Astra Model 900 Explained

Astra Model 900
Origin:	Kingdom of Spain
Type:	Semi-automatic pistol Machine pistol (Astra Model 902 and Astra Model 904)
Is Ranged:	YES
Service:	1927–1945
Used By:	See Users
Wars:	Northern Expedition Second Sino-Japanese War Spanish Civil War World War II
Manufacturer:	Astra-Unceta y Cia SA
Number:	35,076 (all versions)
Variants:	900, 901, 902, 903, 904
Weight:	1.275 kg (Astra 903)
Height:	150 mm (Astra 903)
Length:	308 mm (Astra 903)
Part Length:	160 mm (Astra 903)
Cartridge:	7.63×25mm Mauser 9mm Largo
Caliber:	7.63mm 9mm
Velocity:	461.28m/s
Max Range:	1000m (3,000feet)
Feed:	10, 20 round box magazine
Sights:	Iron

The Astra Model 900 is one of many Spanish copies of the German Mauser C96 semi-automatic pistol. It shares the same caliber, magazine capacity, and holster type and is generally very similar to the German handgun.

History

The Spanish gunmaker Astra-Unceta y Cia began producing a copy of the Mauser C.96 in 1927^[1] that was externally similar to the C96 (including the presence of a detachable shoulder stock/holster) but with non-interlocking internal parts. It was produced until 1941, with a production hiatus in 1937 and 1938, and a final batch assembled from spare parts in 1951.

The Spanish copies of the C96 were generally intended for export to China,^[2] but after the commencement of the Sino-Japanese war, the remaining Astra 900s were used in the Spanish Civil War, and numbers were also sold to Germany in the period 1940–1943.

Design

The Basque-manufactured Astra-Unceta y Cia SA Astra 901 is a compact machine pistol, with a magazine capacity of 10 7.63×25mm Mauser cartridges, which is a considerably smaller capacity than is standard for a machine pistol. The next model, the Astra 902, was provided with a fixed magazine of 20 cartridges and a lengthened barrel, and Astra 903 had a removable magazine instead of the usual fixed one. Astra later added a mechanism to slow the rate of fire and make the gun more manageable (to an extent) when being fired on full-auto or burst modes, calling this the Model 904.

The Model 904 is comparable to the German Mauser M712 'Schnellfeuer' Broomhandle pistols, having a detachable magazine, automatic fire capabilities, and general appearance.

The Astra Model 904 was produced in a 9mm Largo variant, the Astra Model 904E, which was identical to the Model 904 in all other respects.

Production and distribution

The following models were made by Astra:^{[1] [3]}

• Astra 900: 21,000 weapons from 1927 to 1941 for China, Latin America, Spanish Republicans, and the Wehrmacht (1,050 delivered in 1943).
• Astra 901: 1,655 weapons in 1928, destined mainly for China.
• Astra 902: 7,075 weapons in 1928 to 1933. Some delivered to China, others delivered to the Wehrmacht in 1943.
• Astra 903: 3,082 weapons in 1932 to 1934. Same users as the 902.
• Astra 904: 90+ weapons in 1934.
• Astra F: 1,126 weapons in 1936. Issued to the Guardia Civil during Spanish Civil War.
• Astra E: 548 weapons assembled between 1949, 1951 and 1961 from stored parts. Reserved for export to Egypt, India, Iraq and Pakistan.
• 8 × Astra 900, 12 × Astra 902, and 9 × Astra 400, all richly engraved, were presented to Joseph Stalin during the Spanish Civil War in 1937.

Users

• ^[4]
• ^[5]
  • : Astra Fs known to be issued to the Guardia Civil.Web site: The Armoury . ^[6]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Astra automatic pistols: Astra 900, Astra 901, Astra 902, Astra 903, Astra F (Spain) . 13 March 2021 .
2. Web site: Spanish Guns . 1896mauser.com . 28 February 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090209012559/http://www.1896mauser.com/spanish.htm . 9 February 2009 .
3. Web site: Astra Model 900 . 28 September 2016 .
4. Book: Philip Jowett . The Chinese Army 1937–49: World War II and Civil War . Osprey Publishing . 2005 . 978-1841769042 . 22, 43.
5. Book: Antaris . Leonardo . Astra Automatic Pistols . 1988 . FIRAC Pub. Co . 0962076708 . 150 . 1st.
6. Web site: Astra Model F (Video) . 4 November 2016 .