Astra misfires

[Battis]

I took the Astra 400 to the range with some old ammo (1962). I cleaned and oiled the gun, everything seems to work, but out of 15 rds, only 5 fired.
I have a set of Wolff springs on the way, so nothing has been replaced yet.
The primer strikes on the 5 fired rds were the same as on the unfired rds.
So...
bad powder, bad primers, weak firing pin strikes?
I don't have another gun to test this ammo. I might pull some bullets and powder and test the primers.
I could reload some of the cases with new primers and powder (or just test new primers).
Any ideas?

[edp2k]

primers may be berdan so not so easy to swap.

[MOA]

CCI use to sell 9mm Largo. Send an email to them an see if they still have runs of it occasionally. Or have one of your LSG guys check with their distributors to see if you can special order it. Is it possible to run 38 super hand loads in that gun?

[Texas by God]

Hit them again. They are old.
I had a bunch of 9mm Luger Egytian ball that needed two strikes on the primer to go bang in several pistols. A friends 9mm cylinder Blackhawk fired them 100% with that big old hammer.

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[Battis]

I tried hitting them again - nothing. I pulled the bullet and powder out of one at home, dropped the primed case in - nothing. Then I put a primed 9mm Luger case in and it popped.
I can use 38 acp in this gun. I have Lee 38 S&W dies but I don't know if I can use them (once I get the brass).

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I'm guessing bad primers. That's bad news for me, because I've got 2 cases of the stuff, all 1962-66 vintage. Haven't tried to fire any of it for years, because I bought several boxes of the CCI ammo when it was available, then eventually got a set of dies and loaded my own. .38 ACP should work fine, but stay away from Super .38. 9mm Steyr will also often work, but is usually harder to locate than 9mm Largo. If you didn't cover it in your pre-range stripping and cleaning, perhaps there is gunk in the firing pin channel and gumming up the firing pin spring. When you get your spring kit you can check it out. To the extent that it did work (5 rounds) how did you like it?

[Battis]

If most of the ammo that I got with the gun is bad, that turns a great deal into a good deal. The ammo is dated '62 & '63. I haven't removed the firing pin yet but I cleaned the bolt and sprayed CLP and wiped some more. It seems to function properly. I'm pretty sure it's the primers.
I really like the gun. Due to it's weight, there's little recoil. I'll bet it'll be accurate once I get ammo that I know will fire.

[bob208]

sounds like bad primers. pull the bullets and use in new cases.

I use .38 super dies to load mine. I don't know about .38 s&w. if you are close to my location you could come over and get it running.

[edp2k]

starline has (small pistol primer) 9mm largo brass, $96 per 500.
if you dont want that much, maybe midway, brownells, etc. sells it in smaller quantity,
or post here any maybe someone will split an order with you.

38 super dies should reload the 9mm largo fine.
38 s&w dies (NOT 38 special) probably not, since that's a .361 bullet (vs. .356) and a short case.

lee 38 super dies would be cheap, or cruise the swapping & selling forum for some used 38 super dies,
or post a WTB add for some there.

on the bolt, I would soak it in acetone or boil it in water (best way) to melt out the old cosmoline.

[Battis]

I'm going to take the bolt apart to see if the firing pin is gunked up, as Der Gebirgsjager suggested. It would be nice if that was the problem, but it's probably the primers. Getting the brass is a problem - Starline, Midway, Grafs, won't ship to MA. My daughter lives in NH, but the big companies will only ship to the address on the credit card, so she'd have to buy it for me. That's a PITA.
Anyhoo, great gun and I'll get it shooting soon.

[Battis]

This is a "what the heck" question...
Has anyone ever come up with a way to test primers? Pull the bullet, dump the powder, test the primer...
Maybe put the primed case in a vise, drop something on the primer, or tap it?

Could headspace be an issue in this Astra, even though the primer strikes are deep enough, and some do pop?
If I had another Astra I could try it, but I don't.

Update: it's the primers.
I removed and cleaned the firing pin group - it was a little grimy but not now. I pulled some bullets and tried the primed cases - nothing.
I put a piece of tape around the case so it sat higher - nothing.
I even tried two empty, primed cases in my Enfield "Tanker" .38 S&W - they fit well, the hammer strikes were as deep as in the Astra, but, no pop.

[Texas by God]

The good news is that you've got a great classic pistol for $400 you can shoot good ammo from here on out.

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[Battis]

I just went to a store in Maine and checked out the used handguns. They had a Star 9mm Largo (also stamped 38). If I had found the Astra and the Star maybe six months apart, I'd get both. Can't do two in a week.
The Star looks like a good gun.

[edp2k]

If I had found the Astra and the Star maybe six months apart, I'd get both.
Can't do two in a week.

Yes you can
If you turn that one down then you won't see another reasonably priced good one for years.
I once thought the same way.
Bought a gun on a Monday, and on Sat saw a Remington nylon 66 in mohawk green for $100, great shape.
I thought "I just bought one, I can't buy another yet." and now all I see are nylon 66's for $500. I'm still kicking myself.

Opportunity knocks only once.

The Star looks like a good gun.

it is, as long as it's priced right, get it

[Battis]

I checked their website and the Star is gone. Less than 24 hrs. I guess $350 was a good price. They do have another Star in 9mm Luger for $295.

I have a Nylon 66 that was my fathers. I've had it for close to 45 years. I took it totally apart when I was young and really dumb, and it sat in that disassembled condition for a long long time. That is one gun that was not meant to be disassembled. I finally got it all back together. Great guns.

[Mr_Sheesh]

One word,"Layaway", it's a thought Ammoseek will show you who else sells Largo ammo or brass if you don't want to go Starline.

[Battis]

It's not that I don't want to buy from Starline - they won't ship it to me. Midway has changed their policies about not shipping to MA - I had to send them a copy of my LTC, which is fine with me. The brass is on the way (and dies from Amazon).

[Battis]

I put all new springs in the gun, including the hammer spring, and still nothing but duds.
I got new Starline brass, small pistol primers, and loaded the pulled bullets with approx. 3 grs of BullsEye, and all is well. What a great gun (once you adjust for the sights).
The pulled bullets are jacketed, hollow based, and weigh about 128 grs. When these are gone (275 of them) I'll switch to a lighter cast bullet.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Problem solved!

[Texas by God]

How do you like those "pins with feet" when you disassembled the slide? Pretty cool.

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