Spanish Astra 600/43

[Aragorn243]

Spotted this at the gun auction from hell and decided to take a chance on it due to the condition. Paid a little more than I wanted but well within its value so I'm happy.

This is one that could not be delivered to the Germans during the war. It has no additional markings so no concrete proof of where it went and how it got here but odds are it was sold to Germany for their police after the war concluded. They ended up being surplused here prior to the requirement for import marks. It's very lightly used with just a little bit of surface scaling on the grip.

[browningautorifle]

Just about mint...

[Aragorn243]

I got curious and decided to do a side by side with my 400. It is definitely smaller.

[free1954]

never realized how much smaller they were.

[Aragorn243]

Will soon have it fully outfitted. Sarco still has the magazines, and I found a holster serial numbers off by a few hundred. I hated paying as much as I did but I watched it for two weeks and checked every source I could and most wanted more than this one went for. It's dated correctly 1958 which is when these late serial numbers were purchased by West Germany. Plus the serial number being that close was what sealed the deal.

Condition matches the condition of the gun also, lightly used.

I picked up a nice book on Spanish handguns also which helped me make the decision. "Spanish Handguns" by Gangarosa. There was a total of 59,400 of these made, all prior to the end of 1945. 2950 to Germany in May of 44, 5000, in June of 44 and 2500 in July of 45. after that the remaining 31.350 sold to Germany were sold to them a second time in 1951. A final batch of 14,000 were sold to Germany in the late 1950's. Small numbers were sold to Chile 450, Costa Rico 100, Egypt 25, Jordan 200, Portugal 800, Thailand 15, Turkey 100 and specifically Ankara police in Turkey 100.

Sometimes you just have to realize it's just money and it is losing value as I type this.

[Aragorn243]

Holster came today, perfect fit, definitely for the Astra 600. Serial number is about 300+ off, date is 1955 rather than 1958 I believe.

[Aragorn243]

Spare magazine from SARCO came today. It's in better condition than the one that came with it.

[butlersrangers]

That is a very nice package that you put back together!

[Low & Slow]

Nice rig. I put together a similar pairing a while back. The pistol is a 1945 (no Wa's), and the holster is an unnumbered Akah. I think I may still have a couple of Astra mags in their factory wrapping around here somewhere. Can't remember if they're for the 600 or the 400. Suppose I'd better start looking before I forget that too.

[jeep]

A lot of those were hardly used by West Germany. The rig brings about $800 today,but they are a hard sell. Small market on them. But great shooters!