Swiss manufactured 1911 (Astra)

[1911crazy]

Well the Swiss have picked up the Astra name and there manufacturing the 1911's now.  For the ones who don't know the Astra name in pistols these were a quality manufactured pistol at one time in spain.  Now there being manufactured by the swiss(awesome quality watches) so we just may see a change comming to the 1911 styale of pistols.  Sometimes change is good right?  Its surely worth a look.  On a sad note i don't think its imported here yet listed on there site but there could be one just its not listed yet..

Go to; www.astra-arms.ch/products/1911-pistols  

Daytona model is $1,200  (gold cup model with a hand fitted slide/frame fit)

US model is $1,000 (looks like the G.I. no frills model)

I'm very very frugal but a swiss made astra 1911 doesn't look too bad with the price range.  To me it could be the Benz or BMW of the 1911's.  I'm not sure but it sounds good to me.  Its on my want list already. I'm kind of exceited about seeing the astra 1911 with the swiss quality.


So watcha think???

[Keith L]

That is more than my Kimber, and I doubt the quality can be any better.  Not on my wish list.

[1911crazy]

They also say all the parts are forged.  The swiss are noted for quality just look at there swiss k31's. I never spent that much on a 1911 or any handgun so far but i may go for it since its imported here with the astra/swiss quality.

Price wise and with the functionality/relability being flawless of my low cost new Auto-Ordnance army WW2 copy for just $389 is hard to beat. Now will i see any performance difference between the higher priced 1911's is the question.  But there is a quality difference in the forging. Plus i expect to see better quality parts plus the way everything is properly fitted. The frame, the slide and barrel seem to be the national match hand fitted setup in both astra pistols.

[williamlayton]

IMO, Spain has never produced a quality firearm.
H&K, Glock, Sig and many others have had a gene traceable link to Switzerland----NOW, as far as them being the embodiment of accuracy, I would defer to the Gemans, Austrians and such---but then again, we are talking about the same folks--all those Swiss HillBillies.
Blessings

[1911crazy]

The spanish pistols are well known across europe rather than in the US.  My spanish pistols have been awesome so far.  I'm going to wait and look at a swiss 1911 when it shows up in the US. I'm not fond of high priced guns but i may look at it. The germans during ww2 did use astra's too. Both models do boast about hand fitted frames/slides. So its not a machined fit and dropped in our laps to make it work.

[drdougrx]

I don't know about poor quality William....the Astra constable and my favorite...the Star PD ... come to mind as fairly good quality.  Not like a Colt or SW in my opinion...but...lots of folks carried these guns pretty regular.  I also had an Astra A90 in 45acp at one time...I liked it very much....but I traded it and two other guns for something I couldn't live without at the time....just wish I could remember what it was exactly....

[williamlayton]

I go by one purchase---A Star.
There are better things than Spain Made.
Blessings

[drdougrx]

Completely agree and never an argument from me Mr. Layton!!  I find spanish guns interesting....I don't know why...just me.  If I had a choice for a primary self defense gun...wouldn't be a spanish gun....though.....I can't get the PD bug outta my system.  I recently saw that a prominant gunsmith carries one as his primary carry gun....now that was a surprise!!!

[Savage]

That is more than my Kimber, and I doubt the quality can be any better.  Not on my wish list.

AND-----the Kimber is American made!!
I've seen a lot of Astra pistols, and owned 3 or 4 over the last half century or so. For a grand, I'd expect a sack full of Astras.
Savage

[1911crazy]

I have to see where the frames come from.  The companies here seem to use outside vendors alot because its cost effective and much cheaper to surrvive in todays world. The engineering group that i worked for was one of the top ten engineering groups in the USA.  Yup we designed it here but we had manufacturing sister companies in all the other countries.  And i even in south america too.  We manufactured nothing here in the US.  I hope to own a swiss 1911 when it becomes available here.  I'm sure it will have the workmanship and quality over all the rest. My two bad colts were made in the USA too.

American made.  Whats really american made anymore.  Even harley davidson are using japanese parts now(showa forks).  Probably because we can't come close to the quality that the japanese can.  The japanese even put 4 and 6 cylinders in a row on there motorcycles today.  Heck thats an old school design that was done here around 1900 yet we can't do that today.

Even the john deere's are from japan now too.

I know my auto ordnance army ww2 1911 is manufactured in wooster,mass.

[Bigeasy]

I know my auto ordnance army ww2 1911 is manufactured in wooster,mass.

Auto Ordnance uses parts sourced from other makers, including STI, who's popularly priced Spartan line of 1911's are manufactured in the Philippines.

Larry

[torpedoman]

my inexpensive rock island feeds everything i put in the mag and fires every time i pull the trigger. It hits were it is aimed . I can't see paying anymore than is necessary to get a good accurate functioning firearm.

[Bigeasy]

I agree - So does mine.  Stock RIA (with stags) on bottom

Larry

[Keith L]

"Probably because we can't come close to the quality that the japanese can. "

Now that is a crock.  Manufacturing takes place off shore in most cases because of a mistaken belief that it is cheaper.  If the total cost of anything but commodity items such as washers and nuts/bolts are used it is cheaper to build it here.  As for quality Toyota makes cars with total content in the US and exports them to Japan because the quality is so high.

In most cases fouindry and machine work are done offshore because no one is hounding the manufacturers to keep their processes clean and green.  Less work.  For now.  That comes home to roost some day too.

Enjoy your Swiss pistol.  Like with other European guns and parts it is counterintuitive to expect a country with tighter environmental restrictions, higher (much higher) labor costs, and no break on material costs to produce higher quality at a lower price.  No free lunch in this world.

[rawhidekid]

Back in the late 70's early 80's I had a Star Model P 5inch 45 Acp that would regularly out shoot my friends custom Colt Match 1911.  It cost all of $350 and one of the most regrettable losses of all my trades. My wife totally loved her Star PD and only stopped toting it when the buffers quit being available.A Star Model BM was the first recorded range gun to shoot a record amount of rounds, althow I can't remember the exact count, seems it was arange in Texas though.   

[Savage]

Guns, cars, and women. Nothing beats the one you have. That's the one that's always the best. Kinda like " My Chevy Cobalt does everything your Lexus does, and it cost 60% less!" Therefore it follows that anyone buying a Lexus is throwing away their money. Not everyone subscribes to that line of reasoning. The important thing is to be happy with your choices. If it's a $300 RIA, or a $3k custom makes you happy that's what it's all about. There is something to be said for pride of ownership.
Savage

[drdougrx]

Very well said Savage!!!!! 

[1911crazy]

I lost my job in 83, 84 again and in 85 again because everyone here was buying imported stuff and i was always buy american made products.  I say BULL now.  I was happy to be on a team working for the same company doing product developement and R&D work. I like it when i seen new products comming in to be life tested from all over the world before went sent them to the field.  It wasn't me that was going to be out of work again.

As far as Chevy's go i been a chevy owner since i was 14yo.(first car 55 chevy) too bad they can't manufacture cars like that today with no problems.  My 73 checy truck had the front driving axle welded 2 degrees off so i had to keep on rotating the front tires for the uneven wear.  Then the rust bucket just rusted out on me.  Then my new 79 chevette needed the engine pulled because of a leaqking rear main seal on the crank.  I had to bring it back twice because they wanted it to just go away.  Now my new 88 suburban for 27K is another story.  The front drive shaft acted up and i told then what was wrong with it and they wanted to charge me a dianogstic charge to look at it.  Then my engine in september sounded like a can of marbles was in it when i started it up.  They charged me $75 to look at it.  Told me nothings wrong with it.  In December it got really hot and i had to put in 3 gallons of anti freeze.  The block cracked above the lifter valley.  I been working on cars ever since i could wash parts for my dad.  I been a car/truck mechanic since 20yo. i worked for amc the amc jeep dealer and was factory schooled on carbuerators and emissions at the time what little they had.  Now my last new car after that was a subaru impremza '97 which i haggled the price from 21k to 15k out the door.  It now has 21k trouble free miles and my plan is to drive it to 300k or even more.  I( purchased an awesome 99 jeep wrangler which i had to special order because of the off road heavy duty options i wanted.  It has 93k on it right now and i expect it to go to 200k with ease.  My latest new car for the wife of course is a 2010 subaru legacy awd with the cold weather package, heated seats and mirrors.  What started me off with subaru's is when i traveled to my place in VT there is a subaru in every other driveway.  So i'm thinking these people up north know something that i don't?  I built 4x4 monster trucks that i hauled out 15k + weight wise of firewood and my little subaru handled bettrer in snow that any other 4x4 truck i had.  I even had locking diff's in the trucks too.  I figure its the low center of gravity.  I he4ard that GM bought into subaru so they could use the AWD system too a few years back. My point is i know cars and we have gone down hill in quality and manufacture. You just can't sit back and e4xpect to be a fore runner in any product line. I'm all for the best quality product wether its made here or not. I'm willing to try another colt 1911 too who knows. Please don't insult me about buying american products. When i lost my jobs in those three years my husqvarna chaionsaws were smoking out firewood and i survived and my family ate good too plus my bills were paid. I cut between 50 to 100 cords per year. It was the best time of my life too no one had a better work place than me.

[1911crazy]

All i'm trying to say there's a new 1911 on the block and i think its worth taking a look at.  It may fizzle out but it may be a top of the line hjand fitted pistol.  Who knows yet.

I( was one of the first loggers in my area to run the husqvarna chainsaws back in 1979 and look at what they are now?  I kicked a lot of butts at the country fairs with them too in speed cutting.  You put a 18" or 20" bar on a 100cc husky chiansaw and thats me in the woods.  PPPPOOOOOOWWWWWEEEERRRRR monger, thats what i am.                 Bill

Happy Hoildays, Merry Christmas and happy hanuka and happy new years may we dream of buying more 1911's next year.......

My new years resolution is to buy at least one gun a month and the 1911's are first on my list.

[1911crazy]

I know my auto ordnance army ww2 1911 is manufactured in wooster,mass.

Auto Ordnance uses parts sourced from other makers, including STI, who's popularly priced Spartan line of 1911's are manufactured in the Philippines.

Larry

I can't knock my auto ordnance army ww2 copy.  It never jammed once in 500rds now.  For $389 thats hard to beat.  I can still get another one near that price too.

[rawhidekid]

Merry Christmas to all, and Happy New Year also!   I'm just jelous because I can't afford those $1000 handguns.

[1911crazy]

Merry Christmas to all, and Happy New Year also!   I'm just jelous because I can't afford those $1000 handguns.

When i was younger i couldn't either not that $1,000 is that much for a 1911 we can spend much more for one too.  But thats not me anyway i'm furgal and tighter than a frogs butt(water tight) when it comes to buying guns.  But now i'm retired and want a slightly better quality 1911 now that ia can enjoy them.  Will the more expensive 1911 be better than my lower priced 1911's i'd like to think so.   I'm wondering what will the exact difference be?  Will the hand fitted parts mean better accuracy?  Any low budget 1911 will shoot and should hit the target at 25yds. with a better tighter fit on the frame/slide and barrel it should group better.  I can be happy with any low priced 1911 too.  I just wanted one a step above a G.I. simple plain jane model.  I don't want to spend $1,000 unless its something special.  I hate being frugal but i worked very hard for my money thru most of my life as most did too.  I can buy more if i spend less too.    Bill

[SHOOTALL]

I didn't think the Swiss could export handguns ? or was that Austria ?

[1911crazy]

I'm up for another new 1911 next month(1st of january) i will start looking.  I want something different yet not over $1,000.  I just want to test the waters if its my bad luck in getting the disfunctional 1911's or its the crap there sending out there shipping doors. Let the browsing begin.

I'm also reading conflicting reports on my new auto ordnance army ww2 copy 1911a1 too.  The reports seem to say the first ao 1911a1's were casted frames and the later ones are forged frames.  I will contact Kahr to get the truth soon.