Star Model BKM

The Star Model BKM is a compact single-action, semi-automatic pistol chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum, manufactured in Spain by Star Bonifacio Echeverria. Introduced in 1972, it is the lightweight variant of the steel-framed Star BM, substituting an aircraft-grade aluminium (duralumin) alloy frame for the standard forged-steel frame to reduce carry weight to roughly 737 grams. The design follows the scaled-down 1911 pattern that characterised Star's B-series, using John Browning's swinging-link tilting-barrel lockup - though simplified to a single locking lug on top of the barrel - together with an external hammer, a frame-mounted thumb safety and a single-stack magazine holding eight rounds. Developed in response to requests from Spanish law-enforcement agencies for a smaller, more easily concealed 9mm sidearm, the BKM found a ready market among American shooters seeking an affordable, all-steel-feeling compact pistol in a lighter package. Production continued until Star's closure in the late 1990s, and the BKM remains a well-regarded budget classic prized for its slim profile and 1911-familiar handling.