If you reload you can get 9mm Largo brass from Star or use .38 super brass and reload it.
If you reload you can get 9mm Largo brass from Star or use .38 super brass and reload it.
Numrich, I think, offers or has offered replacement barrels in 9mm Parabellum and 9mm Largo. There is a "tipping of rounds" issue with the magazine built for the longer 9mm Largo so I would not go for the 9mm barrel.
One of my older brother's friends bought an Astra 400. Since his wife had trouble racking it back, he kept it fully loaded but magazine out, relying on the mag safety, thinking: "The wife can simply insert the mag when defense is needed." He was demonstrating this to a visitor by pointing the gun at his TV, magazine out but live round up the spout. Result: "BANG!" - one dead TV. Lucky it was only a TV. Safeties are never a substitute for safe gun handling.
As a practical matter, the Astra 400 is a sturdy, well built gun, designed to stand hard use. It's simple to field strip and clean.
Disadvantages are: lack of a "drop" safety, single action trigger, odd caliber, low cap mag with slow release, awkward pointing, poor sights. By today's standards, yes, it's obsolete.
One appearance in movies: in MILLER'S CROSSING as a gangster gun, AFAIK.
That awkward pointing often led to a sore wrist after firing numerous rounds. The grip angle is a bit too erect for my liking. Aside from that, I enjoyed mine when I had it and I can't recall it ever having had a stoppage.
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**Never quite as old as the other old farts**