“Classic” 1911 Style: Star 9mm Model BM
Inspired by the famous 1911 Design: This is a beauty of a gun and “Classic” all the way: All steel construction that Star is famous for. Solidly built with a steel frame, slide and barrel. Completely of forged steel parts as it precedes the age of MIM. This gun represents the classic style of handguns with forged steel manufacturing, instead of stamped steel, alloy frames, plastic and polymer so common today.
Price: $449.99 (includes ORIGINAL factory box and manual). Collectable - own a piece of history.
Mid-size gun is compact and great for concealed carry as it's extremely flat. Similar to the classic 1911 Colt Commander.
Performance and Handling: Recoil is light and still very controllable even with hot loads. The weight soaks up what normally would be snappy recoil from a compact pistol. Love the accuracy and reliability shooting all kinds of ammo, JHP, etc.
Colt 1911 Commonalities: The many similarities to the 1911 ACP make this pistol a favorite. First, the look and feel are squarely 1911. That very classic and natural pick up. Teed ramp design is the same as on the 1911. Throated from the factory. Removable bushing as well as the swinging link.
Like the 1911, the Star using a Browning style lock up as is evidenced by the swinging link and locking lug on the barrel along with the removable barrel bushing. The Star BM uses a FLGR with a captive recoil spring.
Action & Trigger: single-action with locked breech. Single action trigger break is excellent – very clean! Serrated finger pad for a sure grip.
PREMIUM FEATURES:
Checkering milled into the hammer for a sure feel.
Magazine well is beveled from the factory.
Throated from the factory.
Safeties: Thumb safety on left side like the Colt 1911. You can carry cocked and locked. Gun also has a Magazine Disconnect for additional safety.
Sights: notched rear blade and serrated front ramp. Easy to pick up at speed. The sight picture is easy to obtain in both slow and rapid-fire drills. The rear sight is drift adjustable for windage.
Grip: Handsome sculpted lumber.
Capacity: 8 rounds available in the magazine and one chambered.
Grips: checkered brown (not "stiff" but somewhat malleable.)
Pivoting external claw extractor like the Browning Hi Power and other major semiautomatic brands.
Trigger has serrated finger pad.
Full-length guide rod with captive recoil spring.
Removable barrel bushing.
As a testament to their quality, Star BM is still used by police, security and military agencies in Spain. It reflects the reliability, durability and the quality of Spanish pistols and to the skill and workmanship of the workers of Star Firearms Bonifacio.
Conclusion: The easy handling and resemblances to the classic Colt 1911 make this pistol a favorite among collectors, recreational shooters, or carry owners.
OTHER INFORMATION:
History & Origins: After the First World War started, Star designers fell in love with the Colt 1911 and focused on cloning it (instead of other European designs). Many German rear-echelon units used the Model B; even some officers, paratroopers and armor crewmen utilized them. After the war, many people who bought the Star BM when it was offered commercially don’t want to part with them and still carry them.
Field stripping is simple: retract the slide until the thumb safety aligns with the slide's take down notch. You then push the safety up and into the notch on the slide. From there you push the slide release pin out (and mine pops right out). Then push the slide off the front and remove the guide rod and spring out of the slide. At that point you just need to turn the barrel bushing a quarter turn to the right and it can then be pulled out of the slide. The barrel can then be easily extracted through the front of the slide.