I've been trying to avoid buying anything new (to me) but I came across this nice little STAR 'Lancer' .22 pistol at a show.
These haven't been around since the GCA68 because of their size they weren't importable anymore.
This one looked very nice but was marked $100
Way under price.
I asked to look at it and as soon as I pulled the slide back I knew why on a couple of things.
One, that the seller figured there was something wrong with it.
Two,,I knew there was but it was a simple fix.
The issue...The slide retracted but with roughness and hesitency
The rest of the gun aside from a few handling scratches to the alloy frame looks in very nice cond.
Orig magazine and grips.
So I went for it and a deal was made.
When I got the pistol in my hands and I was in my truck in the parkinglot. I TD'd the slide off the frame.
I simply reversed the recoil spring in the frame and all the problems went away. Nice slick smooth action again.
These and the similar Model F have a slide recoil spring that has one end that is coiled slightly larger on the last couple of turns of the spring.
That larger end must go down into the frame first. That enlarged end is for a slight friction fit down in there to hold the spring in place when the pistol is taken down. The spring doesn't fall free and get lost.
If assembled with the enlarged end at the muzzle, it can't smoothly run down the channal under the bbl as the slide compresses it in recoil causing the rough operation.
All the oil they poured onto the slide and frame wasn't going to make a difference. At least no one took it any further.
Handy little .22 auto pistol. It goes well with my Star Model F .22 pistols.
The Model F has the same set up with it's recoil spring as well.
I have a STAR Model 1922 coming in a couple weeks as well. Reliving old times in StarLand.
This is the end of the spring that should be at the muzzle.
You can see the slightly flared end of the spring at the breech end that fits down inside the frame for a friction hold.
It even feeds .22 Longs
At least .22Long DUMMY rounds.
I don't exactly know what advantage that would be. Maybe to manually feed .22 CB Longs for quiet shooting somewhere.
I will try some of those at the range next time.
I ended up with that plastic box of SuperX .22Long Dummy rounds (about 150rds) yrs ago working in a shop.
I was fiddling on a break with a Bernardelli Baby Vest Pocket pistol in .22Long caliber (They were made in .25acp and .22Long,,maybe 22short).
Another much older gunsmith came over to see what I was doing instead of eating lunch. I told him that I was making a disconnector for it,,it was missing.
He came back later in the day with that box of ,22Long Dummys and plunked them down on my bench.
He said 'Here, finally someone with some skill & no sense of time that can use these things'.
I've used them quite alot actually over the years!. I like the Older stuff.
They make me think of him and all the help he gave me back then every time I use them.
These haven't been around since the GCA68 because of their size they weren't importable anymore.
This one looked very nice but was marked $100
Way under price.
I asked to look at it and as soon as I pulled the slide back I knew why on a couple of things.
One, that the seller figured there was something wrong with it.
Two,,I knew there was but it was a simple fix.
The issue...The slide retracted but with roughness and hesitency
The rest of the gun aside from a few handling scratches to the alloy frame looks in very nice cond.
Orig magazine and grips.
So I went for it and a deal was made.
When I got the pistol in my hands and I was in my truck in the parkinglot. I TD'd the slide off the frame.
I simply reversed the recoil spring in the frame and all the problems went away. Nice slick smooth action again.
These and the similar Model F have a slide recoil spring that has one end that is coiled slightly larger on the last couple of turns of the spring.
That larger end must go down into the frame first. That enlarged end is for a slight friction fit down in there to hold the spring in place when the pistol is taken down. The spring doesn't fall free and get lost.
If assembled with the enlarged end at the muzzle, it can't smoothly run down the channal under the bbl as the slide compresses it in recoil causing the rough operation.
All the oil they poured onto the slide and frame wasn't going to make a difference. At least no one took it any further.
Handy little .22 auto pistol. It goes well with my Star Model F .22 pistols.
The Model F has the same set up with it's recoil spring as well.
I have a STAR Model 1922 coming in a couple weeks as well. Reliving old times in StarLand.
This is the end of the spring that should be at the muzzle.
You can see the slightly flared end of the spring at the breech end that fits down inside the frame for a friction hold.
It even feeds .22 Longs
At least .22Long DUMMY rounds.
I don't exactly know what advantage that would be. Maybe to manually feed .22 CB Longs for quiet shooting somewhere.
I will try some of those at the range next time.
I ended up with that plastic box of SuperX .22Long Dummy rounds (about 150rds) yrs ago working in a shop.
I was fiddling on a break with a Bernardelli Baby Vest Pocket pistol in .22Long caliber (They were made in .25acp and .22Long,,maybe 22short).
Another much older gunsmith came over to see what I was doing instead of eating lunch. I told him that I was making a disconnector for it,,it was missing.
He came back later in the day with that box of ,22Long Dummys and plunked them down on my bench.
He said 'Here, finally someone with some skill & no sense of time that can use these things'.
I've used them quite alot actually over the years!. I like the Older stuff.
They make me think of him and all the help he gave me back then every time I use them.
