So, my grandmother gave me a pistol today....

tlxsess · October 9, 2006, 10:02 PM

I have a few questions about an interesting pistol my grandmother gave me today. It is a Colt Junior in .22 short. I would like to know when it was produced, approximate value if possible and mabye just a little background info on this piece. Thank you in advance for all of your help. -Chris

Numbers on frame and slide read: 23546cc

The slide reads " Colt's Pt.F.A. Mfg. Co. Hartford Ct. U.S.A. yet the frame reads "made is spain for colt's"

Hkmp5sd · October 9, 2006, 10:05 PM

Here's mine:

They were made in Spain in the 1960s and imported for Colt. The 1968 GCA banned their importation and they went away after that. They came in .22 Short and .25 ACP.

Bill DeShivs · October 9, 2006, 10:27 PM

They were made by Astra (Unceta) for Colt. The same gun was marketed as the Astra "Cub." Production started in the late 1950s. After 1968, frames were made in the US, but all other parts were made by Astra. Your gun was made 100% by Astra. An extended barrel version was marketed as the Astra "Camper" in .22 short. Several finishes, including engraving, were available. The Colt was available in blued and possibly chromed. They are nice little guns.
Bill

psssniper · October 10, 2006, 02:18 AM

worth around 250-320 depending on condition etc yours looks to be on the higher end of the scale, this is going by the blue book and may or may not mean a darn thing in the real world

MarcusZ · October 10, 2006, 12:59 PM

I have one of these too in 25 ACP (picture posted at link below) and I have always wondered if it was actually made in Spain. Mine has no markings to that effects. How can I tell for sure the age and orgins of my pistol? the seriial number is OD670XX

http://www.mbi.ufl.edu/~papke/curios/littleColt.JPG

Marcus

Bill DeShivs · October 10, 2006, 02:43 PM

Marcus
Your gun is one of the post-'68 USA made frames. I believe F.I. (Firearms International) actually made these-as they sold this model for a short while after Colt stopped marketing this gun.
Bill

MarcusZ · October 10, 2006, 04:10 PM

Thank you for the information Bill. I have always wondered about that gun. Now I can correctly edit the web site for my collection.
Marcus
P.S. The slide is marked Colt (see below).
http://www.mbi.ufl.edu/~papke/curios/litlecolt3.JPG

TooTech · October 18, 2006, 12:09 AM

With the box and paperwork and the pistol in what appears to be excellent condition I would think this should bring between $500 to $600.

James K · October 20, 2006, 03:47 PM

After passage of GCA 68, Colt could not import those pistols from Spain, but for a while they had frames made in Florida and and the rest of the parts imported from Spain. The guns were assembled in Florida.

The result was a higher price and that, combined with lack of interest, caused Colt to drop the item.

Jim

October 9, 2006, 10:02 PM	#1
tlxsess Junior Member Join Date: September 13, 2004 Location: Augusta GA Posts: 4	So, my grandmother gave me a pistol today.... I have a few questions about an interesting pistol my grandmother gave me today. It is a Colt Junior in .22 short. I would like to know when it was produced, approximate value if possible and mabye just a little background info on this piece. Thank you in advance for all of your help. -Chris Numbers on frame and slide read: 23546cc The slide reads " Colt's Pt.F.A. Mfg. Co. Hartford Ct. U.S.A. yet the frame reads "made is spain for colt's"

October 10, 2006, 12:59 PM	#5
MarcusZ Junior Member Join Date: September 15, 2006 Location: Southeast US Posts: 6	Little Colt I have one of these too in 25 ACP (picture posted at link below) and I have always wondered if it was actually made in Spain. Mine has no markings to that effects. How can I tell for sure the age and orgins of my pistol? the seriial number is OD670XX http://www.mbi.ufl.edu/~papke/curios/littleColt.JPG Marcus

October 10, 2006, 04:10 PM	#7
MarcusZ Junior Member Join Date: September 15, 2006 Location: Southeast US Posts: 6	Colt? Thank you for the information Bill. I have always wondered about that gun. Now I can correctly edit the web site for my collection. Marcus P.S. The slide is marked Colt (see below). http://www.mbi.ufl.edu/~papke/curios/litlecolt3.JPG

October 18, 2006, 12:09 AM	#8
TooTech Member Join Date: April 19, 2001 Location: MN Posts: 92	With the box and paperwork and the pistol in what appears to be excellent condition I would think this should bring between $500 to $600. __________________ "It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of nonviolence to cover impotence." -Mahatma Gandhi

October 9, 2006, 10:05 PM	#2
Hkmp5sd Senior Member Join Date: December 15, 2001 Location: Winter Haven, Florida Posts: 4,303	Here's mine: They were made in Spain in the 1960s and imported for Colt. The 1968 GCA banned their importation and they went away after that. They came in .22 Short and .25 ACP.

October 9, 2006, 10:27 PM	#3
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,987	They were made by Astra (Unceta) for Colt. The same gun was marketed as the Astra "Cub." Production started in the late 1950s. After 1968, frames were made in the US, but all other parts were made by Astra. Your gun was made 100% by Astra. An extended barrel version was marketed as the Astra "Camper" in .22 short. Several finishes, including engraving, were available. The Colt was available in blued and possibly chromed. They are nice little guns. Bill

October 10, 2006, 02:18 AM	#4
psssniper Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2001 Posts: 186	worth around 250-320 depending on condition etc yours looks to be on the higher end of the scale, this is going by the blue book and may or may not mean a darn thing in the real world

October 10, 2006, 02:43 PM	#6
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,987	Marcus Your gun is one of the post-'68 USA made frames. I believe F.I. (Firearms International) actually made these-as they sold this model for a short while after Colt stopped marketing this gun. Bill

October 20, 2006, 03:47 PM	#9
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	After passage of GCA 68, Colt could not import those pistols from Spain, but for a while they had frames made in Florida and and the rest of the parts imported from Spain. The guns were assembled in Florida. The result was a higher price and that, combined with lack of interest, caused Colt to drop the item. Jim