astro model 400 9mm largo

[camaro1st]

does anyone know about these pistols? I pick one up and would like to get a couple of questions answered. I've done the internet search and found a little info on it. I am hoping that someone might be able to help me out a little. Thanks

[texassako]

About the only info site I have seen: http://9mmlargo.com/ . If you pick up surplus ammo, most of it is corrosive and a lot of the newer production was made for SMGs, not the older weaker pistols. Starline makes proper brass and load data is available on the 9mm Largo site, various articles, and using .38 ACP(not .38 Super) data as a starting point.

[Artful]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7Yc3ByJhEY

9mm Bergmann Bayard and 9mm Largo are one in the same.
9mm Largo is just the Spanish designation for the cartridge.
John Browning copied the 9mm Bergmann Bayard cartridge in all dimensions and added a slight rim because he felt, at the time, rimless cartridges wouldn't be reliable in semi automatic weapons.
The 1921/400 can shoot .38 acp non +P or 9mm Styer ammo if the chamber is marked 9mm/.38
The Spanish Military are marked 9mm and the breechface is not relieved like the commercial guns for the semi rimmed .38 acp, however, some Military guns shoot the .38 acp just fine, some don't function well with the stuff.
If I remember correctly starline has 9 largo brass

Remember that this pistol is a straight BLOWBACK action, so don't go too heavy on ammo or reloading, meaning, NO .38 SUPER!
You CAN use .38 ACP, which is a lot lighter than Super, but finding a good souce for 9mm Largo ammo would be better.
Remember many of the older imported 9mm Largo is corrosive.
It CAN shoot a variety of lesser powered rounds, as is rumored, but not advisable.
This was started as the 380's etc would slip up under the extractor claw and hold the cartridge for the firing pin to set off.
I do not recommend this practice.

I had access to a Model 400 years ago, and it was a very well built gun.
Butt ugly, but beauty is in the eyes, etc.

They work fine with the proper ammo, and are surprisigly accurate for a military gun.
Do NOT use a pair of pliers, etc; it can be taken down quite easily without tools.
You can spot the "boogered" ones by the teeth marks on the barrel, where it is serrated, after drawing the slide back, and sometimes on the barrel bushing. Check the link; for disassembly instructions, Parts, Grips and mags can be hard to get, as with any gun not made since WWII(?)/1950 commercial stocks exhausted. The bore size was/is 9mm (.355), as I recall as I measured mine.

As stated before, model 400 Astras will shoot 9mm Bergmann Bayard, 9mm Largo or .38 ACP.
THEY WILL NOT SAFELY FIRE .38 SUPER!
The pressure of a .38 SUPER is just too high for the blow back model 400 and parts breakage will result.
The pistol never was intended to feed any other cartridges than those listed above.

Again I state.
DO NOT use .38 SUPER or any loads that equal .38 SUPER ballistics in the Astra 400.
DO NOT use 9mm Steyr, 9mm Luger, 9mm Parabellum, 9X19, 9X18, 9X17, .380 acp or .38 Long Colt in the Astra 400.

What specifically are you trying to find out?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astra_400

[MtGun44]

DON'T ruin it by trying pliers on the muzzle "nut". It is NOT a nut, it is a twist lock. The sleeve between
it and the bbl needs to be depressed for it to turn. Interesting design, entirely held together by
L-head pins. I have a 600, 9mm Para version of same design.

Buy Largo ammo, it is available now.

Bill

[camaro1st]

thanks guys... artful how many serial numbers does yours have? Mine has a lot of wear on the slide and frame where i think they was. I just bought this a couple of days ago and it was in rough shape cleaned up nice but has went through the mill.

[Artful]

I don't have one currently - sorry - And Don't use pliers on any gun - I've never seen a manual that advises that!

[bob208]

numbers are on the barrel looking through the ejection port. on the slid on the right side behind the searations. and on the frame right sidejust above the grip safty.

for as ugly as they are they shoot very good. they seam to have been designed to lose the brass when fired. mine throws it 10-12 feet away. when i first got mine i made brass out of 9m/m mag. brass. i then started using .38 super brass. because it was easy to find. only the brass not the super load. i don't know if cci still makes the largo but i have shot alot of that too. because it is a blowback design i would keep a check on the recoil spring.

while not the first pistol i would pick to defend myself. there are a lot of others i would pick it over.

[MtGun44]

My point about pliers is that the muzzle "nut" is "obviously" stuck, because it won't
'unscrew'. So a LOT of folks over the years tried to 'unscrew it' with various methods,
including pliers. The point is it is not threaded and will not release without depressing
the lock sleeve.

Bill

[Harry O]

My Uncle had one when I was a kid back in the mid-1960's. They were selling surplus for $25 to $30 at the time. He let me try it. I decided to stick with revolvers after that. I eventually bought a few semi-autos, but it was several years before I strayed from the path. He never shot anything but 9mm Luger through it. You are not supposed to do that, but a lot of them will. A new extractor will hold the shorter cartridge strong enough for the firing pin to ignite the primer. If the extractor is rounded or chipped (I have seen both), it will not work with 9mm Luger and might not work with 9mm Largo. It is hard to find parts for it, so don't strain it. It is best to stay with Largo now that both cartridges and reloading components can be bought.

I eventually bought one for myself (about 25 years later) and then picked up a Star in 9mm Largo. Before Starline started making brass, I used .38ACP or .38 Super brass, loaded with a .38 ACP/Super set of dies. It worked. I also experimented with 9x23 brass (NOT cartridges) a few years back, too, but it is not worth the effort. I use the EXACT same load I use in my 9mm Lugers, just with a little bit longer case. Same bullet weight, same type of powder, and same amount of powder. The velocity is a little bit less than the same stuff from a 9mm Luger, probably because of the larger case.

You don't need to substitute any more. Starline makes great 9mm Largo brass. RCBS makes a die that is for 9mmLuger/9x21/and 9x23 cartridges (stock number 20515) that is very little more costly than an ordinary 9mm Luger die set. It is less than half the cost of a 9mm Largo die set. It works perfectly for both my 9mm Lugers and 9mm Largos.

The 400 is a bitch to jack a round into the chamber, the recoil is more than the Star in the same caliber, and the sights are non-existent. And it is ugly. However, it is one of the most reliable semi-autos I own. That may because it has that 90 degree angle grip, it may have something to do with being blowback, but in any case, it excuses a lot of unimportant stuff. Have fun with it.

[camaro1st]

I working on a deal for some largo brass. It really is simple to take down and seems like a decent pistol. I just wasn't for sure but seems like it will be fun to shoot those older guns are fun. and you guys are the best around!!!!!

[45 2.1]

does anyone know about these pistols? Yep, i've shot them and other Astra models for the last 35 years. I pick one up and would like to get a couple of questions answered. I've done the internet search and found a little info on it. I am hoping that someone might be able to help me out a little. First, get yourself a set of Carbide 38 Super dies. They work perfectly. Starline produces 9mm Largo brass... use it if you can get it, otherwise most of the 400s will accept 38 Auto or Super brass OK. MiHec is producing the 9mm HP mold.... with the large HP it shoots to the pistols fixed sights with 5.4 gr. of Russian Unique..... and it's a dandy load.

[7x57]

I had one a good while back. When I first got it I foolishly shot some 9mm Luger through it. It shot and functioned great. After shooting I picked up my brass and noticed about 1/3 of them looked like serious overloads, flattened primers and swelled case heads due to the excessive headspace. I didn't try that stunt again. They are good guns, mine was accurate and reliable. Wish I still had it.

[camaro1st]

I've got some largo's on the way so i will get to find out if this one is any fun. Does anyone know where i can find proof marks? I've looked on a couple of sites and none match this one. It looks like a round lamp with one solid flame and a I inside.

[Artful]

sounds like the Spanish Military acceptance proof mark

[texassako]

Is it the one about 2/3rds of the way down these? http://9mmlargo.com/proofs/proofs.htm

[camaro1st]

It looks like the Late Spanish Army Acceptance Proof. Found on M400 (1921) pistols accepted by Franco's Nationalist forces. but mine only has one flame