Newest find; Astra Constable .22lr

[ripley16]

Just today I was able to purchase a pistol I've sought many years; an Astra Constable in .22lr. I carried a Constable .380 back in the '70s and always liked it. I'm not sure exactly what the finish is on this one. They came blued or hard chromed but the chrome was very shiny. This one is a matte finish and I'm wondering if they made some of stainless steel. These are very similar to a Walther PP. Takedown is a bit different than a PP and there is an exterior slide catch. Can't wait to take her to the range. These are supposed to be solid guns. We'll see. If anyone has knowledge of these I'm all ears.

Here she is...

[Bawanna]

Never had one myself but a friend and his wife had them. The wife I think had the 380, he had something larger but it was an Astra.
Never any issues that I ever heard about.

I for some reason can't stop visualizing that with some nice wood grips........must be a curse.

[ltxi]

My experience parallels yours, ripley. Had an Astra Constable .380 back in the '70s. Rather decent gun. Gave it to a girlfriend who'd just gotten her Mass carry permit, circa 1978. It's for me replacement was a Star PD.

[Ken L]

Looks like a perfect 22 kit gun! How difficult is it to find spare magazines?

[gb6491]

Just today I was able to purchase a pistol I've sought many years; an Astra Constable in .22lr. I carried a Constable .380 back in the '70s and always liked it. I'm not sure exactly what the finish is on this one. They came blued or hard chromed but the chrome was very shiny. This one is a matte finish and I'm wondering if they made some of stainless steel. These are very similar to a Walther PP. Takedown is a bit different than a PP and there is an exterior slide catch. Can't wait to take her to the range. These are supposed to be solid guns. We'll see. If anyone has knowledge of these I'm all ears.

Here she is...

Congrats on acquiring a very nice looking Constable To me, the finish looks like hard chrome.

I have a blued one that is reliable with good high velocity stuff and Remington Golden bullets.

Magazines are interchangeable between the Constable and the Constable II in .22LR.

Download the manual: http://stevespages.com/pdf/astra_constable_i_ii.pdf

Jack First has some parts for them: https://jack-first-gun-parts.myshopi...-32-380-pistol

Regards,
Greg

I had to edit my original post as I got caught up in the 2 screws for each grip panel thing and was sure that it was a Constable II (my Constable has only one screw per panel). However, I completely overlooked the slide markings and that the safety/decocker does not go completely through both sides of the slide (as it does on the Constable II). Sorry about that.