My 1943 Star Model B from AIM (Lots of pics)

David the Gnome · September 27, 2007, 05:38 PM

This is the Star Model B I just received from AIM this afternoon. It was exactly as advertised and I think it actually looks a little better than the one they show on their website. There's about 14 pictures so it may take a while to load.

The Star Model B is based off a simplified version of the 1911 design. It holds 8+1 rounds of 9mm Luger. This one was built in 1943 during WWII under contract from Bulgaria. It was captured and refinished by the Russians who then stored it for later use or sale. There is no import mark that I have found.

Here it is as it came from AIM:

When I pulled the gun out it was dripping with oil. I wiped down the outside to take a few "before" pictures.

The bluing is very deep and is pretty much 100% throughout the gun. There are a few spots where there is a nick or two but nothing major. As you can see in this picture the bluing almost fills in the engravings just like the one pictured on AIM's website.

The wood grips were in really good shape, they were just covered in oil and grease.

This is what they looked like underneath.

Limit of 6 pictures per post, more in the next post~

David the Gnome · September 27, 2007, 05:39 PM

This is the grease that was covering all of the gun.

Here it is fully disassembled.

A close up of the interior grease.

David the Gnome · September 27, 2007, 05:40 PM

Here's the gun after removing the grease and cleaning up the wood on the grips.

In case anyone was interested in what the sights look like.

All in all I am very pleased with it. Everything on the gun works great. I read some stories about the Russian rebuilds having issues with the safety functioning due to the mix-matched parts but this one works fine. It's pouring the rain right now (which it hasn't really done in over a month here in KY) so I can't shoot it yet. I've got a training thing this weekend with the Army so it will probably be late Sunday or later on during the week before I can post a range report. I'm looking forward to shooting it, it has the exact same feel as a 1911. I'm going to take it in to my local gun store sometime this week and see if it fits in a standard 1911 holster. Parts may not be interchangeable between the Model B and a 1911 but it looks like it should fit in a 1911 holster perfectly.

Here's the link to AIM's site if anyone is interested:
http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/W...mm_Pistol.html

grimjaw · September 27, 2007, 07:19 PM

David, thanks alot for posting these. Very useful information for anyone interested in purchasing one.

jm

Bill DeShivs · September 27, 2007, 08:14 PM

It's a nice gun. They are thinner than a 1911.
BTW- bluing doesn't "fill" anything. It is a surface conversion, not a coating. The stamping was polished off.

tekarra · September 27, 2007, 08:52 PM

David,
Thanks for the post.
As I recall there was a flurry of interest in Stars in the 1980s; the B and Super B and a few other models. The word was that they were good pistols. Let us know how it shoots.

David the Gnome · September 28, 2007, 05:51 PM

Because what this thread needs is more pictures!

Tom2 · September 28, 2007, 06:26 PM

Well AIM sells nice stuff and takes care of their customers, but I have heard one caveat about the Russian guns, they supposedly took them all apart like the Mausers and mixed parts etc. like putting together a pistol kit, maybe no matching parts. Supposedly not too good an idea as there might be mismatched internals that could cause safety concerns, etc. Hit or miss how the gun will work, as who knows if Star intended 100% interchangibility of parts like on the 1911, and even with that gun, you had to test the gun in case two parts at opposite ends of the tolerances caused a problem. That was done before they were released to the troops. Who knows how or if the Russians tested them correctly after that. But you might have no problems anyway.

Manedwolf · September 28, 2007, 06:50 PM

Grease is always better than rust.

David the Gnome · September 28, 2007, 08:37 PM

The slide and frame on mine match at least.

BlueDragon · September 28, 2007, 08:49 PM

Nice star B. everytime i see this gun, i think of Jules from pulp Fiction.

HisSoldier · September 28, 2007, 08:57 PM

Thanks for the pics, always interesting. What is the dark discoloration near the bottom of the left grip? I wish I wasn't overextended, I'd get one.

David the Gnome · September 28, 2007, 09:11 PM

I'm not really sure, there are parts of the gun where the bluing is much darker than other parts. That area under the grip is the most prominent.

1/2 cocked · September 29, 2007, 12:31 PM

I read that the Star is the gun used in the Wild Bunch movie to simulate the Colt 1911. The 9mm blanks would cycle but they could not get a .45 acp to function with reliability at that time.

Manedwolf · September 29, 2007, 12:34 PM

Quote:

Nice star B. everytime i see this gun, i think of Jules from pulp Fiction.

Mistah Nine Millimeter.

Yes, that was indeed a chromed Star that Jules had in the movie.

September 27, 2007, 05:38 PM	#1
David the Gnome Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2007 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 3,092	My 1943 Star Model B from AIM (Lots of pics) This is the Star Model B I just received from AIM this afternoon. It was exactly as advertised and I think it actually looks a little better than the one they show on their website. There's about 14 pictures so it may take a while to load. The Star Model B is based off a simplified version of the 1911 design. It holds 8+1 rounds of 9mm Luger. This one was built in 1943 during WWII under contract from Bulgaria. It was captured and refinished by the Russians who then stored it for later use or sale. There is no import mark that I have found. Here it is as it came from AIM: When I pulled the gun out it was dripping with oil. I wiped down the outside to take a few "before" pictures. The bluing is very deep and is pretty much 100% throughout the gun. There are a few spots where there is a nick or two but nothing major. As you can see in this picture the bluing almost fills in the engravings just like the one pictured on AIM's website. The wood grips were in really good shape, they were just covered in oil and grease. This is what they looked like underneath. Limit of 6 pictures per post, more in the next post~

September 27, 2007, 08:14 PM	#5
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 11,103	It's a nice gun. They are thinner than a 1911. BTW- bluing doesn't "fill" anything. It is a surface conversion, not a coating. The stamping was polished off. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

September 29, 2007, 12:31 PM	#14
1/2 cocked Senior Member Join Date: September 14, 2002 Location: coast of S.C. Posts: 131	I read that the Star is the gun used in the Wild Bunch movie to simulate the Colt 1911. The 9mm blanks would cycle but they could not get a .45 acp to function with reliability at that time. __________________ Of course that's just my opinion I could be wrong.

September 27, 2007, 05:39 PM	#2
David the Gnome Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2007 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 3,092	This is the grease that was covering all of the gun. Here it is fully disassembled. A close up of the interior grease.

September 27, 2007, 05:40 PM	#3
David the Gnome Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2007 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 3,092	Here's the gun after removing the grease and cleaning up the wood on the grips. In case anyone was interested in what the sights look like. All in all I am very pleased with it. Everything on the gun works great. I read some stories about the Russian rebuilds having issues with the safety functioning due to the mix-matched parts but this one works fine. It's pouring the rain right now (which it hasn't really done in over a month here in KY) so I can't shoot it yet. I've got a training thing this weekend with the Army so it will probably be late Sunday or later on during the week before I can post a range report. I'm looking forward to shooting it, it has the exact same feel as a 1911. I'm going to take it in to my local gun store sometime this week and see if it fits in a standard 1911 holster. Parts may not be interchangeable between the Model B and a 1911 but it looks like it should fit in a 1911 holster perfectly. Here's the link to AIM's site if anyone is interested: http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/W...mm_Pistol.html

September 27, 2007, 07:19 PM	#4
grimjaw Senior Member Join Date: June 16, 2005 Location: Arkansas Posts: 359	David, thanks alot for posting these. Very useful information for anyone interested in purchasing one. jm

September 27, 2007, 08:52 PM	#6
tekarra Senior Member Join Date: May 26, 2007 Posts: 1,164	David, Thanks for the post. As I recall there was a flurry of interest in Stars in the 1980s; the B and Super B and a few other models. The word was that they were good pistols. Let us know how it shoots.

September 28, 2007, 05:51 PM	#7
David the Gnome Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2007 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 3,092	Because what this thread needs is more pictures!

September 28, 2007, 06:26 PM	#8
Tom2 Senior Member Join Date: June 23, 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 5,676	Well AIM sells nice stuff and takes care of their customers, but I have heard one caveat about the Russian guns, they supposedly took them all apart like the Mausers and mixed parts etc. like putting together a pistol kit, maybe no matching parts. Supposedly not too good an idea as there might be mismatched internals that could cause safety concerns, etc. Hit or miss how the gun will work, as who knows if Star intended 100% interchangibility of parts like on the 1911, and even with that gun, you had to test the gun in case two parts at opposite ends of the tolerances caused a problem. That was done before they were released to the troops. Who knows how or if the Russians tested them correctly after that. But you might have no problems anyway.

September 28, 2007, 06:50 PM	#9
Manedwolf Junior member Join Date: May 28, 2007 Posts: 3,266	Grease is always better than rust.

September 28, 2007, 08:37 PM	#10
David the Gnome Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2007 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 3,092	The slide and frame on mine match at least.

September 28, 2007, 08:49 PM	#11
BlueDragon Senior Member Join Date: October 26, 2006 Location: Muncie Indiana Posts: 265	Nice star B. everytime i see this gun, i think of Jules from pulp Fiction.

September 28, 2007, 08:57 PM	#12
HisSoldier Senior Member Join Date: August 9, 2007 Location: Oregoncoast Posts: 1,793	Thanks for the pics, always interesting. What is the dark discoloration near the bottom of the left grip? I wish I wasn't overextended, I'd get one.

September 28, 2007, 09:11 PM	#13
David the Gnome Senior Member Join Date: July 5, 2007 Location: Lexington, KY Posts: 3,092	I'm not really sure, there are parts of the gun where the bluing is much darker than other parts. That area under the grip is the most prominent.