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  • CruncherBlock

    Active Member
    Mar 29, 2016
    594
    I tried to search but I keep getting a 404.

    I just got my C&R this week. I am a MD resident. Can I purchase a C&R gun at at PA gunshow and walk out with it?
     

    knastera

    Just another shooter
    May 6, 2013
    1,484
    Baltimore County
    Yes .

    Every seller may or may not care to sell directly to 003 holder.



    That is true. There are even some online vendors that have been reluctant to sell C&R handguns to Marylanders.

    On a side note, a great source for ammo for most C&R pieces is Graf & Sons (grafs.com).

    If you're looking for a good general purpose gun, check out the Tokarev. It shoots 7.62x25, which is a really powerful round.
    61e5ab256599fe4f9b9afa44bd9d8d81.jpg



    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    CruncherBlock

    Active Member
    Mar 29, 2016
    594
    Thanks for the tips gentlemen. What I'm specifically looking for are the Colt 1903 Pocket Hammer (with Rounded Hammer) and the Colt Model 1905 .45.

    Sidebar question.
    I vaguely remember seeing a Warner Brother Looney Tunes cartoon as a child where a gangster had either one of these guns. And I may have had a toy version of this 40 years ago. Does anyone else recall the cartoon?
     
    Jul 1, 2012
    5,712
    Well, you've got excellent taste!

    Good luck finding a 1905 (especially for a reasonable price) :)
    If you do check very carefully for a cracked slide, sometimes the crack can be a very small hairline.
    Attached are pics of two pistols with cracks.

    Another thing to check is that the magazine is an original, pinned-base not an aftermarket crimped base (TripleK etc).
    Original mags are almost impossible to find and usually $300-500

    There's always a bunch of 1903 Pocket Hammers on GunBroker, prices have been pretty low for the ones that actually sell.
    Biggest thing for these is finding one with decent original charcoal blue (high polish) finish and original, uncracked grips (they are really hard to find).

    Check Sam Lisker's web-site for reference material, pics etc.
    http://www.coltautos.com/1905.htm

    William Goddard's "The Government Models" is a great reference too and has S/N info for the 1900, 1902, 1903, 1905 and 1911 in the back.
    Patocki's "Colt 1905" book has some good info but falls short of being a complete reference on the 1905.
     

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    Jul 1, 2012
    5,712
    BTW - if you do find a 1905 I would highly recommend NOT shooting it, no matter how tempting it may be.... see above :)
    They cracked back in the day even when using the 200 gr ammo made specifically for them.

    The 1903 is pretty accurate and fun to shoot, but make sure to use proper .38 ACP loads and NOT .38 Super -
    same identical cartridge, much different powder charge.
    I get mine from these guys, it's nice clean-shooting ammo:
    https://www.pbrammo.com/catalog/ammunition-caliber/38-acp
    (cases are marked .38 Super but loaded to original ACP specs)
     

    CruncherBlock

    Active Member
    Mar 29, 2016
    594
    BTW - if you do find a 1905 I would highly recommend NOT shooting it, no matter how tempting it may be.... see above :)
    They cracked back in the day even when using the 200 gr ammo made specifically for them.

    The 1903 is pretty accurate and fun to shoot, but make sure to use proper .38 ACP loads and NOT .38 Super -
    same identical cartridge, much different powder charge.
    I get mine from these guys, it's nice clean-shooting ammo:
    https://www.pbrammo.com/catalog/ammunition-caliber/38-acp
    (cases are marked .38 Super but loaded to original ACP specs)

    Wow. I had not heard about the cracked slides. I might take that one off my list. Thanks for the warning.
     
    Jul 1, 2012
    5,712
    Don't dismiss the 1905 out of hand; just be careful when looking at them.
    And realize that it is going to be a safe queen, not a gun that you can run out to the range.
     

    sgt23preston

    USMC LLA. NRA Life Member
    May 19, 2011
    3,995
    Perry Hall
    Don't be surprised if no dealers are willing to sell to you unless you have the gun shipped to your FFL & processed...

    A lot of dealers just don't want any part of sales to Merry-Landers...
     

    Abulg1972

    Ultimate Member
    Don't be surprised if no dealers are willing to sell to you unless you have the gun shipped to your FFL & processed...

    A lot of dealers just don't want any part of sales to Merry-Landers...

    I can count on one hand the times I have had a problem buying a firearm from an out of state seller, whether online or at a show. Yes, there are sellers who are, and choose to remain, ignorant and refuse to sell to a resident of Maryland, but, in my experience at least, the number has been small I can usually convince them that they will not go to jail if they sell to a Marylander.
     

    Docster

    Ultimate Member
    Jul 19, 2010
    9,768
    I can count on one hand the times I have had a problem buying a firearm from an out of state seller, whether online or at a show. Yes, there are sellers who are, and choose to remain, ignorant and refuse to sell to a resident of Maryland, but, in my experience at least, the number has been small I can usually convince them that they will not go to jail if they sell to a Marylander.

    I can 2nd this.
     

    mawkie

    C&R Whisperer
    Sep 28, 2007
    4,338
    Catonsville
    somd_mustangs is THE MAN when it comes to early Colt autos here on this site. He's the go-to guy for info and advice. Listen and learn! Good luck on the hunt for a 1905 and the 1903 Pocket Hammer. The early 1903s with round hammer are harder to find vs the later spur hammer version and even harder to find with any decent finish on them. Expect to open your wallet wide for a nice example. Shooters on the other hand can be found for decent prices.
    I like Douglas Sheldon's Collectors Guide to Colt's 38 Automatic Pistols book as a reference. Look for a good used copy out there on the net.
     

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