Colt Model 1902 Sporting Spur Hammer .38 ACP Semi-Automatic Pistol 1903 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1025
LSB#: 220114RS007
Make: Colt
Model: 1902 Sporting
Serial Number: 6826
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 / SEPTEMBER 9. 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 “6826”, found again marked on the bottom of the slide. The right side of the slide is marked “AUTOMATIC COLT / CALIBRE 38 RIMLESS SMOKELESS”. The right-front of the dust cover in the slot for the slide has “K”.
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 right panel has a large ship-loss at the top-front and there is a crack across the right panel which starts at the rear edge and terminates in the middle of the chip-loss just below the border of the banner. The right panel is in two pieces with each piece held in place by the grip screws. The left panel has a crack from the top edge to the top of the grip screw escutcheon. There are a few other scattered light marks. The checkering is generally well defined. Each grip has gone to a brown color, more notable on the right panel. Overall, the grips are in Fair condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is gray with well defined rifling. There is scattered light erosion and infrequent minor pitting in the bore.
Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 30% of its metal finish. The slide is mostly worn to white. The frame has strong finish along the sides below the slide, some around and under the grip panels and some on the sides of the trigger guard with the grip areas mostly worn to white. The barrel has generally strong finish throughout. The hammer has some case color toward the hinge with most of the spur muted. The side faces of the hammer screw and the front of the takedown plunger each have some fire-blue. There are scattered light nicks, scuffs and scratches. The slide and frame have light tool marks at the slide wedge. The worn areas have some light oxidation and minor erosion. The pin heads range from unmarred to tool marked and slightly peened. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The wedge retains its indexing pin. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in about Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The slide has little play to the frame. This pistol has a half-cock hammer safety, bronze firing pin, a spur hammer, and the slide serrations are plunge-milled 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 blued magazine is included. The magazine shows operational wear and scattered minor oxidation with intact feed lips and a strong spring. The floorplate is marked “PAT’D SEPT.9 1884”.
Our Assessment: Colts Model 1900 pistol was the first of John Browning’s pistol designs to reach full production. Such was Browning’s genius that he developed many innovations which are considered commonplace today, not least of which is the concept of “the slide”. As with any new design, there were small hiccups along the way and towards the end of 1901, Colt started changing the 1900 Model’s 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, with proper features for this serial range including fixed convex takedown plug, second variation slide markings, front plunge slide serrations, spur hammer and the bronze firing pin of the early Colt automatics. The pistol is in about Good overall condition with about 30% of its metal finish remaining. The bore is gray with light erosion and infrequent minor pitting. 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 original finish remaining, will make a great addition to any collection. Please see our photos and good luck!