I fired my Star Firestars (9,40 & 45) on the pistol range last week and sort of forgot just how well they shot, especially the .45.

Very pleasant to shoot in all regards. Found out that my Sig 229 holster fits it very well....

Decided to use it for a carry gun for a while.

Anyone else re-discover something that you have had for some time and it was NOT a Smith & Wesson?

Randy

I remember when the Firestars were really popular in the 90s. A good gun for the money.

My 9mm Firestar shoots very well at the range, but I can't carry it. There is a fundamental mismatch between the gun and my hand when it comes to presenting it from a holster. Even after weeks of practice it never pointed the same way twice as I brought it up to firing position. It's a nice Starvel example, so I should probably sell it.

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Release the Kraken

The Firestar was Handgun of the Year in 1993. The sticker on the box for my .40 Firestar proudly proclaims this fact.

I have a .40 Firestar, and at one time also had a 9mm Firestar. Haven't picked up a .45 model yet, but I will eventually. The Firestar is the only .40 pistol I own, and the only .40 I've actually liked shooting. The Firestar was a really good pistol, especially by early '90s standards. Star wasn't a bad company, it was just badly run. It's too bad the Spaniards ran the company into the ground, it would've been interesting to see what they might have come up with if they survived.

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Wheel guns are real guns.

Their biggest asset was also their biggest complaint.......they are hefty, which absorbs a great deal of recoil, but is hard on the waistline and lower back as well.

Will carry the M45 for now, maybe even the M40..........

Randy

Had one years ago. Fine guns. But be aware, the thumb safeties are prone to failure. Seem it many times. Check yours frequently.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

The only failure on parts that I am aware of is with the .40 in the starvel finish had a problem in breaking the extractor.

Jack First Co. in Rapid City had so many calls for that part that they contracted with a machine shop to reproduce that part in a significant quantity.

Seems only the Starvel finish were too brittle, the blued ones were no problem, also it was only the. .40 as well, the 9's and .45 acp were no problems either.

Randy

PS. Kanepaddle....what breaks on the thumb safety?

I missed out on an Starvel M45 a couple years back. If I ever get another chance I won't make that mistake again. Heck, I'd settle for a blued one.

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Who are those guys?

I have one, probably exactly like yours. I bought it new in 1993, shot a box of CCI Blazer through it and have not fired it since. Don't know why, I pull it out of the safe from time to time when I'm checking things for rust and such and it always strikes me these things are pretty decent little guns. Hefty little rascal, nice workmanship, trigger isn't bad really. Then I put it back and leave with a Glock. Signs of the times, I guess.

Not sure. I didn’t take them apart and look at them.

A friend owns a pawn shop. He’s had several used ones come through in the last 10 or so years. All but one, the safeties did not work correctly.

When the safety was moved to the on position it would stay there. But if you pulled the trigger the safety would move to off by itself. Sometimes you had to pull the trigger two or three times.

The guns were obviously used but I’m not sure how much.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

Ah yes, the M43, what many consider to be the first of the "wonder nines". Guns & Ammo "Handgun of the Year 1993".
Nice little guns. The weight indeed soaks up recoil very well so follow up shots are a breeze. Never tried carrying one, but it would probably feel pretty heavy given its weight for its compact size.

From what I have read the issue with the broken safeties is related to improper disassembly/reassembly.

IIRC the spring and ball that make up the detent are retained by the left grip. When you pull the grip off, if you aren't aware of and prepared for it, they will get away from you. Many unsuspecting people have lost those little parts when taking the grips off, and of course, replacement parts for these little gems are made from platinum plated unobtanium.

I had a .40 firestar for some time. It fit my hand VERY well but unfortunately did not stand up to the pounding of that round. The two piece slide stop kept deforming and jamming the magazine follower, preventing the magazine from coming out of the gun unless you pounded it out from the top. I suspect it would have been a fine pistol in 9mm.

I picked up a 9mm Firestar Plus and an M43 in the early 90s, found a new old stock Starvel M43 a couple of years ago. Great guns.

Shoot the double stack really well, the single stacks not so well,

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SWCA #2817

I have a suspicion that the original recoil springs were underspecified or went soft quickly on these guns. First range trip with my 9mm I noticed that even the weak sauce 115 FMJ range fodder ejected into the next zip code. A trip to the Wolff gun springs site put an end to that nonsense.

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Release the Kraken

My M-43 is still my favorite 9mm compact. When I actually carried it, it was in a Don Hume pancake holster or in a MASC shoulder rig made for a Springfield EMP, which happened to fit it perfectly. I had a gent in Texas make a set of Bloodwood grips for it that completely changed the way it felt in the hand; much nicer.
I need to start carrying it again!
You know, I'm continually amazed at how many people here consider a 30 ounce pistol too heavy to carry, and practically in the same breath tell you that a 3 inch K-frame is the perfect carry gun!
What really matters in a carry gun is how it shoots, not what it weighs on the belt.
I'm not a big guy (6' 150lbs) and I'll take an all steel gun over a G-19 every time.
As I heard an instructor say once "Yeah, it's a big gun when I put it on, but it's also a big gun if I have to pull it out!"
I always considered that good advice.

15 posts and no pictures?? Shame!!!

Best Regards, Les

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

Here you go Les.

Here's a couple from a knife/gun shoot I did a long time ago.

M43 & Busse Active Duty


Firestar Plus and a Busse Basics 9

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SWCA #2817

I usually don't post pics, but...

Sweet looking grips...

I bought one of the .40 S&W models when they first appeared, to carry as a backup gun on duty. I shot the gun quite a lot to insure its functionality before carrying it. I experienced the failure of the soft steel slide stop due to the rounding problem and the head of the recoil spring guide rod would deform so badly that the slide literally had to be driven off the frame to disassemble. I believe the .40 pistols had the same springs as the 9mm's. At that time the guns were still so new, Wolff's did not have spring available yet. Had to chuck the guide rod in the drill press and dress the head down repeatedly. Complained to Interarms at the time and got no response at all. I did order a new guide rod, numerous replacement recoil springs and a new slide stop. Unfortunately I had the blued model and they sent a Starvel finished slide stop because that was all they had in stock. After carrying the gun in an ankle holster the gun started to show rust pretty quickly. I eventually sent the pistol off and had it completely hard chromed, which solved the rusting problem completely & seemed to halt the battering problem on the slide stop. The pistol actually fit my hand very well, shot well and turned into a very reliable pistol. Carried it until the Glock 27 came out, which provided more rounds with about the same size & weight.

I ALWAYS ADMIRED THE FIRE STARS IN .45 ACP, WHEN I SAW THEIR ADS IN THE SHOTGUN NEWS BACK IN THE DAY.......

BEING AN AVOWED COLT 1911 FAN, I NEVER DROPPED THE HAMMER ON ONE. I ALWAYS SUSPECTED HOWEVER, THAT THEY WOULD BE DECENT SHOOTERS, AT A REASONABLE PRICE.......

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

I have the 9mm Firestar. I got a great deal on it brand new at the end of their run. The gun shop just wanted to get rid of it and I’m glad I bought it.
Well built and a great shooter but for me way way to heavy for carry.!
Now it just resides in the safe well cared for and oiled!

When I was much younger, I found one in 9mm at a very inexpensive price. With a skip in my step, I bought it and was really pleased. In my case, all was well, but at the range I applied the safety. When I went back to shooting it, I disengaged the safety and WHAM, it fired. Most disconcerting.

It would do this pretty often. Took it back to the shop I got it from and they told me I was SOL. They said they would have their guy look at it. It was so long ago, I honestly can't recall what happened and if it was repaired or what, I don't have it anymore. I was pretty sad about it, felt like a kid who got a broken Christmas present.

I had a 40 S&W Firestar and I really liked it. I sold it to a friend and later wished I hadn't sold it.