Sarco colt 1911 from Argentina

[OARNGESI]

hi a few years back I bought a colt 1911 from Argentina police have they went up in value? Mine has almost no finish and I was thinking of having it blued but don’t want to ruin any value I believe this gun has been refinished before. I am just looking to preserve the metal

 

[Drail]

It would depend on whether Colt actually built it or if it was made on Colt machinery shipped down to Argentine workers. I would keep it as it is. Those were well built guns but an awful lot were abused for many years in military and police armories. Just keep it oiled lightly and wipe it down again if ANYBODY handles it.

 

[FL-NC]

I remember when these could be bought for a song- I want to say in the $300 range? Well made guns, pretty much the same quality as something from a US Army arms room in most cases, but finish was generally pretty bad on them (poor storage/maintenance?) Many were bought by people who just wanted a cheap 1911, or for custom projects. They are pretty much all gone now, just like about every other "good deal" surplus gun out there.

 

[NIGHTLORD40K]

hi a few years back I bought a colt 1911 from Argentina police have they went up in value? Mine has almost no finish and I was thinking of having it blued but don’t want to ruin any value I believe this gun has been refinished before. I am just looking to preserve the metal

Both the M1927 and Ballaster Molina have little collector value. Do whatever will allow you to enjoy owning and shooting the gun more and don't worry about it.

Keep in mind, though, bluing by itself offers little to no added rust resistance over oiling alone- it is mostly cosmetic. If you want a preservative finish, try Cerakote or a similar product. Good luck!

 

[bannockburn]

ORANGESI

I doubt if it's value would have gone up all that much in the space of a few years. Most of the Argentine 1911s that were imported some years back had already been refinished and were considered well worn in their overall appearance and usage. Typically a Colt made 1911 for the Argentine military would bring slightly more money than one made by F.M.A.P. (Fabrica Militar de Armas Portatiles), though the Argentine built guns are considered every bit the equal in quality to the Colt made guns.

Colt production (both 1911 and 1911A1 models), ran from 1916 to 1950 with 22,616 pistols being delivered. Beginning in 1927 through 1966 the Argentines produced 112,494 Sistema Colts for use by their military and police forces.

If it were mine I would use Birchwood Casey's RIG Universal Gun Grease to preserve the remaining finish and prevent any possible corrosion on the gun.

 

[OARNGESI]

My gun is a actual colt made in the us and shipped over I paid like 500 for there best grade.

 

[bannockburn]

OARNGESI

Sounds like you did alright with the one you received. These guns were used a lot (much like our own 1911s), and are very interesting pieces of military firearms history. Please post some photos of it when you get a chance.

 

[CapnMac]

The Sistema I owned was very nice. Had a really nice finish, especially for circa $350, if not the inky black of the Balister-Molinas that were afoot at the time. Was a cool oddball with both Sistema and Hartford roll marks.

I have no idea--right now--why I traded it, but I did. Which was middling dumb on my part.

 

[whatnickname]

The first 1911 I owned was a Sistema Argentina with the Argentine crest on the slide. The finish had quite a bit of wear but it was mechanically sound and reliable. Back in the early 70s you could get one of these for $50.00 which was all a poor college student could afford. I wish I had held on to that pistol but I traded it away for a Smith & Wesson Model 17 in like new condition; which was a good trade both then and now. It was a 1911 A1 Colt inside and out. Where and when it was made was anyone's guess, but at the time, the dealer that sold it to me said made by the Argentine Government on machinery bought from Colt. That old pistol saved my neck, as I lived on the proverbial "dark alley" when I went to college (Upstairs garage apartment) Went down to my car to get a school book and was invited to hand over my wallet by three young men. All I had in my back pocket was that Argentine 1911 A1 which came out and had the slide racked in record time. As I started taking up slack on the trigger one of them yelled "gun" and they all had urgent business elsewhere. Problem solved!

 

[bannockburn]

CapnMac

I remember way back when Colt (and the occasional Llama), were the only game in town if you wanted a 1911. Then one day I came across a Ballester-Molina in a local gun shop. It was in great shape and priced very affordably at $150. Not knowing what it was and unable to get to the library to read up on it (they had Jane's Gun Recognition Guide in the Reference Section), I passed on it. By the time I realized what it was and got back to the gun shop, it was already gone.

Such were the trials and tribulations of gun buying in the pre-smartphone era!