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Colt 45 Clone Question

MFI
Have a COlt 45 clone here. Pistola Automatic Ballester-Riguad .45ACP.
Patented Argentia. Other side of slide says Gendarmeria Nacional. Pistol is in great shape What have I got and what is it worth ?

God gave us all a gift. Have you found yours yet ?
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Comments

5 comments

Date Votes
  • Salvage33
    You have a pistol that was built for the Argentine National Police. I do believe that it was built by license from Colt. Some were, others were not. Interestingly, some of them were built out of steel armor that was salvaged/recovered from the Graf Spee, a WWII German man o'war that was sunk off the coast of Argentina. The legend has it, that the steel has a slightly different 'ring' to it when you drop the slide.

    Value: $225 - $325 depending on condition.

    A friend will post your bail. A good friend will be sitting next to you in the cell saying, "man that was fun!"
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  • rufe-snow
    Here is a link to a really excellent Colt 1911 web-sight, that gives the history of your pistol in great detail.

    http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/history/ballester.htm


    Since they were not "Clones" of the Colt and few of the parts other then barrels and magazines will interchange, my WAG is that the fair market value will reflect this.
    Unless their is some collector demand/value because of the "Gendarmeria Nacional" marking.

    luger_4.jpg
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  • MFI
    Great info thanks !

    God gave us all a gift. Have you found yours yet ?
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  • Xracer
    The Argentine Systema Colt Modelo 1927 was a license built copy of the M1911A1......the Ballester-Molina and Ballester-Riguad were not.

    In order to save on licensing fees, the Argentines made a near-copy of the 1911A1. That's what the Ballester's were. The "Gendarmeria Nacional" means "National Police".

    The story that Argentine pistols were made of Graf Spee steel is an old wive's tale. The Spee was scuttled in the mouth of the Rio del Plate in Uruguay......not in Argentina.

    With permission of the Urugayan authorities, the crew of the Graf Spee was brought from Uruguay to Argentina (which was sypathetic to Germany) where they were interned and remained there for the rest of the war.......but the ship stayed where it was, at the bottom of the river in Uruguay.
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  • Salvage33
    I stand corrected. Thanks for keeping me straight! LOL

    John

    A friend will post your bail. A good friend will be sitting next to you in the cell saying, "man that was fun!"
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