Which are the most beautifuly designedl early Colt and Browning semiautos?

[Axeman]

I was just now wiping down an original hi-polish blue Argentine Sistema Colt with an oily cloth before putting it away when I was stricken with admiration of what a beautiful job John Moses Browning accomplished when he designed the early Colt and Browning pistols whether big. medium, or small bore size. In my admittedly very biased opinion, as far as appearance is concerned the 1903 .32acp and the 1908 .380acp versions of basically the same Browning/Colt pistol are the epitome of firearms beauty. Every one of those models that I have owned over the last 50+ years first attracted me with their beautiful appearance, and except for one example with a neglected bore have been reasonably good performers at the range as well. Both the .380 and .32 versions were popular widely used and carried pocket pistols in their heyday, while ugly pocket pistols from several other well known names such as Savage in the US and Dreyse in Europe that performed reasonably well didn't make the cut and were dropped from production after a relatively short time on the market. Of course IMHO the 1911 in all it's variations is also a looker, and the Browning HI-Power isn't exactly an ugly duckling either. Yeah I know, the FN engineer Dieudonne Saive finished up the HI-Power design after Browning either died or became too ill to work, I don't remember which. But if I remember correctly Browning did the majority of the design work himself. I spent most of my early working years employed at an engineering firm where I learned about the old engineering axiom that a beautiful appearance of a manufactured item often accompanies good mechanical design, while an ugly appearance often accompanies a flawed mechanical design. In my humble opinion that axiom has not always been true in the case of semiauto pistols, and Glock, Sig, and a few other popular makers across the pond confirm that notion as far as I'm concerned.

After saying all that I find myself without a single solitary Browning designed pistol in my cabinet other than the aforementioned pristine Sistema for the first time in a very long time. I'm now feeling a strong urge to track down a well kept 1903 or 1908 that I can afford to buy. But as I have quickly found, there isn't any such animal for sale anywhere on the globe without an astronomically high price tag attached, and I'm living a baloney sandwich and diet Pepsi lifestyle, not a caviar and French Champagne lifestyle. Donations to the cause will be gratefully accepted, and if not that, photos of Browning or Colt pistols would also be welcome.

[CJS57]

Here is a Browning Patent FN 1905 that is attractive


FN 1905 Gold Engraved 006.jpgFN 1905 Gold Engraved 011.jpgFN 1905 Gold Engraved 013.jpgFN 1905 Gold Engraved 018.jpgFN 1905 Gold Engraved 020.jpg

[twaits]

Early '03 Pocket Hammer 38ACP 1904



Later 1920 production. The pocket hammers are among my favorites. But my favorite Colt auto is the 1902 Sporting Model with forward slide serrations. I don't own one yet.



Here's an early 1908 380 from 1911

[Kid Sopris]

There is Beauty in simplicity, form and function.

[kenhwind]

All though I do not have one I think that the Browning /Colt Pocket Model .38 ACP fits the answer to your question.
Followed by the original Government Model /1911 style .45 pistol.

I must defend the Savage pistol hardly ugly IMO and actually a well designed and made firearm. And also one of if not the first pistol to use a staggered magazine. I had one in .32 ACP, neat little gun as are the Colts and FNs

[ei8ht]

Even a ugly Colt Hammerless be it a 32 or 380 is a thing of beauty.
The design of a type one Hammerless is the mother of all automatics.
Anybody that collects Firearms should have at least one.
Even on a baloney sandwich and diet Pepsi lifestyle you should
have no trouble finding something.

[twaits]

All though I do not have one I think that the Browning /Colt Pocket Model .38 ACP fits the answer to your question.
Followed by the original Government Model /1911 style .45 pistol.

I must defend the Savage pistol hardly ugly IMO and actually a well designed and made firearm. And also one of if not the first pistol to use a staggered magazine. I had one in .32 ACP, neat little gun as are the Colts and FNs

I have to defend the wonderful Savage pistols as well. They are beautifully designed and point very naturally. If I was in the market for a pocket gun back in those days I definitely would have chosen the Savage over the Colt.

Here's mine from 1913 compared to a 1903 colt

[HoBoBum]

all are purty durn nice , but the 1935 High Power is just so graceful and well thought out, it's hard to beat...

[Oyeboten]

I think my Vote as for the most all round beautiful looking ( and beautiful function and beautiful everything ) of early Colt Brownings...would be the 1903 Pocket Hammer in .38 ACP, and, the Model 1905 .45 Automatic.

[AirCommando]

My vote is the 1903 .32 Hammerless.


Not that I'm biased!