Balester Riguad 400 Corbon HAFDASA (BM 0$02400CB)

Caliber 400 corbon
2 - 7rd mags - one is a Shooting Star Mag
5" Barrel
Weight: 38.3ozs with mag
Condition: Like New in Doskocil Case
Finish:  Appears to be original but thinning.
Other:  Original Wood Grips look refinished.
              Finish appears to be original - see pics.
              Some minor marks on serface
              No, I do not have the original 45acp barrel

Serial # is 3 digits - 6XX.  Based on the serial #s published in the link below I'd say 1938-1939.

A bit of history - please look at http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/history/ballester.htm for coplete details:
Hispano Argentina Fabrica de Automoviles Sociedad Anonima (HAFDASA) hired a pair of engineers, the frenchman Rorice Rigaud, and Carlos Ballester Molina (a member of both the Ballester and Molina families). Rigaud eventually became HAFDASA's chief design engineer, while Ballester Molina became HAFDASA's Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

In 1936, in response to the DGME request, HAFDASA began to design and manufacture small arms. There was nothing revolutionary about HAFDASA's work. The factory established a pattern of adapting existing designs to satisfy the requirements of the Argentine military and police forces.

The HAFDASA pistol was adopted as the Argentine Army service pistol in 1938. Early pistols have checkering on the grips and backstrap, and there are twenty fine slide retraction grooves, as on the M1911A1. The slide right side is marked with the Argentine crest and the text "Ejercito Argentino."

The next iteration of the HAFDASA pistol, which this is, were modified to speed up and economize on production accordingly: The backstrap checkering was replaced by horizontal serrations, the wooden grips had long vertical serrations, and the fine slide retraction grooves were replaced by groups of vertical grooves separated by wide gaps. The Modelo 1938 designation was dropped, and the pistol was now known as the "Pistola Ballester-Rigaud."

At some point between 1940 and 1942, HAFDASA changed the trademark name of the pistol from "Ballester-Rigaud" to "Ballester-Molina," with the change reflected in the markings on the slide of the pistol. At the same time HAFDASA began to use plastic, instead of wooden, grips.
http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/history/ballester.htm









Serial #s are intentionally blacked out - we do not show sieral #s.













 
























Slide seiralized to the frame.











Bore is excellent.





2 mags - the one on the left is the Shooting Star and the one on the right is the original mag.



 
 
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