380:. A number of pistols was issued to agents of the SOE, in order to avoid the use of British weapons for undercover operations in occupied Europe and behind enemy lines. This is very plausible due to the number of pistols of this contract found in the second hand market in France. In 2002 the publication nº150 of the Magnum Magazine written by Santiago P. Tavella Madariaga provides data on this topic. Manufacture of the British Contract Ballester Molina pistol started most likely in 1941 with deliveries ending in 1944. British contract Ballester–Molinas are identified by serial numbers ranging from 8900 to 22.000, marked with a "B" prefix (
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537:
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417:
484:
497:
458:
471:
523:
31:
384:) on the right side of the frame in addition to the manufacturer's serial number in the left side of the grip, under the slide and the last three numbers of the serial number marked on the barrel link tab. British Contract B125 displaying HAFDASA Serial Number 9019 is preserved at the Imperial War Museum in Leeds, UK.
327:
pistol. The locking system is a near-identical copy of the Model 1911's, with the swinging lock used to unlock the barrel from the slide. The pistol has a two-stage, single action trigger, but unlike that of the 1911 trigger, it pivots rather than slide. The spring housing system is integrated to the
299:
As the
Ballester–Molina was designed to serve alongside the Modelo 1927 that was currently in Argentine service, it bears a striking resemblance to the Colt M1911A1. The Ballester–Molina and the M1911 share an identical seven-round magazine, barrel, recoil spring, and barrel bushing. Although many
350:, about the British-ordered Ballester–Molina pistols, gun writer and collector George E. Arbones' research and collection data seems to indicate the legend British-bought Ballester–Molinas being manufactured using steel salvaged from the German pocket battleship
396:
was manufactured for training purposes. This version was identical externally to the standard
Ballester–Molina, except for slide markings indicating the caliber. However, the .22 caliber version is
404:
cartridge. This version was produced in much smaller numbers and is much rarer today. The
Ballester–Molina pistol also came with an extended barrel and a wooden buttstock.
881:
292:
Rorice Rigaud and Carlos
Ballester–Molina, a relative of the founders. Rigaud became the chief designer of the firm, while Ballester–Molina was appointed
876:
300:
other parts appear identical at first glance, they are not; only the barrel and magazine are interchangeable. The
Ballester–Molina is also known as
364:
in
Montevideo harbor, Uruguay. Another specialist, Alejandro Gherovici, dismissed the legend saying the steel was likely supplied by the US under
376:, and how he came to have his own British-marked Ballester–Molinas. Around 8000 Ballester–Molinas were specially manufactured for Britain during
811:
336:, and most notably there is no grip safety. Many examples for sale on the surplus market have seen heavy use but show little internal wear.
861:
786:
Arbones, Jorge E. "Magnum" Buenos Aires, Argentina magazine: "Ballester
Molinas Peronistas y Ballester Molinas Inglesas," September 2007
351:
841:
255:
265:, built under the supervision of Colt engineers. Production of the Ballester–Molina began in 1938 and ceased in 1953. The
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was manufactured until 1966, outliving its intended successor by more than two decades.
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a cheaper alternative to the "Sistema Colt Modelo 1927", itself a licensed copy of the
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The
Ballester–Molina was predominantly used by Argentina's security forces. The
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entrepreneurs, Arturo
Ballester and Eugenio Molina, established a branch of
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Latin
American Wars 1900–1941: "Banana Wars," Border Wars & Revolutions
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London and New York City: HarperCollins Publishers. Fourth Edition, 2005.
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adopted it as its standard sidearm in 1938. The Ballester–Molina is a
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368:. Arbones' article also details the use of those pistols by the
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Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons and Warfare
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Fitzsimons, Bernard, general editor. "Ballester Molina", in
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In a September 2007 article in the Argentine gun magazine
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is a pistol designed and built by the Argentine company
694:, Volume 3 (London: Phoebus Publishing, 1977), p.265.
517:- British-purchased examples supplied to partisans.
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pistol frame rather than being a separate part. The
718:Gianluigi, Usai; Riccio, Ralph (January 28, 2017).
272:The company's history dates back to 1929, when two
602:. Men-at-Arms 519. Osprey Publishing. p. 47.
339:About 8000 were sold to the United Kingdom during
705:"4291 Buenos Aires - Museo de Armas de la Nación"
833:
639:. London: HarperCollins Publishers. p. 14.
533:
392:A version of the Ballester–Molina chambered for
722:. Schiffer Military History. pp. 140–141.
717:
250:The Ballester–Molina was designed to offer the
238:(HAFDASA). From 1938 to 1940 it bore the name
288:". Years later, HAFDASA hired two engineers,
882:World War II military equipment of Argentina
196:, recoil operated, blowback (.22 LR variant)
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235:Hispano Argentina Fábrica de Automóviles SA
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400:operated to accommodate the less-powerful
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877:Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1938
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332:is locked by the frame-mounted manual
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862:Semi-automatic pistols of Argentina
827:Argentina's Ballester-Molina pistol
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14:
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635:Hogg, Ian; Gander, Terry (2005).
204:7-round detachable single column
720:Italian partisan weapons in WWII
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747:Thompson, Leroy (20 May 2011).
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842:.45 ACP semi-automatic pistols
771:Jane's Guns: Recognition Guide
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596:Jowett, Philip (28 Jun 2018).
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637:Jane's Guns Recognition Guide
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252:Argentine Federal Police
294:chief executive officer
72:Ecuadorian–Peruvian War
35:Ballester–Molina pistol
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286:Hispano-Argentina S.A.
91:Hispano-Argentina S.A.
867:Short recoil firearms
45:Semi-automatic pistol
16:Semi-automatic pistol
749:The Colt 1911 Pistol
805:2011-01-13 at the
707:. 21 January 2011.
256:other armed forces
82:Production history
857:Hispano-Argentina
753:Osprey Publishing
515:Italian Partisans
353:Admiral Graf Spee
267:Sistema Colt 1927
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23:Ballester–Molina
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59:Service history
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852:.22 LR pistols
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794:External links
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322:semi-automatic
314:Argentine Army
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788:(in Spanish)
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751:. Weapon 9.
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741:Bibliography
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667:, p. 65
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378:World War II
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341:World War II
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318:short recoil
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282:Buenos Aires
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206:box magazine
152:127mm (5 in)
149: length
87:Manufacturer
68:World War II
817:User Manual
362:River Plate
215:Iron sights
108: built
836:Categories
575:References
382:i.e. B1633
366:Lend-Lease
320:-operated
220:References
133:(unloaded)
557:Venezuela
423:Argentina
290:Frenchman
163:Cartridge
100:1938–1953
54:Argentina
822:Euroarms
803:Archived
563:See also
490:Colombia
398:blowback
388:Variants
372:and the
358:scuttled
274:Spaniard
111:~113,000
97:Produced
503:Ecuador
464:Bolivia
402:rimfire
360:in the
302:HAFDASA
263:M1911A1
246:History
183:11.43mm
179:Caliber
168:.45 ACP
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348:Magnum
334:safety
330:hammer
212:Sights
189:Action
172:.22 LR
147:Barrel
138:Length
129:1,075
124:1,130
580:Notes
477:Chile
408:Users
775:ISBN
757:ISBN
724:ISBN
641:ISBN
604:ISBN
529:Peru
260:Colt
254:and
228:The
121:Mass
64:Wars
41:Type
449:PNA
444:PFA
439:GNA
434:FAA
374:SOE
308:Use
284:, "
280:in
106:No.
838::
755:.
672:^
655:^
588:^
429:EA
343:.
296:.
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170:,
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131:g
126:g
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