Need help with single action Starr Pistol

[Joe Plakis, 9575V]

I am looking to talk to someone who shoots a single action Starr Pistol. I am having a couple of problems and I would like to discuss them with an owner of a Starr.

Thanks

[Edwin Flint, 8427]

Use it as a trot line weight! :!: :shock:

:idea: Put it on the wall!

Don't like them. Stood next to one on the line a few weeks ago and still have bruised arm where lead fragments hit me since the chambers didn't line up well with the forcing cone. Gap was also too big between the forcing cone and cylinder.

Do a search on the board. These were discussed some time ago. I think the general opinion was that this gun should be limited to re-enactment only.

[Joe Plakis, 9575V]

Ed the problem is that I have one of the few starrs that actually shoots. It actually shoots better than I do. I posted because I need to talk to someone else who has one to see if they had some information. I did not post to have my gun rated. Again I am looking for answers not opinions.

Thanks

Please PM if you own a Starr

[Edwin Flint, 8427]

Sorry Joe,

I sincerely hope it works out for you.

Ed

[Joe Plakis, 9575V]

Thanks, believe it or not I have one of the few guns that is accurate and lines up. The cylinder was undersized for the bore which is not uncommon for any type of gun, so when I had it opened up I had it alligned.

My question deals with the cylinder locking stud, just wondering if anyone is haveing wear issues.

[Mike w/ 34th]

Joe,

If you're asking about the repro Starr, then the answer is yes. I'm having locking stud issues, and I've only fired about a hundred rounds out of mine. It shoots okay, but only when it locks up.

I'd be interested in hearing who did your accurizing job. Tri-L said they couldn't do a Starr when I asked.

Cheers,

Mike

[Richard Hill]

Sorry about the arm, Ed.

The starr (lower case deliberate) Ed's talking about shot real well at first. At the last practice before the aforementioned skirmish the gun did well but started to get erratic, so I figured it was me and called it a day. At the skirmish I hit absolutely nothing with it in two 25 yard events, except for Ed's arm.

The gun has developed some clearances. The cylinder will no longer reliably lock and it has acquired a little fore-and-aft movement. The gun is now in its component pieces awaiting a post-mortem and possible resurrection. I believe the circular recess cut in the vertical part of the frame to receive the back of the cylinder was cut about 1/32” (or less) too deep. It appears that someone at the factory upset the metal on each side of the slot for the hammer to remove the cylinder play. The firing of live ammunition has somewhat flattened out these raised sections, allowing the cylinder to move and causing the problems. The problems probably would have never occurred for someone shooting blanks, but Real Men don’t shoot blanks.

I believe a shim will take care of the fore-and-aft movement, which may be the cause of the unreliable locking. The oval slots in the cylinder are a close fit to the locking bolt. It also needs a larger forcing cone cut. I did notice, upon disassembly, that the internals were remarkably clean. There may be hope for this clunker. I attribute its faults to the Italian makers and not the design of the pistol. The load is 20 grains Goex 3F with a little filler, and a .451 round ball.

[Joe Plakis, 9575V]

Does the locking stud on yours have a sharp edge or a flat wide top? When you take the cylinder out does it go down then up like it does on a remington? I think half of the problem I am having right now is the fact that the cylinder catch is not functioning, and just dragging on the side of the cylinder.

thanks

[Richard Hill]

Wide flat top. It would appear that the slots cut in the cylinder are undersize. The pictures of several pistols I've seen on the web all show larger slots with a wide flat BOTTOM. With the way it is now, if the cylinder is just a hair too far back it won't lock. I will get another locking bolt at the Nationals and shape it to match the slots and see what happens. The best fix would to enlarge the slots in the cylinder.

[Mike w/ 34th]

Wide flat top here, as well. There is considerable play in the cylinder side to side, but not as much front and back. There shouldn't be any front and back.

When I was looking at ways to fix this problem, I was told not to alter the cylinder, but to alter the locking stud. Never got around to it because there was one chamber that misaligned, so it would never be a shooter unless I got that fixed.

Cheers,

Mike