Ballester Molina

Notes: This is an unlicensed local copy of the Colt M-1911A1, first produced in the late 1930s. It is sometimes known as the "Hafdasa," from the initials of the manufacturer (Hispano Argentino Fabrica de Automoviles SA). It closely resembles the M-1911A1, but the hammer is shaped differently, there is no grip safety, the notching on the grip plates and the slide are different, and the trigger pivots instead of sliding – the only parts of a Ballister Molina that will fit in a Colt M-1911A1 or most of its clones are the barrel and the magazines. The Ballester Molina is also a bit smaller than an M-1911A1, or at least is seems to fit a small hand better. Besides Argentina, this pistol was sold on the civilian market, and a number of them were purchased by the British in 1940s to equip certain clandestine units. Though those found today are generally quite serviceable; despite the numerous changes from the M-1911A1 design, the Ballister Molina is a well-made pistol. The finish, however, was poor when applied to the pistols when manufactured, and virtually all have been refinished by now.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Ballester Molina

.45 ACP

1.13 kg

7

$404

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Ballester Molina

SA

2

Nil

1

3

Nil

14

Bersa M-97

Notes: The Bersa M-97 is a simple pocket-type pistol using blowback operation and small and light enough to be easily concealed. It is simple to operate and take care of, and is quite popular in South America. It has an external loop hammer, blued finish, plastic grip plates, and a marked resemblance to early Bernardelli designs that is probably no more than coincidental. The magazine release is large and located just above the grip, while the manual safety is above and to the rear of this. The M-97 also has a slide lock on the frame near the rear of the slide.

The M-97 is actually a version of an earlier pistol, the M-644, scaled up to fire a larger caliber, as the M-644 is designed for .22 Long Rifle. The M-383 is a modernized version of the M-97; it uses lighter, more modern metals and is thus lighter than the M-97, and also has a somewhat shorter grip holding a smaller magazine. The barrel is also slightly shorter. The M-383A is a deluxe version of the M-383, with a finish of polished blue or nickel and walnut grips. Both were discontinued in 1988, replaced by the M-83. The M-83 is an M-383 with simplified controls and dehorned contours. (For game purposes, the M-383, M-383A, and M-83 have identical statistics.)

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

M-97

.380 ACP

0.8 kg

8

$139

M-383/83

.380 ACP

0.68 kg

7

$137

M-644

.22 Long Rifle

0.65 kg

8

$88

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

M-97

SA

1

Nil

1

3

Nil

9

M-383/83

SA

1

Nil

1

4

Nil

8

M-644

SA

-1

Nil

0

2

Nil

6

Bersa Mini Firestorm

Notes: This is a compact polymer pistol made by Bersa SA. It is a small, inexpensive (but not cheap in quality) pistol for backup and self-defense. Despite the small size, it fires the powerful .45 ACP cartridge. Only slight modifications are made to give a nod to US import regulations. It is otherwise a standard sort of compact pistol.

Twilight 2000 Notes: This weapon does not exist.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Mini Firestorm

.45 ACP

0.79 kg

7

$227

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Mini Firestorm

SA

2

Nil

1

4

Nil

9

Bersa Mini-Thunder

Notes: The firm of Bersa is not well known outside of South America, but they make good weapons. The Mini-Thunder was introduced at the SHOT show in 1998. The Mini-Thunder has a light alloy frame and steel slide, and uses a more-or-less standard Browning action. The safety is ambidextrous, and also serves as the takedown lever for the hammer. Barrel length is 3.25 inches. The weapon has three safeties: a standard safety catch, a slide catch, and an automatic firing pin safety. The Mini-Thunder was introduced at the 1998 SHOT show with 10-round magazines to comply with US firearms regulations at the time, but with the sunset of the Assault Weapons ban, larger-capacity magazines became available on the US market. (They were always available in Central and South America.)

Twilight 2000 Notes: These pistols do not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Mini-Thunder 9

9mm Parabellum

0.77 kg

10, 15

$231

Mini-Thunder 40

.40 Smith & Wesson

0.77 kg

10, 13

$306

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Mini-Thunder 9

SA

1

Nil

1

3

Nil

7

Mini-Thunder 40

SA

2

Nil

1

3

Nil

7

Bersa Thunder 9 Series

Notes: The Thunder 9 series of pistols are conventional double-action pistols that are attractive and well-made. They have adjustable rear sights of the three-dot variety, easy-to-find controls, multiple safeties, and come in five finishes: blued, matte nickel, or combination of blued and matte nickel, stainless steel, or even gold-plated, each with black plastic grip plates. Several different barrel lengths are available; originally, the Thunder 9 was built only with a 4.3-inch barrel, while the Thunder 40 and 45 were made with 4-inch barrels, with other barrel lengths introduced later. The Thunder 45 first appeared in literature in 2005 (AFAIK), while the Thunder 40 appeared in 1999, and the Thunder 9 in 1995. The Thunder 9 series is not related to the rest of the Thunder series except in name; they use a different operation and have a different profile than rest of the Thunder series. The Thunder 9 series may also be bought with rails under the dust cover for attachment of a laser aiming module.

Twilight 2000 Notes: The following versions of the Thunder 9 do not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline: Thunder 40, Thunder 45, or any version of the Thunder 9 with a 3.5-inch or 3.6-inch barrel. All other models of the Thunder are relatively unknown outside of South America except the Thunder 9.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Thunder 9 (3.5" Barrel)

9mm Parabellum

0.87 kg

10

$242

Thunder 9 (3.6" Barrel)

9mm Parabellum

0.88 kg

14

$243

Thunder 9 (4.3" Barrel)

9mm Parabellum

0.9 kg

17

$255

Thunder 40 (3.5" Barrel)

.40 Smith & Wesson

0.87 kg

10

$306

Thunder 40 (3.6" Barrel)

.40 Smith & Wesson

0.88 kg

11

$307

Thunder 40 (4" Barrel)

.40 Smith & Wesson

0.89 kg

11

$311

Thunder 40 (4.3" Barrel)

.40 Smith & Wesson

0.9 kg

13

$314

Thunder 45 (3.5" Barrel)

.45 ACP

1 kg

9

$392

Thunder 45 (3.6" Barrel)

.45 ACP

1 kg

10

$393

Thunder 45 (4.3" Barrel)

.45 ACP

1.01 kg

10

$397

Thunder 45 (4.3" Barrel)

.45 ACP

1.02 kg

12

$400

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Thunder 9 (3.5")

SA

1

Nil

1

3

Nil

8

Thunder 9 (3.6")

SA

1

Nil

1

3

Nil

8

Thunder 9 (4.3")

SA

1

Nil

1

3

Nil

10

Thunder 40 (3.5")

SA

2

Nil

1

3

Nil

8

Thunder 40 (3.6")

SA

2

Nil

1

3

Nil

9

Thunder 40 (4")

SA

2

Nil

1

3

Nil

10

Thunder 40 (4.3")

SA

2

2-Nil

1

3

Nil

11

Thunder 45 (3.5")

SA

2

Nil

1

3

Nil

9

Thunder 45 (3.6")

SA

2

Nil

1

3

Nil

9

Thunder 45 (4")

SA

2

Nil

1

3

Nil

11

Thunder 45 (4.3")

SA

2

Nil

1

3

Nil

12

Bersa Thunder 22

Notes: The Thunder 22, introduced in 1995, looks externally similar to the Thunder 32 and 380, but internally resembles a cross between the Thunder 32 and the Mini-Thunder. The Thunder 22 is essentially a plinker, not really meant for self-defense, though its small profile can lend itself to that use. It is a simple pistol to use and maintain, with the standard range of finishes for Bersa pistols. At first, the only barrel length available was 3.5 inches, but other barrel lengths were later made, including the Thunder 22 Sport with an extended 6-inch barrel. In addition, the Thunder 22 was at first only available with a 10-round magazine, but the 4.3-inch barrel version also introduced a new 15-round magazine for use only with that barrel length. The rear sights of all Thunder 22s are adjustable.

Twilight 2000 Notes: The only Thunder 22s available in the Twilight 2000 timeline are the Thunder 22 with a 3.5-inch barrel and the Thunder 22 Sport.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Thunder 22 (3.5" Barrel)

.22 Long Rifle

0.54 kg

10

$114

Thunder 22 (3.6" Barrel)

.22 Long Rifle

0.54 kg

10

$115

Thunder 22 (4.3" Barrel)

.22 Long Rifle

0.56 kg

15

$122

Thunder 22 Sport

.22 Long Rifle

0.56 kg

10

$140

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Thunder 22 (3.5")

SA

-1

Nil

0

3

Nil

6

Thunder 22 (3.6")

SA

-1

Nil

0

3

Nil

6

Thunder 22 (4.3")

SA

-1

Nil

1

3

Nil

7

Thunder 22 Sport

SA

-1

Nil

1

3

Nil

11

Bersa Thunder 32

Notes: The first of the modern Bersa pistols to bear the Thunder name, the Thunder 32 somewhat resembles the Walther PPK, but this resemblance is only coincidental. Like most of the later iterations of the Thunder-named pistols, the Thunder 32 has an adjustable rear sight, with a magazine catch and a safety catch on the left side of the slide, in addition to a firing pin safety. They are available in the standard finishes for most modern Bersa pistols (blued, matte nickel, or a blued slide with a polished nickel frame). Construction is otherwise of light steel with grips of black plastic. The Thunder 32 was originally made with a 3.5-inch barrel length and a 10-round magazine capacity, but later other barrel lengths and magazine capacities became available.

Twilight 2000 Notes: The only Thunder 32 available in the Twilight 2000 timeline has a 3.5-inch barrel.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Thunder 32 (3.5" Barrel)

.32 ACP

0.56 kg

10

10

Thunder 32 (3.6" Barrel)

.32 ACP

0.56 kg

12

12

Thunder 32 (4.3" Barrel)

.32 ACP

0.58 kg

15

15

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Thunder 32 (3.5")

SA

1

Nil

1

4

Nil

8

Thunder 32 (3.6")

SA

1

Nil

1

4

Nil

8

Thunder 32 (4.3")

SA

1

Nil

1

3

Nil

10

Bersa Thunder 380

Notes: Despite the name, the Thunder 380 is only partly-based on the Thunder 9 series; the Thunder 380 has a quite different profile (it actually looks somewhat like a PPK). The Thunder 380 is a much smaller weapon than the rest of the Thunder series, meant more as a backup or concealed-carry weapon than a primary service pistol. The Thunder 380’s sights are fixed, though the rear sight is dovetailed and slight changes for windage can be made this way. The stainless steel and gold-plated finishes are not available, but the magazine releases and safety catches are both extended. Originally available only with a 3.5-inch barrel length and a 7-round magazine capacity, the Thunder 380 was later available in versions with a 9-round capacity, and even later with a shorter 3.2-inch barrel. A special version of the Thunder 380, the Thunder 380 Super, is essentially identical to a standard Thunder 380 with a 3.5-inch barrel, but has a wider grip to accommodate a double-stack 15-round magazine.

Twilight 2000 Notes: The Thunder 380 exists only with a 3.5-inch barrel in the Twilight 2000 timeline; with the exception of the Thunder 380 Super.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Thunder 380 (3.2" Barrel)

.380 ACP

0.5 kg

7

$213

Thunder 380 (3.5" Barrel)

.380 ACP

0.65 kg

7, 9

$216

Thunder 380 Super

.380 ACP

0.76 kg

15

$219

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Thunder 380 (3.2")

SA

1

Nil

1

4

Nil

8

Thunder 380 (3.5")

SA

1

Nil

1

4

Nil

9

Thunder 380 Super

SA

1

Nil

1

3

Nil

9

FireStorm

Notes: Made by a new company of the same name, the FireStorm is based on several Bersa designs, especially the Bersa Model 95 series. (It should not be confused with the Bersa Mini Firestorm, which is a totally different weapon.) They are in fact quite similar to the Bersa-designed weapons, however, there are several differences. The external slide catch is considered one of the best-designed and located catches in the world right now (and it too, is based on a Bersa slide catch design which was never used). The rubber grip is wrap-around, ergonomic, and well-shaped. The magazines include an extension for the little finger. The FireStorm is a double-action weapon, with a wide trigger guard for use with gloves and the pistol has an extended tang under the hammer to prevent it from hitting the firing hand as it operates. The manual safety is a based on those on Walther pistols, and locks the firing pin. The front sight has a white dot, while the rear sight is notch-type and is lined in white.

Twilight 2000 Notes: This pistol does not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

FireStorm

.380 ACP

0.56 kg

7

$139

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

FireStorm

SA

1

Nil

1

4

Nil

9

FM Rosario Hi-Power Militar

Notes: Sometimes called the "FM Hi-Power" or the "FMAP Hi-Power" (the "FM" standing for "Fabrique Nationale" after it’s translated into the Argentine dialect of Spanish – Rosario is the location of the factory in Argentina), these pistols are based on license-produced examples of the FN-Browning Hi-Power HP-35. The Argentines produce four models: the Militar is the standard military variant, and conforms most closely to the original HP-35. Like the HP-35, early Militars used a loop hammer, and later this was changed to a spur hammer. Early Militars used grip plates of checkered hardwood, but complaints quickly came in about how uncomfortable the grip plates were, and they were changed to checkered rubber. The Militar is considered by many firearms experts to be the best of the license-produced Hi-Powers – probably because FN’s technicians personally designed and oversaw the construction, setup, and tooling of the FM Rosario factory in Argentina. This also means that parts from any pistol of the Militar series are 100% compatible with FN-built Hi-Power pistols, and vice versa.

Variants include the M-90, which is a modified version of the Militar, with a lengthened slide stop, reshaped manual safety, anatomical grips, and a plastic projection above the magazine well at the front to help with the grip. The "Detective," as it sounds, is a compact version of the M-90 for concealed work. The M-95 has two new safeties, a firing pin safety and an ambidextrous thumb safety. It also has adjustable front and rear sights.

Twilight 2000 Notes: Some of these pistols were still being used as late as 2025 in the Twilight 2000 timeline; however, the M-95 was never built.

Merc 2000 Notes: This was sometimes a more-obtainable option than a "real" Hi-Power, and sold very well in the Merc 2000 timeline.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

Hi-Power Militar

9mm Parabellum

0.93 kg

14

$219

Hi-Power M-90

9mm Parabellum

0.97 kg

14

$219

Hi-Power Detective

9mm Parabellum

0.92 kg

14

$209

Hi-Power M-95

9mm Parabellum

0.95 kg

14

$230

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

Hi-Power Militar

SA

1

Nil

1

3

Nil

11

Hi-Power M-90

SA

1

Nil

1

3

Nil

11

Hi-Power Detective

SA

1

Nil

1

3

Nil

9

Hi-Power M-95

SA

1

Nil

1

3

Nil

13