Astra 800 Condor
Astra-Unceta y Cia · Pistol · Discontinued · 1958
Also known as: Astra Model 800, Astra Condor, Astra M800
Overview
The Astra 800 Condor is a Spanish straight-blowback semi-automatic pistol chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum, produced by Astra-Unceta y Cia of Guernica from 1958 to 1969. It is a development of the wartime Astra 600, retaining the distinctive tubular slide of the Astra 400 lineage but adding an external hammer and a loaded-chamber indicator. Roughly 11,400 were made, and the heavy blowback design gives it substantial slide mass to safely handle the 9mm Parabellum cartridge.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 1049 g (37.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 211 mm (8.31") |
| Barrel Length | 135 mm (5.31") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 8 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 350 m/s (1148 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 460 J (339 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 9x19mm Parabellum · primary · 9mm NATO — also known as 9mm Luger, 9mm NATO, 9x19mm
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Loaded Chamber Indicator
- Features: External Hammer, Loaded Chamber Indicator, Tubular Slide
Service history
Operators
- West German Police
Production
Estimated total produced: 11,400 · Production years: 1958-1969
Approximately 11,400 pistols manufactured by Unceta y Cia; considered relatively scarce today.
Origin
Country of origin: Spain
Discontinued: 1969
Notes
Modernized derivative of the Astra 600, which itself descended from the Astra 400. The external hammer distinguished the Condor from the concealed-hammer 600.
Background
The Astra 800 Condor kept the unmistakable seamless tubular slide that defined Astra's blowback pistols from the Astra 400 onward, a silhouette instantly recognizable among mid-century service automatics.