Colt Model 1902
Colt's Manufacturing Company · Pistol · Discontinued · 1902
Also known as: Colt Automatic Pistol Model 1902, Colt 1902 Military, Colt 1902 Sporting
Overview
The Colt Model 1902 was an early John Browning short-recoil semi-automatic pistol chambered in .38 ACP, made by Colt's Patent Fire Arms Manufacturing Company. It used a twin parallel-link tilting barrel that draws the barrel straight down to unlock the breech before the slide recoils. Offered in Sporting and Military patterns, the Military version added a longer grip for an 8-round magazine and a rear slide-stop lever that locked the slide back on an empty magazine, an innovation that became universal on later automatic pistols. A direct mechanical ancestor of the M1911.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1050 g (37.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 230 mm (9.06") |
| Barrel Length | 150 mm (5.91") |
| Action Type | Short Recoil |
| Firing Mechanism | Single Action |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 8 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 358 m/s (1175 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 520 J (384 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 45 m (49 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .38 ACP · primary — also known as .38 Automatic Colt Pistol, .38 Auto, 9x23mmSR
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Half Cock Notch
- Features: Exposed Hammer, Twin Link Dropping Barrel, Slide Hold Open Lever, Lanyard Ring
Variants
- Colt Model 1902 Sporting — Civilian Sporting
- Colt Model 1902 Military — Military Pattern
Service history
Operators
- United States Army (trials) · adopted 1902
Production
Estimated total produced: 25,000 · Production years: 1902-1929
Military ~18,000 (1902-1929); Sporting ~6,900-7,500 (1902-1908).
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: John Moses Browning
Discontinued: 1929
Notes
Two variants: Sporting (7 rounds, ~1,010 g) and Military (8 rounds, ~1,050 g). The standard 1902 had no manual or grip safety, only a half-cock notch. .38 ACP muzzle velocity varied widely by era and maker (300-380 m/s); figures here are mid-range. The 1902 Military's slide-stop lever became standard on virtually all later semi-autos.
Background
The 1902 Military predates the M1911 by nearly a decade and introduced Browning's slide-stop lever that holds the action open on an empty magazine. Combat experience in the Philippines pushed the U.S. Army away from the .38 toward a larger .45 caliber, which ultimately produced the M1911 and left the 1902 as a commercial product.