Star BM Restoration & Update

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Jaxinc

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Foley, AL
So much to my wife's objections I grabbed a Star BM off JG Sales for 150ish when it first came in, and got it in "ok" condition but the blueing was worn from simply being used. So the first thing I did was take it to my gunsmith and have all parts stripped and refinished in matte black cerakote.

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Cosmetics I'm looking at some Rosewood grips for it, but I have other issues to deal with.

Due to its design it was never meant for hollowpoints and when chambering a JHP they hit the feed ramp and dive down into the mag. Occasionally it will feed properly, but then it might have a failure to battery or feed entirely while going into battery.

SO. I'm having my gunsmith work on the ramp right now to see if we can't get it to accept HPs at all. Currently it takes FMJs just fine, but even that could be improved with some adjustment to the ramp.

Mechanics wise everything else works as expected despite age and use. Nothing really needed to be done mechanically passed the feeding issue.
 
Jaxinc: Very attractive Star you have.
My Star ammo is only FMJ, and has about two-three stovepipe jams in each 50-rd. box of cheap Winchester 115 grain ammo.
My gunsmith told me that many foreign or older 9mms need 124 grain ammo--not "range ammo". This seems to have stopped the jams, even with 124-grain Aguila.

About how much does your gun smith, or others usually charge for putting Cerakote on a handgun? I'm glad to finally have an extra Sig P6 with lots of carry wear (mostly on the upper/rear slide corners etc). >>>A worn gun doesn't need to be "babied"<<< .

If I later decide to improve the slide's appearance, do many gunsmiths do it for approx. $50-$60 or so? Much more and it doesn't seem worth it.
 
... Due to its design it was never meant for hollowpoints and when chambering a JHP they hit the feed ramp and dive down into the mag. Occasionally it will feed properly, but then it might have a failure to battery or feed entirely while going into battery.

SO. I'm having my gunsmith work on the ramp right now to see if we can't get it to accept HPs at all. Currently it takes FMJs just fine, but even that could be improved with some adjustment to the ramp.

Mechanics wise everything else works as expected despite age and use. Nothing really needed to be done mechanically passed the feeding issue.
Most likely a different magazine, such as a S&W 39 series factory mag, will need to be adapted. The angle of presentation to the chamber by your BM mag is wrong for HPs as you have seen due to the design of the feed lips.

It seems the earlier BKS/BM/BKM mags had feed lips similar to the S&W 39 and did feed HPs reliably, but were later changed to what you have. If so, I don't know why. The earlier mags are very hard to find.

39 series factory mags do fit the BM well if there are no tight spots in it. You can hold one in the gun with your pinky and feed HPs if the rest of the gun is working okay. Unless you want your butt shortened, you will need a full length mag (39, 39-2, 3904, 3906). I only mention that as there were some 39 series guns with shorter barrels and butts, thus shorter mags.

Yes the full length 39 mags will require a new cut for the mag catch and will protrude from the bottom of you BM as they are longer but if your 'smith is good, I expect he can handle the mods.

I don't know about the quality of the aftermarket 39 mags.

Watch your firing pin. It won't stand much dry firing, partly due to design and partly to many of the tips being too hard. Also the firing pin spring is weak compared to a 1911. That could be helped by modding the pin to allow a longer spring.
 
I’ve always liked Star pistols. Although a few of the ones I’ve owned just didn’t have the fit and finish that I’ve come to like. Like you, I acquired one of the 9MM BM pistols in the box in so-so condition. Internally it was serviceable but rough and also heavy. Ended up trading it away for a G21 SF I found at a gun show years ago. As you have discovered, a good many 9MM pistols run more reliably on 124 grain fodder...and not just the older pistols either. Quite a few of the older pistols initially intended for the European market will only run ball ammo reliably. All in all, that’s a nice looking pistol. Hope you get a good bit of enjoyment from it!
 
Jaxinc

Your "new" Model BM looks terrific with the mate black Cerakote! Great choice! Had a Model B for many years; as a matter of fact it was my go-to choice for beginner shooters moving up to a centerfire pistol. Super reliable with a preference for 124 gr. FMJ ammo it was pretty much hit or miss (pardon the pun), with JHP ammo.
 
Nice cerakote!

I got lucky and my BM had decent bluing. I've shot a bunch of different factory ammo and handloads and it has never malfunctioned, but it is a range toy and they were all FMJ.

It is absolutely ridiculous that my Super B and BM were $200 apiece or w/e and are such nice pistols. Neither one has ever malfunctioned for me. They have decent sights and excellent triggers. They are just range toys, but I would have 100% confidence in them for SD.

The "how much would you pay to protect your family's lives" thing is such baloney. You could pay a whole lot more money for less reliable guns than my Stars.


 
The "how much would you pay to protect your family's lives" thing is such baloney. You could pay a whole lot more money for less reliable guns than my Stars.

PM

The answer is, "Whatever it takes". In this case $200 gets the job done.

I find it humourous that many people will post that about a $200 Brand X and yet a $280 Glock 22 is somehow "enough".
 
I don't know about the quality of the aftermarket 39 mags.

I have a model 39-2 and I bought one after market mag for it and IIRC it was a USA brand. I can sum up it function with one word. Junk. I threw it away in frustration. It was bought new. I did get two more factory mags so I have 4 total that work perfectly. Until this thread I had forgotten about that magazine. That has been 25+ years ago.
 
Small update I thought I already made.

Star would not feed JHPs properly and got hung on the ramp. This was not a problem with the lips of the magazine as some have an issue with, but was an issue with the ramp itself. My smith was able to polish the ramp enough that it now feeds JHPs reliably. Apparently it took 3 good passes of polishing the ramp for it to feed right, so there's some information for those that get this and want to run JHP instead of ball.
 
OP, your pistol turned out good.

I have an old Star Super A in 9mm Largo along with two Firestars (9mm and 40S&W). The Super A gets 124Gr and shoots HP just fine. I have tried all kinds of different ammo in the 9mm Firestar and it eats them all. Star pistols are underrated in my opinion.
 
OP, your pistol turned out good.

I have an old Star Super A in 9mm Largo along with two Firestars (9mm and 40S&W). The Super A gets 124Gr and shoots HP just fine. I have tried all kinds of different ammo in the 9mm Firestar and it eats them all. Star pistols are underrated in my opinion.
Got my wife a Firestar and just picked it up from the same smith from being cerakoted... will make a thread.
 
I really like the Firestar pistols. Yes they are heavy but they function well. I wouldn't mind finding the M45 45ACP to go with my M40 and M43.
 
I really like the Firestar pistols. Yes they are heavy but they function well. I wouldn't mind finding the M45 45ACP to go with my M40 and M43.

Have a blued Firestar M45 and it's my favorite Star. I also picked up an beat up BM and tried to do my own Rattle Can job on her. It didn't come out all that good. Going to strip it and try again.
 
...You could pay a whole lot more money for less reliable guns than my Stars...

Ain’t that the truth!

The 1st gun I paid a G for was a Kimber Ultra Elite (IIRC, they were a 1, maybe 2-year run & were the predecessors to the CDP line). About 300 rounds in and the extractor broke. Kimber sent me a return shipping label & repaired it right away & it has been 100% solidly reliable ever since.

I have a Star BM and love it. As one of the other posters stated, it’s the pistol I use when introducing others to centerfire cartridges. Mine has been 100% reliable and I usually stock it with 147 gr. Sig HP’s.

I recently purchased 2 additional mags for it from Triple K, and they have been great. I know Triple K doesn’t have the best reputation, so here’s my 2-pronged feedback on them. The Star BM mags were GREAT; the Browning BDM mags turned this sweet shooter into a single shot-the pistol wouldn’t function after the 1st round (6 mags, btw). Triple K did not hesitate to refund my money on them.

Edited to add: Triple K also has a set of replacement wood grips for the BM-not as pretty as Rosewood (and , what is?), but nice & fit great too.
 
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They do seem to multiply. Somehow, 1 went in to my safe and 2 more showed up after a couple months.

Made 1 a truck gun. In doing so, I tested a bunch of JHP ammo. I found that the Remington HTP functioned in my gun. It has a rounder profile. Almost like a FMJ turned into a JHP. It might be worth a try in your gun as well. (If you can find any these days.)

Wyman
 
That turned out great looking!

I got one of these years ago (8 or 9) and the bluing was shot. It was the first gun I ever refinished just using Alumahyde and a new set of grips. Reblued the little parts. It's actually one of my favorite guns.

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