There is a Colt Jr. in .22short for sale locally. Includes the entire package box, docs and two magazines. Seller is asking $500 (haven't communicated yet I assume I can probably knock $50 off the price).

Yea or Nay?

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Jim
Many K and N Frames

Assuming I wanted one and it was in decent shape I would pay that.

I may be remembering wrong but wasn't the Colt Junior made for Colt by a company in Spain? I had one once. It had a terrible trigger and I dropped it off with a local gunsmith. When I got it back it fired multiple times on a single trigger pull. I immediately took it to another smith and he corrected it saying the other smith filed something in the wrong direction. I thought the thing was kind of a piece of junk so I got rid of it. .22 shorts are kind of expensive. I don't know what your use for it is but I would look in another direction and caliber.

They are made by Astra, I own one in .25, decent little pocket pistol. Nothing as nice as the 1908 .25 (have one of those too) looking for collectability.

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Jim
Many K and N Frames

Fun gun to shoot. Made by Astra. Came in .22 Short or .25. There were a few that had conversion kit for .22 Short and .25.
I picked mine up in 1969 while in high school. A buddy needed money to take his date to the prom. His dad had left him a number of guns. I paid him $25 for this one. Shoots very well and fairly accurate if you take the time to find the sights and practice the basics of shooting. I carried it for a while to use as a vermin eliminator. It's not as worn as the picture makes it look. Poor lighting.

Attached Images

COLTJR 18047CC.JPG (19.7 KB, 57 views)

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183rd FBINA

Looking at GB completed auctions I think his price is high even though it is a complete package. I will contact him to see how firm that price is.

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Jim
Many K and N Frames

Had one and sold it. They aren't really useful for anything; more of a novelty. Fun little guns to shoot once or twice then back in the safe - way back.

I bought mine for $400 and it included both the .25 and .22 short kits, two mags each size, box, paperwork, etc. The $400 was a California price and I probably overpaid.

I like these little guns, but I think the price is high.
They are a Colt branded Astra made pistol.
The Astra 'Cub' was the same pistol.

The Juniors are marked 'Made in Spain for Colt' and have the 'Colt Junior' name on them. They ser# have a 'CC' sufffix and were imported and sold till the GCA68 said no more.

Then Colt contracted with Firearms International of Florida to make the pistol. These were called the 'Colt Automatic',,not the 'Colt Junior' and were marked as such.
These US made pistols have a ser#prefix of 'OD'
Intro'd in '71 I believe and discontinued in 73 or 74.
Some say only the frames were US made to avoid the GCA import point system and the rest of the parts still came from Astra. Seems logical but I really don't know. There are some very minor differences in the two pistols that might say otherwise.

This 'Firearms International firm of Florida is not the same company as the earlier company of the same name that Garcia bought up and was noted for importing among other things large numbers of Spanish made handguns. Part of the confusing story behind these little pistols.
Two different F/I companys.

FWIW, Colt as late as 2003/2004 had a recall on the 25acp cal Juniors (Spanish made) to modify the fireing pin from the so called positive ignition type to an inertia style. This to make it safe(r) to carry with a round in the chamber and the hammer down.
The lawyers had spoken even after 40+yrs since importation had began in 1958.
Those modified by Colt Service Dept will have an 'M' stamped into the inside of the slide visable when you pull the slide back and view the inside surface of the slide opposite the ejection port.
AFAIK, the .22Short cal models were never modified or recalled to do so.

glencal:

You asked for advice about a Colt Jr. pistol. This little pistol in ether version was designed with one purpose in mind, by the people that marketed it, regardless of what maker made it, was designed, and built to be used as a very small, self defense, belly gun! The advice that you receive from our today's generation, will be given in regards to a gun that you would want to shoot "Umteen K" rounds a day with, for target practice. It never was designed or made for use, as a target pistol. The knowledgeable, self defense people will advise you not to use it for self defense, because of it's puny small calibers. Both factions could be correct,. If you accept this tiny pistol with its included faults, and flaws, and take it for it's intended use, with it's many variations, and attachments, It becomes a nice little item to collect. You only need to decide what you want to use it for, and what you want to pay for it. I keep the one that I have, as strictly a collectors item. My 2¢ worth.
Chubbo

I have one of the Astra Cub's in .22 Short. I paid $325 for it. If the one you are looking at is in excellent condition and has box & paperwork then I think it is worth $450.

I had a Colt Jr. in .22 short many years ago. Its a neat little gun and fun to shoot. But even way back then, .22 short ammo was hard to find and expensive. I eventually sold it. Don't remember just when or why.
I wouldn't mind having another one, but not at that price. Its just an Astra Cub with Colt stamped on it and you can buy those for about $300-350. I don't think these are worth the asking price just for the Colt name.
I sorta have a thing for mouse guns and own several. However, I prefer them in .25acp as the centerfire round is more reliable and much easier to find.

I just sold a 98% one in the box with rod & doc's for under $400.

I saw a decent Cub yesterday with a $250 price tag. Surely the Colt labeling would add some premium, as would the box/papers, but even as a somewhat-collectible it seems a bit high to me..

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Pisgah

Moose- thanks for that report. I think I am going to offer $350 and see what he says. He has already dropped price to $450.

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Jim
Many K and N Frames

How did the .22/.25 “conversion kit” accomodate the change from rim-fire to center-fire ?

I’ve owned a .22 short Astra for a while, got it in a trade. A lot of fun to shoot, ammo is expensive and prone to misfires though. Just a toy, certainly wouldn’t buy a holster for it. The price quoted is high.

I got one with box, 2 mags, papers and half of it's first box of ammo last week for $375.

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SWCA #2817

An Astra with a Colt stamp on it is still an Astra. Save your money...

It's like buying a Colt branded Uramax AR15.