Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammer Type II Spur Hammer .38 ACP Semi-Auto Pistol – 1914 Production
Made in 1914, this Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammer represents the scarce Type II spur-hammer variant, one of only about 31,000 produced before World War I. Chambered in the original .38 ACP, it features John Browning’s two-link parallel-ruler locking system and the distinctive cross-wedge slide takedown. Its compact size, triangular rear slide serrations, and checkered hard-rubber grips give the pistol the unmistakable profile sought after by early-20th-century collectors.
Condition
Overall Condition: Fair condition, showing extensive signs of prior use and handling.
Bore Condition: Good – Clean, well-maintained, minor wear marks.
Bore Rifling: Good Rifling – Intact, well-defined lands and grooves.
Specific Condition Notes: The pistol exhibits minor to moderate scratching and scuffing, with areas of finish loss and small blemishes. All mechanical functions remain solid for a firearm of this vintage.
What’s Included
- Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammer pistol
- 1 × 7-round steel magazine with six witness holes and flat floorplate
This Type II model retains the spur hammer introduced in 1908, offering a more traditional manual-cocking profile than the later shrouded versions. The slide is finished in period-correct Colt blue with triangular rear serrations and the original cross-wedge takedown slot, a hallmark of early Pocket Hammers.
The carbon-steel frame and 4.5-inch barrel were built to handle the then-new .38 ACP cartridge. While sturdy for its era, collectors should fire only standard-pressure .38 ACP loads; modern .38 Super ammunition generates pressures beyond the design limits of these pre-WWI slides.
Serial number 32046 places production firmly in 1914, offering historical context and added collectibility. The intact checkered hard-rubber grips display the Colt rampant-horse emblem, completing the pistol’s factory-original appearance.
Fixed iron sights consist of a half-moon front blade paired with an integral U-notch rear, typical of Colt’s pocket autos of the period. Despite finish wear, the bore remains clean with sharp rifling, indicating careful upkeep over more than a century.