Star Modelo BM

by Catoosa, Monday, September 17, 2012, 11:46 (4397 days ago) @ Hoot

Got three of them. As Hoot stated, only drawback to them is that they have been out of production since about the mid-'90s and parts are hard to find. OTOH, the two parts that almost always heve to be replaced, the recoil spring and the magazine spring, are available from Wolff and cheap. Magazines are hard to find and expensive when you do, but darn near indestructible. If you can accumulate 2 or 3 mags they should last about as long as you need them.

Two of the ones I have were Guardia Civil duty guns that apparently saw hard use for about 20 years. Nevertheless, they are both as tight, accurate and reliable as anything else I have ever seen. I carry them regularly. The third one is almost mint and is currently a safe queen, held in reserve in case one of the others does go down. I wouldn't want to be without one.

I'm speaking specifically of the Model BM. Have no experience with any of the others. I would expect all of them are equally well made, but parts might be even more of a problem with the less common models.

If you get one, DON'T dry fire it, and don't carry it with a round chambered and the hammer down. Most do not have inertia firing pins, and the FP retaining system makes it susceptible to breaking. Cocked and locked OTOH is very safe, because the safety is the best design I have ever seen. Hammer absolutely cannot fall when the safety is on. I have no hesitation carrying mine Condition One.