As far as my memory goes, the original issue of the .25, .40, and .46 all had the molded in needle body. I think just before they quite painting them blue, they went to the metal bracket, a much better set up in my opinion, that allows more positions to mount the needle to protect it.  Cladio Chacon has posted photos over on the main forum of a, LA.24 with box and all paper work and parts that was made in China, or at least the box was. It is a silver version with the molded in needle body and the box is dated 2013.
  Type at you later,
 Dan McEntee