I had the great good fortune to be able to shoot a vintage Colt autoloader this past summer. It was a handy pistol chambered for the .32 ACP cartridge, a round that is now generally considered to be too weak to function in a self defense role.
This is pretty close to what I was able to handle that day, although it isn't an exact match. < vadervoice > My apologies to any purists who find my lack of precision....disturbing! < /vadervoice >
UPDATE
Mike of The Feces Flinging Monkey fame has found the picture below. It is from the Colt website, and it is pretty much exactly what we were shooting except for the finish.
(Please click on all following pictures for a larger version.)
I was really eager to be able to shoot this gun, and not just because I am a big fan of antique and historical firearms. This same gun had been featured in the 1944 detective movie Murder, My Sweet, a film that has long been a favorite of mine. Although the action sequences are not very impressive, leading man Dick Powell turns in a delightfully whimsical take on tough guy private eye Philip Marlow. I wanted to see if the gun was more serious than the character.
My first impression was that it was a solid little firearm, mainly due to the heft that came from an all-steel construction. Although marketed as a "pocket pistol", the firearm is somewhat larger than a modern version of a PP because it is built on what I would characterize as a medium frame. The grip would be adequate for anyone as long as they weren't gifted with giant bear-strangling hands. With both the weight and the size of the frame, the Colt Model M is a surprisingly big-boned girl for such a moderate round.
The controls are simple enough, mainly because there really aren't any. See that big 'ol hook under the rear sights? It looks like a slide stop lever, but it really is a safety. Slide it up and the gun is not supposed to fire, slide it down and go to town. They call this type of device a "slide lock safety".
Considering the age of the gun, I decided to avoid trusting the safety at all. I loaded the gun only a second or two before I was ready to fire, and only after I declared the range to be hot.
The sights were extremely disappointing. They were very small, obviously designed to be snag-free so the gun could be drawn and brought to bear with as few problems as possible. The rear sight has a tiny notch, while the front blade is a little nub of metal that barely rises above the top of the slide. Both sights, both front and rear, were finished in a matte black blueing that was extremely hard to see. And we were shooting in broad daylight, to boot.
Most modern firearms are designed so the slide will lock open when the last shot is fired and the magazine is empty.
This is not only so the gun can quickly be reloaded without having to rack the slide, but it also provides a visual cue to the shooter so they know they need to slap a full clip in the gun.
Unfortunately, the Model M didn't have this feature. The slide would slam closed after the last shot, which was rather jarring to someone like me who is used to these new-fangled fancy-pants pistols. It wasn't that big a deal at the range since we would just count each shot, but it would certainly break anyone's rhythm in the middle of a defensive situation.
The gun was a very good pointer. There were three people in all who tried out that gun, and we all had different body types and hand sizes. (No bear stranglers, though.) Even so, all of us agreed that the gun was a comfortable fit.
Just as all of us had the same reaction to how the gun felt in our hands, we also would have very similar strategies when it came to figuring out how best to use the gun.
Each of us were experienced (though not expert) handgunners, so the first instinct would be to use the small and stunted sights. This would last through two awkward shots, after which we would just sight along the top of the slide and blaze away with the rest of the 8 round magazine. It would sound something like this....
Bang. Bang. Bangbangbangbangbangbang.
The solid contruction of the handgun meant that recoil was very controllable, allowing almost instant follow up shots. Even though we all quickly lost ourselves in the joy of rapid fire, we all were able to place every shot in a two-foot circle if the target was placed at twelve feet. A few aborted experiments proved that twelve feet or closer was the best distance for shooting quickly and with accuracy, so we kept kinda close so we wouldn't be forced to engage in slow and deliberate fire.
The advantages of the gun are extremely apparent. It is designed for emergency, short range defensive situations. If the attacker is close enough to leap upon you, then this pistol would allow you to riddle him with multiple rounds while he was still in the air. Alandp of Blognomicon fame once heard that a .32 ACP was like buckshot, but in serial instead of parallel. That is better than any description I could come up with.
Would I carry one of these guns as a self defense tool? No, mainly because there are much better choices available that take advantage of 100 years of firearm R&D. But I also would be the last person to sneer at someone who chose this or a similar firearm as their night table gun. It would do the job at across-the-room distances, as long as their was only one intruder.
I found the picture above to be rather difficult to see any details. Below are some examples that are easier on the eyes, but keep in mind that the gun shown is not equipped with a slide lock safety like the one I used.
I found all these pictures over at Coltautos.com. They were better than anything else I came across, but I'm having trouble finding a URL for the .32 auto page so I can link to that directly. Probably an effort on Colt's part to limit hotlinking. If you want to explore what is available, then click on over and start poking around. I doubt they would mind.
Comments (21)
Here's another view:
http://www.coltautos.com/images/1903ph.gif
Posted by Mike | October 18, 2006 10:35 AM
Posted on October 18, 2006 10:35
I'm curious, James, as a non gun owner who hasn't fired a weapon since ROTC days (but finds this subject fascinating), is there any research on how many self-defense weapons are sold vs how often they are actually used in self defense? I can easily see justifying guns like this as a hobby and something to take to the range, but is it maybe a 1 in 1000 chance that you'd actually use it for the purpose for which it is "justified"? By comparison, I would think that automobile or homeowners liability insurance is far more frequently used.
Posted by John Bruce | October 18, 2006 10:48 AM
Posted on October 18, 2006 10:48
Being there with you that day I agree absolutely with everything you say but feel you are remiss to not mention that despite the fact that it appears to be hammerless and I believe was marketed as such that when we disassembeled it (though I don't remember whether or not you were there when we did that) it was infact simply a shrouded hammer and that the saftey really just made it a cocked and locked type of gun, ala the 1911. definately a lot scarier if you are going to pocket the pistol.
Posted by Chris | October 19, 2006 4:05 AM
Posted on October 19, 2006 04:05
No, I wasn't around for the cleaning of that particular handgun. So it has a hammer, huh?
There is a 1908 model that is chambered for the .380 ACP. I wouldn't mind owning one of those. I bet it would be a sweet little shooter.
James
Posted by James R. Rummel | October 19, 2006 4:50 AM
Posted on October 19, 2006 04:50
"Bang. Bang. Bangbangbangbangbangbang."
That sounds a lot like what happend when my History prof invited us over for a cook out and M1 demonstration time. When folks got to give it a try, everyone (most of whom had never held a gun before) did the two slow shots, then the other six as quick as possible:
Bang. Bang. Bangbangbangbangbangbang. ping!
Oh, and this was only about four years ago. :)
Posted by AughtSix | October 19, 2006 3:53 PM
Posted on October 19, 2006 15:53
To be fair to colt, everyone else in the firearms industry was eagerly calling completely shrouded hammers "hammerless" at the time. S&W's new departure revolver is good example, and there's lots of "hammerless" shotguns from the era that have hammers. (L.C. Smith, LeFever, and Parker Bros all had "hammerless" guns in that time frame that actually contained an internal hammer.)
I think at the time, hammerless was seen as an atribute of sleekness (smooth in the pocket), and indicating safety against accidental discharges from dropping.
Posted by Bob | October 19, 2006 4:04 PM
Posted on October 19, 2006 16:04
There's a neat Husqvarna .380 Browning/Colt with a slightly longer slide (improved sight picture?) at a shop not far away...
Posted by DirtCrashr | October 19, 2006 7:15 PM
Posted on October 19, 2006 19:15
Hammerless meaning really "Spurless" since striker-fired had not yet come about?
Posted by DirtCrashr | October 20, 2006 12:56 PM
Posted on October 20, 2006 12:56
Hammerless meaning really "Spurless" since striker-fired had not yet come about?
I think that they meant "fully shrouded hammer", although it certainly lacked a spur.
James
Posted by James R. Rummel | October 20, 2006 4:25 PM
Posted on October 20, 2006 16:25
We denigrate the .32 these days, both the auto and the .32 S&Ws but bear in mind that these cartridges were developed before Sulfa and Penicillin. When John Browning invented that little gat any solid hit was a death sentence, the bigger cartridges might kill faster but the little ones were just as deadly.
Wild Bill was a pretty good gunfighter, left a lot of men toes up. He used a Colt Navy with a .36 caliber round ball in front of black powder.
Posted by Peter | October 24, 2006 3:16 AM
Posted on October 24, 2006 03:16
I just bought one of these from a buddy for 65 bucks. What a steal!! This is MY first handgun, but it will be added to my Ruger 10/22 and Remington 1100 12 ga. Since the age of 13, I have been shooting along side my father at the range. We started off with a High Standard Sport-King, moved up to a S&W Model 19, and then just recently have been shooting his S&W model 59.
The gun is in fair/poor condition. The grips are intact, but are worn smooth in some parts. ALL bluing of the gun is worn away. It was in the trunk of a car when Hurricane Rita (the one right after Katrina) passed through and flooded his car. I had always been drawn to this little gun, and I think it is a great little sidearm. I would take this gun over a foreign made pistol any day of the week.
Just wanted to throw my .02 into this topic. Remember to shoot safe, and PLEASE use hearing protection.
Posted by Dave | April 23, 2007 11:56 PM
Posted on April 23, 2007 23:56
I read the comments about the colt 32 auto
I had a neighbor give me one of these great
collection guns. My question is mine states 1897 1903 patent. what are these guns worth?
I'm not a gun buff.
Thanks Don
Posted by DON mullenix | July 16, 2007 8:39 AM
Posted on July 16, 2007 08:39
Just a note:
Your last photographs are not a Colt 1903. They are of a different gun (VERY similar but not the same) that fired .38 ACP and, as you can see, had an exposed hammer.
The Colt 1903 is .32 APC, the Colt 1908 is .380, those are essentially the same gun with a few (obvious) variances for the different rounds.
Sequoia - Colt 1903 owner.
Posted by G. Sequoia Armstrong | September 16, 2007 7:55 PM
Posted on September 16, 2007 19:55
Since my daughters and one dau-in-law are looking for small 'equalizers', I have been looking seriously at all manner of modern pistols. None of them fit the bill, overall, like this little Colt. The .25's are too small, the .40's and .45's too large...the neat little Glock type pistols are too blocky and thick for the purse. On top of that, the .32 is pleasant to shoot in the Colt, and that counts for a huge part of female approval.
The thing that I have run against with my wife is that the guns that I would choose are too darn heavy for her purse, and for comfortable carrying. We were faced with her leaving the Detective Special and the Makorov at home, and not making use of her carry permit.
The problem? Finding these smooth little suckers, and affording them. I love the way they fit in a coat pocket, or even pants pocket.
If Colt brought them back, in .380...I think that they would shove the competition aside for a lot of discriminating shooters.
Thanks, John Browning, and Colt, for such a neat little pocket pistol.
Posted by Tom Fowler | November 10, 2007 9:59 PM
Posted on November 10, 2007 21:59
Just picked up a 1921 Model "M" for $475. The condition is around 95%. Have not had a chance to get it to the range yet. I think I'll wait until my Woff Gunspring pak comes in before trying to fire it. Anyon know how it does with Silvertips or hollowpoints in general?
Posted by Dave | December 5, 2007 2:34 AM
Posted on December 5, 2007 02:34
Anybody put a .380 barrel in their .32? Why wouldn't it work?
Posted by mac | December 6, 2007 8:46 PM
Posted on December 6, 2007 20:46
After repairing this gun at my grandfather's house (the barrel was put in wrong a long time ago and the slide jammed up...took me a while to get it apart, clean it, oil it and get it working!) he gave it to me.
I've shot this gun quite a bit now. It's in great shape, about 90% of the original blue is still there and very minor if any scratches etc.
Only shoot FMJ's with it. The hollow points jam up very easy and can be frustrating (He gave me about 8 box's of HP's).
I've been shooting this during the winter (it's literally below zero some days where I am at) at 25 yards and 50 yards. Even though I'm without gloves and shaking a little after 8-16 shots because I'm so cold, this pistol shoots very straight.
This pistol is also a nice change to my .357 hehe. I like the size, and in all reality it is just a VERY comfortable gun.
Anyways, like I said, just make sure that you don't use hollow points other than at a range, as in an emergency they can easily jam in this older pistol.
Posted by Kazly | December 26, 2007 1:31 PM
Posted on December 26, 2007 13:31
Oh, and as for the 38 barrel in the 32 - I don't think it would fit. The way the gun is disassembled, there is VERY little room to slide the barrel through the slide as it is, I couldn't imagine anything larger.
Posted by Kazly | December 26, 2007 1:33 PM
Posted on December 26, 2007 13:33
The barrels are the same outside diameter. Anybody know what the factory mods were to "fix" the initial .380 pistols? One was extractor face, then maybe ejector? And open mag well? Cases are only .016 inch diff at head. Seems silly not to have both barrels fitted to one frame. Numrich offers barrels with two diff. extractor cuts so someone has done this before. Anybody know a good .380 mag company, ones that work?
Posted by Mac | December 26, 2007 9:28 PM
Posted on December 26, 2007 21:28
OK children, todays trivia question is …
Who was J.V.K. Wagar?
No, he was not a writer of children’s fiction depicting Norse mythology. If you Google Mr. Wagar you’ll find that he was a Colorado forester who was active in the Wildlife Society of Colorado A&M University and various professional organizations into the mid 1950s. Of note for us is that he wrote an article which appeared in the August, 1931 issue of The American Rifleman on pgs. 14-15, entitled “Almost, the Best Small Pistol.”
If you own a 1903 Colt Pocket Hammerless you really must read it. If you don’t, I urge you to read the article anyway. If you do, you may just find yourself buying a .32 ACP years later, in fondly recalling the article. That’s exactly why I did.
Let’s be clear that a .32 ACP is not my choice as a defense gun against either two-legged or 4-legged predators. However, there are times when “any gun is better than no gun.” Because I can carry legally in my home, I do so most of the time. It is also true that some social or recreational occasions require that I do so discreetly, lest I “scare the natives.”
When or where the cylinder bulge of my usual Colt Detetctibe Special is too obvious, the .32 automatic drops nicely into a pocket holster. I like the fact that it makes a bigger hole than a 22 and still presents a low profile.
In over 30 years experience, I have found that the best small game load for a .32 ACP is hand loaded assembled with a home cast lead bullet, which approximates the ballistics of the .32 S&W Long or .32 Colt New Police when fired from a revolver. Nothing fancy, we are talking about an 85 to 95 grain flat-nosed slug launched at about 750-800 f.p.s. How I arrived at this conclusion takes us to Wagar’s article…
When I was fresh out of the Navy and working as a weapons tech for a 3-letter organization in DC my boss asked me to assemble some loads for an M1903 Colt Pocket Model .32 ACP. They would be for someone being sent out of the country clandestinely on our behalf.
When I asked why the recipient was packing a .32 and not something more effective, I was informed politely that it was really none of my business, but that “when in Rome, you do as the Roman’s do.” It was explained to me that if the customer took a .45 or a .357 it would be obvious that he was “not a local.” While an FN or Beretta would have been better, we didn’t have one. Walthers are “hand biters,” and not an option, so ending the conversation.
Loading manuals in those days were of little help, and there were no expanding bullets, so I researched the lab archives and stumbled upon Wagar’s article. It was a treasure trove of information on the Colt pocket model.
Author Wagar said that, “it has proved so useful for much of the outdoor shooting in our part of the country that … I frequently leave my heavier pistols and revolvers at home… This is not a deep wilderness side arm…, but as a light pistol to accompany the big rifle it has many advantages… one is never hampered by its weight and bulk and it need not be left behind because the way is hard and steep or the trail long… The .32 Colt Automatic… is the biggest pistol that fits comfortably into ones pockets… and its owner isn’t often asked by some romance filled tourist if you are a real live cowboy, so the hills are full of these pistols.”
“Practical accuracy is not of the spectacular kind… I can obtain quite good accuracy holding the pistol in both hands and resting them upon my knees I can hit a 50-cent piece practically with every shot at 20 yards… is almost ideal for strictly small game shooting, we have shot many cottontails, grouse, squirrels… over 200 pieces of game in all and have found it unexcelled. It is just enough larger than a .22 Long Rifle to make it a more certain killer, yet destroys little more flesh and makes little more noise in the woods…cast bullets will give more killing power than the jacketed factory bullets. They do not expand upon flesh, but roughen when they strike bone and tear flesh rather than parting it.”
“If one has access to an Ideal No. 4 tool and mould for the .32 S&W he is well equipped… The .32 S&W bullet weighs 88 grains and its diameter of .313 inch is well adapted... I have loaded many hundreds of .32 A.C. cartridges with .32 S&W tools…If one shoots a high-powered .30 caliber rifle Marbles adapters using the .32 A.C. cartridge can be used for small game shooting or one can use the .32 A.C. cartridge in the Winchester adapters made for firing .32 S&W cartridges in the .30-30, .30-40 and .30-‘06 rifles.
“In closing, permit me to summarize: This is not a target arm, nor is it powerful enough for defense purposes against great beasts or armed men of great virility; but considering its short length, light weight, light report and recoil, and cheapness of ammunition, one will have difficulty in finding a more accurate, more reliable and more powerful pistol just to take along.”
It is true that .32 ACP pocket guns don't have a great reputation for accuracy. WWII German military and postwar German police acceptance accuracy standards allowed 5 mils or 75mm of dispersion (about 3") at 15 meters (approximately 49 ft.). Any pocket pistol which groups better than 4 mils, or 60mm (2.36") at 15 meters is said by Europeans to be quite good. My experience suggests that any combination which reliably shoots 2” or less at 50 feet from sandbags is a “keeper.”
So don't pass up any chance at a Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless. It is absolutely the best gun for those occasions when any gun is better than no gun. Although I was told later by the same gentleman that an FN M1922 Browning was suitably effective on against exhausted hypothermic combat swimmers who were armed with knives... But that's another story.
Posted by ke4sky | February 13, 2008 1:02 PM
Posted on February 13, 2008 13:02
Need some help. I'm out of the country visiting my old grandparents house (both deceased). My grandfather left me his Colt M (stainless w/ ivory handle). Fairly good condition, and after reading this article and posts I'm definitely going to keep it.
Question: I've tried in the past to find out what the right procedures, protocols, and permissions are necessary to bring this piece "back" into the USA, but I can't get a clear answer from anybody (tried US Customs, ATF, NRA...no luck...the answer was always "plug it permanently and bring it in"...no thanks.)
A few ideas were to ship it to myself (not very trusting of the mail, also need the right procedures) or even to dissemble the whole thing and put pieces/parts in different baggage...although not looking forward to the hassle during Customs check.
Any advice out there? Thanks in advance.
ENV
evillama@gmail.com
Posted by EV | March 26, 2008 5:15 AM
Posted on March 26, 2008 05:15