Colt 380's

[rycerz]

In a search for a "suit" or ultimate concealment firearm, I came across a colt .380. It's fairly small and thus easily concealable. Anyways, in a process of searching for mine, I found a local FFL dealer that is liquidating a fairly sizeable collection of them. He is in OC.
Also, why is this newsworthy? It is because Colt stopped making 380's quite a few years back, and they never made it onto the CA approved handgun list which means you can't bring them out of state or do a dealer transfer. But the upside is, that since the firearms are already in CA, you can PPT them.
What is available: Governments, Plus II's and Mustangs, regular and pocketlites both in Blue and Stainless. Oh yeah, this "O" frame is one of the smallest 380's ever made.

If you are interested, PM me for details.

[RAD-G27]

I have a Colt Government Model .380 that was my father-in-laws. It is quite a bit smaller than my PPKS, fun to shoot and its never jammed on me. You have to like cleaning 1911's because it breaks down the same way.

[repins]

I have a Sig .380 (P232) listed as one of my weapons on my CCW permit. I carry it alot in "minimal threat" situations. Highly reliable, very concealable, and when loaded w/ HydraShok or some other quality JHP, more than adequate at close range.

Colt & Walther also make pretty decent .380's. I know some guys on this "server" don't think much of the .380. But at close range, it has all the necessary power you need, if you can hit what you are looking at. Now if I am walking around in South Sacramento county or Oakland at nite, I'm carrying my USP-Compact in .40 cal. But when the threat level is minimal, I take my Sig .380 with me often, and w/ no reservations.

Sua Sponte----RLTW!!

[CCWInstructor]

Several people have ask me about the differnt models that Colt made these "O" frames in. Because I have more than a few of them, I was a good choice to ask. 1996 was the last year Colt made them. Shortly after that Colt went BK and was bought by Donald Zilka. He did not revive the 380.

Colt Mustang .380


Over the years, Colt has made several forays into the pocket .380 ACP pistol market. Its first offering was the Model 1908, or Model M, which is still regarded as one of the best concealment pistols. In the 1960s Colt announced tentative plans to market the Colt Pony, which was to be a steel-frame derivative of the Star DK, but those plans never materialized.

In 1983 Colt introduced the .380 Government Model, in many ways a scaled-down, 21 3/4-oz. version of the .45 ACP Government Model, with a similar barrel bushing, magazine catch, extractor, firing pin and stop, a plunger-type firing pin safety, and single-action operation allowing cocked-and-locked carry. However, barrel lockup was accomplished not by a M1911-style link, but via an enclosed, integral cam track as in the CZ-75. It lacked many other standard M1911 features as well, such as a grip safety and removable mainspring housing.

In 1986 Colt introduced a smaller, lighter and somewhat simplified version of the Government Model .380, the Mustang. While the firing mechanism was identical, the Mustang design eliminated its predecessor’s barrel bushing and spring plug. The new gun also featured a dual recoil spring rather than the .380 Government’s single coil spring, and incorporated a flexible synthetic full-length recoil spring guide positioned in a hole in the slide face. The Mustang measured 1/2" shorter in both height and length, was 3 ozs. lighter in weight, and with a five-round magazine capacity, held two fewer rounds than the Government .380.

The Mustang’s popularity spawned a number of variations. The Pocketlite, brought out in 1987, used an aluminum frame, thus reducing total weight by 6 ozs. to only 12 1/2 ozs. The Mustang Plus II made its debut in 1988, and combined a Mustang slide with the .380 Government Model’s longer frame for two rounds more capacity. In 1993, the Colt Custom Shop introduced the Nite Lite .380, a modified Mustang with bar-dot tritium night sights, stainless-steel slide, a Teflon-coated aluminum frame and a high-capacity magazine with extended base pad. As recently as 1996, Colt cataloged steel-frame Mustangs in blue or stainless and Pocketlite models with either blue or stainless slides with black anodized or gray Teflon-coated aluminum receivers, respectively. In spite of its small size and light weight, the Mustang is relatively pleasant to shoot, thanks to good grip frame design and its short single-action trigger.

[OCResident]

Originally Posted by CCWInstructor

The Pocketlite, brought out in 1987, used an aluminum frame, thus reducing total weight by 6 ozs. to only 12 1/2 ozs.

'Nuff said. This is generally accepted as the preferred #3 weapon on a permit. Two primary, one backup/ultra concealable.

Repeat - 12 1/2 oz. - throw it in your pocket (in a pocket holster, of course).

[1buba]

Originally Posted by OCResident

'Nuff said. This is generally accepted as the preferred #3 weapon on a permit. Two primary, one backup/ultra concealable.

Repeat - 12 1/2 oz. - throw it in your pocket (in a pocket holster, of course).

Interesting point to be made though... the S&W 360PD weighs in at 12 oz empty... night quite as easy to conceal as the .380, but it does have the power of a .38 or a .357 mag...

That said, I STILL want a pocketlite on my ccw!

[OCResident]

Originally Posted by 1buba

Interesting point to be made though... the S&W 360PD weighs in at 12 oz empty... night quite as easy to conceal as the .380, but it does have the power of a .38 or a .357 mag...

That said, I STILL want a pocketlite on my ccw!

YOU of all people should appreciate the platform.

[Steyr_fan]

Originally Posted by 1buba

Interesting point to be made though... the S&W 360PD weighs in at 12 oz empty... night quite as easy to conceal as the .380, but it does have the power of a .38 or a .357 mag...

That said, I STILL want a pocketlite on my ccw!

The Kel-Tec P-3AT weighs in at 11oz LOADED!

My carry piece (if I get to) will be the P-11, 20oz fully loaded with 11 rounds of 9mm HydraShok.

Here's a comparison chart if you're interested:
http://www.mouseguns.com/PocketAutoComparison.pdf

Have a great day!
Paul

[libertarian]

Originally Posted by Steyr_fan

The Kel-Tec P-3AT weighs in at 11oz LOADED!

..but you can't get them in California unless you're a very special person or know one very well.

[Steyr_fan]

Originally Posted by libertarian

..but you can't get them in California unless you're a very special person or know one very well.

Here's one:
For Sale - KelTec P3AT .380 LNIB/2mags! - Calguns.net

[CCWInstructor]

Several Colt 380's have come through my ccw classes over the years. Most people want the Mustang platform. However, if you have a wide palm the Government / Plus II platform is a better choice.

If you only have one finger on the grip below the trigger guard, you can't control the gun. The Govy / PII frame holds one more round. It's enough room for one more finger around the grip. You should only have the pinky hanging off the frame. Otherwise you will not be able to control the gun.

YMMV . . . .

It is by far one of the smallest 380's made. Also the preferred choice of a 3rd gun. The only other CA approved 380's are Walther and Sig. Both are very big. I will not protect my life with a Bersa. I value my life more than that.

[Steyr_fan]

I'm real interested in getting the new, compact model of the Steyr .40 cal, the S40-A1. I understand they are legal in Cali now, and I own the M40 version already and it is such a superior gun! Would make the ability to only have a couple of calibers of ammo needed much greater.

I also own a Kel-Tec P11 which is a great gun, and may end up being my carry piece (if I get the chance), but I am REAL curious as to why the PF-9 is not allowed in Cali right now. It is THE best choice for BUG as near as I can tell, it is the smallest 9mm on the market, it has the excellent trigger action of the P-3AT and the ordnance capability of the P-11 all in one package, yet not legal for Cali purchase?

No one has yet to explain why, nor if there is a way to modify it to be legal or a plan to make it legal. Is it just because it is such a new gun, or what?

[CCWInstructor]

Originally Posted by Steyr_fan

Here's one:
For Sale - KelTec P3AT .380 LNIB/2mags! - Calguns.net

Drive / fly up to Plleaston and then do it again in 10/24 hour periods?????

[CCWInstructor]

Originally Posted by Steyr_fan

No one has yet to explain why, nor if there is a way to modify it to be legal or a plan to make it legal. Is it just because it is such a new gun, or what?

ALL new guns submitted for testing after 1/1/07 MUST have a magazine disconnect to meet the new law change. Most companies are not making that change just for CA.

[RAD-G27]

I was just checking out the info on mine, Colt MK IV/Series '80 Government Model .380. Are all of the Govt. Models the MK IV/Series '80's?