Rare Colt Automatic cartridge 9,8 mm

Developed by Colt around 1910 for trials in Bucharest, Bulgaria and Serbia by Colt Agent Eugene Reising. this 9,8mm Colt cartridge is close to the 38 ACP but has a larger diameter bullet. The reported velocity was 1200 fps.

The pistol looks like a slightly smaller Model 1911 and the slide is marked "Automatic Colt Calibre .38 Rimless Smokeless". The slide is blued and the frame is in the white, barrel is 4 11/16 inches long and the pistol has an empty weight of two pounds two ounces

No sales were reported and the pistol and cartridge were soon discontinued

my photo shows the 9mm, 9,8mm Colt and the 45 ACPAttachment 111233Attachment 111234

Looks like a 38 Super to me. I'd mistake it... You can even see the little Winchester "W" stamped in the bullet of the center one.

There are 2 other variations; one with no headstamp, and a second with an F N * headstamp and truncated bullet.

The UMC loading only had U on the primer for the 9,8mm Colt

my other 9,8 mm that I found is the 9,8x17R or better known as the 380 WebleyAttachment 111244Attachment 111245

Here's what I'm talking about...

Ah yes...an early version of the almost .40 cal.

I heard it was almost or better than the 38 Super which came many years later. Really interesting idea to scale down the original 45 ACP pistol to
a smaller size to go with the 9,8mm cartridge, just did not have the market for it in 1910.

Reising worked with John Browning then joined Colt leaving in 1916 to start manufacture of his 22 semi auto pistol which was manufactured in the early
1920's. Really interesting pistol 22 r f pistol

Later he found H&R to manufacture his 45 ACP submachine for the USMC during WW2. The Reising submachine gun was not well liked !

Great little gun and caliber. It was 7/8's th size of a 1911 and a lot thinner. It used a single stack magazine. Similar to a 1903 Colt Pocket Hammer .38 acp. I've owned two of them. One....was serial number 6.....a nic original Colt, and the other an un-numbered shop 1910 that was stamped .40 Cal. (actually the caliber was 9.8mm). Here are pictures of an empty box with one round of Winchester ammo. Its all I have left.....after selling my collection. I had 3 full boxes of the Winchester ammo....that went with the guns. I'll try to find my pictures of the Colts.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dbcolts

It was 7/8's th size of a 1911 and a lot thinner.

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Wish you still had one, I'd like to see that in hand.