Would anyone be interested in a 1903 but in 9mm?
- Thread starter Venom1956
- Start date
The Colt Model 1903 is a blowback pistol. Making it for 9mm would require adding some kind of locking mechanism and likely a heavier slide. Of course, the frame would have to be thicker and the grip wider to handle a wider and longer magazine.
In other words, you could make a gun sort of like a 1903 for the 9mm, but it wouldn't be a 1903. (Even the FN Model 1903 in 9mm Browning Long, a less powerful round than 9mm Parabellum, is larger and heavier than the Colt 1903.)
Jim
In other words, you could make a gun sort of like a 1903 for the 9mm, but it wouldn't be a 1903. (Even the FN Model 1903 in 9mm Browning Long, a less powerful round than 9mm Parabellum, is larger and heavier than the Colt 1903.)
Jim
trigger643
New member
It was called the Browning FN 1903 and was chambered for the 9mm Browning Long 9x20mm (9mm Luger is 9x19mm).
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cougar gt-e
New member
I too like the 1903. But it may not be economic to produce and as others have stated, the changes needed to support the parabellum might destroy what makes it so great.
Mike Irwin
Staff
The Browning Long is a beautiful handgun. I've handled and shot one and absolutely loved it.
It was, however, at the upper end of what a blow-back operated pistol can reasonably accommodate in terms of power. The cartridge is less powerful than the 9mm Luger.
Much more than that, and you get into the situation with the Astra 400, which has a very heavy slide and a very stout recoil spring.
It was, however, at the upper end of what a blow-back operated pistol can reasonably accommodate in terms of power. The cartridge is less powerful than the 9mm Luger.
Much more than that, and you get into the situation with the Astra 400, which has a very heavy slide and a very stout recoil spring.
freebird72
New member
I really just want Colt to remake the basic 1903-1908 in .380. That would be an awesome carry gun.
Can the .380 Colts be used with modern .380 loads, or are they too powerful?
Can the .380 Colts be used with modern .380 loads, or are they too powerful?
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lee n. field
New member
probably, but it would have to compete in a world with an abundance of very inexpensive and more or less functional micro-380s.
The Colt 1903/1908 pocket pistols have serious disadvantages for carry guns, aside from the fact that they are single action. The worst are the small safety, easily missed in a crisis, and the tiny sights, almost useless anywhere but a well lighted range. They are also an awkward size; too big to be easily concealed or slipped into a pocket, too small to have really effective power.
Some time back, a poster showed the M1908 he had built for himself, with many changes in sights, safeties, slide serrations, and so on. Nice ideas, but it was NOT an M1908 any more.
But I still like them.
Jim
Some time back, a poster showed the M1908 he had built for himself, with many changes in sights, safeties, slide serrations, and so on. Nice ideas, but it was NOT an M1908 any more.
But I still like them.
Jim
The Colt 1903 is a fine weapon; However, rather than see a reproduction of that, I would rather see the superb Browning 1910 reproduced. A company in Texas got a false start a number of years back and announced they were going to produce 1910s, but it never got off the ground.
Jim Watson
New member
That would work.
The 1910 is striker fired, you could probably rejigger the linkage to a modern mush-off and not have to worry about the miniscule safety. Also reduce the spring load on the grip safety, you have to hold those things tight.
The 1910 is striker fired, you could probably rejigger the linkage to a modern mush-off and not have to worry about the miniscule safety. Also reduce the spring load on the grip safety, you have to hold those things tight.
At one time I worked at Scott-McDougall & Associates, who were known for their work on the Colt Mustang with all the full-size sights and features of a 1911.
Little known is the prototype of that whole run was built on a Colt 1093 Pocket Hammerless. 40 lpi frontstrap checkering, full-size sights off of a Combat Government, beveled mag well, trigger guard checkered all the way around in one continuous panel, stag grips. I was sad to see that one go out the door, quite honestly.
I like the '03 and '08 pocket hammerless platform a lot. Not sure I'd carry one for daily use, but they are a really neat little range toy, for sure.
Little known is the prototype of that whole run was built on a Colt 1093 Pocket Hammerless. 40 lpi frontstrap checkering, full-size sights off of a Combat Government, beveled mag well, trigger guard checkered all the way around in one continuous panel, stag grips. I was sad to see that one go out the door, quite honestly.
I like the '03 and '08 pocket hammerless platform a lot. Not sure I'd carry one for daily use, but they are a really neat little range toy, for sure.
Nakanokalronin
New member
I would and have been saying so since the R1 was announced even though it has it's share of wobbles. I doubt Colt would ever do this though, but I'll cross my fingers.
The FN Model 1903 in 9mm Browning Long was designed by Browning at the request of FN, as they had no competition at the time to the Luger and the 9mm Parabellum cartridge. As Mike says, the 9mm Browning Long, a shortened .38 ACP, is about as far as you can go in cartridge power without going to a locked breech design. In general it was not successful, with major sales only to Sweden, and it was many years before Browning and Saive gave FN a pistol in 9mm that was truly competitive with other guns in that caliber. That pistol was, of course, the famous Browning High Power.
But if the FN Model 1903 was not very successful, Browning's scaled-down pocket model version, sold to Colt and made as what is now called the Colt Model 1903 in .32 ACP, was a very successful design.
Jim
But if the FN Model 1903 was not very successful, Browning's scaled-down pocket model version, sold to Colt and made as what is now called the Colt Model 1903 in .32 ACP, was a very successful design.
Jim
I had a 9mm blowback (Detonics Pocket 9) that was horrible to shoot. It had a bulky thick slide and a recoil spring that required Schwarzenegger muscles to rack the slide. That would throw off the beautiful balance of the the old Colt. It would certainly be possible to design a locked breech 9mm to resemble the Colt (my Kimber Solo comes to mind). What I would hate to see is a misnamed disaster like the new Remington 51. In the meantime, if I feel nostalgic, I'll just shoot my FN 1910.
