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  1. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    London, Ontario
    Posts
    3,251

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    Kind of suspect that kind of stuff and the assorted low end 'pocket pistols' might be the last collector stuff.
    Spelling and grammar count!

  2. #12
    Join Date
    Aug 2009
    Location
    AR
    Posts
    11,596

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    Neat old guns... I just never came across one I could afford. I have been messing with Star Modelo Super's in 9MM Largo for 30 years and have owned a couple of Astra 400's. The Steyr should handle the same ammunition the Largo tolerates. The difference in rim diameter is .005 and IIRC the Largo case is also .005 shorter. They all shoot .355 bullets at about 1100 FPS. Largo cases are available or you can use .38 Super cases with largo data.

    Another alternative is factory .38 super factory Product #: 111535 Fiocchi #: 38SA UPC #: 762344001791 from Midway... ammo that is loaded with 125 gr FMJ's to 1,180 FPS... that was the standard Spanish military loading for the 9MM Largo. My Star Modelo Super spits them out at 1100FPS over the chrono at 10 feet. It is nowhere near the .38 Super +P velocities of a few years ago. 7.0 grains of Unique will pretty much duplicate that. If you reload, I would recommend you start at 6.0 grs. of Unique and work up.

    Thanks for your posts.
    Last edited by RED; 11-22-2017 at 03:03.

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    kansas
    Posts
    2,216

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    Quote Originally Posted by RED View Post
    Neat old guns... I just never came across one I could afford. I have been messing with Star Modelo Super's in 9MM Largo for 30 years and have owned a couple of Astra 400's. The Steyr should handle the same ammunition the Largo tolerates. The difference in rim diameter is .005 and IIRC the Largo case is also .005 shorter. They all shoot .355 bullets at about 1100 FPS. Largo cases are available or you can use .38 Super cases with largo data.

    Another alternative is factory .38 super factory Product #: 111535 Fiocchi #: 38SA UPC #: 762344001791 from Midway... ammo that is loaded with 125 gr FMJ's to 1,180 FPS... that was the standard Spanish military loading for the 9MM Largo. My Star Modelo Super spits them out at 1100FPS over the chrono at 10 feet. It is nowhere near the .38 Super +P velocities of a few years ago. 7.0 grains of Unique will pretty much duplicate that. If you reload, I would recommend you start at 6.0 grs. of Unique and work up.

    Thanks for your posts.
    Funny you mention the Astra 400 and the Stars. Joe had seversl with a ton of old surplus Spanish ammo. The guns were very accurate. The ammo was very hit and miss. We would shoot some that all went bang. The next box about one in three had dead primers. What we were shooting He bought it all at once at a gun show. He always claimed he ran into a lot of primer issues with the older Spanish stuff. Wonder if it was a storage issue or quality control issue. Joe liked that 9mm largo/9 Steyr stuff and was into them when ammo was dirt cheap. Some of the aluminum framed Stars bring pretty good coin now.

  4. #14

    Default

    A. No ugly gun.
    B. No wonder you love it.

    Astra 400/600. Had one in 9mm 08. Now that's an ugly gun and ugly to shoot. Took less than a box of ammo to give me a sore wrist. I could handle a lot more 44 mags than I could with that 9mm.
    2016 Chicago Cubs. MLB Champions!


    **Never quite as old as the other old farts**

  5. Default

    Some times the best things are the ones with the memories and stories tied to them.

  6. Default

    i always wanted one of those steyr pistols. as to the astra 400, I like to hand mine to someone to shoot and watch them try to cock it.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by jaie5070 View Post
    Some times the best things are the ones with the memories and stories tied to them.

    amen. I have a couple like that.

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Dallas, TX metro.. formerly Phoenix metro, AZ
    Posts
    2,132

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    all my friends would go deer hunting with their nice and shiny Remingtons, Winchesters, Weatherbys, Brownings etc. A couple of them were "civilians" as in one fellows brother in law.
    I brought my M1A springfield because it was all I had at that time.
    They said "whats that?" I said "it is my UGLY stick but it works very well"
    I had them shoot it and they fell in love with it, with the surplus stock (beat up) as I replaced the E-2 pistol grip stock I ordered it with back in 80.
    A kid fired it and hit the target and says "wow, what is this?" GRIN
    it is still one of my FAVORITE rifles.
    And of course, "old slabsides" 1911 is my FAVORITE pistol and is my CCW.
    Last edited by Former Cav; 11-23-2017 at 02:51.

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