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Outstanding Historic World War II General Officer's Colt Model 1903 Hammerless 32 Pocket Automatic P

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military / Hand Guns - Pistols Start Price:2,500.00 USD Estimated At:5,000.00 - 7,500.00 USD
Outstanding Historic World War II General Officer's Colt Model 1903 Hammerless 32 Pocket Automatic P
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Outstanding Historic World War II General Officer's Colt Model 1903 Hammerless 32 Pocket Automatic Pistol Rig with Documentation

This is an exceptional example of a U.S. property marked Colt Model 1903 Hammerless .32 Pocket Automatic pistol that was manufactured circa 1942. The pistol slide and frame have the Colt commercial blue finish. The barrel chamber top is polished. The full checkered walnut grips have inlaid German Silver Colt medallions. The eight shot magazine has a full blue finish. The pistol has the early half-moon shaped front sight and round profile rear sight. "U.S. PROPERTY" is roll-stamped on the right side of the frame above the trigger guard. The left side of the frame has the serial number "548949" roll-stamped above the trigger guard. The left side of the trigger guard bow is stamped with the punch mark used by the Ordnance Corps as an acceptance mark on these pistols from February-November 1944 and the Colt Triangle "VP" proofmark. The right side of the slide is roll-stamped "COLT AUTOMATIC/ CAlIBRE 32 RIMLESS SMOKELESS" in two lines. The left side of the slide is roll-stamped with the elongated, two-line, Hartford address and 1897 and 1903 patent dates. The Rampant Colt trademark is roll-stamped on the left side of the slide behind the serrations. The magazine has a full blue finish and the floor plate is marked "CAL 32/COLT' in two lines. A copy of a notarized letter with the pistol states that it was the property of Major General Royal B. Lord, U.S. Army. The letter states that General Lord was a 1923 West Point graduate who served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for General Dwight D. Eisenhower during WWII. Included with the pistol are two magazines in the original, un-opened, paper wrapper and a regulation brown leather General Officers rig for Colt .32 and .380 pistols. The rig consists of a brown calfskin holster with top strap and gold plated brass snaps, a brown calfskin hanger, a brown leather belt with gold plated brass fittings and a gold plated, two-piece, buckle with United States Eagle and Shield in the center and wreath on the outer buckle. Most of the Colt Pocket Model General Officer pistols were issued following WWII and had either a Colt Parco-Lubrite or armory parkerized finish. Blued Colt Pocket Model General Officer pistols with the Colt, pre-war, commercial blue finish and early style sights are scarce.

Manufacture: Colt
Model: 1903 Pocket Hammerless
BBL: 3 3/4 inch
Stock:
Gauge: 32 ACP
Finish: blue
Grips: walnut checkered Colt medallion
Serial Number: 548949

Excellent plus. The pistol is all original and retains 99% of the original commercial blue finish. The pistol has minimal holster wear. The grips are un-oiled and also in excellent plus condition. The magazine has close to 98% of the full-blue finish. Mechanically excellent. The holster rig is in very good condition. The belt and holster have flex marks and some minor age cracks. There is some minor scuffing on the back and edges of the holster. The two-piece buckle has been polished but retains nearly all of the gold plated finish. This is an outstanding example of an early WWII production, U.S. contract Model 1903 Hammerless 32 Pocket Automatic Pistol with commercial blue finish and General Office holster rig.