Does Anyone Have an ASTRA .44 Mag Stainless?

[Confederate]

If so, I'm curious as to how you like it.

I have one in my safe and I was comparing it with my S&W 629. It seems about the same size, weight and overall build. Even the Pachmayr grips for the 629/29 fit the Astra. I had one previous to this one and I recall it shooting very well. It's just that I never see them for sale anywhere used. Either there weren't that many made or people liked them.

My Astra has a pinned barrel, counterbored chambers and a stamped sideplate. The spring retainer is circular and has four different settings to control trigger pull (nice, why didn't S&W do that?).

What sort of reputation did the gun have and how did it hold up?

Thanks for any replies!












As you can see, the Astra and S&W are about the same
size and build. The firing pin is internal on the Astra and
the spring is coiled, not a flat.

 

[mnrivrat]

I don't think there are a lot of the Astra's floating around. I have seen a few of the .357's but don't recall even seeing the .44 mag.

As to Astra quality, I have owned a few of their guns and had no problem with them at all. I have a healthy respect for Astra and was bummed when they crashed in the late 1990's. I particularly liked their A75 auto's which were scaled very well to the 9mm catridge and designed very close to the Sig Sauer guns. I owned a A75 Inox which were only made for one year. Stainless slide with alloy frame, and it never glitched.

I suspect your .44 Mag is of good quality and should be a great shooter.

 

[Dark Skies]

We had an Astra .44 rental at our gun club way back when. It was one of the first guns I shot when I signed up on the club's opening day. My membership number was 69. It was still there when the club was forced to close ten years later (handgun ban), By then there were 2,500 members. The club was open seven days a week from 9 in the morning til 9 in the evening. I think it stayed the distance pretty well.

 

[damien]

We had an Astra .44 rental at our gun club way back when. It was one of the first guns I shot when I signed up on the club's opening day. My membership number was 69. It was still there when the club was forced to close ten years later (handgun ban), By then there were 2,500 members. The club was open seven days a week from 9 in the morning til 9 in the evening. I think it stayed the distance pretty well.

Did the Queen buy those guns back or just take them?

 

[Dark Skies]

damien - they were compulsorary purchased. However, the people involved with making the payments were so full of stupid that they didn't really have any frame of reference and paid well over the top for guns and all associated equipment. You could bung in any old weird looking tool and say it was for pulling the dapokata spring and they'd pay it. I actually made a lot of money on the deal - and all my permits (I had a lot) were transferred to rifles instead. Small victories and all that.

 

[Jimfern]

Astra to S&W parts exchange

Does anyone know if any parts can be exchanged between the two?

 

[Confederate]

I don't think the parts are interchangeable, but it wouldn't be much of a problem to get new springs or grips. Also, you'd have to shoot it quite a bit for it to need parts replacement. Still, the answer is no.

When I went to Interarms on another matter, the fellow who I chatted with showed me some of the guns they kept on the premises to test. Among the number were about five Astra .44 magnums, blued and steel. Two of them had been fired extensively and were still tight and serviceable. That's what convinced me to buy one to replace the one I'd sold.

I like the pinned barrel and counterbored chambers. If I were going to shoot the one I have (and I'd have to afford the ammo for it), I'd deepen the rear sight notch. That could be done easily enough with a small jeweler's file.



As you can see, the two guns are nearly twins. The 629 (bottom)
has a red ramp and blackened rear sights, while everything on the
Astra is polished stainless steel.



The revolver is extremely well crafted (note the double pinning of
the front sight). They just don't build 'em like that anymore.



Note how everything is polished. Many stainless S&Ws today look
like they were sandpapered by a gorilla!


.

 

[bigb00mer]

I have one in stainless 6"
nice revolver, would not shoot any loads designed for SRH or TC in it though
other then that I have no complaints.
Mine is still as tight as day I got it

 

[davidzztop]

I love mine!

I own one in stainless with a 6" barrel. I thought some parts might be interchangeable and ordered a wood grip for mine, but it did not fit. The rubber grip is great for shooting, but I like the look of wood. If anyone knows how I can get a wood grip I would love to have one! Mine shoots great and I would never part with it.

 

[Walkalong]

This thread is what got me to keeping an eye out for an Astra in .44 Mag. It was a good purchase. I really like it.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=456793

Welcome to THR davidzztop

 

[bjsgear]

HI, JUST BOUGHT A 44 IN STAINLESS,6 INCH BARREL, $375, GONNA PICK IT UP IN A FEW DAYS, LOOKS SWEET !

 

[Barry the Bear]

They are copies of the 29/629 made in spain.They are of great quality, I'd treat it to the same kind of loads you'd use in your 629 no crazy buffalo bore and it'll out last your grandkids.

 

[Gordon]

when I sell off my collection (all ready starting) of the high value guns I won't be able to shoot anyway, the last bigbore revolver will be my Astra. It won't be worth a lot but I am sure it will still work
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[hemiram]

A friend of mine had one, and it was a great gun. Or I guess I should say it became a great gun. Out of the box, if the gun was aimed muzzle up at all, the cartridges would back out and keep the cylinder from turning. A gunsmith knurled the cylinders and it was problem free from that point on. He had it until a couple of years ago when he sold almost all his guns due to his wife becoming ill and they needed money.

 

[Michael Tinker Pearce]

An Astra Jovino Terminator .44 was the gun I was embarrassed to love... I picked it up cheap intending to flip it and made the mistake of shooting it first. It was very well made, had an excellent double-action and a nice finish. It was a superb shooter and I put a lot of rounds through it. I've actually thought about getting another if I can find one, but I doubt I could afford it even if I could find one.

 

[natman]

I've had a couple of Astras, including a stainless 44 Mag. They are well made and are similar, though not identical to S&Ws. My 44 was entirely satisfactory, but I sold it when I decided I had more 44 mags than I really needed. I still have a blue Astra in 45 Colt that's very accurate.

 

[Walkalong]

I still have a blue Astra in 45 Colt that's very accurate.

I am jealous.