1903 Hammerless

The 1903 Hammerless is the first gun and pistol available for purchase in IGunPro and is the first available in "Gun Type".

## Wiki

The Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless [not to be confused with the Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammer] is a .32 ACP caliber, self-loading and semi-automatic pistol designed by John Browning and built by Colt Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company of Hartford, Connecticut. The Colt Model 1908 Pocket Hammerless is a variant introduced five years later in .380 ACP caliber. Despite the title "hammerless", the Model 1903 does have a hammer. It is covered and hidden from view under the rear of the slide. This allows the pistol to be carried in and withdrawn from a pocket quickly and smoothly without snagging.

### History

Approximately 570,000 Colt Pocket Hammerless pistols were produced from 1903 to 1945, in five different types. Some were issued to the U.S Army and U.S Air Force general officers from World War II through the 1970s; these were replaced in 1972 with the RIA Colt M15 general officer's model, a compact version of the M1911A1. The Shanghai Municipal Police issued the M1908 to its officers in the 1920s and 1930s, it was a popular model with police in the United States such as the New York City Police Department. In addition to lawful owners, many gangsters of the pre-World War II era favoured the Model 1903 and Model 1908 because they were relatively small and easily concealed. It is said that Al Capone kept on in his coat pocket and Bonnie Parker used one to break Clyde Barrow out of jail after smuggling it into the jail by taping it to her thigh. Bank robber John Dillinger was carrying this model of pistol when he was shot by FBI agents outside the Biograph theater on July 22, 1934, and another famous bank robber, Willie Sutton, had one when he was captured by police in Brooklyn on February 18, 1952.

Note: There was also a Colt Model 1903 Pocker Hammer pistol in .38 ACP, but this design is unrelated. The FN Model 1903 pistol design is related to the Colt Pocket hammerless, but it is physically larger due to its chambering in the 9x20mm SR Browning Long cartridge.

### General Officer Models

General officer models were often engraved with the officer's name. Recipients include generals Eisenhower, Bradley, Marshall and Patton. Patton's Model 1908 was embellished with three [later four] stars on the grip panels to denote his rank. They were issued with a fine-grade leather holster, leather pistol belt with gold-metal clasp, rope pistol lanyard with gold-metal fittings and leather two-pocket ammunition pouch with gold-metal fasteners. They came in russet or black leather [depending on service or regulations] and were made by Atchison Leather Products or Hickock. A cleaning rod and two spare magazines were also included. Generals were issued with the Model M in .380 ACP, until 1950, when supplies ran out. At that point, they were substituted with .32 models until their replacement in 1972. The Pocket Hammer was replaced by the M15 pistol made by Rock Island Arsenal in .45 ACP. Today, the Pocket Hammerless is manufactured by U.S Armament and is licensed by Colt.

### Design

This pistol is actually fired by action of a hammer striking and driving a firing pin into a center-fire cartridge's primer. The "hammerless" designation was merely an advertising designation pointing out the pistol's particular suitability for concealed carry. Special features include a serrated slide to prevent slippage during manual cycling of the slide and two safety mechanisms [a grip safety and a manual safety]. The grip safety is a spring-loaded piece making up the back strap of the pistol. The grip safety, though not solely restricted to them, was a typical feature of Colt automatic pistols. A magazine safety was added on later models; this feature prevents the pistol from being fired with a round in the chamber and the magazine removed.

In 1908, a .380 ACP version of this gun was introduced. Called the Model 1908, it is nearly identical to the Model 1903 except for the bore diameter and the magazine, which hold seven rounds [one less than the Model 1903].

Grip panels are black checkered hard rubber, checked walnut or special order materials [ivory, mother of pearl, inset medallion].

Sights are fixed although the rear sight is drift-adjustable for windage.

Metal finish is blued or nickel, and some special-order finishes such as engraved, silver or gold-plated.

## Gun Usage (In-Game)

To Fire:

1. Reload if needed
2. Chamber round by pulling back the slide
3. Tap trigger

To Change Firing Mode:

Click on the bottom left corner.

1. Semi-Auto
2. Three Round Burst
3. Infinity / Full-Auto

Special Note:

To fire at any time, even in semi-automatic or fully-automatic, you must cock the gun so there is a round in the chamber. A round starts in the chamber with this gun.

To Reload:

1. Double tap the bottom at anytime
2. Use all the ammo and click the reload button