Star Model BM - talk me into / out of it

Status
Not open for further replies.
R

Rubber_Duck

Member
Joined
May 26, 2008
Messages
1,501
Location
New Mexico
A local shop has a Star Model BM for $239. It felt great in the hand, like nothing I've felt before, and the gun shop guy told me how great they were and was trying to get me to take it home but knowing nothing about it I had to do some research first. So now that I've done some extensive reading and know the pros and cons, my only concerns are durability and parts breakage/sourcing new parts. Even with that in mind, I still want it really bad. Now that it's not so much of an impulse buy, I don't know if I want to pay more than $200 for it but the gun shop owner is unlikely to budge down on price as evrything in his shop is marked higher than the normal going rate for any given gun anyways yet this Star BM still seems reasonably priced in comparison. The main reason I don't want to pay over 200 is this pistol has an enormous amount of finish wear. I don't actually care what condition it's in but would like to use this as a talking point to haggle the price down.

My intentions for this pistol if I bought it would be mostly glovebox duty andoccasional/infrequent range use. So durability isn't a major concern but I would like to avoid parts breakage and as long as I avoid +P and don't shoot more than 50 rounds a month it should last me quite a while right? Anyways, I just can't decide whether to grab it for upwards of $260 out-the-door or pass on it? I've seen them cheaper online but after shipping and steep transfer fees I wont be coming out ahead though I may get a better specimen with more intact finish but that would be approaching $300 when all is said and done.bagain, more than I want to pay for a pistol that MAY become a paperweight if something breaks.

Also, I just ordered a Sig P226 from Widener's so if you all talk me out of it that would be great too! The wife would kill me if I bought a second pistol so soon!
 
My BM has been a fine weapon for the past two decades that I've owned it. An old style, all steel gun. A bit heavy for CCW, but works fine as a truck gun, or car gun, where it's not holstered.

There are several sources for the usual parts, like recoil springs, firing pins, and ejectors and extractors. Numrich comes readily to mind.

I doubt is 50 rounds a month will bother it. Replace the recoil spring before you start, though, as you have no idea of it's condition.
 
I had one for a while. I liked it very much. It ran perfectly, was reasonably accurate and I even CCW'd it for a while.

I think $300 is a reasonable price for one in good shape.
 
Resist the temptation to detail strip the frame. There is a small part that ilves under the thumb safety that is easily lost.

I like mine. It was a while before I was able to find additional magazines. So far, it works with whatever I have fed it.

salty
 
I own two and both are excellent. I would buy another in a heartbeat. Simply put, they are dependable accurate pistols and tough as an anvil.
 
My intentions for this pistol if I bought it would be mostly glovebox duty andoccasional/infrequent range use.
Click to expand...

One of my 4 Star BMs travels with me in the glovebox of my pickup and prior to giving my Jetta to my niece as she headed off to college in Fall'09, another lived in its glovebox.

Very nice pistols, but, IMO, too heavy for regular/extended concealed carry. Mine are both accurate, reliable and feel very comfortable in my hand.
 
I bought one for my son to grow into this summer. So far he's too young for it and we're on the .22 single shot rifle stage for now but he'll get around to shooting it eventually. In the mean time, I have been "testing" it for him (can't give the boy a bad gun ya know!:eek: ) and it's been pretty accurate and reliable. Now I have only fired FMJ ammo through it but so far, so good. It's going to be a trainer so I wanted something in 9mm that has light recoil, single action for a shorter trigger reach, single colum magazine for smaller size hands and the steel frame to soak up recoil. I think the Star BM here fits that bill very nicely and the low price was a great additional benifit as well. Yes, parts may be a problem getting but IIRC, Numrich still has firing pins and extractors for sale. These are the parts I'd worry about most (other than recoil springs) so I'll be ordering up a few to have around as spares. Just don't dry-fire without a snap cap and I think that breaking a firing pin isn't something I would worry about all that much.
 
Only real issues is lack of spare magazines and parts.

My Star BM served me well until reasonably priced 9mm 1911 from RIA and Taurus came out. I love the 1911, but it just never made sense to me to spend $800+ for the Kimber or Springfield offerings when the only reason for 9mm was to shoot cheap ammo. The Star BM was a nice alternative.

When I got mine they were running $130-170 depending on finish condition, as Spanish "police surplus". I ended up with two, one very nice one for $170 which I've never shot and a $130 "beater" that I shot a lot of cheap $3.86/50 CCI Aluminum Blazer from Academy back in the day.

Haven't shot it since I got my RIA Tactical. But I add my vote to buy it!
 
I had a Star Model B for a number of years and it was a real workhorse in terms of its reliability and durability. Again as others have already stated, the biggest problem with having a Star is finding spare parts and magazines.
 
Bought two about 6 years ago (the Spanish police returns referenced above), but gave one away as a gift (and wish now that I hadn't!) and the other to my wife. Fantastic little pistol.

As others have said, the only real drawback is that its is pretty heavy for a 'low capacity' 9mm.

I have had no problem finding parts that I needed for them via the internet.

At $239, I'd probably buy it myself if I saw one in a shop.
 
While your sitting around thinking about it, it's still on sale for all the other customers . . . You know that right?

Assuming its still there at that price, I'd buy a lead balloon if I wanted it as bad as you want this thing, just to prevent losing out.

My curiosity would be worth $200 bucks.
 
It probably helps that I went to a gun show first and I got to see just how much pistol I'm getting for the money with the Star BM. CZ-52s and P-64s going for over 400 dollars, SKS rifles for $500, etc. Price gouging is in full swing! So the Star BM from my local gun shop seemed like an even better deal than before.
 
At $239 for an occasional range gun, who cares about parts. Shoot it, have fun with it, and if you have problems you'll buy another $200 gun, right (or maybe you're just out $200, but not a terrible loss).
 
B0-

That ain't it. The BM is a more compact item. Looks as if you have a Model B or B Super.

Apart from finish wear on the gun in this topic, I'd worry about an inertial firing pin issue. Might not be a good idea to carry it with a round in the chamber. A qualified gunsmith should be able to alter the firing pin if it applies to this example.

Otherwise, a good, sound gun. Sort of like their PD .45, but all steel and in 9mm.

The Spanish Navy used some.
 
The pre-1981 guns with the non-inertial firing pins are only a 'problem' if you intend to carry in Condition 2, which it does not sound like the OP intends.
 
The pre-1981 guns with the non-inertial firing pins are only a 'problem' if you intend to carry in Condition 2, which it does not sound like the OP intends.
Click to expand...

I'm a 1911 user. Cocked and locked is how I roll. ;)
 
I don't see any issue with carrying the BM in Condition 1, except that it is difficult to find good non-custom leather.

Obviously the safety works differently than the 1911 (better for carry, IMHO), but there isn't a grip safety. Based on how I carry, it was important to have good coverage of the safety in any holster I use for the BM.
 
True but it won't be a carry gun for me. At most I may get one of those cheap nylon holsters just to protect it in the glovebox or whatever. Not sure what I'm gonna do with the gun until I get it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

P
  • Locked
Star BM - You like yours?
Replies
18
Views
779
bfox
bfox
W
  • Locked
Star BM 9
2
Replies
35
Views
3K
AZ Heat
A
C
  • Locked
Star BM
Replies
16
Views
1K
KONY
K
F
  • Locked
Got a Star BM 9mm from Aim today.
2 3 4 5
Replies
114
Views
10K
Matthew_Q
M
S
  • Locked
Which one? CZ83 vs. Star BM?
Replies
12
Views
2K
Dave Sample
D
Back
Top