[Guest]

Good morning all. This is for those of you that actually own a Star BM 9mm. I picked one up the other day in well used but not abused condition. I was initally impressed with the trigger and overall quality of construction. This morning I got my first chance to strip and clean the pistol and I noted something that gives me pause. On the right side of the frame (the side the safety lever is on), above the the frame cutout into which the slide release merges, there is a small, thin cut (about 1/32") that goes all the way through the frame rail. I say cut because it does not appear to be a crack and has obviously been finished and blued.

Since I can't find any on-line schematics for the BM I'm throwing this question out on the forum to see if anyone can take a quick look at their BM and let me know if this is a manufacturing feature or a frame failure.

(If this is a standard 1911-style feature, sorry but I'm not a 1911 guy just yet - my current tastes run more to S&W & CZ autos.)

Thanks in advance!

Brian

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. It is normal. Mine is like that as well. I suspect the reason is that the frame is thin around the cutout and simply removing the steel at the top prevents cracking.

Best.

 

[Guest]

Steven,

Thanks. I suspected it was done for stress relief, but wanted to make sure before I took it to the range today. If I may impose a bit more, I have another question. The barrel looks to be in pretty good shape but there is a slight bit of frosting just forward of the leade area. This pistol has a mid-70's production date. Was Spain still using corrosive 9mm ammo that late in the game?

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. I am sorry but I do not know on the corrosive ammo possibility.

Best.

 

[Guest]

Range Report. I put about 50 rounds of WWB through it this afternoon. A few FTEs (stovepipes), but otherwise no problems and accurate enough (3" at 25'). Good little pistol! If I could solve the stovepipe problem I'd even consider it for CCW.

 

[Guest]

I had the same question when I got mine. As Mr. Camp said, it is apparently standard.

I have noticed that I have an occasional problems with extraction with hundred round WWB 9mm in all my 9mm's. I'll have a problem with several rounds in a box , then have no problems with other ammo or even other boxes of WWB. I suspect that every now and then a box with some slightly out of specs rims comes out. Assuming your extractor seems to have good tension, You might want to try another brand or just another box of WWB before you decide it is the gun.

Regards-conwic

 

[will]

Some of them also have trouble feeding hollow points or truncated cone shapes.Will

 

[thompsongunner]

Never had a prob. with the two I own. I believe that the 10mm deltas have a cutout at the same spot. But it bigger.

I wish my BHP had the trigger my cheap StarBM's have.

 

[px]

I've had my Star BM for over a year now, and it's a very nice little pistol. Mine has been very accurate, surprisingly so, and the reliability has been no problem - EXCEPT with Wally World White Box ammo.... This same round also has caused problems in my Walther P1, & KelTec P11. My friend says the wwwb ammo has given him problems too.

Nothing is cheaper than the wwwb, but just understand that the quality is questionable. Some 9mm lots seem to be just fine, other's, MERDE. It's great plinking ammo, it's just a shame that a person might think he has a pistol problem, when actually it's a ammo problem.

As for hollow points, I don't think the pistol was disigned for them, but I've read on other forums that some people find their particular BM's feed them just fine. You might check the feed ramp and make sure it's slicker n' snot and see what happens.

You've probably already found this out, but replacing the recoil springs is kind of a pain. The "captured" aspect is something I'd never experienced before, but once you figure it out, it's not hard to replace the recoil spring at all. I replaced my original springs with new ones from Numrich..




Best Wishes.

JP

 

[jimhigginbotham]

I agree with Steve on the cut. Star PDs were like this also.

Colt Delta Elites are also similar, even to the point that all of the rail is gone over the slide stop notch.

It is a good idea I think,
Jim