[dogsoldier0513]

I'd love to hear from members who rely upon weapons such as the surplus Walther P1/P4 or Star BM/BMK for regular CCW duty. I'd also love to read about any mods you have made to your weapons, prefered ammo, etc. TIA

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. Since about 1969 or '70, there's been at least one STAR handgun in my collection. Though I own other guns that shoot tighter and are considerably more expensive, I have had really good results with several of the STAR models.

I did shoot on 9mm BKM to pieces but this took about a year with LOTS of hot rounds, I'd estimate about 7500 minimum and this was when I (foolishly) handloaded well beyond the manuals.

Over the years I've owned quite a few Model BM STAR pistols along with other models and sometimes I'd trade them off but seemed always to wind up with another; I just like the little things. More than a few times during the winter months, a cocked-and-locked STAR Model BM was a BUG under my police uniform jacket.

At the present time, this is my sole STAR Model BM. I removed the magazine disconnect and bobbed the hammer spur to eliminate hammer bite. I also coldblued the bare shiney steel of the bbl visible in the ejection port. Other than that, it is stock. I seldom carry it these days, but it has served well as a "loaner" for folks doing their firearm qualifications for Texas' CHL requirements.

If interested, here's an article on the STAR Model BM that I did a few years ago:

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Critical%20Look%20at%20Star%20Model%20BM.htm

Best.

 

[Guest]

I guess you might call my P11 a "budget auto." Under $300, new.

http://www.mouseguns.com/green01.jpg

 

[spikey614]

I picked up a Ultra Star 9mm a few years ago as collaterall. It was the first Plastic Gun I ever had. Also the first double action semi auto. I had it for almost 2 years but my buddy finally came up with the money. I wish I was more firm with him about the time frame for the loan but I enjoyed the gun and wish I had kept it. It felt good in my hand and was a good shooter. Easy to conceal and had a nice trigger pull. I see them in 9mm and 40cal on GB.co but they want too much for a gun with no company to back it up now. I had a Star BM back in the 70's, wish I had kept that one too. The only gun I don't wish I'd kept is a Rossi 38cal., 4" SS w/ adjt sights I had in the early 80's. That thing was crap! just my 2cnts.

 

[Guest]

Thats a nice looking piece of Spanish steel

 

[tekarra]

Everyone has their own idea on budgets, but for me you cannot beat a Bersa for a budget pistol. There are some very low prices on the net.

 

[doubletap]

Hi to all;
Just picked up a surplus trade in P6 225 Sig from Gander Mtn
$370.00 out the door. This will make a good project gun and gift for the wife and I'll be able to keep my original 225 hey that works for me. Have a few questions for someone that might know
is there still wood grips available for a 225 and how can I reduces
the trigger pull weight double action first shot than single action.
As it is its like pulling a cat through a not hole.
Thanks in advance
doubletap

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. You can find information on springs here, ie: standard as well as reduced power mainsprings which might help with the DA pull:

http://www.gunsprings.com/SemiAuto/SigArmsNF.html#P225-228

I am not a fan of reduced power mainsprings and have no idea how low one can go before suffering light primer strikes but SIG-Sauer fans with infinitely more understanding/experience with the pistol advise reducing the mainspring power. If I remember correctly, the P225's long and heaver-than-usual DA first-shot pull is built into the pistol via the original German Police specs. If this is done via spring poundage or the actual linkage, I couldn't say but from what I've read, the general consensus is to go no lighter than an 18 or 19-lb mainspring. Reportedly, this greatly improves the DA pull and results in no light primer strikes; I would certainly test this to be sure were this my pistol.

Best.

 

[cajunbass]

My Bulgarian Mackarov is of course a good budget pistol, but the ultimate "budget" gun I have is a Hi-Point C-9, 9mm.

I got it to see if they are as bad as "everyone" says they are. Somewhat, but not totally to my surprise at least this one isn't.

I've put about 2,000 rounds through mine, and had maybe a half dozen malfunctions. Four of those came out of one box of ammo, so it may have been a "bad" batch for all I know.

No, it's not pretty, but it's not much uglier than a lot of modern semi-auto pistols. I think it's pretty comfortable in my hand, and just has a solid, workmanlike look and feel to me. Heavy for a "compact" pistol, but no heavier than my wife's G-19 and not as heavy as my Commander.

It's no target pistol, but it shoots about as well as I shoot any 9mm.

Hard to disassemble? Yea, it's not easy, but on the other hand you don't really have to. I've stripped mine down exactly once, and didn't find enough stuff to clean up to make it worthwhile. I just spray Gun-scrubber on it, swab the barrel, clean around the ejection port with a q-tip, and let it go.

If I was broke, and really needed or just wanted a gun, this one would do just fine.

 

[dogsoldier0513]

Hello. Since about 1969 or '70, there's been at least one STAR handgun in my collection. Though I own other guns that shoot tighter and are considerably more expensive, I have had really good results with several of the STAR models.

I did shoot on 9mm BKM to pieces but this took about a year with LOTS of hot rounds, I'd estimate about 7500 minimum and this was when I (foolishly) handloaded well beyond the manuals.

Over the years I've owned quite a few Model BM STAR pistols along with other models and sometimes I'd trade them off but seemed always to wind up with another; I just like the little things. More than a few times during the winter months, a cocked-and-locked STAR Model BM was a BUG under my police uniform jacket.

At the present time, this is my sole STAR Model BM. I removed the magazine disconnect and bobbed the hammer spur to eliminate hammer bite. I also coldblued the bare shiney steel of the bbl visible in the ejection port. Other than that, it is stock. I seldom carry it these days, but it has served well as a "loaner" for folks doing their firearm qualifications for Texas' CHL requirements.

If interested, here's an article on the STAR Model BM that I did a few years ago:

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Critical%20Look%20at%20Star%20Model%20BM.htm

Best.

Thank you Mr. Camp. I am well familiar with your writings and website.

 

[Papabear]

A few months back I found a Star BM at my local dealer that was a nice looking 9mm, however, I didn't know anything about the Star pistols, and didn't know what to look for, so I ask on this board and got several helpful replies, I went and bought it because of those recommendations, and have never looked back, it is a sweet shooting pistol and at $200 I don't know how you can go wrong.

A member of this board even sent me a spare magazine, a manual in Spanish & English and the little tool that originally came with the hard case, I already had the cleaning rod and the green hard case the Star BM came in; so now thanks to this forum and its members I have a complete set up for the Star BM, I'm very thankful.

papabear

 

[roadster]

Back on June 1st, I brought home one of the recently introduced Kel-Tec PF-9 pistols. I've owned and carried one of their P32's for several years, so I knew what I was bringing home. For $239 plus tax I have the slimmest and lightest weight 9mm Luger caliber pistol, bar none. Only 0.88 " wide and fully loaded with eight rounds of 115 grain ammo, it weights in just a hair under ONE pound.

I shot the little blaster with 115 grain FMJ and recoil was noticeable but not punishing. The same day I shot the PF-9, another shooter at the range was shooting his S&W 500 Magnum with 400 gr JSP factory loads. He offered to let me shoot that cannon and I did. Two rounds were enough for me. Since then I have shot the PF-9 with the Federal standard presssure 124 gr Hydra-Shok. No failures of any kind and it shoots to point of aim at 21 feet. The DAO trigger is a bit heavy, but I'm sure that it will wear in as more rounds are put through it. The only real drawback so far is that I can't find any extra mags for sale anywhere, I was told by the dealer that the factory isn't releasing any at this time.

One questionable advantage to a plastik pistole like the PF-9 is that if you ever get involved in a self defense shooting, the police are gonna take your gun from you. And the odds of you ever getting it back are very slim. The local police seems to have this problem with "losing" and "misplacing" other people's firearms. The dealer who sold me the PF-9 had over 50 handguns stolen in a break in several years ago. Most of them were recovered by the local police. He is still waiting to get them back because no one seems to know what happened to them..... I hate the idea of losing any firearm, but something like the PF-9 wouldn't be a big monetary loss like my HK P7M8 for example.


Roadster

 

[Guest]

Roadster:

Think about it: The firearms in question are now the personal property of the cops, their brother, or their brother-in-law. The LE in your jurisdiction in corrupt and the cops in it are "dirty." Although not common, the situation that you describe isn't unknown either.

The dealer you mention should take the written documentation he has to the effect that the guns have been recovered, go to the DA with an attorney and file a formal complaint. This will force the involved (corrupt) LE jurisdiction to either return the guns or cough up their fair market value. Of course, this is in a perfect world . . . . . .

 

[Guest]

I just traded my Taurus model 65 revolver for a nice little Astra A 75 9mm. Anyone here
have one? I haven't shot it yet. It's in good shape.

 

[timber]

A few months back I found a Star BM at my local dealer that was a nice looking 9mm, however, I didn't know anything about the Star pistols, and didn't know what to look for, so I ask on this board and got several helpful replies, I went and bought it because of those recommendations, and have never looked back, it is a sweet shooting pistol and at $200 I don't know how you can go wrong.

A member of this board even sent me a spare magazine, a manual in Spanish & English and the little tool that originally came with the hard case, I already had the cleaning rod and the green hard case the Star BM came in; so now thanks to this forum and its members I have a complete set up for the Star BM, I'm very thankful.

papabear

Looks great! I've always read good stuff about them here and there and on Steve's site too. Very nice looking gun.

 

[nbender]

Papabear, now that is a beautiful photograph.

You're from Kentucky? I'm sort of suprised that the rocks look like mostly fine-grained granodiorites - or volcanics even; and quartzites. I look at the pistols and the rocks wherever I go; it looks like I need a trip to Kentucky to see what's going on there.

 

[Papabear]

Papabear, now that is a beautiful photograph.

You're from Kentucky? I'm sort of suprised that the rocks look like mostly fine-grained granodiorites - or volcanics even; and quartzites. I look at the pistols and the rocks wherever I go; it looks like I need a trip to Kentucky to see what's going on there.

nbender,

I've been lurking here for the past couple months, but haven't posted in a while, how I missed your response I'm not sure, however, you are more than welcome to visit us in Kentucky and look for our guns and rocks. However, the rocks in the pic with the Star BM are a collection of rocks that we have collected over the years in our travels, other then river rock, limestone, sandstone, we probably don't to much to offer in the way of rocks here in Ky. My wife let me use them for a back ground in my photo box, which is a ammo crate with rope handles that I painted and then use with different back grounds so that I can move around outside or in my photo tent to make photo's. I had to come up with something just to keep up with your fine photo's of your guns. Keeping in mind the original topic of budget auto's, I now have a IWB holister that carries the Star BM quite well, this pic shows the holster with another budget auto, a Bulgie Makarov, but the Star BM fits in it quite well also, and now I CCW with the Star BM were in the past I didn't becasue of the the weight, but with this holster it carries well and I will use it more this winter when carring the P-64, Makarov or the Star Bm, because all three fit in it well.

Take Care,

papabear

 

[ccwman]

There are only two drawbacks I've ever heard to the Stars:
1.) The steel isn't good enough to handle +P loads.
2.) Star is out of business, so you won't get any factory warranty work or parts. You can find parts for obsolete guns on the Net.

I would still prefer a P-11, S&W Sigma (just bought one) or the very affordable, ultra reliable Bulgarian Makarov. The only drawbacks to the Mak are that the cartridge it shoots is about 2/3 as powerful as 9mm Parabellum (commonly called "Luger") and the ammo isn't as universally available as 9mm "Luger".

 

[jerry]

the Bersa .380s are easily found for under $300.00 tax included.
and the ammo can be found at any wal-mart so no need for expensive shipping charges of mail order stuff....

it would be my pick if i had no gun, wanted a semi-auto, and had $300.00 or less.

 

[ccwman]

I read a gun magazine review that said the author put 20,000 rounds through a S&W 9mm "Sigma" in two days! They seem to have earned a reputation for reliability, just like the Glock that inspired them.

The first production run ( 94-98 ) is said to have had a horrible trigger but mine is one of the newer ones. I'm estimating the trigger pull at 6 lbs. and it isn't very long, especially for a Double Action Only gun.

Mine came with two nickel plated steel 10 round mags. Some vendors sell them with 16 rnd. mags. Or you can buy the higher capacity mags direct from Smith.

I believe this is the most affordable pistol Smith makes. I paid $350 for mine at the local shop but you may find one cheaper.

I will post a range report when I can.
Dave