ASTAR Spain Spanish .45-70 Government Gov’t SXS Hammer Double Rifle, 2000
SOLD FOR: $3600
LSB#: 210906MB10
Make: A.S.T.A.R. (Agrupación Social Trabajadores Armeros, S.A.L.)
Model: Double Rifle
Serial Number: 70-06-0002-00
Year of Manufacture: 2000
Caliber: .45-70 Gov’t
Action Type: Side-by-Side External Rebounding Hammer Double Barrel Rifle with Dual Triggers & Extractor
Markings: The sideplates are each engraved with a horseman, a star on a shield, “A.S.T.A.R.” and border engraving. Each side of the water table is marked “45.70 GOVT”, the right has Spanish proof marks and the left has “70-06-002-00”. The bottom of each barrel is marked “45.70 GOVT”. The left barrel flat is marked “70-06-0002-00”, “S.T.A.R.” and each is marked with Spanish proofs.
Barrel Length: 24 1/2″
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a blade with an orange fiber-optic insert in-line dovetailed to a ramped base screwed to the front of the rib. The rear sight is a “U”-notch adjustable for windage and elevation on a base screwed to the rear of the rib. The top of the rib is checkered for glare reduction.
Weight: 9 lb., 12.7 oz.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece smooth wood with semi-beavertail forend, capped pistol grip, straight comb, and ventilated orange rubber Pachmayr White Line recoil pad. The forend has only a few minor compressions. The buttstock has a few nicks and dings, mostly around the belly and comb. There are no chips or cracks. The LOP measures 15″ and 14 1/4″ from the fronts of the triggers to the back of the recoil pad, 14″ and 13 1/4″ to the back of the wood. The pad has minor wear, some spots of residue near the heel and toe, and remains supple. Overall, the stocks are in about Fine condition.
Type of Finish: Blued & Case Color
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bores are bright and the rifling is sharp. There is no erosion in the bores.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 98% of its metal finish. The action shows minor operational wear. There are tool marks near the screw head on the bottom tang. Otherwise, there are only light handling marks. The screw heads are generally sharp, the bottom tang screw is tool marked with a strong slot. The markings are clear. Overall, this rifle is in Fine-Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The barrels lock up to the receiver with no play. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: The double rifle has a long hunting history. When taking large, dangerous game and predators, a rapid follow-up shot can be the difference not only between a humane kill, but between the life and death of the hunter. The double rifle allows this without the need to manually cycle an action or to trust a semi-automatic design, which really only became reliable enough for such an application in the mid-20th century. This example is a fairly recently produced gun, made in Spain by ASTAR, a company formed by the merger of Astra and Star, in 2000. It is chambered for .45-70 Government, a fairly popular big-game cartridge here in the US, and one which has seen something of a revival lately due to improvements in projectiles and loads for the cartridge. This rifle would be a nice addition to any hunter’s collection and shows little sign of use. Please see our photos and good luck!