Choose a gun
- Thread starter Hoyte
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theotherwaldo
Member
I like old .22 revolvers.
I don't like 9mm Largo.
I've got enough single-stack .380s.
I don't like 9mm Largo.
I've got enough single-stack .380s.
chicharrones
needs more ammo
Choice of those three because of an inheritance split?
The H&R rimfire revolver for me, too.
The H&R rimfire revolver for me, too.
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jar
Contributing Member
The H&R 900 series were quite nice 22 so it's in consideration.
Really like Astras but not a 400 at any price.
The Bernardelli 80 was simply an embarrassment, great basic gun that was then screwed beyond recognition to get by the import ban and in 380 it was never as reliable as the Model 60 in 32acp.
H&R 900 series.
Really like Astras but not a 400 at any price.
The Bernardelli 80 was simply an embarrassment, great basic gun that was then screwed beyond recognition to get by the import ban and in 380 it was never as reliable as the Model 60 in 32acp.
H&R 900 series.
Terry G
Member
I have a M999 Sportsman's so I would take the Bernadelli!
J-Bar
Member
I’m a snob. I don’t want any of them. Make someone else happy.
tark
Member
The 400, if it is original and in good condition. By a wide margin, if it is very high conditioned. ( 95% or better ) Ammo is no problem. I pull the bullets from Supers, turn off the semi-rim, drop the charge by 15% and re-assemble.
bannockburn
Member
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Would probably go with the Bernardelli Model 80. Have plenty of .380 ammo and could be fun to play with. Can tell you first hand (forgive the pun), anything in a 9mm. in a straight blowback gun like the Astra Model 400 is just a bad idea. Add to this I don't know if 9mm. Largo is still readily available, how much it costs, or how old most of it is. The H&R Model 900 sounds kind of interesting but their heavy DA/SA trigger along with a 6" barrel just doesn't have that much appeal to me.
22250Rem
Member
The H&R. Don't have a need or much of a want for the other 2 choices and I almost bought a mint H&R 900 back in the mid 1990's. LGS took one in on trade and it was priced nicely. Almost put a down payment on it right away but held off. Thought about it overnight and decided to go back the next day and get it. Unfortunately someone beat me to it.
wiscoaster
Member
I picked the Astra 400 because I've already got a 600 and it's lonesome for its little brother.
New production 9mm Largo is available from Steinel's and reasonably priced. Sorry for your bad experience; my experience with my 600 is just fine. I needed to put in a new magazine spring to get it to function reliably, but that's a common problem with these old guns. That being said, my recommendation for someone wanting to try an Astra would be to start with the 600, which chambers 9 mm Parabellum.
New production 9mm Largo is available from Steinel's and reasonably priced. Sorry for your bad experience; my experience with my 600 is just fine. I needed to put in a new magazine spring to get it to function reliably, but that's a common problem with these old guns. That being said, my recommendation for someone wanting to try an Astra would be to start with the 600, which chambers 9 mm Parabellum.
NIGHTLORD40K
Member
Oh, sure, just THAT easy! Lol.
NIGHTLORD40K
Member
Love my 600! Dont love it enough to bother with Largo in a 400, though.
It always seems like the 400s were run hard and whipped too- dont know if Ive ever seen a really high condition example. The 600s lived much easier lives, generally- mines about a 90% gun.
mstreddy
Member
A 6" barrel 22LR, sounds tempting, but I've never been convinced by the lines of the H&Rs. A Bernardelli in 380... worth a try. I like the 380s, and the 32s.
Don't know anything about the Astra 400 or 600, though they look cool.
Don't know anything about the Astra 400 or 600, though they look cool.
wiscoaster
Member
If you want my 9 mm Largo ammo, let me know. I bought three boxes because I had my eye on a 400 some time ago, but got outbid. And now buying a good one at a price I'm willing to pay is going to have to wait until the current situation passes and it also bubbles up to the top again in my wanna-get-sometime list.
bannockburn
Member
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wiscoaster
On most occasions when I did muster up the nerve to shoot my Astra 600, I considered myself fortunate enough to make it to 50 rounds before my right hand wanted to call it quits. All that mass of metal coming straight back into the web of your hand is just not a fun way to spend an afternoon at the range!
Likewise your more than welcome to all the Astra 400s and 600s you can find. My last Astra was a Cub in .22 Short and that was fine with me!
On most occasions when I did muster up the nerve to shoot my Astra 600, I considered myself fortunate enough to make it to 50 rounds before my right hand wanted to call it quits. All that mass of metal coming straight back into the web of your hand is just not a fun way to spend an afternoon at the range!
Likewise your more than welcome to all the Astra 400s and 600s you can find. My last Astra was a Cub in .22 Short and that was fine with me!
NIGHTLORD40K
Member
I know weve differed on the delights of the blowback Astras before
)), but I forget if you mentioned whether yours had new recoil and hammer springs installed? The first thing I did when I got mine was install a Wolff spring kit and the recoil is quite mild, IMO. The only time its an issue is when someone dry-fires it and the internal hammer is down- then its a real bear to chamber the first new round. Honestly, I think the hammer spring geometry provides the majority of the blowback resistance in those guns......I just leave mine cocked all the time. 
I don't need any of them, and don't want any of them enough to pay for them. That said, if someone offered me one of them for free, who am I to insult them by turning down such a gracious gift? I'd take the H&R. I could have some fun with a .22 revolver.
wiscoaster
Member
No. I had feeding issues right off the bat but that's typical for old guns. I did the usual cleaning and polishing, etc and finally was able to get a magazine spring to give those rounds a little more speed and oomph up and out when picked up. That did the trick. I leave mine cocked as well; like you said, it's a bitch racking against that uncocked hammer. Otherwise, shooting is just fine. And I don't really think it's got all that much recoil, blowback considering.
This x2.
I'd pick the one of greatest value then sell it to fund something of greater preference (Glock, 1911, Shield).
dagger dog
Member
I chose the Bernadelli, Had the 22 rimfire model in the late seventies and traded it away, very reliable solid built copy of the Walther PP. This was the pre- 68GCA version.
NIGHTLORD40K
Member
I got lucky and all 3 of my magazines seem pretty healthy. One is even serialized to the gun-
bannockburn
Member
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2007
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NIGHTLORD40K
I bought the Astra many, many years ago from a friend of a friend. Don't know if he did any mods to it but I doubt it. Back then info on a lot of these "foreign guns" was severely lacking. I think I figured out how to take it apart with a little help from a vintage copy of W.H.B. Smith's book, "Small Arms of the World". The gun itself was in great shape with a very nice matte blue finish. It came with one spare mag, not numbered to the gun, and a flap holster. Very reliable and capable of some decent accuracy, even with those tiny fixed sights, as long as I didn't put too many rounds down range!
I bought the Astra many, many years ago from a friend of a friend. Don't know if he did any mods to it but I doubt it. Back then info on a lot of these "foreign guns" was severely lacking. I think I figured out how to take it apart with a little help from a vintage copy of W.H.B. Smith's book, "Small Arms of the World". The gun itself was in great shape with a very nice matte blue finish. It came with one spare mag, not numbered to the gun, and a flap holster. Very reliable and capable of some decent accuracy, even with those tiny fixed sights, as long as I didn't put too many rounds down range!
tark
Member
Here's three, NIGHTLORD40K. All three are 95% guns. The 400 and the 600 are rather unpleasant to shoot for an extended range session. A lot of recoil for a 9mm. The checkering on the grips is quite sharp and it almost chews the skin right off of your hands. Gloves greatly help. And I never did answer the OPs original question.
I want the H&R 999. Love those guns, and I already have enough Astras
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