Astra CUB manufactured date - The Firearms Forum

robsalguz · 02-04-2009, 12:20 AM

Hi guys. New here.
I inherited an Astra Unceta & Cia. CUB or 2000 cal. .22 short.
What is important to me is to find out the year of manufacture.
Serial number is: 723xx with matching numbers in barrel and disconnector.

More info:
It shows signs of being refurbished or reblued in nickel white color. Originally it was blue before but worn out. It still shows a couple of pitting left that were covered by the nickel so sale price is not that important. I will not sell it anyway as it has sentimental value (given to me by my grandfather). The barrel is in excellent condition.
It is very accurate at 15 mts. for its small barrel: Head size target is hit always with no feeding/extraction failures at all. I thought it was designed for defense high velocity hollow point .22 shorts ONLY and that by using standard velocity silhouette .22 shorts it was not going to cycle correctly but, man I was wrong!!! It works fine with Elley Olympic silhouette standard velocity loads and this are very accurate ones.
In short. I was amazed by this little pistol and I am happy with it. If this Astra is going to be used in an emergency defense situation I will be better served with solid standard bullets than hollow points which, anyway, I doubt will expand at all at such low velocity given by .22 short and short barrel.

Thanks in advance if you are kind in finding out year of manufacture.

dennulms · 02-04-2009, 12:34 AM

Hi, Would guess from the serial number it was made about 1954/5. By the safety there are some proof marks, in the center of them there will be a letter or a letter and a number. ( Z, A1, etc. ) That would give the exact year of production.

dennulms · 02-04-2009, 01:04 AM

Ooops, the picture didn't show up when I first saw this post. It has been refinished enough to remove the proofs. The date is still in the same 54/55 area though.

robsalguz · 02-04-2009, 08:25 PM

Thank you Dennulms!
your input is highly appreciated.
I will try to buy a new slide, thumb safety, extra magazine, grips and a set of springs. This poor baby definitively deserve it.

Thanks again.

AR1911 · 02-06-2009, 05:25 PM

On my Cub, the date code was under the left grip, next to the backstrap.
Check the codes here:

www.star-firearms.com/firearms/proof.shtml

robsalguz · 02-08-2009, 01:31 AM

Unfortunately the gunsmith who re-finished this old gun didn't leave the proof marks. The only one still visible is the proof mark in the barrel. The pot (I think it is a pot) with fire on top and a letter "P" inside from Eibar (shown on the link you gave me) used after December 1929 (according to the table in the same link). But I am happy with the 1954/5. Definitively, makes sense. My grandpa bought at the end of the fifties or begining of the sixties. When he passed away, my grandma stored it hidden from their sons and gave it to me recently.

I guess she didn't stored it in a good dry place and that's how rust came to it.

robsalguz · 02-10-2009, 08:05 PM

Guys.

I've asked at the 22 rimfire section but got no answers. Could you please help me with this?:

My old Astra CUB has got plastic pearl color grips (as you can see in the photos above). When using it you notice that the grips turn around a little loose by their unique screw. The left one doesn't show up the problem too much because the magazine release button does not allow the grip to turn but the right grip moves a lot.

When you take appart the grips, you see small holes at the inside bottom. It looks like a small recess intended for any kind of pin in each grip that will keep the grips in place. But I don't know if I am correct.

Can you take a look at your CUB grips?

RJay · 02-10-2009, 08:28 PM

I replaced the plastic grips with Rosewood on my Astra and on both sets of grips the right grip would turn or pivot on the single screw. I believe when they gun left the factory there was a guide pin installed.. Both sets of grips had a small hole on the inside of the right grip. There is a matching hole on the frame. I found a piece of small wooden dowel that fit the hole. With a razor knife I cut it down so i/8th inch nub stuck up, glued it into the grip. I rounded the top on the nub and it fits the matching hole in the frame. No more turning grips

robsalguz · 02-11-2009, 08:47 PM

Thanks RJay. I saw your post on the other thread. Thanks again. This I will do.

RJay · 02-11-2009, 09:51 PM

One more thing. I did find blue prints for both the Astra and Colt Jr. ( same gun) both showed a pin or stud in the right grip.

robsalguz · 02-11-2009, 10:23 PM

Wow! The diagram I have, only shows the left grip: This is the one that comes with the Astra owner's manual.

well at least part numbers are shown.
Yours must be nice because is a blueprint and not a parts catalog. Lots of detail I guess

I'll fix the right side grip this weekend.

AR1911 · 02-19-2009, 03:40 PM

FYI there is a guy (Star) on gunboards who has new checkered walnut grips for these, along with parts for most Spanish pistols.
Good guy, lives in Spain.

02-04-2009, 12:20 AM	#1
robsalguz Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Miami Posts: 29	Astra CUB manufactured date Hi guys. New here. I inherited an Astra Unceta & Cia. CUB or 2000 cal. .22 short. What is important to me is to find out the year of manufacture. Serial number is: 723xx with matching numbers in barrel and disconnector. More info: It shows signs of being refurbished or reblued in nickel white color. Originally it was blue before but worn out. It still shows a couple of pitting left that were covered by the nickel so sale price is not that important. I will not sell it anyway as it has sentimental value (given to me by my grandfather). The barrel is in excellent condition. It is very accurate at 15 mts. for its small barrel: Head size target is hit always with no feeding/extraction failures at all. I thought it was designed for defense high velocity hollow point .22 shorts ONLY and that by using standard velocity silhouette .22 shorts it was not going to cycle correctly but, man I was wrong!!! It works fine with Elley Olympic silhouette standard velocity loads and this are very accurate ones. In short. I was amazed by this little pistol and I am happy with it. If this Astra is going to be used in an emergency defense situation I will be better served with solid standard bullets than hollow points which, anyway, I doubt will expand at all at such low velocity given by .22 short and short barrel. Thanks in advance if you are kind in finding out year of manufacture. --> Last edited by robsalguz; 02-04-2009 at 12:37 AM.. Reason: Photo added

02-04-2009, 12:34 AM	#2
dennulms Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Nebraska Posts: 15	Re: Astra CUB manufactured date Hi, Would guess from the serial number it was made about 1954/5. By the safety there are some proof marks, in the center of them there will be a letter or a letter and a number. ( Z, A1, etc. ) That would give the exact year of production.

02-04-2009, 01:04 AM	#3
dennulms Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Nebraska Posts: 15	Re: Astra CUB manufactured date Ooops, the picture didn't show up when I first saw this post. It has been refinished enough to remove the proofs. The date is still in the same 54/55 area though.

02-04-2009, 08:25 PM	#4
robsalguz Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Miami Posts: 29	Re: Astra CUB manufactured date Thank you Dennulms! your input is highly appreciated. I will try to buy a new slide, thumb safety, extra magazine, grips and a set of springs. This poor baby definitively deserve it. Thanks again.

02-06-2009, 05:25 PM	#5
AR1911 V.I.P. Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 122	Re: Astra CUB manufactured date On my Cub, the date code was under the left grip, next to the backstrap. Check the codes here: www.star-firearms.com/firearms/proof.shtml

02-08-2009, 01:31 AM	#6
robsalguz Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Miami Posts: 29	Re: Astra CUB manufactured date Unfortunately the gunsmith who re-finished this old gun didn't leave the proof marks. The only one still visible is the proof mark in the barrel. The pot (I think it is a pot) with fire on top and a letter "P" inside from Eibar (shown on the link you gave me) used after December 1929 (according to the table in the same link). But I am happy with the 1954/5. Definitively, makes sense. My grandpa bought at the end of the fifties or begining of the sixties. When he passed away, my grandma stored it hidden from their sons and gave it to me recently. I guess she didn't stored it in a good dry place and that's how rust came to it.

02-10-2009, 08:05 PM	#7
robsalguz Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Miami Posts: 29	Re: Astra CUB manufactured date and one more question Guys. I've asked at the 22 rimfire section but got no answers. Could you please help me with this?: My old Astra CUB has got plastic pearl color grips (as you can see in the photos above). When using it you notice that the grips turn around a little loose by their unique screw. The left one doesn't show up the problem too much because the magazine release button does not allow the grip to turn but the right grip moves a lot. When you take appart the grips, you see small holes at the inside bottom. It looks like a small recess intended for any kind of pin in each grip that will keep the grips in place. But I don't know if I am correct. Can you take a look at your CUB grips?

02-10-2009, 08:28 PM	#8
RJay Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arizona Posts: 3,487	Re: Astra CUB manufactured date I replaced the plastic grips with Rosewood on my Astra and on both sets of grips the right grip would turn or pivot on the single screw. I believe when they gun left the factory there was a guide pin installed.. Both sets of grips had a small hole on the inside of the right grip. There is a matching hole on the frame. I found a piece of small wooden dowel that fit the hole. With a razor knife I cut it down so i/8th inch nub stuck up, glued it into the grip. I rounded the top on the nub and it fits the matching hole in the frame. No more turning grips __________________ RonJames

02-11-2009, 08:47 PM	#9
robsalguz Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Miami Posts: 29	Re: Astra CUB manufactured date Thanks RJay. I saw your post on the other thread. Thanks again. This I will do.

02-11-2009, 09:51 PM	#10
RJay Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arizona Posts: 3,487	Re: Astra CUB manufactured date One more thing. I did find blue prints for both the Astra and Colt Jr. ( same gun) both showed a pin or stud in the right grip. __________________ RonJames

02-11-2009, 10:23 PM	#11
robsalguz Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Miami Posts: 29	Re: Astra CUB manufactured date Wow! The diagram I have, only shows the left grip: This is the one that comes with the Astra owner's manual. well at least part numbers are shown. Yours must be nice because is a blueprint and not a parts catalog. Lots of detail I guess I'll fix the right side grip this weekend.

02-19-2009, 03:40 PM	#12
AR1911 V.I.P. Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 122	Re: Astra CUB manufactured date FYI there is a guy (Star) on gunboards who has new checkered walnut grips for these, along with parts for most Spanish pistols. Good guy, lives in Spain.