Are any of you familiar with the 1903 Colt Pocket Hammerless Pistol. Hidden-Hammer fired, with some similarities to a 1911, including the grip safety, but about 40% smaller.
I have been looking for a 1908 version in 380 cal, but those seem to be difficult to find, and when available are a bit up there on price, whereas the 1903s are reasonably priced (by my standards anyway).
I want a carry pistol and the 380 in 1908 config is my preference. (The military version would be OK too. I like the workmanship, etc. and that Types 2 thru 5 have a grip safety and magazine safety.
Since it would be my CCW, I am not opposed to getting something like a 1903 and doing a mod to make it a 380.
Do any of you know if that mod would work. I have not been able to borrow a 1908 version, so am not sure if the frame and slide are nearly identical. If near identical, the mod shouldn't be too difficult. Probably springs, magazine, barrel.
Please offer suggestions.

The Colt 1903 Pocket is not striker fired; it has an internal hammer. The Colt 1908 Vest Pocket is a striker fired .25 auto; could you be confusing them? The .32 can easily be converted to .380 by swapping barrel, magazine and recoil spring, but good luck finding a barrel. There are a lot better choices for a CCW pistol.

Thanks John.
I was unaware of the striker vs internal hammer.
From what I have read, the 1903 was made in either 25 or 32 cal. I understand that the 380 was first introduced in the small pistol in 1908, I think getting it's designation from that date.

I have a machine shop, so I expect that making a barrel from a piece of 9mm rifled stock may be do-able, but am unsure as to the cuts that would be necessary. I am also unsure whether the magazine cutout for a 25 or 32 is the same as what Colt did for the 380.
All this is still in the research stage.
I do understand that there are a number of other good CCW selections, but so far I have not found any that I preferred over that Colt Pocket model in 380. One thing I have seen is that the cost of a 380 magazines for those Colts may kill the whole project.

The problem is in with the internal hammer and safety--too slow for me in CCW, I want to pull it out, pull the trigger without a safety to dick with. I also prefer not to carry a gun in my pocket with the hammer back. Therfore, I'm a big fan of the striker fired guns that cock with the trigger pull. BTW, the only Colt in .25 is the 1908 Vest Pocket, a totally different (and useless) gun. Given enough time and tools making a .380 barrel wouldn't be out the rhelm of possibilites; might be fun.

The Ruger LCP might be worth a look. My wife carries one,

The differences that I recall between the two calibers in the 1903 Pocket Hammerless Colt are.

barrel
magazine
ejector
bolt face diameter

J Wisner

Brownells told me barrel and mag were all that was needed to convert .32 to .380. For all practical purposes they are the same ballistics. I'm keeping mine .32.

quote:

Originally posted by Mike Michalski:
Brownells told me barrel and mag were all that was needed to convert .32 to .380. For all practical purposes they are the same ballistics. I'm keeping mine .32.

Myself also.