DGFM-FMAP Argentine 1911 Sistema Colt 1927 #s Match 45 ACP Pistol, 1945 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1000
LSB#: 210312DW11
Make: DGFM-FMAP (Fabrica Militar de Armas Portatiles) Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
Model: 1927 Sistema Colt
Serial Number: 25051
Year of Manufacture: 1945
Caliber: .45 ACP
Action Type: Single Action Semi-Auto with Removable Magazine
Markings: The left side of the slide is marked “D.G.F.M. – (F.M.A.P.). The right side of the slide is marked the Argentine crest, “EJERCITO ARGENTINO / SIST. COLT CAL. 11.25mm MOD. 1927” and “25051”. The top of the slide, the right side of the frame above the trigger, the barrel at the port and the magazine floorplate are also marked “25051”. There is no import mark.
Barrel Length: 5”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a rounded blade fixed to the front of the slide. The rear sight is a “U”-notch dovetailed to the rear of the slide.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The grips are two-piece checkered black synthetic, marked “INDUSTRIA ARGENTINA” on their interior. The grips have light handling wear. There are some smoothed checkers on the right panel. There are light tool marks around the grip screws. The checkering is generally well defined. There are no chips or cracks. Overall, the grips are in about Very Good condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Refinished
Bore Condition: The bore is bright. The rifling is sharp and deep. There is no erosion in the bore.
Overall Condition: This pistol retains about 75% of its metal finish. The finish is thinning at some edges. There is scattered finish wear, mostly in the grip areas and on the slide. There are scattered nicks, scuffs and scratches, some are under the finish. There is some minor discoloration from oxidation in the worn areas. The action shows operational wear. The screw heads range from sharp to tool marked with strong slots. The markings range from clear to worn, but legible. Overall, this pistol is in about Very Good condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. It has both a manual and grip safety and the trigger pull has a tiny amount of creep. The slide is tight has minor play to the frame. We did not fire this pistol. The pistol has a lanyard ring on the bottom of the mainspring housing.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This pistol comes with one 7 round magazine. The magazine has operational wear, some minor surface oxidation, intact feed lips and a strong spring, in about Very Good condition.
Our Assessment: In 1914, the Argentine military adopted the Colt M1911 as their standard military sidearm and contracted with Colt to supply these guns. Argentina took shipment of 2,151 of these weapons between 1914 and 1919. In 1923, Argentina adopted an armaments bill that would eliminate Argentine dependency on foreign arms. Under this bill, the Argentine Congress authorized appropriations for a military modernization program and prepared the infrastructure for a domestic arms industry. In accordance with the new law, an aircraft factory was established in 1927, a munitions factory in 1933, a small steel mill in 1934, and a small arms factory in 1936, all of which were managed by Argentine army officers. In 1927, the Argentine Commission for Foreign Acquisitions negotiated a contract with Colt for the manufacture of M1911A1 .45 caliber self-loading pistols specially marked and serial numbered in a separate series, and secured a licensing agreement giving the Argentine government the right to manufacture these pistols using drawings, material specifications, instructions, etc. supplied by Colt. The 10,000 pistols were delivered by Colt from 1927 to 1933, and have become known as the Hartford Colts. Production of the Sistema Colts began in 1927, and 14,000 were produced by 1942. In 1945, a new factory (FMAP) was brought on-line and produced another 88,494 pistols through 1966. The Sistema Colts continued to be used in Argentina until the 1990’s, when they were replaced by Browning High Powers. The Sistema Colts were not Colt clones, they were licensed copies. Except for finish and markings, they were identical to 1911A1 pistols produced by Colt, and the parts were interchangeable. Top quality steel was used in the construction, and they are known to be as tough and reliable as those made by Colt. This pistol was made at the FMAP factory in 1945, its first year of operation, and was issued to the Argentine Army. This pistol shows its age, but retains an outstanding bore and strong mechanics. The high quality of the Sistema Colts and the relatively few produced make them very collectable, especially ones like this with matching numbers, including the magazine. Even better, it has made it here without acquiring an import marking! Please see our photos and good luck!