Would You Carry Star BM Cocked & Locked?

I like my Star BM a lot. I would prefer not to carry it, though. I have plenty of other handguns with better safety features. It's sure a nice pistol, though.

Yup. I carried a Star BKM concealed when I worked plain clothes security many years ago. Small, slim and light weight years before light weight polymer guns were available. I carried it cocked and with the thumb safety engaged. A good holster that completely covers the trigger guard is an obvious necessity.
I eventually changed over to a Glock 19 but I really missed the thinness of the little Star.

Those Stars are not drop safe, so that would be a concern for me.

While I don't have a Star BM, I do have a couple of Star Firestar pistols. I have no problem carrying them cocked and locked when using a good holster.

I'd say it's a manual ol arms; that is, the familiarity
you have with DA/SA auto.

To carry the Star, or for that matter having the M&P
as a nightstand firearm, is to remember different
methods of safety vs. the DA/SA.

Under stress, I don't think you want to confuse the
Star or the M&P with that "longish, heavier DA pull."

If I were you, I'd put the Star and the M&P aside as
what are often called "range toys." Rely for carry
or bedside the DA trigger which you favor any way.

I don't see why you couldn't carry cocked and locked. I carry my BM from time to time that way. The 3 pound trigger is not inherently dangerous in my opinion. It is hardly a hair trigger. The Guardia Civil in Spain carried it that way frequently without any mishaps.

BreechFace said:

Those Stars are not drop safe, so that would be a concern for me.

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The vest majority of 1911's aren't either, but most people don't have an issue carrying them.

I did when I had one.

I have a BM and it is a very nice little pistol with a suprisingly good triger...But I would not feel comfortable carrying it cocked and locked...cause I am just chicken that way...I have Colt 1911 Series 80 guns that have the firing pin blocks that in all probability can never accidently discharge when cocked and locked but I won't carry them that way either...Logic would dictate that I am wrong..but it is not logic that gives me that funny feeling in my gut..

Redcoat3340 said:

Would You Carry Star BM Cocked & Locked?

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Sure, and I have, but better handguns became available so my Star BMs (I have 4) were relegated to periodic plinking/target/fun and farm-walkabout-backup duties.

My gratuitous advice: if the thought of carrying a Star BM in Condition 1 makes you uncomfortable, then do not carry it that way and start practicing cocking the hammer or racking the slide on-draw.

Enjoy!

Richard Jay King said:

I have a BM and it is a very nice little pistol with a suprisingly good triger...But I would not feel comfortable carrying it cocked and locked...cause I am just chicken that way...I have Colt 1911 Series 80 guns that have the firing pin blocks that in all probability can never accidently discharge when cocked and locked but I won't carry them that way either...Logic would dictate that I am wrong..but it is not logic that gives me that funny feeling in my gut..

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That's a very honest reply
Kudos to you.



I'm not a fan of DA/SA for a couple reasons but it's an individual choice.

I do tend to agree with Uncle Ed in that the guns you have/use for life saving roles should be the same basic manual operation whether it be SA cocked & locked, DA/SA or passive trigger dingle saftey.

UncleEd said:

I'd say it's a manual ol arms; that is, the familiarity
you have with DA/SA auto.

To carry the Star, or for that matter having the M&P
as a nightstand firearm, is to remember different
methods of safety vs. the DA/SA.

Under stress, I don't think you want to confuse the
Star or the M&P with that "longish, heavier DA pull."

If I were you, I'd put the Star and the M&P aside as
what are often called "range toys." Rely for carry
or bedside the DA trigger which you favor any way.

Click to expand...

Don't know about the BM. But I do carry a Firestar M40 "cocked and locked".

On the Star BM, the safety actually physically cams back & locks the hammer. Not like the 1911 which locks the sear holding the hammer.
You can prove this to yourself by watching the hammer move back a little bit when you engage the Star's safety. Another part of the Star's safety, is that because it cams back the hammer, off of the sear, if in the event of an impact, the safety is broken or forced aside, the sear is still there to catch the hammer. Thus a double means of restraining the hammer.
I believe that that the Star safety is at least equal and probably superior to the 1911s for safety.
Overall, the Star BM is a very reliable moderately accurate compact pistol, well suited for concealed carry.

Here is some Star info just for the heck of it.
http://www.star-firearms.com/firearms/guns/b/index.shtml

I'd definitely carry in condition one because it's made for that. Just put it in a good holster and you will be fine.

GBExpat said:

My gratuitous advice: if the thought of carrying a Star BM in Condition 1 makes you uncomfortable, then do not carry it that way and start practicing cocking the hammer or racking the slide on-draw.

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Right. Do not carry a gun you are afraid of.

CAUTION: Not all Stars have inertial firing pins, in those guns a hammer down is leaning on the primer. A classmate's Father got a hole in his foot through not knowing that.

velocette said:

On the Star BM, the safety actually physically cams back & locks the hammer.

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Right, it is mechanically better than a 1911's.

Redcoat3340 said:

I've got a lovely little Star BM with handsome wood stocks and a very crisp 3 lb. trigger. But I won't carry it. I prefer DA/SA with a decocker so I can carry with one up the pipe and the "safety" of that longish, heavier DA pull. (My only striker-fired gun is an M&P 40 that's my bedside gun.)

I'm wondering if anyone would consider carrying a BM, without the grip safety of a 1911, cocked and locked? For 9mm carry I have a S&W CS9 although a 6906 is on the way, and both of them afford me the comfort of DA on first shot as well as a safety if I want to carry with it engaged (I rarely do).

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It has a manual safety, right? I'm trying to think of a reason why I WOULDN'T consider carrying one "without the grip safety of a 1911", given that I prefer a pistol with a manual safety. There are many guns out there without a grip safety that I would like to have, and wouldn't have a problem carrying.

What's important is to understand the mechanics of how any particular firearm you may own works and what the inherent limitations are with each design. Understand and train that way.

Not saying personal preferences don't count...they most certainly to. For example, I won't carry a Glock because their "trigger safety" is NOT, in fact, a "safety". It's a drop safe mechanism. anything that gets inside the trigger guard has the capability of depressing the trigger and firing the weapon. That's not for me.

A good holster fully covering the trigger would be critical, like was mentioned above. If the safety is crisp...not stiff, but requires intent to disengage, I'd carry it cocked and locked. My P238 gets mostly carried in a pocket as an extra. I don't carry it cocked and locked in my pocket, but on the rare occasion it's in a holster, it's cocked and locked. No grip safety on those either. Admittedly, the trigger isn't the 3lb you speak of. It's 3.5-ish.

Redcoat3340 said:

I'm wondering if anyone would consider carrying a BM, without the grip safety of a 1911, cocked and locked?

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I do, so I guess I would. Gun safety is up to the person not the gun.