1914 Colt Model 1903 Hammerless .32 ACP Semi Automatic Pistol 1914
Our Assessment: The Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless is a semi-automatic pistol designed by John Browning, and was the 1st of the Colt concealed hammer models, followed by the M1908 in .380 ACP. Despite the title ‘Hammerless', the M1903 and M1908 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 This allowed the weapon to be carried in and withdrawn from a pocket quickly and smoothly without snagging.These pistols were popular civilian firearms for much of their life, and also served as United States General Officer pistols from the 1940s until their replacement by the M15 General Officers pistol in the 1970s. The Office of Strategic Services issued the Model 1903 to its officers during World War II and it was a popular back-up/off-duty model with police officers in the United States. Gangsters also favored this pistol, including Bonnie Parker and John Dillinger.This a Colt 1903 Type III Pocket Hammerless semi-auto made in 1914. The pistol is in quite good condition for its age, retaining the great majority of its metal finish and strong mechanics. This cute little pistol can be carried just about anywhere and can be used to round out an early Colt semi-automatic collection. Please see our photos and good luck in your bidding!
Make: Colt
Model: M1903 Pocket Hammerless
Serial Number: 163106
Year of Manufacture: 1914 (Colt Serial Lookup)
Caliber: .32 ACP
Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto Pistol fed by Detachable Magazine
Barrel Length: 3 3/4"
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade fixed to the slide above the muzzle. The rear sight is a U-notch dovetailed to the top rear of the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are checkered black hard rubber with "COLT" on a banner across their tops and Rampant Colts at their bottoms. The grips have minor handling wear with only a few scattered light marks. The checkering is well defined. Overall, the grips are in Fine Plus condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is light gray, the rifling is well-defined. There is some persistent fouling and light erosion in the bore. In this writer's opinion, this bore rates a 7 or 8 out of 10.Many military and C&R-eligible weapons have bores that will show erosion. This not only due to age but to the fact that corrosive primers were commonly used in ammunition worldwide. For example, the U.S. used corrosive ammunition throughout WWII. The U.S. military did not begin to phase out corrosive-primed ammunition until the 1950s.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 85% of its metal finish. The balance of the finish shows scuffs, scratches and handling marks. There are patches of wear in areas of frequent contact like the grip frame. There is a bit of corresponding oxidation to the disrupted finish. The screw head is well-defined. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in Very Good Plus condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this firearm. We have cleaned this firearm and performed a mechanic's check but expect many will want to clean the firearm again depending on their standards.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This handgun comes with one (1) 8-round magazine with intact feed lips and strong follower spring.
CA LEGAL: C&R: YES, CA PPT: YES
HANDGUNS/PISTOLS