Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless Type IV .32 ACP, 3.7 in Barrel, 1934, Custom Gold-Tone Plated Finish, 8+1
This 1934 Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless Type IV stands out with a non-standard gold-tone plated finish applied to the slide, frame, and small parts. It is a compact, steel, John M. Browning design chambered in .32 ACP, with Type IV features that include a magazine disconnect. Clear factory legends and rollmarks remain present, and it comes with one 8-round magazine.
Condition
Overall Condition: Good condition, showing some signs of prior use and handling.
Bore Overall Condition: Good - Clean, well-maintained, minor wear marks.
Bore Rifling: Good Rifling - Intact, well-defined lands and grooves.
Specific Condition Notes: This firearm is in great shape. Minor scratches and blemishes are present. The bore presents a bright, shiny interior.
What’s Included
- Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless Type IV .32 ACP pistol (custom gold-tone plated finish)
- One 8-round steel single-stack magazine with witness holes
The Type IV variant adds a magazine disconnect to the Model 1903’s safety suite, joining the grip safety and a manual thumb safety that also functions as the slide hold-open. It uses a simple blowback, single-action system with an internal hammer, an 8+1 capacity, and a 3.7 in barrel in a micro-size steel frame.
This example features a non-standard gold-tone plated finish on the slide, frame, and small parts, giving the pistol a distinctive presentation. The plating covers primary metal components while retaining the pistol’s original contours and markings.
Factory rollmarks and legends are present: the left slide legend reads "COLT'S PT. F. A. MFG. CO.
HARTFORD, CT. U.S.A. PATENTED APR. 20, 1897 DEC. 22, 1903.", and the right slide legend reads "COLT AUTOMATIC CALIBRE 32 RIMLESS SMOKELESS." The Rampant Colt logo is rollmarked at the rear left of the slide, and there is a "K" mark near the muzzle on the right side.
Slide features include vertical rear serrations and a top-mounted external extractor. Sights are fixed with a small front blade and a rear notch. The grip safety is integrated into the backstrap, and the pistol wears checkered wood grips with Colt medallions.
Made in the USA in 1934 and also known as the Colt Model M, this John M. Browning-designed pistol represents the 1930s-era evolution of the Pocket Hammerless line with the Type IV safety configuration.