What to do with 30+ year old .380? Would you carry?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What to do with 30+ year old .380? Would you carry?

Posted: 6/28/2013 11:51:19 AM EDT

I am not sure what to do with a Interarms 380 I got in trade. The slide release goes through the slide and locks the slide to the rear when empty. However it is catching on bullets locking it to the rear while firing. I have been told the mag is bad and wondering if this could be the case? New mags are $40 When I take it to shop they just say its old parts are hard to get and I need something new. I just bough my first AR so a new pistol is nowhere in my near future. Suggestions?

Posted: 6/28/2013 11:59:23 AM EDT

[#1]

Unload it in a gun "buy back".

They had a few here in PHX recently. I had a cluncker 25 ACP I wanted to trade for gift cards, but never got around to it.

Posted: 6/28/2013 12:11:18 PM EDT

[#2]

I have not seen one of those in a long time. It is a very sweet looking gun and I would love for it to work correctly especially since my wife just got a 380. However I don't have much into it so not sure about spending $40 on a new mag.

Posted: 6/28/2013 12:46:04 PM EDT

[#3]

Astra A-60/Constable? Interarms PPK/S?

Posted: 6/28/2013 1:52:34 PM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
Astra A-60/Constable? Interarms PPK/S?

Yes. Exactly what kind of pistol is it?

Posted: 6/28/2013 3:12:51 PM EDT

[#5]

As asked, Interarms imported many different .380 pistols, including Mauser HSc, Walther PPK/S, Asta Constable, Bernardelli Model USA, among many others...

Need more info...

Forrest

Posted: 6/28/2013 3:38:45 PM EDT

[#6]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Model_S

Its a blued SS not the S posted but pretty much the same thing.

Star SS

Posted: 6/28/2013 6:32:39 PM EDT

[#7]

I would take the mag apart and stretch the spring and see if that works at all. If not contact Wolff and see if they have a spring that will work for you.
http://www.gunsprings.com/home

Posted: 6/29/2013 4:38:52 PM EDT

[#8]

Totally WECSOG, but a quick and dirty way of fixing this is to file on the slide stop so that it doesn't hold the slide open at all. Or file enough from the area that is catching on bullets in the mag.

ETA: I don't see how the mag could cause this. Either the slide stop was not fitted properly from new, or are you using an unusual cartridge, like a hollow point or something? Try FMJ rounds.

Posted: 6/30/2013 6:17:14 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:

I have not seen one of those in a long time. It is a very sweet looking gun and I would love for it to work correctly especially since my wife just got a 380. However I don't have much into it so not sure about spending $40 on a new mag.

A new mag may do the trick, and it would make it easier to sell if you dont like it.

Posted: 6/30/2013 9:11:44 AM EDT

[#10]

I admit I have taken a little metal off. It still does it some but less frequently. I suppose since I only have one mag it really doesn't matter if it locks to the rear or not.

This the mag it takes
http://www.ammoclip.com/S/star_s,_sm_super_380acp.htm

Posted: 7/1/2013 10:28:40 AM EDT

[#11]

I had a Nickle Plated Star BM that I just recently sold.
Every now and again, I see different Star model's for sale on Backpage.

Yes the parts are hard to find and expensive, but I shot prolly 500 rounds thru mine in the year and a half I owned it. It was nice and heavy for my wife to enjoy, and was a blast to shoot.
Mine was the 9mm single stack short barrel variety. Thing was a blast.

The parts availability is what let me to sell it. But was able to get a nice sale price out of it. I would suggest trying a new mag if its worth for you to keep it.
If you are without a pistol of any variety, I would say keep it, but only if it is reliable.
ETA: This thread needs pics.

Posted: 7/1/2013 2:20:23 PM EDT

[#12]

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a195/bunnerrabbit/IMG_20130701_173014.jpg

Posted: 7/1/2013 2:41:21 PM EDT

[#13]

Get it running and I would carry it. I have a Star model SS in stainless. Wish I had kept it. I still have a mag for it somewhere..........

Posted: 7/1/2013 6:26:23 PM EDT

[#14]

My brother had one for a while but sold it because he couldn't find spare mags and parts (not sure how hard he tried). It was a surprisingly accurate gun and he claimed it was reliable. His was blued and in very good shape but he only had the one magazine for it.

Posted: 7/1/2013 6:30:15 PM EDT

[#15]

I would barely carry a modern day .380.

I damn sure wouldn't carry anything that malfunctions.

Posted: 7/23/2013 8:44:22 PM EDT

[#16]

Take it to a quality shop. Any gunsmith, not a gun store, should be willing and able to go through the pistol and de-burr or clean/adjust or tell you what it might or might not need. So yes, a 30 year old pistol that has been taken care of and is clean, oiled and has new ammo should be fine.

Posted: 7/24/2013 12:28:18 PM EDT

[#17]

Quote History

Quoted:
I would barely carry a modern day .380.

I damn sure wouldn't carry anything that malfunctions.

View Quote

Hell no, I wouldn't carry it either. OP, get something reliable and that you have more than one mag to carry. The magazine is the weakest link usually when it comes to semi automatic pistols. Look at a M&Pc in 9mm or 40, a S&W Shield in 9mm or 40, or a G26. In that order too...

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - What to do with 30+ year old .380? Would you carry?

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