What would you do?

[Hawg]

If this were yours would you rebuild it or put grips and a front sight on it and hang it on a wall. Colt 1903 pocket .32 ACP. I think it's been in a fire as the springs are all shot. I found it in an old house and was frozen. Soaked it a few months in kerosene and it's free now. It has some pitting but no worse than a lot of old guns I've seen. I'm sure the temper is shot but with a round as anemic as a .32 ACP I really don't think it would be an issue.

 

[Harry Callahan]

Wow. Talk about a fixer upper. If it were me I don't know that I'd want to pour a few bennies in to a gun that may be worth only a couple in fair shape. Too bad. Like finding a '65 GTO in an old barn but the floor and rockers are rusted out, not to mention being mice infested.

 

[even11]

I'd fix it up and shoot it, might end up having more in it than its worth to another party but talk about a cool project gun!!

-Dane

 

[darrentxs]

I read somewhere those were popular with mobsters way back when. I have a reblued one, got it already done. It looks like it could get pricey to bring that one back. I imagine the bore is in poor shape. I'd probably slap some battered grips on it and hang it on the wall.

 

[Slopemeno]

It's bad, but not *that* bad. My .380 was rough and cleaned up well when it was refinished. My .23 looks just like yours, actually. Brownells has grips, I think. Are all the internal parts there still?

I'd start looking for a barrel, as I bet yours is a pitted mess. My .32 is nearly a smoothbore.

Really fun little guns, btw.

 

[grey sky]

Have Fun

Are replacement parts available? If yes get new springs firing pin grips barrel, looks to be a fun project pollish as best as I could ,try some cold blue finishes. I believe I would test fire from a distance like with a ransom rest or a solid vise just in case of catastrophic failure Also take a video of the test just in case of catostrphic failure that would be neet on video too. Would it be expensive to get the temper cheked? I wouldnt want to put alot of money into it but I do like to have fun.

 

[the_av8er]

dont crush em restore em!! nostalgia firearms is what keeps us going fix it up and shoot it man!

 

[Hawg]

It's all there except the mag and front sight which I had but later lost(sight). Everything works but the springs are shot. Barrel is pitted some but still has good rifling. Grips and mag will be the most expensive parts to replace. I know it won't ever be worth much but I would like to do it someday. Already had it over ten years and haven't done anything with it yet. I've got too many gun projects and not enough money to go around. I'll get around to it one of these days tho. I do seem to have a knack for finding old guns other people have either lost or forgotten about. Most of them are just too far gone or not worth the effort. This one is really not that bad from a cost standpoint. A lot cheaper than the rusted up with rotted wood Browning Sweet 16 I fully intend to redo .......some day.

 

[44 AMP]

Wall Hanger

If you shoot it, you are (literally) taking a big risk. Guns that have been through a fire may have the temper drawn from the steel. You may get away with it with a low pressure round like the .32, but is it worth the risk?

Hanging it on the wall (in the condition it is currently in) gives it a "flavor" or "history" that you might find appealing. If you restore the gun, you still don't have much, as a restored gun has little collector value.

Make up some kind of plausible story about it (like the place was a speakeasy before it burned down, or something like that) and hang it on the wall.

Or you could contact Colt, and see if they can tell you anything about where it was originally sold. I believe they do charge for the service.

 

[Hawg]

Or you could contact Colt, and see if they can tell you anything about where it was originally sold. I believe they do charge for the service.

75.00-300.00 bucks with no guarantee they can find records on it. Not worth it to me.

 

[SpookBoy]

well if you want to get rid of it,i'd buy it off of ya! I'm trying to save the $$ to go to the PGS(penn. gunsmith school) & I could use the practice.Otherwise I'd say go for the gusto & fix it,but thats the kind of person i am.I cant stand to see a good gun go to waste(the compactor).Good luck in whatever you choose.

 

[Hawg]

Thanks for the offer Spook but I think I'll keep it. Maybe buy a few parts here and there till I can get it going again.

 

[rampage841512]

With my limited budget, I think I'd stick on the wall. However, given time and money I wouldn't mind putting the work into it so that I could shoot it.