Description
Item Description
Bryant Ridge Auction Company is pleased to present this historic semi-automatic pistol today for a penny-start auction, this is the HAFDASA Ballester-Rigaud Pistol!
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SPECIFICATIONS:
Manufacturer: Hispano Argentina Fábrica de Automóviles SA (HAFDASA)
Model: Ballester–Rigaud
Serial: 9074
Caliber: .45 ACP
Finish: Blue
Barrel Length: 5"
Optics/Sights: Fixed Blade Front with Fixed U-Notch Rear
Stock/Grips: Ribbed Walnut Grips
Action: Semi-Automatic
Markings: Standard / The left side of the slide is stamped “Pistola Automatica Ballester-Rigaud Cal.45 Fabricada Por H.A.F.D.A.S.A. Buenos Aires Pat 48282-Industria Argentina”. The left side of the slide is stamped with the Argentino crest and the words “Gendarmeria Nacional”. The right side of the frame is stamped “C.A.I. Georgia VT”.
Bryant Ridge's Analysis:
In 1929 two Spanish entrepreneurs named Arturo Ballester and Eugenio Molina went into business together and set up an automotive parts company in Buenos Aires to supply the Argentine automotive industry. They named their company Hispano Argentino Fabrica de Automoviles Sociedad Anonima, or HAFDASA for short. The English translation is “Spanish-Argentine Automobile Manufacturing Corporation”. As it turned out, one of their biggest customers was the Argentine government. HAFDASA won several contracts to supply trucks and engines to the Argentine military. As their fortunes prospered, they hired Rorice Rigaud, a French engineer, to head up their engineering department. They also hired a man by the name Carlos Ballester Molina, a member of both the Ballester and Molina families. In short order, Carlos Ballester Molina would become HAFDASA’s CEO. HAFDASA must have made a good impression on the Argentine government because in the 1930’s they were asked to investigate the feasibility of designing and building a full-size .45 ACP service pistol resembling the Modelo 1927 Sistema Colt at a lower cost. There were several conditions that Hafdasa was required to meet. The pistol had to fit into the same holsters as were being used for the Modelo 1927 Sistema, and it needed to have accuracy and dependability on par with the Sistema.
Model: Ballester–Rigaud
Serial: 9074
Caliber: .45 ACP
Finish: Blue
Barrel Length: 5"
Optics/Sights: Fixed Blade Front with Fixed U-Notch Rear
Stock/Grips: Ribbed Walnut Grips
Action: Semi-Automatic
Markings: Standard / The left side of the slide is stamped “Pistola Automatica Ballester-Rigaud Cal.45 Fabricada Por H.A.F.D.A.S.A. Buenos Aires Pat 48282-Industria Argentina”. The left side of the slide is stamped with the Argentino crest and the words “Gendarmeria Nacional”. The right side of the frame is stamped “C.A.I. Georgia VT”.
Bryant Ridge's Analysis:
In 1929 two Spanish entrepreneurs named Arturo Ballester and Eugenio Molina went into business together and set up an automotive parts company in Buenos Aires to supply the Argentine automotive industry. They named their company Hispano Argentino Fabrica de Automoviles Sociedad Anonima, or HAFDASA for short. The English translation is “Spanish-Argentine Automobile Manufacturing Corporation”. As it turned out, one of their biggest customers was the Argentine government. HAFDASA won several contracts to supply trucks and engines to the Argentine military. As their fortunes prospered, they hired Rorice Rigaud, a French engineer, to head up their engineering department. They also hired a man by the name Carlos Ballester Molina, a member of both the Ballester and Molina families. In short order, Carlos Ballester Molina would become HAFDASA’s CEO. HAFDASA must have made a good impression on the Argentine government because in the 1930’s they were asked to investigate the feasibility of designing and building a full-size .45 ACP service pistol resembling the Modelo 1927 Sistema Colt at a lower cost. There were several conditions that Hafdasa was required to meet. The pistol had to fit into the same holsters as were being used for the Modelo 1927 Sistema, and it needed to have accuracy and dependability on par with the Sistema.
The Argentine government also wanted it to use barrels and magazines that could be interchanged with the Sistema to simplify parts logistics. Of course, it absolutely had to cost less to manufacture than the Sistema. Otherwise, HAFDASA were given a free hand to deviate from the M1911A1 design so long as the end result was a service pistol meeting the above specifications at a lower cost than the Sistema. Being Spaniards, Ballester and Molina were well aware that Star Escheverria, the Spanish firearms company, had gone through this exact iteration in designing their 9mm Models A & B pistols. Star had even produced a 1911-size .45 auto pistol called the Model P, although there was virtually no parts interchangeability between it and the M1911 pistol. However, Star’s design made a great springboard for HAFDASA. Star had been able to cut costs and improve parts logistics on their pistols by eliminating the grip safety and simplifying the trigger and disconnector on models A, B, and P. Also, the thumb safety on the Star A-B-P series blocks the hammer, not the sear as on the 1911.
Some M1911A1 features were retained on the HAFDASA design. An internal extractor was used and the slide was machined to accept M1911 barrels. The firing pin is captured by a firing pin stop plate, similar to (but not interchangeable with) that utilized on M1911 pistols. The end result debuted in 1938 as the “Pistola Automatica Calibre .45 Ballester-Rigaud, Modelo DGME 1938”, more commonly known as the Ballester-Rigaud. Although Rorice Rigaud had his day in the sun and 15 minutes of fame, by 1942 the decision was made to rename the pistol the “Ballester-Molina” (small wonder, as it was about this time that Carlos Ballester Molina became the CEO of the company). In any event, this explains why the occasional Ballester-Rigaud turns up. There are no functional differences between the Ballester-Rigaud and the Ballester-Molina pistols except for the markings on the slide (Ballester-Rigauds are designated as .45 caliber while the Ballester-Molinas are designated 11.25 mm, but the difference is purely semantic. They both shoot the .45 ACP round).
Contents:
Contents:
This example will ship with one magazine!
Return Policy:
We gladly offer a 3 day unfired inspection policy from the time that the firearm is delivered to your FFL. Refunds are available for all qualifying orders.
Shipping Details
Handgun Standard Shipping with Insurance $50.00
Long Gun Standard Shipping with Insurance $70.00
Any orders placed with magazines that are not compliant with your state, county, or city regulations will not ship with your order.
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Payment Details
We accept all forms of Payment including Personal Check, Business Check, PO Money Orders, Certified Check, Etc.
Please note we place a 7 business day hold on shipment, for all non-certified payments.
Payment MUST be received within 14 days.
Return Policy
We gladly offer a 3 day unfired inspection policy from the time that the firearm is delivered to your FFL. Refunds are available for all qualifying orders.
Additional Details
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