# Colt Government Mark IV Series 80 .380



## H2O Mellon

I've been wanting one of these for a long while. Today I traded a rifle and another Colt (revolver) for one. 

Here is a pic. Words cant describe how nice this feels. I will most likely carry this more than my Colt Officers Model .45 due to the light weight. If anyone else was on the fence about one of these, I say go for it.


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## ohiobassman

what did you trade for that and how much was it


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## littleking

.380 is just way to small of a round for defense


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## H2O Mellon

"the Colt .45 and Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum, fell into disuse when Patton began to favor a smaller, lighter Colt .380 automatic. One of the most probable reasons that Patton liked the small Colt was because of it's size and weight. It was a mere 13 ounces, as compared to the Colt .45's 38 ounces and the 41 ounces of the Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum. Though small, it was a hard hitting pistol."

Let me say again *"Though small, it was a hard hitting pistol."*

If it was good enough for General Patton, it's good enough for me!


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## H2O Mellon

Ohiobassman, 
around $700. You can find some nice used ones in the $500-600 range. Now granted you can spend even more on them for instance if you had a trigger job done, had a metal trigger installed, etc....


Here are a couple Colt .380's that I'd like to have: COLT TWIN .380's But I don't have $3,500.00


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## Darwin

That is a nice looking handgun Mellon.
As far as the comment made about to small of a round for defense I say to each his own. It's like I tell my wife, I don't care if you can't hit the broad side of a barn if your standing in it. If you start shooting at someone who is coming after you they will not stick around to see how well you can shoot. [email protected]


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## H2O Mellon

Yes I agree. My thoughts were also that my wife would be able to handle this much better than a .45. I still perfer for her to keep a revolver around the house while I'm gone. But she will eventually need to learn how to shoot an auto.


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## crankus_maximus

.380 is plenty stopping power when placed in the right location. I've got a .380 and a 9mm Mak. Both rounds are nearly identical. They will both put a hurtin' on.

I bought my wife a Bersa Thunder. She loves to shoot it.


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## APD1088

Very nice Mellon. Just a word of experience, I had one of those a couple years ago that the slide release pin would walk out during rapid magazine emptying. It would walk out enough to keep the gun out of battery even if the gun is held straight up and down. The fix was to modify the spring clip retainer on the release to keep more pressure on it. Just want to let you know so that you don't have a problem at the worst possible moment.


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## APD1088

Just another thought, 9mm, 380, and Makarov are the same diameter, and as Crankus tells us: *Shot placement is the important thing*.


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## misfit

nice looking piece,bryan.



> Just another thought, 9mm, 380, and Makarov are the same diameter,


 that's true.but diameter is not the reason for the similar ballistic characteristics.the ballistic similarity is due to case length being almost identical.standard 9mm,.38 special,.357 mag are also about the same diameter as the others,but there's big diffence in case length/powder charge.kinda like the diffence beetween .22 short and .22 mag.

that being said,i think the .380 is a decent choice for a lightweight,tight quarters carry piece for those who aren't comfortable with the larger,heavier guns for their own particular reasons.not nearly as much stopping power or range as the latter,which really has little to do with bullet diameter.


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## jeffmo

for home defense i've taught the mrs. how to load and shoot my 1100 12 gauge with 00 buckshot.she can't miss with that.


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## littleking

i agree, shot placement is very very important. most police departments carried the 38 and/or 380 for a long long time and have proven effective with it. the problem lies with actual stopping power, not necessarily killing power. big guys (my size) are not fazed by a 38, 380 or 9mm, so most law enforcement switched to either the .40 or the long tested and time trued .45 (mostly the .40 though because the sub-sonic, heavy drifting .45)

sorry if my post came across wrong, i assumed that you were planning to use the firearm for personal defense (since its a non-legal hunting calibre) and i guess that i should not of assume it as such, my apologies.


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## littleking

here is a great article discussing most of the above mention rounds. pretty darn interesting...

http://hunting.about.com/od/guns/l/aast9mmv380a.htm


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## H2O Mellon

littleking said:


> big guys (my size) are not fazed by a 38, 380 or 9mm


*What a load of BS.* 

Please, Please, Please tell me you are not serious. I am prob bigger than you & a .380, .38, 9mm would kill me just as easy as it would you. 

When I took my CCW class, this discussion came up. Other members of OGF have taken the class from the same people, the retired Sheriff (& the current local Police Chief) that was giving the test said the same thing.


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## H2O Mellon

Sorry, I've just got to add more: Do you realize that when most people have to protect theirselves with their own weapon its up close & personal. The "bad guy" isnt 30 yards away. If your 6 feet from me & I shoot you with my .380 you are going to die and not live to see your argument that "_big guys (my size) are not fazed by a 38, 380 or 9mm_" go down in flames.


Jeffmo..... I agree 100% the best home defense gun is a 12 ga! I have a Winchsester Police Shotgun that I bought a while back & like you shes loaded w/ 00 buck (or 000 I cant remember right now)


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## jeffmo

h2o,i have an older brother who's a viet nam vet and i'd sure like to tell you exactly how he described the capabilities of a winchester model 12 loaded with 00buckshot but i don't think the mods would like it very well!!!!!


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## misfit

> Do you realize that when most people have to protect theirselves with their own weapon its up close & personal. The "bad guy" isnt 30 yards away. If your 6 feet from me & I shoot you with my .380 you are going to die


 exactly what i was talking about.but they'll only die if hit in the right place,as with even bigger calibers.but in the above scenario,i think the .380 would hold it's own,though the 00 buck from a chopped off 12 ga. would be my first choice also  
be alot of work cleaning up the house afterwards,but worth it,LOL.



> but i don't think the mods would like it very well!!!!!


 LOL,jeff.it wouldn't bother me,but have a great mental picture already


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## crankus_maximus

I would prefer the buckshot myself. Hard to miss at close quarters and the stopping power is undeniable. However, a sawed off 12 under my coat doesn't fly too well. And, the wife would not be shooting one of those ever. 

Anything from a BB on up will kill a grown man if placed in the correct place with enough velocity. However, as stated in situations where you do not get a killing shot it is noce to have some extra kick where it counts. 

It's all a compromise. If you want stopping power, then you will be carrying a bigger gun with a bigger shell. You get the point....


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## spinfisher

> *What a load of BS.*


hehe...What do you really think?

Question for the non-believers: Have you ever been hit by a round fired from a .380?

Just for fun, if anyone wants to play, I have a game:

You come at me or my family. I will (just for fun) shoot you with my Walther PPk/S .380. Maybe a couple times if it's okay with you--it is within the rules and it won't hurt.

Then, since you are simply not fazed by the silly little thing, you get to shoot me next with your .45 or other big pistol of choice--if you can calmly aim and squeeze one off accurately before I shoot you again.

All right, let's get serious. If my placement is not great, I will still win the game. If you don't think so, you are playing macho gun-magazine games; not real-life, Oh, sh*t! I'm hit!

And Mellon is right about the revolver for your wife. Small or large caliber, if she can't handle the gun confidently in a stressful situation, her weapon is worthless.


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## jeffmo

my take on a handgun for my wife is this.if,and i sure pray that it never happens,someone were to come into my home when i'm away and can't be here to handle the situation,i don't wan't my wife being woke up,trying to shoot a handgun down our stairs and hitting someone with a non-lethal shot.if,and again i hope it never happens,she were in that situation, she'll have that shotgun in her hands and will fire 00 buckshot down those same stairs.they'll be no need to worry if she hit her target or not and if she stopped that person or not.she'll tell her side of the story and the other person will........well,never mind!


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## crankus_maximus

First shot of 00 buck on my wife and she'll have a broken shoulder or be knocked on her A$$. Either of which is no good. That's why the pistol with 2 clips of ammo is being used. She knows how to locate, lock and load in the dark without looking at the gun. She knows to follow up each shot with another - if needed. Etc. etc. etc. 

I would prefer she use the shotgun, but her frame just won't support it at 5'6" and 105lbs.


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## spinfisher

Well, JeffMo, it's not a bad plan but I have a little problem with your attitude. I noticed that you used double smileys when you mentioned the capabilities of a 12 ga. with buckshot. I doubt you really feel that way. I know your wife won't if she ever actually has to kill a person.

My brother isn't a Vietnam vet, but I am. I've seen first-hand the awesome capabilities of lots of different weapons, and I've had the unfortunate experience of firing lethal shots. It is not a smiley situation.

It's admirable that you have taught and trained your wife, and it's good that she has a plan to protect herself when you aren't there. The shotgun is a good choice of weapon if your wife is comfortable with it. But rather than firing down the stairs, consider this alternative:

If you are not there to handle the situation, she goes quietly inside a closet with her shotgun. If a burglar wants material items, he can take them and leave. If he opens the closet door, he gets a shotgun blast in the gut.

If we do it that way, there is significantly less chance of her getting hurt. And we can safely come home unexpectedly and walk up the stairs without accidentally getting blown away ourselves. We just need to remember not to open the closet if she has moved in there. And, probably, our wives won't have to live with the burden of having blown someone away. That can't be a good thing--even if he is (was) a bad guy.


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## crankus_maximus

Spin - My wife is trained in such maneuvers. Find a place to hunker down and call 911. If they do confront her she will shoot to kill.


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## Pharley

I know this post has gotten off topic a bit, but may as well add my .02. The main thing in carrying CCW is knowing your weapon, being capable of delivering center mass shots, and being confident that it will do the job.

With that being said, I would not carry a .380 for self defense.

First, it was brought up that the 9x17, 9x18, and 9x19 are all the same diameter. True, but the 9mm luger can deliver about a 30% heavier bullet at about 25% faster speeds. This equates to more energy, more stopping power.

Next, with today's firearms, the size and capacity is incredible from earlier model pistols. Sure I can carry a small revolver or small semi. I can find the same sized gun or smaller with more knock-down power. I carry a Glock 27 that easily fits in my waistband, and it can deliver 11 rounds of .40 in a single mag. Even pocket guns are 9mm or above nowadays. A Kahr 9mm can fit in your pocket, and comes in 9mm or .40. So my question is "why?" Why carry a .380, when you have alternative options that are just as concealable with greater stopping power.

Before I really got into pistols, I was carrying a 9x18 Makarov on and off. I was not confident about carrying it when it was cold, due to people having coats and layered clothing. While I would not want to take my chances and have a Mak shot at me, I still believed that it would probaly penetrate the clothing and do a little damage. I believed it would "probably" do this. I have since switched my primary CCW gun, and either carry hot 9mm loads or 40s. I know these will achieve the desired effects.

With all this being said, congrats on your new purchase. The pistol appears to be a gem, and seems to be in great shape. You are the one who will carry it and God help you, possibly have to use it against someone, so your confidence matters. 

I met a Police Officer in Wooster, Ohio a little over a week ago. He is from New Jersey, and he was shot 7 times in his arm/abdomen/chest/side wity an AK47 (5 times) and a 9mm (2 times) while serving a warrant. After he was thrown down a stair case backwards, he managed to hobble out of the house, and is alive to tell me about it. 5 rifle rounds and 2 others....has to be some will involved there. So whatever you use for SD, you have to be trained to incapacitate.

I did find 2 threads from a discussion from an online forum that you would probably like to read. It argues both sides, and it also gives some preferred .380 loads. Again, congrats on a great looking piece.
Rob

.380 Discussion  
2nd Discussion


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## jeffmo

spin,i honestly think that you took my use of the smiley faces the wrong way.it was simply my way of saying that i wouldn't want to post something that would offend anyone and that the mods would have to address.
unfortunately,through my job i have seen first hand the capabilities of a 12 gauge and i certainly wouldn't wish that upon anyone.i'm sure that you know just what i mean.it's something that i won't even discuss with my family.
i did in fact tell her how to handle a situation like a break in.you have to understand something.i told her that if someone were to break in to our home,as long as they were downstairs then they couldn't hurt her or our 2 children.i also told her to let them take everything as long as they didn't start up the stairs.but,the moment they set foot on that 1st step,the situation changes.hiding in a closet wouldn't work in our home,our kids rooms are upstairs too so the protection lies with not allowing whoever up the stairs.like you say it sure would be a difficult thing to have to live with,but i'd rather live with the fact that i protected my family than i would live with the fact that i let something bad happen to one of them.
again,i pray that the situation NEVER presents itself.
again,sorry if there was any mis-understanding,that surely wasn't my intent.
mellon,i'm gonna bow out of this thread,i didn't mean for it to get side tracked.


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## APD1088

I see that my comment about bullet diameters was misinterpretted to mean that I was saying "all other factors were the same as well", I did not. My point was that the diameter of the whole of a FMJ is the same.


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## spinfisher

Jeffmo, I can see that's what you meant by the smileys.









I don't know why I let myself get drawn into this age-old argument at all. Everybody already knows which guns have more stopping power. There are lots of good reasons to buy (and carry) a gun like Mellons's new one, the best of which is that he likes it. Congrats on a good trade, Mellon. Nice pistol.

If you happen to buy a Buck 110, don't post it here. It'll be obvious that you should have bought a Bowie knife. (You shouldn't bring a knife to a gunfight, anyway.)


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## H2O Mellon

Fine you guys win. I'm going w/ a Magnum Research .45-70 revolver

FYI: I am not lying when I say this: I sware that I know a guy who carrys this gun w/ his CCW permit. He paid a ton for a holster to hide it. Would I do it? No

I guess I would piss eveyrone off if I told you that I carry my North American .22 more than anything. It is 3 inches long & fits in my watch pocket.


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## spinfisher

Hey, the only reason to get the Magnum Researth .45-70 is because maybe you didn't see this. I'm pretty sure your holster would need to be a custom.

http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/forums/showthread.php?t=40778&highlight=mini-gun


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## H2O Mellon

I've fired the Magnum Research BFG's in .45-70 & .454. 

Here is my opinon:

I like shotting the T/C .45-70 better than the .45-70 BFG
I like how my Ruger .454 feels & shoot better than the .454 BFG


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## watchdog

crankus_maximus said:


> First shot of 00 buck on my wife and she'll have a broken shoulder or be knocked on her A$$. Either of which is no good. That's why the pistol with 2 clips of ammo is being used. She knows how to locate, lock and load in the dark without looking at the gun. She knows to follow up each shot with another - if needed. Etc. etc. etc.
> 
> I would prefer she use the shotgun, but her frame just won't support it at 5'6" and 105lbs.



Alright man I know this is an OLD post but I just came across it and half to say that there is something wrong with this picture, my fiance is 21 y/o 5 foot tall and MAYBE 115 if that, she can fire the 12 pump with 00 Buck NO ISSUE, and thats the one WITH the stock, matter of fact HER weapon is a pistol grip mossberg 500A, she also is deadly with my Glock 21 .45 Cal. at 25 yards! Now I understand to each is own and all that good BS but Im here to tell you that as long as the individual is PROPERLY trained any one can fire pretty much anything! Matter a fact her next conquest is a Desert Eagle .50 but thats besides the point. And about her hunkering down and dialing 911, my Fiance herself has a motto of "When seconds count 911 is minutes away" she saw it on a bumper sticker and LOVED it and used it ever since! Now if anyone reads this again I know its a few years to late but I just had to throw my 2 cents in.


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## ironman172

H2O Mellon said:


> I've been wanting one of these for a long while. Today I traded a rifle and another Colt (revolver) for one.
> 
> Here is a pic. Words cant describe how nice this feels. I will most likely carry this more than my Colt Officers Model .45 due to the light weight. If anyone else was on the fence about one of these, I say go for it.


Nice gun H2O Mellon!!! I had no idea they were even made in .380(1911 frame)....for all other comments...
I carry a .380.... but would like to have a larger caliber... that I do now....I have all the confidence with the .380 that I will end someone day if threatend by that said person....8 shots center mass cor-bon hp i think will do the trick...with that said...I would rather only need 3 shots of a 45acp...but thats me...I can handle either load from a hand gun....not all can....so you use what you feel comfortable with....it is better to have something you can use well.... than something you can not..just my 3cents

...
WOW....... I didn't realize this was that old...till I posted and saw the post above mine!!!!!


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## Smallmouth Crazy

Nice piece, I had a 380 many a many years ago, back then I could get 50rds for like $10, I would hate to have to feed her with todays ammo prices on 380.


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## H2O Mellon

Yea, sort of funny.... this post was done back in 2006. The price of the gun is about the same, but I'd like to go back and buy some .380 ammo for the 2006 prices. lol


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## Smallmouth Crazy

H2O Mellon said:


> Yea, sort of funny.... this post was done back in 2006. The price of the gun is about the same, but I'd like to go back and buy some .380 ammo for the 2006 prices. lol


I had my 380 like 20yrs ago.


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## ironman172

it's only been 4 years that I got .380 ammo for 8.99 a box of 50...45acp 8.99 box of 50 and 9mm 4.56 box of 50....all on sale...PMC....and of course i stocked up..... thank goodness I did now


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