Never heard of such a chambering. So this pistol will chamber and fire all three? Interesting!
Tim

 

Kenhwind, Do you know what chambering 9mm38 actually is? I admit I don't. Sellers years ago sometimes told potential buyers that the 9mm38 Stars would shoot 9mm, .38 Super, 9mm Largo, etc. interchangeably. My Star was an actual 9X19mm, and I haven't had one marked 9mm38. But I think the actual chambering may be the 9mm Largo cartridge?

 

It's a Model A so the chambering is for 9x23 Largo and .38 ACP. The barrel has a little cut machined in the hood to handle the semi-rimmed .38 ACP, which is also sized at 9x23 (the case that is). It looks pretty nice!

 

Yes, the cases are very close to being the same, but the 9 x 23 Largo is closer to a longer 9mm P case.
I reload the 9mm Largo and curiosity got my attention as to why aren't there any 9mm Largo dies as there are quite a few pistols around now.
Lee suggests using the .38 Super dies, but that doesn't quite work because the 38 Super is a straight case whereas the 9mm brass is slightly tapered and slightly larger at the base.
Somehow, I ended up with an extra Redding Pro-Series 38 Super Seating Die and crimp die so I added a Redding 9mm Luger sizing die to create a 9mm Largo setup for my Dillon 550.

Speer and Sierra both have published 9mm Largo data, Sierra suggests using 9 x 23 dies but that is unnecessary.

 

9mm Largo, 9mm Bergman-Bayard, 9mm Browning Long, .38 ACP NOT .38 Super!

And as with any surplus pistol, a fresh recoil spring is smart insurance!

 

Kenhwind, Do you know what chambering 9mm38 actually is? I admit I don't. Sellers years ago sometimes told potential buyers that the 9mm38 Stars would shoot 9mm, .38 Super, 9mm Largo, etc. interchangeably. My Star was an actual 9X19mm, and I haven't had one marked 9mm38. But I think the actual chambering may be the 9mm Largo cartridge?

Never heard of such a chambering. So this pistol will chamber and fire all three? Interesting!
Tim

The Star Model A, AS, and Super A marked 9mm 38 are chambered for the 9mm Largo and 38 ACP. The 9mm Largo and 38 ACP are ballistically comparable. The .38 Automatic was quite popular in this hemisphere whereas the 9mm Largo was not.
Shooting 38 Super in these Star pistol is not recommended.
Star did make some 38 Super pistols as well as some 9mm Largo on the Model P 45 frame.

 

This is a thread on a Star Super A also 9mm 38.

Bought a 38 Auto... | Colt Forum

 

What is nice about the Stars is that the safety locks the hammer and not just the sear. Done slowly, you can sometimes see the safety camming the hammer back ever so slightly.

 

On this Star the safety can be engaged with hammer down, halfcocked, and full cocked, also the AS has a magazine safety, which is missing from this pistol.

 

A couple of more pictures.

 

I picked up a very nice early ‘50’s Model B (9mm P) originally made for the W. German police; nearly every part is s/n’d. Never issued, instead sold commercially. Still has W. German dealer’s box, and no import marks. I figured brought back stateside by a returning serviceman pre-‘68.

 

The Model B was more popular than the Model A. The Model A probably sold well in S. America where owning military calibers was illegal.