Picked this up today, Gunbroker buy. The SN dates to 1946. The plan is to try it out today or tomorrow, so far it looks good.
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1946 ‘Ballester-Molina’ , New To Me
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sourdough44
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The Ballester Molina uses 1911 type barrel and magazine for common spares with Sistema 1927s.
It is otherwise like a Spanish Star with solid backstrap and single sided trigger bar, side disconnector, etc. Unlike a Star, it has a plunger tube serving slide stop and thumb safety, but the drawing looks like the superior Star hammer blocking safety engagement.
Seems like it would be a fertile field for customizing for somebody averse to grip safeties.
I once read of a target Star with 2 lb trigger pull, so sights, barrel fit, and trigger job plus whatever cosmetics suited you would yield a pretty nice gun.
It is otherwise like a Spanish Star with solid backstrap and single sided trigger bar, side disconnector, etc. Unlike a Star, it has a plunger tube serving slide stop and thumb safety, but the drawing looks like the superior Star hammer blocking safety engagement.
Seems like it would be a fertile field for customizing for somebody averse to grip safeties.
I once read of a target Star with 2 lb trigger pull, so sights, barrel fit, and trigger job plus whatever cosmetics suited you would yield a pretty nice gun.
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I have one myself. Good shooter. I appreciate the guns made in Argentina, I also have an Argentinian made Hi Power.
![943570]( "943570")
![943571]( "943571")
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I saw mention of that battleship Spee or whatever. The one entity even sacrificed a gun to check metallurgy, the outcome was it didn’t com from that ship. I agree, even though steel was in short supply, unlikely any steel for these guns came from that ship.
That did leave it open by saying there was other types of steel with different parts of the ship, but mostly just the wives tale.
That did leave it open by saying there was other types of steel with different parts of the ship, but mostly just the wives tale.
Guy, You have a winner of a .45. I have had mine for over 20 years and I love it !!! I showed it to someone I work with and he offered me a price for mine. I responded It aint for sale. Mine I have gone to the deer lease with, put a unknown amount of rounds through mine. And it has not failed me ever !!. For a 70 year old 1911 .45 and i can cycle it as harsh as I want to and still shoot hogs with it and it not fail. Its a winner !!!
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Very nice examples, gents. Hope to add one to my collection someday.
Fortunate to have a post war Star B in 9mm built the same year as me. It is all original, in very good condition, accurate, and runs like a clock. Can't ask for much more than that.
Fortunate to have a post war Star B in 9mm built the same year as me. It is all original, in very good condition, accurate, and runs like a clock. Can't ask for much more than that.
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Zombie Thread!!!
Nevertheless I will add my $.02. as in previous post it was stated erroneously that the Ballester-Molina factory had oversight by Colt engineers, which is not true.
First, a little background:
In 1914 Argentina adopted the 1911 Colt M1911 as their standard military sidearm and contracted with Colt to supply these guns. Argentina took shipment of 2,151 of these weapons between 1914 and 1919. In1923 they passed an armaments' bill to produce the 1911 domestically and in 1927, the Argentine Commission for Foreign Acquisitions negotiated a contract with Colt for the manufacture of M1911A1. In addition, they secured a licensing agreement giving the Argentine government the right to manufacture these pistols. They were given the official designation "Modelo 1927" and for production of Colt 1911A1's in Argentina, Colt engineers supervised the set-up of the production equipment, which was acquired from the Fritz Werner company in Germany. The agreement specified: 1) that Colt would manufacture 10,000 Colt automatic pistols, caliber .45, "Ejercito Argentino Modelo 1927"for the Argentine Army; 2) that the complete knowledge base for future production of the pistols in Argentina, including drawings, manufacturing instructions, material specifications, tool requirements, etc., would be transferred to Argentine control; and 3) that Argentine technicians would be trained in manufacturing operations and inspection. From 1927 to 1942, 14,000 "Sistema" pistols (from "Sistema Colt," indicating "made on the Colt system (machinery)" were produced at the Esteban de Luca Arsenal in Buenos Aires,
In 1941, after a decade of planning, Argentines established a large and diversified military-industrial complex under the overall supervision of the Direccion General de Fabricaciones Militares (D.G.F.M.), the Military Manufacturing Agency. In 1945, after construction of the state-owned Fabrica Militar de Armas Portatiles (F.M.A.P.), "Small Arms Factory" in Rosario, Santa Fe (250 miles from Buenos Aires), assembly of Sistemas was transferred to the new plant and another 88,494 pistols were produced through 1966
Argentine Army Sistema Mod. 1927, manufactured in 1951:
![Image]()
![Image]()
The Ballester–Molina was designed to offer the Argentine Federal Police and other armed forces a cheaper alternative to the "Sistema Colt Modelo 1927". Production of the Ballester–Molina began in 1938 and ceased in 1953. It was always a separate concern and had no connection with the government small arms directorate: General de Fabricaciones Militares (D.G.F.M.). Ballester-Molina's are well made and quite robust. I have been told that those produced for the Navy were parkerized and the Army's were blued. I tend to believe this as I have seen several, original condition "Ejercito Argentino" marked B-M pistols that were blued and all original "Armada Nacional" pistols I have run across were parked.
Navy Ballester-Molina, manufactured in 1941:
![Image]()
![Image]()
Nevertheless I will add my $.02. as in previous post it was stated erroneously that the Ballester-Molina factory had oversight by Colt engineers, which is not true.
First, a little background:
In 1914 Argentina adopted the 1911 Colt M1911 as their standard military sidearm and contracted with Colt to supply these guns. Argentina took shipment of 2,151 of these weapons between 1914 and 1919. In1923 they passed an armaments' bill to produce the 1911 domestically and in 1927, the Argentine Commission for Foreign Acquisitions negotiated a contract with Colt for the manufacture of M1911A1. In addition, they secured a licensing agreement giving the Argentine government the right to manufacture these pistols. They were given the official designation "Modelo 1927" and for production of Colt 1911A1's in Argentina, Colt engineers supervised the set-up of the production equipment, which was acquired from the Fritz Werner company in Germany. The agreement specified: 1) that Colt would manufacture 10,000 Colt automatic pistols, caliber .45, "Ejercito Argentino Modelo 1927"for the Argentine Army; 2) that the complete knowledge base for future production of the pistols in Argentina, including drawings, manufacturing instructions, material specifications, tool requirements, etc., would be transferred to Argentine control; and 3) that Argentine technicians would be trained in manufacturing operations and inspection. From 1927 to 1942, 14,000 "Sistema" pistols (from "Sistema Colt," indicating "made on the Colt system (machinery)" were produced at the Esteban de Luca Arsenal in Buenos Aires,
In 1941, after a decade of planning, Argentines established a large and diversified military-industrial complex under the overall supervision of the Direccion General de Fabricaciones Militares (D.G.F.M.), the Military Manufacturing Agency. In 1945, after construction of the state-owned Fabrica Militar de Armas Portatiles (F.M.A.P.), "Small Arms Factory" in Rosario, Santa Fe (250 miles from Buenos Aires), assembly of Sistemas was transferred to the new plant and another 88,494 pistols were produced through 1966
Argentine Army Sistema Mod. 1927, manufactured in 1951:
The Ballester–Molina was designed to offer the Argentine Federal Police and other armed forces a cheaper alternative to the "Sistema Colt Modelo 1927". Production of the Ballester–Molina began in 1938 and ceased in 1953. It was always a separate concern and had no connection with the government small arms directorate: General de Fabricaciones Militares (D.G.F.M.). Ballester-Molina's are well made and quite robust. I have been told that those produced for the Navy were parkerized and the Army's were blued. I tend to believe this as I have seen several, original condition "Ejercito Argentino" marked B-M pistols that were blued and all original "Armada Nacional" pistols I have run across were parked.
Navy Ballester-Molina, manufactured in 1941:
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1891 Argentinian Mauser acquisition I made since the thread started. It was somebody's bad sporterizing job I got for next to nothing. There should be a top handguard.
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If your rifle was made by Ludwig Lowe it is an antique as the name of the company was changed in 1897 to Deutsche Waffen-und Munitionsfabriken (DWM). So, any LL marked rifles are, by definition of the GCA68 classed as antiques. Those 1891 Argentine rifles were beautifully made and finished as were all the pre WWI South American contract rifles made by the Germans.
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Over the years I have grown to appreciate guns with honest wear and this is a nice example of one. I like it.
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