Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammer .32 ACP Semi-Automatic Pistol, MFD 1917 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1001
LSB#: 210608MW29
Make: Colt
Model: 1903 Pocket Hammer
Serial Number: 37579
Year of Manufacture: 1917 (https://colt.com/serial-lookup)
Caliber: .38 ACP
Action Type: Single Action Semi-Automatic Pistol with Removable Magazine
Markings: The left side of the slide is marked “PATENTED / APR.20.1897. SEPT. 9. 1902”, “COLT’S PT. F.A. MFG. CO. / HARTFORD, CT. U.S.A.”, and at the rear with a Rampant Colt logo. The left side of the frame is marked “37579”. The right side of the slide is marked “AUTOMATIC COLT / CALIBRE 38 RIMLESS SMOKELESS”. The left of the trigger guard is marked “VP” in a triangle and “1”. The magazine floorplate is marked “CAL. 38 / COLT”.
Barrel Length: 4 ½”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a thin rounded blade fixed to the top of the slide. The rear sight is a “U” notch with a rounded top that is dovetailed into the top rear of the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are checkered black hard rubber with “COLT” in a banner across the tops of the grips and a circled Rampant Colt logo in the center. The grips have a few light nicks, scuffs and scratches, most notable at the bottom screw on the left panel. The checkering shows handling wear, most on the left panel, but is generally well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is gray with light erosion and some minor pitting scattered through the bore. The rifling is sharp where erosion is not present.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 80% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. There is some finish wear and light erosion on the top-left of the slide toward the front. There is light handling wear in the grip areas. On the barrel and frame, concealed while assembled, there is finish loss which appears as though minor oxidation was scrubbed out, there is also stubborn dried grease. There are some scattered light nicks, scuffs and scratches. There are tool marks on the left of the frame at the trigger pin. The indexing stud on the slide wedge is intact. The screw heads are tool marked with strong slots. The pin heads show finish loss but are not marred. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly and the slide is tight to the frame. The trigger has a slight takeup followed by a crisp break. This pistol does not have a safety other than a half-cock position on the hammer. The magazine release is on the bottom of the butt. This pistol has a spur hammer that was used on pistols after 1908. We did not fire this handgun.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with one blued 7 round magazine. The magazine has operational and handling wear, scattered minor surface oxidation, intact feed lips and a strong spring, in about Good–Very Good overall condition.
Our Assessment: The Colt Model 1900 was the first automatic pistol manufactured in the United States and marketed in an environment still oriented to revolvers. Self-loading pistols had been manufactured for several years in Europe but were hardly accepted in the year 1900 when Colt began selling this John M. Browning designed pistol. Browning was nothing short of a genius in firearms design and associating with the marketing and manufacturing abilities of Colt’s Firearms insured the eventual acceptance of the automatic pistol design. The 1900 underwent continuing design changes, becoming the 1902 Sporting and Military Models. The success of these pistols led Colt to believe that a smaller version was in order, a pistol that could be carried in a pocket or holster. This spawned the 1903 Pocket Hammer, which was basically just a shortened version of the M1902 and made with much of the existing tooling. The Colt Pocket Hammer has a shortened 4 ½” barrel but like its big brother lacks an external safety and has a 7 shot magazine with bottom release. One noticeable change from the M1902 pistols was the slide serrations, which were moved to the rear of the slide. Colt’s manufactured about 31,250 of these pistols. Even though the 1903 Pocket Hammer was the most successful of the .38 ACP pistols, its success paled in comparison to the hammerless .32ACP and .380 ACP models 1903 and 1908 hammerless models that were to follow. Production of the M1903 slowed during WWI and surged in 1920, but then fell off – people were either gravitating to the larger M1911 for knockdown power or to the hammerless pistols for concealability. This M1903 Pocket Hammer pistol was made in 1917 and is in Very Good condition with much of its original finish remaining. The bore is gray with scattered erosion. The mechanics are strong with a tight slide-frame fit, nice trigger and smooth operation. This model, along with its M1900 and M1902 predecessors, is a must-have amongst Colt collectors as being one of the first of the Colt semi-automatics. Please see our photos and good luck!