"This old gun" question: anyone know anything about this Argentine 1911?

[Totem Polar]

Buddy of mine is considering this. I figure some here will have the scoop on these pistolas. Thanks in advance, folks.




Attachment 5953

[okie john]

It's a copy of the 1911A1 produced under license in Argentina. Interesting for collector/curio value, but probably not what you want for serious use, and should be priced accordingly.



Okie John

[HCM]

1911 made in Argentina under license from Colt on Colt tooling. They made them from 1927 through 1960. Cool old gun, probably not he basis for a high volume shooter.



https://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=68064

[Jeep]

. . . probably not the basis for a high volume shooter.

I'm not sure about that. I have a Sistema Colt and it is very well made. The "rumor" was that the later ones were made out of armored steel from the Graf Spee. Almost certainly not true, but from what I can tell the steel is at least as good, and probably better, than the steel in GI .45s, the slides of which had problems.

I think that the Sistemas are somewhat underappreciated and as a result often carry bargain prices.

[Drang]

I'm surprised a more-or-less cherry Sistema is still in the wild, not having been converted into a race gun about 40 years ago, after the supply of ex-GI guns dried up.

[Totem Polar]

Interesting. So, probably worth picking up, if cheap.

[Trooper224]

Looks like a reblue.

[HCM]

I'm not sure about that. I have a Sistema Colt and it is very well made. The "rumor" was that the later ones were made out of armored steel from the Graf Spee. Almost certainly not true, but from what I can tell the steel is at least as good, and probably better, than the steel in GI .45s, the slides of which had problems.

I think that the Sistemas are somewhat underappreciated and as a result often carry bargain prices.

I don't believe the Graf Spee BS and it certainly safe to shoot. It just that it's a 50 year old gun at a minimum. They were also made in three different locations and with different grades of steel over the years so some are going to hold up better than others.

I wouldn't run 10k rounds per year through it.

[Tamara]

Looks like a reblue.

This. That thing's been hit pretty hard with a buffing wheel.

Cherry Sistemas are starting to bring real money, now that even ugly mixmaster USGI M1911s are commanding eight bills and more.

With a reblued gun like that, I'd sell the trigger, lockwork, MSH, and safeties on internet auction sites to people who are restoring old M1911A1 USGI guns, drop in some C&S lockwork and various other goodies, cut the slide for Novaks, fit a Kart, checker the frontstrap 20lpi, and have the thing cerakoted and have a badass 1911.

Somebody's already ruined it as a collector piece and you can't un-ring a bell, so you may as well go all in.

[Totem Polar]

Thanks everyone! Great info, as expected. #raisedglassofrye