by J.B. Wood | Contributing Editor
Included with the pistol is a complete copy of the original user’s manual.
Thanks to the good guys at MGE Wholesale, you can now get a brand-new Colt 1903/08 Pocket Hammerless, one of John Moses Browning’s best designs. It is a “limited edition,” and a bit pricey, but it will cost you less than a pristine original. It’s made for them by US Armament Corporation, with a nod of approval from the Colt people.
You may recognize the US Armament name—they are the same outfit that made that impressive version of the Gatling Gun, a few years ago. Their reproduction of the Colt demonstrates their love of precision. The gun is exactly the same as an original. The chambering is for .32 Auto, and all of the markings on the slide and frame are the same.
The MGE re-make of the Colt left side.
One of these, on the right side of the frame, is a tribute to its issue, at one time, to General Officers. This “U.S. Property* marking will not lead to fakes that will victimize collectors. The serial numbering would be wrong. As with the originals, it is offered both in the military “Parkerized” finish and high-polish blue.
For those who are not Colt collectors, I will note that the original “first model” pistols of 1903 were a little different. They had a slightly longer barrel, a separate bushing, and some internal parts varied. In 1908, a version in .380 Auto was introduced, and the 1903 .32 was changed to be like it. In both .32 and .380, it was made until the era of World War Two.
For comparison, here are two early Colts, a 1903 (top) and a 1908.
My test gun, the one shown here, is the blued version. The checkered walnut grips have the gold-colored Colt medallion at the top. The original early patent dates are on the left side of the slide, and, at the rear, the rampant Colt logo. Even the bottom of the magazine has the Colt marking.
The right-side imprint on the slide, also quite authentic, is “Colt Automatic,” and below that “Calibre 32 Rimless smokeless.” I have always smiled at this—the French spelling of “caliber,” the lack of a decimal point before “32,” and, the .32 Auto cartridge is a semi-rim, not “rimless”. The early days of auto pistols had some quirks.
A Colt metal advertising sign, circa 1908-1910, lauded the grip-safety.
Another of those was the “Pocket Hammerless” name. There is definitely a pivoting hammer, but it’s hidden, inside. When the slide is cycled and the hammer is at full-cock, the sear is automatically blocked by the grip-safety. The manual safety—up for on-safe, down to fire— also blocks the sear. The magazine holds 8 rounds, and the catch is at lower rear.
My pistol came with two interesting document reprints. One is a nice copy of an original user’s manual, notable for its lack of lawyerly warnings. The other reprint is from the US Navy Bureau of Ordnance, a parts procurement guide for armorers. Both are fascinating, and add to the historical significance.
On the beautiful MGE re-make the entire original markings were duplicated, including the *U.S. Property* stamp.
Some years ago, a serious collector was horrified when I told him I had test-fired a rare pistol that I had repaired for him. I suspect that some of the buyers of this lovely piece will feel the same. I did shoot it, of course. Regular PMJ Magtech loads, 7 yards, two-hand hold. Groups averaged 4.5 inches, and it worked perfectly.
Suggested retail price is $1495• Actually, according to Steve Fjestad’s marvelous Blue Book of Gun Values, that’s a lot less than you’d pay for a comparable original. Here’s the contact data: MGE Wholesale, 3415 Grape Road, Mishawaka, IN 46545. Phone: 800-734-5965. Online: mgewholesale.com.
