Make: Colt

Model: 1903 Pocket Hammer

Serial Number: 41017

Year of Manufacture: 1919 

Caliber: .38 ACP

Action Type: Single Action Semi-Automatic Pistol with Removable Magazine

Barrel Length: 4 1/2”

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a rounded blade fixed to the top of the slide. The rear sight is a “U”-notch with a rounded top that is dovetailed into the top rear of the slide.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered black hard rubber with "COLT" in a banner across their tops and a Rampant Colt in a circle at their middles. The grips have little in the way of handling wear with a few light nicks. The checkering is well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in Fine Condition.

Type of Finish: Blued

Finish Originality: Original, the slide is serial-matched to the frame.

Bore Condition: The bore is gray, the rifling is sharp. There is scattered light erosion and infrequent minor pitting in the bore. In this writer's opinion, the bore rates 6 out of 10.

Overall Condition: This handgun retains about 98% of its metal finish. The finish is generally strong throughout with some scattered spots of faint oxidation. There are a few minor nicks and small scratches. The action shows light operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings are clear. Overall, this pistol is in Very Good Plus Condition. 

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this handgun. As with all previously owned firearms, thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with one vintage original Colt fully blued 7-round magazine stamped “CAL. 38 / COLT” on the bottom floorplate (correct for this serial range).

Our Assessment: The success of the Model 1902 Sporting and Military semi-auto pistols led Colt to believe that a smaller “pocket” version would also sell well, and that spawned the 1903 “Pocket Hammer”, which was essentially a shortened version of the Model 1902 and made with much of the existing tooling. The 1903 Pocket Hammer had a short 4 1/2” barrel, but like its big brother, lacked an external safety, featured a 7-shot mag with bottom release, and like the later Model 1902, the slide serrations were placed at the rear. Introduced in December 1903, Colt made about 31,250 of the 1903 Pocket Hammer until production ceased in December 1927. Although the 1903 Pocket Hammer was the best selling of the .38 ACP pistols, its success paled in comparison to the .32 ACP Model 1903 and .380 ACP Model 1908 Pocket Hammerless pistols that followed. Production of the 1903 Pocket Hammer slowed during WW1 and surged in the early post-war era, but then dissipated considerably as folks gravitated to the larger Model 1911 for knockdown power or to the hammerless pistols for concealability.

This Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammer .38 ACP Semi-Auto Pistol was made in 1919 and is in Very Good Plus Condition. It features a 4.5” barrel, 98% of its lustrous, original commercial “high polish” blued finish, crisp two-piece checkered black hard rubber grips with "COLT" in a banner across their tops and a Rampant Colt in a circle at their middles, a beautiful original Colt fully blued 7-round mag, strong mechanics, clear markings, and a gray bore with sharp rifling (there’s scattered light erosion and infrequent minor pitting). This is a wonderful example of the rarely encountered Colt 1903 Pocket Hammer.