Checked a big one off my "Want List" today!

[Machodoc]

OK ... this may not excite some of you, but I know that a few of the squids out there will appreciate this one. Some others might, too.

I've wanted a Ballester Molina (Ballerina Molester, Ball-buster Marinara, etc.) for while, but I didn't just want any model. I wanted an Argentine Navy model. These aren't all that hard to find, but there are two/too problems: The ones that are reasonably priced are too ragged out, and; the few that are really nice looking are too expensive. The Navy models, especially, tend to either look like a salt-water sewer pipe, or they have been "arsenal-refinished" by Argy workers who have a fetish for abrasive blasting cabinets.

Put it on the back burner. Maybe someday Mawkie's luck will float down this way.

That happened yesterday. I stopped by Big Dog to see if the ammo truck had gotten there yet (it came today!) and saw a Ballester in the counter. It looked almost too nice, and the price tag was pretty high. Then I turned it over and not only saw the Argentine emblem nice and crisp-looking, it still had strong traces of gold highlighting in the emblem and the script. Best yet, there was "Armada Argentina" as plain as you can hope for! The owner just took it in a few days ago. He knew that it was a nice pistol, but he didn't realize it was Navy issue until I told him today when I went back with cash and paperwork in hand.

He's happy. I'm happy. Good exchange!

More looking, and more good news. All serial numbers match. "ARA" in a box on the right rear of the slide. "P" with curved arrow on the left, rear, of the slide and on the left trigger guard. There are even three marks on the right side of the frame, above the trigger guard, that I don't recognize. Need to do some research, still. Serial number puts it into roughly the 1946-47 date range, based on interpolation of available data. Tiny "IAC, Alex VA" import stamp on the heel--suspect this came in shortly after the stamp was required.

Edit: The proof marks in the second photo are German. The first one shows that it was proofed for nitro powder; the second one indicates the Mellrichstadt proof house, and; the third one is a date stamp, but I can't figure it out yet.

Condition:
Overall, excellent! Original finish estimated at 95%+ ... what wear is there is primarily the usual holster wear on sharp edges. Only a very small area of light freckling on the frame to the right of the hammer - the part that would be most exposed to salt air if in a holster. Barrel has very strong lands and grooves. It's not mirror bright, but I haven't worked on it yet. It could end up that way, but I suspect it will be very nice, but not perfect. Certainly far better than most of what you see on the market today. Grips would be excellent condition were it not for a minor ding on one side. NOS grips are available, if I decide to go that route.

The photos that I'm posting were as I got it from the shop, prior to cleaning. What looks like rust or pitting is grease. There's very little damage to this one. I suspect that an Argentine officer had it who really valued and cared for it.

Additional edits: The proof marks in the second photo appear to be German, for some reason. The first one, "The German Eagle with the "N" states it was proofed with smokeless Nitrocellulose powder." Similar proofs appear on a W. German ERMA on this page: http://www.lugerforum.com/owner_gallery/owner3a.html More similar German proofs appear on a S&W at: http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1961-1980/166015-my-27-2-19-4-models.html This is an odd pistol. It appears to have an interesting history!

PS ... it shoots better than I do. The thing is a real tank. Feels great in the hand, too!

PS PS ... it looks like I'll have to wait for the douchewaffles' DOS attack to be under control before I can upload more pics, but I think two came through.

 

[BeltBuckle]

that is one sweeet piece! I love those Ballester Molinas. I picked one up about 8y ago for 200 bucks, and could have picked up 5 or 6. Been kicking myself ever since.

Nice score!!!

I'm starting to think I should follow you around, pick up some tasty crumbs in your wake...

 

[Machodoc]

I'm starting to think I should follow you around, pick up some tasty crumbs in your wake...

My wife would prefer it if I was the one following everyone else ... about 20th in line. I might even tell her about this one ... some day.

 

[yellowsled]

Beautiful piece! I have been keeping an eye open for one too. They are on my short list. Congrats!

 

[hvymax]

Next best thing to a 1911 when you are non domestic.

 

[Machodoc]

Next best thing to a 1911 when you are non domestic.

I knew that Sled would appreciate this one. Yes, I'd much rather have a USN 1911, but those don't exist in my financial world. Maybe some day ... but it's a Navy piece--possibly even a submariner's sidearm (Argentina had some subs built by the Germans in that time period)--and I have a connection with Argentina from long ago.

I'm really impressed with this one. Not just this specific firearm, but with the Ballester in general. Great balance and "feel" to it. So heavy that there's less muzzle flip than I recall with the military issue Colts that I once carried and used. It's one *solid* gun!

The German proof marks are a puzzle, but they've apparently been a puzzle for others in the past, too. There's a lot of myth and rumor associated with these pistols, not the least of which is the source of the steel used to make them. A popular rumor (supported in a novel by G. Gordon Liddy) is that the armor plate from the scuttled German ship Graf Spee was used. One published work refutes that. There were some "B" models made on British contract, and some speculate that the Brits exchanged steel for them. Another theory is that the U.S. provided the Argentines steel, partially to keep them friendly and neutral.

As for the German proof marks, one romantic tale is that young Argentines who were from German families headed off to Der Faderland to join up, new Ballesters on their hips, and that the Germans swapped them 9mm pistols and put these into the arsenals. Nice story, but if the published serial numbers/date of manufacture data is correct, mine was made after the war was over, so that doesn't hold up too well. The published data seems pretty sketchy, though, and this one could be older than the estimated '46 - '47 that I came up with.

Then there's the connection between the Argentine navy and German shipbuilders/designers. The Germans built 2 subs and 4 surface ships for the Argentines after WWII, so there's bound to have been some interaction between naval officers and the shipbuilders.

More plausible, to me anyway, is that a German arms dealer bought up a bunch of Argentine stuff in the '50s, had it all proofed so it could be sold easier (in Germany and elsewhere), and then companies like Interarms (who imported this one) obtained them from Germany. There might even have been some post-war price advantage to importing arms from Germany v. from Argentina. It's not as sexy a story, but it seems more logical.

 

[Augie]

Great pick up! Really hard to find in that condition,you did very well. Enjoy it.

 

[Mooseman]

Great find. Congratulations. I am glad you got to scratch another one off of your want list.

 

[Buckyrocks]

I always loved Liddy's story about the Graf Spee. I don't know what it is about Argentina
and pistols,they just make good ones. Sorry I never picked up the Ballester, but I did get their Hi Power model. Also built like a tank.

 

[mawkie]

Awesome find! See, hang around and some of my luck will indeed come your way. Thanks so much for sharing the find with us. Love it!!

 

[Chaunsey]

that is a beautiful pistol.


and that crest is awesome, im a sucker for nice crests, its why i love my mausers.

and south american guns have some of the nicest crests out there.


ill bet it will be an excellent shooter too.

 

[Machodoc]

that is a beautiful pistol.


and that crest is awesome, im a sucker for nice crests, its why i love my mausers.

and south american guns have some of the nicest crests out there.


ill bet it will be an excellent shooter too.

I always thought you were a crest man, Chaunsey ... nice, big, round, beautiful crests! (Interesting that you chose the word, "sucker," too!) There's nothing at all Freudian about this hobby.


Thanks for the good luck, Mawkie. Now I need to find a really nice Armada sistema to go with it! The search never ends ... just the bank account.

 

[Machodoc]

Got deep pockets? Here's a very rare Ballester in incredible condition. The history of these British-contract pistols would be very interesting, if we knew more about them, but we don't know because they were used for some covert sorts of activities ... real WWII James Bond stuff. To find one in this condition is almost unheard of (I've seen photos of one other that looked almost this good).

The auction is still a week out, and it's already over $500. I see that someone with a lot of GB transactions is going after this one. I'm tapped out in my toy budget for awhile, otherwise I'd push hard for this one. Unless it goes totally berserk (over $1500 ... and it may), this would be a better investment than you're going to get out of any retirement program.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=328112389

 

[Chaunsey]

im not familiar with these pistols, so i could be completely wrong.

but just from a sort of uneducated guess point of view, i think the british marked WWII era ballesters probably are from the falkland islands.

it would make sense for the falklands folks to buy whatever pistols they could themselves, especially during the war when they likely would have little opportunity to receive much over seas from the UK itself.

just like the UK bought 1911's, hi powers and a number of other pistols, the falklands probably bought what was close and available.

 

[Machodoc]

im not familiar with these pistols, so i could be completely wrong.

but just from a sort of uneducated guess point of view, i think the british marked WWII era ballesters probably are from the falkland islands.

it would make sense for the falklands folks to buy whatever pistols they could themselves, especially during the war when they likely would have little opportunity to receive much over seas from the UK itself.

just like the UK bought 1911's, hi powers and a number of other pistols, the falklands probably bought what was close and available.

Nope. Sorry. They were definitely WWII pistols made on contract to the Brits and shipped to the UK. That much is pretty well-documented.

"In a September 2007 article in Argentine gun magazine Magnum 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 Admiral Graf Spee after she was scuttled in the River Plate, across from Buenos Aires is true. Another specialist, Alejandro Gherovici, dissmised the legend, saying the steel was likely supplied by the U.S. under Lend-Lease.[1] Arbones article also details the use of those pistols by the British 8th Army and the SOE, and how he came to have his own British marked Ballester Molinas. About 10,000 to 15,000 of the Ballester Molinas were manufactured specially for Britain during World War II. 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. British contract Ballester-Molinas are identified by serial numbers in the range of 12000 to 21000, with a with a "B" prefix."

also ..

"Most SOE agents received training on captured enemy weapons before being sent into enemy-occupied territory. Ordinary SOE agents were also armed with handguns acquired abroad, such as, from 1941, a variety of US pistols, and a large quantity of the Spanish Llama .38 ACP in 1944. Such was SOE's demand for weapons, a consignment of 8,000 Ballester-Molina .45 calibre weapons was purchased from Argentina, apparently with the mediation of USA." SOE: An Outline History of the Special Operations Executive 1940 - 1946. MRD Foot.

 

[Chaunsey]

Nope. Sorry. They were definitely WWII pistols made on contract to the Brits and shipped to the UK. That much is pretty well-documented.

"In a September 2007 article in Argentine gun magazine Magnum 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 Admiral Graf Spee after she was scuttled in the River Plate, across from Buenos Aires is true. Another specialist, Alejandro Gherovici, dissmised the legend, saying the steel was likely supplied by the U.S. under Lend-Lease.[1] Arbones article also details the use of those pistols by the British 8th Army and the SOE, and how he came to have his own British marked Ballester Molinas. About 10,000 to 15,000 of the Ballester Molinas were manufactured specially for Britain during World War II. 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. British contract Ballester-Molinas are identified by serial numbers in the range of 12000 to 21000, with a with a "B" prefix."

ok cool, i tend to be leery of talk about guns with spy agencies and stuff like that just because there are so many tall tales in the gun world lol.

that is fantastic though, and really makes you wonder about the person that carried it and how it came to be here.

this could have been the gun carried by someone like james bond, but a few decades earlier, who taught bond all his stuff and scoffs at all the new fangled gadgets.

"why back in the great war, we carried a mans gun! none of this german toy gun pish!"

 

[Machodoc]

ok cool, i tend to be leery of talk about guns with spy agencies and stuff like that just because there are so many tall tales in the gun world lol.

Absolutely! A little healthy skepticism is ... well ... healthy.

I don't know what source Robertson's Trading Post is using to date the tired-looking Ballesters that they have at auction, but if the dates they are putting on them, based on serial numbers, is correct, this one would be a late WWII model. Unfortunately, there just doesn't seem to be much data available on them.

 

[ma_deuce]

In case anyone else is looking for one of these, Continental has a nice-looking one for $495. Don't know if that's good, bad or indifferent.