Astra 4000 (Falcon)

[Steve Richards]

I finally got my Astra 4000. In early December, I bought it on Auction Arms. I bought a postal money order and took it to the shooting range that I belong to and had them add an FFL to the envelope and they mailed it. I did not hear from the seller in a reasonable time so I contacted him and found out that he did not receive the envelope.

Checking with the post office, I found out that they would not replace the money order for 60 days. I contacted the seller and kept in touch with him. By the time the 60 days were up, I had enough money saved to buy another money order while I waited for the post office to give me my refund.

I bought the second money order and another FFL copy and sent them via FedEx overnight. You guessed it, FedEx lost it! I sent the lost money order form (for the 1st one) to the postal people and waited about 3 weeks and went back to my local post office. The replacement request had been lost! I filled out another request form and had the local post office FAX it to the proper person. About two weeks latter, I finally got a check from the Post Office for the first money order.

I took the check from the Post Office down to my local Post Office to buy a new money order. They had to look up in a book to see if I could use their own check to sell me a money order. After deciding that it was allowed, I got a new money order and went to the range to get another FFL. The two were sent by FedEx again and finally after 5 days, the pistol arrived at the range.

I now am the proud owner of an Astra 4000. I am also waiting untill the 60 days is up so that I can file to get my money back on the second money order.

ALWAYS keep your receipts for any of this stuff. Without them, I would have been out all of my money.

Steve

[Edward Tinker]

Man, I hope your luck holds out with your Astra!

Pictures Steve, pictures man! Heck, I don't even know what a Astra 4000 looks like?

[Dwight Gruber]

Posted for Steve

[Aaron]

Dwight, the plain checkered grips on your Falcon seem to be of the early production type which began in 1957. However, the magazine seems to be some kind of replacement, as Astra did not supply finger extension mags on this model. Does it have any kind of marking? Also, could I have the serial number to confirm the date of manufacture? Here's my Astra Falcon 4000 I lucked into. It is listed in â??Astra Automatic Pistolsâ?� by Antaris on page 194 as falling into the prototype serial range manufactured in early 1957. It has the pre-production checkered wood grips and came with a spare magazine.

[Steve Richards]

Aaron,

Dwight posted the picture for me. Under the left grip is a Y*1 date stamp for 1979. The serial number is 1,228,xxx which in Dr. Antaris' book also puts it in 1979.

The magazine is the one that came with it when it arived two weeks ago. I will need to look for an original. Nothing else came with the gun.

The finish looks better in real life than the scan does but I like the older style of bluing on my 600 better. Do you have any other Astra pistols? I like them and am working on building my collection. Other than the 400 commercial and 600 West German police, they are somewhat hard to find.

[Aaron]

I like the small Astras, especially the German issue waffenamt marked pistols. Also, I have an assortment of the Astra .25 autos which I can't resist buying when I find them NIB.

[Steve Richards]

I finally got my money on the second lost money order! After the transaction that was started in early December, it is finally concluded at the end of May.

Steve