Deactivated Astra 400 - First Year of Production

This is a rare very early production Astra model 1921 pistol (Type I), chambered in 9mm Largo. It is serial number 106 ! - made in 1921. In August of 1921 the Astra Model 400 (also known as the Model 1921) was approved for use by the Spanish army, and was subsequently adopted by the Spanish Carabineros (Guardia Civil), the prison service, and the navy. An unusual and unintended aspect of the Astra 400 was that, due to the long case of the 9mm Bergmann-Bayard cartridge, the gun’s chamber allowed a number of other 9mm cartridges to be fired, including the 9mm Steyr, the 9mm Parabellum, the .38 Auto, and even the semi-rimmed 9mm Browning Long. This unusual feature made the pistol very useful if captured without the correct ammunition. They were used during the Spanish Civil war (1936 to 1939) and during WWII by Axis forces. It is a big pistol, similar in size to a Colt 1911.