Colt 1900 or 1902 ?

[tedm]

[tedm]

Colt 1900.jpgColt 1900 3831.jpg The letter is from the Colt archives and says "Colt 1902 Sporting"

[Kid Sopris]

Looks Like a 1902 Sporting to me. Serial Number alone would put it in the 1902 Sporting Model.

[Oyeboten]

Looks like a late Model 1900 to me...( ie: for one thing, no second line '1902' Patent on the Slide, Serial No. is still within what I think would be the latter range of the 1900 proper, rather than being in the beginning of the Sporting Model phase/range )...

Pistol has the Black Hard Rubber Stocks typical of the Sporting Model, verses the plain Walnut Stocks of the m1900, but, who knows on that, whether it came that way form Colt, or not.

[tedm]

I bought this Colt today over the internet. It was labeled as a 1902 Sporting at 85%. It is serial 3831, British proofed, no 1902 patent date on the slide, convex takedown plug, sight safety altered with the filler plug and two pins, shipped April 1902 1 of 25 to the London Agency. I've been collecting Colt's for thirty years. Did Beverly Haynes make a mistake and print a Colt letter calling this a Mode 1902 Sporting? I call this a model 1900 as are all the early Colt auto 38 acp with the sight safety or filler plug, that is up to serial 4274. Am I missing something here? Any significance to the additional slide number stamped 1376?

[Oyeboten]

Looks like a late Model 1900 to me...( ie: for one thing, no second line '1902' Patent on the Slide, Serial No. is still within what I think would be the latter range of the 1900 proper, rather than being in the beginning of the Sporting Model phase/range.

Pistol has the Black Hard Rubber Stocks typical of the Sporting Model, verses the plain Walnut Stocks of the m1900, but, who knows on that, whether it came that way form Colt, or not.


Or if 'late' m1900s may have come with the Black Hard Rubber instead of the plain Walnut...( I do not remember! )

But...now that I think of it, didn't the Sporting Model begin in September 1902? Anyway? Or..?

Where-in, an April 1902 Shipping date, would pre-date by six Months, the advent of the Sporting Model, as such.

[Oyeboten]

Oh my, altered 'Sight Safety'...

I think that cinches it..!


We must surmise that Beverly had erred...and, that this is indeed a Model 1900.

[rhmc24]

I may have missed, but I don't see mention of the slide s/n. It is located on the bottom just ahead of where the hammer strikes. You have to be a contortionist to pull the slide back where you can see it. It could be a 1900 slide matched to a later lower.

[tedm]

Hopefully this pistol is now in the mail. I forgot to ask if the slide serial matched the frame serial #3831. Doug Sheldon's book pg 62 " approximately 10% of the sight safety pistols were shipped to Colt's London Agency ... Many were destined for all parts of the world.... stamped with British proofs." Interesting also Doug Sheldon states, " The $25 fee may seem like a lot to pay for a typewritten letter." Now with computer generated Colt letters are only $200!!! Makes you want to go out and get letters on all your old pistols. Sorry if I seem a little sarcastic.

[tedm]

Anyone know the significance of the additionally stamped number "1734" on the frame, forward of the Colt serial 3831?

Ted