Actually, you might just want to get a 20ga. Just as effective for self-defense as the 12ga. The big plus is that your wife and daughter could shoot it without the 12ga recoil. My sister in law has the 20ga Mossberg with an 18" barrel. She actually enjoys shooting it. I can't remember if they put a pistol grip on it or not.
Weapons - What you have (NOT a political discussion)
- Thread starter Checkswrecks
- Start date
"I" think the only time a 12ga is needed is for hunting. (or LE where body armor might be encountered) Where the distances might be longer like in duck hunting. Or hunting a deer where they can get quite large. (except in TX) A 20ga slug is larger than any pistol and it still has the option of buck shot.
I’ve asked two gentleman on 2 different occasions about it last weekend and they both guess it to be between 1890&1910. When googling it that ads up. I learned that i can send an email to the Royal Armory in Leeds (UK) because they have all the documentation from G.E.Lewis. Costs a tenner i believe and they’ll tell you anything they can find. Maybe I’ll do that.
SkunkWorks
Well-Known Member
Disassembled my STAR Firestar M45 for a much-needed cleaning, and a re-spring.
Ordered a kit from Wolff-GunSprings.
The last couple times I had this out (which was a long time ago) the recoil spring seemed really weak, and the Slide-action was really slow.
It would struggle to load the next round also.
It's extremely dirty too, which is part of the problem.........
I acquired this Handgun when I lived in AZ from a coworker.
The story was that this used to be his Uncle's Duty-Gun.........
It was always a really nice-shooting weapon. For a compact 45 it's quite heavy, and my Wife even enjoyed shooting this one..........said it was her favorite, back when she used to go shooting with me.
I carried it at times in AZ.
It's just been sitting in the Safe for around a decade now..................It's time to give it some much-needed attention.
She's Dirty!
I should be ashamed................
Ordered a kit from Wolff-GunSprings.
The last couple times I had this out (which was a long time ago) the recoil spring seemed really weak, and the Slide-action was really slow.
It would struggle to load the next round also.
It's extremely dirty too, which is part of the problem.........
I acquired this Handgun when I lived in AZ from a coworker.
The story was that this used to be his Uncle's Duty-Gun.........
It was always a really nice-shooting weapon. For a compact 45 it's quite heavy, and my Wife even enjoyed shooting this one..........said it was her favorite, back when she used to go shooting with me.
I carried it at times in AZ.
It's just been sitting in the Safe for around a decade now..................It's time to give it some much-needed attention.
She's Dirty!
I should be ashamed................
whisperquiet
Well-Known Member
I was able to shoot over 100 rounds through my Glock 42 yesterday…..100 FMJ rounds and about 15 rounds of hollow points. There were no problems and I found the gun to shoot very good for a close range defensive weapon up to about 35 feet or so. I also shot my S&W 9mm Shield…..a little easier to shoot as it is larger in size. Overall, I am very happy with the Baby Glock .380.
My money is more on the dirt than weak springs. Of course, if it is a really old gun, springs aren't out of the question. I had a H&K USP .40 as a duty weapon for a while. We were doing some night shooting and were told to leave the guns in the holster. Just pop the mag and refill. So, refilling and talking, talking and refilling. No problem. After the next exercise, the instructor advised that we should be empty. Hmmmm. Mine is still at battery. Another refill, another exercise. Still at battery and two rounds in the mag. On the next refill I counted. 13, 14, 15, and almost 16. Problem was that it was only a 13 rd mag. But since it was an H&K, not one malfunction. Worked perfectly. Sadly, the same couldn't be said about the Kimber.
I'm also thinkin' that if that was his duty weapon, he was plain clothes. Or it was his back-up.
I'm also thinkin' that if that was his duty weapon, he was plain clothes. Or it was his back-up.
My kids are Glock guys. It might be because that's what they're issued. A lot of folks love them. I've never been a fan due to their mushy trigger(s). Hard to get used to a striker fire after so long with real triggers. I've been carrying a .40 Shield PC since '17. I just recently stole my wife's ,380 Shield EZ PC for my EDC. I like the terminal ballistics better for self-defense in a crowd. It costs more than the Glock but has features that I think are important. And since it's internal hammer fired, the trigger pull is fantastic.
SkunkWorks
Well-Known Member
I'll know after I get it cleaned, lubed, and reassembled.........just to check, fresh 45 cartridges drop right into the chamber easily, so there's not a restriction there.
These Firestars aren't terribly old. They were all produced during the 90's, but if the recoil-spring is weak I'll have that fixed.
I have one of these in 9mm too that I recently acquired. (they also made these in .40 S&W. If I find one at a reasonable price I may pick it up)
I'm not certain of the details of this being his Uncle's duty-weapon.
I acquired three different firearms from him that day, and we were talking a whole bunch about guns and stories.
Just remembering what he mentioned to me about this one.
SkunkWorks
Well-Known Member
Cleaned up all the small parts, then took the Frame and Slide out to the Garage to scrub them in a pan.
Sprayed some foaming bore-cleaner down the barrel to let it dissolve the gunk for awhile.
Started assembling the Frame while the cleaner did its work.
Ran a brass brush down the Barrel about 20 times. Then a few patches soaked with CLP, followed with around 3 dry patches.
It came out clean and shiny!
I went with the 24-lb recoil-spring, and a new firing-pin spring.
Assembled the rest of the Slide and Frame, and then all together.
Lubed all the mechanism and pivots as I was assembling the parts.
Tested functional operation of all the workings.
Sprayed some foaming bore-cleaner down the barrel to let it dissolve the gunk for awhile.
Started assembling the Frame while the cleaner did its work.
Ran a brass brush down the Barrel about 20 times. Then a few patches soaked with CLP, followed with around 3 dry patches.
It came out clean and shiny!
I went with the 24-lb recoil-spring, and a new firing-pin spring.
Assembled the rest of the Slide and Frame, and then all together.
Lubed all the mechanism and pivots as I was assembling the parts.
Tested functional operation of all the workings.
SkunkWorks
Well-Known Member
Ready for a visit to the Range!
thughes317
Well-Known Member
That's a nice looking pew pew, but that trigger looks like it would inflict a nasty wound if it pinched your finger against the trigger guard.
SkunkWorks
Well-Known Member
I'm not sure that it's possible to get your finger in between there?
Gun is actually smaller than my photos show, and the trigger pivots down when pressed so it closes that gap when actively shooting.
I've never thought of it, and never noticed it to be a concern. My Bear-Paw trigger-finger fills the trigger area pretty well anyway.
Gun is actually smaller than my photos show, and the trigger pivots down when pressed so it closes that gap when actively shooting.
I've never thought of it, and never noticed it to be a concern. My Bear-Paw trigger-finger fills the trigger area pretty well anyway.
tntmo
Well-Known Member
Thanks for reminding me again about the Star Firestar Plus that I have in the back of my gun safe! It's a good shooter, I bought it cheap for my wife because she wanted to try out a 9mm after shooting the snub nose 38 I got her. She eventually got a few other 9mm's and the Star just got abandoned.
thughes317
Well-Known Member
Roger that, just looked like a pinch point (BTDT).
SkunkWorks
Well-Known Member
I've got the matching 9mm single-stack 7+1 version.
I'm taking them both to the Range tomorrow.
I've had the M45 for quite awhile. Just recently acquired the M43. We'll see how I like it...........
SkunkWorks
Well-Known Member
She's quite partial to that 45......................so, maybe?His and hers?
If I can get her to go to the Range with me, she can have whichever one she wants!
tntmo
Well-Known Member
I forget what a good pistol this is. Rarely gets taken out, my wife got a Ruger SR9C after this and then fell in love with a Springfield EMP so it got shuffled to the back.
Not a big market for these Spanish guns, but it has always been reliable.
Not a big market for these Spanish guns, but it has always been reliable.