The original owner of this Colt Mustang described it as a 1992 gun, however when my Colt Archive Letter arrived, I learned it shipped on December 10, 1991 so it is in fact a 1991 gun. Many states that issue pistol permits today, require that the handgun be concealed. Concealed Carry Weapons (CCW) by necessity are generally smaller in size and lighter in weight. My gun was made in 1992. This particular gun rates very high on my list of collectibles! I've always been partial to nickel plating because I live in the deep south where the humidity can be 80% (not good for blued guns).
The number one qualifying factor is threat and number two is environment. I have a .32 semi-auto and a .32 revolver, both of which I feel very comfortable carrying in my environment. The follow-up question that always arises when talking about minimum caliber is, "which is more important, caliber or shot placement?" Given the opportunity for optimal shot placement at very close range, a .22 or .25 caliber can be as deadly as a .45. Again, I think the environment rules.
The Colt Mustang .380 is indeed a compact semi-automatic handgun, known for its small size and suitability for concealed carry. Introduced by Colt in the late 1980s, it was designed to offer a lightweight and effective self-defense option. The Mustang closely resembles the Colt 1911 in design, but it is much smaller, making it more convenient for concealed carry situations. Its .380 ACP caliber offers a balance between recoil management and stopping power, suitable for self-defense. The Mustang series has been popular among those seeking a reliable and easily concealable handgun.
At 18.5 ounces, this gun is heavier than some of it's competition in the same .380 caliber. In order to make this gun even lighter, Colt installed a plastic guide rod. I purchased an after-market steel guide rod and put it up (haven't installed it). I think the balance and handling advantage during firing outweighs the slight disadvantage of heft and weight while carrying. I do not have access to the serial number tables for this line, so I'm afraid I wont' be much help in dating one of these guns.
Colt also saw the demand for conceal carry guns sky-rocket during the Obama years. I think the new guns are mostly polymer or alloy.
As gun designs get smaller and lighter, generally the caliber gets smaller. Many gun enthusiasts consider the .380 caliber too small for self defense, while many consider the .380 to be the minimum caliber. There has been a lot of testing and development in cartridge design down through the years. There's a pretty big variety of .380 ammunition to choose from. There are four guns in my small collection that see more carry duty than all of the others. This Colt Mustang is one of those guns.
My MOS when I served in the United States Army was 76Y. For you non-military readers, the Military Occupational Specialty of 76 Yankee means that I was a Unit Armorer. While on REFORGER 85, I trained with German Paratroopers and qualified as "Expert" with the German G-3 rifle, the Israeli Uzi 9mm sub-machinegun and the 9mm handgun.