Star Firestar M-43 9mm Compact Pistol, All-Steel, 3.39 in Barrel, Blued, SAO, Interarms Import, 2 Mags
The Star Firestar M-43 is a compact, all-steel 9mm from Spain’s 1990s era, imported by Interarms. Notable features include a 3.39 in bushingless coned barrel, single-action operation, blued finish, and windage-adjustable rear sight. The Firestar line earned Guns & Ammo’s 1991 Handgun of the Year, and production concluded in 1997.
Condition
Overall Condition: Good condition, showing some signs of prior use and handling.
Bore Condition: Excellent - Clean, mirror finish, no signs of wear.
Rifling: Excellent Rifling - Sharp lands and grooves.
Specific Condition Notes: There are minimal handling marks from prior use.
What’s Included
- Factory red plastic Star/Interarms box with label for M-43 Firestar
- Instruction & Safety Manual: Model M-43 Firestar (9 mm)
- Two factory 7-round Firestar single-stack steel magazines with Firestar rosette logo and flush floorplates
This M-43 is a compact, single-stack 9mm built on an all-steel frame and slide with a durable blued finish. It uses a Browning-type short-recoil, locked-breech system paired with a bushingless, coned 3.39 in barrel for secure lockup in a compact footprint. Capacity is 7+1 with the included factory magazines.
The pistol operates in single-action with an external ring-spur hammer. Its control suite includes a frame-mounted ambidextrous manual safety, a firing pin block, a magazine disconnect, and a standard left-side magazine release, giving it a familiar, straightforward manual of arms.
Sight regulation is practical and simple: a fixed 3-dot set with a white-dot front and a low-profile rear that adjusts for windage via a set screw. The slide features rear-only diagonal serrations for positive manipulation, along with an anti-glare serrated rib to reduce reflections.
Grip and finish details include checkered synthetic panels with STAR medallions and a uniform blued finish on the steel frame and slide. Markings include STAR EIBAR ESPAÑA and the INTERARMS Alexandria, Virginia import stamp. The Firestar series was recognized as Guns & Ammo’s 1991 Handgun of the Year, and this example represents the 1990s production period. There is no accessory rail.