doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com A question about Asta shotguns in general...

and a 10 ga I saw at a show in particular...At the Barre Vt show this past weekend I had an occasion to handle an Astra 10 ga SxS with 3.5" chambers, nickel color sideplates, "Astra" in gold letters on the opening lever and pressure relief grooves in the breech face around the fireing pins. These things, plus very fine checkering that looked to be at least 28 lpi lead me to believe that I was looking at a relatively nice gun. The price was attractive, enough so that I considered an uninformed purchase based on looks alone.

My question is about Astra in general. What's their rep? Soft steel innards? or hardened properly? I assume parts are unavailable?

Any info you can give me on this would be appreciated.

Mergus

Surely, you took pictures to share with us?
Mike

p.s.
http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=394373

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astra-Unceta_y_Cia_SA

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=241803

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?f=126&t=214114&start=40

http://www.pmulcahy.com/db_sb_shotguns/spanish_db_sb_shotguns.htm

Astra (company name, Unceta y Cia - ASTRA was the trademark) was a class act. They had no more or less trouble with improperly heat treated parts than any other maker.

Is the gun in question a box lock or side lock?

Astra made a very nice box lock, model name �Imperial�:





The Imperial was made in 10 gauge.

If the gun is a side lock, things get murky. Astra made no side lock shotguns. But they did retail side locks guns made by many other makers under the Astra trademark and Unceta name.

astra's in general are good quality spanish made guns. i would rate them a 6.5 on a scale of 1 to 10.

some of the pre ww2 guns are even better.

Gentlemen, thank you all for responding. Unfortunately, I am "between" phones at present as I am dealing with a dying phone, so no pics.

Kyrie, I was hoping you'd comment. The gun I saw looked very much like the pic. It is a box lock, and has the broad beavertail forearm. The finish on the pic you've posted looks "matte"? maybe its the light? The gun I saw's finish looked more like nickel.

Now that I've read these things about Astra's, I will have to follow up on this gun. Stay tuned....

Mergus