Description
Item Description
Bryant Ridge Co. is pleased to present this EXCEPTIONAL WWII-era semi-automatic pistol for a penny-start auction; this is the Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless!
This Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless is an absolutely exceptional and investment-grade example—U.S. Property-marked, new in its original box, and complete with all factory paperwork and even the original wrapping. Very few of these pistols, especially those issued under military contract during World War II, have survived in such pristine, unissued condition. Most were carried, reworked, or lost to time, making a complete, untouched set like this nearly impossible to find. The Colt 1903 served as a trusted sidearm for high-ranking officers, intelligence agents, and General Officers alike, earning its place as one of the most iconic and elegant military sidearms ever produced. To encounter one that remains exactly as it left Hartford decades ago—a true time capsule of Colt’s wartime craftsmanship and presentation—is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the advanced collector or discerning investor seeking the pinnacle of originality and historical significance.
During periods of government procurement—particularly around the World War II era—Colt supplied the Model 1903/1908 family in a practical parkerized finish and often stamped examples with “U.S. PROPERTY” to denote government ownership. The dull, phosphate parkerizing provided durable corrosion resistance suited to military and agency use, while the property mark recorded the pistol’s official inventory status and role in service. Today, Parkerized U.S.-property examples carry clear historical resonance, reflecting the pistol’s practical military adoption and administrative provenance, making them especially interesting to historians and collectors who value documented service use and a rugged wartime finish.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Manufacturer: Colt
Model: 1903 Pocket Hammerless
Serial: 571534
Date of Manufacture: 1945
Caliber: .32 Automatic (ACP)
Finish: Parkerized
Barrel Length: 3 ¾"
Optics/Sights: Fixed
Stock/Grips: Checkered Walnut with Nickel Colt Medallions
Action: Semi-Automatic Pistol
Markings: Standard / The right side of the frame is “U.S. PROPERTY” marked.
Bryant Ridge's Analysis:
The Colt Model 1903 “Pocket Hammerless” is a compact, elegant semi-automatic pistol designed by John M. Browning and produced by Colt from 1903 until 1945, created specifically for concealed carry and personal defense. Its refined blowback, single-action design features a concealed (covered) hammer, a thumb safety and grip safety, a serrated slide for positive manipulation, and an 8-round detachable magazine in the .32 ACP chambering (the closely related 1908 model was offered in .380 ACP). The pistol’s snag-free profile and smooth handling made it an immediate commercial success and a preferred pocket and officer’s sidearm in the first half of the 20th century. Beyond its mechanical virtues, the Pocket Hammerless enjoyed broad adoption and cultural prominence: hundreds of thousands were produced (production totals are commonly cited at roughly 570,000 examples across the 1903/1908 family), and specially finished “General Officer” models were presented to senior U.S. Army and Air Force officers for decades. Its combination of tasteful engineering, historical associations (including use by both civilians and select military/agency personnel), and enduring aesthetic has made the 1903 Pocket Hammerless a highly prized collectible and an important milestone in early 20th-century pistol design.
Contents:
Model: 1903 Pocket Hammerless
Serial: 571534
Date of Manufacture: 1945
Caliber: .32 Automatic (ACP)
Finish: Parkerized
Barrel Length: 3 ¾"
Optics/Sights: Fixed
Stock/Grips: Checkered Walnut with Nickel Colt Medallions
Action: Semi-Automatic Pistol
Markings: Standard / The right side of the frame is “U.S. PROPERTY” marked.
Bryant Ridge's Analysis:
The Colt Model 1903 “Pocket Hammerless” is a compact, elegant semi-automatic pistol designed by John M. Browning and produced by Colt from 1903 until 1945, created specifically for concealed carry and personal defense. Its refined blowback, single-action design features a concealed (covered) hammer, a thumb safety and grip safety, a serrated slide for positive manipulation, and an 8-round detachable magazine in the .32 ACP chambering (the closely related 1908 model was offered in .380 ACP). The pistol’s snag-free profile and smooth handling made it an immediate commercial success and a preferred pocket and officer’s sidearm in the first half of the 20th century. Beyond its mechanical virtues, the Pocket Hammerless enjoyed broad adoption and cultural prominence: hundreds of thousands were produced (production totals are commonly cited at roughly 570,000 examples across the 1903/1908 family), and specially finished “General Officer” models were presented to senior U.S. Army and Air Force officers for decades. Its combination of tasteful engineering, historical associations (including use by both civilians and select military/agency personnel), and enduring aesthetic has made the 1903 Pocket Hammerless a highly prized collectible and an important milestone in early 20th-century pistol design.
Contents:
This example will ship with the ORIGINAL factory-labeled shipping wrapper, serialized box, paperwork, and contents as pictured above!
Shipping Details
Handgun Standard Shipping with Insurance $50.00
Long Gun Standard Shipping with Insurance $70.00
Any orders placed with magazines that are not compliant with your state, county, or city regulations will not ship with your order.
We strive to ship orders within the close of the following business day after payment and documentation is received.
Payment Details
We accept all forms of Payment including Personal Check, Business Check, PO Money Orders, Certified Check, Etc.
Please note we place a 7 business day hold on shipment, for all non-certified payments.
Payment MUST be received within 14 days.
Return Policy
We gladly offer a 3 day unfired inspection policy from the time that the firearm is delivered to your FFL. Refunds are available for all qualifying orders.
Additional Details
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