Sights were integral, and the magazine held 8 rounds. They can be identified by a Waffenamt stamping on the right rear grip. In 1951, then West Germany purchased post-war, what they couldnt take delivery of during the war, and then some, paying for them a second time. This is a Navy release according to Astra's conventions. WaA66, what I have seen of post war West German police marked Astra 600 pistols, is that that police armory personnel marked the frame/slide serial number or a sub-portion of it on two magazines (1/2), barrel bushing, and the barrel bushing lock, beyond what the Spanish did during original manufacture. Nonetheless, men in the field probably took advantage of this feature in various conflicts, particularly since 9mm Largo ammunition is The Astra trigger pull was a bit long, somewhat creepy, and somewhat heavy. Having a mismatch between the WaAD20 marked Astras and the post-war delivered Astras just means the mixing happened much later, and it was someone who perhaps did not see value in the WaAD20 marking. The Model 400 was rust blued (as were all Astra pistols up to 1957). The first 10,500 were delivered to the Germans from mid-May to mid-July 1944 to the German occupied seaside town of Hendaye France, just across the border from Spain. The Walther P38 and Luger will always be associated with the bad guys. The amount of information is almost overwhelming; more like an encyclopedia than the typical gun book. The holster is stamped on the back "Stolla - Wein". The barrel, barrel bushing, safety, slide lock, and trigger were left in the white and given a high polish. It looked similar, had the same hefty recoil spring surrounding the barrel, but was slightly smaller and chambered in 9mm Parabellum due to an order by the Germans in 1943 who called it the Pistole Astra 600/43. The numbers on your gun should be the same, so somewhere along the line the frame and slide became mismatched. The left rear of the frame is marked with 3 proofs: a shield with "X", a . The left side of the frame is marked with several Spanish proofs including the date code "0". I would like to get an appraisal on an Astra 600/43 9mm with The SCAR 15P is chambered for 5.56 NATO and, with its 7.5-inch barrel, is the most compact SCAR to date. . While it is robust, reliable, and simple, it also has some serious downsidesprimarily the recoil, which well cover a bit later. Its exciting, interesting, and ultimately a more creative means to accomplish a reliable fighting pistol. Petersen Pub. (non-P08) Pistols & Holsters. This is about an Astra 600/43 with an unusual history. 7 German police pistols you should get to know :: Guns.com I believe I now understand the likely scenario that would result in a WaAD20 marked Astra 600 also carrying an LBPN marking. hammer and was strongly influenced by the 1903 FN Browning Military pistol as well as the 1910 FN Browning. I have Astra #16020, LBPN marked, with a magazine marked 6020. What we do know, is that uncharacteristically it somehow found its way into post-war German police use by the LBPN. Astra Model 600 Military & Police, .32acp or 9mm Mag. or Grips Astra 300 9 item; Astra 400 14 item; Astra 600 25 item; Ballester Molina 13 item; Browning 1922 10 item; Bushmaster ACR 5 item; Carcano 10 item; CZ27 12 item; CZ50/70 18 item; The manual safety sits in front of the grip and rotates upwards. models. Here is what I have learned and why it is likely that dual WaAD20 / LBPN markings occurred. The Astra 600 was a Spanish semi-automatic pistol used during World War II by the Wehrmacht. After the first 50 were test trialed in 1943, the regular shipments began with serial number 51 to 10,500 in 1944. This pistol was taken off a Dead German officer by my uncle in WWII. Once WWII was over, the undelivered pistols were forwarded to the Spanish government. Gun #: 925524428. Co., Harrisburg, PA: 1946.Spanish Handguns, by Gene Gangarosa Jr. Stoeger, Accokeek, Maryland: 2001.Model 400 Manual. originally designed in the mid-1940s, at the same time as the Model 700, but actual production did not get under way until 1958. Model: ASTRA Model 600/43. Gun #: 997900301. Gangarosa suggests that the Model 600s may have been even better finished than other Astras in an effort to please the Germans who were accustomed to a very high standard of manufacture. I believe it's a model 300. standard Spanish military sidearm until 1946. Firing of the Astra 600 - YouTube But under wartime exigencies the Germans often had to use their 9mm Parabellum ammunition in the Model 400s. Models were made to chamber both the 9MM Luger cartridge and the .32 ACP. lugerlou, I believe I understand your thinking, but Im not sure it really solves the mystery. The tubular design certainly stands out among the squarish 1911s, Hi-Powers, and revolvers of the day. Astra Model 600 Astra pistol 400, 600, 300. You should have no trouble selling it is you chose to do so. caliber. The Model 800, also known as the Condor, was a redesigned Model 600, chambered for the 9mm Parabellum. The "O" means 1944 manufacture. "Billboard" markings on the left side of the barrel cover; you can't miss them! The s/n falls in with the batch that was sold to the West German Police after WW II. In 1913 the company moved to a location in Guernica, Spain. That also left Astra with nearly 30,000 completed guns and parts, many of which had been ordered and paid for by Nazi Germany. We hope to raise awareness and understanding for the collector community, as well as encourage new collectors to join the hobby. It is clear and well documented how the serial numbers. In 1941, Astra sold 6000 Model 400 pistols to the German military (along with the first order of 6000 Model 300s). For the best experience on our site, be sure to turn on Javascript in your browser. These were exported to Nazi Germany and were also sold on the civilian market. Obviously to me, that pistol served both in WW2 and was used by post war german police. So I assume it made its way to post war Germany? Long gone from the market, we can offer the Model 300 and 600 holsters as used during the Spanish Civil War and by WW2 German Forces who purchased over 80,000 of the Model 300's and 40,000 of the Model 600's Best Sellers New Arrivals $19.95 $4.00 $1.00 $36.00 $39.00 $19.95 $36.00 $39.00 $24.95 He holds an NRA certification as a Basic Pistol Instructor and is probably most likely the world's Okayest firearm instructor. After the end of the war the Allied occupation forces disarmed the nationalized German Police, broke them down into smaller departments, and then re-armed them. The Astra 400 had a 5.9-inch barrel and was chambered in the underappreciated 9mm Largo. Very cool indeed. The price of the Astra 600 will largely be tied to the individual guns history. In 1953, the company name changed again and became Astra y Unceta Cia, S.A. New models were produced over the years, many of original designs and others that were replicas of well-known American manufacturers. The Astra Model 600 | Tinker Talks Guns It works with a simple blowback system, which is as simple as it gets. If I showed the Astra to most people, they couldnt identify the gun as a Nazi pistol. Related Dictionary Pages: Amadeo Rossi Pistols, Auto-Ordnance Corp. Firearms Manufacturer, Auto Mag Corporation Firearm Manufacturer. LPN and LBPN marked Astra 600s are not uncommon, but one like 8901 that is also WaAD20 proofed, is, in my observation, quite unusual. hole down to the bottom of the grip--the single grip screw is obviously set too close to the edge of the grip--this may be the one design flaw on the Model 300. Astra Model 600 | Single-Actions - ProBoards How much military service it saw is anybodys guess. Astra Model 600 - Unblinking Eye Ejecting the magazine is interesting. The Astra 600, a slightly shorter and lighter version of the Astra 400 that is chambered in 9mm Luger, [6] was later developed for export sales, primarily to Nazi Germany. Technically a First Contract firearm, 8901 also lived the life of a Second Contract firearm being used by the LBPN for many years following the war. Early Falcons were fitted with black or brown checkered plastic grips with the Astra logo and the word Falcon in a scroll. He is a. part I, Firearms and edged Weapons, a New York collection, part II, Rare old Pistols and Guns. In the late '70s and '80s, the company faced a decline in sales that led to the 1998 merger of Astra y Unceta Cia and the bankrupt Star Bonifacio Echeverria S.A. Ben Voss FN Product Manager talks about the new FN SCAR 15P ultra-compact rifle-caliber pistol at SHOT Show 2023. New PM! It's made of a hard polymer and comes in two sizes, each of those having two graduated bearing surfaces. Visit our website for new treasures daily. From appearances and the lack of markings it was a civilian-sale gun. I would have thought that most of the WaAD20 pistols were war trophies or destroyed. The gun should be finished with a rust blue, and have wood checkered panels and an unnumbered magazine marked with the Astra E/U logo on the lip extension. [7], The Astra 600s that were sold to the German military during World War II are commonly referred to as "first contract" Astra 600s. This pistol was taken off a Dead German officer by my uncle in WWII. The early Astra logo consisted of the word ASTRA with the suns rays at The examples I have seen are toward the high end of the range, in 8XXX and 9XXX, so perhaps the later shipments were accepted but never issued. 10/1/18 - This is an original WW2 era production Astra model 600 holster. The Astra 600 - Old School Cool - The Mag Life Answer:I also happen to be a fan of the 300/400/600 family of Spanish blowback Astras. There's also some light areas of white mold growing - but this . Manufactured by Unceta y Cia, Guernica, Spain, from 1942 until 1948 as a substitute pistol for use in the German military service. If you think Im missing something, let me know. It will deactivate automatically when the slide is manually cycled. Standard proof marks on the Astra 600. Theproof on the right tang was applied by the Germans after acceptance of the guns in France. Battis. The Bomb with "P" means the pistol was fired 4 times with the correct loading for the gun. Due to the number of government orders for the firearm, the company moved to a new factory in Guernica. scarce outside of Spain. Very good holster rig. The Model 600 is 15 millimeters shorter than the Model 400, but has a slightly longer grip, though both magazines hold 8 rounds. In 2008, a Swiss firearms maker located in the city of Sion adopted the name Astra Arms S.A. and took over the rights to the Astra trademark. The MP 36 was a submachine gun designed and produced by Germany during World War II. Germany ordered 41,500 of them, and production began. In 1943, when it was clear that the war would be a prolonged conflict, Germany dispatched two engineers to Astra. ASTRA 600 New and Used Price, Value, & Trends 2023 All of the Astra pistols in this family are very tightly fitted, as anyone who has disassembled one will know--the barrel mount and close-fitting barrel bushing make them potentially very accurate. It has no military or police markings, no foreign proofs and not even importer's markings. I mention the import marks because they are the C.A.I. The Astra 600 was very similar to the Astra 400 but chambered in 9mm Parabellum. Specifically, they asked for the Astra 400 to be rechambered to 9mm parabellum and for the barrel to be shortened slightly. Admin . They also shipped larged quantities of 9mm Largo ammunition with the pistols. It works with a simple blowback system, which is as simple as it gets. First, make the slide massive and heavy. Keep in mind that many Astra pistols have had their grips replaced with unmarked stocks due to age. From that moment until late 1944, Astras primary interest was to fill these requisitions. Gun show find. Astra 300 with capture tag! - SPOILS OF WAR - U.S The back of the holster shows some surface scratching, none of which goes completely through the leather. http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=207222954. Astra 600 Holster | Legacy Collectibles I think this is LBPN practice. LSB#: 130205NW12 Make: Astra Model: 600/43 Serial Number: 56192 Year of Manufacture: 1943-1945 Caliber: 9mm Parabellum Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto Pistol with Removable Magazine Markings: The left side of the slide is marked ""Astra' Mod.600/43 / 9m/m Parabellum" and with a flaming bomb "P". Model 300, which differed from the one on the base of the Model 400 grip. Copyright 2008 & 2009 by Ed Buffaloe. Yet, if you look hard, you might be able to find some real value on the market. Esperanza Y Unceta (Astra) submitted two different designs, one of which was the Model 400, and Bonifacio Echeverria submitted Serial numbers were stamped on frame, slide, and barrel. The company began producing the Spanish Army's Campo Giro pistol in January of 1914. In 1943 the Nazis ordered and paid for 50,000 guns, and deliveries started in 1944. Action Type: Single-Action Semi-Automatic Pistol with 8-Round Detachable Magazines Markings: The left side of the grip strap is marked "UNCETA Y COMPANIA" and features the number "6621". With the Astra 600, the barrel was trimmed to 5.3-inches and obviously chambered to the round of choice. The serial number is 14331. DG. There are two methods with a handgun. The Astras were used by the Army and various Police organizations, including the LPN (Landespolizei Niederschsen) and LBPN (Landesbereitschaftspolizei Niederschsen). 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