Deactivated Rare WW2 Argentine Ballester-Molina .45 ACP pistol

A rare WWII, military issued Argentinean made Ballester-Molina .45 ACP pistol marked "EJERCITO ARGENTINO" meaning Army Argentina. An excellent example of this hard to find weapon. The serial numbers date to 1944-45 production. This superb condition example has matching numbers (18226) to frame, barrel and slide and is fitted with an original and correct serial numbered magazine. Production numbers were very small with an estimated 113,000 ever made from 1938 to 1955.

Of considerable interest  8,000 were purchased by the UK for use by Special Operations Executive (SOE) during World War Two. These British contract guns fall between serial numbers of 12,000 and 21,000, and have a B-prefix additional serial number on the right side of the frame. This pistol would have been being made at same time as those pistols as serial numbers were interspersed !!  They were issued to the Argentine forces during the Falklands war with some brought back as war trophies. Deactivated with a working action.