My Astra family is complete

[tark]

My Astra family is complete again! Three months ago, my 400 tried to kill me when the slide broke in two while firing, the rear half destroyed an expensive pair of new glasses, but I only suffered a small cut. They saved my eye. (Guess they were worth their high price!)

Today I picked up a minty 400, a 95% gun, for $499. I already had a very high conditioned 300, that was almost unfired, and a very fine 600 in the same condition. I wanted the 400 to shoot.

So I cleaned it up and shot it, after replacing the recoil and hammer springs, with Wolff units. And I had forgotten how viciously those things kick. It feels like an Aluminum frame Commander sized 1911 in 38 super. Not to mention the empties launched into orbit. (a good 30 feet) The back strap of the thing digs into the web of your hand, which becomes rather painful by the end of the magazine. I don't know of any other automatic pistol that functions with the violence of the blow back Astras.

I have some old, worn out recoil springs, which I will use for light loads. This new 400 is just like my old one in one respect: It will feed anything, including empty cases!! Great for my .38 wadcutter bullets loaded over 3 grains of Bullseye! almost no recoil and the cases dribble out the side about five feet away. I load them for the kids. It lets them fire a big center fire pistol without intimidating noise or recoil.

 

[tark]

sorry about the cockeyed family photo. Still don't know why my phone does that

 

[bullseye308]

I have an Astra A-100 9mm and love it dearly. Very well made and very accurate.

 

[bannockburn]

tark

I still can remember how brutal my Astra Model 600 was on my hand after 50 rounds or so. Safe to say I really have no desire to ever get another one!

 

[Michael Tinker Pearce]

Nice little family! Well done.

 

[Rock185]

Nice collection Tark. Never had the opportunity to shoot an Astra, but the few straight blowback pistols I've shot, .380 and 9X19MM, kicked all out or proportion to the cartridge's power. Especially that little Detonics Pocket 9. Nasty!

 

[Michael Tinker Pearce]

Especially that little Detonics Pocket 9. Nasty!

Oh lord- I used to build those things when I worked at Detonics. Nasty is dead on... Raul Bloom actually wound up in a wrist-brace from test-firing those things. The aluminum grips didn't help. either!

 

[tarosean]

nice collection

 

[chicharrones]

Three months ago, my 400 tried to kill me when the slide broke in two while firing, the rear half destroyed an expensive pair of new glasses, but I only suffered a small cut. They saved my eye. (Guess they were worth their high price!)

Sounds like a good insurance policy.

Congrats on the new to you Astra. Your collection looks great.

 

[max it]

One eyed Jacks are wild...just joking. i appreciate your collecting these. I had one in my hand which didnt work for evaluation from a friend: after showing to my gunny we decided it wasnt worth buying a mag and then trying to unfreeze it all and make it work.

 

[Jim Watson]

Now you need a 900 Broomhandle.

 

[tark]

Now you need a 900 Broomhandle.

The only thing still missing, that I can afford, is a 300 in .380. That will come when I find one in the condition I am after, 95% or better. I am only interested in the blow back "squirt gun " Astras. I've examined a 900, it was impressive, but well into four figures.

 

[Rock185]

MTP, Thanks for the background information on the Pocket 9. I would not have enjoyed the test firing job with that little gun........

 

[Jim Watson]

The only thing still missing, that I can afford, is a 300 in .380. That will come when I find one in the condition I am after, 95% or better. I am only interested in the blow back "squirt gun " Astras. I've examined a 900, it was impressive, but well into four figures.

Falcon with exposed hammer?