Astra 600 and FN1922 with range report

[Mustang51]

My younger son came home for the weekend and we hit the range with some C&R handguns, including an Astra 600/43 and an FN 1922 in 7.65 (.32 ACP). Somehow managed to crack a grip panel while shooting the Astra.



The FN was throwing the rounds off to the left, although it could have been the ammo---60 year old Remington "kleenbore" green box. The gilding metal seemed to be turning into lead on many of the bullets.

The Astra was shooting great with new Speer 124 gr MC ammo... 10 rounds at 10 yards, off-hand (about 2.5")

 

[Jim K]

Try here for repro grips. I can't guarantee anything, but their products I have used have been very good quality and accurate reproductions.

http://gungrip.com/astra-600-grips.aspx

Jim

 

[bannockburn]

Mustang51

One of my first semi-autos was an Astra Model 600. An extremely well made gun with a decent trigger (especially for a military sidearm); only shortcoming of the pistol was with it's tiny, hard to acquire sights. Never did get accustomed to the punishing recoil that a straight blowback 9mm. could produce but was always pleasantly surprised by how consistently accurate the gun could be.

 

[Mustang51]

Jim, thanks for the link.

BB, I agree with the sights...they require a lot of concentration. But as you say, the concentration will be rewarded with consistent accuracy. I shot my Glock 23 at the same range session and although I was able to get the rounds off a little faster than with the Astra, but certainly no more accurately.

Here is my Glock 23 target...11 rounds, offhand at 10 yards

 

[bannockburn]

Mustang51

How did things go with the FN Model 1922? My brother has one that he picked up quite a few years ago. It was most likely a WWII bring-back as it was nickel plated (very nicely done I might add), and was part of the Dutch contract.

 

[Mustang51]

BB, my son was shooting the FN1922 and had a little trouble pulling it off to the left. I checked the ammo and found it was a mix of headstamps...R-P, Winchester, Western, etc. That could have contributed to the problem.

 

[kBob]

Now I have got to believe that a guy with the handle Mustang51 has to have some dreams that these two guns might once have been carried by guys that might have been associated with BF109 or FW190.

Thanks for posting photos of these nice looking guns and their cow hide homes.

I am rather fond of the little Browning 1922s. Shot one a good bit with ammo just like that when the ammo was only half as old. A friend even used a1922 as his regular CCW in a shoulder holster for a bit.

Sorry about your Astra getting "experienced" with the grips. A buddy in the early 1970's took an Astra to Germany. He had to do exit papers on it and a Luger so they could be reimported or both would not have been allowed back in in those days. He was quite popular at my German Shooting Club, even with folks he had never met when he pulled out his Astra. I won't say he himself was a Neo Nazi but things Nazi blew his skirts up as it were, and he had before going over seas inletted a NSDAP lapel pin, the larger one, into his Astra 600's right grip. I gave him flak about it, especially as public display of the bent cross was a serious No-No in 1973 Germany. To my shock at least two guys that would have been teens at the end of WWII claimed to have seen Astra 600s just so decorated in the hands of Party Officials. One claimed his dad that was the head party guy in a factory in town had such.

I enjoyed shooting the Astra......of course I once road a young bull on a dare......and my biggest issue with the sights was that they disappeared rather early in the evening. I was surprised that for me despite the lack of apparent grip angle that it pointed rather well in low light.

Personally, had I been around and required to tote a 9x19mm hand gun in WWII and not had a BHP35 available I would likely have picked the Astra as my first choice.

Again thanks for the great pictures.

-kBob

 

[Gun Master]

Numrich Arms - AKA "Gun Parts" has repro grips in black plastic under Astra 400 for $37.15 . Apparently the 400 & 600 grips are the same size. When looking online, check item # 21 (21 & 42 right & left grips are listed here).