Colt Mustang vs. Sig p238 vs. other micro .380s

I've got a Mustang, though mine's a steel frame. Yeah, it's still a very viable design for those of us that don't give a second thought to "cocked & locked" carry. Trigger pull, being single action, is far superior to the DAO pistols. Also the others you mention are blow back actions and have more felt recoil. The Mustang (and Sig) are like baby Hi Powers with the cam lock barrel.

IIRC Sig doesn't have a grip safety and I thought the Colt did... but the important question would be about quality and reliability. Some people have gunsmithed Colt .380s that are very slick, but the originals did not always work out of the box.

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Nope, no grip safety on the Mustangs. They're not small 1911s. They may physically resemble one on the outside, but are completely different inside.

Yeah, I had to have mine get a reliability job from the 'smith, but it's completely reliable now.

I have both a Colt SS .380 Govt model and a Colt SS Mustang Pocketlite. I handled the new Sig P380 at the gun show a couple of weeks ago. My impression was negative mostly based on the sharp edges of the Sig. It felt very uncomfortable in my hand because of these sharp edges. I have a Walther PPK with the same problem of sharp edges. I took a dremel tool to it and rounded the sharp edges and now it is way more comfortable. I've never been a fan of European handguns because to me they just don't fit my hand as well as Colt, Smith, Ruger etc. I was kind of disappointed in the Sig P380. I wouldn't trade my two Colts for a suitcase full of the Sig's.

I have both the standard (stainless) Mustang and the Sig 238.



I really like the Sig but haven't shot it a lot yet. I hope to remedy that. The trigger feels a bit heavier than the Mustang's but use may cure that. The sights on the Sig are much quicker for me to pick up which is good for a defensive weapon. On the other hand, I shoot the Mustang a little better. I attribute this to the the sights. The Sig has a three dot arrangement and the Mustang's blade allows a bit more precise sighting. I don't know that this is important in this sort of gun.

I also own a Ruger LCP. It's best feature is it's low weight. Sights are almost non-existent and the trigger pull is long and fairly heavy. I can't shoot it nearly as well as the Sig or Mustang. But, that is probably just me. Now that we're moving into cool weather, the LCP will go into storage and the Sig will become a backup gun.

I have 15 or so pocket .380s at last count. Almost all are mini-1911s.

the Sig is an exact copy of the Mustang, save for styling differences.
The frame is alloy, slide is SS, trigger is plastic just like the Colt Mustang Pocketlite.
Mechanically they are identical, with one minor improvement in the ejector.
I think the Sig has a metal guide rod where the colt has plastic.
Both have the unique thumb safety, modeled after the star, that disconnects trigger from sear rather than just block the hammer.
Also, you can engage the safety with the hammer down, something that you can't do with a 1911

Shooting them, the sig feels a little slimmer, a little looser (to me), but the sights are better on the Sig. I wish I had those sights on my Mustang - and I may yet.

Mags are interchangable

Either of these are much better to shoot than the poly-framed 380s, mainly because they are metal, have real sights, wide grips.

I have 2 good reliable Colt Mustangs The sig is not coming home I have seen a lot of issues with FTF FTE reports from owners then their the recall.Beside its plain ugly
I save my money towards another Mustang

wasn't the Colt just a re-badged Spanish pistol, like the Sig is a re-badged Colt...i

I really don't know, but the Colt .380 govt & mustang are pretty much scaled down 1911's in both function and looks. The Sig dissappointed me because of the sharp edges, especially the grips. I'm really not in the market for another pocket .380 but if I was I think I would spend an extra $100 or so for a used Colt as opposed to the Sig. The Sig just didn't feel as good in my hand as the Colts do. Of course feel and looks are very subjective, and others may like how the Sig feels.

I traded my blued Mustang toward my 238 and am very happy with the 238, especially the NS. I still have my SS Mustang Pocketlite and won't part with it. Love the Sig/Mustang SA triggers and the closest competitor is my Khar P380.

I have not bought a P238, but I will.

Simple issue. I expect that:

1) Sig will support the P238 better then Colt has their 380's
2) Sig will use better steel then Colt did.




This is from one of Colts 380's. They used soft steel, and over time the gun just beats itself apart. There is not enough engagement of the lugs to stop this from happening. Unfortunately Colt says I am stuck. They don't have parts anymore so I will retire this 380 and shoot the P238 when I can find one the way I like it. I was looking for one at my dealers this week.

Colt mustang

13 years ago I bought a Mustang .380 back in Fresno Ca. After
the customary 14 day cooling down period was over I went to
pick it up but before I left the shop I droped the slide to inspect
the unit. To my surprise and disgust the slide looked as if the
CNC mill tech. Failed to clamp the slide in place before starting the
machine. Incould have done a better job with a sharp rock and hammer.
Needless to say I refused to take the gun and ended up traiding for PPK.
The gun shop just put the slide back on the gun and put it back in the
display case after the paper work was finished and once again I endured
yet another 14 day cooling off period before taking the PPK home.
That was almost my third Colt purchase and my last.

Not really a scaled down 1911 - no toggle; it has a fixed barrel. No grip safety. Other differences. I made the major mistake of posting a question about the Colt on the 1911 board - I got a demerit or some-such, AND a reprimand from the fellow who rules that board. "Inappropriate posting to a 1911 forum"

Not a fixed barrel. In it's day, the Mustang and government 380s were the only locked breech 380s, hence their small size and relatively easy to work action. The Sig uses the barrel breech/slide lockup like on it's larger autos. As noted, the Colt barrel lugs lock into a recess cut into the top of the slide.

What I want to know is if Mustang magazines work in the Sig. The Sights on the Mustang are easily fixed.

Mustang mags do work in the sig as far as fit and locking the slide back. I dont know if they are reliable in them though.

I have one Sig mag and the rest, seven, are Colt with another two enroute. I like the way the base plate sticks out a bit further and anchors the bottom finger holding the grip. I don't plan to use Sig mags, the Colt OEM mags, including the seven rounders work flawlessly.

Guntech how did you attach the small black piece to the bottom of your magazine.

I've got a chance to get a used Mustang at what I feel is a very reasonable $400. Mother-in-law currently owns is and has put less than 500 rounds thru it. I'm planning on picking this up more for my wife than myself but from the short time I've actually spent with it in my hands it seems like a pretty nice peice. It'll most likely be a purse carry for her or a pocket for me when my attire demands something smaller. A couple questions I've got are these; 1) is the gun actually worth $400? I've been told thats a great buy but I hadn't done much research yet. 2) This one doesn't say "pocketlite" and it's not SS, so would this mean that it's the GI? If I remember correctly (it's been a few months), the slide is marked only with "Colt Mk IV series 80 Mustang". I'm very uneducated on the .380's and havn't owned a Colt before so any info is greatly appriciated. Thanks in advance

the 238 shoots a LOT nicer than the LCP, that much i can tell you. it's actually an enjoyable gun to shoot.

I believe these types started with the F.I. Industries pistol, . . . . unless there was a previous one before this.



The company was going to build them for Colt, but Colt stepped away from the deal and made them instead. The F.I. is a pretty neat little gun. I'm glad I have it.