Disassembling a Star Model B and other things you should never do.....

[Petrol & Powder]

I took the hammer and related parts out of a Star Super B to clean and inspect them. After considerable work I was able to reassemble the pistol. I used a punch to push the hammer spring and follower down into its blind hole, a second punch inserted through the mag well to hold the follower down while I used my third, forth and fifth hands to re-install the hammer via a slave pin :shock:. There's got to be an easier way!. There is no access hole in which to insert a temporary pin to hold the follower down while you install the hammer and it's incredibly short strut.
The hammer is going to need to come out again to fix a poorly cut sear notch (the hammer rocks back as the trigger is pulled before falling). I'm not looking forward to that.

Does anyone have a trick they care to share?

[Der Gebirgsjager]

You didn't lose the safety plunger when you removed the safety lever did you? :D I've worked on (and own) several of these and reassembly of the firing mechanism is never really easy. I don't have a particular sequence to share with you, just that it gets easier the more you do it. Once you have the mainspring and its plunger inserted then you put the hammer strut onto the top which is usually dished out a little and press straight down on the hammer until you can get a smallish pin punch inserted through the hole in the frame, or sometimes if the spring isn't that strong you can get the regular hammer pin inserted. The strut usually wants to give way one way or the other, so it's more a matter of where you put your thumb on the hammer and push to keep it going straight down. Almost never accomplished on the first try. Never had one that does what you describe, moving back before dropping. Fine pistol though, and worth whatever you need to do to it to slick it up.

[Petrol & Powder]

Managed to hang onto the safety plunger. Did launch the mainspring follower into the sheetrock ceiling....twice. Went and got a pair of safety glasses after the first event. Ultimately was able to pull the sear out and use that space to get another punch on top of the follower while I pushed the hammer down. I did just as you said and got a smaller pin punch through the frame and trapped the hammer in place. I then used a larger punch as a salve pin and got the hammer pin in place.
The main spring is rather strong but the hammer is not as heavy as one would expect. It would be a simple task if they had just put a hole in the frame so that you could put a pin in to hold the follower down while installing the hammer. I was almost ready to drill a hole but convinced myself that someone assembled it the first time without a hole in the frame.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

You know, actually you could do that (carefully) and I doubt if anyone would even notice the extra hole. I have a very nice set of Sterrett pin punches that I seldom use, (have a bunch of beaters in a bench top tray for most uses) but one of them is just the right size for this hammer job. It's a bit smaller than the pin hole but not sloppy, and once in the hole and having captured the hammer I can carefully pull it part of the way back out so that the tip is about in the middle of the hammer's pin hole. Then I start the actual hammer pin in from the correct side (your pin has a little head/rim on it, right? And has to come in from one side only.) and I pry/wiggle the hammer this way and that while pressing the pin into the hole, using the leverage of the pin punch to align the hole. Once the tip of the hammer pin enters the actual hole in the hammer you're home free. Takes a little practice, but works. Back to the hammer strut on the mainspring problem, if you can secure the frame in a waist high padded bench vise it helps a lot. Then you can push down on the hammer with the thumb of one hand and get the punch through the frame/hammer/frame with the other hand. You'll get the hang of it....and then you won't do it again for 10 years and have to learn it over again. Anyway, that's how these things go with me.

[Petrol & Powder]

I'd be willing to bet the Starrett pin punch I used as a slave pin was exactly the same model Starrett pin punch you use!

[Der Gebirgsjager]

:drinks:

[Petrol & Powder]

With some trepidation, I removed the hammer again. After a little judicious work with a fine stone I was able to remove the "hook" from the hammer notch. It actually went back together with less trouble than the last session and ended with that same Starrett punch as a slave pin. I still say that design would be improved with an access hole that would allow the main spring follower to be temporarily captured during reassembly.
With the now proper geometry between the sear and the hammer, the sear doesn't have to overcome the tension of the mainspring before the hammer is released. The hammer doesn't push off, there's plenty of engagement but no creep. I didn't touch the sear spring or the main spring. The trigger action is 100% improved!
The screw holes on the grip panels were just a little off (too close to each other) but a little work with a slightly larger drill bit fixed that flaw.
The next area that needs attention is the magazine safety. I hate those devices but this one seems to be fairly integral to the lockwork so it will stay. I'm going to try to polish the small section of the magazine that contacts the mag safety.


All in all, a great All Steel Old School Gun.

[Ragnarok]

Probably don't want to detail-strip a war-time P38 slide either...way too hard to put back together. If it's working ok best clean and lube and leave alone!

[Petrol & Powder]

Nothing can be as bad as an original Remington Model 51 or a H&K P7.

Take one of those apart and you'd better have an empty calendar for the day.

[Petrol & Powder]

Update on the Star Super B.
Got the hammer & sear sorted out. Huge improvement in the trigger pull.

Turned my attention to the barrel bushing. The bushing to barrel fit was good but the bushing to slide fit was a little sloppy. Since there are no replacement bushings readily available I decided to expand the one I had. The skirt of the bushing is fairly long so there was some material to work with. I found an appropriate arbor (a tapered 3/8" socket that just fit into the rear of the bushing) and used a vise to press the socket into the bushing to expand the rear O.D. of the bushing. I took it slow and checked my progress as I went. A flat piece of brass was used to protect the face of the bushing. When I got the bushing to the point that it just wouldn't seat, I stopped. Then using some sandpaper, I took a very small fraction of material off and polished the rear of the bushing until it would just seat. Now there's no play between the bushing and the slide. It doesn't require a bushing wrench to disassemble but it is tight.
I also installed a new heavier Wolff recoil spring as the old one seemed to be a little weak.

It's coming along nicely.

I checked the proof mark located under the left grip panel (Q 1) which corresponds to a 1972 manufacture date. There's also a "72" stamped on the left side of the trigger guard which I believed was the manufacturing date but wasn't sure until I verified the proof mark.

DOES ANYONE have knowledge of the history of these early 70's Star Super B's ? I've heard the Israeli police used Star Model B's but I don't have a good source to back up that claim.

[Petrol & Powder]

Did some informal shooting with the Star yesterday and was favorably impressed by that old gun. That all steel frame/slide really soaks up what little recoil the 9mm produces.
Shoots well, functions well, sights are on, trigger is good - It's a keeper!

[Tackleberry41]

I have an old Femaru somebody brought back from the war. Given to me, it was in pretty bad shape, tons of rust, grips busted. Wouldn't actually fire. I ignored it for a long time, then eventually messed with it. I won't take it apart willingly again. They must have used some jig at the factory, its almost to much for a person w 2 hands to assemble. This needs to be in beofor that, or can't get that in, but the other part is now in the way of something else. It has to be twisted this way another part put in then twisted back, several springs held captive while you try to line up the pin. About threw it away. Its only a 32 and not very reliable. Only thing it will really work with is factory hard ball. Figured I could reload for it, no not really, not if you want it to work without jamming constantly.

[Petrol & Powder]

Most of the Star is straight forward and not too complicated but that short hammer strut coupled with the blind hole the hammer spring resides in is a challenge.

[Bisbee]

I'm one that actually launched my Super B thumb safety, spring and plunger to God knows where.. Do any of you wiser than I, have any suggestions that might remedy my predicament? Your help would be greatly appreciated.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I think that just about everyone that disassembles one for the first time loses the spring and plunger. There's a trick for avoiding this which is to disassemble the thumb safety inside a large size freezer bag so that when the parts launch they're trapped in the bag. I've lost them before in just changing the grips, as the left hand grip is cut out to limit the travel of the thumb safety, and with the grip removed it's very east to push the safety downward too far and release the parts. Once gone it will take a Devine Blessing to find them. You're unlikely to easily find original parts, but I long ago purchased a plunger assortment and a tiny spring assortment from Brownell's, and can usually find something close enough to work.

[woodsie57]

After reading these posts, I'm cured of any plans to disassemble my Model B- i did remove the extractor once to clean the hidden gunk behind it, an seem to recall having a time with it! Thanks for the warnings! And, yes, they're great old shooters!

[30calflash]

Curious, is a Star BKM or BKS the same regarding the troubles listed here?

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Yes. Almost any Star model pistol, large or small, that in general resembles a 1911 uses this safety system. Taking it apart is really nothing to be dreaded if you can just remember to not push the safety lever down past its normal stopping point, or if you do want to completely disassemble it, then use the bag trick. Like anything, working with these pistols gets easier with practice.

[30calflash]

Thank you. 30cf

[DinoBambino]

I thought I would contribute to the thread (albeit waaaay late) because I feel like I cracked the deep codes of the universe.

The correct sequence to reassembling the Star Model B series of pistols (assuming complete disassembly):

1) Ensure that you removed the ejector. The ejector is the problem with reinstalling the hammer. That isn't just the blade sticking up - it's a large single piece that includes the trunnion forward of the hammer.

2) You now have too much room for the spring, plunger, and hammer. Push the whole mess straight down, no problem. This makes installing the hammer easier than any 1911 ever.

3) Reinstall the sear spring and sear. Cock the hammer - it should remain locked back.

4) Reinstall the ejector. Might need a nudge, but it's easy.

5) Install the trigger with its transfer bar prior to reinstalling the magazine release. You'll get more room.

The rest falls into place. Do it this way and you'll have the pistol back together in five minutes.

[leadhead]

Try putting a CZ82 back together after tear down.
It took me 3 days the first time. After the 3rd time,
it became kind of easy. You have to use round wooden
tooth picks for slave pins. That's how you learn.