Astra Cadix
- Category
- Pistol
- Barrel
- 102 mm
- Weight, empty
- 850 g
- Introduced
- 1958
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Astra Cadix is a series of solid-frame, swing-out cylinder double-action revolvers manufactured by Astra-Unceta y Cia of Guernica, Spain, beginning in 1958. Originally offered in three calibers - .22 Long Rifle (9-shot cylinder), .32 S&W Long (6-shot), and .38 Special (5-shot) - the line was later joined by a .357 Magnum chambering. Marketed as Spain's answer to the Smith & Wesson K-frame revolvers, the Cadix offered three barrel lengths (2, 4 and 6 inches), adjustable sights on target variants, and a unique adjustable mainspring seat that let owners tune the trigger pull weight.
Often called the poor man's K-frame, the Cadix was Astra's deliberate attempt to crack the post-war American revolver market with a Smith & Wesson lookalike at a friendlier price. Its unique adjustable mainspring tension screw - borrowed from European target shooting traditions - let competition shooters dial in their own trigger pull, a feature S&W never offered.
Cylinder capacity varies by caliber: .22 LR holds 9 rounds, .32 S&W Long holds 6, .38 Special and .357 Magnum hold 5. Barrel lengths offered were 2, 4, and 6 inches.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Astra-Unceta y Cia
- Category
- Pistol
- Country
- Spain
- Status
- Out of production
- Produced
- 1958 to 1968
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 102 mm
- Overall length
- 235 mm
- Weight, empty
- 850 g
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Recoil operated
- Firing mechanism
- Double action
- Trigger
- Double action
- Capacity
- 5
- Magazine
- Rotary
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Wood
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 260 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 346 J
- Effective range
- 50 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
No load solved for this record yetThe flight path is computed from a cartridge and a bullet. This record has no ammunition filed against its chambering, so there is nothing to solve.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Swing out cylinder
Double action single action
Adjustable sights- Adjustable mainspring
Checkered wood grips
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 1,909 pistols | 850 g | 794 g | Heavier than about 60% |
| Overall lengthAmong 1,911 pistols | 235 mm | 196 mm | Longer than about 70% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 1,941 pistols | 102 mm | 102 mm | Near the median |
| Magazine capacityAmong 1,962 pistols | 5 | 8 | Holds fewer rounds than about 90% |
Answers
Questions about the Astra Cadix
How much does the Astra Cadix weigh?
The Astra Cadix weighs 850 g (1.87 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Astra Cadix?
The Astra Cadix is chambered in .32 S&W Long, .22 Long Rifle, and .32 ACP.
How many rounds does the Astra Cadix hold?
The Astra Cadix holds 5 rounds, fed from a rotary magazine.
How long is the Astra Cadix?
The Astra Cadix is 235 mm (9.25 in) long overall, with a 102 mm (4.02 in) barrel.
Who makes the Astra Cadix?
The Astra Cadix is made by Astra-Unceta y Cia (Spain).
When was the Astra Cadix introduced?
The Astra Cadix was introduced in 1958 and discontinued in 1968.
How does the Astra Cadix operate?
The Astra Cadix uses a recoil operated action, and its firing mechanism is double action.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Spanish civilian market
- 1958
Provenance
Confidence in this record
72%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/astra-cadix' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "astra-cadix", "name": "Astra Cadix", "manufacturer": { "id": "astra", "name": "Astra-Unceta y Cia", "countryCode": "ES", "foundedYear": 1908, "website": null, "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:42", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:40", "version": "f49305a7bcf2cd9bb49663692c2ef4964d39d00f52786134a942e3fd68197ac0" }, "category": { "id": "pistol", "name": "Pistol", "description": "Handguns designed to be fired with one or two hands" }, "country_of_origin": "ES", "year_introduced": 1958, "barrel_length_mm": 102, "weight_empty_g": 850, "action_type": "recoil_operated"}