Ahh.. got it.
Never heard of Art Bell in these islands.
So API (Armscor Precision Inc?) is in Pahrump?
And also in Las Vegas?
You're right.
Call in Art Bell
Armscor may have its actual import/assembly in Pahrump, while its front office is in Las Vegas.
For anyone else listening in, here's the tale and trail of pistol manufacture and retail out of the Philippines:
++++
Armscor is the mother of all firearms and ammunition manufacturers in the Philippines (and nearly all of Southeast Asia). A lot of companies worldwide subcontract manufacturing of their stuff to Armscor. Some subcontract just a few parts, while others order virtually the whole firearm.
Charles Daly in the US has had Armscor manufacture its 1911 line from the start.
Twin Pines in the Philippines also has Armscor manufacture its "Rock Island Armory" 1911 line.
There are others, but they don't make it to US shores.
On top of all this Armscor sells its own lines of 1911's, rifles, revolvers etc.
Nothing wrong or unusual with subcontracting or taking subcontracts.
Kahr and Taurus manufacture for NAA, the latter manufacturing NONE of the Guardian's parts, right? (Heck, I just found out that even cartridge-makers like PMC subcontract some manufacturing to Armscor.)
Armscor brand, CD brand 1911 and Rock Island Armory brand pistols are all made by Armscor.
Now, CD obviously has a US presence.
Armscor has long had a Las Vegas office.
Twin Pines was relatively new to the firearm "manufacturing" business, and initially tied up with Sarco to get its fine line of pistols into the US market. They have since found a more secure distribution system, and have begun sourcing some parts (sights, magazines) from US manufacturers.
Anyway getting back to the .38 Super.
Twin Pines definitely markets a Rock Island Armory .38 Super.
It is definitely manufactured by Armscor,
...hence the technical existence of
'Armscor' .38 Super 1911's.
To make things even more confusing, check out Armscor's recent printed ads in some gun rags: they now advertise an Armscor "Rock Island" line of 1911's. The line used to be marketed as the GI series, and if this isn't about marketing Twin Pines' Rock Island Armory line, I don't know how this affects relations with Twin Pines, although Armscor really does have the majority claim to RIA's favorable reputation --and Twin Pines have no one else to subcontract to. Being Filipino, I tend to suspect everything between Twin Pines and Armscor is as planned, long beforehand.
It's a good thing Armscor has taken a renewed interest in oversas civilian firearms retail. For a long time they were like Colt seemed to be some years back --getting fat and lazy on fixed contracts. I feel direct civvy retail and the fierce competion therein are what drives pistolmakers harder towards quality, reliability and affordability.
In the end, if its shoots well and reliably, buy it.
If it's reasonably-priced, so much the better.
hth
postscript: Just to round out the Philippine firearm manufacturing picture,
Shooters Arms Manufacturing (SAM) is another Philippine pistol maker. They do not subcontract major manufacturing jobs to Armscor, but have their own plant in Mandaue City, Cebu. I am not aware that they have an official distributor in the US, though their pistols do get there.
