Colt Model 1902 Sporting 38 Rimless Smokeless ACP Semi-Auto Pistol 1903 C&R
Sold For: $2,500
LSB#: 201018CA12
Make: Colt
Model: 1902 Sporting
Serial Number: 4515
Year of Manufacture: 1903 (https://www.colt.com/serial-lookup)
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 ““BROWNING’S PATENT” / PAT’D APR. 20. 1897”, “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 “4515”, found again marked on the bottom of the slide. 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 a black 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 have minor handling wear. The color has gone to brown-ish. There are no chips or cracks. The checkering and lettering are well defined. Overall, the grips are in about Fine-plus condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is light gray with sharp rifling. There is minor erosion scattered through the bore and there is a bulge about 1″ from the muzzle. The bulge is visible on the outside of the barrel.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 80% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at all edges. The most notable finish loss is handling wear in the grip straps. There is lighter finish wear scattered throughout with several scattered minor nicks, scuffs and scratches. The hammer and trigger have operational wear, but still retain some case-color and fire-blue, respectively. The screw heads are tool marked with strong slots. The wedge retains its indexing pin. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in about Good condition and would rate Very Good but for the bulge in the bore.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. There is a bulge in the bore about 1″ from the muzzle. The slide has little play to the frame. This pistol has a half-cock hammer safety, bronze firing pin, a round-spur hammer, and the slide serrations are at the front of the slide. 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 nickel-plated magazine is included. The magazine shows light operational wear and scattered surface erosion with intact feed lips and a strong spring. The floorplate is marked “PAT’D SEPT.9 1884”. The magazine is in about Good-Very Good condition.
Our Assessment: Colts Model 1900 pistol was the first of John Browning’s pistol designs to reach full production. As with any new design, there were small hiccups along the way and towards the end of 1901, Colt started changing the sight safety, which only offered a fixed sight, to a sight that was dovetailed into the slide to offer windage adjustment. With a few other minor changes, the pistol transitioned into the Model 1902 Sporting and Military Models and into the M1903 Pocket Hammer model, the beginnings of over a century of pistol manufacturing dominance in the U.S. market. This Model 1902 Sporting pistol was made in 1903, fairly early in production with proper features for this serial range including fixed convex takedown plug, first variation slide markings, front plunge slide serrations, round-spur hammer and the bronze firing pin of the early Colt automatics. The pistol is in about Good overall condition with about 80% of its metal finish remaining. The bore is gray with light erosion and a bulge about 1″ from the muzzle. All of the early Colt autos are collectible, and the low volume of Model 1902 Sporting pistols produced adds to their collector value with fewer than 7,000 made. This example, with so much of its original finish remaining, will make a great addition to any collection. Please see our photos and good luck!
CA Legal or CA Private Party Transferable (THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO OUT-OF-STATE RESIDENTS): This C&R Pistol CAN be sold as a dealer sale in California but CANNOT be transferred as a Private Party Transfer (PPT) as our Simi Valley location. All C&R firearms must be transferred through your local dealer OR at our Simi Valley location; we cannot ship directly to a C&R holder in California. Out of state residents can disregard this section – your local laws apply.
