Loading......

Pre-WWII Gun

This Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP Model M, Type III was manufactured in 1922. It holds 9 rounds, 8 in the magazine plus 1 in the chamber. The .32 ACP round is also known as the 7.65 mm...




1903 - 1945

Humphrey Bogart used a similar gun in "Casa Blanca", "Key Largo" and "The Big Sleep" all in the 1940s. Bogart also used one in his next-to-last film "The Desperate Hours" in 1955.





Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP Model M, Type III
Colt 1903 Model M

"My oldest handgun is a shooter."

According to the Colt Archive Letter, my gun was one of fifty guns shipped to Shapleigh Hardware Company in St. Louis, Missouri on August 8, 1922. This design is another of John Browning's patents. I really don't know why Colt stopped producing them. I think the production numbers were around 570,000. Colt also made a .380 version of this design starting in 1908 and produced more than 130,000 of those guns.


1903 Colt Pocket Hammerless stored in fake book
1903 Colt Pocket Hammerless stored in fake book

1903 Colt Pocket Hammerless always close by
1903 Colt Pocket Hammerless stored in fake book


1903 Colt Pocket Hammerless with loaded magazine removed

1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP

Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP Model M, Type III: This gun was manufactured in 1922. It holds 9 rounds, 8 in the magazine plus 1 in the chamber. The .32 ACP round is also known as the 7.65 mm.

The Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 caliber (or 7.65 mm) was manufactured by Colt in Hartford, Ct from 1903 until 1945. The price of these guns varies depending on condition, features and history with provenance.

This gun was one of the last issued with checkered hard rubber grips with the "Rampant Colt" molded into them. In 1924 the grips were changed to checkered walnut with the Colt medallions.

1903 Colt Pocket Hammerless with loaded magazine removed

Note: ACP is the acronym for Automatic Colt Pistol. The name "Pocket Hammerless" is misleading in that the gun is not truly hammerless, but features a concealed hammer to prevent snagging on clothing. Humphrey Bogart used a similar gun in "Casa Blanca", "Key Largo" and "The Big Sleep" all in the 1940s. Bogart also used one in his next-to-last film "The Desperate Hours" in 1955.

1903 Colt Pocket Hammerless right side view

This is another gun that was designed by John Browning. These guns were used by the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), precusor of the CIA, during WWII. They were also issued to all General Officers of the United States Armed Forces from the 1940s until 1972.

The Pocket Hammerless: Was the best conceal carry gun of it's time. Many famous gangsters from that era used this gun; Al Capone, John Dillinger, Willie Sutton, Bonnie and Clyde.

1903 Colt Pocket Hammerless

I paid $500 for this re-blued gun in 2006. I bought it to be a "shooter", not a collectible gun. These guns can be highly collectible, it just depends on condition and provenance. In my personal opinion these guns should be worth 2 to 3 times current market value, unfortunately it is just not the case.

Model M Type III Specifications


  • Capacity of Magazine - 8
  • Over-all Length - 6¾"
  • Length of Barrel - 3¾"
  • Height of Pistol - 4½"
  • Width of Pistol - ¾"
  • Weight of Pistol - 24 ounces
  • Sights - Fixed
  • Weight of Bullet - 74 Grains
  • Muzzle Velocity - 950 ft./sec.
  • Produced 1903-1945
I won't be much help in dating one of these guns with a serial number above 543000. REQUEST: If you own one of these Colts from WWII production years and have a Colt Authentication Letter confirming the ship date, please share on my Facebook page.

Excerpt from Colt Archive Letter
Excerpt from Colt Archive Letter


Use the Colt Serial Number Database Lookup Tool.

  Colt Database Search

Serial Number Tables 1903 Colt

1903-1911 Serial Numbers

  • 1903 - 1 to 4099
  • 1904 - 4100 to 16499
  • 1905 - 16500 to 33999
  • 1906 - 34000 to 50999
  • 1907 - 51000 to 67399
  • 1908 - 67400 to 80499
  • 1909 - 80500 to 92499
  • 1910 - 92500 to105999
  • 1911 - 106000 to 124499

1912-1921 Serial Numbers

  • 1912 - 124500 to 141999
  • 1913 - 142000 to 158999
  • 1914 - 159000 to 172499
  • 1915 - 172500 to 192999
  • 1916 - 193000 to 234999
  • 1917 - 235000 to 263999
  • 1918 - 264000 to 289999
  • 1919 - 290000 to 327999
  • 1920 - 328000 to 373999
  • 1921 - 374000 to 399999

1922-1931 Serial Numbers

  • 1922 - 400000 to 416999
  • 1923 - 417000 to 436999
  • 1924 - 437000 to 445999
  • 1925 - 446000 to 455999
  • 1926 - 456000 to 469999
  • 1927 - 470000 to 471999
  • 1928 - 472000 to 488999
  • 1929 - 489000 to 497999
  • 1930 - 498000 to 503999
  • 1931 - 504000 to 510999

1932-1941 Serial Numbers

  • 1932 - 511000 to 512999
  • 1933 - 513000 to 513999
  • 1934 - 514000 to 515999
  • 1935 - 516000 to 517999
  • 1936 - 518000 to 520999
  • 1937 - 521000 to 528999
  • 1938 - 529000 to 536999
  • 1939 - 537000 to 538999
  • 1940 - 539000 to 542999
  • 1941 - 543000


Best Deals on Gun Books!

Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial or get a Kindle Unlimited Membership Plan to read over 1 million ebooks on any device!

Shop Now

Disclosure: “As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.”

Random Blog & Gear Reviews

BLOG POSTS

Electronic Earmuff

The Impact Sport Sound Amplification Electronic Earmuff offers the ultimate in safety and ear protection...

1953 S&W K-22

For a collector, when you make a trip to the gun store and walk out with a new 68 year-old gun, it's a...

VEGA MODEL DA-111

Upside-Down Vertical Shoulder Holster - Steve McQueen made this style holster famous in the 1968 movie "Bullitt."

Back To Top