Just bought a Astra M900 Broomhandle

Although patented in 1928, one source says they were in production by 1927
http://www.gunsworld.com/spain/astra900_us.html
They were still cataloged in 1938 but did not likely survive the war.
If I can find my article on Spanish proof marks, I will try to tie it down closer.

From an article by Larry Sterett in an old Gun Digest. (I don't know how old, I read and reread it as a kid and it is eroded several pages from each end, including cover and spine. Maybe 1959 or 1960, based on new gun introductions.)

"The disassembly of the Astra models differs radically from that of the Mauser. The following procedure should be used:

1. Cock the hammer and place the lower edge of the safety lever in line with the groove on the sliding cover. Placing the barrel against something solid, push it backwards, or grip the barrel in the left hand and push it rearward. Uding the right forefinger, push the rear bolt, located above the caliber mark, through from the right side.

2. The cover may now be slid backward with a slight pressure of the left thumb, exposing the interior mechanism for inspection.

3. Place the safety lever in firing position, push the barrel backwards, and purh out the round headed bolt in the center of the frame, from right to left. Be careful when removing this bolt as the pressure of the stop spring will now cause the frame and barrel to separate. Remove the safety lever.

To assemble, reverse the above operations."

They always say that, don't they?


Found my book. One of the proof marks, the knight's helmet over a shield with crossed muskets, came into use in 1931, so the gun was made not earlier than that. Spain had not changed proof marks in the next 40 years so I cannot fix it any closer than 1931 til the end of production. Which one source says was 1933 and another 1941. A third says... well read it at
http://www.1896mauser.com/spanish.htm
 
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Astra and Star both capitalized on the Mauser's popularity in the Asian market. One major derivation from the Mauser design was the abandonment of the interlocking feature of the Mauser. Mauser had only one screw (grip) and one pin (sight for adjustable sights) in its construction. Everything else snapped together like a lego brick. Astra relied on more convention manufacturing techniques (cheaper to machine) to make their copy of the Broomhandle.

Congratulations on your acquisition.
 
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