Star FR22

**cruzans** · August 2nd, 2012, 06:41 PM

Picked up another fun gun, thought it had the "neat" factor and the price was right. Anyone know if the grips are original to this gun - thought they added some character, but can't google any Star FR's that show gun with these grips on them. Should have it in a few days, will make the decision once I see it as to whether I touch up the bluing, or leave it be

**bortle** · August 3rd, 2012, 02:47 PM

I don't know if they're original or not, but they sure are bling.
I'm leaning toward original. Who makes custom grips for a Star?
Is that mother of pearl?

**eveready** · August 3rd, 2012, 03:18 PM

There is a Spanish gun forum where you can find out a lot about your FR22 it is at
forumdisplay.php?40-The-Spanish-Pistol-Board

**gascolator** · August 3rd, 2012, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by cruzans

Picked up another fun gun, thought it had the "neat" factor and the price was right. Anyone know if the grips are original to this gun - thought they added some character, but can't google any Star FR's that show gun with these grips on them. Should have it in a few days, will make the decision once I see it as to whether I touch up the bluing, or leave it be

I'm reminded of the famous line from "Patton" when he was asked about his "pearl handled revolvers."

In the world of squeezebox players, we affectionately call that material "mother of toilet-seat."

**cruzans** · August 3rd, 2012, 07:03 PM

Originally Posted by eveready

There is a Spanish gun forum where you can find out a lot about your FR22 it is at
forumdisplay.php?40-The-Spanish-Pistol-Board

Thanks, I am a member over there and posted at the same time. Have received one post back that says he feels they are original - but he has never seen any presentation grips exactly like these ???? hmmmm........

**cruzans** · August 3rd, 2012, 07:38 PM

Several have now said they are Mexican after market - lol. Oh well, will check them out when pistol arrives over the next few days!

**cruzans** · August 5th, 2012, 05:44 PM

Not that anyone is interested - lol, but wanted to post what a guy who seems to know his stuff on the Spanish Gun Forum had to say about my cheap pick up :

That particular gun will be found to have an import stamp somewhere of "Odin, Alex. VA". Odin International of Alexandria, Virginia imported many thousands of Star FRs from Mexico about 1980, when Mexico essentially confiscated practically all civilian firearms. The grips are indeed Mexican. Ornate custom grips seem to have been a Mexican obsession; countless of the Odin guns bore them.

The manual hammer block safety was added by Odin in order to qualify them for U.S. importation, and is unique to the Odin imports.

**cruzans** · August 8th, 2012, 01:22 PM

Picked up the FR today - not bad at all! Well made, even finish wear so although blueing loss, it looks pretty good. Deciding if I want to do a little cold blue or leave it alone. Mag is original, and grips are difinitly high bling. As I posted earlier, I was told this gun spent it's first years in Mexico, and was probably bought up in '80 when Mexican government banned all citizens from having guns ( remember liberals, how has taking civilians firearms made Mexico a safer place

). The trigger safety is a bit crude but works. The grips have some glue/epoxy resin left on each side at the bottom in a crest like shape - who knows what could have been there! Overall, nice cheap pickup.

**snakeman21** · August 9th, 2012, 01:29 PM

I know virtually nothing about this pistol... Cool to see one. Does anyone else notice the striking physical similarities between this weapon and a 1911?

**cruzans** · August 9th, 2012, 01:31 PM

It is a neat little piece. One of the experts over on the Spanish Gun forum responded to me about the glue residue on the bottom of each grip in the shape of a crest. He said after Mexican govt. confiscated/collected all guns from civilians in 1980 - many were sold to US importers. He said he has seen this gun with same grips with two different crests. One govt or le crests - but those would not have been confiscated, and the other was Mexican Nazi Party - hmmm, interesting!