Review: Star model B 9mm

[M m]

I was looking for a new firearm but did not like any available option in any price range.
i was impressed ever since a few members bought the zigana 1911 9mm.

Saw this at tactical arms asking 550$
managed to get it for 450 with only one 8 round mag.
the same thing in .30 bore is available for 800$ at-least.
Im in Pakistan so the prices for firearms are high.



its made in 1944 in spain by STAR. Issued to the german army and navy in ww2.
The condition is still 80% and performs even better.
has a blued finish with fixed front and adjustable back sight

the gun looks like a 1911 but has completely different internals
a single action trigger with very little travel.
Weight and feel is very well balanced. Absorbs the recoil very nicely.







The proof markings



The original grips were plastic and painted by the previous owner.
The gun needed new grips so i had 2 sets custom made.

The gun can be carried cocked and locked.
When the safety is engaged in cocked position, it disconnects the trigger



The gun feels solid and is slimmer than a 1911
Above all, i was amazed by the accuracy which in my opinion comes from the slim grip and the simple sights.

I was hitting a 6*8 plate at 80 feet every time.
Ofcource i was shooting casually which makes the accuracy quiet amazing.

Conclusion:

A bit of history with a traditional gun in a more affordable caliber.
Not an ideal CC/defence weapon but a perfect range gun

[dahermit]

...the gun looks like a 1911 but has completely different internals...

What is completley different than a 1911? Did you post the wrong photos? Other than a safety plunger tube, it looks like a 1911.

[M m]

It lacks palm safety.
It has a different trigger mechanism, and a different safety mechanism

Like i said, it looks alike but a complete different story inside

[Rodger_p]

...As well as an external extractor.

And, some had magazine safeties (at least my Model BM did)

[lee n. field]

What is completley different than a 1911? Did you post the wrong photos? Other than a safety plunger tube, it looks like a 1911.

Nope, Stars are not 1911s, they just look like it.

Peruse this: http://www.star-firearms.com/firearm.../b/index.shtml.

[Bill DeShivs]

Nice gun, but those grips are horrid!

[carguychris]

...As well as an external extractor.

Correct.

If the absence of a grip safety is not visible- which is frequently the case if someone is holding the pistol- the easiest ways to visually differentiate a Star Model B from a 1911 are the external extractor on the RH side and the absence of a plunger tube on the LH side. If one looks close at the pics, you'll notice that the Star slide stop has a detent plunger that acts on a large pin projecting from the side of the frame.

For many years, movie firearm buffs used these features to spot the substitution of Stars for 1911s in many Hollywood films; the Model B frequently supplanted the 1911 because it fires cheaper and more readily available 9mm blanks, yet it was cheaper to purchase and more readily available than a true 9mm 1911.

Another Star hallmark is the trigger pivot pin below the slide stop; Star triggers pivot rather than sliding like 1911 triggers.

And, some had magazine safeties (at least my Model BM did)

The mag disconnect was normally denoted by an "S" suffix to the model name, so a Star BS would have one while a B would not; however, it's my understanding that almost all compact 9mm Stars- the BM, BKM, and BKS- were produced with mag disconnects, "S" suffix or no.

I don't remember where I read this, but I recall Star's addition of mag safeties being attributed to a poorly thought-out 1970s Spanish anti-inflation law that prohibited manufacturers of a wide variety of goods from raising wholesale prices. According to the story, numerous Spanish industries circumvented the law by making a minor design change to their product, labeling it as a different model, introducing the "new and improved" model with a higher price, and subsequently discontinuing the prior price-capped version.

[carguychris]

Nice gun, but those grips are horrid!

Ditto; is it just me, or does it look like the "Punisher" symbol was drawn on the grip with a black marker?

[tekarra]

Welcome to the forum M m. Star made a very good line of pistols but have been out of business for some years and finding parts may be a problem.

[10-96]

I kind of wish I still had my Star B Super. It was a neat lil firearm, while I too tended to compare it side-by-side with a 1911, I always wished I had a Polish Radom to compare it to.