Star Bonifacio Echeverria, S.A.

Star Bonifacio Echeverria, S.A. was a manufacturer of small arms (principally handguns and sub-machineguns) in the Basque region of Spain from about 1905 until 1997.

Company History

Bonifacio Echeverria and the ancestry of Star

The Eibar region has been a center of weapons development and manufacture for centuries, with "Spanish Steel" historically being a selling point with its reputation for quality and durability. When firearms came into being, Eibar retained its edge as a weapons manufacturing center. The oldest known ancestor of the Star lineage is Jose Cruz Echeverria, who made muzzle-loading firearms in the 18th century.

His two sons, Julian and Bonifacio Echeverria entered the firearms business about 1905. They produced the model 1908 pistol, substantially a Mannlicher Model 1900 in 6.35 mm (.25 ACP) caliber. Around 1910 Julian left the business and Bonifacio expanded and began improving their current offering. The model 1914 was released with much the same mechanism as the 1908, but with further improvements to the ergonomics,As is often the case with weapons makers, a government contract secured the success of the company. The firm was a sub-contractor to Gabilondo y Urresti in producing a version of the Gabilondo Ruby pistol for the French military during World War I. Additionally, Bonifacio Echeverria was directly contracted for a version of the 1914 Model pistol. The "Model 1 Militar" was a 7.65 mm (.32) caliber version of the Model 1914 designed for the French military, who referred to them as the "Pistolet automatique, type Star". [Medlinn, Eugene and Huon, Jean: French Service Handguns 1858-2004, Tommygun Books]

The beginnings of Star as a brand

In 1919, Bonifacio formally registered the Star trade name, and all subsequent weapons were marked as such. Note that although some references say that the Basque and Spanish equivalents of Star are also registered (Izarra and Estrella), they seem to have never been marketed as such.

The classic era

Originally, Bonifaco had planned on producing a still more improved version of the model 1914, initially to meet a French follow-on contract for 50,000 pistols. However, the end of World War I led to the cancellation of the contract, and Echeverria decided that clones of the Colt M1911 were more commercially viable.

Development moved rapidly from pistols that looked like Colts to ones that operated on the Browning tilting breech method. The line was rapidly expanded to cover a broad range of pistols in all popular western calibers, as well as the almost uniquely Spanish 9 mm Largo. Additionally, a line of .25 ACP caliber vest pocket pistols were developed, including a series of popular .22 Long Rifle target pistols. These are all straight blowback models.

The modern era

In 1983 production of the classic models was largely ceased in favor of a new series of pistols taking most of their features from the Charles Petter SACM style of pistols (also seen in the SIG P210 and CZ-75. Namely, these all had inverted slide rails and closed cam path locking. Many also had modular (removable) trigger assemblies. Most were double action, though some retained the classic style single action lockwork.

The end

The 1990s were bad for defense companies all over the world. For the most part, companies in smaller markets either found their niche and flourished, or slowly perished. In Spain alone Star, Astra and CETME met their end.

The final years at Star saw a relative flurry of new models, and court challenges over restructuring plans and massive layoffs. Star filed for bankruptcy protection in late 1993 after taking out loans to invest in new CNC machinery. They were indirectly affected by the Asian economic crisis; Spanish banks tried to cover Asian investment losses by more aggressively collecting outstanding debt and renewing loans with less favorable terms for domestic companies. Star and Astra began cooperative investment and discussions of mergers in the mid 90s, but Astra was not in much better shape, so this eventually dragged both companies down.

Although rumours abounded that a large foreign cooperative, like Beretta, would snap them up (as they indeed did with Sako) this was not to be. Employees of both companies, through their unions, tried to set up a cooperative to take control of the companies. They planned to upgrade operations again, but also ran into trouble overextending themselves financially, and eventually these organizations also sought protection under bankruptcy laws.

On May 27, 1997 both Star and Astra closed their doors, and were placed in the Spanish equivalent of Chapter Seven bankruptcy, under the control of a Basque regional judge. Eventually, an agreement was reached that settled sufficient outstanding debt, and allowed some of the machinery and the intellectual property to be resurrected in two new companies. Much machinery was also sold at auction to pay debtors. Apparently all unassembled or unsold barrels and frames were destroyed by government order when the company closed. Unregistered parts were retained and purchased by a custom smithing operation known as Ipar Guns.

Star and Astra combined into one company under the ASTAR name, with a new factory, which manufactures a range of new firearms with distribution in Spain and some South American countries.

Production and models

Pistols

* 1905 ; patent of a semiautomatic pistol of the type hammerless caliber 6,35
* Model 1908 : copy of the Mannlicher Model 1900 in 6,35 mm
* Model1914 : pistol of the Ruby type calibrates 25 the ACP, improved Mannlicher system caliber 7.65 mm For the French army.
* Izarra : pistol of the type hammerless caliber 25 the ACP produced between 1905 and 1906 in small. In 32 the ACP 1914 until 1921 of Ruby type.
* Star Model 1908, produced between 1908-1914, of Mannlicher pistols
* Star model 1919 : Star mod.1919, lime 7,65mm and 6,35mm, Manlincher system, very compact, known like pistol the unionists of Confederación Nacional del Trabajo (anarchist) and the Unión General de Trabajadores (socialist).
* Star model 1920 : pistol for the Civil Guard
* Star model 1921 : Tenth generation of pistols for the Civil Guard. Hard variation of the Modelo1920. It does not have more of security of the firing pin on the butt, becomes to forge the tube so that he is more resistant, a security shipper, an aspect that is resembled the Colt M1911
* SIS - .32 auto = 7.65 mm PISTOLS
* SS - 380 auto = 9mm short
* AS - 38 auto = 9 mm Bergmann-Bayard
* BS - 9 mm luger = 9mm Parabellum
* MS - 38 auto = or 9 mm Bergmann-Bayard
* PS - 45 auto or 9 mm
* STAR Model A-40 or Star Model 1922 : semiautomatic pistol of simple action of 9mm Long, produced between 1921 ET 1945, pistol would regulate of the Civil Guard.
* Star Model 1931 :
* Star Model IN-1934 : lime 9mm short, Mannincher system, made for the use of police.
* StarModel To Super :
* Star Model B :
* Super-Star: pistol of simple action produced of 1946 à 1983. It was a landmark in the manufacture of the company.
* SUPER-S : identical pistol to Super-Star in caliber 380 the ACP and of dimensions very reduced.
* Star Model BG :
* Star Model BKS :
* Star Model BM :
* Star Model BKM : pistol of simple action 9mm Parabellum, produced of 1972 à 1997, indentical model to STAR BM but with frame made in aircraft aluminum.
* Star Model C :
* Star Model D :
* Star Model D Plus
* Star Model F :
* Star Model H :
* Star Model I :
* Star Model M :
* Star Model P :
* Star Model PKM
* Star Model PD :
* Star Model S : pistol of simple action 380 ACP produced from 1940 to 1983, resembled of the Model oA, but in very small dimensions. Models for military use.
* Star Model SS : pistol of simple action 380 the ACP produced of 1940 à 1983 rensamblado of the ModeloA, but in very small dimensions. Models destined to the civil market.
* Star Model M28 :
* Star Model M30 :
* Star Model M31 :
* Star Firestar M43:
* Star Ultrastar :

* Star Megastar :
* Star Model 316 :

ub-machine guns

* Si35 models, RU35 and TN35 : These models are different by the rate of fire and design from some pieces. Used in the Spanish civil war.
* Star Model Z-45 model : Contains parts of wood (butt and hand guards) and is a version of folding stock similar to the German MP40 and the shipper of 30 firings gets up itself. He served in Spain, Cuba, Chile, Portugal and Saudi Arabia. Was used for the first time in combat in Sidi Ifni.
* Star Model Z-62 and Z-63 : They enter 1963 in good condition and its more well-known difference is than the Z-62 uses the 9 ammunition of length and the Z-63 the ammunition of 9mm Parabellum. They have differences of internal design but by outside they are practically identical. There are parts of no wood and are completely metalists, which long ago more robust them.
* Star Model Z-70 and Z-70B : the caliber is adopted in these models 9mm Parabellum after the entrance of Spain in NATO and both models incorporate the shipper of 30 firings.
* Star Model Z-75 model : plastic materials are gotten up to lighten the weapon. It changes the design radically and it is resembled the UZI. Improvements become of design in the mechanisms.
* Star Model Z84 : one equips with some units the Spanish Army because one assumes that the Z-84 would replace the old models but it was replaced by the MP-5. Also a commercial version of the 9 made Length. Shippers of 20 and 30 firings.

Between the troops of the Spanish army this weapon is well-known colloquially like "the zeta".

tar Pistol model 1919. "Union" Model

In 1919 Bonifacio Echeverria one was interested in the patent of the Belgian house "Makes Nationale" on the pistol "Colt"Md.1911. The intention of eibarrés was to make an improvement to produce one more a pistol to the taste of Eibar.

Echeverria created a caliber pistol 6,35mm that served as base other models. With a frame clearly inspired by colt and a track that the Italian Beretta remembers.

For 1929 models with calibers of 6,35mm had been developed, 7,65mm and 9mm. The one of caliber 7,65mm, denominated "model polícia", began to be used by the unionists of the CNT in Barcelona and Zaragoza. one extended quickly due to its small size that allowed to take hanging it by the pernera of the tied trousers to a cord. In order to accede to them a hole was made in the pocket.

Code and year of manufacture

After 1927 all the Spanish arms that are proven in the Proving stand Celebrate of Eibar are marked with recording, normally done on the frame, in which it appears the year of manufacture codified in letters.

Table of correspondence between letters and years of manufacture.To raise to images or archives multimedia [ or ]

References

ee also

*Astra-Unceta y Cia SA , another former Spanish handgun manufacturer
*ASTAR
*CETME
*Llama

External links

* [http://star-firearms.com/cgi-bin/gm1/index.shtmlOfficial site]
* [http://star-firearms.com/index.shtml Star-Firearms.com, an information website]
* [http://9mmlargo.com/ 9 mm Largo website]
* [http://world.guns.ru/handguns/hg00-e.htm Modern Firearms - Handguns]
* [http://world.guns.ru/smg/smg00-e.htm Modern Firearms - Submachine Guns]