Third Party Press

Inherited a German used Star B and it sat in the safe for two years and didnt know it

Hey guys, this is pretty neat. Ive got a stamped Spanish Star B sitting next to me.

Two years ago my father in law, we miss you sir, passed three guns to me when it was time. A really neglected family farm 12ga from the 1890's, an old colt pocket .25, and a slightly rusted up Star B.

I was told that my mother in law inherited the Star from her uncle in the 70's. That they had last shot it also in the late 70's, and then it sat in the toolbox they pulled it out of since then. That night I told them it looked like a bringback since it was missing an import mark and Ive never heard of Star's being on the market forty years ago. I was thinking the Korean war, or maybe it was used by allied troops during ww2 for some reason.

So on Saturday night. I'm sitting here with a miller and I pull it out and date it on google like ive done a good number of times. I knew it was ww2 era ish but had forgotten what year exactly. Couldn't they just stamp the year on it for me? Then I take a shot in the dark and google what side used the Star B in ww2. And I find threads about a 2010 import where fakes were brought in. Well thats news, that let me know the Germans used these, and no shite the one in front of me has a less than perfect waffen right where it should be and its even got the issue holster I started seeing on the internet.

Consider me amazed. I am on the net gawking at lugers and p38's and broomhandles and the whole time ive got a bringback sitting in my safe. Now I dont know how the uncle got it, i'm going to have to research if and where he was stationed. But both our sides have a lot of military service in them so this isnt completely crazy. Not like were some liberal family who farms organic peace daisies in Utah or something.

So here's some pic's. If you have any pieces to the puzzle let me know. I found its brother on an auction site with a serial number 30 digits off that says it was used by the German navy.

Its had a few CLP baths to stop some small rust spots. I have no idea how to care for a holster this old, can I give it a coat of leather moisturizer??

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Very nice rig there.. The correct holster also is not easy to find. The holster looks fine and as long as its not super dry it shouldn't need and help.
Over oiling is the worst thing you can do. Don't store the gun or the mags in the holster long term. I put news paper or something in the holster to keep its shape. Keep oil on the metal NO oil on the holster. This will help preserve for the long haul.
 
That's good to know, it's got a moderate coat of oil right now, sitting in the holster. I will take it out when I get home. I found it odd the spare mag rusted heavily in the holster but the pistol did not. Thank you for the advise.
 
leather attracts moisture Jerry Burney ( leather & Holster expert ) says not to treat the leather unless it is completely dried out, even then with fine coats, what you use also matters . I recommend as above store with newspaper tucked inside, store the pistol in a bore store. its a nice collectable I would resist the urge to take it to the range ( yah I know its your gun) take glock or sig to the range.
 
Good call, I took out the oily pistol and will get some kind of barrel rack for it. I completely agree with you that theres no need to fire it. I dont want to break anything on it or mess with replacing springs. Ive got plenty of shooters around. Thank you for the leather advise. The pistol was stored in the holster its whole life and came out pretty good but the leather is showing its age bad.
 
These German contract Model B pistols are not common, and yours looks to be in beautiful condition.
I would not make a habit of shooting this one. It's way too nice.
 
These German contract Model B pistols are not common, and yours looks to be in beautiful condition.
I would not make a habit of shooting this one. It's way too nice.
Your star is a post war Bulgarian bought weapon with the fake WaA251 waffenampt... The original German contract had a WaAD20. Yours also shows Bulgarian police serial numbers as stamped.

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Your star is a post war Bulgarian bought weapon with the fake WaA251 waffenampt... The original German contract had a WaAD20. Yours also shows Bulgarian police serial numbers as stamped.

I think yours may be good? Actually e/251 AND e/D20 are both correct depending on delivery. Yours is NOT in that group of known fakes. Wrong serial number and the acceptance is not the clean centered fake one. This has been going on for 2 decades?

Check this http://www.panchogun.com/FVWebPhotos/FV-Star-Model-B-FAKE-WaA-6x100px.jpg

By acceptance yours could only have been in the 2nd delivery in '43, but your s/n is not in that group. https://www.thefirearmsforum.com/threads/nazi-star.3205/


I still like them and own a non-faked Bulgarian contract piece.
 
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I think yours may be good? Actually e/251 AND e/D20 are both correct depending on delivery. Yours is NOT in that group of known fakes. Wrong serial number and the acceptance is not the clean centered fake one. This has been going on for 2 decades?

Check this http://www.panchogun.com/FVWebPhotos/FV-Star-Model-B-FAKE-WaA-6x100px.jpg

By acceptance yours could only have been in the 2nd delivery in '43, but your s/n is not in that group. https://www.thefirearmsforum.com/threads/nazi-star.3205/


I still like them and own a non-faked Bulgarian contract piece.
It may indeed be a real German contract gun but still has Bulgarian police serial number markings....

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It may have been part of the contract not delivered and diverted to the Germans. The fake waa251 bears no resemblance to that stamp on the tang.
Fake waffenampts are typically to well made and detailed for their own good and that's a correct holster for the pistol.

No doubt brought back as a rig.
 
..The fake waa251 bears no resemblance to that stamp on the tang.
Fake waffenampts are typically to well made and detailed for their own good and that's a correct holster for the pistol.

No doubt brought back as a rig.

On the first point we definitely agree. I don't know enough about the holster to comment but your point sure seems valid.

Knife Wounds, if you get a chance can you post a picture of the bottom? I'd like to see what's on the heel right behind the magazine.
 
I see no Bulgarian police marks. It looks exactly like my 2nd variation Star B, with the WaA251 stamp. As k98zf39 said, the serial number on the bottom of the frame under the grip will be the final tell. If it's less than 225,007 it's legit.


The serial number is on the bottom of the grip. What is it?
 
Actually here's the slots... plural. If it's in this range it's legit. I'm guessing by the look of the Waf it is.

Second Variation: 7,999 pistols delivered to German headquarters in Hendaye, France on July 26, 1943. Waffenampt WaA251. 4,000 for Army, 3,999 for Navy. Army: 214953-216200; 216251-217502; 222457-222675; 222701-222750; 223776-225006. Navy: 217503-218042;218044-218048; 218050-218123; 218125-219400; 219501-219530; 219532-219950; 220026-220942; 220944-221200; 221976-222456,

These are the only e/251 pistols.
 
Ya lets check it out. I will get a picture up of the bottom and under the grip. There grip pictures are going to be rough this is the one place the gun has rusted up at. No surprise with a wood gripped pistol stored in a toolbox for a long time and no maintenance.
 
This is my GI pimped out Star model B. Ive never seen this hollister associated with the Star Nazi pistols any ideas. There are no markers marks anywhere. Not sure what is up with the green red foil under the plexiglass I thought nautical theme but this range went to army. I believe chrome and grips were done oversea's. Person i bought it from also stated thats how it came back. IMG_3214.jpgIMG_3221.jpgIMG_3215.jpgIMG_3224.jpgIMG_3225.jpgIMG_3216.jpgIMG_3222.jpg
 

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