[roadster]

The Colt was a M1903 .32 ACP 4th Issue Pocket Model.

What made it stand out was that this pistol had been shipped to Japan in 1937 and the Japanese officer who bought it had a fullflap leather holster with a pouch for an extra mag made for it. The 2nd mag was in the pouch and the pistol would rate about 90 percent IMO. The owner had the pistol "lettered" by Colt and they verified that it had been shipped to Japan in 1937.

The owner said that he had bought the Colt for only $300 a few years ago. I have to wonder what it's real value would be in today's inflated market.....


Roadster

 

[Guest]

I've seen 1903s in very good-excellent condition go for $800-900 or more...without the historical content you've provided.

I have a 1903 which is scarred and battered, with finish mostly gone and pits in the finish from oxidation. The rampant colt is barely visible at the end of the slide....but the gun works great. The 1903s are truly interesting pistols. Sounds like you have quite a find there....

Bob

 

[Guest]

I have this one I carry time to time.

 

[Bob Reed]

Hello T & Thanks for the photo,

The Pocket Pistols of that Era have more Class & Quality in one single grip panel than all the current pocket pistols put together.

Colt & FN is leaving a Ton of Money on the table by not reintroducing their beloved .32s & .380s from the early 1900s... They would Fly off the shelves! Makes a guy wonder if their Marketing Geniuses even own a pistol.

Thanks Again,

 

[Bob Reed]

Hello,

Check this site out for some of the most beautiful Colt Automatics of All times. www.coltautos.com

Quality reintroduced Browning Designed pocket pistols like T's above would be a wonderful thing!

Take Care,

 

[jimmy]

The '03 Pocket Hammerless with Japanese history sounds like a piece of history in itself!

I picked up an '03 in maybe 98% condition with its original box about 15 years ago. Paid $450 for it, which was too much at the time. But I haven't come across one as nice since then, so I don't regret buying it. According to Colt's factory letter, it was shipped to Wolf & Klar in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1926 (which was the year John M. Browning died). To put the date in perspective, I think about how my father, who's 86 now, was a small child in kindergarten the year this pistol was made.

 

[Guest]

I suspect you're right about the money on the table for a retro version of these guns. Every time I see one it makes me think of the Thin Man movies, Humphrey Bogart, etc. It's funny a pistol should seem classy, but these do. They are indeed elegant.

Oops, I better shut up before I fool around and talk myself into buying one.

Max

 

[Guest]

I have three of the Colt M1903 .32 ACP's in 98-99% condition. (Why three? 'Cause I really like'em and can hardly pass up a really nice one when I see it.)

Mine ran in the $300-350 range, but that was several to a number of years ago. I'm seeing them up to $600 "sticker" now, but I believe that this is over-priced and you can "deal down" from this. (Generaly, guns are as expensive in my area as anywhere.)

The item that "roadster" saw in the condition that he describes with the Colt letter documenting the sale to Japan would, in my estimation, have a market value of in the range of $600 to $900, with most of the value due to its history or provenance. This is a rather broad range, but it's tough to estimate a value on such one-off items. I believe Colt is now charging $100 or $125 for letters now, so you have to factor in that cost.

 

[johnholbrook]

Here is one that I recently bought...

 

[Guest]

Nice. Blued military(?) Model 1903's are very uncommon.

(I thought all military M1903's had M-prefixed s/n's. Maybe it was Elliot Ness's backup gun .)

Ya gonna do the Reno show next month?

 

[Guest]

Awsome!

 

[forshoes]

John
Nice. I have a parkerized military model with a serial number about 800 past yours! Mine does not have the M-prefix either.

My father's friend was a military courier and I believe it was his 'carry' gun.

Stan

 

[johnholbrook]

Here is a General Officers Colt. This Colt belonged to,
MAJOR GENERAL EDWARD C.D. SCHERRER. I acquired it from his family.

 

[jimmy]

Very, very nice. Another piece of history.

 

[jerry]

wow, a s/a "pocket gun" with a grip safety AND a proper directional moving thumb safety......

that is a neat little gun.

i doubt i would carry it today considering the options out there, but in its time, it sure seems to have been on the cutting edge.

ive been toying with the idea of getting something like that just for range time and conversation....