The Rohrbaugh Forum

Miscellaneous => Other Guns => Topic started by: Richard S on February 07, 2012, 03:05:50 PM

Title: New Grips for a "Safe Queen"
Post by: Richard S on February 07, 2012, 03:05:50 PM

"Yankee" recently dangled a pair of old ivory grips with medallions for a Colt Mustang in front of me, and I grabbed them without a second thought. The last time this "safe queen" saw duty was as the pistol with which my wife qualified for her carry permit. (Its aluminum  trigger and stainless steel guide rod were installed courtesy of Scott McDougall & Associates "back in the day.") Anyway, since Colt announced the return of the Mustang last month at SHOT 2012, I thought I would bring mine out for a photo session all dressed up in the "new" panels.

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y30/RichardS/coltmustangwithivorygrips.jpg)

_____

It's back in the safe now. (Thank you, John.   8) )


_{[Edit: Typo]}

Title: Re: New Grips for a "Safe Queen"
Post by: Jack_F on February 07, 2012, 03:14:21 PM

You sure have some great guns................had one years ago.....was not always reliable though...no custom work done on it

Title: Re: New Grips for a "Safe Queen"
Post by: tracker on February 07, 2012, 03:31:58 PM

That is a Queen, safe or no safe.

Title: Re: New Grips for a "Safe Queen"
Post by: kjtrains on February 07, 2012, 03:39:38 PM

Very nice, RS; like those grips!    :)

Title: Re: New Grips for a "Safe Queen"
Post by: ricardo on February 07, 2012, 05:29:22 PM

A thing of beauty,,,,,,thanks for sharing.  :P

Title: Re: New Grips for a "Safe Queen"
Post by: Ljutic on February 07, 2012, 07:12:05 PM

Thanks for posting the picture.  I was a bit annoyed that I missed them when they were up for sale, but I'm glad to see they went to a good home.  I'll just keep my ugly faux mother of pearl grips on mine for now.

Title: Re: New Grips for a "Safe Queen"
Post by: tracker on February 07, 2012, 07:21:15 PM

I used to love to sign onto Scott McDougall's website and hear the dulcet tones of Sean Connery introducing their services and products. As I recall all he said was,"Scott McDougall", in his wonderful scottish brogue.

Title: Re: New Grips for a "Safe Queen"
Post by: Richard S on February 07, 2012, 07:57:47 PM

Quote from: tracker on February 07, 2012, 07:21:15 PM

I used to love to sign onto Scott McDougall's website and hear the dulcet tones of Sean Connery introducing their services and products. As I recall all he said was,"Scott McDougall", in his wonderful scottish brogue.

I remember that website very well. The two of them, Mac and Doug, were a class act. 

For those unfamiliar with SM&A, for many years they specialized in working magic on the Colt Mustang, Colt Pocket Nine, NAA Guardian .32, and 1911s. They closed their business in 2002 when Doug McDougall became very ill. Doug died, at the young age of 40, in 2004.  Mac Scott now does business on his own and can be reached through his website: 

http://45auto.com/Welcome.html

Title: Re: New Grips for a "Safe Queen"
Post by: thor447 on February 07, 2012, 10:16:34 PM

Is the background a head of hair, your dog, or some sweet throwback shag carpet!!??

Title: Re: New Grips for a "Safe Queen"
Post by: thor447 on February 07, 2012, 10:17:44 PM

Nice Colt by the way :)

Title: Re: New Grips for a "Safe Queen"
Post by: yankee2500 on February 07, 2012, 10:36:26 PM

Richard those grips look a lot better on the gun than they did in the box. ;D
  Nice looking Mustang.

Title: Re: New Grips for a "Safe Queen"
Post by: Phsimone on February 08, 2012, 08:24:58 AM

Richard,

Those grips do look great! I actually have 2 stainless mustangs one of which my wife carries now and then and I used to carry back in the 90s. Never had any issues, accurate for their size. Great little guns in my opinion even though they are 380s. I do remember a time when I was out plinking and fired at an abandoned refrigerator from the side and the little 380 penetrated both side of the refrigerator and then through one door of an old car that was behind it. I think the 9mm short is actually under rated, especially with modern ammo.

Title: Re: New Grips for a "Safe Queen"
Post by: Richard S on February 08, 2012, 08:41:46 AM

Quote from: thor447 on February 07, 2012, 10:16:34 PM

Is the background a head of hair, your dog, or some sweet throwback shag carpet!!??

 ;D  It's a tanned rabbit hide I purchased at Smoky Mountain Leather. I use tanned hides of various types in my den at the cabin the way my wife uses table runners and throw rugs in the more "civilized" rooms. (I had to move the cat to set up the shot. She considers that particular hide to be her personal sleeping pad.)

Title: Re: New Grips for a "Safe Queen"
Post by: Richard S on February 08, 2012, 09:39:14 AM

Quote from: Phsimone on February 08, 2012, 08:24:58 AM

Richard,

Those grips do look great! I actually have 2 stainless mustangs one of which my wife carries now and then and I used to carry back in the 90s. Never had any issues, accurate for their size. Great little guns in my opinion even though they are 380s. I do remember a time when I was out plinking and fired at an abandoned refrigerator from the side and the little 380 penetrated both side of the refrigerator and then through one door of an old car that was behind it. I think the 9mm short is actually under rated, especially with modern ammo.

I also have found the Mustang to be very accurate for its size. Once at the range, just for grins, I ran a magazine through it firing at plates from 50 yards. No one was more astonished than I was that out of six rounds two were hits. 

Back in the '80s, an acquaintance of mine purchased a Mustang at my recommendation. A few days later he called me to complain that it was a totally inaccurate pistol and invited me out to his farm on the Chesapeake Bay to try it for myself. We met there, went to his range, and set up a target at 15 yards or so. My first shot was in the 10 circle. Knowing enough to quit while I was ahead, I activated the safety, handed the Mustang back to its owner, and said, "It looks fine to me."   

And the stainless steel version of the Mustang has no problem digesting the modern higher-pressure loads that, as you observe, can give the 380 ACP (9mm short) some rather impressive ballistics.

Title: Re: New Grips for a "Safe Queen"
Post by: DDGator on February 08, 2012, 02:18:33 PM

Very nice, Richard.  You certainly have some fine pistol grips!

Title: Re: New Grips for a "Safe Queen"
Post by: Reinz on February 10, 2012, 02:57:31 AM

Good looking piece Richard.  Nothing like Ivories!  and a MacDougal.

You know about my 1911 Officer's model MacDougal that is my EDC, but I also have a 380 Mac as well.

My brother and I both bought a matching set and split it up between us. They are stainless "loaded" with melt down packages and even night sights.  One is a Mustang and one a Gubmit Model.  To be honest I do not remember who has which.  Obviously safe queens!  But when you Do hold them, you Don't want to put them down.

Seeing your beauty makes me want to dig mine out.

Title: Re: New Grips for a "Safe Queen"
Post by: Richard S on February 10, 2012, 08:41:38 AM

Quote from: Reinz on February 10, 2012, 02:57:31 AM

Good looking piece Richard.  Nothing like Ivories!  and a MacDougal.

You know about my 1911 Officer's model MacDougal that is my EDC, but I also have a 380 Mac as well.

My brother and I both bought a matching set and split it up between us. They are stainless "loaded" with melt down packages and even night sights.  One is a Mustang and one a Gubmit Model.  To be honest I do not remember who has which.  Obviously safe queens!  But when you Do hold them, you Don't want to put them down.

Seeing your beauty makes me want to dig mine out.

Thank you, Reinz.  You and your brother were prescient in stocking up on SM&As while you could. No one expected Doug to become so ill so suddenly and at such a young age. I regret that I didn't opt to have that Mustang of mine "melted" by SM&A when I had the chance. My flawed thinking at the time was that the Mustang, in addition to being SAO and having no grip safety, was just that little bit too large to carry in a pocket and therefore didn't need a "melt job." Later on, I changed my way of thinking on "melting" and even had it done to a Government Model. 

Title: Re: New Grips for a "Safe Queen"
Post by: chameleon on February 12, 2012, 01:23:41 PM

Very, very nice indeed.
Well done.

Title: Re: New Grips for a "Safe Queen"
Post by: Heber_Guy on February 26, 2012, 03:45:28 PM

Wow, every once and a while a jaded old man just says WOW!
Does anyone do this for the R9?

Title: Re: New Grips for a "Safe Queen"
Post by: kjtrains on February 26, 2012, 03:52:04 PM

Not that I know; however, it would be nice if they did.    :)