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Astra Firecat
TWalker
Member Posts: 2,372 ✭✭✭✭✭
Do any of you own one? How does it shoot and do you like it OK? There's one for sale locally in about 95% condition but without a box or papers. What is a fair price? Thanks for any information.
Comments
I would think $200 or less.
When you pull the trigger, they go bang. And they usually cycle completely, have only had a few stovepipes.
Astra has been out of business since the 90's. Their small vest pocket type pistols hadn't been imported since 1968. Because their import prohibition, by GCA 68.
Their are a number of small vest pocket type pistols being sold by U.S. manufacturers nowadays. In .32 ACP & .380. My experience has been with the KelTec .32's & .380's. Double action, and way more effective than a Astra .25, IMHO.
This thread is almost old enough vote.
But, unless it's cheap, I'd rather have a Beretta pocket gun:
Neal
I never understood the logic of a magazine safety, I'll take a single shot over a no shot any day.
This thread is almost old enough vote.
Happy eighth birthday, thread!
Nothing wrong with an Astra pistol, but we'll assume that by this point the original poster has either bought this pistol, or decided not to.
Purpose of a mag safety is mostly to prevent irresponsible individuals who think mag-out = gun unloaded and keep their finger where its not supposed to be from shooting something they shouldn't. As stupid as that sounds, yes, this kind of thing happens.
Minor second purpose is that the mag release lets you disable the gun just by hitting the mag release button. Not sure how useful that is in the real world, but some people talk about it.
No, I don't like mag safeties either.
On Astra .25, IMO in the 21st century, the .25ACP pistol is obsolete. There are .380s that are the same size/weight or less that effectively do the same thing, but with a much more effective round, and they're readily available and not terribly expensive.
If a 25 is all you have, then so be it, but with so many better pocket guns available now, I wouldn't buy one of these. This is just not something of interest to collectors and appreciation value is minimal. In terms of actual function as a defensive weapon, carrying and/or shooting this gives you all the legal liability of using a deadly weapon, but without the associated benefit of likelihood to cause incapacitating injury. Maybe as a backup gun, if you don't have another one, but on its own, IMO, you might as well have pepper spray.
As Jeff Cooper put it, If you must carry a .25 carry it empty. If you carry it loaded you may be tempted to shoot it, and if you shoot it, you MIGHT hit someone, and if you hit someone you will make them very angry and they will hurt you worse than if you didn't shoot them
He was being a bit tongue in cheek there, but he's not far off.
Even if someone gifted one to me, I probably wouldn't carry it. Since there pretty much isn't any other reason to shoot these (well. . .other than practice for pocket carry), in my case this would probably just sit in the safe taking up (not that much) room.
Caliber is not a replacement for marksmanship.
With millions of .25 automatics in use, the round is far from obsolete.