Astra 960 History
Founded in 1908, Astra Unceta y Cía manufactured a wide range of military, commercial, and law enforcement firearms until it went under in 1997. That was followed by a short-lived merger with another Spanish gunmaker, Star Bonifacio Echeverria S.A., in 1998.
Both companies are now defunct, but waves of their well-made firearms flowed into the U.S. surplus market over the last few decades at bargain prices.
Related: Astra, Llama & Star – Spending Time with Some Spanish Pistols
Originally manufactured as the Astra Model 357 chambered for .357 Magnum, the Astra 960 kept the Model 357’s frame and downscaled the cylinder for the plain Jane .38 Special. This came from a request by the Spanish police for a robust but more controllable non-Magnum firearm.
That partly explains the overbuilt nature of the Astra 960, which boasts a bulky frame and cylinder. The 960 could be had with a 4- or 6-inch barrel, and the main difference between the .357 and .38 Special models was just the cylinder.
Related: Spanish Astra 600 – Funky Retro Sci-Fi Pistol from WWII
Astra manufactured its line of revolvers from 1958 to 1997. Earlier Astra Cadix revolvers were chambered for .22, .32, and .38 calibers. The later .357 Magnum and .38 Special models simply strengthened the guns for higher-pressure loads.
Specs & Features
The Astra 960 is largely based on the Smith & Wesson M&P revolvers, with essentially the same internals as the S&W Model 10. Its size is closer to the large S&W N-Frames, making the Astra 960 a very beefy gun. At 2.43 pounds, there’s little question that this gun is overbuilt for the relatively light-recoiling .38 Special.
This double-action/single-action gun has a few unique quirks of its own. First, the extensive Spanish Eibar proofs and Astra markings clearly identify it as a foreign-made gun. But the real treat is hidden beneath the seemingly undersized grip panels.
Astra’s designers incorporated an ingenious trigger adjustment wheel/ring into the grip. This clever adjustment wheel allows you to easily customize your double-action trigger pull. The ring has four different holes, and each hole offers a different tension for the hammer strut spring.
Related: S&W Model 10 Review – 123-Year-Old Rockstar in Revolver History
For the purposes of this article, I’ve left the adjustment wheel set to whatever setting the previous owner used. As far as surplus triggers go, this Astra has a fantastic double-action and single-action trigger pull.
Here’s a quick overview of the basic specs for this 960:
Weight: 2.43 pounds
Length: 9.5 inches
Barrel Length: 4.05 inches
Sight Radius: 6 inches
Width: 1.57 inches
Height: 5.3 inches
Capacity: 6 rounds (.38 Special only)
DA Trigger Pull: 8.87 pounds
SA Trigger Pull: 3.56 pounds
Here’s a closer look at how the trigger runs:
The trigger travels a decent distance. At 0.7 inches of travel to the double-action break, the Astra 960 allows you to stage your shot deliberately right before the break. The pull is glassy smooth. At 8.87 pounds to the break, the DA trigger is predictable and still fast with minimal stacking and no grit. The reset comes out to 0.75 inches.
Meanwhile, the single-action trigger is ridiculously crisp for a budget surplus gun that has lived a knock-around lifestyle. There is no noticeable trigger travel, and the break comes in at a crisp 3.56 pounds. The benefits of the trigger showed themselves at the range. More on that later.
Astra adorned the 960 with quality adjustable sights, which is unique for a service gun. These sights include a windage and elevation-adjustable rear notch, pinned ramp front blade, and anti-glare cuts that run the length of the top of the frame.
The original wooden grips on this gun are well-worn and tell a story of their own. The right grip panel, in particular, is a bit threadbare. This no doubt came from years of riding in a right-handed holster. This wear pattern is a common sight on surplus Astra revolvers, so it’s likely a hangover from whatever holsters were commonly issued to the Spanish police officers who carried them.
Even with a high level of wear on the grip panels, the shape of the grip itself locks the gun into your hand. The small flare at the front base of the grip does much of that work. I have zero interest in upgrading these storied grip panels, and I shoot the gun just fine regardless.
Other features include a shielded ejection rod, an aggressively textured hammer spur, and an easy-to-reach cylinder release.
As a final note, the Astra 960 will happily run on number 10 speed loaders. It will even fit many N-Frame Smith & Wesson holsters. Here are two examples.
Range Testing
I only occasionally shoot revolvers, so imagine my surprise when I outshot some of my fancy new semi-autos with a Spanish-made surplus revolver I’ve barely fired.
Given the relatively slow loading process and the surplus nature of this gun, I’ve only put around 200 rounds through this Astra 960. Most of that was budget-friendly flat-nosed .38 SPL reloads for target practice and a 50-round box of 158-grain round-nosed Fiocchi .38 SPL. The gun has never skipped a beat, and I never expected it to have any issues.
It is indeed a robust gun, and you can feel it. That 2.43-pound weight makes the recoil from the already soft-shooting .38 Special downright pleasant. You can compare that to my lightly used LEO-surplus Smith & Wesson Model 64-8, which weighs in at just 2.13 pounds and is rated for +P ammunition. Both guns are from a similar period, but the 64-8 has a slightly better trigger.
Related: S&W 64-8 Review – Classy, Stainless Police Wheelgun Action
Regardless, the Astra 960 shot great at the range. The targets below were shot with the double-action trigger:
I’m no world-record revolver shooter like Jerry Miculek. Not even close. However, I consider these groups to be great by my standards. I rarely shoot revolvers, and the Astra 960 still feels like a natural companion in my hand at the range.
Pros & Cons
Here’s my short list of the pros and cons of the Astra 960 revolver:
Pros:
- Very robust
- Accurate
- Nice trigger
- Adjustable trigger pull
- Affordably priced
- Cool surplus history and markings
- Low recoil
- Nice adjustable sights
- Comfortable in the hand
- Reliable
Cons:
- Heavy for a .38 Special revolver
- Increasingly hard to find
- Not chambered for +P or magnum ammo
- Worn exterior from a life of service
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Large frame
Final Thoughts
I doubt many collectors of fine revolvers bothered to read this far. If you did, then maybe you also appreciate an old foreign gun with a story to tell and plenty of shooting life left in it. I’m a fan of the Astra 960, largely for its interesting history and solid range performance.
Yet, it’s just one of many great revolvers that tend to get overlooked. We see tons of police trade-ins and certified used guns come through our Guns.com warehouse every week.
If you can find an Astra that fits your desires, great! If not, I guarantee there are tons of used and surplus revolvers floating around that deserve a second home, especially at a bargain price tag.
