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.
