New toy -- Star Model B-Super in 9mmP.

[Harry O]

I never had good luck with 9mm's. Groups with my Browning P-35 were mediocre and with my Walther P-38 were downright bad. They did OK from a bench, but offhand groups were terrible. I gave them to my son since he likes 9mm's, particularly hi-cap ones. He also took my factory 9mm cartridges, but refused to take my handloads. I did tell him in the past, never to shoot a handload in his guns unless he made it himself so I can't hold that against him.

Anyway, I had an ammo box full of 9mm handloads to shoot up. I needed a 9mm, but I decided to find one that felt front-heavy, like a revolver. The Walther had no weight at all up front and I couldn't shoot it worth a darned. The Browning was a little bit heavier towards the front, but still light compared to a revolver. I was able to shoot better with it, but not well enough.

I picked up a few Glock 34's, but did not like them. I looked for a Colt 1911 or Colt clone in 9mm, but never saw one locally -- besides, they were pretty darned expensive on the internet. I ran across a Llama and a Star at a hock shop. I felt both and decided to get the Star.

It is a nearly new 1972 commercial model that has all the whistles and bells that they had available. And, it was in 98% condition (after adjusting the rear sight, though, it is down to 95% -- that sucker was in tight) at a reasonable cost. It is roughly the size, weight, and feel of a 1911, although no parts interchange. Took it to the range yesterday and it is a keeper.

The groups were about 1/3 of the size of the Walther groups and about 1/2 the size of the Browning groups. The groups are not as small as those from my revolvers, but maybe with load tuning and practice, it may get down to that small. I believe there may be something to my theory about getting enough weight up front so that I can hold it steady. I also have a bunch of hard-cast 124gr RN bullets to try in it.

Anybody want to share 9mm reloads that are good in their guns?

[Jeffery8mm]

4.0gr Unique, Lee 125gr RN cast from WW, tumble lube. 1000 +- fps on the pact. Nice round in my Ruger P89.
Jeff

[9.3X62AL]

One of my hunting buddies has one of these. Triple-K still makes magazines for it, I got some for him a couple years ago. It is a good-quality pistol, as is the Star PD in 45 ACP. The Model B will keep up with good 1911A1s easily as to accuracy, in my experience.

[broomhandle]

Hi Harry O,

I have a Star B 9 mm too! It is a tighter shooting pistol than my Browning with cast bullets.
If you have a few $ more think about getting a Star SUPER in 9 mm Largo!

It is very close to a 38 SUPER, but not interchangable! Starline makes cases it is a powerhouse!
Enjoy it it's a fine gun.

By the way a standard 1911 link will fit your gun, if you break a barrel link.
You have to thin it down a little but it fits & locks up well.

Mine was a steal, as it had a broken link. The original owner could not find a link. I checked it against a standard 1911 link & saw it would fit, if thinned out.
I have to 500 600 rounds in it & it is still good.

I bought a new link from a guy in Spain ( STAR-gunboards), it's still in the shipping bag. He has original mags, holsters, wood grips & cleaning kits too!

Best to you,
broom

[Harry O]

Hi Harry O,

I have a Star B 9 mm too! It is a tighter shooting pistol than my Browning with cast bullets.
If you have a few $ more think about getting a Star SUPER in 9 mm Largo!
Best to you,
broom

I called up Sarco on one of the Star 9mm Largo's. They were out. They were not the Super, either.

I have an Astra 400 in 9mm Largo and like it. I got a bunch of 9x23 brass for less than the cost of Starline Largo brass. I also got an RCBS 9x21 to 9x23 set of reloading dies. They were a LOT less than 9mm Largo dies (between 1/4 and 1/3 as much).

I loaded the Largo up the same as my 9mm Luger/Parabellum loads. Same powder, same charge, and same bullet. Functioning was flawless. That Astra is not in the same league as the Star when it comes to accuracy. I think it is because of the sights more than anything else. The Star has large, square cut front and rear sights with paint dots. The Astra has a couple of bumps like early Colt 1911's.

9.3X62AL
I just got one of the Triple-K Star magazines yesterday. I have had bad luck with Triple-K in the past, but sometimes they are the only game in town. I think I have worked out a solution, though. I consider the Triple-K to be "partially finished" or "works in progress".

The one I got for the Star would only go in about 2/3 of the way when I first tried it. I took the grips off the Star and checked it out along with the original magazine. The Triple-K did not have the same contour where it hit the magazine safety. The Triple-K caught instead of riding over the safety. I bent it to match. It went in after that.

It also held the ammo higher in the magazine. I have had the lips bend (on other Triple-K's) when left loaded for any length of time in the past. I have found that after bending the lips to work, I can dismantle the magazine and heat the lips up to dull red. Then I quench them in cold water. I also only load them immediately before shooting instead of leaving them loaded. Anyway, it seems to work. I will be trying out the Star Triple-K magazine tomorrow.