I have a Gen 1 from 1906.Absolutely freaking NOT! Leave it be.
Mine is from 1905... Ive had folks tell me its original but im still skeptical since the finish is so nice.
Yet they both balance nicely and point naturally. I had always expected the two versions to feel very different but that is not the case.
Actual vintage magazines for these will cost you $100 or more. In my case, I'm looking for matching WW2 era magazines. Strangely, they're almost impossible to find. I have one spare for each of my guns.
Did it work? I bought what I thought was one of those, but it would not fit into the mag well of either a re-issue Colt or a vintage Colt. Ebay seller, no returns.
This is entirely true.
Hmm, I want to remember it was the Type II that had the magazine safety, which was deleted in the Type III.
I'm with you; if Mr Revolver Guy wants one to modify, find a beater 1908, tune and modify it and reblue it. That gun is way too pristine to decrease its collector value. And FYI for Mr RevolverGuy, Patton's Pocket Hammerless is a 1908. General officers were issued the 1908 until 1950. He also carried a Remington Model 51, also a .380. Great video, BTW, and good shooting, too. I've not owned a 1908, but my 1903 matches what you describe, very ammo sensitive, or actually, bullet sensitive. Mine runs with any brand, as long as it is FMJ. I was kind of surprise to see MRG's do so well with the Critical Defense round, I've tried them and they didn't feed very well for me. His being an earlier model than mine, I figured it would work less well than mine with more modern ammo. Mine was made the next to last year of production, in 1944, and is "US PROPERTY" marked on the frame. It was my stepfather's concealed piece, he was a courier (NCO), and his CO issued it to him.A high-condition original like that? God no!
There are tons of mechanically sound-but cosmetically challenged -1903s out there that can be "modernized" and refinished. Heck, you could probably sell that one, buy a rougher example and the price differential would largely pay for the 'smithing.......
Nice shooting, btw.
Also, my experience with the Pocket Hammerless Colts is that the .380s tend to be extremely ammo-sensitive and jam-prone. If you are seriously considering having one customized for CCW duty, ya stick with the .32.
Letter or not, I would NOT change a thing on that pistol. Too nice as it is. I tried carrying mine, but when practicing with modern JHP's it didn't feed well, and I didn't want to carry it with FMJ. As a self-defense piece, I think .32 is just fine at the range you were using it, out to about 20 feet. Well-placed shots, of course, are the key to its effectiveness, and heavy clothing may create problems with penetration, but for close quarters it should at least deter an attacker and facilitate escape. I'd still prefer a 1908 for carry, though, just a bit more firepower.
Type I(1903-1908) has a 4" barrel, Type II(1908-1910), Type III(1910-1926), Type IV (1926-1941, and Type V(1941-1945, none made in 1943) have 3-3/4" barrels. Type I and Type II have separate barrel bushings, Type III-V have integral bushings (part of the barrel). Type IV and Type V have a magazine disconnect. Most of Type V wartime production have Parkerized finishes, Pistols issued to officers were blued.
Congratulations on the pistol! It's a rare and valuable "General Officer's" pistol (even though it was not necessarily issued to a general). It's even more rare because it's an early blued-finish .32 (the changeover to Parkerizing was in October 1944, at around serial number 562000). Plus, it's in excellent condition. I would place the value, conservatively, in the $2 - 3,000 range. Probably the upper end of that.
Well, Type II did not fit my Type IV, very different cut-out & screw dimensions. I want to remember that there were hard rubber (possibly Vulcanized) grips offered at one point before the Bakelite ones (and I have seen reference to those being "resin" which could just be an issue of identifying the material correctly). My Type IV grips were a rin plastic that was not Bakelite, but were cast with Colt logos.
It's not a General Officer's pistol, but the blued 1903's were issued to officers. Generals got the 1908, usually, although several had 1903's. The story on my stepdad's gun is, he was a staff sgt. and courier. He carried classified documents and was always armed, usually carried a 1911 in a flap holster when in uniform, and carried the 1903 concealed, in uniform or in civilian clothes, which he sometimes wore so as to not attract attention in some places he went (back and forth between England and France, and then into Germany later). His battalion commander got the 1903 for him, not sure what his rank was, but usually that level was a senior captain or major. I didn't get much detail when my stepdad gave me the pistol, he was pretty ill and going downhill. He never talked much about his wartime service. I've had this pistol for almost 23 years, he died in 2000. He knew I was a firearms enthusiast (gun nut), and gave it to me, instead of his own son. I'll always cherish the pistol. I rarely shoot it now, but often take it out of the safe and wipe it down, or field strip it just to stay familiar with it.
Idk, but it did work with 38 super just fine, other than being just 5 rounds. I have a newer mag in 38 super for that Colt now. Gramps had it set up for bullseye shooting.
From memory (potentially fickle) the .38acp mags were used for the .38super as well.
