Astra Model 900

The Astra Model 900 is one of many Spanish copies of the German Mauser C96 semi-automatic pistol. It shares the same caliber, magazine capacity, and holster type and is generally very similar to the German handgun.

Astra Model 900
An Astra 903 pistol.
Type	Semi-automatic pistol Machine pistol (Astra Model 902 and Astra Model 904)
Place of origin	Kingdom of Spain
Service history
In service	1927–1945
Used by	See Users
Wars	Northern Expedition Second Sino-Japanese War Spanish Civil War World War II
Production history
Manufacturer	Astra-Unceta y Cia SA
No. built	35,076 (all versions)
Variants	900, 901, 902, 903, 904
Specifications
Mass	1.275 kg (Astra 903)
Length	308 mm (Astra 903)
Barrel length	160 mm (Astra 903)
Height	150 mm (Astra 903)
Cartridge	7.63×25mm Mauser 9mm Largo
Caliber	7.63mm 9mm
Muzzle velocity	461.28 m/s (1,513.4 ft/s)
Maximum firing range	1,000 m (1,100 yd)
Feed system	10, 20 round box magazine
Sights	Iron

History

The Spanish gunmaker Astra-Unceta y Cia began producing a copy of the Mauser C.96 in 1927^[1] that was externally similar to the C96 (including the presence of a detachable shoulder stock/holster) but with non-interlocking internal parts. It was produced until 1941, with a production hiatus in 1937 and 1938, and a final batch assembled from spare parts in 1951.^[2]

The Spanish copies of the C96 were generally intended for export to China,^[2] but after the commencement of the Sino-Japanese war, the remaining Astra 900s were used in the Spanish Civil War, and numbers were also sold to Germany in the period 1940–1943.^[2]

Design

The Basque-manufactured Astra-Unceta y Cia SA Astra 901 is a compact machine pistol, with a magazine capacity of 10 7.63×25mm Mauser cartridges, which is a considerably smaller capacity than is standard for a machine pistol. The next model, the Astra 902, was provided with a fixed magazine of 20 cartridges and a lengthened barrel, and Astra 903 had a removable magazine instead of the usual fixed one. Astra later added a mechanism to slow the rate of fire and make the gun more manageable (to an extent) when being fired on full-auto or burst modes, calling this the Model 904.

The Model 904 is comparable to the German Mauser M712 'Schnellfeuer' Broomhandle pistols, having a detachable magazine, automatic fire capabilities, and general appearance.

The Astra Model 904 was produced in a 9mm Largo variant, the Astra Model 904E, which was identical to the Model 904 in all other respects.

Production and distribution

The following models were made by Astra:^[1][3]

Astra 900 with shoulder stock.

• Astra 900: 21,000 weapons from 1927 to 1941 for China, Latin America, Spanish Republicans, and the Wehrmacht (1,050 delivered in 1943).
• Astra 901: 1,655 weapons in 1928, destined mainly for China.
• Astra 902: 7,075 weapons in 1928 to 1933. Some delivered to China, others delivered to the Wehrmacht in 1943.
• Astra 903: 3,082 weapons in 1932 to 1934. Same users as the 902.
• Astra 904: 90+ weapons in 1934.
• Astra F: 1,126 weapons in 1936. Issued to the Guardia Civil during Spanish Civil War.
• Astra E: 548 weapons assembled between 1949, 1951 and 1961 from stored parts. Reserved for export to Egypt, India, Iraq and Pakistan.
• 8 × Astra 900, 12 × Astra 902, and 9 × Astra 400, all richly engraved, were presented to Joseph Stalin during the Spanish Civil War in 1937.

Users

•  Republic of China (1912–1949)^[4]
•  Empire of Japan^[5]
•  Nazi Germany
•  Second Spanish Republic: Astra Fs known to be issued to the Guardia Civil.^[6][7]