Not a sniper. Colt 1903 pocket pistol in 32 auto

[TurdFerguson]

Recently inherited it from Dad's estate. Inherited this but bought the colt 1911a1 out of the estate. Have a few others that my aunts are no longer interested in....
Pretty beat lots of holster wear. 5 digit serial number(30000). Dad never told me much about it. I was told it was a relative's who was a police officer somewhere in Northern WV/(Mannington/Morgantown areas). I am not sure which side of the family it came from I am assuming my Grandmothers.

Does colt still have the ability to look up serial numbers for ownership? If not is there other ways to look up info on these?

 

[TurdFerguson]

the 1911A1

 

[Odysseus1911]

Colt has an archive department that can get you all the info you want.

Archive Services - COLT

The Colt Archive Letter Considered one of the most unique and prestigious services offered for Colt firearms, the Archive Letter is universally recognized as an unparalleled investment in firearms collecting. These Colt Historians will search through vast archives to provide you with accurate...

coltgundealers.com

Also, and you may not be interested, but just offering a suggestion in case you are. . . Turnbull Restoration does unbelievably good antique firearm restoration and period-correct bluing if you want to make these antiques literally like the day they came from the factory.

Turnbull Restoration Company, Inc.

Firearm Restoration & Manufacturing. Antique restoration and bluing services. Featuring Colt 1911 and 1886 Winchester manufactured reproductions .

www.turnbullrestoration.com

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Two gorgeous guns right there. And it would be a crime to restore either. Keep them oiled shoot and enjoy.

Gentleman above got the right place for colt letters. There are also free look up places to get a year manufactured based on serial number.

Absolutely beautiful pair. Don’t ever let them go those are family treasures. Cheers

 

[TurdFerguson]

Two gorgeous guns right there. And it would be a crime to restore either. Keep them oiled shoot and enjoy.

Gentleman above got the right place for colt letters. There are also free look up places to get a year manufactured based on serial number.

Absolutely beautiful pair. Don’t ever let them go those are family treasures. Cheers

I looked up the serial number, its a 2nd year of production (1904). I'll have to give colt a call, maybe if I can get a name, I can reference with all the family history buried in the closet at mom's lol. Dug out Dad's helmet form his job at Kennametal and my Grandfather's m1 pot from ww2.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

I looked up the serial number, its a 2nd year of production (1904). I'll have to give colt a call, maybe if I can get a name, I can reference with all the family history buried in the closet at mom's lol.

Just FYI, much of the time the only thing you’ll get off the letter is where the gun was sold. Often a hardware store or a jobber. Sometimes you will also get sales like to a police department or company like Pinkertons.

It is very rare to get a name associated with a 20th century Colt pistol. But it does happen. It’s just that a lot of times by the 20th century people were buying from retailers and not writing Colt directly to order pistols as many did in the early days.

So by all means order a letter. It will cost you about $75 these days. But I wouldn’t be too hopeful that you’ll get a name of a family member. But you might get lucky.

Cheers, Sirhr

 

[fdkay]

I have a factory nickel plated 1903, according to the serial number it was manufactured in 1920.
I carry it sometimes when I want something very slim, it shoots very well.
Slide catch is worn, but fuck, it's a hundred years old

 

[lonegunman762x51]

Offhand the 1911 looks like a WWII original Colt, the finish is thin and it has a lot of patina, if it still has rifling it is a nice gun.

The 1903 looks well worn. Last time I checked a Colt letter was at least $150 bucks, it might be spendy to see which hardware store sold it. About 98% of the time guns were sold at hardware or general stores before WWII. A stand alone gun store was not that common in small towns. It could use a good cleaning and if the safeties work, I'd go try it out. I have a 1903 (.32 acp) 1908 (.380) a 1908 Vest Pocket .25 and a .380 British export model someone brought home from WWII and converted to .32. They are fun to shoot and very reliable little guns.

 

[GrumpyOleFart]

Very nice

 

[Downtown]

I've a few 1903s that I really enjoy shooting. We talked 1903s in a thread last year and I mentioned that, though beautiful guns, they aren't drop safe. Very unfortunate accident to an experienced shooter.

S.W.A.T. Magazine writer dies after tragic accident.

S.W.A.T. Magazine writer dies after tragic accident.

www.michaelbane.tv

 

[roostercogburn98]

Current Colt letter prices.
https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/3a...chive Letter Price List.pdf?ver=1602095793611

 

[roostercogburn98]

Offhand the 1911 looks like a WWII original Colt, the finish is thin and it has a lot of patina, if it still has rifling it is a nice gun.

The 1903 looks well worn. Last time I checked a Colt letter was at least $150 bucks, it might be spendy to see which hardware store sold it. About 98% of the time guns were sold at hardware or general stores before WWII. A stand alone gun store was not that common in small towns. It could use a good cleaning and if the safeties work, I'd go try it out. I have a 1903 (.32 acp) 1908 (.380) a 1908 Vest Pocket .25 and a .380 British export model someone brought home from WWII and converted to .32. They are fun to shoot and very reliable little guns.

Most all guns are 75 as @sirhrmechanic said. Some of the older revolvers aren’t able to get letters anymore due to a fire destroying records. Some old the odd stuff is 100 bucks now as well, but neither of these two guns fall into that category. Letters do more than pinpoint to a “general” store. They provide a history to a piece. Sometimes that history is nothing, sometimes that history is everything, and sometimes people just like that letter and will buy a gun purely on that being present. I’m this case, a family heirloom would be complete with history and the great great grandkids would know for sure when they held the two side by side.

 

[sirhrmechanic]

I've a few 1903s that I really enjoy shooting. We talked 1903s in a thread last year and I mentioned that, though beautiful guns, they aren't drop safe. Very unfortunate accident to an experienced shooter.

S.W.A.T. Magazine writer dies after tragic accident.

S.W.A.T. Magazine writer dies after tragic accident.

www.michaelbane.tv

Any of these are 'risky' as carry guns.

They don't have great safeties and can be hard to manipulate.

The Baby Brownings (little Colt pockets) in particular are risky to carry! But are great fun on the range.

For small, early gun carry... I prefer the Walther PP. Nice double action... dropped hammer. Thin, light, etc.

The Colt's are awesome! And someday I want a 'real' General Officers Model. But for now, happy with a nice original that shoots great.

Sirhr

 

[sirhrmechanic]

Current Colt letter prices.
https://img1.wsimg.com/blobby/go/3a0ff863-725b-4ed1-b811-0d1e27128917/downloads/Archive Letter Price List.pdf?ver=1602095793611

Doesn't it annoy the shit out of you that if your gun "Belonged to someone interesting" you have to pay an extra $200? That's just Colt being dicks... I get it... your gun went from being worth $1500 to being worth $150,000... and $200 should not be an issue when you hit the lottery.

But still... it's like saying "Hey, you won the lottery, but we won't pay out unless you give us another $200 for the ticket you just bought."

Blow me!

Sirhr

 

[roostercogburn98]

How’s that radio commercial go? I was too poor to do a dna test, so I faked winning the lottery and found out who all my relatives were for free.

Utter horseshit in my opinion. A letter is a letter and doesn’t change shit for colt. If they wanted the gun bad enough, they can watch the auctions and buy it!!

 

[TurdFerguson]

Thank you all for the suggestions. I may have to visit an uncle, and gather some info if I can't find anything in Dad's family history on it. I may still order the colt info, a town hardware store would at least give me an idea of where to look. At least match a town to a family member and go from there.
I got 2 22's a marlin lever action and a Steven's handy rifle. I Id them here but god only know where they came from in the family. I guess it went with him to the grave.