Argentine military and police automatics
Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2018 11:41 pm
Argentina contracted with Colt to make 1911A1 45 caliber automatics. Then in the mid 20's Argentina decided it needed to control it's own military and security weapons production. Colt sold them machinery to make 1911's that duplicated the American production down to interchangeable parts. This pistol was called the Sistema Colt M1911. There were were a few minor cosmetic differences from regular Colt production...like sharper edges on the back of the hammer and on the edges of the grip safety. But otherwise... same, same. This production went on from 1927 and ended in 1966. During WWII the Argentinians even produced 10,000 copies for the British Military. And.. ironically.... the Argentine Army could have used the same weapon against the British in the Falkland Island tiff.
About ten years into production of the Sistema, Argentina contracted with two men named Ballister and Molina to produce a cheaper nearly equivalent pistol for security forces and police primarily. This particular model was copied from the Spanish Star B. It looked like the Sistema but didn't have the grip safety which might come in handy for keeping you from accidentally shooting yourself in the leg if you sat down quickly on something hard and the pistol was chambered and in your holster. Of course this wasn't a big concern. After shooting oneself in the leg or foot there were still seven more rounds in the magazine. This particular model ended production in 1953 while the Sistema continued production for another about 13 years.
The Ballister Molina and the Sistema didn't share parts that were interchangeable.....other than the barrels and the barrel bushing.
By the way, I replaced the hand grips on the Sistema....still have the old ones. The Ballister Molina had the grips changed before I got it...refurbished. The Sistema was made in 1956.
About ten years into production of the Sistema, Argentina contracted with two men named Ballister and Molina to produce a cheaper nearly equivalent pistol for security forces and police primarily. This particular model was copied from the Spanish Star B. It looked like the Sistema but didn't have the grip safety which might come in handy for keeping you from accidentally shooting yourself in the leg if you sat down quickly on something hard and the pistol was chambered and in your holster. Of course this wasn't a big concern. After shooting oneself in the leg or foot there were still seven more rounds in the magazine. This particular model ended production in 1953 while the Sistema continued production for another about 13 years.
The Ballister Molina and the Sistema didn't share parts that were interchangeable.....other than the barrels and the barrel bushing.
By the way, I replaced the hand grips on the Sistema....still have the old ones. The Ballister Molina had the grips changed before I got it...refurbished. The Sistema was made in 1956.