Coltautos.com User's Guide

If you're new to Coltautos.com and you're looking for the Photos, Collector's Information, Disassembly Instructions, Parts Diagrams and Production Information, then you've come to the right place.  I've created this brief user's guide to help you navigate the site and locate all it has to offer.  Click HERE to view the User's Guide.

Coltautos.com Navigation

Coltautos.com is a site that uses frames (small table of contents frame on left, large content frame on right) and when the search engines spider the site to add the content to the search engines, they take the pages that are within the large frame and treat them as single pages. So, for example, if you do a search on "Colt 1908 Milburn" using MSN search, it will return a link to a frame page with information about General Frank Milburn's Colt 1908 .380. But when you click on the link, I have the site set to return you to the home page. If I don't have this set, the navigation of the site will not be attached to the frame page and the site will not display properly.

I'm in the process of converting all the pages to style sheets and will be removing the frames configuration and the code that does this shortly. It
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On your browser (assuming it's Internet Explorer), if you click on the small down arrow on the back button, you should see your browser history
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General Collector's Information

I am looking for a Colt Model M or N in excellent condition. Can you give a recommendation for where I might find one? 

The Gun List is a good place to look for these guns. Here you will find guns ranging in condition from poor to new-in-box. To request a sample issue of the Gun List, call (715)445-2214. An annual subscription of 26 issues is $29.95.

I am interested in starting to collect the Colt Pocket Hammerless Models. Is there a regional or national Colt Collector’s organization I can join? 

Yes. The Colt Collector’s Association (CCA) is a national collectors organization devoted to the collecting and preservation of Colt firearms. The annual membership cost is $40, or $700 for life membership. With either membership, you get a subscription to “The Rampant Colt,” a quality collector’s publication which is published quarterly. In addition, there is an annual show that members are invited to attend with their paid membership. I am glad to sponsor any new members and have made the CCA Membership Application available on this site.

Do you have the membership information for the National Automatic Pistol Collectors Association (NAPCA)? 

Yes.  NAPCA's address is Box 15738, Tower Grove Station, St. Louis, MO  63163.  They publish a monthly newsletter called "AUTO MAG."  Members must be sponsored by an existing member.  Annual membership is $40.00. 

What are some quality publications on the Pocket Hammerless Models that you can recommend for collectors of these models?

“The Colt Pocket Hammerless Automatic Pistols” by John Brunner.  This excellent, well illustrated book covers all variations of the Pocket Hammerless Models.  Additionally, I have been working on a comprehensive book devoted to the Colt Model N which I hope to have finished soon.

I found a Colt Model N with some things of my grandmother’s and wonder if it might be worth reconditioning for a family heirloom? 

Many people ask me about refinishing these guns. I would never do it, but I tell those who ask that it’s a personal preference. If you’d like to look at the gun in excellent condition, then perhaps it’s something you might want to consider. Just remember that regardless of what others tell you, refinished guns are typically worth less than guns in original condition.

(Follow-up) I am doing what you suggested and am only going to have the gun cleaned at a local gunsmith and not have it blued. I want to keep it as a family heirloom and hope to acquire a box to display it in. 

I think you’ve made a wise decision. You can do the cleaning. I usually use a soft cloth and 3-in-1 oil. If there’s any light surface rust, all you need is some “0000” steel or bronze wool with the 3-in-1 oil. Only rub the affected areas very lightly - and use lots of oil. Too much rubbing will remove the finish. Keep the gun well oiled and store in a relatively dry place and it should maintain its condition.

Model M

I am interested in obtaining a Model M .380 and using it as a concealed carry gun. In your opinion, would a .380 1908 in ‘very good’ condition be a reliable concealed carry gun? I love the dimensions of the gun but have no idea how prone they are to fail.

The .380s make great carry guns. Throughout their history, however, some have been prone to jamming. When the military purchased approximately 3000 of these guns, many were returned to Colt’s for three modifications to eliminate jamming. The .380s in this group are U.S. Property marked and have an “M” prefix added by Colt’s to the serial number. For example, if gun 135915 was returned to Colt’s to be modified, when it left, it would have the serial number M135915. Additionally, such modified guns were “M” marked on the toe of the magazine.

In short, if your life’s going to depend on this weapon, once you buy the gun, I’d have it checked out by a competent gunsmith before you carry it.

I was given a Colt pistol that I think is a model M, but I'm not really sure. The woman who gave it to me said her husband had it for many, many years. That's about all she knows. I would like to find out what model it is, how old it is, and approximate value. Can you help me? 

I can help you but you'll have to e-mail me some information on your pistol - like the slide markings and location of any identifying numbers/marks and a brief description.

I have a Colt 1903 .32 and I've heard it can easily be converted to a Colt .380 caliber pistol by replacing the barrel and magazine.  Is this true?

Yes, this conversion is possible, but you should consider a few things before attempting such a conversion.  The magazine well of a .32 is smaller than a .380 and the .380 magazine may get stuck inside the .32 magazine well.  If you have a .32 frame that has a magazine well that was machined to the widest allowable width and a .380 magazine that is at the most narrow allowable width, the fit may not be an issue. 

The ejector and extractor may also need some fitting to accommodate the slightly larger .380 round.  Also, depending on the age of the .380 barrel, some fitting may be required to get the .380 barrel to fit into the locking grooves of the frame.

Model N

A Colt has recently come into my possession and I was wondering if you could help me determine a value. It is a .25 auto with hammer, wood handles, and holds 7 rounds in the clip. It is in mint condition and probably only shot about 4 or 5 times. It has had one owner and was purchased new about 25 years ago. If you could help me out I would appreciate it.

You have a post-war Colt Junior. There were approx. three variations of this gun made by Colt's (actually, I think the parts were made by Astra for Colt's). In excellent condition, you see them for $175 - $250 (the value will be slightly higher if complete with box and instructions.

I’ve exhausted my resources looking for the “Model N” designation for the Colt 1908 Hammerless. I checked Bady’s book and found Model M but no reference to Model N. I also checked Ian Hogg but no luck there either. Are you working from actual patent records? Please help! 

The Model N and M designations are ones that were assigned by Colt’s when producing these pistols. The 1911 is the Model O, the Woodsman is the Model S and the SAA is the Model P. The Model letter is denoted on factory blueprints, manufacturing gauges and in production books, not on the patents themselves - especially since all of Colt’s automatic pistols are based on Browning’s patents.

The magazine for my 1908 Model N (25 ACP) is blued up to the mid-section of the top cartridge viewing hole and unfinished beyond that point. Is this an original factory magazine or an after-market one? The magazine floor plate is marked: CAL .25 COLT The pistol was made in 1924 per your production figures.

Yes, your magazine is an original factory variation. The lack of bluing at the top is because after approximately serial number 105000, Colt’s started case hardening the lips of the magazine to make them less susceptible to bending. You will occasionally hear of Colt collectors referring to a “two-tone” magazine - your mag. is one of those.

The markings on the bottom of the magazine are also correct and started from approximately sn 121000 until the end of production. Like the earliest variation, the last variation of magazine was full blued. In all there were six variations of magazines for the Colt Model N. The magazine for your gun should additionally have a rounded front (where the round feeds into the barrel), and a crimped floorplate.

I have a Colt Automatic Calibre 25 which my father left me after his passing. The following is information on the gun: serial number 29XXXXColt's Pt. F.A. MFG. Co. Hartford, CT. U.S.A. PAT'D Aug. 25, 1896. Apr. 20, 1897. Dec. 22, 1903. Jan. 25, 1910. July 31, 1917. The gun is in its original form.  I was just curious about this gun and what all the dates mean.

This is a Colt Model 1908 Vest Pocket .25 ACP (ACP stands for Automatic Colt Pistol). This model was manufactured from 1908 - 1948 with a total production of approximately 410000. 

Regarding the patent dates: