astra .38

T

thedave

Inactive
While cruising through the net I discovered this site and I look foward to spending many productive hours at work exploring the site.

I just picked up my first revolver, an astra .38 with a 4" barrel. Mechanically it appears to be in real good shape. However I don't know a lot about this gun, so is there anything I should keep an eye out for? I've heard these guns can use +p ammo, is there any truth to that?

Any info I could get on this goun would be very helpful, my google searches aren't getting me very far
 
Welcome to TFL, Dave. This is one of two places on the web to start. Tons of info here, and someone will show up that knows the answers to your questions. I don't know much about the Astra, but someone here does. You might try the gunsmithing forum here, or here:

www.thehighroad.org

Lots of the same people hang out at both TFL and THR, for reasons that will become clearer to you over time.
 
thanks, i'll check that site out. This seems to be a real nice shooting gun, I would definately like to learn more about it
 
I had opportunity to shoot a few Astra guns in the early 1970s; the "Constable" .380 pistol and their 4" .357 revolver. I recall both were very well finished and shot very well indeed. However I have not owned one or had any experience with any since then.
 
I have an Astra .38 special revolver And this is a very good gun. I can shoot accurately to 30yrds with it in single action. I dont know if it can shoot +p rounds. What are the daners in shooting +ps if the gun is not designed for it? I love my astra for $200 it was the best revolver I could buy. It was cheap and I will make this my car gun. It has a 4" barrel and its looks alone would be an intimidator. There is virtually no recoil with this gun becaue it is built like a tank and it fits your hand like a glove.
 
These were made in Spain I believe. They are indeed solidly made but the blueing is not very good. You'll need to take care of it. I have used one a few times and it shot well. They are pretty solid guns. I have a friend who bought one in South Africa and has had it for many many years - he carried it through South America and swears by it. As I recall the sights were not very good.
 
These were made by the now defunct firm of Astra, Unceta, y Compania of the Basque area in Spain. I think they were in either Eibar or Elgoibar. Maybe Guernica. I really should refresh my memory on this...

There were two forms, one about the size of the S&W Chief's Special, the other (also sold at times as the FN Barracuda) about like a K-frame S&W.
If it's chambered in .38 Special, not .357, I'd ask a gunsmith if much use of Plus P ammo is safe. I wouldn't use it in the small one without confirming suitability. The small one was called the Cadix, and also came in .22.

Astra was one of the three Spanish handgun makers allowed after Franco won the civil war in the 1930's: Astra, Star, and Llama. I think the latter may still be in business, although not at its former level. It was definitely in Elgoibar. Star was in Eibar. (Bonifacio, Echeverria, y Compania.)

Modern Spanish military and police handguns tend to be from Heckler & Koch, according to a gun book I found by a Spanish author. However, some Star and Llama models remain in use for the time being.

Astra had a generally good reputation, but few here know much about the company. The late Col. Charles Askins was US Army attache in Madrid for some years, and he wrote a good bit about these companies.

Now, for a true story: I was once asked by a woman engaged to a Spaniard what the difference was between a Spaniard and a Mexican! For what it's worth, two of the four Spaniards whom I've met here in Dallas were blondes, one from Madrid and one from Valencia. Foxy ladies, too... :)

Lone Star
 
I have one in .38. (well my dad actually currently has it.)
I bought it at a gun show then found out they were not supposed to be exported to the US. The .357 model was the only one that was supposed to be available over here.
 
My 1983 Gun Digest lists the Astra .357 revolver at $375, at a time when the S & W model 19 was selling for $246 and change and the Colt Lawman III for about $275.

Maybe the Astra was just "foreign" and too expensive to sell well.

I know the Astra autos were very high quality, probably the revolvers were no different.

Mark
 
Keep in mind that Astra 400 and 600 autos used a heavy recoil spring, but weren't locked breech designs. Be careful what ammo you feed them.

Lone Star
 
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