STAR Pistols

[Texas Star]

Note the cut out on the frame left side where the slide stop pokes through into the mag well (last pic). At the extreme top of that cut out is a break in the metal. That separation or break is supposed to be there. It's part of the manf process and not a manf defect as so many have tried to say.


That was present on a late commercial Mod. B I had, made about 1983. Interarms told me that was a stress reliever cut, right where many 1911 style pistols have the frame break, usually after firing many rounds. With the cut, a break is much less likely. The gun is already pre-broken, in a sense, but precisely.


The gun I had on loan for an article was reliable and quite accurate, but the slide bluing was turning a plum color, so I returned it.


Those late Star 9mm's were sound guns, and many were used by South Africa, due to the difficulty of obtaining Brownings under the UN arms embargo. That ended with white rule, about 1995. However, both Beretta and Star seem to have ignored that embargo (?), as so many of their guns were there, and the nation made a good copy of the Beretta M92F and the Walther P-1.

 

[ozarkmac]

Anyone know why on some of the older Stars, the triggers and extractors turn that sort of rust color but it's not really rust? I read what it is somewhere, but can't remember.

 

[ozarkmac]

Other than Gunbroker, are there any other sources for Star Model B magazines?

 

[2152hq]

The extractors were heat treated (drawn back) to a 'straw' color,,around 450*F. That leaves them hard enough to do their job but takes the brittle nature out of the steel. Same technique as used on several of the small parts on the Luger pistol. The color is a result of the heat treat process and a very nice effect. But over time, that dark straw yellow color can turn to a darker brown just from humidity, handling and other mostly long term effects,,collectors call it 'patina'. Same thing happens to bluing sometimes as it starts to turn brown.
The triggers on most Star pistols were finished 'in the white',,just polished metal. No protective finish (the above does offer a little,,very little of an oxide coating to the steel but is fragile at best).
The trigger from use gets quickly discolored from ordinary fingerprint touching the clean steel and not being wiped off all the time. Can't help not touching the trigger!.
A few Star pistols I've seen had the trigger straw colored like the extractor,,but that color quickly worn away again from use. The steel surface underneath then a brown color from the same process as before.

Magazines,,Star B (and A) are getting tougher to find. Model A will fit Model B,,the only difference is the feed lips on a Model B are a little longer to hold the shorter length 9mmLuger cart in place while feeding.
But Model A magazines seemed to work ok on Model A conversions 9mmLargo to 9mm Luger when that was all the rage a number of years back.
No ID on the mags to tell the difference anyway that I can remember.
The early style mags is what you need,,narrow floorplate. Later style with a wide flat floor plate that sits on and not into the frame came about in the late 50's if I'm not mistaken.
If the pistol is not notched at the front of the mag well for the floor plate lip,,it takes the later wide floorplate style.

AmmoClip used to have a lot of original and repro Star B mags,,now just checking I see they are all out of stock .
Star B 9mm para magazine B Super 9mm Largo
Sarco was another source of Star A and B ,magazines (and pistols),,don't know what they have anymore though.
I don't know what the going price is for the early ones is. The auctions pretty much drive the market.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Unless you mis-typed this or I'm mis-reading you. it appears you may have misinformation. The Colt "Government Model" 380 does not have a grip safety - or at least my all steel version doesn't. I have never seen one that does - and none of the "Mustang" derivatives I have seen have the grip safety either.

Yeah, I knew that. I was just typing away and not thinking.

I had a Colt Mustang + and a Colt Pony. Sold both. Bought something else that I wanted. Actually, I am unsure about the Pony but I am fairly certain my 1932 .38-44 HD was the replacement gun, or one of them, because I got way more money for the Mustang+ than I paid for the HD.

I'll never sell the Star Model S. I always loved it and it is soooo accurate!

I promise a picture soon!

 

[ozarkmac]

2152hq, Thanks for answering all my questions. I assume I should just leave that trigger and the extractor like it is and try not to remove the color?

 

[ozarkmac]

2152hq, Just to clarify something about the mags. I have the narrow magazine that fits flush. Are you saying that the wide mags will not fit and work in my model B?

 

[CZU]

Are those original grips for that model and time period?

Through personal observation via pics and firsthand all of the Nazi era Star Model B's had the bordered with diamond grips. All of the post war pistols designated for W German police had fully checkered grips. The Nazi pistols had lanyard rings thus requiring a cut out on the grips. I have not seen any post war police pistols with lanyard rings. The Antaris book may have more of an explanation on this, I just haven't gotten around to picking that book up.

 

[ozarkmac]

Model B Grips

CZU, I appreciate that information. I have cleaned these up a bit and am applying 50/50 coatings of BLO and Citrus Solvent. Same mix I use on my Carbines. It maintains the darker worn shade that they had when I got the pistol but allows the grain and texture of the grips to show a little more with the oil, grime, etc removed. I'll post a pic when I get it finished.

 

[Isis1200L]

Awesome thread, folks! Sometimes Stars pop up at our LGS.
They don't sit in the case too long.

 

[ozarkmac]

I agree 1200L. My first one. Trying to limit my collection to the older models in synch with my other collections but it's difficult with the quality and variety of models I'm beginning to realize. I also try and limit the number of specimens as well.

I've already started with the madness. Picking up a 68 FR Sport, 6 inch, 22LR later this month which is a little younger than my likings but it's hard to resist in the condition its in with original box and mags to boot.

It's funny, I said the same thing about Hi-powers now I have 10 different variants! LOL!

 

[ozarkmac]

Before and After of Grips Cleaning

Here are the pics of the grips I referred to in Post #49 and are from the pistol in posts #33-36. There is just one Before pic (first one) and the others are After pics. I should have taken more and better Before pics but I think you can see a difference. You can in person for sure. Even after cleaning, you can tell from the darker color that most of the users of this pistol have been right handed.

I attempted to clean them without taking away too much of their original "worn" appearance so as not to appear to be a new or restored set of grips while getting some preservative into the wood. In person you can really tell that the cleaning allows the texture of the grips to standout. Before it was almost a flat surface filled with grime.

I started with mineral spirits then used laundry detergent and a soft toothbrush to get the remaining oil, grit, and grime off. Let them dry overnight and applied a 50/50 mixture of BLO and Citrus Solvent 4 times with 30 minutes between applications over two days. They are still drying from that before I reinstall them permanently.

I used this same mix on two carbines and worked well so I thought I'd try it on this Star.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

As promised, here's a reasonable picture of my Star Model S with Ajax rosewood stocks.

 

[Texas Star]

hanks. Nice looking rosewood.