After Star went out of business, a series of reorganizations occurred and in 1998, under part of a restructuring plan for the firearms industry backed by the Basque Government, ASTAR was created.
Properly the Agrupacion Social Trabajadores Armeros, S.A.L., it is abbreviated and used as a trade name as ASTAR, combining Astra and Star.
From a brochure released during their brief tenure: The disappearance of Astra and Star has generated a new company called ASTAR in which are fused experiences, concepts and designs. One of its accomplishments is the ASTAR MAX 8800, suitable as service pistol and general use.
This did not work out, and they went out of business after about a year
Offerings
I have only spotty and irregular information on the weapons made by ASTAR during their brief tenure but these are models marketed and possibly manufactured and sold:
- A .25 ACP (6.35 mm) caliber pocket pistol of some sort.
- The ASTAR MAX 8800. This is identical to the Star Model 316. Exactly one was produced under the ASTAR name. If you want to buy it, I can put you in touch with the current owners.
- The 1911PL. This is a complete clone of the Colt 1911, not of the colt-like classic Stars. They seem to only be in .45 ACP, and have a plastic frame with a 12-shot capacity. I presume the frame is the BUL or another existing product they are simply using to assemble a gun as their own. These guns have been offered for sale in the Czech Republic, and presumably in Spain and other places as well, but not the US. It may be a line of pistols, but the only one I have seen is customized for competition.
- Shotguns, as listed in the corporate directory, but I have never seen any.
- A .45-70 caliber double rifle, with color case hardening and nice wood.