Star Model B

[dfletcher]

Spent the week out of CA and picked up a Star Model B at an OR LGS. I don't know much about Spanish pistols, other than in general that they're hit or (mostly) miss. I have a Star PD and an old Model F, this is my 1st Model B. They were asking just under $400.00 and aside from the instant gratification of "cash & carry" I figure the Star brand is pretty safe and any full sized pistol is worth their asking price.






From what I can figure using proof stamps the "V" means 1951 DOM. Serial number is 366549 and the last 3 digits are stamped on pretty much everything including the magazine base plate. Pistol came with two of them.

The barrel uses a 1911 style link, not the BHP ramped type. I'm assuming the 9 means 9X19 Luger as opposed to the 9mm Largo. But am not certain.

Shots of the magazine serial numbered to the gun:



There's alot of upfront room for the 9X19, although they (snap caps) feed and chamber fine. Any info on magazines appreciated, especially if Star Super or Model Amagazines will fit and function. They seem easier to find and cost about $20.00 less than Star Model B magazines. The magazine looks like one for the Model A in 9mm Largo, from what I've seen on line.

The front grip frame is stamped "LPN" which I've read indicates manufacture for German police use.



Is this correct - what does "LPN"stand for and any value added? No import marks anywhere.

[C&Rtrader]

pretty cool that it has no import marks. seems most of the imports that came in 10 years ago were pretty beat up. definitely worth $500+ IMHO, great pickup

[marksmandowntown]

pretty cool that it has no import marks. seems most of the imports that came in 10 years ago were pretty beat up. definitely worth $500+ IMHO, great pickup

This.

I bought one of the beat up ones. I like it, but I like yours more.

DON'T DRY FIRE IT.

[jarhead714]

This.

I bought one of the beat up ones. I like it, but I like yours more.

DON'T DRY FIRE IT.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[Eddie1965]

[The Gleam]

Very nice.

I started looking more closely at Star pistols a few years ago, and they are truly underappreciated, especially the older to 1990s steel frame models. I've grown to realize they are the best bargain right now of older C&R pistols and European based guns. They seem to be just on the horizon of collectors showing new interest.

In the old days, most US gun dealers held them out as substandard, but that may have only been due to being foreign, lower cost, supply was tight, and they didn't get as much support from Star. So they were relegated to bottom shelf, and lies were told...

And because of that, older generations ( me included in that) typically don't now and never did have much regard for them. And that was, and is, a mistake.

I've picked up a few different Star pistols recently and was thoroughly impressed on and off the range.

I think younger up-and-coming generations who were not erroneously steered to thinking Star guns were junk by some slack-jawed counter monkey at a local gun store (pushing Glocks because they got a better spread on those) will see Star pistols for their merits, without the jaded coercion.

They were also the generstion that saw Star pistols being used in a lot of soon to be cult-classic films from the 1990s, like 'Pulp Fiction' - which speaks to them no different than Dirty Harry's Model 29-2, Bond's Walther PPK, or the Wildey in .475-Wildey from Death Wish III.

Once they take note, and that nostalgia grabs them, now with money in their pocket or ability to buy that they didn't have at age 12 or so, I expect the values on older Star pistols in good to like new condition to increase exponentially compared to others guns of the same period, or at least close the gap on the difference in their values with such other guns from that time.

--

[walterrego]

That is a very nice example. If you can find a Star like that one that was imported in the late 1950's to mid 1960's you can be pretty sure of getting a good one. Many of the Star A & B models that came in after the 1990's were pretty beat, refinished and often assembled from parts and poorly fitted, giving them a poor reputation that is undeserved for the earlier and unmolested examples.

The LPN marking stands for Landespolizei Niedersachsen (West German Ministry of the Interior of Lower Saxony, Hanover, West Germany). The earliest LPN contract guns were made in the late part of WWII but never delivered to the Nazi's although Star had been paid for them. After the war when West Germany needed pistols for their police units, Star sold them to West Germany and ended up getting paid twice for the same guns !

Original holsters show up occasionally on ebay, look for LPN markings on them and often maker marked with AKAH.

[dfletcher]

I appreciate the responses. Am kind of surprised there's not alot of spare parts floating around, given the numbers imported. Got a spare firing pin from Numrich and a few odds & ends from Apex.

I'm also of the "Spanish guns are subpar" generation. I worked in a store that sold guns in the 1970's and Llama offerings didn't do much to change my mind. However this Star pistol, and the PD I bought a few years back, are well made pistols. Fit and finish of the Model B is on par with anything from Colt - nice polish, bluing and the slide to frame and barrel fitment are excellent. Will admit I'm not to keen on the safety fit, it's tough as heck and the hammer cams back when engaging. I don't know enough to fit it but will hope she wears in.

It was a bit of a challenge getting a good DOM. The store owners were nice enough to give me a day or so to figure out where to find the info so I could use my C&R FFL.

Still trying to figure out which magazines work. From what I've read it looks like mags in 9mm Largo for the Model A and Model B, and mags for the BM will work. Am trying my best to avoid Triple K. Am iffy on ProMag but in single stack for P38, CZ38 they've worked fine.

[dfletcher]

That is a very nice example. If you can find a Star like that one that was imported in the late 1950's to mid 1960's you can be pretty sure of getting a good one. Many of the Star A & B models that came in after the 1990's were pretty beat, refinished and often assembled from parts and poorly fitted, giving them a poor reputation that is undeserved for the earlier and unmolested examples.

The LPN marking stands for Landespolizei Niedersachsen (West German Ministry of the Interior of Lower Saxony, Hanover, West Germany). The earliest LPN contract guns were made in the late part of WWII but never delivered to the Nazi's although Star had been paid for them. After the war when West Germany needed pistols for their police units, Star sold them to West Germany and ended up getting paid twice for the same guns !

Original holsters show up occasionally on ebay, look for LPN markings on them and often maker marked with AKAH.

Regarding when actually made I noticed a difference in the grip frame from 1953 made models and my 1951 manufactured. The 1953 made version has a bump on the front of the lower grip frame. It's not present on mine and a WWII (1944) manufactured version. 1951 or 1952 may mark the end of using older frames or a change in grip style in newly manufactured.

[morrcarr67]

Nice, I wouldn't have thought twice about picking it up.

Sent from my OnePlus Nord N10 5G using Tapatalk

[highpower]

I have a Star Super A and a BM. Both are pretty nice pistols and are far better made than they were given credit for back in the day. I think I paid something like $150 for the Super because the previous owner didn't know much about it and $200 for the BM when they were first brought in a couple of years ago.

[dfletcher]

^
The Reno show is coming up in a few weeks. The Star gives me something else to look at, assuming pricing is more in line with selling rather than just "showing". The smaller BM looks like a nice gun.

[7.62user]

Nice pictures but have you actually shoot it? I love mine model B but they are jam o matics!

[The Gleam]

Nice pictures but have you actually shoot it? I love mine model B but they are jam o matics!

And usually because people are using junk after-market magazines from Triple-K, USA, or ProMags, if not some unknown thing, with incorrect fit/length/height and/or bad feed-lips that don't hold their angle/shape because of thin sheet-metal.

I's worth paying more for original magazines when/if you can find them. They come up; they made a lot of these guns, so if you are patient, you'll have a sufficient supply in time.

--

[dfletcher]

Nice pictures but have you actually shoot it? I love mine model B but they are jam o matics!

I put a few magazines through it off the back yard porch. All FMJ, no problems. Joe Pesci would have been proud.

Factory magazines are enroute, no Triple Ks.