Ballester Molina

[Z71]

I bought an old Ballester Molina .45 a couple summers back. Sort of a rough looking old pistol, brown patina finish and a mismatched barrel.

Got it fairly cheap, and really had no great expectations of superb preformance. The old .45 auto was a surprise though. Gun runs like new, and is quite decent in the accuracy department!

All I did was detail strip and clean then reassemble it. Despite looking rough, is actually mechanicaly decent.

For an old "brown" pistol, preformed as well as I might have expected from a brand new gun!

Not a bunch of these around I guess. Used to see quite a few posts on the milsurp forums about these, but supplys must have dried up.

So who else owns a Ballester Molina or Riguard and likes it?

 

[Mad Magyar]

I've passed on a few, in fact, quite a few at Gun Shows, pawn shops, etc. The only reason being that I was collecting Sistema's from Argentina that are 100% interchangeable with the Colt.
Actually, if you exclude the lack of grip safety & different serration pattern on your slide; not much different from the Sistema's. Some parts, not many are interchangeable..
Kudos; especially if you didn't pay much for it...

The Sistema is about the best 1911 style .45 I've owned.

+1...They are keepers....

 

[Z71]

I've got a Sistema Colt too. A nice matching number pistol with no military or othe ownership marks or crests. The Sistema is about the best 1911 style .45 I've owned.

The Ballester is a bit crude looking compared to the Sistemas. Near as I can tell, the barrel and mag, maybe a few small parts might interchange between the two. Thats about it though. The frame and it's parts are totaly different. Slides are similiar but different.

 

[O.S.O.K.]

I've got a BM

and its a pip. Mine's a arsenal refurb and looks great. It's got a dark "gray" park finish and came with new grips which I sanded a bit, stained and applied polyurethane to.

It shoots great and runs like a champ.

Gotta love it - paid all of $189 for it.

I'd suggest sourcing a new firing pin and getting that to have in case the original breaks as that's the only thing I've heard about them needing.

 

[skinewmexico]

The Ballester is a bit crude looking compared to the Sistemas. Near as I can tell, the barrel and mag, maybe a few small parts might interchange between the two.

Funny, that is exactly how they were designed. Odd how that works out. The Ballester was made as an easier, cheaper to build, less complicated alternative to the Sistema. I have so much money in my Sistema now that it would have been cheaper to buy an STI. And I still need to refinish it. My Ballester needs sights in the worst way. I'm just torn about having it done. Star B and BM are fun guns too, I got my BM for $149, it runs like a top. Used it as a BUG in an IDPA match, shot better groups with it than I did with my primary.