Astra Constable .380 ACP

[geologist]

I just received a double action Astra Constable (centre of photo below) in .380 ACP.

I haven't shot it yet, just run A Zoom snap caps through it.

It is a blowback pistol but given its weight I don't think it'll be a problem to manage its recoil. It is thin and not much larger than my Beretta 71.

Its DA trigger is heavy at around 15 lbs (heavier than my S&W K frame revolvers. The SA trigger pull is nice, short and light and fairly crisp.

I think that it will give me the "Walther bite" as the underside of the slide touches the web of my shooting hand.

The safety is a decocking lever that drops the hammer safely. It is my first decocker and I find it creepy but you can use it and let the hammer down gently with your thumb which is what I am doing. You have to move the safety/decocker back to fire otherwise everything including the slide is locked. I'm drilling that into my muscle memory with A Zooms.

In a legal CCW situation I would carry it with the chamber loaded, de-cocked and safety off.

The sights are small as would be expected for a 7 yard pistol like this and are adjustable for windage.

I need a grip screw as one is missing plus I am looking for two more magazines for it.

Overall it feels very high quality like my Astra Cub. If I were in the US obviously there are better, smaller choices in .380 ACP.

 

[msmp5]

I also have an Astra Constable in .380 ACP, and I find it a much more comfortable gun to shoot, than the Walther PPK .380's. I also find it more reliable in terms of feeding and functioning, than most of the Walther PPK .380's that I have owned (past tense) in years gone by. It's not much smaller than my S&W 9mm, so I don't think I would ever choose to CCW my Astra Constable, but if I ever did, I would certainly be comfortable with it in terms of reliability. Just curious, maybe for another thread, but: Do you have legal CCW in Canada?

 

[geologist]

In theory we can carry CCW but practically no. There are probably less than 200 legal civilian CCWs in a population of 35 million. Mostly judges, politicians and other well connected people.

 

[rcmodel]

They are very decent guns.

I have an Astra Constable in .22 LR I bought new in 1980, for $85 dollars.

The firing pin broke the first week I had it and I made a new one out of drill rod.

It has worked perfectly since then for the last 25 years.

I made the Rosewood grips later.

rc

 

[bannockburn]

geologist

I think the Astra Constable makes a fine addition to your already fine collection of handguns. Let us know how it does once you get a chance to shoot it.

 

[geologist]

I will shoot it once I get back to Canada in a couple of weeks.

I bought 300 rounds of Norinco ball and 100 rounds of PRVI (afterwards I read that it is pretty crappy) HPs.

 

[geologist]

I like how those handmade rosewood grips look especially as they are taller and cover the trigger action bars.

 

[rcmodel]

Yes, that was part of the plan!!

Worked out very well too.

rc

 

[Wil Terry]

My ASTRA CONSTABLE II 380ACP is the best 380 I ever tested and owned. It shoots dead on the sights at 25 yards and Federal 380HP ammunition will shoot groups right at 1 1/4". ALL of my 380 handloads have always shot right at 1.5" including all those with cast LRN projectiles. I've used this pistol as a trailgun and it has killed the stew out of everthing that has intercepted one of those 90grJHP bullets. An AMAZING little pistol !!!
And so it goes...

 

[geologist]

The rear sight came loose the first time at the range. I went with a beer can shim ind it is working well. It's shooting close to POA (6 o'clock hold on black circle) with Norinco ball at 7 yards. I shot this group two handed rapid fire.

The hammer is failing to lock back once every 3 mags. I assume this is a lube issue and will grease the rails with Ed's red instead running it with gun oil.

 

[Monac]

geologist, pardon me if this is a dumb question, but do you mean the hammer or the slide is failing to lock back? I ask because you mention greasing the slide rails, but maybe that's just a trick I don't know.

 

[geologist]

Monac, the hammer sometimes does not lock back after a shot is fired and there are still rounds in the magazine.

I'm assuming that it is either the lube on the slide rails (not enough?), the ammo not being powerful enough or the recoil spring is too strong. When I cycle the slide by hand it seems smooth so I assume that there are no burrs.

 

[rcmodel]

Eds Red is not lubrication.

Don't use that.

Lube the slide rails with real gun oil.
Or 30w motor oil if you don't have anything else.

Eds Red is for cleaning parts, not lubrication.


PS:
Loose the 'beer can shim' and put a drop of Blue Lock-Tight in the rear sight dovetail.

rc

 

[Monac]

Monac, the hammer sometimes does not lock back after a shot is fired and there are still rounds in the magazine.

I'm assuming that it is either the lube on the slide rails (not enough?), the ammo not being powerful enough or the recoil spring is too strong. When I cycle the slide by hand it seems smooth so I assume that there are no burrs.

Whoa. That gun has a well designed firing pin, because for some guns I can think of, like the Tokarev, the hammer following the slide down would result in full-auto fire. Maybe I am still misunderstanding the situation, but that would alarm me. I would think that if the slide was coming back far enough to feed the next round, it would be coming back far enough to cock the hammer.

 

[geologist]

It is doing that Monac. A round is chambered but the hammer doesn't stay cocked in Condition 1. I can DA the newly chambered round or I can thumb back the hammer and fire it SA.

This happens once every 3 magazines with Norinco ball, medium to rapid fire, two handed, not riding the slide with my thumb.

No burst fire.

I will take it to my gunsmith to get it checked.

 

[geologist]

rc model

Sorry, not Eds Red, I meant this grease we can buy in Canada: Lucas "Red N tacky" #2.

It's similar to "Slide glide". I use it on the rails of my pistols and some long guns. It stays in place, even at high temp. I just put some in the slide rail, put the slide on it, rack the slide 10-20 times, wipe the excess again and I'm good to go!