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Anyone Carry A Star Firestar?

spectr019

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Aug 8, 2008
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Lansing, Michigan, USA
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There is a STAR model B 9mm at my gun shop down the street for $200, which seems pretty cheap for it. Non of the crew who works there knew anything about the brand STAR. Is that specific model dependable? Or would it be one of those 'you get what you pay for' stories?

Ben
 

Legba

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I like Stars - many people don't. I have the model B (regular 9mm, not the 'Largo')and it's been great. The blueing is shot, but it's not an art exhibit, so that's ok.

-ljp
 

Tess

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spectr019 wrote:
There is a STAR model B 9mm at my gun shop down the street for $200, which seems pretty cheap for it. Non of the crew who works there knew anything about the brand STAR. Is that specific model dependable? Or would it be one of those 'you get what you pay for' stories?

Ben
$200 for a model B in good working condition is worth it.
 

Tomahawk

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Legba wrote:
I like Stars - many people don't. I have the model B (regular 9mm, not the 'Largo')and it's been great. The blueing is shot, but it's not an art exhibit, so that's ok.

-ljp
Not to you. Eye of the beholder, my friend! I think Star made rather handsome machines, but then again I think Harriers are cool-looking jets, especially when bristling with gun pod and bombs...
 

Grapeshot

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Tomahawk wrote:
Legba wrote:
I like Stars - many people don't. I have the model B (regular 9mm, not the 'Largo')and it's been great. The blueing is shot, but it's not an art exhibit, so that's ok.

-ljp
Not to you. Eye of the beholder, my friend! I think Star made rather handsome machines, but then again I think Harriers are cool-looking jets, especially when bristling with gun pod and bombs...
Beauty is often in the function not the form.

Last year - the last time I checked - Star BMs could be had for around $250. in 9mm, very few .40 cals in any model seen. They are excellant values IMHO.

I have gifted several BMs over the last few years - one to my son as a house or vehicle BUG and to a newbie friend who was counting his coins.

BTW - Harriers are pure wicked!

Yata hey
 

Jas

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Oct 8, 2008
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seattle, Washington, USA
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i do too, i actually just joined this forum so i could reply to you guys. not sure how old this post is. but yeh, i just bought one yesterday from my buddy for 350, and he gave me a night vision getup for my side pouch, and one of the original mags with the rubber bottom for easier handling under fire, as well as one of the normal thin stell plate bottom mags. i havent fired it yet, it is a lil weighty, however, i hope that pulls the recoil down a hair so the accuracy is tits. :) please let me know what you guys think of these. mine is the .40 SW firestar
 

Jas

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oh yeh, it also came with a holster that packs a spare mag, and ambidextrious action for either hand side. i think its the original tactical issue case because i have seen a few of the regs and they arent the same at all.
 

Grapeshot

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Jas wrote:
oh yeh, it also came with a holster that packs a spare mag, and ambidextrious action for either hand side. i think its the original tactical issue case because i have seen a few of the regs and they arent the same at all.
Welcome to OCDO.

Does your model look like this? This is the M40 in their "chrome" finish. Picked this one up at a show a while back for a song - 220.00. Had to replace the extractor but everything else was 100%. I have the original grips (see pic) box and instructions.

I find the pistol very light to carry - and holsters were relatively easy to locate.

BTW - adding your location to your profile will help us in replying to your posts sometimes.

Yata hey
 

Jas

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no i wish mine looked like that. thats really nice. i have the grips, 2 mags, and a nice holster for it. its not silver its all black. its nice to hold in the dark, but yours is just nice to look at all together.:shock: thats a good lookin pistol. and thanks for the welcoming.
 

ghostrider

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Jul 24, 2007
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Location
Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
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Grapeshot wrote:
Jas wrote:
oh yeh, it also came with a holster that packs a spare mag, and ambidextrious action for either hand side. i think its the original tactical issue case because i have seen a few of the regs and they arent the same at all.
Welcome to OCDO.

Does your model look like this? This is the M40 in their "chrome" finish. Picked this one up at a show a while back for a song - 220.00. Had to replace the extractor but everything else was 100%. I have the original grips (see pic) box and instructions.

I find the pistol very light to carry - and holsters were relatively easy to locate.

BTW - adding your location to your profile will help us in replying to your posts sometimes.

Yata hey
For that pistol and all that it came with, it's a steel. Spare mags are $19 from CDNN plus the $18 shipping fee. You could easily make a profit on that gun. Mine was more than that, and not in near as good a shape, with only the one mag, and nothing else. And I got a good deal if you go by gunbroker listings.

Love the wooden grips.
 

Grapeshot

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ghostrider wrote:
For that pistol and all that it came with, it's a steel. Spare mags are $19 from CDNN plus the $18 shipping fee. You could easily make a profit on that gun. Mine was more than that, and not in near as good a shape, with only the one mag, and nothing else. And I got a good deal if you go by gunbroker listings.

Love the wooden grips.
Thank you sir - she is kinda cute 'n likes to go out with me some too.:)

Profit has never been a motive - I like keepers.

Yata hey
 

Tomahawk

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4 hours south of HankT, ,
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Grapeshot wrote:
Jas wrote:
oh yeh, it also came with a holster that packs a spare mag, and ambidextrious action for either hand side. i think its the original tactical issue case because i have seen a few of the regs and they arent the same at all.
Welcome to OCDO.

Does your model look like this? This is the M40 in their "chrome" finish. Picked this one up at a show a while back for a song - 220.00. Had to replace the extractor but everything else was 100%. I have the original grips (see pic) box and instructions.

I find the pistol very light to carry - and holsters were relatively easy to locate.

BTW - adding your location to your profile will help us in replying to your posts sometimes.

Yata hey

Wow, nice deal you got there, grapeshot. With wooden grips, too, wonder of those are custom made?

BTW, Firestars aren't chrome, I think the word Star used was "Starvelle" (possibly spelled wrong). My .45 is blued, which is my preference, but the starvelle is cool, too. A buddy of mine in college in the 90s had a starvelle Firestar .45. The magazines also came in both finishes.
 

Grapeshot

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Tomahawk wrote:
Wow, nice deal you got there, grapeshot. With wooden grips, too, wonder of those are custom made?

BTW, Firestars aren't chrome, I think the word Star used was "Starvelle" (possibly spelled wrong). My .45 is blued, which is my preference, but the starvelle is cool, too. A buddy of mine in college in the 90s had a starvelle Firestar .45. The magazines also came in both finishes.
Thanks - the grips came with the gun and are not marked as to manufacturer.

You are right according to an AR-15 site poster - the finish is called Starvel.

Many shops coverted M40s to M43s (.40 to 9mm) by swapping the slide, barrel and magazine when something broke in the .40 cal as parts were not avail quicky or they thought not at all.

Parts are avail though Iparguns in Spain http://www.iparguns.com/cas/index.htm
Warning - do NOT click on "enter" as that will get you a "Not Available" error message. Instead click on "English, products & contact us." If you call them (I did) be prepared for the language difficulties - they are good people to work with though. They have most of the original toolings! Down side is that payment is in Eurodollars and that fluctuates. They sent me duplicate/multiple sets of what I ordered - sweet.

Also found that Wolff springs were still available new so I laid up a set in reserve.

Found this nice picture on the net of a blue M43 (I think).

Yata hey
 

Grapeshot

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Really had trouble with "cutting & pasting" - lost everything I added/changed - so this post is for those that missed the edited version above.

Yata hey
 

Tomahawk

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curtm1911 wrote:
I don't own one, but here is a link for parts

http://www.e-gunparts.com/model.asp?idDept=238

Hope it is of help to you folks........
No Firestar parts on that site, only mags. You have to contact the Spanish outfit grapeshot linked to to get Firestar parts. Firestars were the last guns (IMO the best ones)produced by Star before they folded, so they didn't provide many spare parts.
 

Grapeshot

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Everything you wanted to know about Stars - and more too.

Original company name: Bonifacio Echeverria, SA

http://tinyurl.com/5x8ees - copy & paste

http://star-firearms.com/cgi-bin/gm1/index.shtml

On May 27, 1997 both Star and Astra closed their doors, and were placed in the Spanish equivalent of Chapter Seven bankruptcy, under the control of a Basque regional judge. Eventually, an agreement was reached that settled sufficient outstanding debt, and allowed some of the machinery and the intellectual property to be resurrected in two new companies. Much machinery was also sold at auction to pay debtors. Apparently all unassembled or unsold barrels and frames were destroyed by government order when the company closed. Unregistered parts were retained and purchased by a custom smithing operation known as Ipar Guns.

Yata hey

 

unreconstructed1

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Tennessee, ,
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Grapeshot wrote:
Unregistered parts were retained and purchased by a custom smithing operation known as Ipar Guns.

Yata hey


and I can tell you, the folks at IPAR are terrific to work with. I called them up about my mod. 30, and overnight they had me a parts list with prices. right now, however isn't a good time to go spare parts shopping, as you get killed by the exchange rates.

hopefully, once (IF) the economy picks back up, I'll be able to get that pistol going again.
 

rcarver

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Dec 11, 2008
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Sevierville, Tennessee, USA
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First of all let me say Hello to all! I just registered here, I have surfed to site a little and I love it!!!

I just this evening qualified for my carry permit class. Now all I have left to do is jump through a few more legal hoops and I should be good to carry!!! I am pretty stoked about it.

I found this site by google-ing Firestar and I found this thread... I recently purchased the aforementioned .40 Firestar and I love it. I bought several years ago, my first handgun, a Star - Ultrastar 9mm. I have always enjoyed shooting it, it is a very reliable and accurateweapon.

Grapeshot, I noticed your picture and I was curious about the extended mag on the left side of the pic. Is that an 8 rnd. cap. mag? I think that I may have found some of those online somewhere in TX. Gonna call tomorrow about it.

Thanks for listening to all my rambling....

~Ray
 

Grapeshot

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rcarver wrote:
First of all let me say Hello to all! I just registered here, I have surfed to site a little and I love it!!!

I just this evening qualified for my carry permit class. Now all I have left to do is jump through a few more legal hoops and I should be good to carry!!! I am pretty stoked about it.

I found this site by google-ing Firestar and I found this thread... I recently purchased the aforementioned .40 Firestar and I love it. I bought several years ago, my first handgun, a Star - Ultrastar 9mm. I have always enjoyed shooting it, it is a very reliable and accurateweapon.

Grapeshot, I noticed your picture and I was curious about the extended mag on the left side of the pic. Is that an 8 rnd. cap. mag? I think that I may have found some of those online somewhere in TX. Gonna call tomorrow about it.

Thanks for listening to all my rambling....

~Ray
Welcome to OCDO - lots of good people and conversations here.

Standard mags are 6 rd - the extended mag is a 7 rounder and it is actually a chrome like (shiny) finish- this one provides a much better hold on this pistol due to the extra length.

The Galco holster #F519T-AV218 works great but no retention. Got mine in tan/light brown to match the grip panels - it's become my mini-BBQ gun. Women think that its cute and men want to know what it is.

I had a Megastar .45 - huge slab of a handgun. Traded it for a single action revolver, wish now that I had kept it as it was rather unique. Also still have a model BM - 9mm. They make inexpensive reliable first guns for friends and relatives.

Have you tried OCing yet - as one female friend said - it's liberating.

Yata hey
 
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