Finally did more shooting with the Star BM, second time out with it. This is an all steel 9mmP SA pistol that borrows heavily from the 1911 design in barrel link, barrel bushing, lockup and general features. It also has a cocked and locked carry mode, though there is no grip safety and the thumb safety operates slightly different with regards to hammer/sear interface vs the 1911. The trigger is very good like a 1911 with a crisp break and quick reset, but pivots like a bhp's instead of 'sliding' like the 1911. It's a very slim gun, holds 8 rounds, grips like a BHP in the hand and is satisfyingly hefty. It is a very capable shooter. First trip out revealed to me a disdain for watered down range ammo. PMC Bronze 115gr worked 'most of the time' and Win 147gr clean-fire ammo worked maybe 'half the time'. I then tried some PMC Starfire 124gr JHPs and the gun worked perfectly. Accuracy was good, with 7yrd rapid fire (1/sec) groups about tangerine sized. Slow fire at 20yrds could keep five under 3.5", but sights are a bit right POA, so I'll need to beat on the rear sight a bit. Today, I ran 115gr Gold Dots and the new Fiocchi 124gr XTp through it. As I figured, it liked a good full power S/D load and it ran without a hitch.....until the Firing Pin broke before my 4th to last round of the day. So, it looks like it's a shooter, but I'll be needing a firing pin....may pick up some other parts too, since they can be scarce with the older Star pistols. The barrel is a little frosty in the throat area.... Anyways, it stopped Bob before crapping a firing pin.
I've always enjoyed shooting my Star "S" 380, a slightly smaller variation. Can't get much 380 ammo these days, though...
The firing pins are very hard to find but there is a gunsmith in Ark who makes them. Ill have to see if I can hunt down his name for you. This may help. http://www.gun-parts.com/star/
Yeah, you have to watch it with these and the other B series guns, dry firing will screw them if you don't use snap caps, and the retaining pin goes too. I suspect it was probably dry fired a bit, there was no primer wipe on the casings and the recoil spring feels fresh.
Thanks for the link, I'll be calling him Mon. Hopefully he has what I'm looking for, I'll probably get a few fp's, some pins, extractor and maybe even a barrel.
That will be a nice little shooter once the parts come in. You've been pretty busy recently Berto. 325, 64, and BM.
I got one of those for my daughter when she turned 18. It was her first handgun, and she had to thave the grips painted lavender. It has been a good gun so far, and she has had it for about four years.
