Fun and games with 9mm Largo

[Kilroy08]

My youngest brother has been wanting a Star Model B for a while now.

Once the requisite funds had been gathered together, he was off to the local Cabelas.

That evening he texted me to let me know he got it. This was followed by the succeeding messages:

"It's not feeding right, won't chamber the 9mm luger I have on hand"

"Well (you can fill in the blank here), they mislabeled it in the display case. I'm the pround owner of
a Modelo Super in 9mm Largo. Guess I'll have to buy a set of dies now."

So we got together over the weekend and did some reloading.

By some stroke of luck, Cabelas had Unique in stock. So Bert got a pound of that along with Federal small pistol primers and some Berry's 124 grain plated bullets. He also got in some Starline Largo brass.

After getting the Dillon 550 dialed in, we had a ball. For those of you interested, Dillon doesn't list a caliber conversion for 9mm Largo. I ended up using shell plate 3, the #3 buttons and the F powder funnel.

The 14th edition Speer manual gave a starting load of 4.5 grains of Unique of a 125 grain bullet. That was plenty to cycle the action and drop the cases at our feet. Accuracy was superb. The soda cans didn't stand a chance.

I guess an Astra 400 will be rounding out the collection

[Harry O]

I also have one of each, and got them long before Starline started making brass. I used .38 Super brass and loading dies for a long time. My uncle had a 400 even earlier than me and he shot 9mm Luger exclusively in it. Some of them work doing that and some don't. My 400 works with the 9mm Luger, but not my Star. The Star seems to have a tighter chamber.

A while back, they had 9mm x 23 Winchester brass out. I tried that when I found a bag of it cheap. Also did not work in the Star. Most of them did work in the 400, but not all of them. When Starline started making the brass, I put the other cases away and use Starline exclusively now.

I use exactly the same powder type, powder charge, and bullet that I do for my 9mm Luger handloads. The only difference is the case. It works in both the Star and the Astra.

[45 2.1]

I guess an Astra 400 will be rounding out the collection

There is a cute little carbine in that caliber..... the Spanish Destroyer. I highly recommend one if you're going to get the 400.

[bob208]

I have a star and a astra along with the carbine. when I got them there was no largo brass so I made it out of .223 that was a lot of work. then I got some 9mm mag brass and trimmed it down that was easier the .38 super with its semi rim will work in the astra keep the loads light. it will work sometimes in the star. it will not work in the carbine.
I use .38 super dies to load for it. use .38 super starting loads only.
as far as 9mm luger don't use it in any gun marked for 9mm largo. the cartage is only held by the extractor. plus for the astra it is too hot a load. the astra is a blow back action.

I some times carry my star. when I do it is loaded with cci 124 gr. gold dot hp.

[45 2.1]

I have a star and a astra along with the carbine. when I got them there was no largo brass so I made it out of .223 that was a lot of work. then I got some 9mm mag brass and trimmed it down that was easier the .38 super with its semi rim will work in the astra keep the loads light. it will work sometimes in the star. it will not work in the carbine.

I got the Astra first along with the original 9mmBB ammo........ The carbine came next and, as you say, the bolt head would not close over the 38 Super's case head. Due to no boxer primed 9mm Largo brass, I had the bolt head cut for the 38 Super's rim. All is good now as they all take the 38 Super brass. Somewhere down the road someone is going to be perplexed about that carbine though.

[Kilroy08]

There is a cute little carbine in that caliber..... the Spanish Destroyer. I highly recommend one if you're going to get the 400.

I told my brother that he needs that if he wants a complete Largo collection.

He now feels obligated to become a collector of firearms in obscure calibers.

On a side note, I forgot to say that I told him to skip buying dies. My RCBS set covered 9x19, 9x21, and 9x23. We got a test round completed, pulled the barrel, and did the plunk test. It passed and all was well.

[Sgt Petro]

There is a cute little carbine in that caliber..... the Spanish Destroyer. I highly recommend one if you're going to get the 400.

What he said:)

[Saltner]

If you are looking up the shells, you can use those of the 9mm Steyr produced by Fiocchi (GFL) are compatible.

Bullet 115 gn. FMJ (O.A.L. 30,00 - 31,00mm)
N-320 4,0 (min.) - 5,3 (MAX)
N-330 4,0 (min.) - 5,5 (MAX)
N-340 4,0 (min.) - 6,2 (MAX)
N-350 5,0 (min.) - 6,6 (MAX)
3N37 5,0 (min.) - 6,9 (MAX)
Rex Gialla 4,0 (min.) - 5,6 (MAX)
PEFL-26 4,0 (min.) - 5,6 (MAX)
PEFL-28 4,0 (min.) - 7,7 (MAX)
SIPE-N 4,0 (min.) - 6,3 (MAX)
BA-9 4,0 (min.) - 6,6 (MAX)
WW-450 4,0 (min.) - 5,0 (MAX)

Bullet 123 - 125 FMJ (O.A.L. 31,00 - 33,00mm)
N-320 3,5 (min.) - 5,0 (MAX)
N-330 4,0 (min.) - 5,3 (MAX)
N-340 4,0 (min.) - 6,0 (MAX)
N-350 5,0 (min.) - 6,1 (MAX)
3N37 5,0 (min.) - 6,6 (MAX)
Rex Gialla 3,5 (min.) - 5,4 (MAX)
PEFL-26 3,5 (min.) - 5,2 (MAX)
PEFL-28 4,0 (min.) - 7,5 (MAX)
SIPE-N 4,0 (min.) - 6,0 (MAX)
BA-9 4,0 (min.) - 6,4 (MAX)
WW-450 3,5 (min.) - 4,8 (MAX)

[leftiye]

My Modelo super chamber fits 9X23 brass perfectly. I won't publish what I load it with. Ugh, kickem' butt! The destroyer gets milder fare.

[Charley]

Have a Star Military in 9mm Largo, slide is marked 9mm38. I use .38 Super or .38 AC brass, and .38 ACP level loads, functions fine.

[Dschuttig]

130544130545130546


I have an Astra 400 that I picked up a few years back for $75, it's nice with only a little bit of darkness in the barrel.

Top target is 3.7 grains bullseye, bottom 4.0. Both are using the out of print lyman 358246 (148 gr RN originally designed for 38 S&W), sized .360 to correspond to my groove diameter of .359+, water queched wheel weights, and use starline 9mm largo brass. Both were shot at 25 yards. Both function the action.

4.0 load shows 9/10 shots in 2.5" and will shoot like that over and over. I have since settled on a load of 3.9, same accuracy and keeps me off max load.

Attached is load data from old Lyman handbook #43 for the 38 auto (not super).

Can't quite figure out how to rotate the pictures, sorry

[rintinglen]

130554
I have a Star Modelo Super That I have had for a while now. It is not very accurate, but the balance and feel to me are superior to that of the vaunted 1911. Mine only shoots 38 super if I turn the heads, but I managed to score a few hundred Starline cases that are good a while back that stand me in good stead.

[Harry O]

Here are mine.

130586

[BLTsandwedge]

I've seen the carbine at several shows lately. Can anyone tell me if they shoot- i.e. minute-of-beer-can at 50 yards?

[45 2.1]

I've seen the carbine at several shows lately. Can anyone tell me if they shoot- i.e. minute-of-beer-can at 50 yards?

I've only shot my handloads in mine, which is basically new unworn condition. I expect about 1.25" to 1.5" 50 yard groups in mine if I do my job right.

[Artful]

I've seen the carbine at several shows lately. Can anyone tell me if they shoot- i.e. minute-of-beer-can at 50 yards?

Oh, yeah minute-of-beer-can easily.

[rintinglen]

I've seen the carbine at several shows lately. Can anyone tell me if they shoot- i.e. minute-of-beer-can at 50 yards?
Drink Foster's--bigger targets!!