Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless Type III .32 ACP, 3.75 in Barrel, 1916, Blued, 7+1
This 1916 Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless Type III (Model M) is a commercial-production .32 ACP pistol designed by John M. Browning. The Type III configuration eliminates the barrel bushing and uses an internal hammer, with both a manual thumb safety and a grip safety. It retains the correct slide legends, rampant Colt logo behind the serrations, and the Colt VP proof on the trigger guard, offering desirable features for a collectible early-20th-century Colt.
Condition
Overall Condition: Fair condition, showing extensive 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: There is heavy finish loss and scratching on the frame and slide. The bore presents a bright, shiny appearance.
What's Included
- 1x 7-round detachable steel magazine with witness holes
- Leather flap holster with cross-strap over a fixed button-stud
The Type III variant is defined by its no-bushing barrel system and internal hammer, while retaining the straight blowback, single-action operation that made the Model 1903 a trusted pocket pistol. It uses a heel-style magazine release and a manual thumb safety that can hold the slide using the safety notch.
Chambered in .32 ACP, it carries 7+1 rounds and uses a 3.75 in barrel. Overall length is approximately 6.75 inches, and unloaded weight is about 24 oz, making it a compact, all-steel pistol in the micro size class.
The pistol wears its original-style fixed sights: a small half-moon front blade and a narrow rear notch. The slide features rear-only vertical serrations, with the rampant Colt logo behind them. Right-side slide legend reads "COLT AUTOMATIC CALIBRE 32 RIMLESS SMOKELESS," and the left side bears the patent/date legend.
Construction is blued carbon steel for both frame and slide, paired with black checkered hard rubber grips bearing the "COLT" banner and rampant colt. A Colt VP triangle proof is stamped on the left front of the trigger guard. Takedown is the Model M pattern, using barrel rotation to disengage the lugs.