Astra M1000s
A fellow showed me stuff his grandpa brought back from the Korean War, a pistol and a shin-gunto. I might be able to aquire them, but I am running into a dead end on the pistol.
It's an Astra M1000s with Japanese markings, private purchase. I cannot find much of anything on the web or in my pubs. Antaris's book has less than a page on it, and Blue Book gives a value I think is lower than it should be.
I know what the Japanese markings mean, but I don't know how common the gun is.
Anyone have any experience with this particular model? It's like a Ruby with an extended mag, twelve shot I believe since the guy doesn't have the mag. Appoximate origin is late 20's, early 30's when the Japanese invaded China (my best guess).
It's an Astra M1000s with Japanese markings, private purchase. I cannot find much of anything on the web or in my pubs. Antaris's book has less than a page on it, and Blue Book gives a value I think is lower than it should be.
I know what the Japanese markings mean, but I don't know how common the gun is.
Anyone have any experience with this particular model? It's like a Ruby with an extended mag, twelve shot I believe since the guy doesn't have the mag. Appoximate origin is late 20's, early 30's when the Japanese invaded China (my best guess).
0
-
"Pistols of the World", dates it to the late 40's. Made in "small numbers". Spanish .32 autos aren't big buck items, usually. The Japanese markings and being a bringback from Korea, will up the value though, ( Is there a possibility he actually obtained the pistol in Japan, rather then Korea? ). If the present owner doesn't have any documents or bringback papers from his granddad have him give you a notarized statement. There are a few folks who collect Spanish handguns, but the way things are with the economy and jobs, I would just hold on to it until better times. Don't know what the condition of the pistol is but wouldn't put big bucks in it, if you have to buy it with his other stuff as a package deal. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by rufe-snow
"Pistols of the World", dates it to the late 40's. Made in "small numbers". Spanish .32 autos aren't big buck items, usually. The Japanese markings and being a bringback from Korea, will up the value though, ( Is there a possibility he actually obtained the pistol in Japan, rather then Korea? ). If the present owner doesn't have any documents or bringback papers from his granddad have him give you a notarized statement. There are a few folks who collect Spanish handguns, but the way things are with the economy and jobs, I would just hold on to it until better times. Don't know what the condition of the pistol is but wouldn't put big bucks in it, if you have to buy it with his other stuff as a package deal.
Ruff, thanks for the comeback.
Pistols of the world is wrong. I ran into a couple of sources that had that, but according to Antaris and other sources, this pistol was actually subcontracted out FROM Astra in the early 20's. There was a longer barrel version just called the M1000 while the shorter barrel was the M1000s, Special hence the small S.
I'm pretty sure of the origin as from Korea too. The shin-gunto has a thin non-synthetic cord hilt binding instead of the usual Japanese brown silk tape indicative of North Korean/Chinese rework. The blade is nothing special and I haven't decided whether to strip it or not. Lots of ex-Jap equipment was used by both sides in that "Police Action".
As to the pistol, I want it because it's a bonafied WWII Japanese carried pistol, probably wouldn't even think about selling it if I get it. Just want to know if people see it much.0 -
Dating it vis a vis the 20's and 40's is doable. Spanish handguns weren't required to have legal proofs prior to the mid 1920's. If there any proof marks on the pistol either describe them in specific detail, or post quality close-ups of them. 0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
3 comments