For months a local shop had a Star 30M sitting in their display case. While Spanish pistols can be a mixed lot the Star 30M has a reputation as an excellent pistol built like a tank. That full length rail with the frame enveloping the slide to me is a very good indicator of what will most likely be a very accurate pistol. Finally, having worked some trades, I had an extra $250 store credit and the pistol was mine. It's in mint condition but the fact that it came with only one mag was what had made me hesitate for months. While in the store I checked the Internet and there seemed to be mags available.
Once I got the gun home it turned out that all of those available mags were Promags. Factory mags are a very scarce item and tend to be a bit pricey. I was bummed. But, with a little further research, it turned out that the issue with the Promags, the thing that had most everyone calling them junk, had nothing to do with reliable feeding. The issue is with a tight fit and being unable to extract them or have them fall free. Then, on a review for the Promags at the Midway site, one guy described how he figured out what was causing the problem and fixed it. The raised dimple on the left top of the mag, which activates the magazine disconnect (which I'm told is easily removed, BTW) was making major contact with the trigger stirrup. The fix is to take a flat punch and tap the dimple just enough so that it is indented enough to clear the stirrup. You should tap it checking for fit as you go so that you don't flatten it too much. Once the mag will go in easily and fall free you are good to go. I had ordered two of the Promags (for about $20 a pop) and did the fix which was about as easy as you could want. Yesterday I shot the Star for the first time with the factory mag and the altered Promags.
The function of both the factory mag and the two Promags was flawless. I put 200 rounds through the gun mostly through the two Promags. There was no difference between them. Visually the factory does have a metal follower and the Promag plastic, but had I not known which was which there would have been no way to tell them apart as to function and overall quality.
BTW, the 30M is a tackdriver. I spent most of the day teaching a friend to shoot and before yesterday he had never fired a handgun. He picked up the 30M, his first semi auto, and put all fifteen founds inside the eight ring on an eight inch target. We were only shooting at twelve yards, but still. The gun turned out to be very impressive with 100% reliability and way above average accuracy. Fifteen rounds through one big jagged hole was the norm. I have no doubt that it will be equally impressive when I work with it at greater distances.
Based on what I have seen, and knowing that magazines are less of an issue than I had thought (with one more on the way), the Star 30M is one of the great sleepers. It's a big gun, and some find it to be ugly (I don't), but anyone who acquires one of these will be mighty pleased.
Sorry, I don't have a photo of mine as I have been too busy shooting it to photograph it. I just thought I would pass this on in case you were looking for magazines, considering a 30M, or were looking for a good inexpensive 9mm semi auto, although prices are steadily rising.
Once I got the gun home it turned out that all of those available mags were Promags. Factory mags are a very scarce item and tend to be a bit pricey. I was bummed. But, with a little further research, it turned out that the issue with the Promags, the thing that had most everyone calling them junk, had nothing to do with reliable feeding. The issue is with a tight fit and being unable to extract them or have them fall free. Then, on a review for the Promags at the Midway site, one guy described how he figured out what was causing the problem and fixed it. The raised dimple on the left top of the mag, which activates the magazine disconnect (which I'm told is easily removed, BTW) was making major contact with the trigger stirrup. The fix is to take a flat punch and tap the dimple just enough so that it is indented enough to clear the stirrup. You should tap it checking for fit as you go so that you don't flatten it too much. Once the mag will go in easily and fall free you are good to go. I had ordered two of the Promags (for about $20 a pop) and did the fix which was about as easy as you could want. Yesterday I shot the Star for the first time with the factory mag and the altered Promags.
The function of both the factory mag and the two Promags was flawless. I put 200 rounds through the gun mostly through the two Promags. There was no difference between them. Visually the factory does have a metal follower and the Promag plastic, but had I not known which was which there would have been no way to tell them apart as to function and overall quality.
BTW, the 30M is a tackdriver. I spent most of the day teaching a friend to shoot and before yesterday he had never fired a handgun. He picked up the 30M, his first semi auto, and put all fifteen founds inside the eight ring on an eight inch target. We were only shooting at twelve yards, but still. The gun turned out to be very impressive with 100% reliability and way above average accuracy. Fifteen rounds through one big jagged hole was the norm. I have no doubt that it will be equally impressive when I work with it at greater distances.
Based on what I have seen, and knowing that magazines are less of an issue than I had thought (with one more on the way), the Star 30M is one of the great sleepers. It's a big gun, and some find it to be ugly (I don't), but anyone who acquires one of these will be mighty pleased.
Sorry, I don't have a photo of mine as I have been too busy shooting it to photograph it. I just thought I would pass this on in case you were looking for magazines, considering a 30M, or were looking for a good inexpensive 9mm semi auto, although prices are steadily rising.
