STAR PD 45

nutinauniversalshell · 04-22-2008, 07:10 PM

So I picked one of these up today for $200.

It needs a little cleaning as it has spots of rusts.

I took it mostly apart, but the pin through the trigger just wont come out.

I figured Ill take it back to the shop in a couple days and see if the owner can get it out...I want to clean the trigger up.

Anyone have experience with these pistols? I figured for $200 it should be fair.
Any recommendations?

It was the shop owner' father in laws pistol, so he took it in on trade.

Rew · 04-22-2008, 07:38 PM

I have heard that they were very good. But the frame is aluminum, I believe, and tend to take a beating with full power loads. They are suppose to be an accurate little pistol.

hawksnest · 04-23-2008, 11:23 PM

The Star PD is a great .45. You got one for a very good price.

nutinauniversalshell · 04-24-2008, 10:46 PM

Today I had the trigger pin removed. Followed that with sanding the trigger smooth and free from rust, same with the hammer, then I cold blued them.

I had a couple dings on the frame from my hammering, so I sanded them smooth and alumablacked the spots....I may have it tefloned or anodized depending on cost so it looks more uniform and overall, just better.

Came home and wanted to clean the rust spots off. After some effort, I noticed some LIME AWAY. Figured it would take the rust off while I cleaned the other parts....HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.
If you didnt know, it takes the rust off very well...and the blueing!!!

So I went and got a can of brake cleaner and cold blue.

After much rubbing with swabs, I took a baggie and poured the blue in it, then dunked the parts for a final coating. Looked great, but the deep black did wipe off to a nice bluing on some parts, and the slide still looking a little rougher.

So I reassembled, OILING like crazy along the way as rust was pretty much everywhere again

Then I oiled the grips...1 darker than the other...no, that wont work.
Stripped the grips, down to the basement, and 1 coat of red mahogany stain...left to dry till tomorrow then a shot of poly.

Compared to before it looks better. Hopefully with a couple days down and more oiling, I wont get any more surface rust and I know the grips will look amazing.

Now all i need to figure out is:
1)should I modify the rear tang so my hand gets a little better grip?
2)Frame...anodize or teflon ($? or $20)?
3)Top...leave it, good blueing, or teflon?
4)Keep or sell?

Its a cool little 45, but I still need it bead blasted to get rid of the pitting. Then some kind of finish maybe.

Or Ill leave it as is, shoot it, and sell it later.

Just figured Id post what I did in case someone learns from my mistakes.

Maybe I can get some pics up in a few days too.

5knives · 04-25-2008, 02:37 PM

Sounds like the previous owner(s) used it just as it was designed to be used, carried concealed.

They were fairly hard to get when new and the few people I knew that had them trusted them implicitly. Did have to stay on them for rust and other results of regular concealed wear though.

By the time I realized just what an excellent piece they were it was impossible to find one else I'd have owned one.

Identical copy today in stainless would be a big seller once the word got out.

Personally I refinish enough to protect, change the tang if really necessary and carry it.

JMHO. YMMV

Regards,

nutinauniversalshell · 04-25-2008, 04:08 PM

I mostly just like the way it looks. But I picked it up thinking, "I need a 45 and this is cheap. Plus I can do whatever I want with it without worrying about hurting the value."

It is unlikely that I will carry it. I like my Sig 250 so much or if I want something smaller, I carry my makarov.

Big reason I wanted to refinish it any at all was that I hate a rusty/pitted firearm, and I generally want them to look purty! unless battlefield look.

I dont think it was carried much either. From what i could tell before accidentally stripping it, it was bought, shot a box or two, and sat in a drawer or somewhere. A couple small rust spots popped up and one bad spot, but the rest was nearly perfect. The frame would have been flawless if I hadnt hit it with the hammer...OH WELL SHIT HAPPENS.

It seems I like these projects more as something to do than to keep, but we'll see once I shoot it.

nutinauniversalshell · 04-26-2008, 02:22 AM

Well, I shot it earlier. Put 50 rounds of Wolf through it. Not a single problem.

It might be a little better with a stronger recoil spring, but it was nearly sighted in correctly too. Little left and down, but close enough to shoot a can and pastry cup at about 10-15 ft. Even shot a nickel.

I like it...maybe it will be religated to truck gun or something, but I give it a thumbs up for those first 50 at least.

nutinauniversalshell · 04-26-2008, 05:16 PM

The cold blue doesnt look that great, but I think this might be stuck between the seats in my truck so it doesnt matter that much.

PS: Cold bluing=stinky gun everytime i pick it up I get a nose full.

DorGunR · 04-26-2008, 05:20 PM

Either you've got really big hands or that's a small pistol.

nutinauniversalshell · 04-26-2008, 05:31 PM

Its a 6 shot 45. Fairly small, but my hands are probably a little big too. About half my pinkie hangs off the grip.

Pistol: ~ 5" height X 7.25" long X 1.125" wide
Hand: ~ 4.75" wide X 8" long X maybe 2" thick not counting the thumb.

hawksnest · 04-27-2008, 08:29 AM

Nut: I have a pachmayr gip on my Star PD and it is one nice, concealable .45! The grip makes it much easier to hold and control.

04-22-2008, 07:10 PM	#1
nutinauniversalshell Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: TN Posts: 1,238	STAR PD 45 So I picked one of these up today for $200. It needs a little cleaning as it has spots of rusts. I took it mostly apart, but the pin through the trigger just wont come out. I figured Ill take it back to the shop in a couple days and see if the owner can get it out...I want to clean the trigger up. Anyone have experience with these pistols? I figured for $200 it should be fair. Any recommendations? It was the shop owner' father in laws pistol, so he took it in on trade. __________________ If you can't buy it build it. If you can't build it buy two.

04-22-2008, 07:38 PM	#2
Rew Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Colorado Posts: 9,710	I have heard that they were very good. But the frame is aluminum, I believe, and tend to take a beating with full power loads. They are suppose to be an accurate little pistol.

04-23-2008, 11:23 PM	#3
hawksnest Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 2,192	The Star PD is a great .45. You got one for a very good price.

04-24-2008, 10:46 PM	#4
nutinauniversalshell Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: TN Posts: 1,238	Today I had the trigger pin removed. Followed that with sanding the trigger smooth and free from rust, same with the hammer, then I cold blued them. I had a couple dings on the frame from my hammering, so I sanded them smooth and alumablacked the spots....I may have it tefloned or anodized depending on cost so it looks more uniform and overall, just better. Came home and wanted to clean the rust spots off. After some effort, I noticed some LIME AWAY. Figured it would take the rust off while I cleaned the other parts....HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. If you didnt know, it takes the rust off very well...and the blueing!!! So I went and got a can of brake cleaner and cold blue. After much rubbing with swabs, I took a baggie and poured the blue in it, then dunked the parts for a final coating. Looked great, but the deep black did wipe off to a nice bluing on some parts, and the slide still looking a little rougher. So I reassembled, OILING like crazy along the way as rust was pretty much everywhere again Then I oiled the grips...1 darker than the other...no, that wont work. Stripped the grips, down to the basement, and 1 coat of red mahogany stain...left to dry till tomorrow then a shot of poly. Compared to before it looks better. Hopefully with a couple days down and more oiling, I wont get any more surface rust and I know the grips will look amazing. Now all i need to figure out is: 1)should I modify the rear tang so my hand gets a little better grip? 2)Frame...anodize or teflon ($? or $20)? 3)Top...leave it, good blueing, or teflon? 4)Keep or sell? Its a cool little 45, but I still need it bead blasted to get rid of the pitting. Then some kind of finish maybe. Or Ill leave it as is, shoot it, and sell it later. Just figured Id post what I did in case someone learns from my mistakes. Maybe I can get some pics up in a few days too.

04-25-2008, 02:37 PM	#5
5knives KaBoom Kontrol Modulator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Colorado, Western Slope Posts: 16,229	Sounds like the previous owner(s) used it just as it was designed to be used, carried concealed. They were fairly hard to get when new and the few people I knew that had them trusted them implicitly. Did have to stay on them for rust and other results of regular concealed wear though. By the time I realized just what an excellent piece they were it was impossible to find one else I'd have owned one. Identical copy today in stainless would be a big seller once the word got out. Personally I refinish enough to protect, change the tang if really necessary and carry it. JMHO. YMMV Regards,

04-25-2008, 04:08 PM	#6
nutinauniversalshell Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: TN Posts: 1,238	I mostly just like the way it looks. But I picked it up thinking, "I need a 45 and this is cheap. Plus I can do whatever I want with it without worrying about hurting the value." It is unlikely that I will carry it. I like my Sig 250 so much or if I want something smaller, I carry my makarov. Big reason I wanted to refinish it any at all was that I hate a rusty/pitted firearm, and I generally want them to look purty! unless battlefield look. I dont think it was carried much either. From what i could tell before accidentally stripping it, it was bought, shot a box or two, and sat in a drawer or somewhere. A couple small rust spots popped up and one bad spot, but the rest was nearly perfect. The frame would have been flawless if I hadnt hit it with the hammer...OH WELL SHIT HAPPENS. It seems I like these projects more as something to do than to keep, but we'll see once I shoot it.

04-26-2008, 02:22 AM	#7
nutinauniversalshell Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: TN Posts: 1,238	Well, I shot it earlier. Put 50 rounds of Wolf through it. Not a single problem. It might be a little better with a stronger recoil spring, but it was nearly sighted in correctly too. Little left and down, but close enough to shoot a can and pastry cup at about 10-15 ft. Even shot a nickel. I like it...maybe it will be religated to truck gun or something, but I give it a thumbs up for those first 50 at least.

04-26-2008, 05:16 PM	#8
nutinauniversalshell Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: TN Posts: 1,238	The cold blue doesnt look that great, but I think this might be stuck between the seats in my truck so it doesnt matter that much. PS: Cold bluing=stinky gun everytime i pick it up I get a nose full.

04-26-2008, 05:20 PM	#9
DorGunR Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Maryland Posts: 30,905	Either you've got really big hands or that's a small pistol.

04-26-2008, 05:31 PM	#10
nutinauniversalshell Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: TN Posts: 1,238	Its a 6 shot 45. Fairly small, but my hands are probably a little big too. About half my pinkie hangs off the grip. Pistol: ~ 5" height X 7.25" long X 1.125" wide Hand: ~ 4.75" wide X 8" long X maybe 2" thick not counting the thumb.

04-27-2008, 08:29 AM	#11
hawksnest Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 2,192	Nut: I have a pachmayr gip on my Star PD and it is one nice, concealable .45! The grip makes it much easier to hold and control.