#Astra

If there is anything worth doing then someone has definitely overdone it. This may or may not be the case with Grey Birch’s latest collaboration with ASTRA Defense Group. Together the companies have produced the new Grey Birch x ASTRA Defense LDR Caron Rifle, a custom rifle (or pistol) featuring a custom La Chassis folding stock or brace-ready chassis, with a fresh M81 Cerakote camouflage to finish it off. These rifles might just look fancy, but the LDR Carbon is Grey Birch’s flagship rifle meant for long-range rimfire shooting in a semi-auto platform.

We love our readers. No really, we do. You send us lots of great stuff from all the tradeshows around the world. One of your eagle-eyed kin spotted the upcoming Astra MG556 5.56 semi-auto rifle. Externally very similar to the M249 SAW or FN MiniMi, the Astra is a closed-bolt weapon that feeds from the magazine port only.

Swiss firm Astra Arms SA are manufacturing a new line of AR-15 rifles. The Astra Arms StG4 Guernica line has five models: the Commando (10.5″ barrel), Commando GL, the Carbine (14.5″), the Dissipator (16″) and the SD (16″, Carbine handguard but with faux suppressor).

Recently two European firms, Hera Arms in Germany and Astra Arms in Switzerland, have entered the AR-15 market. I have been told that US Department of State export regulations have made it increasingly hard to import firearms from the US. Even Canadians have problems getting certain types of AR-15 rifles across the border and so have resorted to importing AR-15s from China.