Star 30MI

[Oldnoob]

WOW, how can a company that capable to design/manufacture firearms at this level went out of business and at the same time, Taurus' product still being sold in half of globe?

I took this pistol to range for the first time since it was out of California 10 days gun jail. And my oh my, did it surprised me from the first shot. It was accurate (none stop bulls eye), nice smooth trigger, and I don't know it was due to it's full steel frame or the rubber grip. The 9mm recoil felt like 22mag shooting out of Ruger wheel gun. It was fantastic!

My, if this gun is still in production and parts/mag/accessories are easy to find OR it came with SAO trigger, I might have to replace my number uno seat from my BHP to this Star 30 pistol. (Don't tell my BHP please. It's our dirty little secret.)

 

[hemiram]

I had one and really regretted selling it. If you like it, you should love a CZ-75 or one of it's clones, they are pretty similar to the Star 28/30s. I really like all steel guns myself, the heavier the better.

 

[Oldnoob]

I had one and really regretted selling it. If you like it, you should love a CZ-75 or one of it's clones, they are pretty similar to the Star 28/30s. I really like all steel guns myself, the heavier the better.

Already have one. CZ75 SA model. Which add the surprise on my experience. I honestly think Star has better design than CZ. And I enjoy it more so than my CZ.

 

[gripper]

I miss mine.....and my Firestar.....and I even liked the Ultrastar..:...never did get to try the Megastar,though.

 

[Shadow 7D]

shoot one of those crummy things

Yeah, I've been on the look out for many star products, they may not have been great innovators, but they were good implementers, and often got it right.

 

[potmetal]

I think I read that Star and Astra both lost alot of police and military contracts in the 80's as Glock, CZ, and Sig picked up more, and both went belly up. Llama was the only big Spanish maker for awhile, but they're gone too now.
I had a 30MI and really liked it. You could find them for around $200 a couple years ago, but they tend to go higher now. Parts may be a little hard to find, but they are well made, stout guns.

 

[KodiakBeer]

I recently bought an old Star Super to stash in my car. It looks like a 1911, but uses the BHP cam barrel system. I guess Star just liked JMB designs... I only paid $179 for it, and it shoots like a champ.

 

[jyo]

Star made good guns---much better than Astra and especially LLama---carried a 9mm Firestar during the L.A. riots way back in 1992---my friend had a Model 30 9mm and as far as I know, still shoots it today (moved out of state). I shot his M30 many times---well-made pistol.

 

[armoredman]

I almost bought a 30M years ago, loved the feel of it, but I passed. Wish very much I had purchased it. It would be interesting if a reputable manufacturer would make a clone.

 

[khegglie]

They were great but weigh a ton to carry.

 

[rvehock]

I personally like my Astra A-100, rock solid, accurate, and can consume any type of 9mm ammo I feed it.

 

[armoredman]

rvehock, that was the one and only pistol I could not, literally, hit the broad side of a barn with. I had an Astra-100 in 45 ACP when they came out, after selling of my A-80 9mm, and everyone else could hit just fine with it, except me. The gun that truly hated me. The A-80 was OK, but with the looooongest trigger pull I ever experienced. Neither Astra had any problems with feeding/firing/ejecting, completely reliable pistols.
Still wish I'd bought that Star M30...

 

[rvehock]

armoredman, wow hard to believe but my Astra A-100 can hit a tight group at 5-7 yards
without any problem and like you said it feeds/fires/ejects like/better than any.

 

[armoredman]

Yep, nothing wrong with the gun - it just didn't like me.

 

[retDAC]

They were great but weigh a ton to carry.

There was also an alum framed version, 30PK?, with a shorter barrel/slide.

 

[19&41]

Nice pistol, a little heavy, hammer was a little long, but it was reliable and comfortable to shoot, once cocked.

 

[Snowdog]

When I was a kid, the Star Firestars were new and the cat's meow. I drooled over the Firestar .45acp a gun magazine had "tested" (and photographed profusely).

I handled one at a gunshow around 2005 that was used (of course) in near mint condition. I was surprised how substantial it felt. It was a nice pistol but not $500 nice and the seller wouldn't budge. The Firestar in .45acp is still on my list and will be until I find one.

I am an absolute sucker for nostalgia.

 

[19&41]

Don't worry, you'll run into someone that has one and can't appreciate it.

 

[Fishbed77]

A friend of mine has a 9mm Star Firestar that I've shot quite a bit. My initial impression on seeing it the first time was that it couldn't be that great. After all, it was a Spanish gun (read too many horror stories about Llamas) from a company that went out of business.

Boy was I wrong - that thing is a shooter. It's been 100% reliable, AFAIK, and has a remarkable trigger - short and crisp. Very accurate and comfortable to shoot as well, for such a surprisingly small (if heavy) gun. It's a shame Star went out of business, because if that Firestar is indicative of their product line, they made a dang fine gun.