What is this 1911??

**spblademaker** · January 3rd, 2010, 12:34 PM

I found a 1911 that I am interested in buying. It has no markings except for a serial number: one on the right side of the frame above the trigger; one on the center-top of the slide just rear of the ejection port; one on the top of the barrel visible in the ejection port. The gun has no finish, and a checkered arched mainspring housing with a lanyard loop. The grip safety doesn't work. What is it and what might it be worth? I'd post pics, but there isn't anything to show.

**Snert** · January 3rd, 2010, 12:39 PM

I would still post some pics. Those in the know will see something you or I might not.
Sometimes its in the craftsmanship, or a certian mark/stamp location.

Pics are worth their weight in gold on stuff like this.

Also if you break it down sometimes a stamping on the internals might give clues...

Snert..

**GTO Kroh** · January 3rd, 2010, 12:51 PM

Yea agree on post pics......almost every gun mfr. out there make a 1911 variant..........IIRC the 1911 is the most copied pistol platform to date

**39flathead** · January 3rd, 2010, 06:02 PM

Could be anything from an Essex home-build to a sanitized Norinco, Armscor or Colt.

Is it full, commander or officers size? Single stack?

You say the grip safety does not work, is it broken or non-existent? If it does not have one, it sounds like a Ballister Molina. I believe they had not so deep roll markings and could see where it would be easy to remove them with a poor polishing job. The slides on these also had distinct markings IIRC. The serial #'s do not sound like they are in the right place for a Ballister, but I could be wrong. Ballister barrels and mags are the only parts that are direct 1911 replacements.
Springfield Sporters used to sell them for $150+/-, along with $300 Colt Systemas.
There are some currently imported Ballisters out there for around $400.

Considering no finish, I would also lean toward a gun assembled from a kit sold by Sarco or some other parts company.

Pics may be worth showing, even if it seems a waste of time, some mfgs have tattletale machining & slight design variations that a good 1911 aficionado might recognize.

**Wiley-X** · January 3rd, 2010, 07:42 PM

Picutures, especially of the numbers.

**shiloh** · January 4th, 2010, 11:57 AM

From the serial number placement on the frame, slide and barrel it sounds like an Argentine Sistema Colt, but it could be a lot of other things as well, as the other posters said. Yep, pix would help.

**Wiley-X** · January 4th, 2010, 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by shiloh

From the serial number placement on the frame, slide and barrel it sounds like an Argentine Sistema Colt, but it could be a lot of other things as well, as the other posters said. Yep, pix would help.

That's what I was thinking but most of those had quite a bit of other markings on the slide.

**39flathead** · January 4th, 2010, 08:54 PM

I stopped at a friends after work, his Colt Systema has serial markings just like you described.
Someone must have done a real job on the slide to remove all those billboards.

I looked on gunbroker, here is one:
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/Vie...Item=152258449

The grip safety is a functioning part on the Systemas, so if the one you are looking at does not work, expect to spend some money on fixing it, remember this when you make an offer.
There are some completed auctions where the buy it now was set at $650. That is more than I would pay for one, by about 200-250, your opinion many vary. Most bids only reached into the $350-400 range which is what I would be willing to pay if I ever had the desire for another 1911.