Classic has Star BM's for $150...

As of now, it's on the home page, and on the handguns page.

The guns are listed as in "fair" condition, but they posted a video looking at 6 guns, and 5 of them look in "good" condition per my estimate (the 6th was rough, I'd be tempted to call it "poor", but I guess if it's all cosmetics, a functional surplus would still be "fair").

Shipping brings to $170, add an extra magazine brings to $190.

I picked one up from another vendor fairly early in this group, and received a factory refinished pistol with all accessories (green box, manual, cleaning rod) and 2 mags for $230 plus shipping. I really like the one I have, I consider it a great value for what I got. If these are anywhere near, it's a steal... we're talking same price range as surplus Tokarevs a decade or more ago. Yes, there are divots milled on the slide and frame, but no crappy added safety like the Toks had.

Hoping I get a good one, and hope someone else scores too.

The BM is my 3rd Star model, and I like these a lot. I like them outright, and then when you figure in the price, they really move up the list.

I started with a Modelo Super B, same as yours but in 9x19. Just a nice, smooth pistol, and darn accurate. Followed that with a 30MI, which is a departure from the pseudo-1911's they made; it's a solid hunk of steel, with 15 rd mags and a DA/SA trigger (and a weird safety that rotates the firing pin away, but doesn't disable the hammer or trigger).

Then, I got the BM fairly early in this current import batch. Far as I understand, the BM replaced the Supers, and were replaced by the 30M's.
The BM is a funny gun, in that it's got a shorter barrel and slide than the B Super, but the guns seem to weigh the same. Star did seem to like to make their guns stout. The fit is great on all 3 that I have, everything seems to be very smooth. Due to the weight, it doesn't really seem like I am shooting a smaller gun than the Super, I get negligible muzzle flip, which surprised me for a gun with a 3.7 inch barrel.

total recoil said:

I'm still tempted to get a second at that price. The BM is a fine pistol.

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Yeah, wasn't planning on this, but the price was too good to pass up. Like somebody said on another forum, this is getting into Hi Point price range. No, you don't get unlimited lifetime guarantee, but you DO get a lot nicer gun for the money.

Venom007 said:

saw and held one at a local GS. not really 2 impressed, would rather have one of the new 9 mm colt

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That's fine, probably a much more supported gun.

I looked at Colt's site, the MSRP for a 9mm in the Defender series (3" barrel) is $899, in the Commander series (4.25") is $999. Looking at Gunwatcher, best price is $815.
Checked the Springfield EMP (4" barrel), over $900.
I looked around, found RIA has something about the same size, (but having trouble locating 9mm to be sure), best price I can find is still over $400.

The Star is listing for $200 everywhere, this point is $150. So for the price I see the Colts and SA's, I can get 5 of these, and 2 if I go with RIA.

Venom007 said:

they are real swell looking but i wonder if they break in the future what to do then ? ?

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Well, that's an inherent risk with any firearm. Even new ones... some have lifetime warranties, but a lot/most don't. Besides, a lifetime warranty doesn't necessarily mean anything- S&W has lifetime warranties on their firearms. They stopped making all metal-framed pistols, other than the 1911 and the recent 22lr Victory, awhile back. There are some reports now that S&W no longer services some of these models.

With the Stars, the only thing I've ever heard of is that the firing pin can snap if you dryfire without a snap cap. $10 gets you a pack to play with, and simply thumbing down the hammer instead of letting it fall will work as well. Just judging from the construction and fit, I don't think these are designed to fail within reasonable usage. It's a steel pistol, single stack, 3.7 inch barrel, yet it weighs more than my Hi Power. It's built like a tank.

Almost all surplus has that 'risk', but the overwhelming majority don't break anything. The guns were issued, so the quality checks were already done. And regarding quality checks- my understanding is that this wave actually was refurbished by the factory years ago. These guns were sold back to Star, when the Guardia Civil moved to the Star 30M. What I heard on another forum was that Star bought the guns back (for a discount on the 30M's), refurbished and then stored them in a warehouse. Something like 45,000 of them. And that's what this wave is, and that's why there are BM's listed at every gun dealer online (Century has literally tons of them). Bad ones have become parts donors, good ones are selling for $200 or so.

That explains why they all have the same milling to remove the crest, and why they've been reblued over some things (my current BM has scratches, yet has been blued over that).

Looks like they sold out of the $150 guns. I ordered a couple days ago, still sitting in the "pack" status. Does Classic normally take awhile to get around to shipping?

*update*
now shipping. Fedex says in by next Wednesday.

I think these are definitely being overlooked, because people are lumping them in with cheap new imports.

These aren't Llamas made for for the commercial market.

Out for delivery per Fedex...
The early reviews at Classic are positive so far. I know, grain of salt etc, but a couple have posted pictures, and the guns look nice. It sort of appears that "fair" might be ugly grip screws and/or faded/worn blueing, based on the photos and the earlier video they posted. When you consider this is a 20-40 yr old surplus pistol, I'd think that would be soundly in the "Good" category. Fair would be, in my mind, a rough external appearance but functional.
Hoping I get a nice one!

I'll update after I handle it.

Ok, it came in.

Now, I have a dilemma: it looks to have a tiny, hairline crack in the slide, at the very rear, in the safety pocket. I didn't notice it at first, but in very close inspection, it showed up.

Is this a danger, or just a cosmetic issue? 2 things of note: the gun remains in the custody of the FFL, as I received a delay. Also, Classic now lists these as out of stock.
photo (hard to see, but look closely at the safety pocket.

Well, don't have it at hand to take a more thorough look at the moment.

Best description I can give- sure appeared to be a tiny hairline crack, as compared to a scratch, from looking at the exterior. Couldn't see it from the inside, it would be either at or above the internal slide rail. Didn't seem to extend into the actual safety pocket, just the part that forms it.

Wondering, could a blow to the safety (maybe a drop?) cause that?

I've seen some mentions of this type of thing on another forum, someone mentioned silver soldering the crack.

mgmorden said:

The picture isn't close/clear enough to tell for sure (ie, is it an actual crack or a scratch). Way back there I would guess that it would just be cosmetic, but at the same time an actual crack usually takes some stress to cause it. Even if the slide IS cracked that doesn't seem like a place where one would form.

FWIW, if it truly is a CRACK, I'd send it back. That crosses from the realm of "wear" (which is totally understandable on a used gun) to "damage" (which is not).

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Got my FFL to examine it, it's cracked

We contacted Classic and will work an exchange.