Tips and Pointers about buying a STAR "BM"?
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I bought one about 6 years ago in hopes of using it for a carry gun.
I had a LOT of initial trouble with the pistol 'jamming' when I fired it. The problems seemed to come from three sources.
The biggest problem seems to be from a wear pattern between the slide stop and the stud that the spring-loaded pin in the slide stop bears against that keeps the stop out-of-the-way when the follower isn't pushing up on it.
I eventually unscrewed the stud and put a small lockwasher beneath it to get the pin to bear on an un-worn part of the stud. This solved most of the problems, but I still have occasional problems with activation of the slide stop with rounds still in the magazine.
The second problem was feeding jam (binding) issues with my reloads when they were a bit 'short'. I figure the feed ramp could be 'adjusted' to resolve this, but I decided I should just back off on the seating screw, and load the rounds longer, instead.
The magazine safety is also a bit prone to go out-of-whack. but it is easily removed with no other negative effect on the gun's functioning. In a carry gun, I would definitely remove it. In my case, I decided to keep it. I crazy glued a few styrene strips to the backside of the grip panel in places that would keep the grip safety boss seated all the way into the frame and adjacent to the trigger connecting bar so t couldn't 'ride over' the magazine safety (both had happened to me, and they both tie up the trigger). The magazine safety still gives me problems sometimes, but very rarely so now.
The adjustments resolved only about 95% of the problems I was having. I like the BM a lot, but because of the occasional malfunction, I use this gun only at the range.
I had a LOT of initial trouble with the pistol 'jamming' when I fired it. The problems seemed to come from three sources.
The biggest problem seems to be from a wear pattern between the slide stop and the stud that the spring-loaded pin in the slide stop bears against that keeps the stop out-of-the-way when the follower isn't pushing up on it.
I eventually unscrewed the stud and put a small lockwasher beneath it to get the pin to bear on an un-worn part of the stud. This solved most of the problems, but I still have occasional problems with activation of the slide stop with rounds still in the magazine.
The second problem was feeding jam (binding) issues with my reloads when they were a bit 'short'. I figure the feed ramp could be 'adjusted' to resolve this, but I decided I should just back off on the seating screw, and load the rounds longer, instead.
The magazine safety is also a bit prone to go out-of-whack. but it is easily removed with no other negative effect on the gun's functioning. In a carry gun, I would definitely remove it. In my case, I decided to keep it. I crazy glued a few styrene strips to the backside of the grip panel in places that would keep the grip safety boss seated all the way into the frame and adjacent to the trigger connecting bar so t couldn't 'ride over' the magazine safety (both had happened to me, and they both tie up the trigger). The magazine safety still gives me problems sometimes, but very rarely so now.
The adjustments resolved only about 95% of the problems I was having. I like the BM a lot, but because of the occasional malfunction, I use this gun only at the range.
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This guy did a review some years back.
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Critical%20Look%20at%20Star%20Model%20BM.htm
http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Critical%20Look%20at%20Star%20Model%20BM.htm
Thanks Ronbo6!
But sorry to hear of those troubles!
A bad Magazine Release indeed can sure mess up quite a few things at once.
From what I have found so far, German Boarder Police used the BM quite a bit, and, either a lot of those went to Israel, or, Israel got them directly, or maybe both.
Spanish Police also, apparently used them.
So, one sees some various Stamps on the Slides, as well as Slides with no ensignia/initials/emblems.
But sorry to hear of those troubles!
A bad Magazine Release indeed can sure mess up quite a few things at once.
From what I have found so far, German Boarder Police used the BM quite a bit, and, either a lot of those went to Israel, or, Israel got them directly, or maybe both.
Spanish Police also, apparently used them.
So, one sees some various Stamps on the Slides, as well as Slides with no ensignia/initials/emblems.
I still have not zeroed in on the one-to-get, and am still looking...
I saw one at a local Gun Show about three years ago, and, it was $285.00 and well worn, and seller would not budge, so, I walked.
I have not seen one since at aany of the local shows.
I saw one at a local Gun Show about three years ago, and, it was $285.00 and well worn, and seller would not budge, so, I walked.
I have not seen one since at aany of the local shows.
Curly awesome link lots of info. I been grabbing up the star, the llama and the astra spanish pistols when i seen them. I been addressing problems as i go with the star pistols. And the llama too. But the astra's 600/43 and the 1921/400 seem to run awesome.
Have a Star BM, slick. Feeds everything I've thrown into it, factory, no + P stuff. great pistol. Shoots high,groups 8 to 10 inches high at 15 meters. Anyone else have that problem? Might need to go with a replacement rear sight, front is soldered....?
Years ago i picked up my star bm in a plastic box that had a cleaning rod, the empty chamber flag(plastic), an extra mag, the star book on the bm and it held the pistol all in one handy box. If i was looking for another BM i'd lookout for the plastic box too. Maybe you'll get lucky...
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Just bought the above with box but I have not received it yet.
Oooops, I accidently let some days fly by without visiting the THread...
I will go look at "sarco", thanks!
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