Colt 1903 .32 US PROPERTY

[ap3572001]

Can someone explain different variations of US property marked Colt 1903 .32 pistols ? Thank You

Information

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[Bruce McAskill]

It would depend on serial number. Real US military pistols are between numbers 554,447 and 572,214. Ones that are blued ended at 1942 and were Parkerized from then on. All are type 4 pistols. Greatest value is those issued to Generals and must have paperwork as to that effect.

[ap3572001]

It would depend on serial number. Real US military pistols are between numbers 554,447 and 572,214. Ones that are blued ended at 1942 and were Parkerized from then on. All are type 4 pistols. Greatest value is those issued to Generals and must have paperwork as to that effect.

What about 1944 OSS pistols that are blued ?

[Bruce McAskill]

The thing is no OSS pistols are listed as being such as no one has found a list of serial numbers used by OSS or one that I have ever heard of. If it can be proven to be one assigned to OSS then it would increase the collector interest in it and I am sure the value would go way up but like the General pistols there has to be proof. If it's a government purchased pistol then being blued it would have a serial number no lower then 554,447 or higher then approximately 562,000.

[ap3572001]

I see. A Colt letter would be proof where the gun was shipped.

[ap3572001]

Is a letter from Colt that shows a blued 1903 shipped to OSS should be enough ?

[browningautorifle]

a blued 1903 shipped to OSS

It should show the serial number of the gun...on the paperwork.

[Tom Doniphon]

According to Brunner in his book on these pistols, there were over 2,900 of them shipped to the OSS. They fall into the serial number range of 541103 - 569725. There were also several hundred shipped to the Military Intelligence Service. They fall into a similar serial number range. A letter from Colt is the only way to know for sure if the pistol was sent to the OSS and that does not always confirm where it went. For example, there are S&W Victory Model revolvers that were shipped to the U.S. Navy in Rosslyn, VA, some of which are believed to have been for the OSS.

What's the serial number of the pistol in question?

[skip_c]

Are they any pictures of this gun, or are we only talking theory.
Skip

[ap3572001]

Serial number range 558XXX