Star Firestar M43 will not engage safety with the hammer down

[erikd65]

Not sure what I did or what is wrong, but I am unable to get the safety to engage with the hammer down, slide forward. If I pull the slide back, or pull the hammer all the way down, the safet will engage. I have shot this pistol once, cleaned it twice. When I purchased, the safety was working before I cleaned it for the second time (after I shot it).



If anyone has any ideas on what I need to do to fix this, I would appreciate it!

 

[MAKster]

On most single action pistols the manual safety cannot be engaged unless the hammer is cocked. A single action pistol cannot fire unless the hammer is cocked.

 

[Glockorama]

The hammer must be cocked in order for the safety to engage on the star pistol, as well as most single action autos.

 

[Glockman17366]

Had an M43 years ago...and yes, the hammer must be cocked to engage the safety.
The M43 is a nice gun...however, they haven't been manufactured for years so handle yours with care. Parts aren't as easy to obtain as they once were.

The only thing I didn't like about my M43 was the magazine disconnect. I'm just not a fan of those.

 

[The Bushmaster]

NO NO NO NO...The Firestar M43 can be placed on safety when the hammer is in the fired position (down). My M43, which I carry daily (CCW), is sitting right next ot me and it is of 1992 vintage and I have always been able to put the thumb safety on with the hammer down.

Without disassembling mine (and I'm not going to do that now) I would have no idea what is wrong. I would definitely find out and/or have a gunsmith have a look at it to insure that nothing is wrong. I would fear that if the thumb safety will not engage with the hammer down that it might fail with the hammer full cocked and locked...

Just broke out my manual...Quote: "The safety locks both slide and hammer when the hammer is in the uncocked position and only the hammer when it is cocked."

 

[The Bushmaster]

Glockman17366...You can null the magazine safety with just a bit of a round toothpick (about 1/8th inch) near the top and under the disconnect running down the back of the grip just under the right side grip panel. This will hold the disconnect up out of engagment...When you push the magazine release the magazine will fall out unincommbered...BUT remember...Now it will fire a round in the chamber with the magazine out of the gun just like the Colt .45 ACP.

 

[HisSoldier]

Mine locks with the hammer down, it's a totally different system than most pistols, and it blocks the hammer securely when cocked and locked. Star didn't deserve to fade away, many nice designs and well made handguns. As to why yours doesn't lock with the hammer down I don't know, it should be solvable by looking over two stripped down Stars, one working normally and yours. Having said that, if it works with the hammer cocked I wouldn't distrust it. Having it uncocked and locked might be one way to keep the gun around children as it would require extra effort and understanding to activate. I've never had children so I don't know what people with children do to have instant access with safety. Have you tried asking in the Spanish pistol forum?
http://forums.gunboards.com/forumdisplay.php?s=&daysprune=&f=40

 

[HisSoldier]

You got me going with this one, I took mine apart. The safety does exactly as I suspected, it has no other function than to lift the hammer off the sear in the cocked position. In the hammer down position it serves a similar function, it blocks the hammer from moving back, but only after passing the half cock notch. So, you need to take yours apart as there is no good reason that the safety will not engage with the hammer down. The fact that there is room to move the hammer back enough to pass the half cock notch means that it should easily be engagable with the hammer down UNLESS something is holding the hammer back behind the half cock notch. I was again impressed with the design of this pistol, I assumed the safety also blocked the sear or sear bar, but it is totally separated from it. You need to take the grips off, then carefully turn the safety down while holding your finger over the detent hole on the left side as the detent will fly out if you don't. Then slide a shim of aluminum under the safety on the right side at the back, it's just to keep from marring the frame as you pry it away with a screwdriver. You will see that there is a specific rotation where the RH safety (Ambi side) can be pried off to the right. Then the left side can be slid out.
I went a lot farther than that as I wanted to see how the disconnector and sear worked. The ejector is held in place on the left side of the hammer by the hammer pin, as is the disconnector on the right side of the hammer. If you don't take the hammer pin out the safety should go together again easily.
Thanks for the question!