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Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP & Model 1908 Pocket Hammerless .380 ACP - British Proof Marked Examples

Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless Type I serial number 49764 - with factory checkered grip safety and deluxe checkered walnut grips.   Pistol has high polish finish and fire blued small parts.  Gun also has British Proof marks.  Colt Factory Letter indicates that this pistol was shipped to Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company, London Agency, London, England on November 27, 1906.   There were 50 guns in the shipment.

 

Factory checkered grip safety.

Early style British proof marks.

Late Type I with British Proof marks on left rear of slide and frame.  The barrel is proofed through the ejection port as well.

The right side of the frame bears the inscription "Sold by Westley Richards & Co. London W."

Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP serial number 81905 Type II with British Proof marks - Manufactured in 1909 and most likely shipped to Colt's London Armory.  Most early British proofed Colt's are not encountered with this much condition.  Pistol has been proofed twice with both early and later style proof marks. Pistol has all standard features for 1909 including high polish blue finish with fire blue on magazine release, trigger, thumb safety, thumb safety screw, extractor, pins and grip screw.  Pistol has earliest style black checkered hard rubber grips.

Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP serial number 81905 Type II with British Proof marks - Manufactured in 1909 and most likely shipped to Colt's London Armory.

Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP serial number 81905 Type II with British Proof marks - Manufactured in 1909 and most likely shipped to Colt's London Armory.

Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP serial number 81905 Type II with British Proof marks - Manufactured in 1909 and most likely shipped to Colt's London Armory.

 

Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP serial number 81905 Type II with British Proof marks - Manufactured in 1909 and most likely shipped to Colt's London Armory.

Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP sn 139700 - High condition Type III manufactured ca. 1912.  This pistol has British proof marks (letter pending).  Original high polish blued finish with fire blue small parts (trigger, thumb safety, grip screw, magazine release, extractor) and full blued barrel.

Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP sn 139700 - Left side.

 

Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP sn 139700 - Right side.

Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP sn 139700 - Right side, close-up of slide markings "AUTOMATIC COLT" over "CALIBRE 32 RIMLESS SMOKELESS".

Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP sn 139700 - Right side, close-up of British proof marks stamped on the barrel and visible through the ejection port. Note the fire blued extractor.

Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP sn 139700 - Right side, close-up of British proof marks stamped on the barrel and visible through the ejection port. Note the fire blued extractor.

Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP sn 139700 - Left side, close-up of British proof marks stamped on the the slide and frame. Note the fire blued thumb safety.

Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP sn 139700 - Left side, close-up of British proof marks stamped on the the slide and frame. Note the fire blued thumb safety.

Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP sn 139700 - Rear sight.

Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP sn 139700 - Right side of slide, take down arrow and line on dust cover.

Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP sn 139700 - Muzzle and plug for recoil spring guide.

 

Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP sn 139700 - Grip safety.

Colt 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP sn 139700 - Correct early full blued magazine with pinned unmarked base plate.

Model M .380 with British Proofmarks

British Proofed Model M .380 - This pistol was produced in 1912 and was presumably shipped to Colt's London Agency and then to a British retailer.  A close-up of the British Proof marks (Crown over "V") on the slide and frame are pictured below.  The barrel also contains proof marks.

Model M .380 with British Proofmarks

Late British Proofed Colt Model 1908 Pocket Hammerless .380 ACP serial number 103724.  British proof marks are slightly different than the proof marks on earlier guns pictured above.  The mark is a crown over a "V" enclosed in a circle.

Close-up of British proof marks on Model 1908 Colt Pocket Hammerless serial number 103724.

Right side of Colt 1908 .380 103724.

Close-up photo showing barrel with proof marks visible through the chamber.  Frame is also marked "NOT ENGLISH MAKE" in a rectangle above the trigger area.

Three proof marks visible on the barrel through the ejection port.

"JJ" marking inside the frame beneath the recoil spring area.  This JJ mark is often seen on the exterior of the frame near where the forward part of the trigger guard joins the frame.

British lend-lease Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32 ACP serial number 564821 - in unused condition with original cleaning rod, factory instruction sheet and original box numbered to the gun.

Right side of Colt Model 1903 Pocket hammerless .32 ACP serial number 564821.

The British lend-lease guns were taken from the US Government contract for these guns and were shipped to England.  Surplus guns were returned to the US in the 1960s and were proofed at the time of export.

Close-up of the right side of the slide, frame and barrel chamber showing the Colt and  U.S. Property markings as well as the British proof marks.

Original kraft box numbered to the gun.

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