Astra broomhandle 9mm carbine?

[verb0s]

Hi, I'm not sure if this is the right section for this,
I found a C96 9mm carbine for sale at my local range for $1500, I'm wondering does anyone know more this gun and whether it's worth the money. They also got a real Mauser C96 pistol for sale but there's no way i can afford 20 grand. $1500 is already way more than I can spare, but to pick up a once-in-a-lifetime buy I could dip into savings to get it. 9 mm is also alot easier to obtain than 7.63 Mauser.
The carbine is not mint, based on my blue book's photo grading system I'd probably around 85% or so. The store says it works and safe to shoot, the bore looks good and the crown is sharp & in good condition. I plan on buying it for collecting and take it to the range every now and then to show off.

They also have a Mauser Mod 45 bolt action 22 trainer for $350, also drew my attention because i like older guns and would be a nice addition to my collection.
Gun internal & operation is in good condition, exterior has some bluing wear and stock has some scratches and dings.

Thanks in advance!

 

[bannockburn]

verb0s

Sounds very interesting. Can you post some photos of it?

 

[verb0s]

unfortunately no, I didn't get any at the time and that'll have to wait until wednesday when i can go back to the store.

 

[OARNGESI]

was the barrel 16in or bigger? or did it look like a pistol with a wood stock?

 

[Tejicano Loco]

Were I in your shoes this post would be about the Astra carbine I just bought. As long as it was in relatively nice condition and functional I would bring that baby home without a single regret.

 

[Jim Watson]

I may not understand. A C96 is a Mauser. Where does the Astra come in? Has the store got a Spanish copy of the Mauser in carbine form?
If so, and if it is real, it is surely worth $1500.

But there were gunzine articles about building your own carbines out of surplus pistols about 50 years ago. It was considered good clean fun, until a book came out years later with a picture right out of one of those articles to warn you of fakes. But it was a fake nothing, it was not a copy of any period gun that really existed.

Know what you are looking at... or show us pictures to discuss.

 

[USAF_Vet]

They also got a real Mauser C96 pistol for sale but there's no way i can afford 20 grand.

What planet was this on? Last few gun shows I've been to a guy has had a table full of C96 Mausers, most expensive one was a shade under $2500. Did I miss something that would have increased the value of these guns ten fold?

I see red 9 broom handles in the $1500 range often enough that I consider saving for one. $1500 for a 9mm broom handle carbine, if authentic, is a no grained purchase if you happen to want one.

 

[Mp7]

wiki says:

The Spanish gunmaking firms of Beistegui Hermanos and Astra began producing detachable magazine-fed, select-fire versions of the C96 in 1927 and 1928 respectively, intended for export to the Far East.[6]
Mauser began production of the Schnellfeuer ("Fast Fire"), their own select-fire, detachable magazine version of the M30 designed by Karl Westinger. Production started in 1932 and ended in 1936,[6] This has led to its unofficial designation of "M1932" by collectors. Again, it was largely intended for export to China or to the opposing sides in the later Spanish Civil War. Small numbers of M1932s were also supplied to the German Wehrmacht during World War II, who designated it the M712.[6]

So 20grand would be one of those, eh?

to be more precise: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astra_Model_900 > respective the german "Schnellfeuer".

?

 

[verb0s]

What planet was this on? Last few gun shows I've been to a guy has had a table full of C96 Mausers, most expensive one was a shade under $2500. Did I miss something that would have increased the value of these guns ten fold?

I see red 9 broom handles in the $1500 range often enough that I consider saving for one. $1500 for a 9mm broom handle carbine, if authentic, is a no grained purchase if you happen to want one.

I'm in California, it might as well another planet. Our Roster essentially makes it a closed market, if it's not on the Roster at time of purchase it cannot be brought into california. all those listings are outside of CA.
Even though the state website says that used and Curio & Relic qualified handguns are exempt from the Roster restriction no FFL i've met are willing to try to import a gun exempted from the roster.

I have a C&R license and I would use it to get a C96 handgun if I could. I'm not entirely sure how the C&R thing works in CA, California does not recognize my license within CA. I have purchased long guns from out of state retailers like classic firearms and J&G, so I know it works at least outside of CA. I haven't tried handguns yet (having not found something I like) and according to J&G sales, importing handguns to CA requires a full 01 FFL, not the 03 FFL i have.

 

[verb0s]

It is a legal carbine- the store wouldn't tell it if it's a SBR- SBR's are banned in CA.
I think it is a Astra 900, but the buttstock is firmly attached and the barrel is at least rifle length- meaning at least 16". it is being sold as a long gun, and exempt from CA AWB since it has a fixed (non detachable) 10 round magazine.

I'm going to the store tonight and I'll see if I can get some photos of the gun.

 

[Ian]

If it's an Astra, it will have pins running through the lower, which the fire control parts are mounted on internally. If it's a Mauser, it will not have any pins visible in the trigger frame area.

There were some Mauser carbines made in the 60s that came in, which I suspect is what this is. They used a different receiver than the normal C96 pistols - the stock is detachable, but it forms the grip as well, so the gun isn't effectively shootable without the stock attached. It looks like this:

 

[batjka]

Some info in Astras:

http://www.americanrifleman.org/article.php?id=14289&cat=20&sub=21&q=1

 

[verb0s]

yeah that's the gun!

Here's a couple photos of the gun







ps, i picked up that mauser 22, a check on gunbroker for prices averaged $400+. I think i got a good deal on it.

 

[batjka]

If you don't mind, I will cross-reference this thread to Spanish Pistol Board at gunboards.

 

[Jim Watson]

This is probably a built up gun using an action from Chinese surplus of the 1980s.
There is one similar shown about 60% of the way down the page at:
http://homepages.vvm.com/~histpart/sidearms.htm

Another seen at
http://www.auctionflex.com/showlot.ap?co=1&weiid=2342983



The 16 inch barrel is to pass BATF regulations.
A real Mauser (or Luger) carbine has an 11 inch (probably 28 cm) barrel.

 

[Ian]

Yep, relatively modern make, and not an Astra. Their price is fairly decent, though, if it's something you want.

Watch your thumb knuckle when shooting it - those can give a serious case of hammer bite! Here's me shooting one, along with a normal C96 pistol and a full auto Schnellfeuer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wW2p9gkmHxM