Astra 600

[Battis]

A local store had an Astra 600 (9mm Luger) for sale. I have an Astra 400 (9mm Largo), and it's a cool gun. Anyways, they dropped the price $200 and threw in a box of .452 cast bullets (500 count). I think the Astra 600 had been there awhile and they wanted to see it gone.
All matching, including the mag, and came with 3 more mags. Made my day.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

That would have made my day also! Many 600s seem to be in V.G.- EX. condition. Scoring some extra mags is good as they go from $35-$65 on GB and e-bay.

DG

[El Bibliotecario]

The pistols are often in nice shape because many were never issued. (See pp 286-290, Leonardo Antaris, Astra Firearms for details.) I suspect the wear on many extant specimens occurred subsequent to their import to the US 50+ years ago, when Cletus and Goober assumed the knurled muzzle cap was obviously meant to be removed with water pump pliers.

In my youth I found the Astra 600 would successfully fire Canadian 9mm Parabellum submachine gun ammunition--the ejected case had nearly the same range as the bullet. I offer this anecdote as an observation, not a recommendation.

[Texas by God]

Much respect for the Astra pistol. Try .357" 125gr jacketed bullets in it and it will out shoot a bunch of newer 9mm pistols.

Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

[Battis]

I looked around online for Leonardo Antaris, Astra Firearms, and they're out there but pretty pricey. Looks like a good book. I'm turning into an unintentional Spanish gun collector. I have the Astra 400 and 600, an Astra Constable, a Destroyer and a Star. They're good guns and usually not too expensive.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I've got the book, $68 in nice condition used from e-bay. That's probably the average price now days. Antaris also wrote a book on Star Firearms, even scarcer and higher priced. I'm reluctant to confess what I paid for the Star book. Both worth having for a serious Spanish pistol fan. Too bad he never got around to writing one on Llama pistols. I have yet to find a specialized book on them. Explanations of the mystifying Llama model designation system is on the internet.

Battis-- your comment on becoming an unintentional Spanish pistol collector is sort of what happened to me. They're affordable, historical, of good quality if you stick with Astra, Star, and Llama. Others, especially revolvers, can be a gamble and one has to look them over carefully and rely on what little research is available. They range from really, really bad to fairly good.

The Spanish were ingenious in their designs. I'm currently working on a Llama Model XI 9mm, the only one I've ever seen other than in photos. The Llamas were mostly close copies of the 1911 with the same lock work, but this particular model is outwardly 1911, barrel and swinging link 1911, but the lock work is almost entirely the Star design. One leg trigger on the right side with a rising disconnector. The thumb safety looks like a 1911 but does nothing to the hammer at all and physically blocks the sear. When it's pushed downward it has a notch that permits the trigger to push the sear rearward. Quite effective and unusual design. The rounded butt makes me wonder if that's where the bobcat design for some 1911s of the past few years originated.





DG

[Battis]

I've never come across a Spanish Llama handgun, not yet a least. I did have an 1858 Remington .44 cap and ball copy made by Santa Barbara, which apparently are sought after BP guns.
How old is your Llama Model XI 9mm?

[Thumbcocker]

I read an autobiography of a German lieutenant who served the whole war with army group north. He was issued an Astra after having other pistols. It was his favorite.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I've never come across a Spanish Llama handgun, not yet a least. I did have an 1858 Remington .44 cap and ball copy made by Santa Barbara, which apparently are sought after BP guns.
How old is your Llama Model XI 9mm?

I'm not really sure. I think very early 1970s, but the usual 2 letter year code is not present. I believe the internet gives 1972 as the end of the model's production.

Well, if you haven't as yet gotten into Llamas, go to Gunbroker and do a search for "Llama pistol." There are usually 20 or so for sale, tending to be the IX-A .45s and smaller 1911-like .22s, .32s, and .380s. The small ones were originally swinging link barrel designs, but in later years were changed to blow back and it's hard to tell which they are just looking at them. I think you have a 1911? No? Llama always made their version, but none of the parts at all were interchangeable with the US 1911 until the much later Max-1 pistol, which has about 80% interchangeability. Important stuff like barrels and magazines
will swap, some things like grip screws won't. Here's one I picked up for $300 on GB about 4-5 months ago. It appeared to be in terrible condition, and I thought it would make a great winter restoration project. But once I cleaned all the rust off and replaced the (chemically melted?) rubber grips, it was really decent with an excellent bore.....so, no project. Right now nice specimens of the Max-1 are running $500-600. Still, hard to get a nice 1911 for that price. It's a .40 S&W, and I got lucky with CDNN and purchased 4 stainless magazines for $13+ each, originally meant for a 1911 but which fit and work perfectly. Don't turn your nose up at a Llama Max-1. Good pistols.

I read an autobiography of a German lieutenant who served the whole war with army group north. He was issued an Astra after having other pistols. It was his favorite.

I can understand that. Other than perhaps the effort needed to retract the side they can't be faulted for much. Very accurate and reliable, a big plus in the frozen Russian winter. He must have gotten
lucky, as 5,950 Mod. 400s in 9mm Largo were sent to Germany by Spain in 1941. The 600s were
originally destined for the German A.F., and delivery was incomplete. After the war, West Germany took delivery of the remaining contract. One possible source might have been the Division Azul, a Spanish division sent by Franco to the Eastern Front, and they were probably in possession of 400s.

DG

[Battis]

I have a Rock Island 1911 .45. Nice gun. I went into the store yesterday and saw the Astra in a glass case. I asked to see it and it was kinda funny watching the salesman try to work the slide. He finally did. The 600 slide is much easier to work than the 400. I looked at it, then moved on. I decided to buy the box of .452 cast bullets, and as I was about to pay for them, the salesman took the Astra from under the counter (he had carried it with him) and said, "What about this?"
After some haggling, I paid $450 plus tax.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

That's today's fair price for one in the condition yours seems to be. Good find, especially with the extra magazines.

DG

[Thumbcocker]

I'm not really sure. I think very early 1970s, but the usual 2 letter year code is not present. I believe the internet gives 1972 as the end of the model's production.

Well, if you haven't as yet gotten into Llamas, go to Gunbroker and do a search for "Llama pistol." There are usually 20 or so for sale, tending to be the IX-A .45s and smaller 1911-like .22s, .32s, and .380s. The small ones were originally swinging link barrel designs, but in later years were changed to blow back and it's hard to tell which they are just looking at them. I think you have a 1911? No? Llama always made their version, but none of the parts at all were interchangeable with the US 1911 until the much later Max-1 pistol, which has about 80% interchangeability. Important stuff like barrels and magazines
will swap, some things like grip screws won't. Here's one I picked up for $300 on GB about 4-5 months ago. It appeared to be in terrible condition, and I thought it would make a great winter restoration project. But once I cleaned all the rust off and replaced the (chemically melted?) rubber grips, it was really decent with an excellent bore.....so, no project. Right now nice specimens of the Max-1 are running $500-600. Still, hard to get a nice 1911 for that price. It's a .40 S&W, and I got lucky with CDNN and purchased 4 stainless magazines for $13+ each, originally meant for a 1911 but which fit and work perfectly. Don't turn your nose up at a Llama Max-1. Good pistols.




I can understand that. Other than perhaps the effort needed to retract the side they can't be faulted for much. Very accurate and reliable, a big plus in the frozen Russian winter. He must have gotten
lucky, as 5,950 Mod. 400s in 9mm Largo were sent to Germany by Spain in 1941. The 600s were
originally destined for the German A.F., and delivery was incomplete. After the war, West Germany took delivery of the remaining contract. One possible source might have been the Division Azul, a Spanish division sent by Franco to the Eastern Front, and they were probably in possession of 400s.

DG

The book is called " At Leningrads Gates". The author eventually became a U.S. citizen. He formed a bond with several U.S. veterans. One story he relates is he and some veterans were having dinner at a restaurant. The server made a pointing saying to each of them "Thank you for your service " she couldn't understand why all of them cracked up laughing.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

That would be funny. You know how lots of old vets have baseball hats with their ship or unit's designation and emblem on the front? I'll bet he doesn't wear one!

There have been a number of WW II German memoirs written, and I've read several. I was stationed over there only 15 years after the war ended and knew several Wehrmacht vets. All had served on the Eastern Front, and like many of our vets they didn't talk much about their experiences unless it was something humorous---but none of the tragedy. They all spoke of the cold.

I have a rusty German helmet shell-- no liner which was gone long before I got it. I was looking about for a couple of souvenirs to bring home and one of these fellow said, "Wait a minute-- I've got a stahlhelm. He went outside and came back in with this rusty, muddy thing and said, "I was wearing this the day I came home from the war. I was so disgusted with the army, with the war, and with Hitler. I took it off and threw it in the mud before entering the house. The next morning a pig was drinking rainwater out of it, so I left it there. Here--take it to America."



DG

[Bmi48219]

A local store had an Astra 600 (9mm Luger) for sale. I have an Astra 400 (9mm Largo), and it's a cool gun. Anyways, they dropped the price $200 and threw in a box of .452 cast bullets (500 count). I think the Astra 600 had been there awhile and they wanted to see it gone.

I bought one in 1983, $125.00 with the original two mags and flap holster. All matching numbers, no vise grip marks on the barrel nut, just a little blueing wear from the holster
One of the ones the Germans ordered but never received. The front of grip frame was stamped with initials of what I was told was German post war police.
Really well machined pistol, but the sights were hard on my eyes and the grip angle left something to be desired. Sold it twenty years later for $600.00.

[Jniedbalski]

I have a star in 9 mm. It’s a very nice and easy to shoot