OT-Colt Mustang Help needed.

[Kansas Ed]

My last trip to Tulsa I scored a Colt Mustang in ..380...what's not to like....a mini 1911 Series 80 is what it mostly amounts to..but my first trip to the farm last week left me disappointed.

Totally inaccurate little handgun. I couldn't hit a 2' square cardboard from 10 paces consistently. So...my question is: Does anyone have a good reputation making these little wonders accurate? I used three different brands of ammo. Names and contact info needed please.

Thanks,
Ed

[TedH]

I had one for a while, and found it to be lacking in the accuracy department as well. I ended up trading it off for a PPK.

[Kansas Ed]

I had one for a while, and found it to be lacking in the accuracy department as well. I ended up trading it off for a PPK.

That's funny...that's what have been sitting here wishing I had bought..

[blackhawk44]

I had a (Star) Firearms International model D (the pre-Colt Mustang) and never had a problem. It was minute of soda can at 10-12 yards.

[Noah Zark]

Ed:

I have a SS Govt 380 and it was completely inaccurate the first few times I fired it. Without so much as taking it apart, the next time I went to the range with it I tried centering the JOINT of my trigger finger on the trigger and the gun suddenly got accurate.

When I first shot the Govt 380, I was placing the PAD of my trigger finger on the trigger, and ended up "pushing" or "pulling" the pistol to the right or left as a pulled the trigger. This was due to the pistol being small for my hand. So I "choked" up on the trigger to the first joint, and it's been a sweetheart since.

Same thing for me and 9x18 Makarovs.

Try changing the position of your trigger finger. Dry fire it at a spot on the wall and watch how the sights shift and where they shift, and when they stop shifting as you adjust your pull, you've probably found the "sweet spot" for you and that pistol.

Hope this helps,

Noah

[FWiedner]

My Mustang is as accurate as I am, but it's not a target pistol.

[rusty gunns]

My last trip to Tulsa I scored a Colt Mustang in ..380...what's not to like....a mini 1911 Series 80 is what it mostly amounts to..but my first trip to the farm last week left me disappointed.

Totally inaccurate little handgun. I couldn't hit a 2' square cardboard from 10 paces consistently. So...my question is: Does anyone have a good reputation making these little wonders accurate? I used three different brands of ammo. Names and contact info needed please.

Thanks,
Ed

It isn't made to hit a 2" square at 10 paces. I think its made to hit a man in the middle at 10 paces. A much bigger target.

I believe you will find it just fine for doing that.

I had a Kel Tec 32 that shot 5" low at 20 feet. To hit a 10X10 paper target at that distance, it almost looked like I was firing a shot in the air.

Got a .380. That one shoots a mite better, but I wouldn't bet the farm on accuracy here.

[Rexster]

Was the group size large, or was the problem with POI being different from POA?

As Noah Zark indicated, finger position on the trigger is very important. Making sure your grip is v-e-r-y consistent, try different finger positions. Indeed, a consistent grip is difficult with these little buggers.

The tiny sights are not exactly conducive to accuracy, either.

Moreover, try to go for pie-plate accuracy, not playing card accuracy. My Mustangs were playing-card accurate at about seven yards, but beyond that, the tiny sights made hitting a pie plate a challenge. It helps if the sights contrast well with the target; light targets for blued Mustangs, and dark targets for stainless Mustangs. (I owned one of each.)

I have never heard of anyone doing accuracy work on Mustangs. There was a gunsmithing outfit that did trigger work, carry bevel jobs, and custom sight work, but one of the pair passed away, and the company either folded, or stopped advertising. IIRC, the name was Scott, McDougall, & something, with the spelling not of "McDougall" being the best I can recall, not necessarily correct.

FWIW, I now wish I had kept my blued Mustang, at least, as an occasional fun gun, but I own no Mustangs at present. I decided anything that small was better if double-action; not from a safety standpoint, but a gun-handling aspect. I don't have large hands, and found Mustangs too easy to fumble if in a hurry. On the rare occasions I need such a small weapon these days, I go with my Seecamp LWS-32.

[Kansas Ed]

It isn't made to hit a 2" square at 10 paces. I think its made to hit a man in the middle at 10 paces. A much bigger target.

I said 2'...as in two foot square..

I tried several different loads for it, and kept trying to adjust my point of aim to hit the cardboard, but could never get them consistently on the cardboard....I can try and play with my grip, trigger finger position etc...I've never been able to hit too consistently with any auto except my .38 Super. So there may be something in that...though I can usually do well with a revolver...if the gun is up to the task.

Ed

[20cows]

My first carry piece was a Gov 380 and I had no issues with it until my nephew asked me if I could have stopped a black bear we had seen on a trail with it. (The bear left us alone and we did the same with it, the question was rhetorical).

I decided there were real situations that I could find mydelf in that it has no chance of taking care of.

I traded in in for a Kimber Compact in 45 acp.

[Mutt]

I have a Bersa .380 , 80s model I think, their model 83 , Kinda' rough looking out of a pawn shop. But first time out , shoots very well at about 15 yards . My lovely young wife did much better than I from 25 yards , ( 10 " paper plates ) . Rough looking or not , I like it.and this one is all steel , no plastic , wood grips .
I also own a Kimber ultra .45 3" barrel . First shot out of the box new was a center bulls eye. Lot of luck there also, but it still makes me look like I know what I'm doing.
.....................Mutt

[KCSO]

I just worked on one that was marked FI on one side and CDA on the other. Here are some thinngs that will help. Expand the bushing to a tight fit in the slide and make sure it bears on the slide at the bottom, you may have to bend it slightly. Make sure the sights are tight in the slide. If the trigger is rough have it smothed up, it will really help. If you get an hammer bite bob the hammer.

After that you just need a tight consistant grip and follow through. This last one shot into 21/2" at 15 yards and for a bobbed off round sighted 380 I figured that was as good as it was going to get. The owner brought it back and had the hammer bobbed as he was getting bit and his shots were all over. After the hammer was fixed his groups improved.

[Ray Newman]

Noah Zark: the other day I tried changing my finger pad position on my K-22 and K-38. Both revolvers just never seemed to shoot as well as I wanted. As you suggested changed the finger pad position and there was a definite improvement. Thanks for the tip.

Now if I could only do something about my eyes....

[k8vf]

Mine is a Stainless Mustang PLUS II.
I used it for my CPL class(concealed Pistol License) and it shot 3 1/2 inches or so rapid fire at about 25 feet. I was pleased.

Sorry , not much help, I know, but some of them DO shoot well.

[Saltcreek]

I have a Mustang Pocketlite and used to carry it as a backup at work. Mine is very accurate and I have Never had a malfunction in it in several thousand rounds. I have always (used early on) Federal Hydroshock, and then when they came out, the Speer Gold Dot ever since. The department used to make me qualify at 25 yards with it and it did fine there but not for shooting a cigarette out of the lady's mouth . At seven yards I would be confident of a head shot. The only mod I ever made to it was to change the plastic recoil spring rod to a metal one. It is a diffent animal and you do have to practice and concentrate on a proper hold, and sight picture which there isn't much of. Wouldn't trade mine off for anything.