star 9mm?

[69nogo]

I just visited a local gun shop and they had a star 9mm, never fired, but handled plenty, very nice chrome, two mags, pearl grips, and box and paperwork for $300.

I have never heard of them, are they any good? Any problems with jams, misfires, ect?

it looks like this one:
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=32770197

thanks as always :)

[Makarov9x]

$300 thats way too much!!! Thats highway robbery!!! $150 is a good starting point for Star BM. You said " never fired". You can better believe its been fired. Sounds like this guy is trying to get one over on you. It almost sounds like the same guy who tried to sell me a Makarov for $300. Beware of this seller. These pistols are great little 9mm's for the price. Pretty reliable, built well, but parts are a little hard to find. They have a reputation for being a " great bang for the buck". If you don't pay more than $150 or so. I know around here I can buy them all day long at gun shows for $150.

Good Luck,
Mak

[mtnbkr]

AFAIK, they were never offered in chrome with MOP grips from the factory, so at the very least, this gun has been refinished. If the finish, innards and barrel look good, then I'd offer as much as $200, but not a penny more. Rough examples go for $150, but they're all rough unless refinished.

The one I owned briefly had the best SAO trigger of ANY gun I've shot (My Beretta 92F had a better SA trigger, but it was DA/SA).

Chris

[butch50]

Was it a Star BM or BKM, or a Starfire?

[69nogo]

Unsure exactly what model, but it looked JUST like that one other than grips. I know they will not go down on price, so I guess I keep looking...... :(

[larryf1952]

$300 does seem a might stiff for an old Star 9mm. I've heard good things about BM's, though. I've got 2 Star Firestars, in .40 and .45. They're tough little guns, although a bit heavy for their size. 100% reliable, though. I like them a lot. You could probably find a new or LNIB 9mm Firestar in the $300 range.

[USP45usp]

Makarov9x,

But, but, it's chromed :p

Makarov9x is right, the Star BM (hold on, let me get my flyer)......... $139.95ea with a price of $129.95 at two or more. Now, gun dealers have to eat also, so a markup to $150 to $200 is not uncommon.

The chrome job is "aftermarket" (I may be wrong but I don't think that Star was offered in chrome), the pearl grips the same (unless they are real pearl then the gun is well worth it :) ).

Someone "tricked" out an inexpensive (but good) gun and expects to get high price for it.

Now, the question is not what it costs or how it was "tricked" but how much are you willing to pay. Common concept of price and demand. If you demand that you really want this gun (if not, you wouldn't have asked) then the price is well set. If you "like" this gun due to how it's been "tricked out" then considered the above prices that I gave, whatever FFL fee that they will charge (transfer fee), a set of fake pearl grips (19.95 at the most), and a cheapo chrome job that will peel after a couple of years.

And I bulk on the "well handled" part of your post... cheapo chrome jobs look "well handled" after the person that ordered it handled it for the first time.

I personally would pass. If the look of the gun "gathers your interest" then buy a plain jane, buy the grips, get a real chrome job that is warrentied, and then be happy.

Guns like that/this that have been "tricked out" are guns that are created by two types of people. People number 1 "tricks" out their gun knowing that they could never get their money back out of it and it's a keeper. Person number 2 relies on Barnem(sp) and Bailys(sp) old saying, "a fool is born every minute".

Wayne

[butch50]

I have a Star BM - GREAT gun, highly recommend them, but I paid $135 for mine and it was in good condition. I believe that the Fire Star models were sometimes made with the Starvel finish, which might be mistaken for chrome. The Fire Stars sell for a bit more too. Check out this one for sale on gunbroker and see if it is about the same.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=32736637

[CaptainRazor]

I agree, $300 is way to much for a basic Star BM with the before mentioned "upgrades".
Last one I saw was about $189 or so around 2 weeks ago, it was in good to very condition. I honestly thought about buying it.
I've never owned or fired one, they look like they are well made pistols, if I was in the market for a Single action autoloading 9mm, I'd definately consider it, but not for the price you mentioned, and definately not chromed with pearl grips. But then different strokes for different folks!

[69nogo]

Check out this one for sale on gunbroker and see if it is about the same.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vi...p?Item=32736637
Nope, that is a different one. See, this is why I asked you guys. I am new and need advise so I do not make boneheaded mistakes, well, at least minimize them :rolleyes:

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. It appears to be the Star Model B, the full-size 5' gun. The Star Model BM is a smaller pistol in the sort of way that the Commander or Officer's Models are smaller than the 5" Government Model 1911. Externally there are similarities but internally there are quite a few differences.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y171/hipowersandhandguns/StarBCap1.jpg
This is the Model B. This one has been slightly customized so it will not be exactly like the one in the picture at the auction site.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y171/hipowersandhandguns/STARBMXTPs1.jpg
This is the smaller Model BM.

Best.

[r.w. schrack]

stars were spanish police 50's and 60's owned several and did not have problems with them thay are rugged and a bit on the heavy side, close to a .45. thay are very acurate, and you can actualy change the caliber from 9mm, to 38 super or 38 largo. sarco was selling them for about 150 and dealer warehouse on back of shotgun news used to have them. 300 is a little high and sounds like someone nickled on. the only draw back was the eight round mag. thats my opinion but as i always say you be the judge cause you have to live with it. schrack

[69nogo]

Okay, than it was the B model. Easy to see from the ejection port side. I guess I like the eye candy, except the pearl grips don't feel good in the hand, kinda like a wet bar of soap. I just really hope to get a stainless for easier maintenence.

thanks again guys! :)

[Eric Larsen]

Hey guys......ITS NOT CHROME! Its Blue'd....look at it. And like Mr. Camp, Hey Steve.....:D, its a B model not the BM. Its still too high.
The Starvel finish is Hard Chrome or a Hard Chrome like finish, its harder than nickel.
Shoot well.

[ATW525]

The only reason to get a Star Model B that has been chromed with pearl grips is if you have a Pulp Fiction fetish (http://www.longmountain.com/movieguns/PulpFiction).

Hey guys......ITS NOT CHROME! Its Blue'd....look at it.

Uh... I didn't see a picture of the actual gun in question anywhere in the thread.

[Eric Larsen]

Um....... :rolleyes: sorry. I need more coffee.
Shoot well.....

[butch50]

There is also the BMK which looks a lot like a BM (stariting to sound weird there :D) but is lighter. They sell for a bit more too, don't know if they come in starvel or not.

[Alfa One]

I have a Star 30M and it is truly fantastic. 300 dollars is really a lot, especially in de the US. I bought mine (in Belgium) for 150€ which would be around 200 dollars. And weapons are not cheap in Belgium!

[Dave Sample]

I paid $270.00 at the pawn shop for a Star BM with the factory hard chrome and the factory Mother of Plastic Pearl Grips. When they first came out they were $125.00 out the door. I had not seen one in years and this one was a really great shooter with a trigger pull to die for, and very accurate. I think $300.00 is a ball park price for one and they are special guns.
I can see by this thread that we have a lot of Star Experts here.

[Alfa One]

I completly agree with you on the trigger pull. You just cannot believe it isn't tuned.

[Dave Sample]

I carried a Star BKM .380 magnum in my right boot when I was a deputy sheriff as a back up. It was black anodized with a blue steel slide. It did it's job , as I am still here. I got rid of it somewhere in a trade way back when. It was nice as the bullets went in the target sideways which I thought was great for that caliber.