FIE Clone of the Colt Mustang?

Wolf.

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*EDIT* Thanx! everyone for the information. I confused FI with FIE; two different companies. The gun does look to be well-made. I'll worry over it for a while and if it is still there, I'll probably buy it. Thanks again for all the information and personal experience on this gun!

I was at the local gun shop this afternoon and I saw a FIE (Firearms International something-or-other or Firearms Import Export???) .380 that looked very much like a Colt Mustang and may be the same internally. The shop wants $300.00 for it. The gun seems well-made, all steel, functions smoothly, about 4 pound, no creep trigger, bright, crisp bore, blueing wear consistent with a gun that doesn't get fired much, but gets carried with some degree of frequency over a period of time.

I don't know diddly about FIE, but I'd guess they are an importer. Seems to me that I heard somewhere (here?) that they imported from Spain, but don't really know. There is no country of origin marked on the gun, but there is a FIE logo, a "cal .380" stamp and a "<city name>, Washington" stamp and a S/N. The gun seems to me to be too well made to be from Spain; maybe Germany or Italy, but not Spain.

Can anyone tell me about FIE regarding quality, value and other useful info? Do they manufacture or import? Any gross issues with FIE guns? The only FIE items I found on GB are two .22 semi-autos and one .32 semi-auto.

rufe-snow

If the city marked on the pistol was Washington? The pistol your inquiring about was made/assembled by Firearms International. F.I. went out of business in the early 70's, so the pistol is no spring chicken.

After the enactment of the 1968 Gun Control Law, small handguns were no longer importable. I Believe that F.I. cut a deal with the Spanish Gunmaker Star to assemble and fabricate handguns in the U.S., with enough U.S. made parts so that they would be legal. The Star D Model was the basis of these handguns. Colt was supposed to sell them under the "Pony" name, but the deal fell through. As F.I. went out of business shortly after this,( early 70's ), doubt if many of these F.I. marked pistols are still in circulation. Although Garcia and Iver Johnson sold similar pistols under their name in succeeding years.

dcs shooters

They are the FI model"D" like rufe said. I had one for years, blue wore and had it hard chromed. It shot and held up good. Wish I still had it[:)]

Bill DeShivs

The frame is US made, and all the other parts were Star on the original guns. These were fine little guns, and were to be the original Colt "Pony." Parts are available.
BTW- Star Spanish handguns were as well made as most US guns.
F.I. is NOT the same as FIE.
Bill

bigtire

I also had an FI model D. It was a nice little gun and had Spanish proofmarks. Probably made by Star. Star pistols are good quality guns IMHO, far better than Llama.

b.goforth

there is a short history of this pistol in my iver johnson book as it eventually became the iver johnson pony 380acp caliber and was manufactured on and off until 1990.

there is also an excellent atricle written for the june 1981 guns magazine by donald simmons
bill

hslaterpryce

FI (Firearms International) Model D. Great little gun. Many parts do interchange with the Colt. Shot all ball ammo through mine with nary a problem. Would be a great little carry gun, or back up. I think you'd like it.