I was at a gun shop looking at glocks last week and I saw a beautiful star model s 380 and it was pretty decent price 225 and I got to really thinking about it and I just was wanting know some stuff about it before I put it in layaway. I know its no where near the pistol the glock is and it would be one I would carry more of one to shoot thanks btw I can find 380 ammo pretty easy here thanks
star model s
- Thread starter jrbaker90
- Start date
- Status
Tallball
Member
- Joined
- Oct 2, 2014
- Messages
- 7,814
If it's the one I'm thinking of it fires from a locked breech and thus has very low recoil. I was going to buy one, though I was a bit concerned about parts availability. But I lucked into a great deal on a Colt Government Model 380 and bought it instead.
BSA1
member
They have been around for a long time and are good quality guns.
I would check into extra magazines availability and prices thou before buying one.
I would check into extra magazines availability and prices thou before buying one.
Furncliff
Member
here's a link to the spanish pistol board.
i own a star b, it's a nice pistol but the trigger is poor, ask to try the trigger on the one you are looking at, the hammer can bite if you have meaty hands.
http://forums.gunboards.com/forumdisplay.php?40-The-Spanish-Pistol-Board
i own a star b, it's a nice pistol but the trigger is poor, ask to try the trigger on the one you are looking at, the hammer can bite if you have meaty hands.
http://forums.gunboards.com/forumdisplay.php?40-The-Spanish-Pistol-Board
HisSoldier
Member
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2007
- Messages
- 1,330
I have two of them, very well made guns.
I love the Llama locked breech guns because they are as close to a 66% 1911 as anyone ever made in production handguns, but quality is a crap shoot, not so with the Stars and Astras. The S model Star is totally different internally from a 1911, the safety mechanism especially is different, and may even be more secure as long as the lever stays in the safety on position.
$225? Jump on it.
I love the Llama locked breech guns because they are as close to a 66% 1911 as anyone ever made in production handguns, but quality is a crap shoot, not so with the Stars and Astras. The S model Star is totally different internally from a 1911, the safety mechanism especially is different, and may even be more secure as long as the lever stays in the safety on position.
$225? Jump on it.
Sunray
Member
Star has been gone for a long time too. Closed in 1997. No factory anything.
Buying firearms on layaway isn't a great idea either.
Buying firearms on layaway isn't a great idea either.
HisSoldier
Member
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2007
- Messages
- 1,330
Many of my guns were made so long ago that the workers tombstones are probably weathered away, doesn't keep me from enjoying the guns they made.
bannockburn
Member
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2007
- Messages
- 26,308
For $225 I would get it, provided it's in decent shape and checks out okay. Try gun-parts.com for spare magazines and parts.
bannockburn
Member
- Joined
- Apr 24, 2007
- Messages
- 26,308
If you haven't already been there, go to the star-firearms.com website for some good info on the Model S series.
kBob
Member
My only "issue" with the Star S is the little bitty sights. They are small and hard to "find" in a hurry.
Way back when there was no internet a or cell phones I got one that as it turned out had a broken firing pin. Ended up making one from a firing pin from something else. Cut it to length and turned the new donor in a drill press and shaped it with a file then polished with several grades of paper. Still works.
Actually there was another issue, that of not being able to find a decent holster for it. It generally got put into a pocket protector type eye glasses case that had a snap added to it and the seam opened to lower the "back" so the Star would snuggle down into it. At the time many Florida LEOs interpreted our car carry laws such that even in a closed glove box the gun had to be in a snapped holster.
Like all the Stars the S had no grip safety like the 1911 and so when carried cocked and locked had only one mechanical safety. SOme thought it ill advised to carry cocked and locked as a result. For a bit I carried after we got CWL with the Stars hammer down AND the safety engaged ( unlike colts 1911 , S models and PDs at least allow this). The juggling act of drawing swipping the safety off and thumb cocking was impressive....and silly. I eventually carried cocked and locked in a generic holster that had an adjustable hammer strap that I placed between the hammer and back of the slide.
The only ammo I ever had trouble with was the blue and white boxed S&W branded .380 90 grain SP. This ammo jammed in every .380 I saw at the time though. Nice bullet, but just poorly done job of loading at the factory.
-kBob
Way back when there was no internet a or cell phones I got one that as it turned out had a broken firing pin. Ended up making one from a firing pin from something else. Cut it to length and turned the new donor in a drill press and shaped it with a file then polished with several grades of paper. Still works.
Actually there was another issue, that of not being able to find a decent holster for it. It generally got put into a pocket protector type eye glasses case that had a snap added to it and the seam opened to lower the "back" so the Star would snuggle down into it. At the time many Florida LEOs interpreted our car carry laws such that even in a closed glove box the gun had to be in a snapped holster.
Like all the Stars the S had no grip safety like the 1911 and so when carried cocked and locked had only one mechanical safety. SOme thought it ill advised to carry cocked and locked as a result. For a bit I carried after we got CWL with the Stars hammer down AND the safety engaged ( unlike colts 1911 , S models and PDs at least allow this). The juggling act of drawing swipping the safety off and thumb cocking was impressive....and silly. I eventually carried cocked and locked in a generic holster that had an adjustable hammer strap that I placed between the hammer and back of the slide.
The only ammo I ever had trouble with was the blue and white boxed S&W branded .380 90 grain SP. This ammo jammed in every .380 I saw at the time though. Nice bullet, but just poorly done job of loading at the factory.
-kBob
Rex B
Member
Sorry to bring back an old thread, but for anyone looking at this later, i thought I'd add a few notes on the Star S/SS. I have 3 currently
Great gun, no issues ever. Fits my hands like a glove.
4S Grips has wood grips for cheap prices.
All my Stars have excellent triggers.
Just don't dry fire it. If you do, you will eventually break the firing pin
Any gunsmith can make a firing pin. Or anyone with a lathe.
Some early S's had a longer non-inertial firing pin. These can fire if dropped with hammer down on a live round. You can shorten or replace the firing pin.
You can tap the rear sight out, but you need a sight pusher to reinstall it without damaging the adjuster screw
Anytime you see one under $275, buy it.
Makarov flap holsters fit these perfectly. Also any holster made for a Colt 380 Government
Great gun, no issues ever. Fits my hands like a glove.
4S Grips has wood grips for cheap prices.
All my Stars have excellent triggers.
Just don't dry fire it. If you do, you will eventually break the firing pin
Any gunsmith can make a firing pin. Or anyone with a lathe.
Some early S's had a longer non-inertial firing pin. These can fire if dropped with hammer down on a live round. You can shorten or replace the firing pin.
You can tap the rear sight out, but you need a sight pusher to reinstall it without damaging the adjuster screw
Anytime you see one under $275, buy it.
Makarov flap holsters fit these perfectly. Also any holster made for a Colt 380 Government
Ibmikey
Member
Last month I shot a couple of Texas hogs we caught in traps with a Star SI in .32 ACP, carried it in a Mak flap holster. I have about twenty of these fine pistols and shoot all of them...for $225 i sure would not wait two weeks to secure it, one of the fellows on Gunboard forum makes firing pins for all of the Stars.
Thermactor
member
- Joined
- Mar 13, 2008
- Messages
- 992
32ACP on a wild hog?
Please tell me you filed down the front sight first!
retDAC
Member
FWIW, both Star and Llama made single action .380ACPs. And each company made its .380s in both locked breech and blowback. I don't know if there is any way to tell which style a given gun has other than pulling the barrel by fieldstripping to look for locking lug(s).
Rex B
Member
Most of the blowback Llamas I've seen had the heavy dust-cover at the front of the slide. It isn't contoured like a 1911. Presumably this is to add weight to the slide to help with recoil cycling. I don't know that that is a reliable indicator on all of them. I don't have any of the blowback pistols currently.
kBob
Member
One thing to be aware of is that .380 S models came in two different magazine styles. One fit flush with the but like a GI 1911mag in a 1911 and the other had a floor plate that was wide and covered the bottom of the grip like a Browning Hi Power. They are not interchangeable.
-kBob
-kBob
- Status
