Ballester - Molina The Ballester - Molina was a pistol designed and built by the Argentine company " Hispano Argentina Fábrica de Automotores SA " ( HAFDASA ) . The Ballester was originally called the Ballester - Rigaud ( c . 1938 – 1940 ) . The Ballester was designed to offer the Argentine police and military a less - expensive alternative to the Pistola Colt Modelo 1927 , which was itself a licensed copy of the Colt M1911A1 ( and was built under the supervison of Colt engineers ) . Production of the Ballester - Molina began in 1938 and ceased in 1953 . The history of the company dates back to 1929 , when two Spaniard entrepreneurs , Arturo Ballester and Eugenio Molina , established a branch of the Spanish Hispano - Suiza in Buenos Aires . Some years later , HAFDASA hired two engineers , the French Rorice Rigaud and Carlos Ballester Molina , a relative of the founders . Rigaud became the chief designer of the firm , while Ballester - Molina was appointed chief executive officer . As the Ballester - Molina was designed to serve alongside the M1927 that was currently in Argentine service , it bears a striking resemblance to the Colt M1911A1 . The Ballester - Molina and the M1911 share an identical 7 - round magazine , barrel , recoil spring , and barrel bushing . Although many other parts appear identical at first glance , they are not . Many parts are adaptable , however . The Ballester is also known as the " Hafdasa " after the initials of the company that made it . Use . The Ballester - Molina was used by Argentina ' s security forces . The Argentine Army adopted this weapon in 1938 . The Ballester - Molina is a short recoil - operated semi - automatic locked breech pistol . The locking system is a near identical copy of the Colt M1911A1 , with the swinging lock used to unlock the barrel from the slide . The trigger is single action , two stage , but pivots rather than slides like the 1911 trigger . The hammer is locked by the frame - mounted manual safety , and there is no grip safety . Overall quality is excellent . Many examples for sale on the surplus market have seen heavy use , but show little internal wear . The Ballester Molina is a copy of a Spanish Star pistol rather than an M1911 Colt , but was manufactured in . 45 ACP . It has a few parts , such as barrel , magazine , and recoil spring , interchangeable with the M1911 . The Ballester Molina is a very well made and very accurate pistol , which can successfully compete with any . 45 manufactured in those times . Ballester Molinas were manufactured in Buenos Aires Argentina by HAFDASA ( " Hispano Argentina Fábrica de Automotores Sociedad Anonima " ) between 1938 and 1953 . In a September 2007 article in Argentine gun magazine " Magnum " about the British - ordered Ballester Molina pistols , gun writer and collector George E . Arbones ' research and collection data seems to indicate the legend British - bought Ballester Molinas being manufactured using steel salvaged from the German pocket battleship " Admiral Graf Spee " after she was scuttled in the River Plate , across from Buenos Aires is true . Another specialist , Alejandro Gherovici , dissmised the legend , saying the steel was likely supplied by the U . S . under Lend - Lease . Arbones article also details the use of those pistols by the British 8th Army and the SOE , and how he came to have his own British marked Ballester Molinas . About 10 , 000 to 15 , 000 of the Ballester Molinas were manufactured specially for Britain during World War II . A number of pistols was issued to agents of the SOE , in order to avoid the use of British weapons for undercover operations in occupied Europe and behind enemy lines . British contract Ballester - Molinas are identified by serial numbers in the range of 12000 to 21000 , with a with a " B " prefix . Arbones ' article also shows the actual pistols that were manufactured during the Peron presidency and that carry the names of President Juan Perón and his wife Eva , and the ‘ secret ’ pistols issued to Perón ' s private police force . It also lists all known markings found on Argentine - made Ballester Molinas . Variants . A version of the Ballester Molina chambered for . 22 Long Rifle was produced for training purposes . This version was identical externally to the standard Ballester Molina , except for slide markings indicating the caliber . However , the . 22 caliber version was blowback operated to accommodate the less - powerful rimfire cartridge . This version was produced in much smaller numbers , and is much rarer today . The Ballester - Molina pistol also came with an extended barrel .