What are problems/disadvantages/down sides to getting a Colt Mustang Pocketlite?

O

Oleg Volk

Staff Alumnus
I know the advantages: a relatively small and light .380 with single action trigger. What are down sides and what to look out for in used Mustangs?


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Oleg "cornered rat" Volk (JPFO,NRA)

http://dd-b.net/RKBA
 
My only concern would be spare parts. I don't
know what Colt did with their parts supply
when they got out of the handgun business.

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Never do an enemy a minor injury. Machiavelli
"Stay alive with a 45"
 
Unlike a FULL sized 1911 these little pistols do NOT lock the slide with the safety engaged. (there is no notch in the slide) So Its possible on holstering, to partially open the slide, or place it in half cock if you carry with the hammer down. I'd call that a bad feature of the design. Otherwise they are accurate and durable.

Dr.Rob
 
Any problems with carrying it cocked&locked?
I hear sights and factory magazines, mag release springs are lousy...significant?
Also curious about durability of alloy frame.
 
Oleg,
I purchased a new Mustang Pocketlite about three years ago. In fact, the Mustang was my first CCW pistol and it is still the pistol I carry most often. In all this time I've never had a malfunction. I keep a round in the chamber with the hammer down. (There is a firing pin safety.) I keep the magazine loaded with alternating rounds of Federal PD Hydra-Shoks and Glaser Blue's. The Pocketlite frame is very light, and the reason I carry the Hydra-Shok PD's is I hope the reduced recoil will be easier on the pistol. It's also a very accurate little carry pistol. Sometimes I do think about swapping out the plastic guide rod and trigger for stainless ones, but I've had no trouble with either.
I know some people who carry "cocked and locked", and they have had no trouble with that either.
I usually carry the Mustang in a M/D Enterprises BS-2. (GREAT concealment holster!) However, last week my wife surprised me with a small Galco waist pack. I've been using that for a few days, and I like it.
Hope this helps.

Will

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Mendacity is the system we live in.
 
I bought a Mustang Pocketlite a while back.
The only thing I didn't like about it is the factory front sight. It VANISHES sometimes. So I milled it off and installed a set of low mounts. That was really all that it needed for me, but I also installed a Wolff spring kit, dehorned the entire gun, beveled the mag. well, throat and polish, installed a SM&A trigger and stainless guide rod (and spring), and stuck on a set of Ajax black pearlite grips. I also refinished the grip frame in black Teflon. Most of this stuff wasn't NEEDED!! I had to cut a stronger magazine release spring. ( I heard they were trouble ) I also removed about half of the mag. release button to keep me from accidentially dropping the magazine. WOW is this little gun nice! I have shot about 1,000 rds. out of it since I did the customizing. I carry Federal Hydro-shoks in it Cocked n Locked. Love it!! It seems to be the perfect hot weather gun and backup to my custom Colt Defender. Parts are still very easy to find from Brownells and SM&A. PROBLEMS= front sight and PRICE!!! You WILL pay alot for these guns now!!
CJB
 
They are accurate and reliable, Although My main problem with them is that the grips are too small for my hands. Also, I would prefer a pistol this size to be DAO. This is just a personal preferance. In a high stress situation, having the fine motor skills to manipulate the tiny parts as the saftey is greatly reduced.

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"what gives a government that arms the whole world the right to disarm it's own citizens?"
 
How much does a Mustang+customizing cost these days? How much do used Mustangs Pocketlites go for?

For DAO, I'd go with a P11 over Pony (don't like Pony design).
 
Oleg, I wish I could find you one. I paid $400.00 for mine and have under $600.00 in it gun, customizing, and holster. I have heard that a decent used one is going for
"new" price, but I haven't seen one in quite a while. If you do luck into one, check out SM&A's website www.colt380.com They will perform wonders on your gun. It isn't cheap, but they are TOP NOTCH with Colt pocketpistols!! I wouldn't recomend another gunsmith if I didn't think so. I'm too busy to work on guns for new customers, and SM&A are truly MASTERS! My hat is off!
CJB
 
They need a heavier mag catch spring (Cylinder and Slide sells them) and every example I've seen came from the factory with a lot of sharp edges....so a dehorn job was needed.

The front sight on the stainless guns is hard to see. This can be rectified with a bit of model paint (I like yellow).

Some folks mistrust the dual recoil springs and prefer to substitute the Wolff single unit.

Nice little pistols. Those that I've used have been reliable.

Rosco
 
There's a dealer by my house that has a used Pocketlite for $319.99. It's in very good shape.
He has a used Pocket Nine for $399.99
 
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