In about 1913 (at approximately serial number 160,000 for the.32 and 16,000 for the.380) the elongated “C” behind the colt was eliminated. In 1915 (at approximately serial number 190,000 for the.32 and 23,500 for the.380) a step was machined in the side of the lower curved portion of the slide. Description: gOOD WORKING GUN, THIS cOLT MODEL 1903 CHAMBERED FOR THE.380 CARTRIDGE HAS SN 112371, with walnut Colt checkered grips, factory medallion in nickle. Grips show some wear near the bottom front edge. Gun appears to have been finished in a matt blue, for non-glare, and is 100% blue. Colt Model M.380 ACP Serial Number 1 - shipped to J.R. Hegeman in 1908. Hegeman, a vice president of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, of New York, was very active between 1885 and 1925, and was interested in Colt arms only. Hegeman was truly a pioneer in Colt collecting and presumably had some fantastic connections within the Colt.

Photos & Information Disassembly Instructions Parts Identification Production Dates Model 1903 .32 ACP & 1908 .380 ACP Pocket Hammerless Instruction Sheet PDF (1.3MB) pw: coltautos.com

COLT MODEL 1903 .32 ACP / 1908 .380 ACP POCKET HAMMERLESS PRODUCTION Year Type Serial Number (1903 .32ACP) Serial Number (1908 .380 ACP) Year Type Serial Number (1903 .32 ACP) Serial Number (1908 .380 ACP) 1903 Type I .32 1 - 72000 .380 None 1 1925 460000 82000 1904 4100 1926 466000 92000 1905 16500 1927 Type IV .32 468001 - 562000 .380 93001 - 136000 470000 94000 1906 34000 1928 481000 100000 1907 51000 1929 489000 103000 1908 67400 1 1930 502000 107000 1909 Type II .32 72001 - 105000 .380 1 - 6250 80500 2300 1931 506000 110000 1910 Type III .32 105001 - 468000 .380 6251 - 93000 94425 4350 1932 511000 113000 1911 107750 6900 1933 513000 115000 1912 125000 9500 1934 516000 117000 1913 141000 12700 1935 517000 120000 1914 159000 16500 1936 519000 123000 1915 172500 21000 1937 521000 125000 1916 193000 26000 1938 530000 128000 1917 235000 30900 1939 538000 132750 1918 264200 34500 1940 543000 133000 1919 292000 35500 1941 545250 134000 1920 328000 36500 1942 555000 135000 1921 377000 53000 1943 none produced none 1922 404000 56000 1944 Type V .32 562001 - 572215 .380 136001 - 138009 559000 136000 1923 420000 68000 1945 570000 - 572215 137000 - 138009 1924 450000 78000

Lowell Pauli Collection, photos by Sam Lisker

Colt Model M .380 ACP Serial Number 1 - shipped to J.R. Hegeman in 1908. Mr. Hegeman, a vice president of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, of New York, was very active between 1885 and 1925, and was interested in Colt arms only. Hegeman was truly a pioneer in Colt collecting and presumably had some fantastic connections within the Colt company in order for him to own many production prototype and serial number one guns.

Colt 380 Serial Number Lookup

Close-up of left rear slide and frame.

Close-up of serial number 1. Compare it to the close-up photo of serial number 15 below. It's slightly different.

John W. Brunner Collection, photos by Sam Lisker

Colt 380 Lookup Tool

For comparison, here's a close-up of Model M .380 serial number 15.

Colt 380 Lookup Parts

Colt Model M .32 ACP Serial Number 6 - shipped to Frank Schirmer in 1903. Schirmer was Colt's Treasurer at the time and also received Colt Model N .25 ACP Serial Number 2.