If you’ve ever seen a Film Noir, you’ve probably seen these iconic Browning pistols in the hands of heroes and villains alike.
Those pistols can be easily confused in old, high contrast images with the larger Colt Model 1911A1 until you notice that there’s no exposed hammer at the rear of the slide.
The 1911A1 is a .45ACP short-stroke, locked breech action, whereas, the 1903/1908 in smaller calibers were no-stroke, straight blow back actions.
For clarity, the Model 1903 was chambered for the .32ACP, whereas, the Model 1908 was chambered for the same 380ACP cartridge, still popular today.
Otherwise, these two Colt Hammerless Pocket pistol models were essentially indistinguishable at first glance. But not all parts are interchangeable. Notably, all the major parts.
Looking at the hammerless pocket sized 32ACP Model 1903, you’ll notice it has a diminutive safety lever at the rear of the frame, as well as a full length grip safety to prevent an accidental discharge while carried in the pocket. The magazine release is at the heel of the grip, which became very popular with European manufacturers back then.
It may be called “hammerless” but that’s not exactly accurate. It’s not striker fired like a Glock. It does indeed have a hammer but it’s an internal hammer, shrouded by the rear of the slide.
It’s an all steel pistol so it’s got some heft to it, which combined with the light .32ACP cartridge, makes it an easy to shoot, low recoil pistol that became very popular, moreso that the Model 1908’s 380ACP, which is more snappy and less comfortable to shoot.
Sure, the .32ACP has all the stopping power of throwing an angry, wet cat at someone but like the .25ACP, they’re still lethal, eventually. But it can still stop a fight, depending on shot placement.
The Colt Model 1903 comes apart for cleaning in a way that usually surprises modern shooters because of its fixed but detachable barrel.
The slide has to be drawn back until the arrow engraved on the muzzle end of the slide corresponds to the forward end of the frame.
You can accomplish that as illustrated above but I do it the way the old timers did it, by using the edge of a kitchen table.
Once aligned, the barrel must be rotated until the locking lugs in the barrel clear the frame, into a cutout in the slide.
At that point, you can release the slide then it and the barrel will slide forward and off the frame. The barrel then pulls out of the front of the slide.
The recoil spring and its guide rod can be pulled out of their bore in the frame.
Could you carry it today? A gentleman in the twentieth century would, but would you really want to?
There are now a variety of far more potent pocket 9x19mm pistols available, even a few .45ACP micro guns.
That leaves the Colt Hammerless Pocket pistols as really cool antiques from a bygone era of Dillinger, who carried one, Hollywood gumshoes, and on the desks of US Army generals in World War Two. I’d like one on my desk too just because it’s an elegantly designed firearm.
But if you want an antique gentleman’s hammerless pocket Browning pistol that’s a good carry gun, the FN Model 1910 in 380ACP would be my personal choice.
