The Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless is a .32 ACP caliber, self-loading,
semi-automatic pistol designed by John Browning and built by Colt Patent
Firearms Manufacturing Company of Hartford, Connecticut. The Colt Model
1908 Pocket Hammerless is a variant introduced five years later in .380 ACP
caliber. Despite the title 'Hammerless', the Model 1903 does have a hammer. It is
covered and hidden from view under the rear of the slide. This allowed the
pistol to be carried in and withdrawn from a pocket quickly and smoothly
without snagging. History
Approximately 570,000 Colt Pocket Hammerless pistols were produced from
1903 to 1945, in five different types. Some were issued to US Army and US Air
Force general officers from World War II through the 1970s. They were replaced in
1972 with the RIA Colt M15 General Officer's Model, a compact version of
the M1911A1. The Shanghai Municipal Police issued the M1908 to its Chinese
officers in the 1920s and 1930s and it was a popular model with police in the
United States such as the New York City Police Department, Woonsocket RI,
Chicopee Mas, Gloversville NY. Detroit MI and many others. In addition to
lawful owners, many gangsters of the pre-World War II era favored the Model
1903 and Model 1908 because they were relatively small and easily concealed.
It is said that Al Capone kept one in his coat pocket and Bonnie Parker used
one to break Clyde Barrow out of jail after smuggling it into the jail by
taping it to her thigh. An impersonator of bank robber John Dillinger was
carrying this model of pistol when he was shot by FBI agents outside the
Biograph theater on July 22, 1934, and another famous bank robber, Willie
Sutton had one when he was captured by police in Brooklyn on February 18, 1952.
Note: There was also a Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammer pistol in .38 ACP, but
this design is unrelated. The FN Model 1903 pistol design is related to the
Colt Pocket Hammerless, but it is physically larger due to its chambering
in 9 × 20 mm SR Browning Long cartridge. = General Officer's Models=
General Officer models were often engraved with the officer's name.
Recipients included Generals Eisenhower, Bradley, Marshall, and Patton. Patton's
Model 1908 was embellished with three stars on the grip panels to denote his
rank. They were issued with a fine-grade leather holster, leather pistol belt
with gold-metal clasp, rope pistol lanyard with gold-metal fittings, and
leather two-pocket ammunition pouch with gold-metal fasteners. They came in
russet or black leather and were made by ALPCO or Hickock. A cleaning rod and two
spare magazines were also included. Design
This pistol was actually fired by action of a hammer striking and driving a
firing pin into a center-fire cartridge's primer. The hammer was
covered by the rear of the slide. The "hammerless" designation was merely an
advertising designation pointing out the pistol's particular suitability for
concealed carry. Special features include a serrated slide to prevent
slippage during manual cycling of the slide, and two safety mechanisms. The
grip safety is a spring-loaded piece making up the back strap of the pistol.
The grip safety, though not solely restricted to them, was a typical
feature of Colt automatic pistols. A magazine safety was added on later
models; this feature prevents the pistol from being fired with a round in the
chamber and the magazine removed. In 1908, a .380 ACP version of this gun
was introduced. Called the Model 1908, it was nearly identical to the Model
1903 except for the bore diameter and the magazine, which held seven rounds.
Grip panels were black checked hard rubber, checked walnut, or special order
materials. Sights were fixed, although the rear
sight was drift-adjustable for windage. Metal finish was blued or nickel, and
some special-order finishes such as engraved, silver or gold plated.
Specifications Calibers:
M1903- .32 ACP M1908- .380 ACP
Weight: 640 g Length: 205 mm
Barrel length: 127 mm Capacity:
8 rounds 7 Rounds
Variants Type I: separate barrel bushing, 4 inch
barrel, no magazine safety, Serial numbers 1 through 71,999.
Type II: 32 cal separate barrel bushing, 33⁄4 inch barrel; 1908–1910, SN 72,000
through 105,050. Type II: 380 cal separate barrel
bushing, 33⁄4 inch barrel; 1908–1910, SN 001 through 6250
Type III: integrated barrel bushing, 33⁄4 inch barrel; 1910–1926, SN 105,051
through 468,789. Type IV: integrated barrel bushing, 33⁄4
inch barrel, magazine safety. Type V: integrated barrel bushing, 33⁄4
inch barrel, military sights, magazine safety on both commercial and "U.S.
Property" variations. SN 468,097 through 554,446.
There was an M1903 version with a military Parkerized finish, which is
otherwise the same as the Model IV, SN 554,447 through 572,214.
See also List of individual weapons of the U.S.
Armed Forces References
External links "Colt 1903 .32 ACP Pocket Hammerless
Pistol". Coltautos.com. Retrieved 2012-06-01.
"1903 Colt Model M". Unblinkingeye.com. Retrieved 2012-06-01.
Colt pistol hammerless model 1903