Walter Rego
Member
I know that there are some fans of Spanish steel on this forum. Here is one that you probably haven't seen. The ASTRA Model 4000 Falcon is descended from their early post WWII models and features an exposed hammer. They were made from 1956-1998 in .380, .32 and .22 LR although the .22's were discontinued in 1964 due to slow sales. They failed to meet the "points" required by the GCA68 so none were imported into the US after that date. Most production post-1968 went to the Middle East where they were popular arms.
From 1957-58 only, ASTRA offered the Model 4000 as a caliber conversion kit. The Bi-Cal Model was centerfire with a .380 ACP and .32 ACP barrel and magazines for both, only requiring field stripping and swapping the barrel and magazine. The Bi-Con Model was either a .32 or .380 with a complete slide assembly in .22 LR and matching magazine, and the Tri-Cal was the most elaborate kit with both .32 & .380 barrels and magazines plus the .22 LR upper and mag.
All three barrels have the last three digits of the frame S/N, and both slides have the complete frame SN stamped on the bottom of one of the rails. It would have been shipped in a compartmentalized cardboard box with cleaning rod and manual, unfortunately that has been lost to the ages. Antaris, in Astra Automatic Pistols, 1998 said that fewer than 200 Tri-Cal sets were made.
From 1957-58 only, ASTRA offered the Model 4000 as a caliber conversion kit. The Bi-Cal Model was centerfire with a .380 ACP and .32 ACP barrel and magazines for both, only requiring field stripping and swapping the barrel and magazine. The Bi-Con Model was either a .32 or .380 with a complete slide assembly in .22 LR and matching magazine, and the Tri-Cal was the most elaborate kit with both .32 & .380 barrels and magazines plus the .22 LR upper and mag.
All three barrels have the last three digits of the frame S/N, and both slides have the complete frame SN stamped on the bottom of one of the rails. It would have been shipped in a compartmentalized cardboard box with cleaning rod and manual, unfortunately that has been lost to the ages. Antaris, in Astra Automatic Pistols, 1998 said that fewer than 200 Tri-Cal sets were made.
