Now, I've got a couple of .380 handguns (four, actually) as well as a smattering of 1911s (also four), and the Mustang is one of my all-time gun show regrets (I found one in great shape for $500, and didn't buy it on the spot. Been kicking myself ever since). When I heard that Colt was bringing back the Mustang, it piqued my curiosity something fierce. I had a chance to ogle the Mustang at last year's NRA Convention, and I got to shoot one at Media Day at SHOT Show in January.
At Colt's handgun display at Media Day, they had four guns present: A Colt Gold Cup National Match Government 1911, a Colt Commander 1991, the aforementioned Mustang, and a New Frontier single action revolver in .45 Long Colt. Naturally, I had to shoot them all - despite what OldNFO thinks about me only liking Smith & Wessons, I love me a good Colt revolver as much as the next guy - even if the next guy is NFO himself. At last count I had seven (four Police Positives, a Detective Special, a Lawman, and a New Frontier rimfire), so I was interested in the hogleg as well as the 1911s.
The Gold Cup and the Commander shot like a dream, naturally; the New Frontier was a monster but damn accurate (hell, it's got like a 9" barrel, with that kind of sight radius even I can hit the target no problem); but it was the Mustang that really surprised me. While it has a smooth single action trigger like every other Colt 1911, it's also a little stubby barrel with a short sight radius.
The range was set up similar to this:
with the 24X18" silhouette target placed at the 25 yard station. I picked up the Mustang and it was in the condition above: dirty, well-loved, and with easily a thousand rounds through it that day alone. With the steel target at 25 yards, I ran several magazines through the Mustang as quick as I could, and every single shot hit the target. All kidding about "minute-of-berm" aside, I consider myself a marginal distance shooter - I typically practice from 25 to 50 feet, and very rarely at 25 yards. But under rapid fire conditions that Mustang was accurate enough to ring that plate every time.
This is one of the few times you'll hear me say this, but I'm kinda glad I live in Massachusetts. If we were not subject to the Approved Firearms Roster, I would be *sorely* tempted to pick one up - and I know that the Pony commands a premium... If I were in the market for a pocket gun, this would factor pretty high on the list. Accurate, reliable, and a platform I'm very comfortable with - really, the only drawback IMHO is that there are smaller, lighter guns out there already - and even that's not as big of an issue. Since I have a Bodyguard 380 and a P3AT, and I can't get the Colt without moving out of state, the temptation is slightly lessened...
Hmmm. The SIG SAUER P238 is based on the Mustang - and it's MA approved...
That is all.
(*Hey guys, any chance you need another writer? Can't hurt to ask, right?)
14 comments:
Jay- It IS on my buy list... Just waiting for one to come in... :-) You missed Matt's and my discussions with the program manager for the Mustang at the NRA Conv.
I think a P238 will fill that Colt-shaped void nicely, Jay. I just bought one last week and put 100 rounds through it Sunday. Sweet. Fits a pocket better than my LC9.
Sure, it'd be nice to own a Colt, but unless you're going to show it off to people (which kind of defeats the purpose of a CC gun) what does it really matter?
Yeah, I like my P238 just fine.
Did you notice how the author of that piece pretty much slammed all three guns he reviewed?
Yeah, I was a bit surprised to see that. The Mustang struck me as supremely accurate, and while the New Frontier was large and had somewhat of a kick, I didn't find it unwieldy given what it is.
The Gold Cup? Well, I think I was drooling too much to really notice that much about it. It shot, well, about what you'd expect a Gold Cup to shoot.
I mean, I shot literally those exact guns. Heck, I saw the G&A guys setting up for the photo shoot.
Amazing! Colt sees the P-238s selling like hotcakes and decides to "copy." :)
Love mine.
Pro Tip: Mustang magazines work perfectly in P-238s and are very inexpensive.
HTH, John Bernard Books
I love my Colt Defender...
Last range trip I had a gungasm.
Old NFO is bringing his to Phlegmfest in a few weeks and I'm going to try it out, but I pretty much already know it's going to be my new carry pistol. :)
I have a Colt MK IV Government Model 380, a larger version of the Mustang Pocketlite. It seems to be an '80's-made firearm. I got it for $150 (with 3 boxes of ammo!) from a PO'd owner who was tired of it failing.
When built, it had a HUGE design flaw, in that it had a short, enclosed recoil spring guide rod which would allow the recoil spring to escape the rod under the dust cover, and thereby jam the gun requiring bench work to restore it to firing condition. After this happened 3X on my first time at the range, I researched some options.
I found Steve Bedair's fix, which is a full-length stainless guide rod (replaced the short plastic one), a guide rod plug machined to allow the guide rod to protrude on recoil, and new Wolff spring. Installation took two minutes without tools, and the baby Colt hasn't missed a beat since then.
I carry and shoot HPR 105-gr FMJ-TC in mine, and it loves it. Yes, it IS easy to get K5 hits at 25 yards with this gun. It's a 1911, ya know.
My dad has an old school Mustang, and I have a Sig P238. They both shoot great, and look excellent as well.
While I like the mini-me 1911 looks and feel, I just prefer something a bit larger (big hands). I'll be swapping mine towards that new M&P Shield, as soon as I can find one.
My wife loves her P238, and is pushing for me to get one as well so in case of emergency she can use my gun if need be (she has small hands, and the Glock is a bit big for her)
Come to Colorado-we have Mustangs.
Would very much like to know your thoughts on the S&W Bodyguard 380.
It is on my short list for next gun and will likely be my pocket carry in the summer months.
I reviewed the Bodyguard 380 not all that long ago. In ~ 500-600 rounds I had exactly one light strike; other than that it has been very reliable.
Accuracy is *FAR* better than I would have dreamed from a pocket gun with a stout trigger pull, the fit and finish are positively *excellent*, for the price it's easily the best of the polymer pocket 380s IMHO.
Welcome to June 2009 for me on the realization that the P238 scratches the Mustang itch nicely.
I only know the date because I had my brand new P238 in my pocket at the blog-dinner in Orlando when you became a blogger I've met.
Buying the P238 was a direct result of my wanting a Mustang. I didn't buy the Colt because Iowa didn't really have CCW, and by the time I was where the CCW was, the price on the ponies had gotten a bit large.
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