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1902 Sporting and 1903 Pocket Hammerless, both made in 1905 (UPDATED)

6K views 28 replies 21 participants last post by  DCWilson 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello, new member here.

I bought both of these within the past month and thought I'd show them here. I got the 1903 Pocket Hammerless at a local gun store last month, and the 1902 Sporting from a face-to-face sale last week. Both pistols were made in 1905.
















Here is my small collection of Colt firearms:
1902 Sporting, 1903 Pocket Hammerless, M1917 revolver;
M1911 made in 1918 and refurbished at Augusta Arsenal, 1950s Government Model with a Colt .22LR conversion kit from the same era, 1911 ANVIII Anniversary Model;
Colt AR-15 SP1 made in 1971


 
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#5 ·
Whats interesting to me about 1902 sportings (and all of the early long slide automatics really) is that most of them are not it very good condition cosmetically. To find one in the above condition is really something special. I know there aren't a whole lot of them around but those that are were really put to use. I would love to go back in time and be the first guy on the block to buy one of these. It must have been really something back then. Sort of like being the first guy on the block with a car or TV set.
 
#8 ·
Many of the 1902 sportings around that serial number were shipped to Browning in Ogden, UT. Yours, however, does not correspond to those on my list; but who knows? See if yours has the inspector's mark "K" on the forward slide retaining groove and a "4" under the firing pin housing on the underside of the slide.

Ted
 
#10 ·
See if yours has the inspector's mark "K" on the forward slide retaining groove and a "4" under the firing pin housing on the underside of the slide.

Ted
Ted, yes on the K, no on the 4.




Thanks for the comments guys. By the way, it came with two magazines. One of them marked Cal. 38 Colt is OK, but the others floorplate is dented.



Any recommendations for a Colt-specialist gunsmith who could fix that? Thanks.
 
#12 ·
If you can't find a "Colt Specialist Gunsmith", any careful gun-worker can do the job for you. The floor plate fix is easy to do. Floor plate is held in by two pins that go thru from side to side. Carefully pushed out, the floor plate comes off and can be flattened. A small diameter punch is needed to push out the pins & may have to grind one the proper size rather than mess up the work.
 
#15 ·
Condition, especially for the age of the weapons, is terrific and congratulations on the finds. Last month I accidently stumbled into the 1903 and 1908 models for my Colt accumulation. The refinished 1908 vest pocket was done very well, but it's a refinish. The others have honest wear with one 1903 Hammerless having transitioned to an even patina. Considering I shoot what I own I feel fortunate in the few examples I was able to find. Nice collection you've displayed there.
 
#16 ·
More additions

I recently added another 1903 Pocket Hammerless (a Type III), and a 1908 Vest Pocket and 1902 Military to my collection.











top row: 1902 Sporting, 1902 Military
middle row: 1903 Pocket Hammer, 1908 Vest Pocket
bottom row: 1903 Pocket Hammerless .32ACP Type I, Type III

What looks like a dark area on the rear of the left Hammerless and the front of the right Hammerless in the bottom row of the bottom picture is the reflection of my head in the polished finish on the pistols.


 
#24 ·
Most are inspector's and assembler's markings. See Sheldon's "Colt's 38 Automatic Pistols' pgs. 49, 82, 112 and 150. Also see Potocki's "Colt Model 1905 Automatic Pistol" pgs. 53-55.
K was George Donovan. Some assemblers were also inspectors. I believe , in error, that "K" is marked on pistols returned to Colt for repair/refinish. Any other thoughts?
 
#26 ·
I believe that you can depress the follower a bit and put a pin thru the mag to hold the spring down. Then gently extract the follower past the feed lips. Use something to hold the spring in place, pull the pin and remove the spring. Then you can use an appropriate tool to straighten the floor plate. Reassemble in reverse order. I've used this method on 1911 mags and see no reason that it won't work on your 1902 mag.

Nice guns, by the way! I especially like the fire blue bits. They really add to each gun's appearance.
 
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