Gracias Jesús de los fierros.

Dear Ian : It is really surprising to find this Hafdasas almost 40 years after my military service in the Fuerza Aerea Argentina. Although there were no " Campeón" models in my unit, we had at least 100 of the regular ones. These were used for training purposes because some of the guard posts required the personnel to carry 1911. This was the " Policía Aeronáutica Nacional in the 80's , wich provided security to all airports and Air Force bases. As all service guns, they were quite battered and unreliable, and maybe, the standard velocity ammo provided, was not adecquate for cycling such a large slide. Anyways, we shoot hundreds of shots whith them and they were very accurate. Another big problem was inexperienced personnel dry firing this guns. Great fan of your channel, cheers !!!

El Jesucristo de las armas nos instruye otra vez

I’ve been wondering how the floating chamber worked for a while now and today I find this video from two years ago, well done Ian! Excellent video as always

HAFDASA also made a series of submachineguns in .45 ACP and 9mm called the HAFDASA Z4 and C4. The former had a wooden, stutzen type stock and the latter used quad stack coffin mags and an aluminum lower receiver. There's also a third party .22lr conversion kit made in Argentina by Industrias Marcati for the Ballester Molina and Sistema Colt 1927 (an argentine license copy of the Colt M1911A1). With the Ballester Molina in 22lr, HAFDASA sometimes used rough frames that were considered not fit for .45 ACP, but are totally perfect for .22lr. Another interesting anecdote, is that the pianist Liberace owned a BM .22lr, not the Campeon model, just the regular one.

One of the most fascinating aspects of these is that rear site - beautifully simple, 'infinite' range of adjustment, and, frankly, very little there to break. Just a slice of metal that you minutely bend with an adjustment screw - beautiful! That seems to sum up these pistols too, absolutely amazing that this floating chamber concept that moves a whopping nearly 2mm is able to cycle a slide for a .45 with only .22 power. Now I think the default question may be "wouldn't a floating chamber kill any sighting consistency?" However, I believe that this concept has less of an impact on accuracy than the standard 1911 tilting barrel, and most other moving barrel auto pistol systems for that matter. In theory anyway; custom building a modern competition pistol based on this design, I bet a superbly accurate firearm could be made what with the rather extreme tolerances that modern machining methods have to offer. I'm sure that small floating chamber section would need to be cleaned on the regular though, both for proper reliability and consistent performance. What a fantastic simple little design! And, how about that Hispano-Argentina legacy(right in the inner automotive nerd), too cool! Never ceases to amaze me how some of the most simple guns - like a blowback 22 training/target pistol - are just as interesting as, say, the monstrosity Rube Goldberg contraption early machine guns are.

I have never understod how the 22 cal ballester molina could cicle with such heavy slide now y do thanks ian!!

You're the best Ian ever

The regular BM .22 was the first gun i shot, back when i was 6, a couple years later i got a Bersa model 23 for my birthday/Christmas/children's day. They used to be fairly common (you found them used on almost all gun shops in Buenos Aires) mostly with smooshed firing pins and crapped out barrels. Also, it's important to note that this were used besides licensed "Sistema Colt" 1911A1's made at first by Colt and subsecuentaly by DGFM.

"almost like a 1911 but totally different" Okay? :-) Ian you have a way with words!

Yo tengo las dos ,la "CAMPEÓN" y "HAFDASA", son excelente pistolas industria argentina y las uso cuando voy al polígono de tiro.

There is a Campeón with 5 inch barrel. They are are recognized by the obvious "Campeón" markings but also by the adjustable rear sight AND front sight on the slide. The long barrel Campeón has the front sight mounted on the barrel.

Ian it would be cool if you could show us a few companies that make good reproductions of historical guns or maybe even improved upon the original design like the beistegui hermanos did with the C96. Could very well be a new mini series. Great work as always

Simply amazing video. I knew there were some "Champion" variants still around and this is the first time I've ever seen one live. Thank you very much, you promised and you delivered beyond expectations!!!! All the best to you and the channel from Argentina :D

I have a Ballester that is marked 45 but it was converted to 22lr with the floating chamber. Neat gun.

It looks like a 1911 with a Luger barrel.

I'm happy to see you finally got your hands on some Argentine made guns. Two in a row! I wonder whose or which collection are you diging.

Yay more guns I want that I’ll never own! Yes. Must say that this and InRange are my two favorite KZfaq channels.

Thats a pretty cool pistol. Looks like a 1911 had a baby with a Ruger Mk1.

I don't recall the brand name of the conversion kit, but one of my fellow officers on the PD back in 1973 had a conversion that he put on his .45 that looked a lot like that. It had the floating chamber that looked exactly like that. I remember him saying he paid as much for the conversion as he did for his 1911.

I love my Ballester Molina .45

literally: "An elegant weapon. For a more civilized time." QUITE literally.

Reads title while very tired: "Hafdasa Blaster Cannon" ???!!! Reads title again. I don't know if I'm supposed to be relieved or disappointed.

Thanks for bringing some light into my country's weapons... One little remark, though. The "Industria Argentina" mark isn't there to indicate a specific manufacturer, but rather that the product was made in Argentina. Kinda like that "Made in China" stamp you find in a lot of products.

That is a really cool operating system! Thanks for the video.

Since you're taking a look at some Argentinian guns lately, would you be able to feature and FM FAL or the FAP? I wanna see if our military made any sort of modifications to the original FN FAL when they produced it here.

Thank you Ian!

Super sweet looking pistol.

I love this channel and i'm from Argentina ! Great videos man ! Hope you get more views !!

There was a time in Argentina when governament trust the people and we can own a gun. From hose times is that Ballester Molina sell a 22 LR kit for the 45 ACP it was a slide, barrel, magazine, Spring and rod. the spring was a lot soft than the one used on the 45 ACP. On another matter there was a company that used to prduce a 22 LR named Tala and it was a copy from the colt woodsman. Nice and accurate little pistol. cheers

I have read somewhere that the 45 cal ballester molina pistols were used during ww2 by british and canadian troops .

Gun jesus has spoken, all those thou hear his words will be blessed with gun knowledge like no other!!!

Awesome video, love me some .22LR

This is ingenious.

I hope I can find one of these one day, would go nicely with my Navy issue Ballester Molina.

Wow... think ive found My new favorite handgun :D

Sweet gun brother. Reminds me of my colt rail gun.. Best 22 1911 on the market.

¡Industria Argentina Señor Ian McCollum! That was when we were a Decent and Great Country.

what a gem of a gun

Hola. How do you desassembly the modelo campeón with the front sight in that long barrel and the bushing ? Thanks.

You title didn't do the video justice. I didn't expect it to be so interesting.

Beautiful gun

Very cool pistols! :)

I have the idea there was a model which you could change from .22 to 45. Used to be sold as whole package along with the tools

The barrel looks kinda goofy from the side ^.^;

My brain refuses to comprehend this, I can't see it as anything but a 1911 and a separate barrel

Thank You Ian. Desde la lejana Argentina.

Hermosa historia , 🇦🇷 gracias

That is a funny looking Luger...

This gun with a shoulder stock would be so cool to see and have.

I assume when the Campion is stripped the barrel bush remains on the barrel, it seems the only way to remove the bush is to remove the front sight completely.

Fun fact; Ballester is pronounced "Bahshester" in Argentinian spanish/Español rioplatense; as the double "L" is always replaced by a "shh" sound, unlike most other dielects where it is pronounced as "lió".

Siiiiiii , al fin una Ballester Molina

I laughed so hard when I saw the gun in the thumbnail

I know that the Steyr M series pistols are still technically "new", circa 1999-present, but could you do a video on them? Steyr has no clue as to how to market their fantastic pistol series, so it's mostly sold via word of mouth, it's a fantastic gun that has rather interesting sights that I've not seen on any other handgun (that I am aware of)

God bless you, love the Chanel you keep it going 🇺🇲 🙏

What are the advantages of a floating chamber system over a simple blowback?

0:26 That long heavy wall barrel makes the gun front heavy? It looks like is the same outer diameter as the .45, but only bored to .22 Lots and lots of metal.

Actually, the Ballester Molina used a caliber that was similar to .45, also compatible. It was 11.25x43. theese numbers in the bottom of the cartridge were the basic difference between them.

Simplified, target, .22 1911? Got it!

wouldn't you have to tighten the screw to raise that rear sight and loosen the screw to lower it?

I think ian its in argentina or some guy have an interesting collection of argie weapons.

Are these ammo-sensitive? AND---Are they made from genuine Graf Spee armor??? :P

Reminds me of a GSG 1911-22

Looks a lot like the colt "ACE" conversion kit they offered for years

Alternate universe "Service Ace"

Ok, that's an M1911 chameded in .22 LR. What's next? .357 Magnum M1911? Oh, wait...

Why the floating chamber? Why not use regular blow back?

fuck yeah thanks dad

The regaud I have is in 45 acp

Is there a forgotten weapons for vehicles?

Cool. Hey Ian you have a ballister molina 45, is it difficult and or exspensive to get parts?

How many rounds in the magazine, Ian?

For when the Terminator wants to go Squirrel hunting.

Of course it's fireplace guy.

Ian, is there a japanese licenced Lugar?

You should do a video of Hafdasa's submachineguns

Hmm ... this floating chamber mechanism is quite interesting ...

did you ever review an Argentinian Mauser?

Do a amt hardballer longslide

Thanks a lot. It was amazing vid. I have a ballester molina 22. The louder shot doesnt let me use commonli , here in Brasil The laws about Guns restrict The use.

Is the floating chamber only suited for .22?

I liked the "Sistema Colt Modelo 1927" better, it looked way cooler and it was actually made by the army.

Would like to see this one firing

Hello. I have a Ballester Molina Pistol, cal .22 LR. Could you tell me what is the MODEL of this pistol? Thanks

Please be sure to archive your knowledge!

un agradecimiento al caballero de los subtitulos 🧐👍

Hi Ian, this is probably the least effective way to try to contact you, but I'd like to ask your help in identifying a rifle a friend of mine recently bought. Apparently he says it was sold as a Westly Richards "Monkey Tail" rifle, but through my research I could find no example that looked even close to what he had. If you could recommend a better way to contact you, please let me know as I can include images of the rifle. It's certainly interesting.

No mostró numeración de CAMPEON

Were you a bricklayer Ian??

Tengo que ver un video de EEUU para saber de un arma que se fabrico en mi país 🤔

So, you were in argentina.

I have the regaud

I'm taken back somewhat at the number if dirty guns I see you disassemble in these videos. Don't the owners clean many of these valuable weapons?

Looks like a 1911 crossed with a lugar.

Hafdasa. I WILL at some point start a company literally called "keysmash". Because why not?

Looks like the child of a 1911 and a P-38.

Jesú de lo Chumbos

podbyrin 9.2))

Go argentina!