German Ordered Astra 9mm

[chaosrob]

took a couple of pics of it today after realizing I had not done so yet. Goofy gun with a recoil spring out of this world (since it is a blowback design). Thought I would throw it out there as I know that collecting taste varies here

Information

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[Eaglelord17]

That is a neat pistol. I wasn't aware that it was even possible to make a 9mm parabellum pistol which was a straight blowback (all the experiments I have heard of usually ended in failure). Thanks for sharing.

[Vincent]

They were originally chambered in 9mm Largo - 9x23mm.

[Sarge]

I have both a 600 u. a 300 with WaA. Both are fun to shoot!
Sarge

[browningautorifle]

Nice group.

[Sentryduty]

I wasn't aware that it was even possible to make a 9mm parabellum pistol which was a straight blowback

It can be done, but usually the mass of the slide makes for a heavy and clumsy pistol, see modern pistols produced by Hi-Point for examples. The do a .45ACP as well, it's just more clumsy than the 9mm.

[jdmcomp]

This gun has quite a history, some 40k guns bought by the Germans with only the first 10k delivered and marked. Mine is in the later bunch, the 30k that remained in Spain and then was sold again to the new German government for police use. I do appreciate a simple reliable design and this is one. Bit of a heavy spring for loading first round but seems to handle any load without a hickup. Mags can be found. I would love to find a German WDWII manual for this gun.

[cipherk98]

I've always been partial to these guns. They look cool and feel good in the hand though unfortunately I've not actually had the chance to shoot one yet. I tried to acquire a commercial model at an auction but had no luck, though I wouldn't pass one up if another came along at the right price.

[oldpaul]

Very well done photographs of an interesting pistol. Is the hat Austrian? It is most certainly not my area of expertise but the hat looks to have an edelweiss flower embroidered on it. As to 9mm blow-back automatics; Beretta's first handgun the 1915 in 9mm Glisenti was a straight blow-back with a separate buffer spring at the end of recoil. The slide is still easily drawn back to load. This system was echoed in the first polymer framed pistol the Heckler Koch VP70 in full powered 9mm Luger. Very nice. I have always liked the look of your pistol. Best. Tom

[Bruce_in_Oz]

Re: the "Feldmutze" with the Edelweiss:

"Gebirgsjaeger" (German Alpine Troops)?

More info on these pistols can be found here: [URL="http://unblinkingeye.com/Guns/Astra_/astra_.html[/URL]