Astra cub .22 short
 

Hi guys. I have bee very interested in guns engineering /mechanisms.
Just recently I discovered a tiny semiautomatic pistol which uses puny .22 shorts and seems to be doing it very reliably. Altogether
30 parts+magazine. Simple blowback. Perhaps only Makarov is simpler... or an open bolt gun( I, aware of some Argentinian handguns. )
I found it in a local gun shop , $200. Seems in fair shape, operational. Don,t know if this is a decent price, But I could not resist.
I,m waiting for NICS.
I don,t have actual pictures, but these I found online.

Do not underestimate penetration of the 'cute' round

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk_A-xjYQNg

Great groundhog round for the urban backyard

Thanks for the video. I suspected that the shorts could be interesting ammo.

Nice example great price, congrats.

My brother had that very same handgun when we were both young. He could shoot it pretty darn good for it being so small(young eyes and hands help). He sold it or traded it off decades ago.

Half size Luger? An idea.
 

I wonder if anybody thought to build a half size Luger utilizing .22 short which 1) appears to be proportionately 1/2 size of 9mm parabellum 2) able to cycle small gun’s slide, even the steel one like above( a half -Luger toggle mechanism would likely weight less and probably cycle even better.)

Also in “half Luger”, the 55 degree magazine stacks very well the rim fire cadridges in a single file without lock. So there should not be much issue with feeding.

Also the phony toggle mechanism should be simple blow back like in Erma 22 kit to spare the energy for action.

I hope comrade Eugene the LugerMan sees my post and gives the insight.

I would like to build something like that.

A Cub and a Camper, I looked for a Camper for years before I fond this one.

https://i.imgur.com/ziT9kKM.jpg

Nice pair. It appears the campers are rarity.
Are they .22 or 25?
Question. Does barrel from the Camper fit the Cub

Both are 22 short and yes, the Camper is somewhat of a rarity. As far as the barrels being interchangeable I haven't tried but I'm going to assume that they probably are.

Hold open magazine follower.
 

Finally cleared paperwork and brought the gun home. It,s NJ!!!

Disassembled completely, cleaned, reassembled, oiled.
The gun works very well. I,m impressed.

Shame that this rimfire has no bolt hold open on the last round.
Not an issue.


Took example from .22 Erma Luger conversion kit,s magazine and made a new follower for my Astra cub.
Now I have this function.
Here are the pictures of my actual gun, I,m impressed with the machine work of it, seems like hand fit job, tight tolerances. Many parts numbered , I guess for the same reason as Luger,s.
All Steel, heavy for it,s size.

is the cub threaded for that barrel ?

Are you asking if the barrel has threads for an attachment?

I could not find a threaded barrel,

but I bought an extra barrel, rounded the front ~1/2 of the length and threaded it 3/8-24 for the extension below...

Once receive it this week, will add, machine to fit the profile of the slide opening and install.

there will be additional internal pressures in the cub until the bullet clears the barrel.........are you certain that there are no differences in the design of the camper and the cub to accommodate the addition of the barrel to the camper..?

maybe strength of materials are improved..?

FROM what i see, or hear, camper seems to only have a different barrel+ grips with the 'camper logo'.


Otherwise the rest seem identical. I wish somebody tried to exchange the barrels to let me know if that is so.
**************

I also heard that some people have cycling issues with weaker .22 short less than 1050 f/s. I would think the camper with a bit longer barrel produces more back pressure to cycle more effectively with weaker loads.

Adding my ~ 1 " extension which is not rifled will hardly add any back pressure by itself, but depending what attached after that to the 1/2-28 end - is another story...but still , I believe safe for the action:

The gun is built of steel, seems very solid, tight, including the slide/bolt.
no unnecessary cuts on the face of the bolt that can give under 'explosion' of these puny loads.

I think I will be fine. Besides, bunch of successful and seemingly safe zip guns even for .22lr were made from much less superior materials- like plumbing brass.
*************
I will keep you guys posted...

Also I plan to make an alternative Mag release in a regular , more usable position, just below the safety lever with minimum alteration of the frame. I would be happy to utilize the hole for the mag safety I had removed[very annoying]. it's right there in the correct position.
*************

I'm surprised , i could not find on the internet somebody doing any of those modifications to the gun...

and Yes, yes it looses it's collection value, but i have no desire to ever sell this great toy...

"I'm surprised , i could not find on the internet somebody doing any of those modifications to the gun..."

that may be sending you a message right there.........be careful....

The threaded barrel
 

Well, this is how it came out- an extra barrel with the threaded extension. Everything has lined up good.

Now my little Astra looks like.... mini Stechkin...

Astra cub magazine? Some modifications.
 

Well, I have been thoroughly enjoying my little Astra.
To really play with it I ordered a bunch of parts, including an extra slide couldn’t pass the opportunity for 35 bucks.

As it happened, my original slide had to much headspace, hence unreliable ignition with some ammo, Like Winchester X super .

CCI noiseless ones , just above 700 f/s seemed more reliable and to my surprise cycled the gun well with the original slide.

I couldn,t accept the notion of ‘finicky ammo’/ misfire. My gun will eat anything in 22 short i put in it!

The extra slide is tighter in headspace . I also increased preload in the hammer spring by dropping a small bearing ball in the shaft under the spring
+ reduced the power of firing pin spring.
Ignition became 100%.

Also I changed the magazine release button to a 5x0.8 mm axle bolt, which is like an extended mag release. Now I can release it with either thumb or middle finger of the shooting hand.

Additionally , I discovered that magazines for Astra cub / colt junior are expensive and hard to come by. I presumed that a cheaper magazine from Italian GT 27 might fit...and it did perfectly. Just needed the cut for the catch.
Little amature gunsmithimg.

Your pistol holds open by using that tab on the top rear of the follower, right? The early Ermas use that same method. And so does my Brenardelli Model 80 in .380. Gawd, it's annoying.

I have the original aluminum follower that doesn,t hold open. As I stated in the prior posts:
I made mine out of steel with the tab, intentionally , exactly copying the design of my Erma kit. It was more annoying not to have it and dry firing the rimfire pistol if forgot how many rounds left.

Besides, by pulling a slide about 1/16 back more, it catches on the safety hold open and now you can drop the magazine out with the new button easily.

Well, there are always compromises and sacrifices .


I wish my Luger had a toggle release once the fresh magazine is in...like Lugerman,s.
*************
Disclaimer: no original parts get damaged , all the changes are reversible, no animals or kids get hurt :thumbsup:

Forgot that mod, forgive the brain-fart, please. :) It's actually the most problematic on the Bernardelli--primarily due to its mag release that's on the bottom like the GT 27 or a Ruger Mark I.

Nowhere this easy with the Bernardelli... Not so bad with an early Erma because the toggle is handy for holding it back while the mag is dropped.

I'll vote for that!


John Martz came up with that, IIRC.
*************
:thumbsup: