I finally got a Colt I've waited some time to find

Winchester_73 · February 15, 2013, 10:52 PM

Many of you have posted about this gun when talking about cool pocket autos, vintage colt autos or even 32 acp autos. This model has come up a lot. Of course it would, a John Browning design, made by Colt, and sold well over 500k. Many of you have posted about them because many were made and they are still around and affordable although many today have been reblued or nickeled or rode hard and even put away wet.

Well I never bought one. I never bought one because for one thing, everyone has one, and that makes me want one much less. In addition, many sellers see that its a Colt, and ignore that its one of the most common vintage Colts you could find. I always told myself "wait for a pretty one, or wait for a deal" and well, I found one that's almost both. I don't think I stole it, but pre war boxed Colts don't grow on trees either.

This gun, with SN 434XXX, is from 1923 per proofhouse and comes with its original box and paper work. The grips are fantastic, and the magazine is like new. This one stayed home for the prohibition years, and apparently for a lot of years after that. Its nice when patience finally pays off. I can't even count how many I've turned down for one reason or another. I actually did just buy another one to get the grips from it, but its not a great example, and so I will end up selling it. This one is pretty and so it joins the club.

Its sure hard to beat the bluing of a pre war Colt auto...

There is something about having prohibition era pistols...really makes you wonder what stories they could tell...

Upper right - 1920 Colt Commercial government model, bottom right, 1903 of this thread, bottom left a 1908 vest pocket 25 from 1921 and last but not least, above that, pointing to the right, a 1908 380 from 1925.

TheNocturnus · February 15, 2013, 10:54 PM

I always thought those were odd looking guns. That said, I almost bought one at my LGS a while ago. The price was a little steep and I walked out with something else.

CajunBass · February 16, 2013, 08:04 AM

Those are nice. They look kind of quaint and old fashioned these days, but feel great in the hand.

I passed up on one a couple of years ago, and wish I hadn't.

MLeake · February 16, 2013, 08:36 AM

Per your logic in various Python threads, shouldn't these guns be horrible - since Colt stopped making them, after all?

I had thought about picking up one of these, in .32, but then I would have to start buying .32....

Winchester_73 · February 16, 2013, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Per your logic in various Python threads, shouldn't these guns be horrible - since Colt stopped making them, after all?

Not the point. Here is the explanation for the 1000th time - my comments about the Python being discontinued are in reference to it being billed as the best of all time, and surely, when you have something that is the best of all time, you don't discontinue it unless perhaps, its NOT actually the best. Of course there were manufacturing issues at play, but when you have the best, you find a solution. The best is something very hard to get, and as a gun maker, you cannot ignore that, if its true.

None of that applies to the Colt 1903, since no one calls it the best pocket pistol of all time, as there are so many other great choices. I much prefer the Remington 51 myself.

**Mike Irwin** · February 16, 2013, 09:56 AM

The cartridge marking is VERY interesting...

.32 smokeless rimless...

I never took notice of that before. Odd.

Nice package, though.

MLeake · February 16, 2013, 06:54 PM

And here I thought the best of all time was the Korth...

Meanwhile, on the Colt pocket models, how positive are the safeties? How comfortable would you be with cocked and locked?

Ozzieman · February 17, 2013, 11:27 AM

Showoff!

Sweet 32. I have been looking for a nice one myself but the prices have always been more than I was willing to spend.
The only 32 Browning design that I own is the one in the attached photo. It’s a Belgium manufactured during WW2.
Like the Colt it’s a very nice shooting gun that I take out on the 6th of June each year and shoot.
Nice collection of Colts.
The other gun attached is a very rare 1911 RAF 455 Eley that’s in a collection that I’m working on. Its finish is rough but it has the original barrel and the original grips are gone.

James K · February 17, 2013, 07:26 PM

The safety on the Colt pocket model hammerless is quite positive; it blocks the sear using the same idea (though not quite the same way) as the 1911 pistol. It has two problems, the first being that it does not have a very positive detent, and the other that the safety is so small it is not as easy to take off in an emergency as it should be.

The "rimless smokeless" is marked on the guns even though the .32 is not truly rimless, being what we call semi-rimmed. The .380 ACP, like the .45 ACP, is truly rimless, apparently because John Browning became aware of the 9mm Luger cartridge which Luger brought to the U.S. for tests c. 1903.

Jim

spacecoast · February 17, 2013, 08:37 PM

I'm really fond of my 1922 .380 and it shoots even better than it looks. Congrats on finding the one you wanted, that's a sweet collection of pistols.

Hairbag · February 17, 2013, 08:55 PM

I like it pretty cool gun

February 15, 2013, 10:52 PM	#1
Winchester_73 Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2008 Location: Pittsburgh PA Posts: 2,863	I finally got a Colt I've waited some time to find Many of you have posted about this gun when talking about cool pocket autos, vintage colt autos or even 32 acp autos. This model has come up a lot. Of course it would, a John Browning design, made by Colt, and sold well over 500k. Many of you have posted about them because many were made and they are still around and affordable although many today have been reblued or nickeled or rode hard and even put away wet. Well I never bought one. I never bought one because for one thing, everyone has one, and that makes me want one much less. In addition, many sellers see that its a Colt, and ignore that its one of the most common vintage Colts you could find. I always told myself "wait for a pretty one, or wait for a deal" and well, I found one that's almost both. I don't think I stole it, but pre war boxed Colts don't grow on trees either. This gun, with SN 434XXX, is from 1923 per proofhouse and comes with its original box and paper work. The grips are fantastic, and the magazine is like new. This one stayed home for the prohibition years, and apparently for a lot of years after that. Its nice when patience finally pays off. I can't even count how many I've turned down for one reason or another. I actually did just buy another one to get the grips from it, but its not a great example, and so I will end up selling it. This one is pretty and so it joins the club. Its sure hard to beat the bluing of a pre war Colt auto... There is something about having prohibition era pistols...really makes you wonder what stories they could tell... Upper right - 1920 Colt Commercial government model, bottom right, 1903 of this thread, bottom left a 1908 vest pocket 25 from 1921 and last but not least, above that, pointing to the right, a 1908 380 from 1925. __________________ Winchester 73, the TFL user that won the west

February 15, 2013, 10:54 PM	#2
TheNocturnus Senior Member Join Date: May 29, 2011 Location: Missouri Posts: 1,097	I always thought those were odd looking guns. That said, I almost bought one at my LGS a while ago. The price was a little steep and I walked out with something else. __________________ My EDC: Gun Wallet Brain (Use this one the most)

February 16, 2013, 08:04 AM	#3
CajunBass Senior Member Join Date: May 6, 2005 Location: North Chesterfield, Virginia Posts: 4,767	Those are nice. They look kind of quaint and old fashioned these days, but feel great in the hand. I passed up on one a couple of years ago, and wish I hadn't. __________________ For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (NKJV)

February 16, 2013, 09:56 AM	#6
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	The cartridge marking is VERY interesting... .32 smokeless rimless... I never took notice of that before. Odd. Nice package, though. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

February 17, 2013, 11:27 AM	#8
Ozzieman Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 6,117	Showoff! Sweet 32. I have been looking for a nice one myself but the prices have always been more than I was willing to spend. The only 32 Browning design that I own is the one in the attached photo. It’s a Belgium manufactured during WW2. Like the Colt it’s a very nice shooting gun that I take out on the 6th of June each year and shoot. Nice collection of Colts. The other gun attached is a very rare 1911 RAF 455 Eley that’s in a collection that I’m working on. Its finish is rough but it has the original barrel and the original grips are gone. __________________ It was a sad day when I discovered my universal remote control did not in fact control the universe. Did you hear about the latest study.....5 out of 6 liberals say that Russian Roulette is safe. Last edited by Ozzieman; October 1, 2016 at 05:22 PM.

February 16, 2013, 08:36 AM	#4
MLeake Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 2007 Location: Outside KC, MO Posts: 10,128	Per your logic in various Python threads, shouldn't these guns be horrible - since Colt stopped making them, after all? I had thought about picking up one of these, in .32, but then I would have to start buying .32....

February 16, 2013, 06:54 PM	#7
MLeake Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 2007 Location: Outside KC, MO Posts: 10,128	And here I thought the best of all time was the Korth... Meanwhile, on the Colt pocket models, how positive are the safeties? How comfortable would you be with cocked and locked?

February 17, 2013, 07:26 PM	#9
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	The safety on the Colt pocket model hammerless is quite positive; it blocks the sear using the same idea (though not quite the same way) as the 1911 pistol. It has two problems, the first being that it does not have a very positive detent, and the other that the safety is so small it is not as easy to take off in an emergency as it should be. The "rimless smokeless" is marked on the guns even though the .32 is not truly rimless, being what we call semi-rimmed. The .380 ACP, like the .45 ACP, is truly rimless, apparently because John Browning became aware of the 9mm Luger cartridge which Luger brought to the U.S. for tests c. 1903. Jim

February 17, 2013, 08:37 PM	#10
spacecoast Senior Member Join Date: October 14, 2009 Location: Sunshine and Keystone States Posts: 4,461	I'm really fond of my 1922 .380 and it shoots even better than it looks. Congrats on finding the one you wanted, that's a sweet collection of pistols.

February 17, 2013, 08:55 PM	#11
Hairbag Senior Member Join Date: October 22, 2010 Posts: 449	I like it pretty cool gun __________________ I'm hairbag and I approve this message.