Star PD .45 ACP

eka · July 9, 2004, 03:21 PM

I just bought a Star PD .45 ACP. I was familier with some of Star's autos, but not this particular one. I would love to hear anyone else's experiences with this little 45. Thanks!
EKA

Shooter 973 · July 9, 2004, 04:49 PM

I've had one of these nice little guns for a long time now. They were the precurrsor to all the cut down, chopped, tricked out, small lightweight carry guns that you see now. They were years ahead of everybody else. I like mine although I don.t shoot it much any more. It bites the web of my hand everytime I shoot it. I have very large hands. I don't consider it a heavy use gun. It has been reliable and accurate enough for me to be confident in it. It feeds well and has had no problems of any kind. I have a couple of extra mags for mine, but they are hard to find now days. I think that you'll enjoy this little beast.

Dakotan · July 9, 2004, 05:05 PM

FWIW, Jeff Cooper was fond of this particular pistol, and caled it "A gun to be carried much and fired little". No doubt a reference to it's alloy frame being beaten on with hot .45 ACP rounds.
I have an all steel Star BM in 9mm that I literally owe my life to.
The BKM was the alloy framed version of this gun. A good little family!

I think you'll find your PD to be a very enjoyable sidearm.

Take Care! - Dakotan

telewinz · July 9, 2004, 08:31 PM

AAAHH...The Star PD, had one 15 years ago and loved it but got bored with it and traded it away. Recently picked-up a LNIB (Interarms) Star PD for $300. I enjoy it as much as my Colt Officer's Model yet the Star only weighs 24 oz.!

LAK · July 9, 2004, 10:45 PM

I had a new one in the late 1970s, and later sold it. Not especially strong, but adequate, a good carry piece. Regret letting it go.

Drakejake · July 9, 2004, 11:04 PM

A problematic pistol. They require plastic shock buffers which are expensive and hard to find and don't last very long. They are also difficult to replace on the recoil spring guide rod. Both of mine eject their mags with every round. I replaced the mag latch springs with new ones as strong as possible, but still no luck. The only thing I can do is put a piece of metal over the right side of the mag latch assembly to act as an exterior, auxilliary spring. But if the metal is too thick, you cannot get the mag out. One of my PD's has a very light trigger and is very accurate. Recoil is stiff.

Drakejake

telewinz · July 11, 2004, 07:54 PM

The Interarms import had a better quality control record.

RickB · July 12, 2004, 03:38 PM

The PD is a cool gun. I've had two, and still have the one with the cracked frame . . .
I didn't shoot mine enough to have to replace the buffer, but I never was able to get the guide rod unit apart, so it's just as well. They are a great carry gun.

Sid Gault · July 27, 2009, 10:43 PM

Used as a back up till I started using it as "duty" piece. Shot a lot and felt...and still feels like home. Always looking for new stuff for it.

Chesster · July 27, 2009, 11:06 PM

Great little gun but for limited use. An G'smith told me around 1980 that these had about a life expectancy of around 700 rounds give or take from his personal experience.

arizona98tj · July 27, 2009, 11:21 PM

I picked one up back in the mid-70s when I was working at a gun shop. It has a set of Pachmayr grips on it.

I still have it. It doesn't get much use but I've no intention of getting rid of it either. It sits in the safe along with a few others. I'll eventually get the bug and maybe carry it again. Still have leather and a couple of mags for it so its ready when I am.

Quentin2 · July 28, 2009, 12:20 AM

Old thread but then it's an old gun. Anyway I still have my early '80s PD too and occasionally take it out to the range. Not a whole lot of rounds through it so it's still in good shape. I did break the firing pin years ago dry firing but the new one's held up now that I use snap caps. The PD is not as durable as a big 1911.

Rex B · July 28, 2009, 05:17 PM

Fellow named Jimdawg has made up a batch of buffers, selling them at a reasonable price. I bought some, they look good.

1 buffer $5.00 + $4.95 shipping and handling for a total of
$9.95...........$5.00 each + S&H
3 buffers $13.50 +$ 4.95 shipping and handling for a total of
$18.95.........$4.50 each + S&H
10 buffers $40.00 + $ 4.95 shipping and handling for a total of
$44.95.........$4.00 each + S&H

order from [email protected]

No connection, just a satisfied customer

Superhouse 15 · July 28, 2009, 05:46 PM

I have seen a few in the shop over the years with cracked frames. If you plan to shoot it, use a buffer, sane and sensible loads, and inspect frequently.

Mello2u · July 28, 2009, 06:34 PM

It is a five year old zombie thread!!!!

Rex B · July 28, 2009, 09:10 PM

Actually, the slidelock notch in the frame has a vertical cut of about 1/8" for stress relief. It is often mistaken for a crack. I have never known of any failures other than frame channel beating due to continued use with a bad buffer.

Kivaari · February 9, 2010, 12:04 AM

Methinks the Officer's group is the result of a carbon steel frame?

BlueTrain · February 9, 2010, 06:53 AM

I thought the comment that it was a 700 round gun was right on target, so to speak. I never had a PD model but I did have a BKM, purchased new, supposedly one of the last ones that Interarms had in stock. Lovely pistol for what it was but I loved it to death. Eventually things starting coming loose. I should have babied it a little more. One of the curious things about that particular example was that it worked with any lead bullet I ever tried, including 158-grain SWC bullets, yet would not tolerate any hollowpoint.

Over the years Star made many interesting single action pistols, mostly of the same style, yet they all had their shortcomings in that they seemed to break something sooner or later, though not in such a way as to impair functioning. Colts were always the superior gun and eventually made many very similiar models. I once had a Colt Lightweight Officer's ACP, which I thought was a perfect carry pistol, although it was something of a handful to shoot. I've read of complaints about the Officer's ACP that sounded a lot like the comments here about the Star PD but I guess I never fired mine enough to bring out any defects.

I've also read comments about certain other handguns being a "200 round" or something similiar gun.

red caddy · February 9, 2010, 09:29 AM

I've got a PD .45, in the "starvelle" finish, that has been carried so much that the finish is rubbed /rusted off where my belt rubs it thru the IWB holster. (it's my "winter" carry gun here in south Florida) I shoot it just enough to stay proficient, (double taps are ~ an inch @ 7 yards) and feed it 185 Gr. JHP and Unique. It fits my hand better than my Officers model or my "pitbull" shorty, an is a bit lighter than either. (stock grips) The lack of a grip safety caused me some concern initially, with condition one carry, but the safety is stiff and has never given me a problem sliding off, or hanging up, and the "notch" is pretty beefy in the hammer. I trust it.

All in all, a great little gun. Paul

mete · February 9, 2010, 09:37 AM

Jeff Cooper 's comments - What Cooper didn't know at the time he wrote the test report was information about the buffer. This was very strange as nothing was mentioned in the manual and the maker never told anyone !!

Fact is that the buffer would come apart in about 500 rounds, after that the frame got pounded badly !! So the answer is to get a batch of buffers and change them out every 500 rounds.If you're thinging of buying a used one , inspect the frame very carefully and don't buy if any cracks are seen !!

BRUNO1911 · November 1, 2010, 03:43 PM

I'll jump start this tread again

Here is my STAR PD .45 ACP I got from a friend of mine that is no longer with us

It was all factory stock I knocked all the sharp corners off and rounded the rear grip area (PD owners know what I'm talking about-them sharp corner HORN'S) I then shipped it out to CCR http://www.ccrrefinishing.com/ and had it refinished in their in-house BLACK along with some mags.It is near perfect! it rides in an old Milt Sparks OWB holster when we go for our evening walks.

Enjoy!!!

BRUNO1911

Amin Parker · November 1, 2010, 04:25 PM

Those are really well loved pistols. Those who have them swear by them

billnourse · November 3, 2010, 09:31 AM

I had a Star PD one time. Frame cracked and could not be fixed. Sold it to a place in Texas that buys the broken ones for parts. I found that there were a lot of broken ones.

Bill

**Mike Irwin** · November 3, 2010, 10:12 AM

Little bit of trivia...

The PD stood for Pete Dickey, who when I worked with him was head of technical services at American Rifleman magazine and simply the most knowledgeable person I've ever met when it comes to firearms.

Unfortunately he passed in January.

oldcspsarge · November 5, 2010, 09:55 PM

Forget about the buffers...they are voodoo in a 1911 and even worse in the Star PD. They restrict the full functional range of travel of the slide and thus reduce slide travel = failures to eject and or feed.

The best thing you can do for a Star PD to eliminate the frame cracking issue is
order the replacement recoil spring made to solve the pistol from Wolff Spring Co. ....and get a spare and replace it every 1,000 rounds.

Only Wolff makes the one that works and does so very well !

July 9, 2004, 03:21 PM	#1
eka Senior Member Join Date: July 3, 2004 Posts: 235	Star PD .45 ACP I just bought a Star PD .45 ACP. I was familier with some of Star's autos, but not this particular one. I would love to hear anyone else's experiences with this little 45. Thanks! EKA

July 9, 2004, 04:49 PM	#2
Shooter 973 Senior Member Join Date: February 3, 2001 Location: Home town of John M. Browning, Utah Posts: 499	Star PD. I've had one of these nice little guns for a long time now. They were the precurrsor to all the cut down, chopped, tricked out, small lightweight carry guns that you see now. They were years ahead of everybody else. I like mine although I don.t shoot it much any more. It bites the web of my hand everytime I shoot it. I have very large hands. I don't consider it a heavy use gun. It has been reliable and accurate enough for me to be confident in it. It feeds well and has had no problems of any kind. I have a couple of extra mags for mine, but they are hard to find now days. I think that you'll enjoy this little beast. __________________ The problem with America is stupidity. I'm not saying there should be capital punishment for stupidity, but why don't we just take the safety labels off of everything and let the problem solve itself?

July 27, 2009, 10:43 PM	#9
Sid Gault Junior Member Join Date: July 26, 2009 Location: Costa Rica Posts: 9	Good Carry Gun + Some Used as a back up till I started using it as "duty" piece. Shot a lot and felt...and still feels like home. Always looking for new stuff for it.

July 27, 2009, 11:06 PM	#10
Chesster Senior Member Join Date: September 6, 2007 Location: Dixie Posts: 2,538	Great little gun but for limited use. An G'smith told me around 1980 that these had about a life expectancy of around 700 rounds give or take from his personal experience. __________________ Chesster Proud NDN "The American Idle" Vote 'Pro-Choice' on 2nd Amendment issues!!!

July 27, 2009, 11:21 PM	#11
arizona98tj Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 980	I picked one up back in the mid-70s when I was working at a gun shop. It has a set of Pachmayr grips on it. I still have it. It doesn't get much use but I've no intention of getting rid of it either. It sits in the safe along with a few others. I'll eventually get the bug and maybe carry it again. Still have leather and a couple of mags for it so its ready when I am. __________________ stu-offroad.com Largest Jeep TJ project site on the web! (now with guns)

July 9, 2004, 05:05 PM	#3
Dakotan Senior Member Join Date: August 24, 1999 Posts: 174	FWIW, Jeff Cooper was fond of this particular pistol, and caled it "A gun to be carried much and fired little". No doubt a reference to it's alloy frame being beaten on with hot .45 ACP rounds. I have an all steel Star BM in 9mm that I literally owe my life to. The BKM was the alloy framed version of this gun. A good little family! I think you'll find your PD to be a very enjoyable sidearm. Take Care! - Dakotan

July 9, 2004, 10:45 PM	#5
LAK Junior member Join Date: May 14, 2002 Posts: 2,251	I had a new one in the late 1970s, and later sold it. Not especially strong, but adequate, a good carry piece. Regret letting it go.

July 9, 2004, 11:04 PM	#6
Drakejake Senior Member Join Date: March 9, 2001 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 548	A problematic pistol. They require plastic shock buffers which are expensive and hard to find and don't last very long. They are also difficult to replace on the recoil spring guide rod. Both of mine eject their mags with every round. I replaced the mag latch springs with new ones as strong as possible, but still no luck. The only thing I can do is put a piece of metal over the right side of the mag latch assembly to act as an exterior, auxilliary spring. But if the metal is too thick, you cannot get the mag out. One of my PD's has a very light trigger and is very accurate. Recoil is stiff. Drakejake

July 12, 2004, 03:38 PM	#8
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	The PD is a cool gun. I've had two, and still have the one with the cracked frame . . . I didn't shoot mine enough to have to replace the buffer, but I never was able to get the guide rod unit apart, so it's just as well. They are a great carry gun.

July 28, 2009, 12:20 AM	#12
Quentin2 Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2009 Location: NorthWest USA Posts: 1,996	Old thread but then it's an old gun. Anyway I still have my early '80s PD too and occasionally take it out to the range. Not a whole lot of rounds through it so it's still in good shape. I did break the firing pin years ago dry firing but the new one's held up now that I use snap caps. The PD is not as durable as a big 1911.

July 28, 2009, 05:17 PM	#13
Rex B Member Join Date: March 22, 2007 Posts: 88	bufffers Fellow named Jimdawg has made up a batch of buffers, selling them at a reasonable price. I bought some, they look good. 1 buffer $5.00 + $4.95 shipping and handling for a total of $9.95...........$5.00 each + S&H 3 buffers $13.50 +$ 4.95 shipping and handling for a total of $18.95.........$4.50 each + S&H 10 buffers $40.00 + $ 4.95 shipping and handling for a total of $44.95.........$4.00 each + S&H order from [email protected] No connection, just a satisfied customer

July 28, 2009, 05:46 PM	#14
Superhouse 15 Senior Member Join Date: September 13, 2007 Location: Sunny Florida Posts: 844	I have seen a few in the shop over the years with cracked frames. If you plan to shoot it, use a buffer, sane and sensible loads, and inspect frequently.

July 28, 2009, 06:34 PM	#15
Mello2u Senior Member Join Date: February 21, 2009 Location: Georgia Posts: 1,424	It is a five year old zombie thread!!!! __________________ NRA Life Member - Orange Gunsite Member - NRA Certified Pistol Instructor "When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they create for themselves in the course of time a legal system that authorizes it and a moral code that justifies it." Frederic Bastiat

July 28, 2009, 09:10 PM	#16
Rex B Member Join Date: March 22, 2007 Posts: 88	It's Alive!! Actually, the slidelock notch in the frame has a vertical cut of about 1/8" for stress relief. It is often mistaken for a crack. I have never known of any failures other than frame channel beating due to continued use with a bad buffer.

February 9, 2010, 12:04 AM	#17
Kivaari Member Join Date: August 7, 2005 Location: McKinney Texas Posts: 34	Colt vs Star Methinks the Officer's group is the result of a carbon steel frame? __________________ Kivaari quality SKS trigger tuning / repair www.kivaari.com

February 9, 2010, 06:53 AM	#18
BlueTrain Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2005 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 6,141	I thought the comment that it was a 700 round gun was right on target, so to speak. I never had a PD model but I did have a BKM, purchased new, supposedly one of the last ones that Interarms had in stock. Lovely pistol for what it was but I loved it to death. Eventually things starting coming loose. I should have babied it a little more. One of the curious things about that particular example was that it worked with any lead bullet I ever tried, including 158-grain SWC bullets, yet would not tolerate any hollowpoint. Over the years Star made many interesting single action pistols, mostly of the same style, yet they all had their shortcomings in that they seemed to break something sooner or later, though not in such a way as to impair functioning. Colts were always the superior gun and eventually made many very similiar models. I once had a Colt Lightweight Officer's ACP, which I thought was a perfect carry pistol, although it was something of a handful to shoot. I've read of complaints about the Officer's ACP that sounded a lot like the comments here about the Star PD but I guess I never fired mine enough to bring out any defects. I've also read comments about certain other handguns being a "200 round" or something similiar gun. __________________ Shoot low, sheriff. They're riding Shetlands! Underneath the starry flag, civilize 'em with a Krag, and return us to our own beloved homes! Buy War Bonds.

February 9, 2010, 09:29 AM	#19
red caddy Senior Member Join Date: August 17, 2009 Location: South West Florida Posts: 139	I've got a PD .45, in the "starvelle" finish, that has been carried so much that the finish is rubbed /rusted off where my belt rubs it thru the IWB holster. (it's my "winter" carry gun here in south Florida) I shoot it just enough to stay proficient, (double taps are ~ an inch @ 7 yards) and feed it 185 Gr. JHP and Unique. It fits my hand better than my Officers model or my "pitbull" shorty, an is a bit lighter than either. (stock grips) The lack of a grip safety caused me some concern initially, with condition one carry, but the safety is stiff and has never given me a problem sliding off, or hanging up, and the "notch" is pretty beefy in the hammer. I trust it. All in all, a great little gun. Paul

February 9, 2010, 09:37 AM	#20
mete Senior Member Join Date: June 14, 2004 Location: NY State Posts: 6,575	Jeff Cooper 's comments - What Cooper didn't know at the time he wrote the test report was information about the buffer. This was very strange as nothing was mentioned in the manual and the maker never told anyone !! Fact is that the buffer would come apart in about 500 rounds, after that the frame got pounded badly !! So the answer is to get a batch of buffers and change them out every 500 rounds.If you're thinging of buying a used one , inspect the frame very carefully and don't buy if any cracks are seen !!

November 1, 2010, 03:43 PM	#21
BRUNO1911 Junior Member Join Date: October 7, 2005 Location: LEFTCOAST KALIFORNIA Posts: 4	I'll jump start this tread again Here is my STAR PD .45 ACP I got from a friend of mine that is no longer with us It was all factory stock I knocked all the sharp corners off and rounded the rear grip area (PD owners know what I'm talking about-them sharp corner HORN'S) I then shipped it out to CCR http://www.ccrrefinishing.com/ and had it refinished in their in-house BLACK along with some mags.It is near perfect! it rides in an old Milt Sparks OWB holster when we go for our evening walks. Enjoy!!! BRUNO1911

November 1, 2010, 04:25 PM	#22
Amin Parker Senior Member Join Date: August 19, 2010 Posts: 1,118	Those are really well loved pistols. Those who have them swear by them

November 3, 2010, 09:31 AM	#23
billnourse Senior Member Join Date: September 16, 2010 Location: Bloomfield, NM Posts: 366	I had a Star PD one time. Frame cracked and could not be fixed. Sold it to a place in Texas that buys the broken ones for parts. I found that there were a lot of broken ones. Bill __________________ Cooper 52 25/06, Cooper 52 30/06, Cooper 52 338/06Cooper 57 .17HMR, Remington VS .22/250 all left handed. Rock River Predator Persuit AR-15, 1952 Marlin 336 in 30/30. 2 Kimber 1911, Colt 1911, S&W .357 Mag, Kahr .40 and .380

November 3, 2010, 10:12 AM	#24
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	Little bit of trivia... The PD stood for Pete Dickey, who when I worked with him was head of technical services at American Rifleman magazine and simply the most knowledgeable person I've ever met when it comes to firearms. Unfortunately he passed in January. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

November 5, 2010, 09:55 PM	#25
oldcspsarge Senior Member Join Date: January 11, 2008 Location: Rocky Mountains Posts: 441	Forget about the buffers...they are voodoo in a 1911 and even worse in the Star PD. They restrict the full functional range of travel of the slide and thus reduce slide travel = failures to eject and or feed. The best thing you can do for a Star PD to eliminate the frame cracking issue is order the replacement recoil spring made to solve the pistol from Wolff Spring Co. ....and get a spare and replace it every 1,000 rounds. Only Wolff makes the one that works and does so very well !