A gift from my wife. Low ser# Colt M1908/380.

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Checkman

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I'm posting this on several different forums. I'm bragging on my wife so if you've already read this - well you know how it is.

My wife went to an auction today. An antique store had called it quits and the owner auctioned off the inventory. She (the owner) has an FFL and had a nice collection of older firearms. There were two Colt Model 1908's for sale. My wife got me the older one with the serial number 3XX. Yep that's it. Three numbers no more.

Much of the finish has been worn off in the past 102 years, but it's been from honest use.It has that nice antique patina. It does not appear to have been abused. No gouges, cracks, dents, ect.

She literally presented it to me about thirty minutes ago and right now I'm on duty so I haven't had time to really look at it. But it appears to be in good mechanical shape. No corrossion, everything is smooth and pretty tight. All the safetys work ect.

I'll be posting photos of it in the near future. She got it for $400.00.

The first time my wife has ever bought me a gun as a gift in our twenty-two years together. Wow.
__________________
 
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Okay a few photos.
 

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What a gift. What a gal!
Many years ago I had #4xx. It didn't have a lick of bluing left, but could shoot up a storm. Another one I wish I had back.
 
Neat! You should keep them both (Wife and gun). :D

Now I'll make some suggestions:

If you are going to shoot it, replace both the recoil and magazine spring first with new ones. You have a straight-blowback pistol that has on unlocked breech. The only thing that keeps it closed is the weight of the slide, and the recoil spring (plus the hammer spring that acts as a brake).

Change the stocks while carrying or shooting. The ones you have are black hard-rubber, and as the material ages it becomes brittle. If you crack one it could be very hard (and expensive) to replace.

Do not carry with the chamber loaded! These early guns (before serial number 468,097 (.32) and 66,000 (.380) did not have a safety (half-cock) notch on the hammer, and if the hammer should follow down it will go all the way!
 
Olf Fuff I had somebody else tell me the same thing about the recoil spring today. I'm going to listen and do that. As always thanks for the advice.
 
Checkman

Very nice on both counts (the wife and the gift). Icing on the cake... maybe see about a Colt Historical Letter. They can reached at 1-800-962-2658, ext.1343-Beverly Haynes. Takes awhile (I waited 5 months for mine), but like your new gun, well worth it. Enjoy.
 
Great pistol and great wife!
To top it off, Old Fuff adds his sage advice.
It doesn't get much better.
 
This ( being an early Model of the Colt .380 ) would have the removable Barrel Bushing, about as the .45 ACP M1911 did/does...unlike the later ones.


Very nice..!
 
when we ask for pics, we don't necessarely mean pics from the gun.:evil:

seriously, is this pistol also designed by JM Browning? sure looks like it.
 
What does she want?

Just kidding. :D

Maybe you should do something special for her to show your appreciation.

;)
 
vaupet

when we ask for pics, we don't necessarely mean pics from the gun.

seriously, is this pistol also designed by JM Browning? sure looks like it.
Click to expand...
Yes it is a John Browning design.
 
I replaced the springs (recoil, magazine,extractor and firing pin) with Wolf springs. Of course I saved the old ones. Took it to the range yesterday. I was running the qualification range for my department. Everybody wanted to shoot it.

I put thirty rounds of Remington 95 grain 380 through it. It never hiccuped once. I fired it from the ten, seven and five yard lines. Shot the center right out of the middle. It really didn't expect it to be so accurate. Or, truth be told, reliable. Yes it is a keeper.
 
I have one of these: a later serial number, but also a .380 and not a .32 like most of them. To my delight, it feeds 90gr. hydra shoks without any problem, and that's what I always carried in it. I retired this gun in favor of a Remington Model 51 (which also feeds the hyrda shoks with no problem) because the Remington is flatter, and points just a hair better. I no longer carry that very often either, since I have a Kahr Mk40, and the only reason to carry the .380 any longer is when I need the flattest gun possible because of my attire.

But I still shoot the little Colt, and it's a wonderfully accurate little gun. I'll always treasure the look on a fellow officer's face when he found my 80+ year old Colt would outshoot his brand new Bersa backup gun.

I've seen photos of a protoype Colt made back in the '50s (it went up for auction a year or two ago, but I didn't have the money) which was basically an update of this gun. It was essentially the same mechanically, it just had a half inch shorter barrel, an alloy frame with the backstrap slightly more sharply angled, instead of parallel to the front strap, better sights, and a slightly larger thumb safety lever for easier manipulation. With its snag free contours and proven mechanism, it would have been a superb .380 pocket gun. For the life of me, I'll never understand why Colt opted to produce the mustang and the pony instead of this gun.
 
Not as strange as you might think...

The Colt .380 Government Model and Mustang series pistols were based on a design that originated in Spain, and like the larger Government Model .45 had a short recoil/locked breech design rather then being a straight blowback like the earlier Browning 1903/08 pocket model and the prototype under discussion. Right or wrong they decided go go with the .45 look alike. This later proved to be a good move, because the locked breech allowed them to make the length shorter then they could have done with the straight blowback. Unfortunately higher management, not the handgun division, decided to drop all of the .380 pistols, and that was just plain stupid. :banghead:
 
I continue to carry a later '03 pocket in .380 as a backup. The single modification was a small amount of built up metal on the thumb safety to make it easier to find and operate . I had a custom small of the back holster made as well as an inside the pant belt rig .
The duty/service/CCW is a SER. 70 1911 and the "hold out" is a .25 Colt on the ankle .

Like you I found the accuracy to be excellent . reliability with modern ammunition flawless and the backstrap safety a welcome feature for carry as well as forcing you to take a solid grip on the pistol which just happens to contribute to the accuracy of the first and subsequent follow up shots .

I've had the same comments and curiosity about my "antiques" but similarly those that have experience with the '03/'08 pocket just smile and anyone that shoots it is convinced after a very few rounds . I normally have to bring a little bit of extra ammo to the range just because of the interest it attracts .

My sister fell instantly in love with her .32 and later the .380 . My ex wife continues to say that my wedding present of a pristine w/box '03 was the best she got out the marriage second only to the divorce . ( we just wern't good at being married to each other and she does have a sense of humor ) The ex is able to keep rounds on a paper plate out to 50m .

Having tried everything from a M85 stainless 5 round Taurus , Detonics mini , PPK and PPKS , .380 mustang (screaming piece of crap) and several Berettas new and old I continue to carry and trust the '03 .

I strongly suggest you find something special for the wife . Please remember that it really isn't so much how pretty or how much it's what that one thing is that shows care and thought went into the something special .

Thank you and your wife for bringing a smile to what had otherwise been a dreary and depressing day

~kop
 
John M. Browning must be looking over your shoulder and smiling. I like your selection. Real classics.
 
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