I have a colt 1903 that was built in 1919. At some point in production colt in the 1920s colt attempted to make the pistol more “drop safe” but adding a half cock notch to the hammer and making the firing pin a little shorter. Does anyone know if i replace those two parts would i achieve my goal in making the pistol a bit more drop safe or would i have to replace other parts? Also if i just need to replace the two parts does anyone know where i can get a firing pin from a 1920s colt 1903?
Colt 1903 help
- Thread starter Nickc8
- Start date
Aguila Blanca
Staff
Cylinder & Slide has worked on 1903s. I suggest that you reach out to Bill Laughridge.
Aguila Blanca
Staff
My rather inexpert analysis suggests that if Bill Laughridge doesn't know ... nobody knows.
This is the only place I can think of.
https://www.gunpartscorp.com/gun-manufacturer/colt/auto-pistols-colt/1903-pocket-hammerless?page=2
https://www.gunpartscorp.com/gun-manufacturer/colt/auto-pistols-colt/1903-pocket-hammerless?page=2
So far someone told me they changed the rear part of the firing pin and made it shorter. Not the front part. The firing pin is in two pieces. But i havent found a different firing pin assembly anywhere ive looked. They all look the same as well as they all seem to have the same sear. The only difference im seeing in any trigger set up is the hammer. They did in fact change the hammer to add the half cock notch in it and i have both different types of hammers. They added the half cock notch in the hammer to make it so that if your gun was dropped the half cock notch would catch the hammer prior to it going to hit the firing pin giving you an accidental discharge. Im essentially just trying to make my gun as safe as possible because i would like to carry it with one in the chamber. Im well aware that there are hundreds of better options but if i have a gun i dont want to just keep it in a safe to look at id like to carry it around from time to time.
Back in the day when the gun was made, the prevailing attitude was, if you want your gun to be drop safe, don't drop it with a loaded chamber. 
I talked to my Colt guru about your question, and he never heard of any change to the firing pin. The pocket 1903 DID have a change in the slide during production, but it had to do with barrel retention. The expert in older guns we had for a gunsmith back in the dark ages, told him about it, and said, if you're trying to get a barrel, it will be the wrong one for the slide you have...
Never any mention of any change to the firing pin. SO, I'd call BS on the guy who told you they did, unless he has references from Colt.
Just FYI, don't trust any half cock notch to make your gun drop safe. Most of them won't. The are intended to catch the hammer if you slip while cocking it, not survive the gun landing on them.
Sorry I can't be of more help. Good Luck!
(personally, I wouldn't worry about it, get a quality holster for carry, and don't drop it!
)
I talked to my Colt guru about your question, and he never heard of any change to the firing pin. The pocket 1903 DID have a change in the slide during production, but it had to do with barrel retention. The expert in older guns we had for a gunsmith back in the dark ages, told him about it, and said, if you're trying to get a barrel, it will be the wrong one for the slide you have...
Never any mention of any change to the firing pin. SO, I'd call BS on the guy who told you they did, unless he has references from Colt.
Just FYI, don't trust any half cock notch to make your gun drop safe. Most of them won't. The are intended to catch the hammer if you slip while cocking it, not survive the gun landing on them.
Sorry I can't be of more help. Good Luck!
(personally, I wouldn't worry about it, get a quality holster for carry, and don't drop it!
)Thank you for the help! With all that being said im going to change out my hammer because the half cock notch hammer is for sure going to make the gun a little safer than the older original hammer from the earlier models. Has your colt guru friend heard of different sears being used in the different 1903 models?
Go over here and ask...
https://www.coltforum.com/
and look here...
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/carrying-a-colt-1903.597298/
This is a common question and search will turn up things on this forum and others. Google search produces a lot. The M1903 and 1908 were very popular pistols. Even today there are many well known gunsmiths who have worked on them. Ask around.
tipoc
https://www.coltforum.com/
and look here...
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/carrying-a-colt-1903.597298/
This is a common question and search will turn up things on this forum and others. Google search produces a lot. The M1903 and 1908 were very popular pistols. Even today there are many well known gunsmiths who have worked on them. Ask around.
tipoc
A fun alternative might be to drop test your gun as is.
No I am not suggesting anything abusive or dangerous, you get some primed brass, chamber one, rig the gun up held between 2 pieces of plywood with 2 I bolts to ride down a length of pipe or conduit so it impacts muzzle first and have fun --- this approximates the drop tests labs do and though unrealistic (guns rarely fall / impact muzzle first BUT this give maximum chance of the inertial FP gathering the energy to discharge).
Doing this will address 2 things -- 1. You might decide the gun is safe enough as is. 2. You might decided to proceed with modifications due to what you find 3. If you do modify your gun this could validate what you did as a success or not.
I'm not going to say it's wrong for anyone to worry about these things -- we all have to have our comfort factors and zones however having played around a little on this with regard to the great firing pin safety or not on the 1911 I can tell you the results are interesting -- at least to me.
No I am not suggesting anything abusive or dangerous, you get some primed brass, chamber one, rig the gun up held between 2 pieces of plywood with 2 I bolts to ride down a length of pipe or conduit so it impacts muzzle first and have fun --- this approximates the drop tests labs do and though unrealistic (guns rarely fall / impact muzzle first BUT this give maximum chance of the inertial FP gathering the energy to discharge).
Doing this will address 2 things -- 1. You might decide the gun is safe enough as is. 2. You might decided to proceed with modifications due to what you find 3. If you do modify your gun this could validate what you did as a success or not.
I'm not going to say it's wrong for anyone to worry about these things -- we all have to have our comfort factors and zones however having played around a little on this with regard to the great firing pin safety or not on the 1911 I can tell you the results are interesting -- at least to me.
if you're going to run that kind of test, do add the weight of a loaded magazine of live ammo. I'm not saying USE live ammo, but the weight of a magazine full of cases with bullets can add ounces and inertia, which might make the difference between firing and not firing when dropped.
If you don't, you'll never know, for certain...
If you don't, you'll never know, for certain...