Astra Constable

T

TheTurtle101

Inactive
Greetings, first post here. I'm hoping to learn a little more about a ppk-ish pistol I got in a trade this weekend. It's an Astra Constable in .380. It seems to be in excellent condition. Fit is superb. Internals are smooth, and finish is top notch. However, I can't seem to find any hint of production year anywhere. I'd like to know if it has some interchangeable parts with other guns too, as parts are near impossible to locate. Here's some pics for good measure.

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I've shot the heck out of one of the .22 versions, and it was reliable and accurate. Parts are a bit delicate- If I owned yours I'd probably buy a firing pin and extractor.
 
Can't help you with parts interchange, but I can tell you that I HATE YOU!!

The Astra Constable was the first gun I ever saw and wanted purely for the looks!
By all accounts, the owners I have read about have all been happy with it. I really like Astra guns.

A really nice piece of manufacturing. Enjoy and post a range report
 
Thanks for the replies. I've always wanted a bondesque type pistol for funsies, and this scratched the itch. I got a heck of a deal for it...in trade value I probably paid $50 for it. I'll probably only run ball ammo through it, so I'm not totally worried about reliability. Maybe one day I'll carry it as a backup.
 
I don't know much about the Astra at all but I bought the A-60 last month and shot it for the first time last Sunday. it was one of the best .380 pistol I ever shot. Super smooth, accurate, and absolutely almost no recoil. The A-60 is a double column magazine (13rds) vs. the Constable is the single column magazine (8rds); similar to the Beretta 84 vs. 85. Parts are hard to find.

Astra A-60
Excellent to like new condition
3 total magazines
Matching serialized box
Manual
Interarms version (not surplus)
All for just a little north of $200


Yg
 
The first auto I carried, in the late 1970s, was a Constable. It was reliable and accurate. A nice gun. Parts may be tough to find. Well worth adding to your collection. Nice find.

YoungGun, that is beautiful!!!
Click to expand...

Ditto :cool:
 
A modern Spanish-made firearm should have a proof mark with an alphanumeric code next to it denoting the year it was proofed. Although the website concerns Star pistols, this link has a chart with the codes:

http://star-firearms.com/firearms/proof.shtml

I'm not sure where the proof mark on an Astra is located; it may be under the grips.

Minor grammatical note: the letter combinations "CH" and "LL" and the letter N with a tilde "Ñ" are considered to be separate and distinct letters in the Spanish language. Their inclusion in the chart is not an anomaly.
 
Wow, that's a nice piece. I did find some markings under the grips, but the stamp seems to be off-centered and only half of it is visible. I think it's a 70's model. My Mag seems to only load 7 rounds, kinda nervous about trying to stuff another one in there, as I don't want to hurt the spring and be on a goose hunt for a new one. Will these fit PPK holsters?
 
To answer one question, no, there are no other pistols with parts interchangeable with the Constable. There are some parts still available, but they are scarce and of course, the most needed ones go first.

Jim
 
I am a fan of that type of .380 - the older, larger, heavier guns. I reload for the caliber and really enjoy shooting a Russian Makarov in .380. I've heard mostly good things about the Constable, the negative was, as mentioned, sometimes hit or miss quality. If it's a good one, I would actually prefer it to a Walther.
 
I do not own an Astra, though I've had a hankering for one for some time it's just not been on the top of the list. I'm more of a Star fan myself and own several of the later day productions prior to them closing their doors. With that kind of affinity, I've found myself in a position to need advice and a part or two more specific to Spanish made firearms. There is a forum dedicated solely to Spanish pistols that you may find useful. There is in fact a member there from Spain who purchased a huge lot of the Star parts available when they folded that I've bought from at very reasonable prices. I believe he may have parts for other marks as well, but am certain he could assist you should you ever find yourself in need to put you on someone who does.
Just trying to share some helpful info, here is a link to the board.

http://forums.gunboards.com/forumdisplay.php?40-The-Spanish-Pistol-Board

Hope that's not breaking any rules here, just trying to be helpful. :)
 
My brother and I both had this gun at one time. I had mine for almost thirty years and just sold it two years ago to a friend of mine. I shot it quite a bit over the years and found it to be surprisingly accurate. In all the time I owned that gun it never once failed to fire and eject, and did so with any brand of ammo. I ended up selling it due to two reasons: it bit the back of my thumb with every shot and it's way too heavy compared to more modern .380 pistols that are just as reliable.
 
The Spanish ASTRA and STAR pistols were all world class guns. My ASTRA II is accurate enough to win Camp Perry's Centerfire class were I enough markman to do so. It shoots dead on the sights with factory ammuniiton with groups right around 1 1/8" at 25 yards. It is embarrassing to say my handloads are all around 1 1/2" at 25 yards and and that still is pretty good for an autloading 9MMKURZ pistol. I've also hunted small game with it and it knocks the stew outta things as big as groundhogs. Squirrels and rabbits too.
The ASTRA constable II is a deeelightful little pistol to this very day. NOW...do not get me going on STARS......or CUBS....or CAMPERS....
And so it goes...
 
Nice alternative to a PPK

That's a really great looking gun. I'd really like to find one for myself someday. I've always loved the look of the PPK but I have this (probably irrational) hatred of Walther. Some of my ancestors had to escape Poland before WWII and I just can't make myself purchase a German gun. Obviously, none of the people who made guns for the Nazis are around today, but somehow I just can't make myself buy a Walther. This might be a good option for me.
 
I had an Astra Constable back in the mid 1970's. It was a great shooting CCW gun. I ended up trading it in for a Mauser HSc which I never should have sold. tom. :o
 
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