffs. The case coloring on the trigger, slide lock safety, and grip safety remains strong, vibrant, and iridescent. The markings are crisp and clear. The grip screw head is tool-marked with a strong serviceable slot. Overall, this pistol is in about Very Good Condition.
Mechanics: The action functions properly. This example features all three safety features—the slide lock safety, the grip safety, and the magazine disconnect safety. We did not fire this pistol. As with all previously owned firearms, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.
Box, Paperwork, and Accessories: This pistol includes one vintage original Colt “two tone” partially blued 6-round magazine stamped “CAL. 25 / COLT” on the bottom floorplate. There is light patina at each side, but otherwise the mag remains crisp. Also included is a small brown carry pouch.
Our Assessment: The Colt Model 1908 Vest Pocket was another of the “hammerless” pocket pistols designed by legendary firearms inventor John Moses Browning around the turn of the century. The Model 1908 Vest Pocket was about as compact a pistol as could be, and was intended as a short range “belly gun” that could easily be deployed from a gentleman’s vest pocket as a last line of personal defense. Made from 1908-1945 with about 420,705 produced, the Model 1908 Vest Pocket, like many other Browning designs, remains as pleasing to the eye today as it did when introduced. In around 1916, the magazine disconnect safety was invented by Colt engineer George Tansley, and added to the design for the rest of its manufacturing run.
This Colt 1908 Vest Pocket Pistol was made in 1919 and is in Very Good Condition. It features a 2 1/8” barrel, 80% of its original blued and case-hardened finish, with strong, vibrant, and iridescent case coloring on the trigger, slide lock safety, and grip safety, classic two-piece checkered black hard rubber grips (there’s a sizable chip missing from the bottom rear corner of the left grip), a correct original Colt “two tone” partially blued 6-round mag stamped “CAL. 25 / COLT” on the bottom floorplate, and a gray bore with dull but viable rifling and some scattered erosion. A fine example of the elegant Colt Model 1908 Vest Pocket.