LJ-MosinFreak-Buck
Member
I started a thread about purchasing an Astra A-90 on February 19th of this year. I brought the pistol home yesterday, March 15th. I ran some rounds through it to make sure I didn't get a lemon, though it was only two magazines (30 rounds).
Today, I went and put another 30 rounds through the firearm, and this is my review.
I purchased three boxes of ammunition, but I only tested two for accuracy today. WWB Personal Protection, 9mm Luger, 115 Grain, jacketed hollow points, Winchester SXZ9 9mm Luger 115 Grain, jacketed hollow points, and WWB 9mm NATO 124 grain full metal jackets.
I tested the SXZ9's and the NATO's for accuracy today. These were pretty much rapid fire groups, I wanted to see how well I could cluster them while firing at a faster pace.
I started out by loading the NATO rounds in one magazine, and the SXZ9's in another.
The NATO's accuracy is on top, at roughly seven yards, and the SXZ9's are on bottom.
The accuracy, IMHO, isn't too bad, but then again, I'm new to pistols. This is my first, and hopefully not my last. I think the sights need to be adjusted a tad so it shoots more to the left, but I'll try again on a less windy day (the winds were gusting up to about 30 mph) to see if that was the problem.
The recoil wasn't any different between these rounds, what with the NATO's being 9 grains +/- heavier and having a 10% higher than industry standard chamber pressure. This gun is extremely comfortable to shoot, even over the Beretta 92FS, IMO (my Dad owns a 92FS), but those are the only pistols I've shot other than a .380 ACP Lorcin Jam-o-matic.
The sights are a tad bulky to me, but seeing as the front sight was machined into the slide, I can't complain much.
For a holster, I'm using a FOBUS paddle holster for an Smith & Wesson M&P/40. Grant it, it isn't a terrible tight fit, but it sure gets the job done. I tried three different positions so far, the 2 o'clock, the 3 o'clock and the 4 o'clock positions. To me, the 4 o'clock position is a lot more comfortable, and is offering slightly faster draws under a light jacket. I do have a shoulder holster on order from Cheaper Than Dirt, but I forgot to change the shipping address, so the holster is going to my grandparent's address in 90 miles north.:banghead: I've been meaning to take a trip up to visit anyway
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Well, so far so good, I'm pretty happy with my pistol. Absolutely zero hiccups through 60 rounds, and I'm pretty happy about that. It shoots, it's comfortable, and I'm satisfied.
The one con I do have is one of my magazines has a weak spring. After taking it apart and examining it, it's spring has been warped pretty bad, though it functions just as good as the other while shooting, and locks the slide back on the last round, but doesn't do it by hand cycling unless you slam the slide back while simulating recoil.
But, all in all, it's a decent firearm, and hasn't failed me yet.
Today, I went and put another 30 rounds through the firearm, and this is my review.
I purchased three boxes of ammunition, but I only tested two for accuracy today. WWB Personal Protection, 9mm Luger, 115 Grain, jacketed hollow points, Winchester SXZ9 9mm Luger 115 Grain, jacketed hollow points, and WWB 9mm NATO 124 grain full metal jackets.
I tested the SXZ9's and the NATO's for accuracy today. These were pretty much rapid fire groups, I wanted to see how well I could cluster them while firing at a faster pace.
I started out by loading the NATO rounds in one magazine, and the SXZ9's in another.
The NATO's accuracy is on top, at roughly seven yards, and the SXZ9's are on bottom.
The accuracy, IMHO, isn't too bad, but then again, I'm new to pistols. This is my first, and hopefully not my last. I think the sights need to be adjusted a tad so it shoots more to the left, but I'll try again on a less windy day (the winds were gusting up to about 30 mph) to see if that was the problem.
The recoil wasn't any different between these rounds, what with the NATO's being 9 grains +/- heavier and having a 10% higher than industry standard chamber pressure. This gun is extremely comfortable to shoot, even over the Beretta 92FS, IMO (my Dad owns a 92FS), but those are the only pistols I've shot other than a .380 ACP Lorcin Jam-o-matic.
The sights are a tad bulky to me, but seeing as the front sight was machined into the slide, I can't complain much.
For a holster, I'm using a FOBUS paddle holster for an Smith & Wesson M&P/40. Grant it, it isn't a terrible tight fit, but it sure gets the job done. I tried three different positions so far, the 2 o'clock, the 3 o'clock and the 4 o'clock positions. To me, the 4 o'clock position is a lot more comfortable, and is offering slightly faster draws under a light jacket. I do have a shoulder holster on order from Cheaper Than Dirt, but I forgot to change the shipping address, so the holster is going to my grandparent's address in 90 miles north.:banghead: I've been meaning to take a trip up to visit anyway
.
Well, so far so good, I'm pretty happy with my pistol. Absolutely zero hiccups through 60 rounds, and I'm pretty happy about that. It shoots, it's comfortable, and I'm satisfied.
The one con I do have is one of my magazines has a weak spring. After taking it apart and examining it, it's spring has been warped pretty bad, though it functions just as good as the other while shooting, and locks the slide back on the last round, but doesn't do it by hand cycling unless you slam the slide back while simulating recoil.
But, all in all, it's a decent firearm, and hasn't failed me yet.
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but for now i can buy some snap caps and have a buddy load the magazines up for me
