If colt started making the 1903/1908 pocket hammerless again would you buy one?

[Old Fuff]

1908 was a big year for Colt. They introduced the following pistols.

Model 1908 .380 Pocket Pistol (Hammerless)
Model 1908 .25 Vest Pocket Model

The Model 1908 .380 was identical to the earlier Model 1903 Pocket Model, that was chambered in .32 ACP. This is the Model 1908 referred to in this thread.

You are not the first one to be confused by the different 1908 models that Colt made over the years.

The model 1903/08 in its original configuration would not be inexpensive to make. Over the years they made several market studies, but when the projected MSRP met or exceeded $800.00 to $1,000.00 interest quickly dried up.

 

[Robbins290]

Ummmmm! Yes!!!!

 

[Billy Shears]

I'd have to say no, I wouldn't buy one. But that's mainly because I already have a Model 1908, and I'm lucky enough to have got my hands on one that feeds Federal hydra shok and Speer gold dot hollowpoints (haven't tried any others) flawlessly. Truthfully though, Colt would never do this, nor would any other company. As great as the 1903/1908 was, it's an old design, made for manufacturing methods that existed when labor was a lot cheaper. It couldn't be offered today with both quality and a competitive price. Its being a single action would make some customers steer clear of it as well.

I'd rather see the Remington Model 51 put back into production, but that won't happen for the same reasons, only more so. The 51 was more expensive to make back then, and would still be so today. I also am lucky enough to have one of those that also feeds hydra shoks and gold dots, but I'd still buy a new 51 if they came back into production, as long as a modern one had a more ergonomic thumb safety and better sights. The Model 51 has absolutely the tiniest sights I have ever seen on a firearm.

 

[Old Fuff]

I'd have to say no, I wouldn't buy one.

Yup... and I wouldn't either.

What too many people don't understand is that if Colt (or anyone else) were to reintroduce the old 1903/08 they would have to start from scratch and completely re-tool it. That includes each and every part in it. A reasonable estimate would be several hundred, thousand dollars – up to a half million! Then the total cost would have to be amortized over the number of guns they could reasonably expect to sell. Those add-in's could equal 1/4 or more of the pistol's total cost or more. Would they sell some? Sure they would! But would they sell enough to recover the necessary costs of bringing it into production? So far the answer to that has been, "no!"

 

[SharpsDressedMan]

Gratuitous picture of a Colt Hammerless that gets carried.

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