[huggiebear]

Presented is a mint [100%] example of a late Astra 600 with the waffenamt proof of WaAD20. It comes with a matching magazine numbered 1. This suggests that there are two matching magazines but in all of my years collecting , a complete rig has never been seen by me , at least one that I considered original. Mine was [ is ] one of three consecutively numbered pistols which were imported at the time into the States in blue colored cardboard boxes. The other two were purchased by another individual and coated with WD40 which in turn he placed into the trunk of his car for three months. Upon opening the truck at the end of these three months he found to his disgust that both pistols were TOTALLY destroyed with rust.... COMPLETELY , save for the wooden grips !!! A sad lessons learnt. Comments are welcomed.

Download Attachment: DSC01588.JPG
238.76KB

Download Attachment: DSC01589.JPG
179.29KB

Download Attachment: DSC01590.JPG
240.24KB

Download Attachment: DSC01595.JPG
208.02KB

Download Attachment: DSC01602.JPG
198.82KB

Download Attachment: DSC01592.JPG
201.76KB

Download Attachment: DSC01597.JPG
129.15KB

Download Attachment: DSC01598.JPG
98.42KB

Download Attachment: DSC01594.JPG
223.64KB

Download Attachment: DSC01603.JPG
185.12KB

Download Attachment: DSC01599.JPG
168.22KB

Download Attachment: DSC01596.JPG
120.83KB

Download Attachment: DSC01601.JPG
251.24KB

Download Attachment: DSC01600.JPG
230.78KB

 

[Mark]

Very nice rig! Here is a photo of my rig in similar condition although it does not have a matched mag.

What a shame about the other guns but who would leave a collectible firearm in the trunk of a car? I usually can't wait to take mine apart the day that they arrive just to be sure it matches.

Mark

Download Attachment: Astra600.jpg
183.3KB

 

[student1979]

Are you sure the numbering on the magazine is not post war??

I have seen quite a few Astra 600's with waffenamt-proofs here in Norway over the years, and never ever, have I seen a magazine with a serialnumber (matching or not).

If the gun is an import, I would bet quite a bit of money that the numbering on the magazine is post-war german police-markings..

 

[huggiebear]

All Astra 600's found here in the States are imported. They were imported during the sixties and explains why I observed them in cardboard boxes. The boxes however could have been provided for by the then Importer , most likely Interarmco or Hunter Arms at time of retail sales. Obviously, Sam Cummining found these Astras somewhere but I have doubts as to whether these pistols were actually issued to the West German Police. They could have been excess but I have no way of knowing. The gun as viewed is exactly the way it was found some 30 years ago so can't speak for the numbered magazine being post war or pre war. Condition suggest that it was never issued by any organization.

 

[Fritz]

I agree to student.
But most of the German Bundesgrenzschutz ( Federal frontier guard)Astras have one or two matching mags.
Here a pic of a German post war serialised mag. The digits are quite different.

Fritz

Download Attachment: 11.10. 024.jpg
161.56 KB

 

[Fritz]

The Astra 600/43 was used also in the German Federal Armed Forces since 1956.It was called P3 ( Pistole 3 ).

The name of the handguns of the German Polices and the Federal Armed Forces grip into each other and are something confusing.

A part of the BGS (Federal frontier guard )was split off in 1956 and served the construction of the Federal Armed Forces.
Their weapons, equipment and vehicles also became part of the Federal Armed Forces, so the Astra 600/43 ( P3) and the SIG P210-4 ( P2).
First army equipment was the Colt M 1911 and M 1911 A1 ( 13 374 pieces ) called the P 51 and P 52.
The first army pistol produced in Germany was the Walther P 38, since 1963 called P1.
Pilots and the military police preferred at that time the Walther PPk ( Ulm ) called the P 21.
The Walther P4, a short barreld P1, and the Walther P5 were used by the police and customs authorities only.
The P6 is a missing link.
The P7 was made by Heckler and Koch - HK - and served the military police as well as the police.
The HK P8 is the current army pistol.

Fritz

 

[student1979]

Well..

My mint-condition Waffenamt-marked Astra 600 came as a complete rig with two magazines and an original holster. None of the magazines are numbered. And, as I said, I have seen quite a few of theese Astra's here in Norway. All are what you would call "original capture-guns". None have numbered magazines.

Here is a link to a previous post with pictures of my rig:

http://www.gunboards.com/luger/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2020

I'm sure you have some vet-bringback Astra 600's in the states also, and I would bet they do not have a numbered magazine..

 

[Pancho]

Another matching #ed mag:

Download Attachment: Astra-600numberedmag.jpg
94.95KB

 

[student1979]

quote:Originally posted by Pancho

Another matching #ed mag:

Download Attachment: Astra-600numberedmag.jpg
94.95 KB

But is it an import-gun or a bring-back???

 

[Pancho]

Bringback--no import mark.

 

[Orv Reichert]

No import mark might mean it was imported before 1968....but, you will never know for sure..right? Lately, it seems, all non-marked guns are automatically called 'vet bringbacks'.

I remember when those rigs were available by mail from dealers like 'Flaigs' and 'Hunters Lodge' for about $24.95 and no one was interested! [advertised in the Rifleman, too]

They are extremely well made guns..and I really enjoy them..as well as the 400 which will 'digest' about any 9mm round ever made!

Orv

Orvel Law Reichert
P O Box 67
Vader WA 98593
360 245 3492 tel
360 245 3702 fax
360 520 6520 cel
[email protected]

Quote.....Welfare's purpose should be to eliminate, as far as possible, the need for its own existence. --Ronald Reagan

 

[Edward Tinker]

Cool looking guns, will pick one up at some point. Thanks for showing guys!

Ed

 

[Guest]

I have seen both import marked and non import marked 600/43 pistols with unmarked mags, mags marked '1' & '2', and, like mine, marked with the serial number of the gun on both mags. In that case, (mine,which is import marked and in the German police holster) the mags are marked with the same, rather unusually small, stamp and font as the pistol's serial number. This would seem to make the stamp of the same age as the gun.

 

[Chuck Lutz]

As TexasVet has stated, there are a few of these different rigs floating around. I have a 600/43 that is NOT import marked, and is not Nazi marked either. It came to me in the proper holster, with two mags. Both mags have the "ASTRA" logo in a circled stamping about 1/4" in diameter on each mag bottom. No numbers or anything else on the mags, the pistol has the 600/43 info on the topsides of the slide and matching serial numbers stamped on the right side of the frame an slide. It is numbered "313xx".

Interesting to note the Nazi marked holster in the photo is the typical breakaway style so many military holsters are, while the holster that came with this pistol is not. It has the single stud type closure, but the pistol drops into the holster as a GI .45 ACP does. It does have the same spare mag pocket in the same location as the one pictured above has, and the same loops on the back. No marks can be found and the internals are dyed black as well, with the gun wear marks indicating the dye has likely been there all along. Since the 600/43 and other ASTRAS seem to have the tab on the mag bottom in common, it is another way to spot a holster designed for this pistol, as the edge of the mag pocket has been creased down where that tab is on the mag in my holster....probably any holster that has a mag in it for some length of time will show the wrinkles and the place where the tab rested.

Anyone have a year to date the mfg. of the pistol or any further info on where they served or how they got here?

Thanks in advance...

 

[Mark]

I just picked up this Astra 600 from the 2nd German contract and it has a matched mag. The font is similar to the one on the gun, it came with a holster (post war) and spare mag for $399.00 not bad eh? The dealer didn't know it was a 2nd contract gun since it has no WaA marking.

Mark

Download Attachment: Astra600.jpg
185.14KB