Colt Pocket M1903

Douglas Jr. · 11-10-2009, 07:16 AM

Hi,

Some months ago I got this Colt Pocket 1903, serial number 449614, chambered for .32ACP. They are not rare (more than 570,000 made between 1903 and 1946) but I simply love them. I think it is because my father used to carry one back in the 70s when he had to work at night. And it was one of the first guns of my collection, when he gave it to me.

However this one caught my attention because it is simply MINT. According to information provided by a fellow collector on another board this baby was made in 1923, but I think that it was rarely shot. Its finish, with exception of a few scratches (and a small crack in the grip) is so well done that was even difficult to take pictures without see my reflection in the slide. A typical exemple of the early 20th Century Colt's craftmanship.

Douglas.

Douglas Jr. · 11-10-2009, 07:17 AM

few more pictures

alvin · 11-10-2009, 08:00 AM

Doug -- I found we have the same taste. I love 1903 as well, but have not studied it yet. The price varies big time on the market. Learning....

sheepherder · 11-10-2009, 09:07 AM

That is a beauty!!! I've been looking for one, too...Just missed one a few months ago (had already sent in mortgage check)...

I like the hard rubber grips better than the wood.

A Colt 1903 pocket pistol would make an excellent companion to my Savage Mod 1910 pocket pistol.

worldoftone · 11-10-2009, 09:14 AM

Although I'm not a big fan of those, that one looks nice! Always nice to see historical firearms in mint original condition.

- WOT

Douglas Jr. · 11-10-2009, 12:55 PM

Oh, I reallly love this model.
I had no doubt to grab this one when I had the chance.
In fact, as far as I know, the rarest (and thus the most expensive) are the ones marked "US Property" that were purchased back during WWII for use as the official General officers sidearm. Several were also sent to the famous OSS.

Douglas

alvin · 11-10-2009, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by worldoftone

Although I'm not a big fan of those, that one looks nice! Always nice to see historical firearms in mint original condition.

- WOT

Not a guru on COLT, and sorry to Doug, this one is cute but .... it's a reblued. "mint original" exists in the U.S. because there are plentiful of guns, certain percentage will fall into that category. Let's see the following making any sense to you or not -- When there are more guns than 'soldiers', then, some guns were seldomly used. In movie "Enemy At The Gate", we saw Russian had more soldiers than guns, so most imported guns from Russia were reblued regardless it's a captured Luger or CAI MN44. This 'soldier'/gun ratio decides gun condition from high level. There is a regional context in the gun condition and collectibility.

sheepherder · 11-10-2009, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Douglas Jr.

According to information provided by a fellow collector on another board this baby was made in 1923...

Proofhouse has a serial database for Colts -

http://proofhouse.com/

According to them, yours is a 1925...

Douglas Jr. · 11-11-2009, 07:51 AM

Postoino,

I took this information from here:
http://www.coltautos.com

And it says that 1923 serial # started at 420000 and finished at 450000.

Douglas

sheepherder · 11-11-2009, 09:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Douglas Jr.

Postoino,

I took this information from here:
http://www.coltautos.com

And it says that 1923 serial # started at 420000 and finished at 450000.

Douglas

Douglas - So it does. Now you have two sites with contradictory dates. I imagine there are more.

You pays you money and you takes you chances...

alanint · 11-11-2009, 09:27 AM

I have another source, gleaned directly from Colt records. I will be happy to check it tonight and chime in..

alanint · 11-12-2009, 05:57 AM

Your serial number is 449,614

Model 03 (Hammerless) Pocket in that serial range was made in 1925, (serials from 446,000 to 459,999)

In 1923, Colt Hammerless production ran from 417,000 to 437,000

This is directly from Colt's ledgers

Douglas Jr. · 11-12-2009, 06:06 AM

Alain,

Thanks for correct my source.
I really appreciated your work.

Douglas

sheepherder · 11-12-2009, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alanint

Your serial number is 449,614

Model 03 (Hammerless) Pocket in that serial range was made in 1925, (serials from 446,000 to 459,999)

In 1923, Colt Hammerless production ran from 417,000 to 437,000

This is directly from Colt's ledgers

Ah, so http://www.coltautos.com/ is wrong and http://proofhouse.com/ is correct...Good; I can delete http://www.coltautos.com/ from my bookmarks...makes it a bit more tidy...

alanint · 11-12-2009, 09:26 AM

For anybody interested in Colt Firearms from the company's inception through the middle 1980s should buy "Colt, An American Legend"

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&key...sl_8bwavpzy8_e

This tome covers all aspects of Colt firearms, including historically significant presentation and engraved guns.

The back of the book has a comprehensive production history of every type of gun the company produced, including military contracts. The data also comes from Colt's company ledgers.
They are easy tables to use and much handier than internet searches.

l10 · 11-12-2009, 08:04 PM

Love these little colts. I picked up an excellent 1908 model of 1923 vintage from my neighbor. He brought it back from a family visit to Michigan. It had been in his family since new, rarely if ever used. He decided to sell it a few months later and offered it to me. I bought it and when I picked it up he said he had thrown away the box and original receipt because he didn't think any one would want it.:

An artist friend of mine offered me one years ago. He was a little short on operating capital at the time. It was a US issue that had been his Uncles, a US Navy Pilot in the Pacific during WWII. He had died while coming aboard after a battle. His plane burned. The squadron members sent his stuff home including the colt with charred grips. He decided to keep it which was proper. I would treasure that more than the rarest most pristine pistol in my collection had it been my family member. Hope he still has it to pass on.

11-10-2009, 07:16 AM	#1
Douglas Jr. User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: South America Posts: 948 Thanks: 598 Thanked 584 Times in 254 Posts	Colt Pocket M1903 Hi, Some months ago I got this Colt Pocket 1903, serial number 449614, chambered for .32ACP. They are not rare (more than 570,000 made between 1903 and 1946) but I simply love them. I think it is because my father used to carry one back in the 70s when he had to work at night. And it was one of the first guns of my collection, when he gave it to me. However this one caught my attention because it is simply MINT. According to information provided by a fellow collector on another board this baby was made in 1923, but I think that it was rarely shot. Its finish, with exception of a few scratches (and a small crack in the grip) is so well done that was even difficult to take pictures without see my reflection in the slide. A typical exemple of the early 20th Century Colt's craftmanship. Douglas. Attached Thumbnails

11-10-2009, 07:17 AM	#2
Douglas Jr. User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: South America Posts: 948 Thanks: 598 Thanked 584 Times in 254 Posts	few more pictures Attached Thumbnails

11-10-2009, 08:00 AM	#3
alvin User Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: US Posts: 3,843 Thanks: 132 Thanked 729 Times in 438 Posts	Doug -- I found we have the same taste. I love 1903 as well, but have not studied it yet. The price varies big time on the market. Learning....

11-10-2009, 09:07 AM	#4
sheepherder Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: ...on the 'ol Erie Canal... Posts: 8,197 Thanks: 1,416 Thanked 4,462 Times in 2,336 Posts	That is a beauty!!! I've been looking for one, too...Just missed one a few months ago (had already sent in mortgage check)... I like the hard rubber grips better than the wood. A Colt 1903 pocket pistol would make an excellent companion to my Savage Mod 1910 pocket pistol.

11-10-2009, 09:14 AM	#5
worldoftone User Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: San Antonio, TX Posts: 81 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Although I'm not a big fan of those, that one looks nice! Always nice to see historical firearms in mint original condition. - WOT

11-10-2009, 12:55 PM	#6
Douglas Jr. User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: South America Posts: 948 Thanks: 598 Thanked 584 Times in 254 Posts	Oh, I reallly love this model. I had no doubt to grab this one when I had the chance. In fact, as far as I know, the rarest (and thus the most expensive) are the ones marked "US Property" that were purchased back during WWII for use as the official General officers sidearm. Several were also sent to the famous OSS. Douglas

11-11-2009, 07:51 AM	#9
Douglas Jr. User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: South America Posts: 948 Thanks: 598 Thanked 584 Times in 254 Posts	Postoino, I took this information from here: http://www.coltautos.com And it says that 1923 serial # started at 420000 and finished at 450000. Douglas

11-11-2009, 09:27 AM	#11
alanint User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Marco Island, Florida Posts: 4,867 Thanks: 1,685 Thanked 1,917 Times in 1,193 Posts	I have another source, gleaned directly from Colt records. I will be happy to check it tonight and chime in..

11-12-2009, 05:57 AM	#12
alanint User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Marco Island, Florida Posts: 4,867 Thanks: 1,685 Thanked 1,917 Times in 1,193 Posts	Your serial number is 449,614 Model 03 (Hammerless) Pocket in that serial range was made in 1925, (serials from 446,000 to 459,999) In 1923, Colt Hammerless production ran from 417,000 to 437,000 This is directly from Colt's ledgers

11-12-2009, 06:06 AM	#13
Douglas Jr. User Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: South America Posts: 948 Thanks: 598 Thanked 584 Times in 254 Posts	Alain, Thanks for correct my source. I really appreciated your work. Douglas

11-12-2009, 09:26 AM	#15
alanint User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Marco Island, Florida Posts: 4,867 Thanks: 1,685 Thanked 1,917 Times in 1,193 Posts	For anybody interested in Colt Firearms from the company's inception through the middle 1980s should buy "Colt, An American Legend" http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&key...sl_8bwavpzy8_e This tome covers all aspects of Colt firearms, including historically significant presentation and engraved guns. The back of the book has a comprehensive production history of every type of gun the company produced, including military contracts. The data also comes from Colt's company ledgers. They are easy tables to use and much handier than internet searches.

11-12-2009, 08:04 PM	#16
l10 User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 17 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Love these little colts. I picked up an excellent 1908 model of 1923 vintage from my neighbor. He brought it back from a family visit to Michigan. It had been in his family since new, rarely if ever used. He decided to sell it a few months later and offered it to me. I bought it and when I picked it up he said he had thrown away the box and original receipt because he didn't think any one would want it.: An artist friend of mine offered me one years ago. He was a little short on operating capital at the time. It was a US issue that had been his Uncles, a US Navy Pilot in the Pacific during WWII. He had died while coming aboard after a battle. His plane burned. The squadron members sent his stuff home including the colt with charred grips. He decided to keep it which was proper. I would treasure that more than the rarest most pristine pistol in my collection had it been my family member. Hope he still has it to pass on.