My Astra 400 experience (.38 ACP / 9x23 Largo)

**Ron3** · 12-20-20, 23:13

Anyone else fire one of these before?

The reputation is "blow-back 9mm recoil", "don't try to field strip it", "it was removed from service because it was hard to rack."

Nope. None of this is true. It's actually a pretty clever, well-designed pistol and appears to be high-quality material. Well, except for the bakelite grip panels.

Now, like other pistols of it's day, the sights are precise (too small), and it has a heel mag release. (Slow, but ensures magazine retention both in the gun and into your hand when released)

For better and worse it is single-action only with long grip-safety, magazine disconnect safety, and no manual safety. Magazines cannot be disassembled, just like GI 1911 mags.

The slide locks back on the last shot from the 8-round magazine and there is also a manual slide hold-open lever in a good location.

Positives: Long sight radius, Nice, probably 5 pound short-travel trigger, excellent grip angle and grip circumference, low bore axis, typical recoil from a 9mm service cartridge, good reliability and accuracy. About 34 oz but I haven't weighed it yet.

The recoil, as I said, feels like that of a medium-sized 9mm pistol. Maybe the reputation came from people firing them with worn-out recoil springs or firing .38 Super? (you shouldn't)

Field stripping was no harder a difficulty level than a 1911. Yea, it's a little tricky the first couple times you do it, but it's not hard.

It is not hard to rack. If not for me than definitely not for a young soldier. It has excellent, raised serrations on the slide for such purpose, too.

I guess I always thought of this as dumb design / bad idea but that is absolutely not the case. For it's day it was a perfectly acceptable service sidearm. I'd have no complaints being issued one for such purpose before / during the big wars.

Shoot one if you get the chance. If anything you can use up that .38 ACP and 9mm Largo ammo you have laying around...

Pic found on the web.

https://i1.wp.com/www.warrelics.eu/f...ra-400-002.jpg 69970d1260935249-spanish-astra-400-delivered-german-army-aaa-astra-400-002.jpg

**Bret** · 12-22-20, 09:22

Originally Posted by Ron3

The recoil, as I said, feels like that of a medium-sized 9mm pistol. Maybe the reputation came from people firing them with worn-out recoil springs or firing .38 Super? (you shouldn't)

I bought one of these in a small collection of 9mm Largo pistols that were from an estate. The pictures looked good. Unfortunately, the Astra 400 and Star Model A that I received in the lot were both damaged. I suspect that they were both damaged by someone shooting 38 Super or even 9x23Win in them. The Astra 400 has a part inside the slide that's broken. Even a really good local gunsmith couldn't fix it. If you know anyone who works on these at a reasonable rate, I'd appreciate their contact information. Of course I don't want to spend more on repairs than the pistol is worth.

**Ned Christiansen** · 12-22-20, 10:51

Astra 400, agreed, totally happenin' gun!

It does have a thumb safety BTW, check it again.

Hurry, SARCO has 9 Largo right now at a Covid-reasonable price..... about $50 a hundred. I took some 9X23 brass and reloaded it to a mild 9mmP level and it worked fine in the gun. Being that the Astra 400 does not have a locked breech, yes, agreed-- I would expect damage to the gun and the shooter firing actual 9X23 Winchester in it! It was always said the 400 would fire anything 9mm diameter but that's an exception for sure (9X23). Looking at the gun I don't see how it can fire even 9mmP since the breechface is recessed. I did drop a 9mmP in the chamber and closed the slide; as expected the round went all the way forward and the extractor wouldn't reach it. The FP extends quite a ways forward though so it might fire. Gonna try chambering and firing some 9mmP today in fact.

I got misfires with the SARCO ammo-- it's from then 60's. The gun has a very light firing pin and it's of the inertia type, in two pieces-- and a heavy spring. I can't think of a reason this gun needs an inertia firing pin, I mean there's just no such thing as chambering a round and lowering the hammer on it. I got this fixed but gonna hold off on describing the cure until I've done a little more testing.

Easy enough to cycle the slide-- if the hammer is already cocked. Otherwise I do find it really hard.

**Ned Christiansen** · 12-22-20, 17:47

Well..... apparently the firing pin does extend far enough forward, we were able to fire some 9mmP and even .380 in it. 9mmP cycled it as per normal, .380 did a few times but mostly not.

When I was kid every bad guy in B movies had an Astra 400 or 600. It has its funky downsides but in general it's a totally viable pistol. Take-down can be tough. I'll bet in the Astra heyday there were a lot of Spaniards with eye patches. My friends, wear your glasses when working on guns!

**Ron3** · 12-23-20, 07:27

I'll check that manual safety. I thought it was just a slide lock. Thanks.

I have some new 9mm Largo ordered but who knows when I'll get it.

I have a few boxes of .38 ACP from PCI loaded this year. I plan to chrono it.

I might try some Fiocchi .380 though it. I'm not sure how close the case diameter is but I do know .380 cases are thinner and makes me hesitant.

Recently I came to the unpatriotic conclusion that were I a soldier in WW2 a 1911 .45 wouldn't be on my top 5 list of desired sidearms. The Astra 400 wouldn't be either but still ahead of the 1911 .45.

**Ron3** · 12-23-20, 07:28

The bakelite grips on mine (actually a family members) are a bit chipped in places.

I'd like to have some good wood ones.

**Ned Christiansen** · 12-25-20, 09:54

Yeah I wouldn't shoot .380 in it apart from proving it can be done. We were bangin' a 10-12 inch gong at 100 with it the other day. Not that it can do it every time, some went pretty wild in fact, but about half were hits once the hold was established.

**Ron3** · 12-25-20, 12:58

Originally Posted by Ned Christiansen

Yeah I wouldn't shoot .380 in it apart from proving it can be done. We were bangin' a 10-12 inch gong at 100 with it the other day. Not that it can do it every time, some went pretty wild in fact, but about half were hits once the hold was established.

Yea, i might save the .380 for something else since 9mm Largo is less expensive.

The one we have has pitting in the bore, in the grooves it looks like, but the rifling is very sharp and the other parts of the gun clearly show very little wear. If the gun told me it had fired just 100 rounds I'd believe it. Obviously the bore wasnt cleaned right after corrosive ammo.

Still, the gun shot accurately and to point of aim with .38 acp.

Know where I can get some nice wood grips for it?