Star Firestar M43

Big Shrek said:
Meanwhile, for those who do get a Star,
other than doing the usual 1st range visit & cleaning,
afterwards, IMMEDIATELY take out the extractor,
go visit a local metal shop & have them make a few copies.
At least 4 or five...just so you don't ever have to do it again,
and if you run across a broken one,
you can pick it up for a song & have it working again in minutes
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That would be good advice for any of the Firestar/Firestar Plus guns you might pick up. The only part I've ever heard about breaking was the extractor, and that mostly in the M43. Have the machine shop make an additional 3-4 and you can probably sell them to users on the internet. (About the only way to get an M43 extractor is to find someone in Spain who makes them. At times various forums had links to sources. I suspect the Spanish Pistol Board forum might have some links and ideas about where hard-to-find parts could be located. http://forums.gunboards.com/forumdisplay.php?40-The-Spanish-Pistol-Board

I had a chance to buy an Ultrastar some years back, NEW; I passed on it and never gave it a chance. (I thought it looked like a cross between a handgun and a warthog.)

I had a Firestar Plus at the time, and thought it was a better weapon, but I suspect the Ultrastar would have been better in the hand. (I don't remember about the Ultrastar safety lever's function, but it seemed different.)
 
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The Ultrastar is a DA/SA pistol and the safety lever functions as a de-cocker when pressed past the safe position, just like the Megastar.

I got lucky when I had the opportunity to purchase a small cache of spare parts from a gentleman in Spain who had quite a few available.
I'm betting that there, quite a few are still available but unfortunately not here.
Anyone planning a trip anytime in the future?
We should pool together and place orders! :p

My understanding was that there were a limited run of M43s that had issues with the firing pin, it was the M40s that had a tendency to shear the edge off of the extractors. Of course I have been known to be wrong... repeatedly! :p
 
I picked up an M43 (9mm) and an Ultrastar (40-S&W) at almost the same time,
some fella was divesting himself of his Star collection.

What shocked me was how easily the Ultrastar soaked up the .40 recoil...
to a point, it felt like the M43 (9mm) had much harder recoil...
and it actually was a bit more precise than the M43...
Which made me fall in love with the Ultrastar :)

The looks, you kinda get used to...its like a Glock...except less ugly :D
What really matters is how it SHOOTS!!

With the M43 over the M205...almost the same size...
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...its like a Glock...
Click to expand...

But it doesn't feel like a Glock.

For the most part, I don't like plastic pistols mainly because I don't like the way that they feel in my hand... like plastic.
The thing that surprised me about the Ultrastar, is that despite the frame being made of polymer of some kind, it still feels substantial. The steel skeleton molded inside of it probably has something to do with it. It just doesn't feel like the typical 'plastic' pistol compared to others that I've handled.
 
We Star people love these guns, wouldn't it be great if someone would start manufacturing copies again?
I wonder if they would take off and sell like the single action little SIGS.
 
We Star people love these guns, wouldn't it be great if someone would start manufacturing copies again?
I wonder if they would take off and sell like the single action little SIGS.
Click to expand...

Yep, so many features are shared by certain SIG's,
often wonder how much info they traded...

Some enterprising fellas could put together just such an option,
but it'd take about $200K of initial cash outlay,
and would be smart to place in Alabama or NorthWest Florida...
tax benefits, low cost of workers, and tons of retired military to hire.
Rent a building with room for expansion,
get it up and running WELL, then expand as needed.

I actually know the perfect building for it...in Pensacola, FL.
Room for 4 pistol assembly lines, has 4 docks,
and a huge warehouse area that could be used for further expansion.
With 7 local military bases, retired workers are plentiful and inexpensive...
Zero Income Tax in Florida, and local Gov't give low tax bonuses to incoming biz ;)

All I need is a 5 number lottery win and the party shall begin ;)
 
Welp, sold my M43 and got an M243 instead...
MUCH better fit to my giant gorilla hands ;)

Also have found out that not only do the S&W 59xx series mags
work in 'em if you add a mag catch hole, but also the
Berretta 92 mags fit & function as well, if you add the mag catch hole!!
Which means you can use those massive 33-rd B92 mags!!
Hey, waitaminit, didn't someone make a drum for the B92/M9's??
Hmmmmmmmmm....gotta find one of those ;)

Also found a really nice Ultrastar in 9mm to complement
my M205 in .40-S&W...so that set is complete :)

Now I'm searching for a pair of Megastars!!
 
Gee- the SIG p238 is an almost direct copy of the Star DK. The 938 has it's roots in the Star BKM.
The Firestars and later guns-while robust, had quite a bit to do with Star going out of business. They took a svelte, lightweight gun (the BKM) and turned it into a heavy, clunky gun (the Firestar.) Same with the other late model Stars.

Had Star held out doing what they did best- improved 1911-type guns in various sizes and calibers, they might have been in business today.
 
Now I'm searching for a pair of Megastars!!
Click to expand...

You and I both Big Shrek! ;)
Almost snagged a 10mm Starvel finish locally, but sadly it was only almost. :(

I did recently pick up a second M205 in .40 that is in very good shape. Nothing like the one that I allowed myself to get saddled with last year which I've posted about. That particular one I wound up cold bluing myself to preserve it to some degree, and I was lucky enough to find a recoil rod assembly for it, though it did cost me. It has at least proved to be a very good shooter.
That problem is on the far right in this photo, the recent one center, and the 9mm on the left.

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I wanted to share a parts source with members that could prove quite handy to some I would imagine. Jack First Gun Parts manufactures exceptionally good quality parts for many makes and models of obsolete firearms, even a few Star models. :D

https://jack-first-gun-parts.myshopify.com/collections/star-firestar-9m-m-40
 

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