FIRESTAR PLUS

huey

Inactive
I AM CONSIDERING PURCHASING A STAR FIRESTAR PLUS IN .40 CAL. S&W. I NEED INFO ON RELIABILITY, PARTS AVAILABLITY, LOADS,PERSONAL EXPERIENCES,CONCEALED CARRY HOLSTERS,ETC.ETC.THANKS IN ADVANCE.
 
Hey Huey,

Welcome to TFL. First of all, don't type in all caps. It means you are shouting. Not to mention it is difficult to read.

I used to have the Firestar M40 (.40 cal), which is similar to the Plus, but with a single stack mag. Overall I thought it was a good handgun, but it had some things I couldn't live with anymore.

1. It was a pretty heavy piece of equipment. If you are going to use this for CCW, I suggest you get something a little lighter.
2. Recoil was tremendous! One of the reasons I sold the thing is that it just got too darn intimidating to shoot. Short barrel + short grip = mega muzzle flip.
3. Slide developed a hairline crack between the extractor pin and breech face. This is the main reason why I sold it. I'm not sure if this problem will develop in all Firestars, but it did in mine. I'm lucky the buyer wasn't concerned with it.
4. Slide was pretty stiff, took a lot of finger muscle action just to grip the slide and pull it back.
5. I had several instances where the slide would slam forward upon insertion of the magazine. While some people may think of this as a "feature", I didn't like the idea of the gun operating a few steps ahead of me.

Again, these are only my personal experiences with the M40. The Plus may not have these problems. The same day I sold the Firestar, I went out and bought a USP9c. I am MUCH happier with the HK.

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"Ray guns don't vaporize Zorbonians, Zorbonians vaporize Zorbonians" The Far Side
 
Huey, I don't know if this will help but I have a Firestar in 9mm and like it. It is a bit on the heavy side for its size but I've had no problems with it.I believe the gun seems to be well built. Have not shot it for awhile though. I got it for a real good price when Star was bought out by Llama. They are no longer in business. I have seen magazines offered in the shotgun news and in the gun list but no other parts. So if parts are available I have no idea.
Hope this helps

Happy Shooting :)

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Help Stamp Out Gun Ignorance.
 
If of any of you need NIB 9mm Star factory mags let me know.

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So many pistols, so little money.
 
The Firestar + is basically a wide-body Firestar.

I have a Firestar in .45 ACP. Got it used for cheap. Reliable, feeds anything, and the additional weight afforded by the all steel construction really tames recoil and aids control. Heck, there are certainly prettier, more popular and more prestigious pieces available; but this one fits my hand perfectly - I like it.

However, Star is out of business, so there is no OEM representation or support. The previous importers, Interarms and EAA, won't be able to help you much, if at all. Parts ARE a problem. Other than aftermarket mags and springs, this becomes a DEFINITE purchase consideration if you desire custom parts or, worst case - need spare parts.

Check out the only unofficial Star website I've ever found. They don't get much traffic, so don't expect too much of the discussion boards. The admin has been helpful.
http://www.donttouchme.com./star/index.html
 
huey,
i've owned several firestar pistols. the firestars in 9mm, .40 s&w and .45 are all steel and well made. the firestar + is an alloy framed pistol that only comes in 9mm and had a preban 13 shot mag. the finish is either blued or starvel (looks like stainless) my starfire + is loaded with gold dot 124 grain hp +p and has never had a misfire in the 4 years i've had it.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by jcoyoung:
Hey Huey,

Welcome to TFL. First of all, don't type in all caps. It means you are shouting. Not to mention it is difficult to read.

I used to have the Firestar M40 (.40 cal), which is similar to the Plus, but with a single stack mag. Overall I thought it was a good handgun, but it had some things I couldn't live with anymore.

1. It was a pretty heavy piece of equipment. If you are going to use this for CCW, I suggest you get something a little lighter.
2. Recoil was tremendous! One of the reasons I sold the thing is that it just got too darn intimidating to shoot. Short barrel + short grip = mega muzzle flip.
3. Slide developed a hairline crack between the extractor pin and breech face. This is the main reason why I sold it. I'm not sure if this problem will develop in all Firestars, but it did in mine. I'm lucky the buyer wasn't concerned with it.
4. Slide was pretty stiff, took a lot of finger muscle action just to grip the slide and pull it back.
5. I had several instances where the slide would slam forward upon insertion of the magazine. While some people may think of this as a "feature", I didn't like the idea of the gun operating a few steps ahead of me.

Again, these are only my personal experiences with the M40. The Plus may not have these problems. The same day I sold the Firestar, I went out and bought a USP9c. I am MUCH happier with the HK.

[/quote]THANKS JC,SORRY ABOUT THE CAPS BUT IT IS HABIT. I AM NOT SHOUTING, WHEN I SHOUT I USE AN EXCLAMATION POINT ! STILL NOT SURE WHY IT WOULD BE HARD TO READ? THANKS FOR THE INPUT, IT IS APPRECIATED. I HAVE SHOT THE GUN I AM CONSIDERING WITH 155 GRAIN +P'S AND WAS NOT BOTHERED BY THE RECOIL.THE ALLOY FRAME HELPS WITH THE WEIGHT (24.7OZS)THE HAIRLINE CRACK CAUSES SOME CONCERN BUT THAT CAN HAPPEN TO ABOUT ANY MAKE OF PISTOL.I HAVE NOT HANDLED THE GUN ENOUGH TO NO ABOUT THE SLIDE RELEASING WHEN A MAGAZINE IS PUT IN ,BUT IT DID NOT OCCUR DURING THE TIME I WAS HANDLING THE GUN.CONGRATS ON THE USP9C, I AM ENVIOUS! THANK YOU AGAIN FOR YOUR HELP. HUEY
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by ZeusOne:
The Firestar + is basically a wide-body Firestar.

I have a Firestar in .45 ACP. Got it used for cheap. Reliable, feeds anything, and the additional weight afforded by the all steel construction really tames recoil and aids control. Heck, there are certainly prettier, more popular and more prestigious pieces available; but this one fits my hand perfectly - I like it.

However, Star is out of business, so there is no OEM representation or support. The previous importers, Interarms and EAA, won't be able to help you much, if at all. Parts ARE a problem. Other than aftermarket mags and springs, this becomes a DEFINITE purchase consideration if you desire custom parts or, worst case - need spare parts.

Check out the only unofficial Star website I've ever found. They don't get much traffic, so don't expect too much of the discussion boards. The admin has been helpful.
http://www.donttouchme.com./star/index.html

[/quote]THANKS ZEUSONE, WHAT I HAVE BEEN HEARING AND READING IN A FEW BACK ISSUES OF SOME HANDGUN MAGAZINES IS BASICALLY IN LINE WITH WHAT YOU HAVE TOLD ME . SPECIAL THANKS FOR THE WEBSITE ADDRESS. HUEY
 
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