Star Firestar... should I buy it?

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sorny

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I was at the gunshop yesterday and saw a Star Firestar and kept passing it up because I knew if I handled it I'd have to buy it :) SO eventually the wife talked me into asking about it. I really really like this pistol. It's the Firestar .45 in the nickel finish. It looks very nice, isn't compact but not too small for my hands, and I actually LIKE the weight of it. It's .45 so I wouldn't feel undergunned and should be relatively easy to conceal. The price? $199 (used).

I searched and didn't find much about them except 1-line stuff like "My Firestar was a good pistol, wish I still had it." But not many details on it unless I'm searching wrong. I didn't pay attention to any other markings like M45, PD, etc so I'm not sure exactly what model it is. It's in great shape so I'm wondering if it's worth it.
 
I had a Firestar 9mm. Heavy steel, so little recoil, nice shooting nice handling pistol, but I don't care that much for single action. If I was a SA fan, I'd still have it.
 
Single action isn't my favorite, but I'd rather have a SA than a DAO. I'm just wierd like that I guess.
 
I was thinking about getting a firestar myself. The starvel looks cool and attractive. Might have to get one just becasue....
 
Yeah, the Starvel finish is what caught my eye. I saw it and was like Wow, 1911 looking... compact... nice finish... Felt nice and tight too, not sloppy like some cheaper guns like a Llama. I get my tax return NEXT friday and I'm hoping this little gun is still there. If I absolutely had to I could go ahead and buy it, but I'd be in a bind for money for a week. Would rather tough it out.
 
;)

I almost wish I hadn't found this shop. They had about everything that people commonly C&R right in the store. Had about 30 Mosin Nagant's for under $100, a couple of double barreled shotguns for under $200 and folding stock and pistol grip Mossberg 12 gauge pumps for $219!
 
I've never worked with a Firestar, but I know this... Star made NICE stuff. Lil rough, maybe but always reliable and some of them built like tanks. I have a Star Model P 9mm and it is rock solid... kind of a Ruger design philosophy.

Before you buy, though make SURE you can get some extra STAR magazines for it. My Two Cents. :)

StrikeEagle
 
Star Firestar.....

I have 3 of these fine little handguns. one 9mm in the Starvel finish and 2 45's one black and one in the Starvel. I carry the Black 45 as my primary carry gun year round. It is a bit heavy but it sure soaks up the recoil when you shoot it. Mine has been 100% reliable and is accurate enough for me to depend on it. I have the Starvel one in my safe as a back up, but I do shoot it once in a while. Nice handguns. I'm always watching for another one to show up. I shoot the nine a bit more, as it's one of my favorite 9's. And I don't really like 9mm's. :)
At that price I think it's a great deal... grab it and run!!!
 
i've got the firestar .45 in starvel, a BM 9 mm blue, and a super B 9mm blue. they were all bought for under $200, and are rock solid reliable, enough that they would be good carry guns. they say they are hard to get parts for since they are out of business, but as solid as they are, i don't expect to ever need parts. they are a tad heavy, but that tells me "metal" not plastic. i like 'em!
 
Thanks for the reponses guys. I was surprised in all of my searching that I didn't really find and real complaints about the Firestar except that it was heavy. And that's not an issue for me so, to me, there are no complaints that are relevant to me. There's a gunshow next saturday and I might still go but I'll probably end up going back to this gun unless I see something just really really great at a great price at the show. I hope they don't sell it.
 
I've had a number of Firestars -- and some other Stars. Fine guns.

Parts are getting a little scarce for the Firestars, so it is a consideration.

(Through a misunderstanding with a guy I was sending parts to for a CZ, I ended up with a .40 Firestar extractor [and no Firestar .40]; they're rare like hen's teeth, so hung onto it. There's a firm in Spain that makes these oddball parts, but at a premium price.)

I have a Star Firestar Plus in Starvel (hard chrome). Nice little gun and very good for concealed carry. (The Plus has an alloy frame, not heavy steel like many of the others.)
 
Hey, I'll chime in ... I'm a ex-Firestar owner, had a nice little .40 in the Starvel finish. My only gripe with it was that the safety just wasn't quite positive enough for me to feel comfortable carrying the thing cocked'n'locked ... Had a nice Don Hume holster designed for C&L carry, but the safety seemed to come off by itself. Otherwise, the pistol was quite remarkably accurate with little recoil for a .40 ... Dead solid reliable, too. Yeah, shoulda kept it, it was better than the pistol I traded for it ...
 
At $199, it is going to be gone before you make up your mind. You need to buy when you see prices like that. I'm guessing his next post will be to tell us all that he went back to buy it but it was gone.:rolleyes:

I have the M-34 which is the 9mm Firestar in Starvel. The Starvel is a electroless nickel IIRC and it seem to hold up very well. The Firestars are quality guns all the way. They are a little heavy for their size but that is only because they are so small. Compare them on a scale to other guns like a Kahr K-9 and S&W 3913 and they weigh about the same. That is true for the 9mm Firstar at least. You will have to weigh the .45 Firstar to see what it weighs but I bet it is as light or lighter than most micro .45s that you can buy today.

At that price, their is no reason not to get that pistol. You won't find a better .45acp at TWICE that price and that is not a joke. What can you get for $400? You can get a Rock Island Arms or a Llama .45acp. Neither are going to be as high of quality as the Star.

I owne many Stars and I am always on the lookout for more. They made really good guns and they can often be bought at crazy prices nowadays. $199 for the Firestar is a great price and you may even be able to get it cheaper if you haggle!:what:
 
Wow, I didn't know it was that good of a deal. I did look on gunbroker and gunsamerica.com to see if they had any if this one was already sold and they were $300+. Maybe I should've gotten it. But again, the guy said it had already been there a few weeks and no one looks at it. Probably assuming it's junk since it's $199.

Sure hope they got it because I just made a car payment and if I want to eat for the next week, I have to wait :(
 
Yeah, I called today. After reading more and more about the gun I wanted it more and more. So I decided I'd call today (they were closed sunday) and I'd go get it. Well, called them up and of course, it was sold. :( Oh well, I thought $199 was a little bit high on a Star at the time so that's why I passed. I was thinking of the surplus BM's that were $150 or so online. Cheapest Firestar I've seen since going to that shop is like $350 and that's out of my price range.
 
My first pistol was a Firestar Plus 9mm-they were blowing them out for $199 when Interarms stopped importing them.I kick myself repeatedly for not buying at least another one and an Ultra Star.It's a shame they're not still around-in today's CCW market,I think the Firestar would be a steady seller still.
 
As everyone has pointed out (sorry to rub it in), the Firestar is a great pistol and $200 was a steal...

Because many uninformed people have a negative impression of the materials that went into the making of Spanish handguns, they are often available quite inexpensively...

I've found that relatively recent Star, Astra and Llama products (before they all went belly-up, although the Fabrinor (Llama) products are still produced as Firestorm) are all great prodcuts and considerably underpriced for the value.

I still carry a Star PD (bigger, but lighter, than the Firestorm). I have a Star 30M, which is one of the best of the "early 2nd generation wondernines." It's big, heavy and extremely well made. I have an Astra A-100 in 9x19mmP. It's a great gun. I have Astra A-75s in 9x19mmP and .45ACP. Personally, I think that the Astra A-75 is the sleeper of the CCW bunch. It's very compact, has a smooth DA pull (but is conventional SA/DA), and can even be pretty light in 9x19mmP with the optional aluminum frame (both of mine are all steel). The only potential downside of the all steel models is that they're a little heavy.

If you find any of these guns at shows, they'll often be fairly cheap (because they're "cheap" Spanish handguns, don't you know...). If you see one, grab it up...

Forrest
 
Well, I'm still going to the show this weekend so I know it's a long shot, but I'd be so happy to find another Star Firestar for $200 or so. I am still kicking myself for not getting the one at the shop. It actually put me in a depressed mood all morning after I called and they said they already sold it. Now I'm wanting a full size Star just to have (too big to carry, for me) also. Maybe the show will be a decent one and not just overpriced Jennings and I'll luck out. Is it better to go on the first day, early in the morning or the last day, late in the evening?
 
Was a good buy but there will always be gun deals if you look. I missed NIB firestars in 1997 or so because I wanted a starvel 45acp and all they had left was blue 9mms so I passed at $169!

Missed a used 9mm 2 years ago at $200 and got instead a Llama 9mm Commander clone ANIB of all things!

A local shop has a 45 at $275 with an extended magazine that has been unsold for awhile.
 
I had a starvel M45. It was a fine gun but I did trade it for a Detective Special which I don't even own any more.:(

It was a great shooter and more accurate than all the Colt 1911's I owned at the time. A little heavy but that made it very shootable for a small 45.
 
don't feel bad

Sorny, the good guns are still out there. Even if you don't get the exact best price, now you know that Firestar's are good guns. When you have the money get you one. You might get a great deal or you might not get the best price, but years later you'll still have a good gun. I've got a Firestar Plus. Great gun, nice trigger pull, good groups, very accurate and no problems with any ammo I've tried.

gears
 
sup

I have a firestar 45 It shoots great, very reliable. I would recomend it, but buy some earplugs its the loudest 45 i have ever shot it will pierce you eardrums !!! think im kidding try it!
 
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