Picked up an Astra Terminator 44 magnum the other day. The rear sight slide (blade?) has half of it broken off. Does anyone know if an N frame (model 27, 28 29) rear sight blade would work as a replacement. I defer to the experts. Thanks
Astra Terminator
- Thread starter foxy320
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I don't know the answer to your question, but I would think it might be easier to adapt an entire sight to the Terminator.
Tell you what I can do for you though. Email me an address and I've got a broken N-frame sight blade I'll drop in the mail to you. One of the ears is broken off, but it would work just fine for determining if one would work as a replacement. I've got no use for it.
Here's a suggestion for you if you want to shoot full-boat magnums out of it. Get a set of Pachmayr round-butt K-frame Diamond-Pro grips. Covering the backstrap with some nice & squishy textured rubber make these little hand cannons a lot more comfortable to shoot.
BTW I love mine (haven't taken a new picture since I replaced the Compacs)....
Tell you what I can do for you though. Email me an address and I've got a broken N-frame sight blade I'll drop in the mail to you. One of the ears is broken off, but it would work just fine for determining if one would work as a replacement. I've got no use for it.
Here's a suggestion for you if you want to shoot full-boat magnums out of it. Get a set of Pachmayr round-butt K-frame Diamond-Pro grips. Covering the backstrap with some nice & squishy textured rubber make these little hand cannons a lot more comfortable to shoot.
BTW I love mine (haven't taken a new picture since I replaced the Compacs)....
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Yeah, funny thing is when I first found it and posted a "What do you think of this for $350" thread I got a LOT of the typical "Spanish guns are all junk" responses from people here who had never even seen, much less owned one.
A little research revealed that they were a Jovino Customs creation so I went ahead and bought it for $340 OTD. I've never regretted the decision.
Ivan the Butcher
Member
My dad taught me; "The masses are asses!" I passed that on to my kids before they went out into the cold cruel world!
As far as the sight blade goes, it may require a slight adjustment with a file, but it can work!
Shooting a short 44 Mag: Practice ammo, I use 8 grains of Unique with a 215 Hard Cast FP. I tried 1 round of factory 240 JHP and blistered the base of my thumb! I probably carry mid-range velocity 240's if it makes into the rotation.
You have to love BBBG's (Big Bore Belly Guns)!
Ivan
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I am also a fan, have one in 45 L.C. Holds it own with any of my Smith’s, Rugers or Colts. And I do love BBBG’s. I load this one with cast 255 SWC’s over a healthy dollop of Umique or 270 gr WC’s. This is the only one of these I have seen in 45LC.
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Good info. Thanks.
One other observation. Those "lousy" Spanish gun makers at Astra had the foresight to cut BIG stop notches in the cylinder right out of the gate. Unlike the earlier M29's
Not sure which came first, the Astra with the big stop notches or the S&W M29 "endurance package" that included enlarging the previously small stop notches that had been found to cause lock up problems with the earlier M29 iterations.
But you can see from the photos in this thread that they were part of the Astra design right from the start.
Tex1001
Member
I have a pair of Taurus 431s (44 specials) that I love to shoot. To heck with the masses, I make myself happy.
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I don't have Alzheimer's- My wife had me tested.
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I don't have Alzheimer's- My wife had me tested.
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OH NO! You said the hated "T" word.
Now this thread is destined to devolve into another session of bashing "that other inferior brand".
Thanks BC38. I've get a really great gunsmith I use who hopefully can figure out the sight blade problem but if he can't I'll get ahold of you. The original grips are a little worn so I might take you up on the different kind of grips.
No problem. I was just thinking you could use the broken one to make the determination about whether or not a new one would fit.
When you replace the grips, what you want is the K/L frame Pachmayr Diamond Pro grips. NOT the ones for an N-frame. That is one of the quirks of the Terminator. The frame & cylinder is N-frame sized, but the grip is the same size and shape as a K/L round butt.
Unfortunately, not all K-frame round butt grips will fit though, because the terminator has the coiled mainspring that runs in a straight line inside the grip - unlike the flat mainspring of the K/L S&W where the spring is significantly off-center and curved. The grip screw for some K/L grips will miss the mainspring, but with some others it won't work because it will interfere with the mainspring.
Regular Compac grips (with the pinky notch in the bottom front corner of the grip) won't fit, but the Compac Pro (with the fully rounded profile - like the ones on mine in the photo) will fit. The Diamond Pro grips also fit perfectly.
So there is everything I know and can tell you about the grips.
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iPac
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I really like that quote, and sadly your father was 100% correct.
Just look on the internet any given day. Heck, look at Python prices.
gwpercle
Member
As far as Spanish gunmakers go , I had a Star Model PS , 45 acp , it was similar to a 1911A1 but had a pivoting trigger, like a revolver, exterior extractor and NO grip safety and no hammer bite !!....it would group better than a Colt Gold Cup and would feed any ammo , cast or jacketed. Never failed to feed or eject ! It had a magazine disconnect but that didn't bother me .
It was stolen in 1995 and I still miss it , that was one sweet shooter and I would like to have it back .
Gary
It was stolen in 1995 and I still miss it , that was one sweet shooter and I would like to have it back .
Gary
Ivan the Butcher
Member
I had several of the Astra 400's and 600's (they do look kind of funny!)
I owned Star; BKM (2), BM, Super B (somewhere around 8 of them!) & 2 PD's (The best pocket 45 for less than $1000!)
I have had several Rossi with great success!
And a few older Taurus revolvers including a 3" 44 Special, I traded on my new 629PC 2 5/8". I haven't been pleased with any Taurus made in the 21st Centaury!
Ivan
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