Colt Mustang
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Jed Carter
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Well.... Hmmm.... SIG P238 has stock tritium night sights, and a lifetime warranty, and great Customer service in my experience, with a RCS 1911, only 9 days and back in my hands... Free. It is a "Colt", and that is something to consider. I would change out the recoil spring on any used pistol, again from experience. No real reason not to buy it out the door at that price, but you have to wonder why it's on the market.
I've worked on a few of them and to be honest, if you are just collecting then it's a great gun. If you want to shoot it, I would get a better gun. The Mustang isn't that great and has some parts that are cheesy.
I worked with a guy that worked for King's in Cali, he's a 1911 guy and a pro. He has even told people that they aren't worth the money except for collecting. Just my opinion.
I worked with a guy that worked for King's in Cali, he's a 1911 guy and a pro. He has even told people that they aren't worth the money except for collecting. Just my opinion.
Peter M. Eick
Member
As a Colt and Sig 238 owner, I can only say, you will be glad you have a lifetime warranty with the Sig. Mine 238HD has been back to visit the factory 3 times now. They actually have owned the gun more then I have since I bought it.
I will be heading to the range tomorrow to see if they got it right "this" time.
Back to your Colt.
Yes, the trigger is plastic and yes some parts are a bit "cheesy" but it will likely work out of the box. That is more then I can say about the SIG. My Colt 380 has been 100% reliable from the day I bought it. Great gun, accurate, reliable. I just wish Colt still made it because when I put them (the colt and the sig) side by side, the colt has distinctly better work where it matters. (Night sights are not what matters when the gun won't run).
For example:
The Colt extractor is on the bottom, while the Sig is on the top. Note how nice and sharp the Colt is cut and the extra chamfer on the bottom. This allows the rim to glide right in instead of hanging up.
The Colt extractor is on the bottom, while the Sig is on the top. Note how the colt is carefully cut and had a nice 90 degree cut while the SIG is rounded and actually cut obtusely? This allows the extractor to slide off the rim leaving the spent case in the chamber so it can jam.
So. When you get down to the brass tacks, the colt will likely have the better workmanship and parts then the SIG. I would buy the Colt over the Sig today.
By the way, I am not a Sig basher. I have SIG 210's, 229's and other Sport models and have been sorely disappointed in how far the company has fallen down on the 238. It goes to show you should not trust a company by its reputation, even with your own prior experience.
I will be heading to the range tomorrow to see if they got it right "this" time.
Back to your Colt.
Yes, the trigger is plastic and yes some parts are a bit "cheesy" but it will likely work out of the box. That is more then I can say about the SIG. My Colt 380 has been 100% reliable from the day I bought it. Great gun, accurate, reliable. I just wish Colt still made it because when I put them (the colt and the sig) side by side, the colt has distinctly better work where it matters. (Night sights are not what matters when the gun won't run).
For example:
The Colt extractor is on the bottom, while the Sig is on the top. Note how nice and sharp the Colt is cut and the extra chamfer on the bottom. This allows the rim to glide right in instead of hanging up.
The Colt extractor is on the bottom, while the Sig is on the top. Note how the colt is carefully cut and had a nice 90 degree cut while the SIG is rounded and actually cut obtusely? This allows the extractor to slide off the rim leaving the spent case in the chamber so it can jam.
So. When you get down to the brass tacks, the colt will likely have the better workmanship and parts then the SIG. I would buy the Colt over the Sig today.
By the way, I am not a Sig basher. I have SIG 210's, 229's and other Sport models and have been sorely disappointed in how far the company has fallen down on the 238. It goes to show you should not trust a company by its reputation, even with your own prior experience.
GrandmasterB
Member
I own a Mustang Pocketlite and love it. I think they are great guns. Now that Sig offers the 238, you might want to look at them. The biggest advantage to the Sig is sights you can actually see. The factory Mustang sights are puny.
You will see from other posts that the Sigs may have some refinement issues. I have no personal experience with them.
But I love my Mustang, especially with its upgraded Novak sights.
You will see from other posts that the Sigs may have some refinement issues. I have no personal experience with them.
But I love my Mustang, especially with its upgraded Novak sights.
MikeJackmin
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I like mine. Biggest problem I've had with it is that my thumb keeps hitting the slide stop, which causes the slide to lock open unexpectedly.
There are better .380s for CCW, but not every gun has to be a carry piece.
There are better .380s for CCW, but not every gun has to be a carry piece.
That's a good price for a Mustang. I don't know anything about the Sig except what I've read here, but it is new and has a guarantee. The Mustang has that classic feel.
I have a Mustang and have had no problems with it. If you want you can change out the plastic trigger (not all were plastic). Parts have been easy to come by from Jack First http://www.jackfirstgun.com/order.php
The only parts I replaced were the extractor and the recoil spring. When I was in your position I bought it.
Dave
I have a Mustang and have had no problems with it. If you want you can change out the plastic trigger (not all were plastic). Parts have been easy to come by from Jack First http://www.jackfirstgun.com/order.php
The only parts I replaced were the extractor and the recoil spring. When I was in your position I bought it.
Dave
MikeJackmin
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There are a lot of nice .380s available now, to suit different tastes. Personally, I think a pocket gun fills a pretty specialized niche, and the factors that make a gun a good pocket gun might be pretty different from what you'd look for in a larger pistol.
For example, consider the Mustang vrs. the Kel-Tec. The Mustang is much classier, has better sights, and a better trigger. If I was looking for a full-sized gun, these attributes would win every time.
But the Kel-Tec is much cheaper, thinner, lighter, and (in my experience) no less reliable. It's much easier to carry, and it goes bang without any fuss. It's as easy to work as a windex bottle.
I would not carry my Mustang cocked-and-locked in a pocket unless it was secured in a holster that covered both the safety lever and the mag release. This adds additional weight, bulk, cost, and complexity. The kel-tec just drops in my pocket, it's always safe to carry, and it's always ready to go.
For my needs, the mustang is a better range gun/fun gun/target gun, but the kel-tec is a better pocket gun.
For example, consider the Mustang vrs. the Kel-Tec. The Mustang is much classier, has better sights, and a better trigger. If I was looking for a full-sized gun, these attributes would win every time.
But the Kel-Tec is much cheaper, thinner, lighter, and (in my experience) no less reliable. It's much easier to carry, and it goes bang without any fuss. It's as easy to work as a windex bottle.
I would not carry my Mustang cocked-and-locked in a pocket unless it was secured in a holster that covered both the safety lever and the mag release. This adds additional weight, bulk, cost, and complexity. The kel-tec just drops in my pocket, it's always safe to carry, and it's always ready to go.
For my needs, the mustang is a better range gun/fun gun/target gun, but the kel-tec is a better pocket gun.
MikeJackmin
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Yep. There is nothing else in there, and it works fine.
Jon Coppenbarger
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I love the look of a small 1911 type of pistol and those colts have really gone up in value. I have not had one in years but the ones I have had worked fine.
bannockburn
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My experiences with the Colt .380's (Government and Mustang), have also been very positive. No problems of any kind, a good SA trigger, and decent enough accuracy for the job at hand. However the extremely high cost of replacing one due to their collectors status ($600 to $800), would have me thinking at least twice about carrying it for CCW. Something less expensive and readily available, like a KelTec P3AT, might make for a better choice in that regard.
At $545, the OP's Mustang is a great buy. You could easily turn a quick profit if you decided to sell it.
At $545, the OP's Mustang is a great buy. You could easily turn a quick profit if you decided to sell it.
The colt mustang or government 380 were junk compared to a colt 1911 and they are not that reliable and not very accurate, it was more of a belly gun and the 2 colts 380's I owned did not feed hollow points very well.
This is why the colt 380's never really sold well and colt discontinued them.
You really need a pocket 380 to be DA or a striker fire mechanism to carry and fire safely.
A walther ppk or even a ruger lcp is a lot better gun, probably the best 380 you can buy right now is the s&w 380 body guard $349 with a laser installed at cdnn.
By current standards the colt 380's are only good as collector items, there are a lot better guns out there for for only the $200-$300 range.
One of the latest 9mm markorov would be a lot better gun for the money.
This is why the colt 380's never really sold well and colt discontinued them.
You really need a pocket 380 to be DA or a striker fire mechanism to carry and fire safely.
A walther ppk or even a ruger lcp is a lot better gun, probably the best 380 you can buy right now is the s&w 380 body guard $349 with a laser installed at cdnn.
By current standards the colt 380's are only good as collector items, there are a lot better guns out there for for only the $200-$300 range.
One of the latest 9mm markorov would be a lot better gun for the money.
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xmanpike
Member
Are there good IWB holsters for the Mustang?
richardKatts
Member
Recently saw a Mustang at a Gun Show for $650 and it was well used. I've been shopping for one in these parts without luck.
The P238 seems to be the better choice IMO unless you just got to have it.
Also at that show was a mint Colt Python "Hunter", awesome, almost something I couldn't do without.....almost.
The P238 seems to be the better choice IMO unless you just got to have it.
Also at that show was a mint Colt Python "Hunter", awesome, almost something I couldn't do without.....almost.
HisSoldier
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Here are both a Sig and Colt that belong to a customer of mine. Note that he installed my stainless triggers in both of them.
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