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Star Firestar Plus 9mm

compmanio365

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Apr 21, 2007
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So, the wife finally picked out her first open/concealed carry gun, a Star Firestar Plus 9mm with the double stack magazine, so it holds 13+1, and it looks like the previous owner did a "fluff+buff" on the feed ramp so it should reliably feed JHP ammo.

firestar.JPG



firestar_hold.JPG



So, does anyone else out there have one of these pistols? I've heard pretty much nothing but good about them, but the lack of any factory support, now that Star is defunct, kinda bothers me. It is the easiest gun I've seen to disassemble and put back together yet, so maybe even if something does break down the road, I can replace it as long as I can get the part.......either way, now I got the wife carrying; we were both out open carrying today and I think she's really getting into it! :D
 

Tomahawk

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I have a Firestar .45, and I think they are solid, reliable pistols. They are old-school single-acting with a manual safety but no grip safety, so you have to get used to carrying them cocked and locked. Also, when you remove the grips for cleaning, be careful not to push the safety lever past the "fire" position, since the detent and spring will fly out and get lost in the carpet.

Only problem is spare parts are extremely rare, so my Firestar is in "semi-retirement" to keep me from breaking it. If I were in the business, I'd make a parts kit for it and market it to Firestar owners, since it remains a popular niche market. (Although I've never seen one break, so it might be a slow seller!) I really wish Taurus or someone would pick up the license and start making them again.

In the meantime, enjoy it. If the FS+ 9mm is anything like the .45, it's got to be fun to shoot. Congrats to the Mrs.
 

XD40coyote

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The "firewood man" was here the other day delivering 3 cords and I excitedly told him about my XD9, then showed it to him ( he loves guns). He told me he has a Star 9mm, and after I let him shoot both of my XD's he said the Star is really innacurate. He loved the lil XD9! I wish he had bought the Star so I could see for myself. He bought the Walther ppk in .32 and he had said that was innacurate too, but my test firing showed he was wrong. So methinks the Star maybe ain't so bad as he claims. Maybe his hands are just too big and he can't grip either right!
 

ghostrider

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Jul 24, 2007
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I picked up a Firestar .40 a couple weeks ago. It's at the gunsmith right now because it appears as if the mag disconnect safety came on while shooting. Then, when I took out the mag, the mag disconnect safety failed. I'm hoping it's just a cleaning issue as I bought it used.

Fun gun to shoot. Fits me great, points well (for me), and is accurate.
 

GWbiker

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Hi, new member here in Arizona,

I'd like to jump in and just say I have the Starfire M-43, single stack 9mm. I removed the magazine safety bar which allows a freer magazine release. I wish I could find a way to lighten the trigger pull.

I find the M-43 to be quite reliable and becoming more accurate with each use.
 

Legba

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I have the Star model B 9mm and it shoots true - not used the Firestar as such. The people who have bought the Firestar .45shere like them though, for what it's worth. Not familiar with the Starfire M-43 designation referenced above - is that a typo or another manufacturer maybe?

-ljp
 

ghostrider

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Legba wrote:
I have the Star model B 9mm and it shoots true - not used the Firestar as such. The people who have bought the Firestar .45shere like them though, for what it's worth. Not familiar with the Starfire M-43 designation referenced above - is that a typo or another manufacturer maybe?

-ljp
M-43 is the model designation for the Firestar 9mm.

http://www.star-firearms.com/firearms/guns/firestar/index.shtml
 

Legba

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Thanks for the clarification. Star was bad about marking their model designation. I wondered about the "Starfire" as opposed to "Firestar."

-ljp
 

Tomahawk

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ghostrider wrote:


That's a great independent website for information on Star arms.

But there is an error on that page: you don't hammer out the rear sight to access the firing pin, you use the supplied* star-shaped allen wrench to unscrew the small screw holding the sight down and then remove it. Gently. No need for brute force here!

The author is also disappointed with the transfer bar. He doesn't say why.

I'm biased of course, I like mine.

*ETA: I bought mine NIB and kept the box, the instructions, and all the accessories, which included the wrench and a short cleaning rod.
 

ghostrider

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Tomahawk wrote:
ghostrider wrote:


That's a great independent website for information on Star arms.

But there is an error on that page: you don't hammer out the rear sight to access the firing pin, you use the supplied* star-shaped allen wrench to unscrew the small screw holding the sight down and then remove it. Gently. No need for brute force here!

The author is also disappointed with the transfer bar. He doesn't say why.

I'm biased of course, I like mine.

*ETA: I bought mine NIB and kept the box, the instructions, and all the accessories, which included the wrench and a short cleaning rod.
I've notice that on a few pages myself. Something else I've noticed is that people have listed the .40 as DA, while mine is SA.
 

GWbiker

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Not familiar with the Starfire M-43 designation referenced above - is that a typo or another manufacturer maybe?

Not a typo, just a late hour posting thru bleary eye sight. As someone with keener eyes pointed out, my M-43 is indeed a Firestar 9mm. I purchased it in 1993 according to gun store paperwork. It is a fine shooting weapon, however I noticed that I had traded a newer model, in fine condition, Colt Detective Special toward the Firestar. I received a whopping $175 trade in price on the Colt....:banghead:
 

danhill

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Apr 5, 2009
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I also bought a Firestar Plus soon after they came out and before Brady, so it must have been in 1993 as well. It was my carry weapon of choice until the latter part of last year when I got a Ruger P89 in 9mmand a Charter Arms Mag Pug in .357 Magnum. I haven't had any problems with the Star and even used it to qualify for my Tennessee Handgun Carry Permit after we moved here from Tampa, where I had a CCW for over 10 years. I always kept one in the pipe, but just kept it uncocked so all I had to do was cock the hammer and fire. It is a fine weapon and it is too bad that they are not made anymore. I wish I could find some 12 round magazines for it, but all I have ever seen were some aftermarket 10 round mags and I have two of them plus the original 12 round one.

I was carrying the Mag Pug most of the time until I got a suitable holster for the P89. Now I carry the P89 almost exclusively, but sometimes carry a P90 in .45 ACP or, if size is really important, the Mag Pug. The only downside to the Mag Pug is that it only holds five rounds and I have three 17 round magazines for the P89 as well as three 15 round mags. The same is true for the P90 because the magazines only hold 8 rounds, but other than that it is practically identical to the P89 (that was an intentional thing so that unless the wife sees them both together, she thinks I only have one :cool:).

One of the main reasons I don't carry the Star anymore is that, with age, my eyesight isn't what it used to be and there aren't any Crimson Trace Laser grips for it, but I do have them on all my other handguns with the exception of my S&W Model 28 which shoots just fine with the factory sights and is basically too large to carry all the time anyway.
 

pete almquist

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Hello,

The m-43 is the Single action 9mm single stack super-compact. It's small but quite heavy. I use it for home defense and have a Bomar lazer mounted to the trigger guard.I find the pistol to shoot groups at the point of aim with the lazer, I'd guess in the neighborhood of three inches at about 10 yards. Any further than that I loose track opf the lazer dot because I almost always have shot it in the daylight.



I have to wonder if the double stack magazine fits into the pistol I have? Mine only carries 6 + 1 rounds. I keep a round in the chamber with the hammer down and the safety on.
 

Grapeshot

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Posted back in 2008
http://opencarry.mywowbb.com/view_topic.php?id=8301&forum_id=5&highlight=firestar

I have a M40 [highlight= rgb(255, 255, 136);]Firestar and a 9mm model BM. Both are reliable and combat accurate.
The M40 is in Star's chrome/brushed chrome (Caravel?) finish with polished wood panels - it is a very pretty piece, Still have the original grips too.

Scoop of the day! STAR PARTS ARE AVAILABLE http://www.iparguns.com


Frankly, their web site is of not very good but does give you the contact info. I have ordered from them on several occasions and always received multiple items (spares) without extra cost. They bought all of the original tooling from Star but they apparently cannot make or sell frames, slides or barrels because of Spanish regulations. Only after repeat visits to gunshows and trying through numerous gunsmiths to no avail, did I discover IPARGUNS. Had been told parts were just not to be found.

Down side is that payment is made in Euros based on current rate of exchange. They do take credit cards.

IPARGUNS MANUFACTURA DE ARMAS, S.L.
Sostoa, 2 bajo - 20600 EIBAR (SPAIN)
Tel. + 34 943204117 Fax + 34 943120906
e-mail: iparguns@iparguns.com
web site: http://www.iparguns.com

Wolff Precision still has the standard 16 lb recoil spring (stock #48816) which is correct for the M43 (9mm) and the M40 (.40 cal). I do not know about other model springs.

Hope this keeps your Stars running.


 
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