Fire Starfire 9mm - Page 2

Bill DeShivs · January 3, 2013, 02:36 PM

Walt- Actually, it says, "Fire Starfire 9mm."

Bill DeShivs · January 3, 2013, 02:37 PM

Walt,
Actually, it says "Fire Starfire 9mm."

Walt Sherrill · January 3, 2013, 02:49 PM

My error for not focusing MORE on the caliber in my reply -- it does say 9mm.

He's still calling it a Starfire 9mm... <grin>

Dashunde · January 3, 2013, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Mine is the Starfire Plus. I have read around more on the gun now and parts rarity and your claim of a cracked frame seem to be the only negatives.

I'd suggest you check it for fine cracks before paying for it (around the slide stop hole IIRC), mine isnt a claim, its fact, and they kindly replaced it with a UltraStar.

militant · January 3, 2013, 05:15 PM

They replaced it? This must have happened before the company went out of business. I'll check mine for cracks.

Dashunde · January 3, 2013, 05:17 PM

Yea, it was back in the late 90's and for clarity it was replaced by a dealer out of his house in KC MO, man that place was packed with guns!! He had full auto MP5's and everything else under the sun.

Great looking gun, and it never missed a beat, but.. it gave itself a beating.
The UltraStar was 100% also, just kinda ugly...

militant · January 3, 2013, 05:22 PM

I have read so many threads now about this gun now. They sound like tanks.

Nathan · January 3, 2013, 06:29 PM

I have the Starvel Firestar 40. It seems like a good gun. I'm not a huge fan of how the safety works, but it works.

Gun shoots well. I have never figured out why these didn't take off, other than weight and maybe the higher effort trigger pull for an SA.

Now, I wouldn't buy one to use hard because parts are hard to come by...so it seems.

Would like to have a blue one!

The mag safety is unnecessary.

BigMike · January 3, 2013, 06:31 PM

I bought mine in 1993, a Star Firestar Plus (13 rd) pistol, which would fire with the safety engaged.

I got rid of it. Goes without saying I wasn't impressed. It felt great in the hand but I just didn't trust it. Funny that I was chided by friends and fellow shooters at the time for buying a "second tier" pistol. After many years now, it appears my experience is not generally representative of others' experiences (positive) of this pistol. HTH!

Walt Sherrill · January 3, 2013, 08:58 PM

If it fired with the safety engaged, something was definitely defective.

I've had 4-5 of the Firestar Plus models over the years. I liked them all, but always had other guns that I liked better. Two were Starvel finished. I got them at good prices and used them as "trade" fodder. Did the same with a couple of DaeWoos, an even better gun that is not appreciated by most shooters.

The triggers on the Star guns can be improved by a gunsmith with almost no effort, and the magazine safety can be easily deactivated -- if that's your choice.

Mine were always reliable and accurate. If I found one for a good price, now, I'd grab it. Never had any kind of parts issues. The best buy was one I picked up a few years ago at a Pawn Shop -- ANIB -- for $175. (They obviously didn't know what they were selling.)

militant · January 3, 2013, 10:51 PM

How much do they go for?

Skans · January 4, 2013, 08:21 AM

Walt, thanks for the information about the Starvell finish - I always assumed it was chrome because it is hard, durable and doesn't discolor. Looks more like a brushed chrome too, but it's really hard for me to visually tell the difference between some chromes and nickel finishes.

Regarding the mag disconect - it's an easy part to take out and re-install. My gun came with it uninstalled and I reinstalled it just so I wouldn't lose it. I think there is too much worry about spare parts. These things are tanks, at least my Megastar is. About the only spare part I would want would be a spare recoil spring, and I could probably find a Wolf spring that would work. Maybe a firing pin too. For what I've seen spare parts kits selling for these days, I could probably have a gunsmith make a part if it broke.

Walt Sherrill · January 4, 2013, 11:34 AM

Quote:

How much do they go for?

With the exception of the one I found very cheaply, mentioned above, I've seen a lot of them selling in the $250-$325 range... not just the Firestar Plus, but the Firestars, the Megastars, and the Ultrastars. You could do worse for the money, if you find one in that price range.

Extra mags would add a little to the price -- as they're rare for some of the models.

Dashunde · January 4, 2013, 04:30 PM

A quick run through Gunbroker shows a couple in the upper $200's with many around $400+.
Way too much for these guns considering similar Smith's are under $400.

Walt Sherrill · January 4, 2013, 04:40 PM

Quote:

A quick run through Gunbroker shows a couple in the upper $200's with many around $400+.
Way too much for these guns considering similar Smith's are under $400.

I agree that the S&Ws are better value -- but you can't find many semi-autos selling for less than $300 unless they're absolute junk.

(I spent about $300 new for my Kel-Tec PF9, which is my most frequent "carry" weapon, and I wouldn't swap it for a Firestar Plus...)

militant · January 4, 2013, 07:48 PM

I got to actually hold and look at the gun today. I got it. Heavy you say? Not to me at all. It is indeed the Firestar Plus,. It holds 13 rounds. Only thing I don't like about it thus far is the trigger pull is somewhat harder then I expected from a SA.

Walt Sherrill · January 4, 2013, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Heavy you say? Not to me at all.

Not the Firestar Plus -- it has an alloy frame. It's the STEEL guns (the original Firestar upon which the "Plus" model is based) that are notoriously heavy. Very similar top ends but very different frames.

Any local competent gunsmith can fix the trigger very quickly and easily.

January 3, 2013, 02:36 PM	#26
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,978	Walt- Actually, it says, "Fire Starfire 9mm." __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

January 3, 2013, 02:37 PM	#27
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,978	Walt, Actually, it says "Fire Starfire 9mm." __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

January 3, 2013, 02:49 PM	#28
Walt Sherrill Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 1999 Location: Winston-Salem, NC USA Posts: 6,348	My error for not focusing MORE on the caliber in my reply -- it does say 9mm. He's still calling it a Starfire 9mm... <grin> Last edited by Walt Sherrill; January 3, 2013 at 03:31 PM.

January 3, 2013, 05:15 PM	#30
militant Senior Member Join Date: August 12, 2012 Location: USA Posts: 519	They replaced it? This must have happened before the company went out of business. I'll check mine for cracks. __________________ A hit with a .22 is better than a miss with a .44

January 3, 2013, 05:22 PM	#32
militant Senior Member Join Date: August 12, 2012 Location: USA Posts: 519	I have read so many threads now about this gun now. They sound like tanks. __________________ A hit with a .22 is better than a miss with a .44

January 3, 2013, 05:17 PM	#31
Dashunde Senior Member Join Date: December 22, 2004 Posts: 2,018	Yea, it was back in the late 90's and for clarity it was replaced by a dealer out of his house in KC MO, man that place was packed with guns!! He had full auto MP5's and everything else under the sun. Great looking gun, and it never missed a beat, but.. it gave itself a beating. The UltraStar was 100% also, just kinda ugly...

January 3, 2013, 06:29 PM	#33
Nathan Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2001 Posts: 6,321	I have the Starvel Firestar 40. It seems like a good gun. I'm not a huge fan of how the safety works, but it works. Gun shoots well. I have never figured out why these didn't take off, other than weight and maybe the higher effort trigger pull for an SA. Now, I wouldn't buy one to use hard because parts are hard to come by...so it seems. Would like to have a blue one! The mag safety is unnecessary.

January 3, 2013, 06:31 PM	#34
BigMike Senior Member Join Date: October 16, 1999 Location: North Central/Panhandle Florid Posts: 569	I bought mine in 1993, a Star Firestar Plus (13 rd) pistol, which would fire with the safety engaged. I got rid of it. Goes without saying I wasn't impressed. It felt great in the hand but I just didn't trust it. Funny that I was chided by friends and fellow shooters at the time for buying a "second tier" pistol. After many years now, it appears my experience is not generally representative of others' experiences (positive) of this pistol. HTH! __________________ TFL Alumni #2636

January 3, 2013, 08:58 PM	#35
Walt Sherrill Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 1999 Location: Winston-Salem, NC USA Posts: 6,348	If it fired with the safety engaged, something was definitely defective. I've had 4-5 of the Firestar Plus models over the years. I liked them all, but always had other guns that I liked better. Two were Starvel finished. I got them at good prices and used them as "trade" fodder. Did the same with a couple of DaeWoos, an even better gun that is not appreciated by most shooters. The triggers on the Star guns can be improved by a gunsmith with almost no effort, and the magazine safety can be easily deactivated -- if that's your choice. Mine were always reliable and accurate. If I found one for a good price, now, I'd grab it. Never had any kind of parts issues. The best buy was one I picked up a few years ago at a Pawn Shop -- ANIB -- for $175. (They obviously didn't know what they were selling.)

January 3, 2013, 10:51 PM	#36
militant Senior Member Join Date: August 12, 2012 Location: USA Posts: 519	How much do they go for? __________________ A hit with a .22 is better than a miss with a .44

January 4, 2013, 08:21 AM	#37
Skans Senior Member Join Date: November 20, 2008 Posts: 11,132	Walt, thanks for the information about the Starvell finish - I always assumed it was chrome because it is hard, durable and doesn't discolor. Looks more like a brushed chrome too, but it's really hard for me to visually tell the difference between some chromes and nickel finishes. Regarding the mag disconect - it's an easy part to take out and re-install. My gun came with it uninstalled and I reinstalled it just so I wouldn't lose it. I think there is too much worry about spare parts. These things are tanks, at least my Megastar is. About the only spare part I would want would be a spare recoil spring, and I could probably find a Wolf spring that would work. Maybe a firing pin too. For what I've seen spare parts kits selling for these days, I could probably have a gunsmith make a part if it broke.

January 4, 2013, 04:30 PM	#39
Dashunde Senior Member Join Date: December 22, 2004 Posts: 2,018	A quick run through Gunbroker shows a couple in the upper $200's with many around $400+. Way too much for these guns considering similar Smith's are under $400.

January 4, 2013, 07:48 PM	#41
militant Senior Member Join Date: August 12, 2012 Location: USA Posts: 519	I got to actually hold and look at the gun today. I got it. Heavy you say? Not to me at all. It is indeed the Firestar Plus,. It holds 13 rounds. Only thing I don't like about it thus far is the trigger pull is somewhat harder then I expected from a SA. __________________ A hit with a .22 is better than a miss with a .44

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