PPK / Astra Consatble Experts, help needed... w/ pics!

J

Jason280

New member
I just picked up an Astra Constable .380, and I have been told its similar to the Walther PPK. I will admit, I know absolutely ZERO about these guns, so any assistance will be greatly appreciated.

What you see in the pics is exactly what I have. Obviously, the gun has no grips, so I will need to find a pair. Will the grips interchange with Walther clones, or will I need to find Astra specific grips? What about the magazines?

AstraConstable001.jpg

AstraConstable004.jpg

AstraConstable006.jpg

AstraConstable007.jpg
 
J

Jason280

New member
The gun is in working condition, but my concern is the trigger bar. I cannot tell for sure, but something is missing which prevents the bar from remaining in the "up" position. I'm not sure if the grip simply keeps it in place, or if there is a missing spring. Either way, you cannot drop the hammer without the bar remaining in the up position. Hopefully the pics will show what I am referring to.

AstraConstable012.jpg

AstraConstable013.jpg

AstraConstable014.jpg

AstraConstable015.jpg

AstraConstable016.jpg


Also, for all the experts, please point out anything obvious that may be missing or out of the ordinary. This is my first time owning one of these guns, and all I have figured out so far is removing the slide. The gun seems to be in good mechanical shape, but I simply do not know if anything is missing.

Thanks!
 
S

Slopemeno

New member
Try Gun Parts Corp for the grips. I've shot the .22 lr version, and it actually shot really well. I'd try to avoid dry firing the Constable, as I sold quite a few firing pins for them as a smith.
 
P

predecessor

New member
I'm a huge Astra fan and own several.

Unfortunately, the grips are wraparound and specific to the gun. You will need factory grips. It will be easier to find the black factory double screw grips. The wood grips feel sooo much better though.

It looks like you have an older single grip screw design also -- be sure to get single grip screw grips and not the double.

Contable-380ACPb.jpg
 
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J

Jason280

New member
Predecessor,

Any way you can post a pic of the trigger bar side of the receiver without the grips in place?
 
P

predecessor

New member
No problem -- check back later tonight or tomorrow morning after I've had a chance to take and upload the picture.

Be aware though that the Constable evolved a bit during the years that it was manufactured. Yours, has as positive firing pin, while mine has an inertial firing pin. (I'm basing this assumption on the fact that your serial # is pre 1,079,826 and that your year coding proof is R1 and therefore manufactured in 1973).

Several other parts changed over the years as well so not all of the parts are interchangeable. But lets find out what is missing first and then take it from there. :)
 
Z

Zsnark

New member
Adtra Constable Woes

Gunners,

I am trying to fix a 20+ year old Astra Constable .380. The owner cleaned it occasionally but finished off by flushing it with Hoppe's powder solvent. This I believe removed all the lubricants. When we went to the range with it, it would shoot double action only. After much head scratching, I deduced that the sear plunger and it spring were frozen inside the sear body. I found a sear, plunger and spring online fore about $40. It shot nicely for about 3 or 4 hundred rounds. Then, it developed premature release of the cartridge by the ejector/extractor colaboratin, resulting in two cartridges trying to occupy the same place concurrently. This produces a jam. I figure that the same phenomenon which caused the sear problem (no lubrication and/or oxidation of the metals) has somehow disturbed the extractor doing it job.

Now, question(s) is or are: 1. Where can I find a new extractor and spring? The ejector seems to be totally functional; and, so does the extractor. Except that the extractor does not seem to be holding the cartridge rim tightly like it does with other autos I've had. Bob's and Numrich state "out of stock". 2. How the hell do you get the extractor and spring out without destroying the gun. I think I might be able to gently file or smooth things out and make it work; but all the documentation and exploded diagrams don't give me a clue on how to remove them.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Z
 
D

Dfariswheel

New member
The extractor comes out like most of these small guns do:

Use a small slightly rounded off and smoothed screwdriver to pull the plunger back.

Holding the plunger back, lift the extractor up and forward and out of the slide.

Tap the slide muzzle-down on a table to get the plunger, spring, and safety plunger to fall out.

Reassemble by inserting the safety plunger and extractor spring into the slide tunnel.
Put the extractor plunger into the tunnel and pull back with the screwdriver while you slip the extractor down/back into the slide until it is locked in place by the extractor plunger.
Make sure the bevel on the plunger is on top of the extractor properly.

NOTE: Needless to say, slip with the screwdriver and you'll gouge a nice scratch across the slide.
It helps to hold the slide, right side up, in a well-padded vise.

Here's another exploded view:
http://www.stevespages.com/ipb-astra-constable.html

More sources of Astra parts:

http://www.gun-parts.com/astra/
 
H

HisSoldier

New member
The two guns appear to have some differences. Jason280's has a lot more metal under the trigger bar, predecessor's is skeletonized behind the bar. One of them might be much earlier than the other? This is my favorite kind of thread.
 
R

rburch

New member
I've got one in 32acp, I'll take it apart and get some pics to post when I'm back home. Work :barf:

I had to replace a few springs on mine when I got it.
 
R

rburch

New member
I just remembered, mine was doing something similar to what you describe when i got it.

I was able to find a schematic on the model online somewhere and used that to figure out what was wrong with mine. I can't remember where.

Check to see if the decocker on the safety works. Also that the weapon works in both single and double action.

On mine, the spring on the trigger that keeps the bar up to release the trigger was rusted in 2.

Again the schematic will show any parts that are missing.
 
B

blchandl2

New member
Speaking of Astra's. I am looking for an extra magazine for my .380 Constable II. Where is the best place to get one? Can these be found at the larger gun shows?

TIA
 
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