HAFDASA Ballester-Molina EJERCITO ARGENTINO .45 ACP, WWII-Era Argentine Army Issue, 5 in Barrel, Blued, Matching Frame/Slide/Barrel
This WWII-era Ballester-Molina from HAFDASA is an Argentine Army issue pistol marked with the national crest and "EJERCITO ARGENTINO" legend. It features the Ballester redesign of the 1911 pattern with a pivoting trigger and no grip safety. This full-size .45 ACP example retains its wartime character, with a matching frame, slide, and barrel, and a lanyard loop for service carry.
Condition
Overall Condition: Good condition, showing some signs of prior use and handling.
Bore Overall Condition: Good - Clean, well-maintained, minor wear marks.
Bore Rifling: Good Rifling - Intact, well-defined lands and grooves.
Specific Condition Notes: The pistol shows scratches and scuffing with areas of finish wear. The bore is in decent shape.
What’s Included
- HAFDASA Ballester-Molina "EJERCITO ARGENTINO" .45 ACP pistol
- One 7-round steel magazine (floorplate stamped "14163" with a small star mark)
Developed by HAFDASA in Argentina, the Ballester-Molina served as a robust, military-grade sidearm during the early-to-mid 1940s. This example aligns with that wartime production window (circa 1942–1944) and carries the Argentine national crest and "EJERCITO ARGENTINO" markings that identify it as an Army-issue pistol.
The design follows the 1911 lineage but incorporates notable Argentine changes, including a pivoting trigger and the omission of a grip safety. It remains a single-action, short-recoil, locked-breech pistol chambered in .45 ACP, with a 7+1 capacity and a full-size 5-inch barrel suited to service use.
Construction is military-grade carbon steel with a blued finish. Key features include fixed iron sights (front blade and rear notch), rear cocking serrations, a wide-spur hammer, and a manual thumb safety. Grooved hardwood grips and a lanyard loop at the base of the grip round out the service configuration.
This pistol has matching frame, slide, and barrel. The mainspring housing and magazine are nonmatching components. The included steel magazine has a floorplate stamped "14163" with a small star mark, consistent with Argentine military production details.