Colt Govt.380 jammed up solidly: any suggestions?

hitnthexring...

All these Colt .380's that were returned for repair--How many were Mustang Pocketlites? Just curious is all. My Mustang Pocketlite and several friends who have them (with the stainless slides) have had no trouble at all.

KR
 
I have two Mustangs, a Pocketlite and an SS model. They've never done anything but go BANG when I pull the trigger, and the Pocketlite is the pocket pistol I reach for when I need one. Even though it's right next to an NAA Guardian and a Keltec P32, I still trust the little Mustang the most.

I really love the posts that decree that all the examples of a specific brand or model are junk, I've often wondered how these people got to test every pistol on the planet to make that claim?
 
so, oleg

given how small your 6.45 is, may i know why you would even carry the .380?

PS i know how frustrating such problems can be...hope you get it fixed soon.
 
I would place a wooden dowel down the barrel, the largest that will fit diameter wise. I would then hold the gun in hand holding by the grip frame only ( you may need to use both hands, and push dowel into the wall. The dowel should drive the slide back as you push. (Caution only with a spent round in chamber).

This may free up the slide and allow the round to eject, some folks claim the blazer ammo can overexpand and jam guns, even glocks.:rolleyes:

I would then dissassemble and check for damage, and replace parts as needed, or use a gunsmith.
 
That sucks :eek: Kinda like my 3953 with Silver Bear ammo..one shot...frozen gun. I dont know the mechanical layout of the gun...so no advice.
But I dont know if your disconnect is broken or not..if the shell and slide are "still in battery" or they think so..the disconnect may
think so too...so no disconnect. Like I said..I dont know the gun.

Nice pics for what its worth. Im sure it helped you solve your problem sooner than trying to just describe it....shoot well
 
Pics

Sorry to hear/see about your gun....hope it all works out for the better. The 'gadget geek' in me is wondering though......what did you use to snap those pics?

Jeff
 
Canon D30 digital camera with 100mm macro or 50mm lenses. "Before" image were done inRAW mode and converted to 16-bit TIFFs, the "after" images were plain JPEGs. Lighting was mostly flash in a softbox.
 
I had a similar occurance with my Glock 22 this weekend with wolf ammo. It jammed the glock up so badly that the case wouldn't eject and I couldn't take the barrel out when dissassemled because the extractor was engaged. I ended up having to remove the extractor which is fairly easy to do on the glock. Afterwords the barrel came out and I knocked the casing out with a close fitting dowel. The case was definitely stuck badly though, the extractor if forced would have either broken or sheared the case mouth, I would probably send your pistol back to Colt or a competent gunsmith to have the jam removed if you haven't got it by now. You might also reconsider using whatever ammuntion your feeding it as well. My father had a Colt .380 years ago and it was a jam monkey, cute pistols but wouldn't want to rely on one for self defense.
 
Sorry about your Colt's problem. My question is - new as in new to you or has Colt started production of these again?
 
The gun was new to me. It seems just about unfired when I bought it. It went to a good gunsmith yesterday...I suspect it will cost me plenty to replace either the barrel, or the slide, or both. Once it is back, I will test it and report the resurrected behavior.
 
Well, I guess some people get good Colt .380's and some don't.

My Mustang Pocketlite was my first CCW pistol. Other than a weak magazine catch spring, it's never had a malfunction. The owner of my favorite gun shop got one as his personal carry pistol a few days before I bought mine and he still carries it. He's had no trouble out of his, either. His mother was still alive at the time I bought my Mustang and I can still remember what she said, "We've sold a blue million of those little Colts". Sometime last year, I was reading a gun rag which stated, "Of all the pistols Colt discontinued, the Mustang series should be the most lamented". Maybe so.
Oh, I almost forgot. I did add a one piece "Wolff" recoil spring which was one pound stronger. That's it for all these years.
Every time JohnWill posts a picture of his SM&A tuned Mustang, I get VERY tempted to send mine in for the PCP also. :) I'll probably end up doing just that!

KR
 
Hmm

I have a Mustang Pocketlite that works like champ. I also have a 1911 that runs great. In fact I have 2 1911s that run.
Only 1911 I ever had a problem with was a Kimber Compact. It was a piece of crap. Everybody makes lemons. Unfortunately it looks like Oleg got one.:(
 
My little colt gov 380 has been very reliable with no problems. I must have gotten lucky. The only problem I have had is I have noticed that the locking lugs of the barrel are developing a burr after about 3000 rnds.

Sounds like recent colts are similar to EAA products.
 
I have to take the comments that all the little Colt SA pistols are problematic, I've got two of them, and I know a number of people with them, we all have had excellent luck with them. Sure, there are problems occasionally with any brand or model, but I don't see any evidence that the Colt .380's are the junk that I'm hearing here.

BTW Kentucky Rifle, eat your heart out. :D:D

Colt%20Mustang%20Pocketlite.jpg
 
Colt's problem is that quality control is spotty, not that it is always bad. That's why Colt has gotten out of the civilian gun business & why they had previously filed Chapter 11. The better quality auto pistols like Sig, Glock, HK will only have such problems rarely. That is where some American products (cars, guns) fall short & where foreign products excel. You can't even begin to compare the quality & reliability of a GM to a Toyota.
 
JohnWill...

You did it again!!:D
How long did it take them to do that? The only thing I'm hesitant about is that my Mustang is perfect now. I'd surely hate to send it off for the PCP and have it come back not as reliable.

KR
 
You did it again!!
Click to expand...
The devil made me do it! :D:D

I can't imagine sending the gun to SM&A and getting less reliable operation. Besides the obvious rounding of everything, they did a lot of little things with the PCP that really help. Polishing the ramp, trigger job, stronger safety spring, steel guide rod and Wolff spring, metal trigger, etc. I upgraded the sights too, even though a pocket pistol probably doesn't need them as much as something that's normally shot at longer ranges. It really is a very nice gun now, and it wasn't bad before I sent it in! :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top