Star comparisons?

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DPSproles

New member
I have been debating on a FIRST concealed carry persoanl defense/home defense gun. I have gone all over the spectrum from Taurus Millenium to Kahr P9/K9 and now looking at the Star line of guns.

I am lookling for something small (carriable) and something reliable. I have read alot about the Stars and see that they are reasonably priced and fairly reliable (except for parts availablity) however I am unsure of the sizes of the different models. Anything compare to the Taurus to Kahr K9 size/weight? THAT is what is comfortable in my small hand.

Also, are some of them SAO (please describe again) and some are DAO? I am alittle confused on this part.

Overall...good purchase? Please advise.

Sproles
 
Your description of the Stars as "resonably priced and fairly reliable" about sums it up. They made a wide variety of pistols, most of the older line being copies or scaled down copies of the basic Browning Model 1911. Calibers were .45, 9mm P, 9mm L, .380, .32 and .22. Later guns in 9mm P, .40 S&W and .45 were double action first shot. I don't think they made a DAO. At this time, the 9mm P Star Model B is available on the surplus market at reasonable prices; it is a fairly large pistol, but not as bulky as some in that caliber.

DAO is double action only. In a DAO pistol, the hammer or striker remains down after a shot is fired, and the trigger must be pulled full length for each shot. Trigger pull is consistent from shot to shot, but relatively long.

SAO is single action only. In auto pistols, it means that the hammer must be manually cocked or the slide operated for the first shot, with the hammer remaining cocked after a shot is fired. The trigger pull for each shot is consistent and short.

DA-SA, or conventional double action, means that the first shot is fired double action, with a fairly long trigger pull. The hammer remains cocked after firing, so subsequent shots are fired single action, like a SAO pistol. Some shooters have a problem "shifting gears" from the first DA shot to the following SA shots.

The term "double action" is usually taken to mean that the gun is 1) cocked and 2) fired with a single trigger pull, which thus performs the "double action" of cocking and firing.

Jim
 
Also, are some of them SAO (please describe again) and some are DAO? I am alittle confused on this part.
Click to expand...

The term SAO is redundant, and incorrect. SA (single action) means the gun can only fire in one manner -- pressing the trigger drops the cocked hammer.

SAO (single action only) means the gun can only fire in one manner -- pressing the trigger drops the cocked hammer, which is the same exact description for SA. Hence SAO is redundant. There is no other way an SA gun can fire, and there is no need to add "only" to the description.

Whereas DAO (double action only) means something completely different. It means the gun can only fire in one manner -- pressing the trigger: 1) first cocks, then 2) drops the cocked hammer. The hammer (or striker) can be cocked only by pressing the trigger.

A DA (double action) firing mechanism is different than DAO. A gun with a DA mechanism can be fired in both SA and DA modes. The hammer on a DA handgun can be cocked by hand or mechanically by the gun's action. An uncocked hammer on a DA handgun can also be cocked and dropped by simply pressing the trigger. After the first shot is fired, a DA handgun automatically operates in SA mode, until the operator decocks the hammer.

I don't like the term "DA-SA" because, to me, it is dumbed down terminology. While a double action handgun can be operated in either DA or SA mode, the term "DA" means exactly the same thing. DA-SA is as redundant and incorrect as SAO, in my opinion.
 
The Star Firestars come in 9mm, .40 and .45 ACP.

Excellent guns and fairly reasonable. Very heavy for their size which is a + or minus. The 9 & .40 are about the same size, the .45 is a bit larger. I`d say all are larger than a Kahr.

They`re single stack mags so their capacity is limited. The .45 version carries six in the mag and one in the chamber. The .40 and 9mm are 7 & 1 I think but I could be off on this.

They`re all single action like a Colt .45. They have an ambidexterous safety and if you can find one, you can swap the mag release for left hand shooting. CDNN still sells factory mags for all 3 at reasonable prices.

I have the .45 version. Well made, reliable and accurate.

Happy buying.:)
 
I've got my eye on a Firestar 9mm...

...in the "Starvel" finish. Beautiful little pistol. Solidly built, excellent fit and finish. Very compact and concealable. Just one problem. Star is no longer in business.

What this means is, no parts, no customer service, no accesories, (i.e. Grips, magazines, holsters, etc.). If it breaks, you're SOL! Do a search of TFL's database using the keyword 'Firestar'. Lot's of info on this board if you search it out.

IMHO, if this is in addition to other pistols on you collection, (as it would be for me), by all means, go for it. If this is to be a primary CCW, I think you'd be better served by getting something currently being produced and supported. How about a Glock 26? Makarov? Kahr K9?...and so on.
 
I don't think Star, the Spanish military and police sidearm supplier, is out of business. Their old importer, Interarms, is. The Firestar was pretty common and Interarms likely sold their parts stock to someone else, like Numrich arms. I found a Star enthusiast web site yesterday while doing a search. Also check out the Ultrastar.
 
Star Handguns

DP, To my knowledge Star handguns are no longer made.They were either bought out by Lama or Bersa and I really don't remember which one it was. I got My Star Md#43 9mm right about the time they were being sold. I got a steal on this handgun being the fact the dealer I believe wanted to unload it quick. While I do believe it to be a good gun for the money I paid, this handgun has some weight to it and I felt I needed suspenders to carry it. ;)
If you are looking for an inexpensive carry gun, take a look at the Mak, Very well made and in my thoughts a lot lighter then the Star. :)
 
I have a Star Firestar M45 in the Starvel finish. Bought it used for a great price, and it's been an accurate, fun and reliable little shooter. Heavy for a compact - which is good for shooting - but bad for you lucky CC guys.

Star is definitely out of business, and I have never located a reliable source of spares.
 
One of my buddies (one I proudly got interested in firearms), bought a Star Firestar Plus a few years ago for around $225.00.

He got one extra 10 rounder also. What a great gun. Heavy, but very reliable and fairly accurate for the amount of ammo I ran through it.
 
I currently own several Star Pistols. I have always maintained the one of the best service auto's ever produced was the Star Model 30. It was high cap, all forged parts and super reliable and lasted almost forever.

Having said all that lets look at your question: I own a very, very small Star starlight 9mm.

Before I get into its pluses I will tell you the only thing about it that I hate and that is its weight. It is about 30 ounces but it is the size of a Walther PPk's. Because of its weight it can be fired fire rapidly with complete controllability so there is one advantage to its weight.

Why is it so heavy. Well it is made of a casting both in the slide and the frame. If the gun had been made in a forging it could have and would have been made far lighter and slimer. It would have went down in history as one of the great pocket guns of this century.

The little pocket rocket is accurate, reliable, has an ambidextrius safety, has checkering on the front and back straps, has white dot sights that are windage ajustable. It has a passive firing pin safety and it takes down very easily. It has factory rubber grips. Its sights are combat worthy and easily seen. Its cost even on the used market is very cheap usually $300 or even less. I bought mine for $265.00 unfired.

Will I keep it. Yes of course. This is high praise coming from a guy like me who hates ugly castings and passive firing pin safeties but the little Star just has too many virtues for me to get rid of it.

Lets face it if you want first shot hit probablity the single action is the only way to go.

And as far as all this nonsese about carring around a huge full size 9mm with a clip holding 20 or 30 shots forget it. History has proven that in the average self-defense situation usually less than 3 rounds are expended. I feel very well armed indeed with the little star in my waistband. W.R.
 
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Someone said that the Star Firestar PLUS's were heavy. Not so. They're obviously confusing the regular Firestars with the PLUS line.

I've got two Firestar Pluses in 9mm. (And a regular Firestar in .40.)

The Firestar Plus has the same top end as the regular Firestar line, but an alloy frame rather than steel, and this reduces the weight considerably. And it adds a double-stack magazine with up to 13 rounds in the 9mm version, and 10 rounds in the .40 s&w version.

Nice guns. Accurate. Good triggers that can be made GREAT with just a little work. And parts can be found, if you know who to call. (One number has been posted on this forum, somewhere -- an ex-Interarms employee who bought up Interarm's stock of parts.)

The main problem I've heard about is firing pins, and if worse comes to worst, you can get one made by any competent gunsmith. (May be pricey, but so what...)
 
I really like the Star Firestar Model 43. A while back I bought a a blue one, found it didn't extract real well so I took it back. I wish I had kept it because it probably could have been fixed. I really liked it otherwise. I have since bought a LNIB Starvel Mod 43 which is great.

As far as the fact that Star is out of business...I have had a number of guns for years that have had no serious problems. The Star seems to be extremely well made, is relatively simple and should last a long time. I intend to shoot it a lot.
 
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