Argentine Ballester Molina 45 ACP

[@TheModernSurvivalist]

Hello Eric, Fernando here from Argentina. About the Graf Spee steel used in Ballester Molina pistols: Long believed to be just an urban myth, there was an interesting article written for the Argentine gun magazine "Magnum" some time ago. The author of the article actually traveled to the town in Uruguay, close to where the Graf Spee sunk (only partially, most was still above water). The author talked with the hotel owner where HAFDASA engineers stayed while researching the ship to identify the metal plate material and see if it was useful or not. They told him that indeed they stayed there for some time and a salvage operation to recover and use the metal plate for HAFDASA did in fact take place. If you think about it, it was a lot of metal and would have been a shame to let it all go to waste, so I'd say the story is in fact very plausible. Hope that helps. PS- Change the springs in that BM and it will run fine with ball ammo. I own a Ballester Rigaud and its one of the most accurate and most reliable 45s I ever owned.

[@sparkplug1018]

Even without knowing that back story you mentioned, thank you for that. Id say its definitely possible. That much quality steel, among other metals just sitting there is going to be salvaged by who ever can get a salvage permit on it. Pretty cool thinking it could have ended up in these guns though.

[@ZekeAR2]

There's nothing sure about it. It's known that the export to the united kingdom included the steel supply in a ratio of 2 to 1 (2 British pistols for 1 Argentine pistol). Saludos desde Francia.

[@EISANT0]

Perdon pero el mito es falso, se comprobo mediante estudio del acero que el blindaje del Graf Spee no concuerda con ninguna parte de la ballester molina, de ninguna numeracion o nomenclatura. De hecho, el acero de la corredera tiene mas similitudes con el SAE 1033. Si se utilizo acero del barco no se sabe, pero quedo demostrado que el acero del blindaje del acorazado no fue utilizado. El Acero hasta antes de 1940 provenia de Suecia en barras. A partir del año 1943 o 1944 los Altos Hornos de Zapla en la provincia de Jujuy empezaron a producir excelente acero. Si mal no recuerdo, en algun lado lei que las correderas de las Sistemas Colt se producian con acero SAE 1045 y el armazon con acero SAE 1050

[@senordiabeeto5703]

What springs should I replace? And what brand would you recommend?I just picked one of these up today. It’s a Molina issued sometime in 1944.

[@jorge283513]

Hi Eric, my name is Ramiro, i have been an infantry soldier for 3 years in the Argentine Army/Ejercito Argentino. I watch every video you post every time i can and i love each gun you show and shoot. I feel very proud when you show weapons from my country and you tell good things about them. Hope you read this and keep it up with your videos being following you almost from the begining and you went very dar, im proud of you, your team and your work keep it up that way. Greetings from Argentina and sorry for my so so english, hope you understand. (the ballester molina its not being carried anymore by police and security forces because the only caliber they can use its 9mm thats why they still use some hi powers but they pretty much carry bersas tpr9 and tp9).

[@albertocrlin6721]

Industria Argentina papá!!!!

[@grgtlvgrgtlv3409]

*Ensamblado en Tierra Del Fuego

[@adlerdoesdumbshit8990]

alberto crlin SEEEH

[@tomigamer0768]

vamos argentinaaa

[@chino7287]

🇦🇷🇦🇷🇦🇷

[@marianagonzalez9895]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@zulubravo7828]

“Argentine Army” says in the slide, pretty cool gun!

[@MrPolecat]

I bought my Ballerina Molester at a gun show in 1999 for $50 (plus WV sales tax), shortly after turning 21. If I had known how much they'd appreciate, I'd have bought the guy's whole rack of them, lol. D: Carried that sucker all the rest of the way through college and for years after until I bought a surplus Beretta 92S a few years ago (after learning of them on this channel actually). Since it doesn't have the backstrap safety like the 1911, I always carried with an empty chamber (in case I snagged something and disengaged the thumb safety), and decided I'd rather carry a DA/SA with decocker and one in the chamber. I love that gun. Loose, inaccurate (even after swapping in a match grade 1911 barrel lol), terrible sights, shitty-looking, and prone to rusting inside the magwell where it's hard to clean without removing the grip panels. It was also ultra-reliable and cheap enough (at the time) that I didn't have to worry about carry wear. It now occupies a spot of honor on my gun wall.

[@tinman1776]

Cool Mr polecat

[@scottharter1161]

My dad bought one in the early 70s, has the British Armory mark and low serial number, making it a WWII manufactured piece. I have it now. It is in excellent condition, and as such I have no issues with modern magazines up to 10 rounds. It doesn't like hollow points or particularly blunt nose rounds. I only shoot ball with it. p.s.: I learned to shoot with this pistol, and I have the "bite mark" scar on the web of my thumb - lesson learned.

[@josematy3249]

Also compatible with the Colt 1911 are the bushing, the main spring and the spring guide. And with a smithing job, the slide retainer.

[@fedeperezko]

Iraqveteran8888 its nice to see a pistol made in my country, if you can test a sistema colt 1927 I will be very much appreciated. we made them since 1927 in Rosario Argentina.

[@josephgilli1611]

Federico Matías Perez cuntry lol

[@fedeperezko]

country LOL sorry, excitement typing

[@fedeperezko]

HAHAH no problem! Joe!

[@fedeperezko]

hi digitalradiohacker, as i said... typing excitement :P

[@josephgilli1611]

Sadly in the U.S. some snowflake would be triggered by it though. They think they are superior in some messed up liberal way. But us mere Republicans are the "intolerant ones".

[@marianopesa298]

I live in a northern province in Argentina and I've seen that pistol being carried by police officers a couple of times.

[@fdu6]

mariano pesa Salta? Jujuy? Tucumán? Represent brah

[@marianopesa298]

Fede de Ugarriza Tucumán vieja

[@JackBauerArg]

Argentine Navy here, the Ballester is still popular in the civilian circle and passes from father to sons, but it isn't in service anymore, there are still some for ceremonial duties in parades but non fuctional. I do have a 1911 US Colt as a service pistol. nice video, try to use ball ammo with the ballester molina and the rigaud as those pistols weren't made for high pressure cartridges.

[@mikestyles499]

Ballester-Molina was a Salvage Co that got the contract to salvage the “Graff Spee” hitler’s favorite pocket Battle Ship, that was scuttled in Argentina. BM took the Kruptstahl armor plates from the Graff Spee and turned it into these .45’s. If you pick one up you notice right away how it’s different. It’s made from dense Kruppstahl armor, so it’s heavier than a 1911, no grip safety, and the trigger pivots from a pin, rather than pulls straight back. A friend of mine bought one. Crude wood grips, but a very solid shooter. I should have bought one back in 1990, when they were $199.00.

[@CreepyDan]

Awesome little gun, thanks for the video! Always love the history lessons these old guns can bring us.

[@ezrollerj]

Love what your doing showing the fun responsible handling. Especially with the old gun explanation of how it works.Keep it up!

[@Xerxes1688]

The Ballester Molina. Is basically a hybrid of a M1911 and a STAR Model P. It was cheaper and faster to produce than a M1911 (either argentine M1927 Sistema Colt, or an actual Colt Goverment model from that era), only because it has less parts (no gripsafety, single trigger bar intead of two). HAFDASA, which a private company, that designed and manufactured the Ballester Rigaud and Molina, had high standards of quality. If the frame and slides of the pistols weren't deemed fit for .45 ACP, they weren't scrapped, but modified to .22lr. They also manufactured high end cars. An interesting note: The magazines marked for Ballester pistols, they will not fit on M1911 pistols of any kind, because they are a hair shorter at the bottom.

[@Suburbannite]

my dad bought one of these a few years ago. had feeding issues like this one with a shot out barrel. he simply swapped out the barrel and runs near flawlessly now

[@freshfowler1398]

RIP Barry!! A Shot out barrel will also decrease the power of the gun to cycle the slide all the way back in my experience.. Great Video guys!!👍🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@user-xu1kh6ys3j]

The Ballester is a very robust pistol and very solid! 1911 Mags due fit in Ballester's but not the other way around. Also these are really more designed from the Star pistols. I have two currently. :)

[@chapiit08]

I've personally seen the factory records with specification data regarding the various kinds of steels used to construct each component of this pistol, something that clearly defeats the myth of salvaged steel from a German war ship. It's said that they functioned flawlessly in sandy conditions due to the lack of a grip safety, a feature much liked by it's British users.

[@sierraxray7318]

If the Ballester Molina is anything like my old Star it will likely function more reliably with ball ammo. My old Spanish Star tends to get hung up on hollow points.

[@mannequinfukr]

I've shot a ballester with hollow points and it surprisingly worked well. It gets hung up on a 10 round mag I bought for it

[@peruviangentry2738]

Excellent video. The history lesson plus the break down of the gun had me hooked. RIP Barry

[@joefoam794]

Love the old ones too. Keep the videos coming!

[@matthiasjoesilsr.2210]

Better than a Colt 1911 with a grip safety and all the other safeties they come with in my personal opinion.

[@HayrettinBalci]

all your content makes my day, keep em coming

[@Tantrum791]

Love you guys! Thanks for the videos

[@behindenemylines3361]

Cool video and thanks for the bit of history on the gun!

[@westernjeep4015]

The HAFDASA serial is located on the left mainspring housing margin; the British (UK) contract number is located on the right frame, just above the trigger. "B####". The metal used in the firearms was most likely of US origin, via British Lend Lease transactions. My UK contract specimen has its original HAFDASA magazine, however it (the firearm) works well with 1911 mags that are of good build quality. The firearm is worthy of collecting.

[@Real_Claudy_Focan]

I really want to see an argentinian automatic 7.63x21 Hi-Power

[@lacgt3]

Sweet Gun!!! i just started getting into collecting older firearms, this is definitely going to be in my collection one day!!

[@ZekeAR2]

Hello Eric, nice sorprise to see a Ballester Molina in your chanel. My father uses one in his military service in the Argentinian Federal Police (PFA) in 1963. I really do not think there is any ballester molina in service today (Maybe some officer in his last years of career??). But Ballester Molina pistol has a very good reputation in Argentina. There's nothing sure about the "pocket battleship" Admiral Graf Spee steel use. Due to the war effort, the US stopped selling steel to Argentina. It's known for the BM's british export (B serial number), the agreement included the british steel supply in a ratio of 2 to 1 (2 British pistols for 1 Argentine pistol). According to Argentine data, 10,000 pistols were sold and delivered in Canada. In Canada they say that only 8,000 were received. As you say, they were mostly used by the british SOE, and a significant number of them were parachuted on France for the French Resistance use.

[@cjstillman122]

Could you guys please do a video comparing all the pistol caliber lever action rounds with all of strengths and weaknesses including the cost and availability?

[@punta1970]

it's a surprise to see this beast from my country, I had a 1927 sistema colt and it's another 45 caliber beast

[@whoc4r3s117]

Argentina has my respect cause they fought off those bastard red coats as well. Most of the problems can be traced back to imperialist Great Britain. Wether line drawn in the sand or result of conquering and war.

[@alejandrovidal1607]

Yes, and we fought those bastard 3 times in 1806 and later in 1807 they try to invade us, and then in 1845 they sent a joint fleet with france to open trade with dissident provinces

[@noahkillough2840]

Didn't they get their asses handed to them in the 80's

[@noahkillough2840]

Fun fact these exact 1911 copies were used heavily by British Commandos during WW2 to add some further irony

[@soydondevoy3275]

@@noahkillough2840 in 86???????????????????????????

[@fbweaver63]

@eastbound. they weren't exact copies. we violated the oas treaty during the falklands/malvinas affair and didn;t enforce the monroe doctrine either.

[@terrygrossmann6125]

Great video. I really enjoy seeing the old firearms. Never fails to amaze me seeing items that are old but they still work. Especially when most things made today are meant to be thrown away.

[@whoc4r3s117]

Terry Grossmann True. Less hardwood and metal and more fiberboard and plastic.

[@sparkplug1018]

I love taking my Steyer M95 to the range for exactly that reason, 114 years old and still dead on accurate. And still dishing out the punishment to the shooter too.

[@anthonymillirans6802]

one of these was my first 45acp

[@FreedomsLife1776]

One of my dream guns right here

[@jameslrbrand2002uk]

That German Ship he's talking about is probably the Graf Spee sunk at "The Battle of The River Plate"

[@kencreppin2146]

It wasn't sunk, it was scuttled by it's own crew.

[@LordEvan5]

Wasn’t that in Paraguay

[@jameslrbrand2002uk]

LordEvan5 River Plate Estuary is the outlet between Argentina and Uruguay

[@jameslrbrand2002uk]

Ken Creppin Potato Potata any ship no longer afloat is "sunk" makes no difference to me whether her own crew did it.

[@LordEvan5]

Mistaken but it’s been awhile since I’ve seen that episode of victory at sea

[@donwyoming1936]

Got one in the 90s. Barrel was totally shot out. Dropped in a cheap M1911 barrel from Sarco. Tack driver. Really likes the PowerMags.

[@YorktownUSA]

Call the Whitehouse guys. Tell them NO new gun control. GOA says it helps.

[@Skinkow]

Jeez... Eric got on a 'flinch fest' over there.

[@enriquelella2381]

thanks from Argentine

[@ckim6400]

I have a Star P.D. solid little .45 that I bead blasted the frame and phosphate finished the slide.Great little pistol.

[@bobfallis]

Do another short vid on this 45 after you change the spring, and any other necessary parts.

[@farmgirl1981]

Awsome!!!!! Love the videos

[@gearrunner]

I’ve got the same exact pistol. I have had it for many many years now. I did change my recoil spring because it was weak. I will have to check my prefix to see if it’s a B I didn’t know about that or the war ship metal which is pretty cool.

[@hiwayman64]

I have a navy one and I like it good shooter all matching numbers to .

[@JosephAnthonyJosefius]

Great review, thanks!

[@alaincharlesleroy87]

My father used Ballerina Molester in the french army during the war in Algéria in 1960/62

[@alaincharlesleroy87]

And a great french robber, murderer, name : Pierrot le fou(Pierre Loutrel), used this handgun and shoot himself with it.

[@DLYskes1976]

my father had one of these.. it was one of his first handguns in the late 90's, not sure how many rounds we actually ran thru this gun, but i dont think it ever had an issue.. he ended up selling it with a few other handguns last fall and got what he paid for it back lol.....

I would agree with you about the truncated bullets being the main problem. I've owned a couple of stock WW2 1911a1's and they were jam-a-matics with anything but 230 ball ammo. With military ball they ran perfectly. Back in the day if someone wanted to run hollow points or anything but ball through a 1911 style they needed an experienced gun smith to work them over. For trivia the German ship you referenced was the Admiral Graf Spee a "Pocket Battleship" basically an up armored heavy cruiser surface raider sinking merchant ships that was damaged in battle against the British and chased into the neutral port of Montevideo, Uruguay where they granted temporary asylum. When forced to leave the British fooled the captain into thinking a massive force was waiting for her but instead of fighting a battle he would surely lose the Graf Spee's captain scuttled her at the harbor mouth on 17 December 1939 then committed suicide.

[@breakermorant2428]

My understanding is that a number of them were produced from the steel of the German battle ship the Graf Spee.

[@janus6414]

I have a Ballester Rigaud and your slide sticking issue is not a recoil spring problem. I can ride the slide forward and it does not stick at all. There is absolutely no hangups at all with my slide as it goes into battery. You may have an issue with your barrel or barrel link.

[@cordaroy1315]

can you do a melt down video on the century arms C39V2 - MOE?

[@iracohen7107]

Great video Do you know Of any manuals on The Ballester Molina 👍

[@evanburton1271]

“A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.” -Keep up the good work educating and protecting our 2nd amendment right IV8888, we need more responsible gun owners and education of youth. Spread love and not hate and our country and many others will see less problems in the future.

[@KOT-Grizzly89]

Hello, I have this exact model. Where can I purchase magazines? I cannot find anything on Amazon and nothing really popped up that stood out when I google searched. My magazine literally broke the spring popped right out while he was inside the firearm

[@AntonxxxGorodetsky]

great vid man

[@rileyklote2712]

Aaahhhhh the good ol Barry 😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔

[@BHank69]

I have one that runs perfectly. In fact, I like it enough that I tore it completely down and sent it out for black nitride!

[@matthewkenney6579]

Not bad for the age of it...

[@williamthegunnut3839]

1911's brother

[@fedeperezko]

1911 cousin, the brother is 1927 sistema colt!

[@williamthegunnut3839]

Federico Matías Perez ok👍

[@Yeoman7]

Browning High Power

[@eliebm8862]

The bother from another mother :)

[@rubennasser6907]

Actually the Ballester Molina is basically a scaled copy of the Star of that time, except that it uses the Colt 1911 magazine, barrels, recoil spring and barrel bushing. This was a requirement of the argentinian military that had large stocks of 1911s and had bought the rights and tech data package from Colt to produce them locally.

[@dannyprater7687]

Can you do a video on the FN 509

[@glockerbob]

Man I bought one in the early 80s from a friend for $50.00. And it was a shooter. Won a IDPA type match with it.

[@c0ldbrew4]

i just bought a tacstar slimline side saddle for my 870 and the shell retention is over the top, i want the fit a bit looser for easier reloads, tips?

[@darinmiller8687]

I loved the one I had in the 80s it shot great.

[@MrPolecat]

How is yours marked on the right hand side of the slide? Mine's an ex-navy, though I think most of them that were imported were ex-police.

[@MrPolecat]

Ahhh, I see now, you have an army model. Cool.

[@katahajimeudegarame2397]

i have one for about 20 years now, never had malfunctions, must be that modern ammo you putting it, or your pistol has some kind of bad piece on it.

[@jmmartin7766]

Eric-- by far, I really enjoyed this particular video, although I always enjoy your stuff... FYI, In doing research for an up coming adventure novel I'm writing, I ran across this pistol and your video-- and I think it's perfect for what I have in mind... 🤔 I can honestly say that, as old as this pistol is, it will probably live on a bit longer in the pages of a (yet-to-be published) adventure novel, thanks in no small part to you...

[@jsman2187]

Can you guys do a video on the taurus pt 1911 45acp

[@melonrain6862]

A new recoil spring...and new barrel and I would love to have it. A buddy of mine has a Star chambered in 9mm largo that I’m guessing needs the the same treatment + a good cleaning.

[@phil.paulastocks2276]

Is the hammer a web biter if you get your grip to high? From what I could see in the video it looks close.

[@timbo86051]

When are you going to make a video about the Star BM.?

[@19kilo40]

Bored at work watching some old gun gripes with berry (rip) thought police at the end you mentioned you had 60k subscribers lol few more since than.

[@TheAlex1121]

Being left-handed, when i shoot my 1911 my thumbs can sometimes creep up the right side of the gun and put pressure on the rounded end of the slide stop and cause a failure to feed. Was there a chance Eric was touching the slide stop in this video and increasing the chance of a malfunction?

[@bender9407]

my uncle works for the police in Argentina from what I know he carries a some sort of taurus 9mm

[@erikmartin5523]

I would love if you guys got the gewher m.95 out again

[@iceking123kitty]

I'm trying to find an older Iraqveteran8888 video, where Eric explains that the Scar 17 is his preferred "one gun" if he could only have one, and does a run and gun out of a house. Does anyone know what video that is?

[@fedeperezko]

Now the argentinan police force use Browning GP-35 but some old police refuse to change so the had still use the ballester molina for regular basis

[@grgtlvgrgtlv3409]

He visto unos cuantos portando la Ballester en vez de las Bersa

[@dorianshepard2841]

How do you like the reliability those 10 round mags in a standard 1911?

[@christophermurphy7113]

The one and only time in my life that I ever needed a firearm to save my bacon, it was a Ballerina Molester.

[@GrOuNdZeRo7777]

The virgin Eric and the Chad Chad! I still remember Barry: "The Ballester Molina is a WONDERFUL gun" I miss that guy...

[@fencingcoach3w]

Hi Eric, Talking steel, has anyone had the metal assayed to see if it does come from Germany? Each steel with have a 'finger print' of rare metals and isotopes of the various constituents in the steel which should be traceable to its point of origin. Good to hear the outcome of that investigation... Pete PS The wreck of the German pocket battleship Graf Spee scuttled 10 Km off Montevideo, Uruguary in the Rio de la Plata, on 17 December 1939 in position 34º 58' 18" South, 56º 17' 57" West. Argentina is on the southern side of this river's estuary, but the wreck is about 80 Km from their shores.

[@fidelnadal4150]

Ballester Molina made 1938 to 1956. The Graf Spee sunk in 1939.. Ballester used argentinians steel

[@rednecksniper4715]

What do you think about someone carrying a yugo M57 Tokarev only pistol I got right now I put PPU 7.62x25 JHP in it

[@Alex-yb8pk]

Amazing, thanks!

[@montycrain5783]

G.Gordon Liddy's book "Monkey Handlers" is the one I believe that has references to a Ballester Molina, Pocket Battleship Graf Spee and Krupp Steel Armor Plating.

[@fidelnadal4150]

Ballester Molina pistols made 1938 to 1956. And used steel made in Argentina. Admiral Graf Spee sunk in 1939. And Ballester Molina made 1938 to 1956.

[@JohnChandler2006]

Good Ole Barry.......

[@rileyklote2712]

John Chandler yep 😢😢 our good friend we all miss him

[@tinman1776]

rest in peace

[@wfrentzel7503]

Great video Eric. Anyone know where I can get a BM extractor?

[@chriscongleton2461]

She liked the Freedom Munitions ammo. Amazing for a pistol that's nearly a century old.

[@tonioruben]

I'have one, with B for British !

[@chad77777]

Can you do a sig m400 review? Its my personal AR15 and i wanna know what you guys think about it

[@kuttinkuddy3905]

can u do a full on m1 garand clean up? rack grade? the SKS video was great! or maybe a Argentine early Mauser?

[@nathangilbert7774]

Where can I get a CZ40B my dude

[@MrLovemachine2]

Took me well over a year to find one on a auction site. Very nice piece IMHO. wish u luck in finding.

[@67daffy]

Steel from the Graf Spee wreck?

[@eliasfalcon8783]

It's from Argentina? Because i'm from there

[@chubbycatfish4573]

Yes.

[@eliasfalcon8783]

Sin Talento Producciones oh really? In my country you can't shoot robbers or you will arrested

[@fedeperezko]

Yes it is.

[@stproducciones9140]

Elias Sparkle it's a complicated issue here.

[@eliasfalcon8783]

Sin Talento Producciones oh really? How much?

[@Alex-fi1zg]

This gun should be in a museum

[@alexmoore1506]

Mond Licht why?

[@Alex-fi1zg]

Because it´s awesome. Shooting it could break it.

[@alexmoore1506]

Mond Licht if it breaks from shooting, then either it was machined poorly or he's no doing a good job on upkeep

[@1234spottedbear]

Can you do a video on the fn model 1922?

[@Sturmbannführer88]

May need a new recoil spring

[@Bahael]

Is it only me or does the link to the cleanup video not work?

[@michaelmorgan9973]

Mattias Broman didn't work for me either.

[@masonsmorphs]

Eric !! I just saw you on a Fox News clip ! Great my man 😀😀

[@mtbbtk3030]

Could've bought 1 of those last year for $200 w/o a magazine..kicking myself!

[@Zarkus1519]

U should try a p90 meltdown