You have seen references to government contract Colt model 1908 25 caliber automatics Did Colt actually produce and supply any model 1908 25 automatics to the US government If so how can you identify?

Answer 1

There has been much speculation about the originality of US Property marked Colt 1908 Vest Pocket .25 ACP pistols. Different people will give different answers. I often find that people who have purchased one of these guns will tell you they are real while others doubt their authenticity. I am one who doubts their authenticity.

The official answer I've received directly from former Colt Historian Marty Huber is that there was never an official military contract for these pistols from Colt, as there was for the 1903 .32 and 1908 .380 Colt Pocket Hammerless models. There were, however, a limited number of these Colt .25 pistols procured via blanket procurement for use by the OSS in WWII. This is documented in the National Archives as Norm Strebe visited Police Departments around the country in search for these and other weapons for use in WWII.

To date, there is one known documented Colt 1908 .25 with OSS provenance that's been encountered. This gun has a blue finish, second style Colt hard rubber grips and has British proof marks. There is no US Property mark or ordnance mark on this pistol. It is accompanied by the original issue document and came from a retired OSS officer.

The Springfield Research Service has done extensive research at the National Archives and has uncovered other serial numbers of .25 caliber Colts. Until one of these guns surfaces, it's impossible to say how they are marked. But given that their intended use was for the OSS, it's highly unlikely that the military would apply a US Property marking before putting this gun into service.