Guns We Love – Astra Constable

The Walther PP and PPK have reached legendary status. When people say Walther, most people will picture a PP variant. In reality, there was nothing superbly revolutionary about the PP series. These were high-quality firearms that were sleek, slim and good-looking. They are also the guns of James Bond. They remain in production with Walther. That level of popularity led to a ton of clones. Clones from Mauser, Bersa, and a company called Astra. Well, the Astra Constable isn’t necessarily a clone but a Spanish adaption of the Walther pistols.

Spanish handguns don’t get the credit they deserve. They’ve produced some very nice guns that are often sold at a very low price point. Most Spanish handguns we see are from Star or Astra. In 1997, the two companies merged to become ASTAR, and the imports dried up. For decades, Spanish handguns were imported at very low prices but never got super popular.

The Astra Constable was one of their more popular pistols. People described it as an affordable Walther, and Spanish construction meant the quality was high. At first glance, the Constable looks like a Walther, but a closer look is required.

The Astra Constable – Don’t Call It a Walther

The Walther PP series were simple guns. They didn’t do anything new, but they did it well. Like the Walther, The Constable uses a straight blowback system. that uses a fixed barrel as a recoil guide rod. The hammer-fired DA/SA design is also similar to the Walther design.

It comes in .380 ACP, which is the most popular caliber of the Walther PP/PPK series. The Constable also came in a rimfire .22 LR variant. It has a slide-mounted safety that doubles as a decocker. Yep, present. It even has the same sleek look and feel.

There are a few differences. The barrel is 3.5 inches. The Walther PP had a 3.9-inch barrel, and the PPK had a 3.3-inch barrel. It’s a minor change. One notable addition is a manual slide lock and release. The PP series had slides that lock open but did not have a slide release button or manual means to lock the slide open.

The most famous use of the Constable comes from Taxi Driver. Easy Andy calls in a .380 Walther and makes some fairly silly claims about the gun. Notably, it turns into a Walther PPK when the main character goes to the gun range but turns back into an Astra when used to kill a grocery store robber.

More Or Less

The Constables have always been an affordable alternative to a quote “real” Walther. They seem to remain affordable these days. While models like the double stack A-60 have climbed in price, the bare-bone Constables in .380 ACP are great purchases. Travis Bickle paid $150 for the gun in 1976, and I paid $160 in 2024.

The Constable wouldn’t be my first pick for a concealed-carry gun. It’s not that it has some gaping flaw, but in 2024, I have a 9mm SIG P365 that holds 12 rounds of 9mm and fits an optic in a package that’s just a little wider. However, if I only had $200 for a gun, I’d pick the $160 Constable, two boxes of .380 FMJs for practice and a box of defensive .380.

It’s compact, light and thin, so it’s easy to carry IWB. Of course, this all depends on whether the gun works, and to determine that, I grabbed some Fioochi 95-grain .380 ACP and hit the range.

The Astra Constable In Action

I’m not a big fan of Walther-style guns in .380 ACP. Due to their straight blowback system, they tend to be snappy and uncomfortable when shooting. The Constable seems to be a little bigger and a little meatier. That extra weight soaks up some recoil, and it’s not as snappy as the Walther or Bersa series.

We still get the Walther bite. When you choke up on the gun and get that good high grip, you’re likely to get bit. By the time I finished a single magazine, the skin had broken, and the web of my hand was sufficiently irritated. It took a little bit of time and more than one range trip to finish my gun testing.

Luckily, it’s a very reliable weapon. I only had one type of .380 ACP, a brass-cased 95-grain FMJ load, and it worked without issue in the gun. The recoil might be stiff, and the slide bite is uncomfortable, but the gun doesn’t have much muzzle rise. It stays low and on target even when rapidly fired.

Sights and Trigger

Unfortunately, the Constable takes a page out of the Walther playbook for sights. They are small and come in every color, as long as they’re black. There isn’t much contrast, so they can be slow to find from the draw and tougher to track. At standard self-defense distances, it’s fine, accurate enough for fast A-zone shots at seven to 10 yards.

It’s a little trickier when you back off to 25 yards. If you go slow, align the sights and get a good sight picture, it’s fine. I can hit a paper plate with careful, slow fire. Anything quick isn’t quick if it’s accurate. I’m not hammering 1.5-second double taps from the low ready. Even on a big IPSC target, I’m having a hard time making any quick A-Zone shots.

The double-action trigger is fine. It’s not impressive, just a heavy wall that’s surprisingly short. It’s super heavy, but the single action is quite nice. Single-action double taps can be quick and easy with that light of a trigger.

The Sure Seller

At $160, the Astra Constable was a great buy. It’s a fun little gun that’s Walther-like and with a few improvements overall. I got a helluva deal, but even up to $250, I believe this is a good buy. It’s a well-made pistol at a budget price that’s not popular or collectible, so it makes for a high-quality, easy-to-conceive and affordable option that’s also capable and suitable for modern concealed carry.

 

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