Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless Type III .32 ACP, 3.75 in Barrel, Blued, 1924
This 1924 Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless Type III is a compact, all-steel .32 ACP pistol designed by John M. Browning. It features the Type III configuration without a magazine disconnect, top ejection, period-correct slide legends, and black checkered hard rubber Colt grips. A practical interwar example with classic Colt styling and functional details, it comes with one 8-round magazine and a tooled leather open-top pocket holster.
Condition
Overall Condition: Good condition, showing some 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: This firearm is in solid shape. It shows various cosmetic imperfections, scratches, blemishes, and areas of finish loss.
What’s Included
- 1 unmarked steel single-stack 8-round magazine with witness holes
- Tooled leather open-top pocket holster
The Type III configuration distinguishes this pistol by omitting the magazine disconnect found on later variants, while retaining a single-action trigger, internal hammer, manual thumb safety, and grip safety. It uses a simple blowback system suited to the .32 ACP cartridge and feeds from an 8-round single-stack magazine for an 8+1 capacity.
Compact in size with a 3.75-inch barrel, the pistol employs a top ejection port and vertical grasping serrations on the slide for a classic 1903 manual of arms. Fixed sights include a small half-moon front blade and an integral rear notch, consistent with period setup.
Construction is blued carbon steel throughout, complemented by black checkered hard-rubber grips marked with the COLT banner and an integral molded rampant colt at the lower panel. The slide shows period-correct legends: "COLT AUTOMATIC CALIBRE 32 RIMLESS SMOKELESS" on the right, and "PATENTED APR. 20, 1897. DEC. 22, 1903" on the left with the rampant colt at the rear.
Produced in the interwar era in the United States, this example dates to 1924. Inspector or assembly letters "R" and "V" appear on the trigger guard, with a small stamped "48" noted above the trigger, adding to the pistol’s specific, verifiable details.