Colt Model 1902 Sporting Spur Hammer .38 ACP 6″ Semi-Automatic Pistol C&R

SOLD FOR: $1,502.00

LSB#: LSB251102MK013

Make: Colt

Model: 1902 Sporting

Serial Number: 10088

Year of Manufacture: 1906 / C&R (  )

Caliber: .38 ACP (.38 Rimless Smokeless)

Action Type: Single Action Semi-Automatic Pistol with Removable Magazine

Markings: The left side of the slide is marked “PATENTED” / PAT’D APR. 20. 1897, SEPT 1902″  ,  “COLT’S PATENT FIRE ARMS MFG. CO. / HARTFORD, CONN. U.S.A.”, and at the rear with the Rampant Colt logo in a circle. The left side of the frame is marked “10088”. The right side of the slide is marked “AUTOMATIC COLT / CALIBRE 38 RIMLESS SMOKELESS”.

Barrel Length: 6”

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a short rounded blade fixed to the top of the slide. The rear sight is a rounded “U” notch dovetailed into the slide.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are checkered hard rubber with “COLT” in a banner across the tops of the grips and a circled Rampant Colt logo in the center of the grips. The grips show scattered marks and handling wear throughout. The checkering has dulled. There are no chips or cracks. Overall the grips are in Good Condition.  

Type of Finish: Blued

Finish Originality: Original

Bore Condition: The bore is bright with defined rifling. There is no erosion but there is some minor fouling present. The feed ramp is smooth and shiny. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 9/10. 

Overall Condition: This pistol retains 20% of its original finish. The remaining finish is in protected areas of the frame.  The finish on the slide, back strap and trigger guard has either worn off or turned to a brown patina. The metal shows surface scratches and dents throughout with no major marrs or scrapes. The screw heads range from sharp to slightly tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in about Good to Very condition, as a C&R.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The slide has little play to the frame. The slide was not designed to lock back on an empty magazine. We did not fire this handgun. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: One 7 round blued magazine is included. 

Our Assessment: The Colt Model 1902 Sporting occupies a critical place in the early development of American semi-automatic pistols, representing a direct evolutionary step from John Moses Browning’s groundbreaking Model 1900 design. Browning’s locked-breech, slide-operated system was still a novel concept at the turn of the twentieth century, and the Model 1902 refined those early ideas into a more mature and reliable sporting and service arm. Chambered in .38 ACP, a high-velocity smokeless cartridge introduced specifically for these early Colt automatics, the Sporting model reflected Colt’s confidence in self-loading pistols at a time when revolvers still dominated the American market.

This example was manufactured in 1906 and exhibits the proper characteristics associated with early Model 1902 Sporting pistols, including the spur hammer, convex takedown plug, early slide serrations, and period slide markings. Finish has largely transitioned to a smooth brown patina, with approximately 20% of the original blue remaining in protected areas, consistent with honest age and use. Markings remain clear and legible, and the checkered hard rubber grips with COLT banner and Rampant Colt logos show wear but remain intact, preserving the pistol’s original appearance and historical integrity.

The bore is gray with defined rifling and no visible erosion, rating 9/10 in this writer’s opinion, and the feed ramp remains smooth and bright. Mechanically, the action functions correctly, with proper slide fit and operation consistent with early Colt automatics, which were not designed to lock open on an empty magazine. With relatively limited production compared to later Colt models, the Model 1902 Sporting remains a highly desirable early Browning-Colt automatic, offering a tangible connection to the formative years of semi-automatic pistol development in the United States. Please see our photos for a better understanding of condition and good luck with your bids!

BF.