Disassembled and cleaned a Colt Model 1908 .380 hammerless today

[spacecoast]

An exceptionally interesting and great old pistol that belongs to a family member. This particular example is 100 years old this year (serial #4xxx), is still tight and shoots great. I found the disassembly instructions at coltautos.com. The barrel is circular with a set of channeled grooves at the chamber, and disconnects from the slide with a quarter twist when the slide is retracted a very specific distance, totally different than modern semis. The feed ramp is part of the receiver, not the barrel.

It's pictured below with my LCP (currently back at Ruger).

http://i891.photobucket.com/albums/ac115/spacecoast_guns/misc/380s.jpg

[OldShooter]

Colt Hammerless. What could be sweeter. I have two, 1903 in .32acp. What's up with the LCP?

[spacecoast]

Thanks, the Colt is a very sweet pistol. The Ruger was back once for a new slide and barrel, 100 shots later the extractor is not reliably pulling the empty brass. I still have high hopes for the LCP, my other Rugers are fine.

[Tom2]

I"ll bet that Colt never had to go back to the factory for a new barrel and extractor when new.

[Chris_B]

Spacecoast-

The Model 1903s sure are sweet little pistols. Coincidentally, I just took mine out for it's once-a-month checkup and oiled it tonight. Mine is a young 'un compared to the one you show though; mine's from 1920

The quality on those things is outstanding. They just work as advertised, and it doesn't hurt that they are handsome pistols. I wish Colt would re-issue them

[B.N.Real]

What Chris B said.

I wish Colt would make them EXACTLY as they were made before so the parts could be interchanged.

You pick up one of these little beauties and it's like holding handgun magic.

[RickB]

Disassembled, or field stripped? It takes a brave man to disassemble a Colt M. I've been tempted to do it twice, but have never got very far before realizing that discretion truly is the better part of valor. ;)
I have a bushing-barrel .32 from 1906, and a .380 from 1913. Both belonged to my dad, and I had never fired either one prior to last year. The .32 has a lousy bore and badly keyholes, but is still accurate out to 15-20 yards. The .380 shoots straight too, and as noted, the feel in the hand is just right.

[spacecoast]

RickB -

It was just a field strip and cleaning. The barrel locking mechanism is ingenious, so simple and yet so precise and secure. Still, I understand why today's pistols don't use it, the skilled labor to get it right would be cost prohibitive.

I"ll bet that Colt never had to go back to the factory for a new barrel and extractor when new.

No doubt about it.

[OldShooter]

My 1903s are from 1916 and 1918. I made the mistake of disassembling one, once. Never again. Reassembly is not as simple as reversing the disassembly procedure. There's very much more cursing involved. Good shooters and fit the hand so nicely.

[cougar gt-e]

My 1903s are from 1916 and 1918. I made the mistake of disassembling one, once. Never again. Reassembly is not as simple as reversing the disassembly procedure. There's very much more cursing involved. Good shooters and fit the hand so nicely.

I've done it a couple times. With years inbetween. Each time I get to the part where it's supposed to be reassembled and have to start cussing! Easy to field strip, but go deeper than that and it can be a pain.

I would guess that it's more about knowing what you are doing and that leaves me out!

[Chris_B]

OK, I'm sorry that this thread is dying

I know originally this was about the 1908 but what the hell. Let's see those model Ms...1903s, 1908s....32, .380...anybody got a "UNITED STATES PROPERTY" marked example? They were General Officer's sidearms in WWII, you know; parkerized or blued, some were .32 some were .380. I'd love to get my hands on one but fat chance

Here's mine, made in 1920. It's easy to fantasize that some gangster carried this in his coat during prohibition

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v441/Chuck_Older/1903.jpg

[spacecoast]

I know what you mean, the one I cleaned could have been carried in WWI. My relative didn't buy it until the 1960s and paid $75 for it. You can't even buy a magazine for that much now. I would love to find an original mag somewhere for him, no matter what the cost. Have struck out so far (for 4 months) on Gunbroker.

[James K]

I concur about disassembly. Reassembly is not too hard IF you know a few tricks; otherwise it is a nightmare, and I don't recommend it.

Jim

[Chris_B]

I know what you mean, the one I cleaned could have been carried in WWI. My relative didn't buy it until the 1960s and paid $75 for it. You can't even buy a magazine for that much now. I would love to find an original mag somewhere for him, no matter what the cost. Have struck out so far (for 4 months) on Gunbroker.

75 bucks...wow

re: the mags. When I bought mine, the thing that sealed it for me was two original Colt two-tone mags came with it

While I was inspecting the pistol (this was at a little show at a gun club) a gentleman came up and started talking to the seller over my shoulder, dickering on buying one of the two mags. I politely told him to scram! :D

I believe the French liked these pistols and others like them for clearing trenches in WWI

[CootersnickleFritzer]

As my first post on this forum, I figured it would be best if it concerned the 1908 .380. I like mine (1926) so much that I am temped to clean it everytime I see it... find myself reclined in the lazy-boy watching the tube, casually holding the 1908 (not really). Actually, today I took it to an outdoors store to see what they thought of it (finish-wise, any potential problems, value, etc). After they spent about 10 minutes checking it out, the counter-person exclaimed "It's a neat gun. We'd offer up to $150-200 for it". I did 26 and 1/2 backflips and landed on my head. I then calmly told him that I didn't plan on selling it and that if I wanted that kind of money I would let go of one of the 3 original mags I have. The whole situation made me feel like I was on that "Pawn Stars" show (History Channel). Anyhow, I will have to get some good pics of it posted soon. It's not perfect by any means, but it was greatly disrespected today.

[mec]

Indeed, it seems like they are going for about ten times that amount now.

[CootersnickleFritzer]

:cool:

[BlueTrain]

I never thought they were at all difficult to field strip and reassemble and believe me, I'm not at all mechanically handed. Certainly no more difficult than doing the same with a full grown Government Model.

The one's I've seen for sale in gun shops haven't been outlandlishly expensive, although they certainly weren't collector's examples, about like the ones in the photos. I even had one refinished. Bad idea. It came back so slick that it was difficult to even retract the slide. Whoever said a pistol ought to feel like a well-used piece of soap, well, I just don't get it. Should have had it parkerized if the gunsmith would have been willing to do that to an old pistol like that.

While they have their charms and advantages, they really aren't any better than more recent .380s. Their advantages are a longer barrel, thin and flat design, covered hammer and a decent trigger (at least mine were). But they kick just like any blowback .380 and they aren't especially lightweight. I still love to see them in old movies.

I spent most of my time in the army in an infantry division headquarters and the general still carried a Colt pocket auto, which would probably have been at least 25 years old at the time. But come to think of it, all the .45 autos would have been that old, too, though we didn't have as many as you might think we would have.

[OldShooter]

When I wrote about disassembling my 1903, I didn't mean field stripping. I would have said "field strip" if that was what I was talking about.

I took it all apart. The reassembly from that state was quite an exercise. The parts don't go back together nearly as quickly as you can remove them

[James K]

I have had many of them apart (you have to completely disassemble for polishing and bluing) and got them all back together, which is where I learned those "tricks" I mentioned in the previous post, and why I strongly recommend the average person NOTdetail strip them. It is not needed for routine cleaning.

Jim

[CootersnickleFritzer]

Well, it ended up as the first gun that i have ever done a full take down on. I was overwhelmed trying to get it back together having no prior experience with firearms. It put it away in pieces a few times but finally did get it days later.

[OldShooter]

Jim Keenan,

That's exactly it. I was refinishing the thing.

If I ever find myself in that position again(and I seriously doubt it) I will pay you dearly for those "tricks".

[jaughtman]

some of the most attractive pistols EVER imho. I almost bought one last year for 399. Dang it.