newest Astra

[cwo4uscgret]

Sometimes timing is everything. I have a day off work today so that means I usually go visit the local gun shops just to "look" - at least that's what I tell my bride.

Today was no different; I was in the processing of bringing something home to "look at" permanently when someone walked in with a black nylon computer bag over his shoulder and asked the owner of the shop if he ever bought guns from other people. I've been dealing with this gun shop owner for almost 10 years and I have a good idea of how the buying process goes so I just stood there and watched the guy pull what appeared to be an ASTRA 400 in a black leather flap holster, 1 x 100 round box of Interarms 9mm ammo and 2 x 50 round boxes of 9mm ammo marked 9 mm 44 on the case. The seller said the gun was worth at least $800 but wanted $450 for it...

With the blessing of the gun shop owner I made him a offer that was somewhat better then what the shop owner offered to pay so now I have a holstered Astra 600 chambered in 9mm that has a non-matching numbered magazine. Other then the Astra equivalent of a 1911 Idiot Mark (the barrel bushing looks like its been bitten by slip joint pliers) I would say the gun is about 85% - 90%. I assume by the serial number that this was a post WWII German Police Pistol although there are no markings on the holster or the gun other then printed in ink on the inside flap of the holster is the name Menzel which sure sounds German to me. Here are some photos of it:


Holster

Astra Logo

Astra 600 Proofmarks

Barrel Stamp

Here's my Astra Family Portrait; the A600, A400, and A300. 9mm, 9mm Largo, and 9mm Kurz and a size comparison between the 400 and 600:




I also picked up an H&R The American SA/DA .32 S&W:

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.