- Bonifacio Echeverria Star 9MM Largo caliber pistol. This is the model A produced around 1922. It was adopted by the Spanish Guardia Civil. It has been arsenal refurbished at some point. Matching serial numbers except for the magazine. The left grip shows a repaired crack. The bore has strong rifling and shows frosting.
- 9MM LUGER CALIBER, PISTOL RECALL: INTERARMS has learned of occasional firing pin breakage in the Star M43 FIRESTAR 9MM pistols within the limited serial number range 1,953,001 to 1,958,000 ONLY. Such breakage does not pose any direct hazard to the shooter; however, the pistol is rendered inoperable.
Starr firearms were made at Yonkers, Binghamton, and Morrisania, New York, from 1858 to 1867. The New York City address referred to the Starr Arms Company store and office at 267 Broadway. Starr double-action.44 caliber revolvers, with serial numbers from 1 to about 23,000, were manufactured first, and Starr single-action.44 caliber revolvers.
The
Star Model BM is a single-actionsemi-automatic pistol that fires the 9 mm Para pistol cartridge. It was produced by Star Bonifacio Echeverria, S.A. in Spain. Although its external appearance resembles the classic M1911, its design is different in several respects. For example, the Star does not have the 1911's grip safety. In addition, the thumb safety on the Star disengages the sear, whereas it blocks the motion of the sear on a 1911. The pistol is fed by an 8-round detachable box magazine.
History
A total of 217,682 Star BM pistols were made between 1972 and 1992. BM serial numbers ranged from 1,226,501 to somewhere around 1,942,445. The pistols were made without mechanical variation throughout that period, but there may be a lot of different cosmetic variations depending on agency issue and commercial sales. In general, earlier pieces were more highly polished and later ones were more of a matte finish. After serial number 1,560,901 in 1981, all BM pistols were fitted with a ramped and serrated front sight. At approximately this same serial number a few other shortcuts were used to expedite production – a shorter rollmark/slide legend, coarser polish limited to side of the slide and frame, and all the small parts were given a bead blast matte finish. The slide cocking serrations are also reduced in number on these later pistols.
There have been at least four importers of ex-Spanish BMs to the United States: Garcia Sporting Arms, Interarms, PW Arms, and Century International Arms. Most imports in the US are arms that were traded in by various Spanish military branches to Star for exchange for newer model 28/30M and 28/30PK pistols. For the Interarms imports, Star reworked all these trade-ins prior to selling them to Interarms. Spain's Guardia Civil used BM's up through about 1990 or so as did many other police agencies in Europe and Latin America. Importers like Interarms got a hold of them when the agencies traded up to more modern designs.
The US-based gunsmith Timothy F. La France, the principal of
LaFrance Specialties (formerly of San Diego, California) used the Star BM pistol as a basis to manufacture a sub-compact custom pistol called the
NOVA 6-Pack, basically a Star BM shortened to pocket-size; the
NOVA 6-Pack was manufactured only under custom order in a very small number of samples, and was, at one time, the smallest 9mm handgun in the world.
In the motion-picture industry, particularly in the filming of war movies, a Star Model B pistol would often substitute for a Colt 1911, since the former works more reliably with blank ammunition, and the two appear quite similar from a distance.
Star Models and Manufacture Dates This list is not presented as the definitive list, there is much speculation on Star pistol models due to a lack of official records from the manufacturer.
.22 Long Rifle
.25 ACP (6.35 mm)
7.63 mm Mauser
7.65 Parabellum (.30 Luger)
7.65 mm (.32 French Long)
.32 ACP (7.65 mm)
9mm Corto (.380 ACP)
9mm Parabellum (Luger)
9mm Largo (Bergmann Bayard)
9mm Browning Long
.38 ACP
.45 ACP
| .22 Long Rifle |
| MODEL | DATES | NOTES |
| F | 1928 - 1942 | 4Ό barrel with safety behind trigger. |
| F Sport | 1932 - 1942 | 6' version of above. |
| F Target | 1932 - 1942 | 7 version of above. |
| FTB | 1932 - 1942 | Accurized version of above; imported by Stoeger in 1934. |
| FK | 1932 - 1933 | Single-shot version. |
| FP | 1933 - 1934 | Set trigger, orthopedic grips. |
| F | 1942 - 1958 | 4Ό barrel, thumb safety, round barrel |
| F Sport | 1942 - 1958 | 6 version of above. |
| F Target | 1942 - 1958 | 7 version of above. |
| F | 1942 - 1958 | As above with barrel weights. Later version called Olimpic (sic). |
| HF | 1955 | 3 barrel, small aluminum frame. |
| HK | 1955 - 1983 | As above. Called Lancer in U.S. |
| FR | 1958 -1967 | 4Ό as previous F with squared barrel |
| FR Sport | 1958 - 1967 | 6 version of above |
| FR Target | 1958 - 1967 | 7 version of above. |
| FR | 1967 - 1983 | As previous FR with slide stop added |
| FR Sport | 1967 - 1983 | 6 version of above. |
| FR Target | 1967 - 1983 | 7 version of above |
| FM | 1972 - 1977 | As previous FR with webbed trigger guard |
| .25 ACP (6.35 mm) |
| MODEL | DATES | NOTES |
| Izarra | 1905 - 1906 | Hammerless; made in small quantities |
| No. 2 | 1906 - 1909 | Concealed hammer with removable breechblock in slide |
| No. 2 | 1907 - 1909 | Concealed hammer, conventional slide. |
| 1908 | 1908 - 1914 | Mannlicher styling with rowel hammer; some marked Estrella on grips. |
| 1908 | 1908 - 1914 | As above with bird on grips and safety on hammer |
| 1914 | 1914 - 1926 | Smaller version of French issue .32 of same year. Hammer block safety. |
| E | 1925 - 1934 | Semi-spur hammer, safety behind trigger. Forerunner of CO. |
| 1926 | 1926 - 1930 | As 1914 but with safety behind trigger. |
| CO | 1930 - 1956 | Slightly larger than E. Popular in U.S. |
| CU | 1956 - 1973 | Streamlined, aluminum-framed version of CO. Called 'Starlet' in U.S. |
| CK | 1973 - 1983 | CU with minor changes. |
| 7.63 mm Mauser |
| MODEL | DATES | NOTES |
| 1920 | 1920 - 1921 | Export version of M1920. |
| 1921 | 1921 | Export Version of M1921 |
| A | 1922 - 1983 | Export version of M 1922 (see all under 9 mm B-B) |
| M | 1933 - 1983 | Larger than A. |
| MD | 1933 - 1980 | M with selective-fire mechanism. |
| MM | 1933 - 1983 | M with shoulder stock. |
| MMS | 1956 - 1983 | As above with magazine safety. |
| 7.65 Parabellum (.30 Luger) |
| MODEL | DATES | NOTES |
| UKS | 1972 | Similar to BKS (see under 9 mm Parabellum). |
| US | 1972 | Similar to BS-UKS and US made as prototypes for possible Italian sale. |
| .32 ACP (7.65 mm) |
| MODEL | DATES | NOTES |
| No. 2 | 1908 - 1909 | Larger version of 1907 No. 2 .25. |
| 1910 | Larger version of 1908 .25 with rowel hammer |
| 1913 | 1913 - 1915 | As above with longer barrel. |
| Izarra | 1914 - 1921 | 'Ruby'-type. Not all sold to France. |
| 1914 | 1915 - 1918 | French issue-20,000 delivered. |
| 1926 | 1926 - 1931 | Similar to 1914 but safety behind trigger. |
| H | 1931 - 1936 | Spur hammer, pocket sized. |
| I | 1932 - 1935 | 4Ό' version of then current F .22. |
| I | 1935 - 1942 | Above with slide stop and thumb safety. |
| I | 1942 - 1957 | Above but without slide stop. |
| SI | 1944 - 1983 | Miniaturized Model A (see 9 mm B-B) |
| SI-Super | 1948 - 1983 | As above with quick takedown. |
| I | 1957 - 1967 | As 1942 version but with squared barrel. |
| SIS | 1957 - 1983 | SI with magazine safety. |
| I | 1967 | As 1957 version with slide stop. |
| IR | 1967 - 1983 | New name for 1967 I. |
| DKI | 1972 to date | .32 version of DK (see under .380); unimportable in U.S. |
| 7.65 mm (.32 French Long) |
| MODEL | DATES | NOTES |
| L | 1933 | Five only made for French Army tests. |
| 9mm Corto (.380 ACP) |
| MODEL | DATES | NOTES |
| 1914 | 1914 - 1926 | Similar to M1914 .32 |
| D | 1922 - 1928 | Small locked-breech with safety behind trigger |
| D | 1928 - 1932 | As above but with slide stop |
| H | 1930 - 1932 | Similar to H .32 |
| HN | 1932 - 1936 | New name for H in .380 caliber |
| I | 1933 | Similar to contemporary I .32 |
| IN | 1934 - 1935 | New name for I in .380 cal. and thumb safety added |
| IN Police | 1935 - 1940 | With slide stop added |
| S | 1940 - 1983 | Miniaturized Model A |
| S-Super | 1948 - 1983 | Quick Takedown version, few made |
| D-Super | 1950 | Smallest Super version, few made |
| DK | 1956 - 1982 | forerunner of U.S. Model D and Pony pistols, called 'Starfire' in U.S. |
| SS | 1957 - 1983 | S with magazine safety |
| Super-SM | 1971 - 1983 | As S-Super with adjustable rear sight |
| DKL | 1982 to date | New name for DK, un importable in U.S. |
| 9mm Parabellum (Luger) |
| MODEL | DATES | NOTES |
| 1920 | 1920 - 1921 | Export/commercial version of military model |
| 1921 | 1921 | Export/commercial version of military model |
| 1922 | 1922 - 1931 | Export/commercial version of military model |
| B | 1924 - 1931 | Alternate name of M1922 |
| B | 1931 - 1983 | M1911A1 backstrap added, popular in U.S. |
| B .08 | 1942 - 1944 | German police/military issue |
| B-Super | 1946 - 1983 | Quick takedown feature, popular in U.S. |
| BS | 1957 - 1983 | As B with magazine safety |
| BKS | 1970 - 1983 | Compact aluminum frame |
| BKM | 1972 to date | Even smaller than BKS, currently in U.S. |
| BM | 1972 to date | As BKM with steel frame, currently in U.S. |
| 28 | 1980 - 1983 | Double-action, 15-shot |
| 30M | 1983 to date | Improvement of M28, adopted in Guardia Civil |
| 30PK | 1983 to date | Latest double-action version current in U.S. with aluminum frame, shorter than 30M, adopted by Spanish Police |
| 9mm Largo (Bergmann Bayard) |
| MODEL | DATES | NOTES |
| 1920 | 1920 - 1921 | Made for Guardia Civil with safety on slide |
| 1921 | 1921 | Guardia Civil pistol with thumb and grip safety |
| 1922 | 1922 - 1931 | Guardia Civil forerunner of Model A, B. P, etc., with grip safety dropped |
| A | 1924 - 1931 | Alternate name for Model 1922 |
| A | 1931 - 1983 | M1911A1 type backstrap added |
| M | 1931 - 1983 | Slightly larger than A. |
| MD | 1931 - 1983 | As M with selective fire |
| M-Super | 1946 - 1983 | Quick takedown feature |
| AS | 1956 - 1983 | As A with magazine safety |
| MS | 1956 - 1983 | As M with magazine safety |
| 9mm Browning Long |
| MODEL | DATES | NOTES |
| C | 1924 - 1931 | Few made, similar to A |
| C-Super | 1946 | Quick takedown feature, few made |
| .38 ACP |
| MODEL | DATES | NOTES |
| Note | Almost all models listed under 9mm Largo were also made concurrently in this caliber,differing mainly in milling of breech face, marked 9mm/.38 |
| .45 ACP |
| MODEL | DATES | NOTES |
| Izarra | 1917 | First large-caliber prototype (hammerless) submitted for French tests. Order received but no production due to war. |
| 1920 | 1920 - 1921 | Export version of military model. |
| 1921 | 1921 | Export version of military model. |
| 1922 | 1922 - 1931 | Export version of military model. |
| P | 1923 - 1931 | Alternate name for M1922. |
| P | 1931 - 1983 | M1911A1 type backstrap added. |
| M | 193l - 1936 | Slightly larger version of P. |
| PD | 1931 - 1934 | Selective-fire version of P. |
| PS | 1957 - 1983 | As P with magazine safety. |
| Super-P | 1958 | Quick takedown model. |
| PKM | 1974 | Similar to BKM. Prototype for PD. |
| PD | 1975 to date | Compact aluminum-frame model with low profile adjustable sights, Current in U.S. |
Star Bm Pistol Serial Numbers
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Star 9mm Pistol Serial Numbers