Astra ???

[WOLFGUNNER5150]

Well I have a buddy with astra ha he needs info on . I looked in blue book but got zip. So here is what I do have.


the box...

DIRECCION GENERAL DE LA GUARDIA CIVIL

JEFATURA DE ARMAMENTO

PARQUE CENTRAL DE ARMAMENTO

Pistola ASTRA CALIBRE 9 mm. largo

On inside of box

ESTE ESTUCHE CONTIENE:

1 pistola marca ASTRA calibre 9 mm. largo n._______

2 cargadores con el numero del arna.

1 baqueta.

1 libro de instrucciones

NOTA: De la perdida de cualquier accesorio de este arma es responsable gubernativa y economicamente su adjudicatario. Deben por lo tanto figurar en el recibo que se empene el individuo al hacerse cargo del arma, todos los accesorios que recibe con ella.

The gun.....

grip safty, blued, black grips with astra logo, 6in. barrel,bottom of the grip mag relese, a hoop on the left side of grip

on top of barrel near front blade sight astra logo in front of that a crown wih lines going around it.

Near the top right of the back fixed sight ESPERANZA y UNCETA next line GUERNICA ESPANA with a line above the "N"
Then on the top left side PISTOLA DE 9 m/m next line MODELO 1921

IF YOU HAVE BLUE BOOK 33 EDITION

On the left side near grip PG 1662 9 from top(circa 1929 Eibar admission proof for guns with old marks) next to that PG 1662 8 from top (since 1923 Eibar single & final proof for self loading pistols & revolvers)

On left side of slide 1924 then pg 1662 8 from top

Right side of slide 23xxx

Right side by grip SPAIN under that 23xxx

On the barrel pg 1662 8 from top then Hope then sideways p? with a crown on top then 23xxx

I thunk I'll stop now that my hand hurts

I hope this is enough info

If anyone what it is , how to take it apart let me know

Thanks for the help!!

 

[dfariswheel]

You have a Spanish Astra Model 1921, 9mm pistol, also known as the Model 400 in commercial sales format.
The commercial model has hard rubber grips and many small parts are nickel plated.
During WWII a limited number of a later model were made for the Germans as the Model 600.

The Astra is very unusual in that it is a blow-back pistol. There is no locked breech. It depends on a very strong spring and the mass of the slide to keep the slide closed.

Because of the blow-back action, the Astra pistol has a reputation as having the most violent ejection of any pistol ever built, especially with the hotter cartridges. One shooter was astounded to find cartridge cases stuck mouth-first in a wooden door 15 feet away.
Tell your buddy to make sure NOBODY is standing to the side when he fires it.

Unlike most other pre-war Spanish pistols, the Astra is well made and well finished.

The gun has a thumb safety that locks the sear, and a magazine safety.

The gun will chamber and fire the following cartridges: 9mm Largo, 9mm Luger, 9mm Steyr, 9mm Browning Long, .38 ACP, and the .38 Super.

To field strip:
Lock the slide to the rear and remove the magazine.

Rotate the safety catch up as the slide is eased forward until it engages the slide.

Rotate the barrel CLOCKWISE, (as you look down the slide from the rear) until the barrel disengages from the frame and engages the slide.

Ease the slide and barrel forward and off the frame.

To disassemble the barrel bushing assembly:

With gun fully assembled, place the butt on a table, with barrel up.
Use the magazine floorplate as a tool to depress the barrel bushing.

Turn the barrel bushing lock either way until it holds the barrel bushing.
Grip both bushing and lock FIRMLY with BOTH hands, and turn lock about 1/4 turn, releasing the recoil spring.

Remove the recoil spring, bushing and lock.

The barrel and slide are then removed as above, under field stripping.

 

[Jagermeister]

WolfGunner

See Attached: I also have the disassem instructions, W/photos if you would like to have them, will need an email address.

JM

 

[WOLFGUNNER5150]

dfariswheel
----------------------------------------
The will chamber and fire the following cartridges: 9mm Largo, 9mm Luger,
9mm Steyr, Browning lomg, .38 ACP and the 38 Super.
----------------------------------------
Is that out of one gun,one barrel?
If so what cartridge is best?
The barrel says 9mm largo witch I have never shot.

PS: Thanks for the great help!!

 

[dfariswheel]

Yep, that's out of one barrel, one gun.
All these cartridges are very similar, except for length.
I would NOT try this in any other gun except those with long 9mm chambers like the 1912 Steyr.

Since these chamber on the case mouth, the shorter cartridges may not be too accurate.

The factory load was the 9mm Largo.
The Browning 9mm long is more or less obsolete.
The 9mm Steyr is HOT, and still popular in Europe, but hard to find here.
The 38 ACP is more or less obsolete. (Note: this ISN'T the .380 ACP.)
The .38 Super is hot, and available.

I'd try the 9mm Luger since it's cheap and available. For a feel of full power ammo, try some .38 Super.
Start looking for 9mm Steyr or any of the others.

If you try hotter stuff like .38 Super, STAY CLEAR OF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE GUN. I wasn't kidding about VIOLENT ejection.

 

[WOLFGUNNER5150]

How can you tell the navy from the norm?
If it is the navy it will add 200% to the value of the gun.

 

[dfariswheel]

Sorry, can't help you there.
You might get a Spanish speaker to translate the box wording for you.
I would assume the gun would have some kind of Navy-related marking on it.

 

[Jim K]

I will provide a translation, a bit free in places.

General Administration of the Civil Guard (the Spanish para-military police force)

Office of the Chief of Armaments

Central Arms Depot

Astra Pistol, Caliber 9mm Long


This box contains

1 Pistol, Astra trademark, caliber 9mm Long, Number_______

2 Magazines numbered to the pistol

1 Cleaning rod

1 Instruction book

Note: The person to whom this pistol is issued is responsible administratively and economically for loss of any accessory of this weapon. Those who are issued this weapon must make sure that all of the accessories are received with it.

Jim

 

[Gordon]

Dferriswheel: Hey brother don' be telling the people to fire .38 super in these things, we don't want to have them catch the slide in their teeth. Use only 9mm largo or .38auto IF springs are checked out by Gunsmith. See societyde9mmlargo home page and ask Tejedore.

 

[dfariswheel]

Sorry, just quoting the NRA and a couple of books on the .38 Super in the Astra.

 

[Jim K]

Just a note on the "shoots everything" business.

The Astra Model 1921/400 is made for one cartridge and one cartridge only, the 9mm Largo (Long) although that is just the Spanish name for the 9mm Bergman-Bayard; they are really the same cartridge.

It was not made or intended to fire the 9mm Parabellum, the 9mm Steyr, the .38 ACP, the .38 Super, the 9mm Browning Long, the 9mm Browning Short (.380 ACP), or any other cartridge.

Some 9mm P ammo can be fired in the Model 1921 because its taper allows it to wedge into the chamber, but some ammo will drop in too far. .38 ACP or .38 Super is semi-rimmed. The breech face of some Model 1921 pistols will allow the gun to fire this ammunition, but that is due to manufacturing tolerances, not design.

9mm Steyr is quite powerful not recommended for the Model 1921. 9mm Bergman-Bayard is acceptable but is, as noted above, the same as the 9mm Largo.

Neither the 9mm BL or the 9mm BS are long enough to seat properly and can only be fired if the rim is caught by the extractor; neither will function the gun reliably.

Jim