PISTOLS

OF THE WORLD

THE DEFINITIVE ILLUSTRATED GUIDE

TO THE WORLD'S PISTOLS AND REVOLVERS

Third Edition

IAN HOGG AND JOHN WEEKS

DBI BOOKS, INC

Copyright © 1992 by Ian V. Hogg and John Weeks. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or
by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any other information storage or retrieval system, without permission
in writing from the publisher. Published in the United States by DBI Books, Inc., 4092 Commercial Ave., Northbrook, IL 60062. Printed in the
United States of America.
ISBN 0-87349-128-9
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 82-71370

2
 CONTENTS
If information cannot be found in the list below, which is organised more by company name than by gun designation, additional help may be sought
from the Databank—organised primarily by gun-name. This begins on page 327.

PART ONE: [A.J.] Aubrey 33 Brong Petit 64 Crescent 98 Esprin 120

INTRODUCTION Aurora 34 Bron-Grand 64 Crown City 98 Etna 121
Preface 7 Auto Mag 34 Bron-Sport 64 Crucelegui 98 Eureka 121
Glossary 8 Auto Ordnance 36 Browning 64 CZ 98 Excelsior 121
Bibliography 12 Autogarde 34 Browreduit 69 Czar 102 Express 121
Automatic Pistol 35 Brutus 69
PART TWO: THE Automatique BSA 69 Daisy 103 Fabrication
DIRECTORY Francaise 35 BSW 69 Dakota 103 Francaise 122
Abadie 13 Azanza y Buchel 70 Dan Wesson 321 Fabrique Francaise 122
Abilene 13 Arrizabalaga 36 Budischowsky 70 Dardick 103 F.A.G. 122
Acha 13 Azpiri 36 Buescu 70 Davis 104 Fagnus 122
Action 14 Azul 36 Buffalo Bill 70 Decker 104 Falcon 123
Adams 14 Buhag 70 Defender 104 FAMAE 123
Adler 14 Baby 37 Bull Dozer 70 Defense 104 Favorite 123
Adolph 15 Baby Bulldog 37 Bullfighter 70 Dek-Du 105 Federal Arms
Aetna 15 Baby Hammerless 37 Bulls Eye 70 Delu 105 Company 123
African 15 Baby Russian 37 Burgham Superior 70 Demon 105 FEG 123
Agner 15 Bacon 37 Deringer 105 Fegyver 124
Aguirre 15 Ballester Molina 38 Campo-Giro 71 Destructor 105 Femaru 124
Aguro 16 Bang-Up 38 Ca-Si 71 Detonics 106 Fiala 125
Alamo 16 Bar 38 Casull 72 Deutsche-Werke 106 F.I.E. 125
Alamo Ranger 16 Barrenechea y CDM 72 Diane 106 Fiel 125
Alaska 16 Gallastegui 39 Centennial 1876 72 Dickinson 106 F.M.G. 126
Aldazabal 16 Bascaran 39 Century 72 Dickson Bulldog 107 Foehl & Weeks 126
Alert 1874 16 Basculant 40 Cesar 72 Dickson Special Agent Forehand &
Alfa 17 Bauer 40 Challenge 72 107 Wadsworth 126
Alkar 17 Bayard 40 Chamelot-Delvigne 73 Dictator 107 Franchi 127
Allen & Wheelock 17 Bayonne 41 Chanticler 73 Dimancea 107 Francotte 127
Allies 18 Beattie 42 Charola y Anitua 74 Diplomat 107 Freedom Arms 128
America 18 Beaumont 43 Charter Arms 74 Dolne 107 French State
American Arms 18 Beholla 43 Chicago Arms Domino 108 Factories 128
American Arms & Beistegui 43 Company 75 Dornaus & Dixon 108 Frommer 130
Ammunition Benelli 44 Chicago Cub 75 Dornheim 108 Frontier 131
Company 18 Benemerita 44 Chicago Ledger 75 Douglas 109 Fyrberg 132
American Boy 18 Bengal No. 144 Chicago Protector 75 Dreyse 109
American Bulldog 19 Beretta 45 Chieftain 76 Drulov 110 GAC 133
American Eagle 19 Bergeron 51 Chinese State Duan 110 Gabilondo 133
American Firearms Bergmann 51 Factories 76 Duo 110 Galand 137
Company 19 Bergmann-Bayard 53 Chipmunk 77 Duplex 110 Galef 138
American Gun Bern 54 Chobert 77 Dusek 111 Galesi 138
Company 19 Bernadon-Martin 55 Chuchu 77 DWM 111 Gallia 139
American Standard Bernardelli 55 Chylewski 77 Gallus 139
Tool Company 19 Bernedo 57 Clair 78 Eagle 113 Gamba 139
Americus 19 Bersa 57 Clement 79 Earthquake 113 Garantizada 140
Ames 20 Bertrand 58 Clement-Fulgor 79 Eastern Arms 113 Garate 140
AMT 20 Bicycle 58 Clerke 79 E.B.A.C. 113 Garate, Anitua
Ancion-Marx 20 Big Bonanza 58 Clock 146 Echave y Arizmendi y Cia 141
Anschutz 21 Big Horn 58 CMC 146 113 Gasser 142
Apaolozo 21 Bijou 58 Cobolt 79 Ecia 114 Gaulois 143
Ariola Hermanos 27 Bison 58 Cody 79 Eclipse 115 Gavage 143
Aristocrat 21 Bittner 59 Colt 80 EIG 115 Gaztanaga 143
Arizaga 21 Bland 59 Columbian 95 El Cano 115 Gecado 144
Arizmendi 22 Bloodhound 59 Columbian El Cid 115 Geco 144
Arizmendi, Zulaica 24 Blue Jacket 59 Automatic 96 Eles 115 G.H. 144
Armas de Fuego 24 Blue Whistler 59 Company 18 Eley 115 Glisenti 145
Armero Bodeo 60 Company 19 Em-Ge 115 Governor 146
Especialistas 24 Bolumburu 60 Company 19 Empire 116 Grande Precision 147
Armi Jager 24 Bonanza 61 Company 223 Encore 116 Grant Hammond 148
Arminius 25 Borchardt 61 Company 223 Enfield 116 Great Western 148
Armscor 26 Boston Bulldog 62 Competition 96 Enforcer 117 Green 148
Arostegui 26 Boy's Choice 62 Conquerer 96 Enterprise 117 Grusonwerke 149
Arrizabalaga 27 Braendlin 62 Constabulary 96 Envall 118 GSM 149
Arva 28 Brigadier 62 Continental 96 Erika 118 Guardian 149
Ascaso 28 Britarms 63 Coonan 97 Erma 118 Guisasola 149
ASP 28 British Bulldog 63 Cooperativa Obrera 97 Errasti 120 Gustloff 149
Astra 28 Brixia 63 Copeland 98 Escodin 120 Gyrojet 150
ATCSA 33 Bronco 63 Cow Boy 98 Escort 120

5
Haenel 151 Kobold 184 Merrill 216 Puma 236 Squibman 282
Hafdasa 151 Kobra 185 Merveilleux 216 Puppy 236 Star 282
Hamada 152 Kohout 185 Merwin & Hulbert 216 Pyrenees 237 Star Vest Pocket 286
Hamal 152 Kolb 185 Metropolitan Steel City 286
Hamilton 155 Kolibri 185 Police 216 Radom 239 Stenda 286
Hammerli 153 Kommer 186 Mieg 217 Raven 240 Sterling 286
Hard Pan 155 Kongsberg 186 Mikkenger 217 R.E. 240 Stern 287
Harrington & Korriphila 187 Milady 217 Reck 240 Stetchkin 287
Richardson 155 Korth 187 Miroku 217 Reform 240 Stevens 287
Hartford 159 Krieghoff 188 Mitchell 217 Regent 241 Steyr 288
Hawes 159 Krnka 188 MMM-Mondial 217 Regnum 241 Stock 290
HDH 160 Kynoch 188 M.O.A. 218 Reichsrevolver 241 Stoeger 290
Heckler & Koch 161 Modesto Santos 218 Reising 242 Super Six 290
Hege 163 L.A.'s Deputy 189 Mohegan 218 Remington 242
Heim 163 La Basque 189 Monarch 218 Republic 244 Tala 291
Hei-Mo 163 La Fury 189 Morain 218 Retolaza 244 Tanfoglio 291
Helfricht 163 La Industrial 191 Morini 218 Reunies 245 Tarn 292
Helwan 164 Lahti 189 Mossberg 218 Reynoso 246 Taurus 293
He-Mo 164 Lampo 191 Mosser 218 Rheinmetall 246 Texas Longhorn 293
Herman 164 Lancaster 191 Muller 218 Rieger 246 Thalmann 293
Hero 164 Landstadt 191 Robar 247 Thames 293
Herter 165 Langenhan 192 Nagant 219 Rocky Mountain Arms Thayer 294
Heym 165 Le Martiny 193 Nambu 221 248 Thieme & Edeler 294
[J.C.] Higgins 165 Le Monobloc 193 Napoleon 222 Rohm 248 Thomas 294
High Standard 165 Leader 193 National Arms 223 Ronge 250 Thompson/Center 294
Hijo 168 Lee 193 New Nambu 223 Rossi 250 Tipping & Lawden 294
Hijo Quick-Break 168 Lefaucheux 193 New York Pistol Roth 251 Tokarev 295
Hino-Komuro 169 Leonhardt 194 Company 223 RPM 253 TOZ 295
Hood 169 Le Page 194 Nordheim 223 Rubi 253 Tranter 296
Hopkins & Allen 169 Lercker 194 North American Arms Ruby 253 Trejo 296
H.V. 172 L.E.S. 195 Company 223 Ruger 253 Trocaola,
Hy Hunter 172 Leston 195 North Korean Rupertus 256 Aranzabal 296
Liberator 195 Factories 224 R.W.M. 256 Ttibar 297
Illinois Arms Liberty 195 Norwich Arms 224 Ryan 256 Turbiaux 297
Company 173 Liegeoise 196
Imperato 173 Lignose 196 Obregon 225 S&A 257 U.A.E. 298
Imperial 173 Lincoln 196 Oculto 225 Sako 257 Uberti 298
I.N.A. 173 Lion 197 Ojanguren Salaverria 257 Unceta 298
Inagaki 174 Little All Right 197 y Marcaido 225 Salso 257 Union 299
Indian 174 Little Giant 197 Ojanguren Salvator-Dormus 257 Union Arms 299
Infallible 174 Little Joker 197 y Vidosa 226 San Paolo 258 Urrejola 299
Interarms 175 Little Tom 197 Omega 227 Sauer 258 U.S. Arms Company
Ariola 175 Loewe 198 Orbea 227 Savage 258 299
Iroquois 175 Luciano 198 Ortgies 228 Schlegelmilch 260
Israel Military Lusitania 198 O.W.A. 228 Schmidt 261 Vega 300
Industries 175 Lynx 198 Oyez 228 Schonberger 263 Venus 300
ITM 176 Schouboe 261 Verney-Carron 300
Iver Johnson 177 Magmatic 199 P.A.F. 229 Schulhof 262 Victory Arms 300
Ibarra 179 Makarov 199 Pages 229 Schulz & Larsen 262 Volkspistole 301
Ashes Arms Factory Maltby 199 Pantax 229 Schwarzlose 262
179 Mamba 199 Parabellum 229 Scott 264 Walther 303
Mann 200 Paramount 232 S.E.A.M. 264 Warnant 310
Jaga 180 Mannlicher 200 Pardini 232 Secret Service Webley 311
Jager 180 Manufrance 202 Parker Hale 232 Special 265 Wegria-Charlier 321
Japanese State Manurhin 204 Passler & Seidl 233 Security Industries 265 White-Merrill 322
Factories 180 Marga 205 Pathfinder 233 Seecamp 265 Whitney 322
Jennings 181 Margolin 205 Patro 233 SE-MAS 265 Wichita 323
J.G.A. 181 Marlin 205 Pavlicek 233 Semmerling 265 Wildey 323
Joha 181 Mars 206 Perla 233 Sharps 265
Jupiter 181 Martin 206 Peters-Stahl 233 Shattuck 266 Zaragoza 324
Martz 206 Phelps 233 Sheridan 266 Zastava 324
Kaba 182 Mateba 207 Phoenix 224 SIG 266 Zehna 325
Kapitain 182 Mauser 207 P.I.C. 234 Simplex 267 Zulaica 325
Kessler 182 Maxim 213 Pieper 234 Simson 268 Zwylacka 326
Kimball 182 Mayor 214 Pilsen 235 Smith & Wesson 269
Kind 183 Mendoza 214 Pindad 235 Smith 268 PART THREE:
Kirrikale 183 Menz 214 Powermaster 235 Sokolovsky 281 APPENDICES
Klesesewski 183 Mercury 215 Praga 235 Sosso 281 Databank 327
KNIL 183 Meriden 215 Precision 236 Spitfire 281 Ammunition 350
Kobenhavn and Merke 216 Protector 236 Springfield
Kronborg Factories 184 Merkuria 216 Pryse 236 Armory 281

6
 PREFACE
When John Weeks and I sat down seventeen years ago to write the first edition of Pistols of the World, we little knew how much work we had
created for ourselves; the passing years dimmed the memory and, when I sat down again to re-write this edition, the size of the task came as a
shock. In the intervening years, there has been an explosion in development. The original edition contained nothing of the current SIG line, or the
current Berettas; Smith & Wesson had but one modern automatic; and a score of other designs were merely lines on paper.
So not only has there been a great deal to add, but, to keep the book within manageable bounds, there has had to be some shaving of the existing
material. This has led to the removal of occasional comments and minor details to make space for the new entries. It would be idle to suggest that
every pistol in the world is within these pages; try as I might, there will be some which have eluded me. Indeed, owing to restrictions of space, there
are many which I have consciously excluded.
There is little mention, for example, of the multitude of single-shot pocket pistols, commonplace in the second half of the nineteenth century; of the
legions of cheap Spanish guns with no identifying mark other than 'Automatic Pistol' on the slide; of the many custom-built free pistols; of the
currently-fashionable 'semi-auto-only' cut-down submachine-guns; of the countless reproductions of Colt, Remington and Deringer cap locks; or, of
course, of the innumerable European blank, tear-gas and starting pistols.
I have endeavoured, however, to include every conventional revolver or automatic pistol I have encountered in the index and Databank—even
though I may not know much, and even though there may not be any reference in the text.

How to use this book...

There are many ways of classifying pistols, and each has its advantages and defects. In Pistols of the World, I have classified guns by
manufacturer— except where the name of the pistol is so famous that, in many cases, the name of the manufacturer has been obscured.
To find a particular pistol in the text, look either for the name of the maker or the name of the pistol. If you seek the Beretta 92, for example, then
the logical goal is 'Beretta'—and, sure enough, there you will find it. But there were several makers of the Parabellum pistol, so the keyword in this
case is 'Parabellum', where the full history of the pistol and all its makers will be found.
The quickest and surest method will be to look in the Databank and index at the end of the book. Here the pistol will be noted under its own name,
against which the manufacturer and the relevant page will be noted. If there is no text entry, no page number will be given. Lack of a text entry can
mean either that it is an obscure weapon of no particular significance or little-known history e.g., a minor Spanish automatic—or that information
came to hand too late for inclusion. Time elapses between an author finishing his manuscript and publication of the finished book, a limbo during
which nothing can be added to the text. However, the index cannot be completed until the book is in the numbered page stage, and so a window of
several weeks exists in which it is possible to add material to the index...but not to the text.
I mention this to forestall queries on the lines of 'why is the SIG P-229 in the index but not in the text?'; the answer, in this case, is that SIG only
announced the pistol at the Dallas Shot Show in 1991—long after the SIG entry had been written.
Lack of figures in parts of the Databank is due either to the weapon being so old that no specimen could be located to check dimensions, or so new
that I have not yet had the figures from the maker. There are cases where the weapon falls into neither of these categories, but these have been kept
to a minimum.
I have omitted the original introductory overview of the differing categories into which handguns fall. Most people can appreciate the difference
between revolvers, repeating pistols and automatic pistols, and for those who are just beginning their lifelong devotion to firearms (for such it will
prove to be) the glossary beginning on page 8 briefly explains the most important technical terms.
Illustrations are divided between those furnished by manufacturers, for which they have my sincere thanks, and those taken specially for the book. It
is impossible to include a picture of every one of more than 2,000 pistols, so I have had to be selective. It would be pointless, for example, to
illustrate every Eibar-type automatic—"seen one, seen 'em all", you might say— though I have endeavoured to show some of the unusual variations
on the theme. In some cases I have had to use old catalogue engravings, which add visual interest in addition to being important documentary
evidence.
Lastly, I must thank the many people who have provided information which has been assimilated into the text. The list of people who have written
to draw my attention to pistols, to add some piece of information or to argue my conclusions—invariably in the most good-natured way, I must
say— would run to several pages, as would the list of manufacturers who have been kind enough to supply me with information, allow me to visit
their factories and fire their pistols, provide photographs, and answer questions with the utmost patience. Instead of listing everyone individually, I
must take refuge in offering my sincere thanks to all of you, for without your help this book would be a mere shadow of its present self.

Ian V. Hogg

7
 GLOSSARY
Definitions and technical terms are unavoidable in a book of this nature; to avoid lengthy explanations, most of the important terms (and some less
well-known ones) are defined here for ready reference.
Accelerator A device which, by using leverage, increases the speed of the recoiling bolt to separate it more positively from a recoiling barrel.
Uncommon on pistols, but not unknown.
ACP 'Automatic Colt Pistol'; an abbreviation suffixed to some types of cartridge, indicating their original use with Colt firearms and to distinguish
them from other cartridges of the same nominal calibre.
Arbor The axis pin or rod upon which the cylinder of a revolver is carried.
Automatic pistol Strictly, an automatic weapon is one which, once the trigger is pressed, will fire and continue firing so long as the trigger remains
pressed and ammunition remains in the magazine. It is applied colloquially to any form of self-loading pistol.
Automatic revolver A revolver (e.g., Webley-Fosbery) which uses recoil forces to operate the mechanism and prepare for the next shot. It was also
once used to signify an automatic-ejecting pattern, particularly in the period before 1914.
Barrel extension A frame attached to the barrel of a weapon to carry the bolt. It also usually carries a means of locking the bolt to the extension,
holding the bolt closed during firing.
Barrel weights These are attached to the barrel of a target pistol to provide the distribution of weight and the balance that the firer prefers, and also
to damp down the rise of the muzzle on firing.
Belted A type of cartridge with a raised belt around the body, ahead of the extraction groove, which positively locates the cartridge in the chamber.
Rarely used in pistols, though there are exceptions such as the BSA (q.v.).
Bird's head butt Popular on revolvers made in the late nineteenth century, this curves down to a pointed or 'beaked' tip.
Blowback Also known as 'case projection', this is a system of operation in which the breech is kept closed solely by the inertia of the breech block
and pressure from the recoil spring. Pressure generated in the chamber on firing, once it overcomes this inertia, 'blows the bolt back'. Consequently,
the breech is not positively locked at the moment of discharge. The term is also used colloquially for the many types of 'blowback pistol' embodying
such an action.
Blow-forward Analogous to blowback (above) but working in the opposite direction, in this action the barrel of the weapon is blown forward by
the chamber pressure. This allows the empty case to be withdrawn before a spring returns the barrel to chamber a cartridge. The system is rare,
being confined to a handful of guns such as the Hino-Komuro and the Schwarzlose.
Bolt A device which closes the breech of a weapon; it usually suggests a separate component moving within the body of the weapon.
Breech block This is similar to a bolt; the dividing line has never been formally drawn, but in pistols the inference is that a breech block is part of
the slide or other reciprocating part of the weapon and not an entirely independent unit.
Browning Link Also known as the 'Browning Swinging Link', this method of locking a pistol-breech was devised by John Browning in the 1890s.
The barrel carries a link, pinned loosely beneath the breech; the other end of the link is pinned loosely to the pistol frame. When ready to fire, the
barrel is held forward and lugs on its upper surface engage with recesses inside the pistol slide. Slide and barrel recoil together on firing, but the link
forces the rear of the barrel to move in an arc and withdraw the lugs from their recesses. Once the lugs are clear, the slide is free to recoil while the
barrel is held by the link.
Browning Cam An improvement on the swinging link system, made after the end of the First World War, this relies on a piece of metal beneath the
breech which has been formed into a cam path riding upon a pin in the pistol frame. The pin acts on the cam-path to force the rear of the barrel
down, disconnecting its locking lugs from the slide and then holding it while the slide continues to recoil.
Calibre The internal diameter of a gun barrel; strictly, the diameter of a cylinder which will just fit inside the bore; more usually, the diameter
between two opposite lands. The term is often mistakenly used as a synonym for 'chambering' (q.v.).
Centre-fire A cartridge which carries its percussion cap centrally in the base; thus, by extension, a pistol using centre-fire ammunition. In this book,
any quoted calibre other than ·22 can be assumed to be centre-fire unless stated otherwise.
Chamber The enlarged and shaped area of the interior of the gun barrel at the breech, into which the cartridge fits.
Chambering The act of cutting a chamber (q.v.) in the barrel, but also used to indicate the cartridge a particular gun accepts—e.g., 'chambering
9mm Parabellum', 'chambered for ·45 ACP'. It should not be confused with calibre (q.v.); the cartridge chambered in an 9mm-calibre pistol could be
one of several alternatives (i.e., 9mm Short, 9mm Largo, 9mm Parabellum), but one chambering ·22 LR rimfire, while still '·22-calibre', is much
more precisely identified.
Charger A method of loading a magazine firearm, rarely encountered in pistol design, in which a number of cartridges are held in a metal frame.
The action is opened, the frame positioned at the entrance to the magazine, and the cartridges then pressed down by the thumb so as to be stripped
from the frame and loaded into the magazine. Confusingly widely known as a 'clip' (q.v.) in North America, or sometimes as 'stripper clip' to avoid
problems of communication.
Clip A method of loading a magazine firearm in which cartridges are held in a metal frame. The action is opened and the entire frame, with
cartridges, is placed in the magazine. When the action is closed, a spring-loaded arm forces up the cartridge inside the clip so that—as the action is
worked—a fresh cartridge is presented. As the last cartridge is loaded, the clip is ejected from the weapon. Even more rare than charger-loading in
pistols. Often used in North America for what is more appropriately called a 'charger'.
Compensator A device on the muzzle of a firearm which diverts some of the emerging gas upward, so developing a downward thrust to counteract
the rise of the muzzle during rapid firing.
Crane A hinged arm attached to the frame of a revolver, carrying the cylinder arbor and the cylinder. It allows the cylinder to be swung sideways
out of the frame for extraction and loading. Also known as a 'yoke'.
Cycle of operation This is simply the complete routine of operations required in an automatic weapon—firing, unlocking the breech, extracting,
ejecting, cocking, feeding, chambering and breech-locking. Not all functions may be present, some may overlap, and the order of their occurrence
may change from gun to gun.
Cyclic rate The theoretical continuous rate of fire of an automatic weapon, assuming an unlimited supply of ammunition—i.e., ignoring the need to
change magazines.
Cylinder That part of a revolver which contains the ammunition; it revolves to present a loaded chamber behind the barrel for each operation of the
trigger mechanism.
Cylinder stop A part of the lockwork which rises from the frame of a revolver and, engaging in a recess in the cylinder, locates the cylinder so that
one chamber is aligned with the barrel ready to fire.
8
De-cocking lever A device which safely lowers the hammer of a cocked automatic pistol, even though the chamber may be loaded. It allows a
loaded gun to be carried without fear of accidental discharge, and, in some designs, may be used to re-cock the action when required.
Delayed blowback This is a blowback (q.v.) mechanism in which an additional restraint or brake is placed on the bolt or other breech closure to
delay or slow the opening movement. There is no positive breech lock. Also known as 'retarded' or 'hesitation' blowback.
Disconnector That part of the trigger mechanism of a semi-automatic pistol which disconnects the trigger from the remainder of the firing train
after each shot; the firer must release the trigger and take a fresh pressure to fire the next shot. This prevents the gun firing continuously for a single
pressure of the trigger.
Double action A hammer-type firing mechanism in which the hammer can be raised and cocked by the thumb and then released by the trigger; or,
alternatively, can be raised, cocked, and released by a longer pull of the trigger.
Eibar A town in the province of Guipuzcoa, in the Basque region of northern Spain, which was virtually the home of Spanish gunmaking prior to
the Spanish Civil War (1936-9). In the early years of the century these gunmakers developed a distinctive copy of the Browning pistol pattern,
though generally offering lower quality and several manufacturing short-cuts. One of the most recognisable features of an Eibar-type pistol is the
large hook-like safety catch mounted on the frame above the trigger, where it doubles as an aid to stripping; pulling the slide slightly back allows
this catch to be pushed upward, hooking into a recess to hold the slide while the barrel is removed. Another prominent feature is the cocking or
retraction grip on the slide; many Eibar pistols display curved grooves, which could be cut on a cheap lathe instead of an expensive milling
machine.
Ejector A device for throwing empty cases out of a pistol; in the case of a revolver, the term usually applies to a star-shaped plate in the centre of
the cylinder. This plate is forced out by a mechanical linkage until it catches beneath the rims of the cases to push them out of the chambers. It thus
extracts and ejects in one movement. In the case of an automatic pistol, the ejector is usually a fixed metal bar or blade which intercepts the empty
case as it is withdrawn from the breech by the extractor and knocks it clear of the gun. There are, however, many variations on this theme.
Extractor A device used to pull the cartridge case from the chamber of a gun; in revolvers, as noted above, this is usually done by one mechanism
which also ejects the case clear of the weapon. In automatic pistols, the extractor is almost always a claw attached to the bolt or breech unit which
engages with the cartridge-case rim (or a groove ahead of it) to pull the case from the chamber during recoil, before presenting it to the ejector.
Some pistols were made without an extractor or ejector, relying on residual gas pressure to blow cases from the chamber (e.g., early Bergmann's).
This presented problems when trying to unload an unfired round.
Feedway That part of a weapon where a cartridge, taken from the feed system, is positioned ready to be loaded into the chamber. It is rarely seen in
pistols, where the distance between the magazine and the chamber is generally very short.
Fluted chamber A chamber (q.v.) containing grooves cut parallel with the axis of the barrel. These grooves extend into the bore but do not reach
the mouth of the chamber. On firing, some of the propellant gas leaks down these grooves to 'float' the case on a layer of high-pressure gas,
compensating for the pressure inside the case. It is associated with high-pressure weapons in which the breech begins opening while the pressure is
still high. If the chamber wall was plain, internal pressure would cause the body of the cartridge case to stick firmly against the chamber; any
rearward movement of the bolt would probably tear the base off the cartridge. By floating the case, there is less resistance to movement and the bolt
can begin opening without risk of damage. It is rarely seen in pistols.
Folding trigger A trigger which is hinged to fold forward beneath the frame, allowing the gun to be carried easily in the pocket without the trigger
catching. It is more common on revolvers than automatic pistols, though a few examples of the latter will be found.
Gas-seal revolver A class of revolver in which the cylinder and barrel are mechanically forced together before firing, eliminating the gap that exists
between the barrel and chamber-mouth of conventional designs. It was claimed to prevent leakage of gas and any consequent waste of the power of
the cartridge.
Gate loading This method of loading a solid-frame revolver was achieved by hinging part of the recoil shield to give access to one of the chambers.
Individual empty cases can be removed through the open gate, whereafter fresh rounds are introduced one by one, revolving the cylinder by hand
from chamber to chamber.
Grip safety A safety device forming part of the grip of a pistol and connected to the firing mechanism. Unless this grip is held tightly and forced
inward, the firing mechanism is interrupted and the gun cannot fire. It prevents accidental discharge arising from dropping or mishandling, but,
contrary to common myth, is not intended to prevent suicide.

9
Hammerless Genuinely hammerless pistols use a striker rather than a hammer to provide the percussion force to fire the cap; 'pseudo-hammerless'
pistols present a similar appearance, but have a conventional hammer inside the frame. The 'pseudo-hammerless' revolvers also have a conventional
hammer shrouded or concealed within the frame, though a few may have the tip of the hammer spur exposed to allow thumb-cocking.
Hinged frame This describes a gun in which the barrel (and cylinder in revolvers) forms a separate unit attached to the frame by a hinge bolt, so
that by releasing a catch the barrel can be tipped to expose the rear end—or, alternatively, the chambers of a revolver cylinder. The phrase is
generally taken to mean a barrel which tips downward; those which tip in any other direction are identified in the relevant descriptions. It is
generally applied to revolvers, though hinged-frame automatics are not uncommon.
Inertia firing pin These firing pins, generally encountered in automatic pistols, are shorter than the tunnel in which they rest. When the hammer is
lowered to press on the pin, the pin-tip does not protrude through the bush in the breech face to touch the cartridge cap. Only the violent blow of a
properly released hammer will overcome the natural inertia of the pin to drive it forward far enough to strike the cap hard enough to fire the
cartridge. An inertia firing pin is invariably accompanied by a small spring, pushing back against a collar to withdraw the pin behind the breech face
after the hammer has rebounded. This prevents the pin-tip striking the cap of the new cartridge as it is brought into place.
Lands The raised portions of a gun-barrel bore between rifling grooves.
Loaded-chamber indicator A pin or other device which gives visual and tactile indication of the presence of a cartridge in the chamber.
Lock time The time that elapses between pressing the trigger and the explosion of the cartridge. It is important in target shooting, where the shortest
possible lock time is desirable to reduce the chance of a shift in aim. It generally requires a sensitive trigger, but is also dependent upon the design
of the firing mechanism.
Lockwork An expression covering the whole of the mechanism necessary to fire a gun, from the trigger through to the hammer or striker.
Long recoil A system of operation relying on the barrel and breech recoiling locked together for a distance at least as long as a complete unfired
cartridge. At the end of this stroke, the bolt is unlocked and held while the barrel runs back to its forward position. During this movement, the
cartridge case is extracted and ejected, and a fresh round is placed in the feedway. The bolt is then released, runs forward to chamber a round, locks,
and the gun is ready to fire. Long recoil is not common in any type of firearm, least of all in pistols, but several notable designs have employed it in
the past.
LR, Long Rifle The identifying title of the most common ·22 rimfire cartridge, distinguishing it from ·22 Short and ·22 Long.
Machine pistol An imprecise term, which is often applied to submachine guns (particularly German ones); here, it means a pistol which has its
firing mechanism adapted to fire fully automatically if required. These guns are rare, but not as rare as they ought to be!
Magazine safety A safety system ensuring that the firing mechanism of the pistol will not function if the magazine is removed. The objective is to
prevent a common accident where the magazine is removed, but a round remains in the chamber to be fired when the owner tries to strip the
weapon. Magazine safeties are rarely found on military pistols, as the chambered round could come in useful if the firer is disturbed during the
process of changing magazines.
Main spring The spring that propels the hammer.
Mechanical repeater A class of pistol, briefly popular in the 1880s, in which the cycle of operations was carried out mechanically. This was
usually accomplished by finger operation in a ring trigger. Most guns embodied a rotating bolt (e.g., Bittner). The principal defect was that they
worked well enough when clean and well oiled, but became progressively more difficult as the weapon got dirty. They were entirely swept away by
the arrival of the automatic pistol.
Muzzle brake A muzzle attachment similar to a compensator, this is intended to turn the emerging gases and drive them rearwards to pull on the
muzzle and thus reduce the recoil. Rarely seen on pistols, excepting some modern ultra-high power designs.
Non-ejecting A class of revolver without the ability to eject spent cartridges—apart from removing the cylinder to punch out the cases with a
suitable implement, re-loading the cylinder and then replacing it.
Open-topped slide A form of slide in which the front upper surface is removed; a short section may be left at the muzzle end to carry the front sight
and generally stiffen the construction, thus giving the effect of a very large ejection opening. Alternatively, the two sides are joined at the front
below the barrel.
Open-frame revolver This is simply a design in which the barrel is held to the frame only in front of the trigger area, without a link between the top
of the barrel and the standing breech; the top of the cylinder is entirely exposed. Most of the cap-lock Colts are examples of this class.
Parabellum A word derived from the Latin si vis pacem, para bellum ('If you want peace, prepare for war'), which was adopted by Deutsche
Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken (q.v.) as a telegraphic address ('Parabellum, Berlin') and later as a trademark. It is associated with DWM firearms—
including the pistol familiarly known as the Luger—and cartridges such as the 9mm Parabellum.
Prawl That part of the butt frame which curves back over the web of the thumb to prevent the grip riding down in the hand when firing.
Proof marks These are stamped or impressed into a firearm by an official body to certify that it has been tested and found strong enough to
withstand firing. Unfortunately, spurious proof marks are not entirely unknown, particularly on some of the less reputable Spanish products of the
1920s.
Recoil shield The round plate, usually forming part of the standing breech, which conceals the rear of a revolver cylinder. It prevents recoil shock
shaking the cartridges loose in their chambers, which may otherwise prevent rotation of the cylinder.
Recoil spring The spring in an automatic pistol which returns the bolt or slide after firing; it is sometimes, and perhaps more accurately, called the
'return spring'.
Ribbed barrel A barrel forged with a stiffening top-rib, into which the front sight blade is formed or fixed, this is commonly encountered in
revolvers. The object is to give the barrel rigidity without the additional weight greater external diameter would have contributed.
Rimfire A cartridge in which the priming composition is distributed around the hollow rim. The gun must direct its firing pin on to the rim and
squash it between pin and chamber face. The system was very popular in the early days of cartridge weapons, as it was easier to make than the early
centre-fire designs, but it cannot withstand much internal pressure and is now confined to ·22-calibre pistols and low-powered 9mm shotguns.
Rimless These cartridge cases have an extraction groove in the base, the rim thus created being the same diameter as the head of the case. Such a
design makes magazine feed more reliable, owing to the absence of protruding rims.
Rimmed These cartridges have a protruding rim at the base of the case, which butts against the chamber face to position the cartridge. Usually
confined to revolvers, they may also be found in target automatic pistols.
Rod ejection A system of ejection used with gate-loaded (q.v.) revolvers in which a rod, carried below the barrel or on a swinging arm, can be
forced back to drive the empty case from the chamber and through the loading gate.
Sear A lever or catch connected to the trigger, which holds the hammer or firing pin back until trigger pressure moves it to release the hammer or
pin.

10
Self-cocking A firing mechanism in which the action of cocking and releasing the hammer or firing pin is performed by pulling back the trigger.
Sometimes called misleadingly called 'double action only'.
Self-loading The proper term for any weapon which, through recoil or other firing-induced force, extracts and ejects the empty case, then reloads
and re-cocks, leaving the weapon ready to fire when the trigger is next pressed. The common 'automatic' is properly called a self-loading pistol.
Semi-rimmed A cartridge case with an extraction groove like a rimless (q.v.) pattern, this nevertheless has an exposed rim of slightly greater
diameter than the case-head. Consequently, the rim can position the case correctly in the chamber but is small enough to avoid interference with the
magazine feed. Invented by John Browning, it was first used with the 7·65mm Auto (·32 ACP) cartridge.
Set trigger A trigger mechanism, commonly used in target weapons, in which a lever or button 'sets' the trigger by taking up all the slack in the
system; thereafter, a very slight pressure on the trigger is sufficient to fire.
Sheath(ed) trigger A form of trigger, common on pre-1914 revolvers and very occasionally found on some early automatics, in which a sheath
formed from the frame conceals the trigger except when the hammer has been cocked; at this point, the trigger moves forward and is sufficiently
exposed to be pressed to fire. Also (but somewhat misleadingly) called a 'stud trigger'.
Silencer A device attached to the muzzle of a weapon—or incorporated in its construction—whereby the gases emerging from the barrel are
trapped, circulated until their temperature and pressure have dropped, and then released to the atmosphere. This prevents the usual noise of the
muzzle blast.
Single-action A popular firing mechanism in which the hammer must be independently cocked, either by hand or by the action of the gun, and is
then released by the trigger. It is common on pre-1914 revolvers, though most automatic pistols function in this way when they are cocked during
recoil.
Slide stop A catch in the frame of an automatic pistol which can be used to lock the slide to the rear for cleaning or dismantling. Alternatively,
automatically moved by the magazine platform, it may lock the slide open to indicate that the last shot of the magazine has been fired. Most slide
stops can be manually released, though a few release automatically when a full magazine has been inserted.
Solid frame These revolvers have their frames forged in one piece, with an aperture into which the cylinder fits. The cylinder may be capable of
being swung out on a crane (q.v.) on modern examples; in older or cheaper designs, it may have to be gate-loaded or entirely removed to reload.
Standing breech A fixed part of the pistol frame which abuts the base of the cartridge in the firing position, carrying the firing pin or the firing-pin
bush. Principally encountered on revolvers and single-shot pistols, it may also be found on some odd forms of automatic pistol—particularly those
built on the blow-forward (q.v.) system.
Stirrup latch This is a method of securing the top strap of a hinged-frame revolver to the standing breech, comprising a metal frame with flat top
and curved sides. This is hinged to the standing breech and has a thumb-operated locking arm. The whole thing resembles an inverted stirrup; when
the arm is pressed, the top section tips backward to release the end of the top strap. The system is common on Webley revolvers.
Striker A firing pin of generous proportions, driven by a spring to acquire sufficient momentum to fire the cartridge cap.
Suicide Special This collective term was coined by the American authority Donald B. Webster Jr. to describe the common single-action sheath
trigger solid-frame non-ejecting rimfire revolvers made in the USA in c.1865-80. These flooded the market after the expiry of the Rollin White
patent (see under Smith & Wesson), being made to sell at prices as low as 60c each. A surprising number has survived.
Tip-up revolver This is simply a hinged-frame revolver in which the connection between the barrel unit and the frame is made between the top
strap and the standing breech, so that the barrel rises when opened.
Toggle lock A method of locking the bolt or breech block of an automatic firearm by using a two-lever linkage. One end is attached to the barrel
extension, the other to the bolt, and in the middle lies a hinge. With the bolt closed, the two levers lie flat and any thrust is resisted. The central
hinge is raised as the gun recoils, breaking the strut-like resistance and allowing the two levers to fold up. The bolt then moves backward to open the
breech. First used on the Maxim machine gun and, most famously, on the Parabellum pistol, the system is rarely encountered elsewhere; it demands
fine machining and very consistent ammunition performance.
Ventilated rib This is a form of ribbed barrel (q.v.) in which the rib is held away from the barrel by a series of supports, allowing air to circulate
beneath it. The object is to cool the barrel to prevent convection currents of hot air rising from the barrel surface to disturb the sight line.
Wadcutter This cartridge is used by target shooters, loaded with a flat-faced bullet to punch a very clean hole in the target—thus reducing
arguments about whether a shot has cut the 10-ring or not.

Below: longitudinal sections of typical handguns, including the toggle-locked Parabellum ('Luger') pistol and the Bernardelli VB swing-out cylinder
revolver.

11
 BIBLIOGRAPHY
Much historical information has been omitted to concentrate on essentials. For those wishing to discover more about handguns, the following books
are among those most highly recommended:

BADY, Donald B.: Colt Automatic Pistols, 1896-1955. Borden Publishing Company, Alhambra, California, USA; revised (second) edition, 1973.
BREATHED, John W., Jr., and SCHROEDER, Joseph J., Jr: System Mauser ('A pictorial history of the Model 1896 self-loading pistol'). Handgun
Press, Chicago, Illinois, USA; 1967.
BROWNING, John, and GENTRY, Curt; John M. Browning American Gunmaker. Doubleday & Company, New York; 1964.
BRUCE, Gordon, and REINHART, Christian: Webley Revolvers. Verlag Stocker-Schmid, Dietikon-Zurich, Switzerland; 1988.
DERBY, Harry: The Hand Cannons of Imperial Japan. Derby Publishing Company, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; 1981.
DOWELL, William C.: The Webley Story ('A History of Webley Pistols and Revolvers and the Development of the Pistol Cartridge'). The Skyrac
Press, Kirkgate, Leeds, England; 1962.
EZELL, Edward C.: Handguns of the World ('Military revolvers and self- loaders from 1870 to 1945'). Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania,
USA; 1981.
—Small Arms Today. Stackpole Books, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA; second edition, 1988.
FORS, William Barlow: Collector's Handbook of U.S. Cartridge Revolvers, 1856-1899. Adams Press, Chicago, Illinois, USA; 1973.
GLUCKMAN, Colonel Arcadi: United States Martial Pistols & Revolvers. The Stackpole Company, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA; 1956.
GORTZ, Joachim: Die Pistole 08. Verlag Stocker-Schmid, Dietikon-Zurich, Switzerland, and Motorbuch-Verlag, Stuttgart, Germany; 1985.
—and WALTER, John D.: The Navy Luger ('The 9mm Pistole 1904 and the Imperial German Navy: a concise illustrated history'). The Lyon Press,
Eastbourne, England, and Handgun Press, Chicago, Illinois, USA; 1988.
HATCH, Alden: Remington Arms in American History. Remington Arms Company, Inc., Ilion, New York, USA; revised edition, 1972.
HATCHER, Major General Julian S.: Hatcher's Notebook ('A Standard Reference Book for Shooters, Gunsmiths, Balisticians, Historians, Hunters
and Collectors'). The Stackpole Company, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA; third edition, 1962.
HAUSLER, Fritz: Schweizer Fastfeuerwaffen—Armes de poing suisses— Swiss Handguns. Verlag Hausler, Frauenfeld, Switzerland; 1975.
HAVEN, Charles T., and BELDEN, Frank A.: A History of the Colt Revolver. William Morrow & Company, New York, USA; 1940.
HOGG, Ian V.: Military Pistols & Revolvers. Arms & Armour Press, London; 1988
—and WEEKS, John S.: Military Small Arms of the Twentieth Century. Arms & Armour Press, London; sixth edition, 1991. HONEYCUTT, Fred
L., Jr: Military Pistols of Japan. Julin Books, Lake Park, Florida, USA; 1982.
JINKS, Roy G.: History of Smith & Wesson. Beinfeld Publishing Company, North Hollywood, California, USA; 1977.
KONIG, Klaus-Peter; Faustfeuerwaffen. Motorbuch Verlag GmbH, Stuttgart, Germany; 1980.
KOPEC, John A., GRAHAM, Ron, and MOORE, Kenneth C: A Study of the Colt Single Action Army Revolver. La Puente, California, USA;
1976.
MARKHAM, George: Guns of the Empire ('Firearms of the British Soldier, 1837-1987'). Arms & Armour Press, London; 1990.
—Guns of the Reich ('Firearms of the German Forces, 1939-1945'). Arms & Armour Press, London; 1989.
—Guns of the Wild West (' Firearms of the American Frontier, 1849-1917'). Arms & Armour Press, London; 1991.
MATHEWS, J. Howard; Firearms Identification. Charles C. Thomas, Springfield, Illinois, USA; three volumes, 1962-73.
NEAL, Robert J., and JINKS, Roy G.: Smith & Wesson 1857-1945. A.S. Barnes & Company, Inc., South Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; 1966.
NELSON, Thomas B., and MUSGRAVE, Daniel D.: The World's Machine Pistols & Submachine Guns. TBN Enterprises, Alexandria, Virginia;
1980.
PARSONS, John E.: Smith & Wesson Revolvers: The Pioneer Single Action Models. William Morrow & Company, New York, USA; 1957.
—The Peacemaker and its Rivals. William Morrow & Company, New York, USA;1950.
REINHART, Christian, and AM RHYN, Michael: Faustfeuerwaffen. Verlag Stocker-Schmid, Dietikon-Zurich, Switzerland; two volumes, 1974-5.
ROSA, Joseph G.: Guns of the American West (1776-1900). Arms & Armour Press, London; 1985.
RUBI, B. Barcelo: Armamento Portatil Espanol (1764-1939) una labora artillera. Libreria Editorial San Martin, Madrid, Spain; 1976.
SERVEN, James E.: Colt Firearms from 1836. The Foundation Press, La Habra, California, USA; seventh printing, 1972.
SMITH, Walter H.B.: Mauser, Walther & Mannlicher Firearms. The Stackpole Company, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA; 1971.
—The Book of Pistols & Revolvers. The Stackpole Company, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA; seventh edition, 1968.
STERN, Daniel K.: 10 Shots Quick ('The Fascinating Story of the Savage Pocket Automatics'). Globe Printing Company, San Jose, California;
1967.
TAYLERSON, Anthony W.F. [with R.A.N. ANDREWS and J. FIRTH): The Revolver, 1818-1865. Herbert Jenkins Ltd, London; 1968.
—The Revolver, 1865-1888. Herbert Jenkins Ltd, London; 1966.
—The Revolver, 1889-1914. Barrie & Jenkins, London; 1970.
WALTER, John D.: German Military Handguns, 1879-1918. Arms & Armour Press, London; 1980.
—The Luger Book (The encyclopaedia of Borchardt and Borchardt-Luger handguns, 1885-1985'). Arms & Armour Press, London; 1986.
—The Pistol Book. Arms & Armour Press, London; second edition, 1988.
WILSON, Lieutenant Colonel Robert K. [ed., Ian V. Hogg]: Textbook of Automatic Pistols. Arms & Armour Press, London; 1975.
WILSON, R.L.: The Colt Heritage ('The Official History of Colt Firearms from 1836 to the Present'). Simon & Schuster, New York, USA; undated
(1979).
—Colt, An American Legend. Blacksmith Corporation, Chino Valley; 1991.
WINANT, Lewis; Firearms Curiosa. Ray Riling Arms Books Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; 1961.

On the subject of ammunition, the following books are highly recommended:

BARNES, Frank C.: Cartridges of the World (The Book for Every Shooter, Collector and Handloader'). DBI Books, Inc., Northbrook, Illinois,
USA; fifth edition, 1985.
ERLMEIER, Hans A., and BRANDT, Jacob H.: Manual of Pistol & Revolver Cartridges. Journal-Verlag Schwend GmbH, Schwabisch Hall,
Germany; volume 1 (centre-fire, metric calibres) 1967, volume 2 (centre-fire, Anglo American calibres) 1980.
HACKLEY, Frank W., WOODIN, William H., and SCRANTON, Edward L.: History of Modern US Military Small Arms Ammunition. The
Macmillan Company, New York, USA; volume 1 (1880-1939), 1976. The Gun Room Press, Aledo, Illinois, USA; volume 2 (1940-45), 1978.
HOGG, Ian V.: The Cartridge Guide ('The Small Arms Ammunition Identification Manual'). Arms & Armour Press, London; 1982.
WHITE, Henry P., MUNHALL, Barton D., and BEARSE, Ray: Centrefire Pistol & Revolver Cartridges. A.S. Barnes & Company, New York and
South Brunswick, USA; 1967.

12
 DIRECTORY
A

ABADIE (BELGIUM)
This gunsmith reputedly invented the ejection system commonly found on
many Belgian and other solid-frame revolvers. The ejector rod is housed
within the hollow cylinder arbor and is pulled forward and then swung
sideways on a crane to eject cartridges through a loading gate. However,
Abadie's name is more usually connected with a loading-gate safety
embodied in numerous European service revolvers dating from 1878-1900.
The loading gate is connected to the hammer by a cam; when the gate is
opened, the hammer is driven back to the half-cock position and secured to
prevent it falling forward during loading. The cylinder may then be
revolved by pulling the trigger, which has been freed from the hammer.
The Abadie name is given to two Belgian-designed Portuguese service
revolvers, the Model 1878 Officers and the Model 1886 Troopers.
Originally made by L. Soleil of Liege, they amalgamated the double-action
Nagant M1878 firing mechanism with the Abadie loading gate. The Soleil
name is stamped on the frame.
Abadie Model 1878 (Portugal): Maker. L. Soleil, Liege,
Belgium. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: 9.1mm. Length
Abadie: The characteristic hinged loading gate is shown here on a
overall: 8·58in/218mm. Weight, unladen: 26·5oz/752gm. Barrel:
·450 Warnant-type revolver, made by Scott of Birmingham and
4·45in/113mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
marked "Thornton's Patent". The gun is believed to have been one
of six tested by the British Army in 1877.
ABILENE (USA)
A trade name for several single-action revolvers, based on the Colt M1873, marketed by the United States Arms Corporation of Riverhead, New
York, in 1978-82. ·357 Magnum, ·44 Magnum and ·45 Colt chamberings were available, with barrel lengths varying from 4·625 to 7·5in.

ACHA (SPAIN)
Acha Hermanos y Cia of Ermua, Vitoria, began by manufacturing the Acha automatic under licence during the
First World War. Domingo Acha subsequently perpetuated the same general design—either as a sole proprietor
or as a company ('Domingo Acha y Cia')—until the early 1930s.
Acha: This was a 7·65mm ACP blowback automatic of Eibar type, made c.1916-22. It has no
distinguishing mechanical features, but is marked F DE ACHA HRS C 7·65 and (sometimes) MODEL
1916 on the slide. Although these guns were reputedly made for the French Army, it seems that
manufacture continued after 1918 for the commercial market.
Acha Model 1916: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
6·10in/155mm. Weight, unladen: 20·1oz/570gm. Barrel: 3·35in/85mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-
round detachable box. Acha 6·35mm
Atlas: This 6·35mm ACP automatic, loosely based on the 1906 Browning design, was made by Domingo Acha. Looking Glass.
Generally found with slides marked PISTOLET AUTOMATIQUE 6·35 ATLAS, its appearance suggests that it
was Acha's first commercial design after the original Acha pistol: some of the smaller parts seem to have been made on the same machinery.
Atlas: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length, overall: 4·53in/115mm. Weight, unladen: 13·1oz/372gm.
Barrel: 2·28in/58mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Looking Glass: Another 6·35mm pistol based on the 1906 Browning, this has a better finish than the Atlas. The sole marking on the slide is
LOOKING GLASS while the grips may be embossed PATENT or display Acha's registered trademark—a woman's head in a border
suggesting a hand mirror. There have been some variants of this pistol; the usual type is Browning-size, with a two-inch barrel concealed
within the slide. It may be blued or nickelled. 'Special' and 'Target Special' models were advertised with barrels projecting from the slide and
adjustable rear sights.

ACTION (SPAIN)
1: A 7·65mm ACP Eibar-type automatic manufactured for the French Army in 1915-18 by Modesto Santos of Eibar. Supplied through a French
intermediary, it bore LES OUVRIERS REUNIES ACTION NO 2 MLE 15 on the slide.
2: Alternatively, a 6·35mm ACP automatic, based on the Browning 1906, made by Modesto Santos c.1919-25. The pistol was apparently
intended for export to France and retained the wartime name in the hope of selling to soldiers who would recall the wartime weapon. The slide
bore PISTOLET AUTOMATIQUE MODELE 1920 CAL 6·35MM ACTION, and an 'MS' monogram was moulded into the grips.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·33in/110mm. Weight, unladen: 10·4oz/295gm. Barrel:
1·97in/50mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

13
ADAMS (BRITAIN)
John Adams had been concerned in the production of
solid frame self-cocking percussion revolvers,
patented by his brother Robert in 1851. In 1864, John
Adams formed the Adams Patent Small Arms
Company of London, which appears to have been
little more than a syndicate for licensing patents;
manufacture was apparently undertaken elsewhere,
perhaps by Adams & Co. of Finsbury. Detailed
information will be found in A.W.F. Taylerson's
book 'The Revolver 1865-88'.
The British Army had adopted a cap-lock Beaumont-
Adams as the 'Deane & Adams Revolver Pistol' in
1855. John Adams subsequently perfected a
Adams ·450 Mk II revolver.
conversion system embodying a new cylinder,
rammer and loading gate to adapt the original
weapon into a breech-loader. The adaptation was
accepted for naval service as the 'Dean [sic] &
Adams Revolver Pistol, Converted to Breech-
Loading, by Mr. J. Adams' on 20 November 1868. This was apparently an expedient pending the adoption of a new breech-loading revolver, since
the 'United Services Magazine' of October 1869 noted: 'The introduction of Adams' breech-loading revolver into the service having been decided
upon, the Dean [sic] and Adams pistols already in use are now being converted by Mr. Adams. The converted pistol differs from the revolver in
having five chambers instead of six.' The new design was introduced as 'Pistol, Adams, Centrefire, Breech-Loading, Mark 2' on 22 February 1872.
Differences from the Mark 1 (as the conversion was now known) were relatively small. The Mark 3 appeared on 24 August 1872, differing from the
Mark 2 solely in the adoption of an improved extractor.
Finally, on 24 December 1872, the Mark 4 was approved; this was 'the alteration of all converted Muzzle-Loading Pistols Mark 1' and was
described as 'differing in minor features to overcome the tendency to non-revolution of the cylinder and the liability of the screw of the ejector
spring cover to come out.'
Mark 3 Adams revolvers were adopted by several Colonial governments and foreign countries, but were superseded in British service in 1880 by the
Enfield (q.v.). Military demand appears to have allowed few Adams revolvers to reach the commercial market.
Adams: Maker: Adams Patent Small Arms Company, London. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·45. Length overall: 10·43in/265mm.
Weight, unladen: 37·0oz/1,050gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine, six-chamber cylinder.

ADLER (GERMANY)
The basic Adler, a 7mm automatic, was the work of an inventor named
Haussler, whose contribution is always acknowledged on the pistol.
However, Max Hermsdorff made modifications to the Haussler design
important enough to be protected by German Patent 176,909 of 22 August
1905. This Hermsdorff patent, strictly speaking, covers the Adler pistol.
Engelbrecht & Wolff, whose name also appears on the pistol, made the guns
for Adlerwaffenwerke Max Hermsdorff of Zella St Blasii—purely a sales
organisation, but the origin of the Adler name.
Few pistols were made, as the ineffectual Adler could not compete in the market-place
against better designs; production was confined to 1905-7.
The blowback action had a reciprocating bolt inside a square-section receiver, with a Adler: 7mm Adler.
prominent cocking knob protruding from a slot in the top. The grip was well raked,
though excessive overhang at the rear made the pistol awkward to hold. It chambered the bottle-necked
rimless 7mm Adler cartridge, adopted by no other maker.
The principal novelty of the design lies in the construction of the receiver; the rear and top are in one piece, hinged at
the bottom rear and locked by a transverse pin. By removing the pin and swinging the cover upward, the bolt can be
removed and access gained for cleaning. The striker-fired pistol has a safety catch on the left of the frame, while a slot in the receiver side-wall
allows the face of the bolt to be inspected or reveals whether a cartridge is in the chamber.
Adler-Pistole: Maker: Engelbrecht & Wolff, Zella St Blasii. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Calibre: 7mm. Length overall:
8·19in/208mm. Weight, unladen: 24·2oz/685gm. Barrel: 3·35in/85mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

ADOLPH (USA)
Frederick Adolph, a gunsmith of Genoa, New York, manufactured single-shot target pistols with a modified Martini lever action and ten-inch
barrels. Dating from 1914-15, these chambered a special cartridge made by Adolph by cutting down and necking a ·28-30-120 Stevens case to
accommodate a ·22 Savage High-Power bullet.

AETNA (USA)
The Aetna Arms Company, active in New York City in 1875-90, was one of many small pistol makers who sprang into action when the patent
granted to Rollin White (q.v.) expired. The weapons they produced were virtual copies of Smith & Wesson's, genetically classed as 'Suicide
Specials'—sheathed trigger, solid frame or tip-up rimfire revolvers, made as cheaply as possible. The ·32 RF five-shot model had a 2·375in tip-up
octagonal barrel and brass frame, imitating the Smith & Wesson Model 1. The ·22 Short rimfire was an imitation Smith & Wesson Model 1 with
three-inch tip-up barrel, a seven-shot cylinder and a brass frame. The Aetna trade name was also encountered on revolvers manufactured by
Harrington & Richardson (q.v.).
Aetna: Type: tip-up barrel revolver. Chambering: ·22 Short rimfire. Length overall: 6·50in/165mm. Weight, unladen: about 7·1oz/200gm.
Barrel: 3·00in/76mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-chamber cylinder.

14
AFRICAN (FRANCE)
This was a 9mm-calibre open frame ten-shot pinfire revolver manufactured by Manufrance (q.v.) from c.1860. The name probably derives from the
popularity of these large-capacity revolvers in the French colonies.

AGNER (DENMARK)
The Agner M80 target pistol, made in Denmark by Agner-
Saxhoj Products, appeared in 1983. It is a ·22 automatic,
largely made of stainless steel, designed expressly for target
and competitive shooting. It has a fully adjustable trigger, an
unusual safety catch-cum-locking key, and an internal dry-
firing mechanism. The grips are anatomical, with an adjustable hand rest.
Agner: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length
overall: 9·49in/241mm. Weight, unladen: 38·4oz/1,090gm. Barrel: Agner: ·22 M80.
5·91in/150mm, rifled. Magazine: five-round detachable box.

AGUIRRE (SPAIN)
The connection between Aguirre y Cia and Aguirre, Zamacolas y Cia of Eibar—operating c.1920-33—is
not entirely clear; nor is it helped by the existence of Aguirre y Aranzabal, which specialises in shotguns.
Basculant: A 6·35mm blowback of the usual Browning 1906 pattern, and of no particular merit. Note
that though the name Basculant was also used by Pieper of Liege, there is no resemblance to or
connection with the Aguirre product.
Maker: Aguirre, Zamacolas y Cia. Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·53in/115mm.
Weight, unladen: 10·9oz/308gm. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Le Dragon: Virtually the same as the Basculant, but given a different name for sale in Belgium and France owing to prior use of 'Basculant' by
Pieper. It is invariably found with Liege proof marks and often assumed to be Belgian. The slide is marked CAL 6·35 AUTOMATIC
PISTOL LE DRAGON and the grips display a stylised dragon.

AGURO (SPAIN)
A 7·65mm ACP Spanish Eibar-type automatic manufactured in the 1920s by Erquiaga, Muguruzu y Cia of Eibar. It was simply a re-named post-war
continuation of their wartime Ruby contract and the name was soon dropped in favour of Fiel (q.v.).

ALAMO (USA)
A ·22 LR rimfire revolver advertised by Stoeger Arms, c.1958. The double-action gun had a ribbed barrel.

ALAMO RANGER (SPAIN)

A ·38 six-shot double-action, but otherwise anonymous revolver manufactured in Spain c.1928-30. Typical specimens are marked ALAMO
RANGER EIBAR 1929, plus MADE IN SPAIN and ·38 CTG. They have Eibar proof marks and may occasionally be dated. The Alamo Ranger has
a solid frame and a loading gate, though there is no form of ejector; the cylinder arbor pin can be unscrewed, allowing the cylinder to be removed
for reloading. The quality of material and the finish are generally poor.
Alamo Ranger: Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·38. Length overall: 10·47in/266mm. Weight, unladen: 29·1oz/825gm. Barrel:
5·35in/136mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

ALASKA (USA)
A revolver manufactured by the Hood Firearms Company of Norwich, Connecticut, c.1876-82. Chambering: ·22 Short rimfire cartridges, they have
seven-shot cylinders, solid frames, sheathed triggers and bird's-head grips.

ALDAZABAL (SPAIN)
1: A 7·65mm Eibar-style automatic manufactured by A. Aldazabal, c.1918-23. It had a seven-shot magazine and had six-groove left-handed
rifling. The slide is marked AAA MANUFACTURA DE ARMAS EIBAR 1919 MCA 35761; the number refers to the registered trademark
('Marca Registrada')—a knight's helmet above 'AAA'—on the slide and grips. The same pistol was also sold as the Benemerita (q.v.).
2: Hijos de Jose J. Aldazabal of Eibar, Spain, made cheap solid frame double-action hand-ejecting revolvers in the 1920s. Based on the ·38 S&W
Military & Police pattern, they chambered ·32 S&W, ·38 S&W and ·38 Special. This firm also marketed the Sharp-Shooter automatic pistol,
manufactured by Arrizabalaga (q.v.), in the 1920s.
3: Aldazabal, Leturiondo y Cia of Eibar made a 7·65mm Eibar-type automatic pistol in the early 1920s. It differs from the general run only in
having an extended butt and greater cartridge capacity. Markings include the maker's full name and 'AL' in an oval at the rear of the frame; the
butt grips are plain.
Aldazabal: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·10in/155mm. Weight, unladen:
20·8oz/590gm. Barrel: 3·46in/88mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

ALERT 1874 (USA)

A seven-shot revolver made by the Hood Firearms Company of Norwich, Connecticut, in ·22 Short rimfire. It had a solid frame, a sheathed trigger,
a 2·25in round barrel and a bird's-head grip. The five-groove rifling had a left-hand twist.

15
 ALFA: Typical handgun illustrations from the catalogue produced by A.L. Frank of Hamburg, Germany, in 1911.

ALFA (GERMANY)
A German-made ·230 four-barrelled superposed repeating pistol
marketed c.1912 by Adolph Frank of Hamburg, Germany; Alfa
was Frank's trade-mark. See also Armero Especialistas Reunidos.

ALKAR (SPAIN)
The trade name of SA Alkartasuna, Fabrica de Armas, of Eibar
will be found on several differing automatic pistols. It occurs as
part of a trademark formed of an angular 'S' surmounted by
ALKAR, with MCA. REGISDA. ('Marca Registrada') beneath; as
ALKAR superimposed on the 'S' as a grip motif; or simply as a
word moulded into the grip.
Alkartasuna was formed during the First World War by a group of Alfa: A typical 38 revolver.
ex-employees of Esperanza y Unceta, who had successfully
tendered to make Ruby pistols under sub-contract to Gabilondo.
The pistol slides bore the company name and the Alkar trademark. When sub-contract work ceased, the pistol was offered commercially. A few
minor variants have been made—e.g., with seven-shot magazines instead of nine-shot, or with a modified trade-mark omitting the name 'Alkar'.
The pistol was modified about 1919 by rounding the front of the slide so that it resembled the Browning M1910 externally; stripping reveals that the
recoil spring lies beneath the barrel, just like any other Eibar-type gun, instead of wrapped around the barrel as in the Browning. This pistol was
marked STANDARD AUTOMATIC PISTOL SA ALKARTASUNA and had the Alkar trademark moulded into the grip.
The factory burned down in 1920; what happened next is still far from clear. SA Alkartasuna was formally dissolved in 1922 but, in 1924, a
6·35mm pistol broadly based on the Browning 1906 appeared with ALKAR moulded into the grip and the name of an entirely new company on the
slide: MANUFACTURA DE ARMAS DE FUEGO- GUERNICA. This pistol, which lacks the grip safety, has a peculiarly notched back strap and
some unusual features; the safety catch is a push-through bolt at the top of the grip, while the left grip plate is perforated to reveal an indicator
formed from the magazine platform to show the contents of the magazine.
No other pistols by the Guernica firm are known. It is probable that stock was acquired when Alkartasuna was dissolved, with the intention of
carrying on trading. A pistol named 'Alkatasuna' (note the subtle change in spelling) has been reported, a version of the earlier Alkar with Armas de
Fuego markings, but verification is lacking; other sources mention a revolver, but none has yet been found.
Alkar Model 1914: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·41in/112mm. Weight, unladen:
10·6oz/300gm. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Alkar Model 1914: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·30in/160mm. Weight, unladen:
20·6oz/583gm. Barrel: 3·27in/83mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.
16
ALLEN & WHEELOCK (USA)
Allen & Wheelock of Worcester,
Massachusetts, made cap-lock
pepperboxes and revolvers from 1856
onwards, in calibres from ·25 to ·44. In
the middle 1860s they began
manufacture of a range of rimfire
revolvers with characteristic side
hammers. These ranged from seven-shot ·22 and ·25
Short rimfires, by way of ·32, ·36 and ·38 to ·44 rimfire—all six-shot solid frame weapons
with sheathed triggers and squared butts.
Concurrently, single-shot pistols were made in ·22, ·32 and ·41 rimfire. The
barrel swung to the right at the breech to permit loading. These pistols all had Allen & Wheelock: A typical 38 rimfire
octagonal barrels, square butts and sheathed triggers. revolver.
Allen & Wheelock: Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·38. Length
overall: 11·54in/293mm. Weight, unladen: 35·8oz/1,015gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

ALLIES (SPAIN)
This was an Eibar-type automatic pistol made by Fabrica de Bersaluze Arieto-Aurtena y
Cia of Eibar in the early 1920s. The company appears to have gone out of business
before 1930. The Allies pistol was originally in 7·65mm calibre and appears to have
originated as one of the many wartime French contracts: some reports refer to it as a
'Model 1916', though such a marking could easily be a spurious attempt to suggest a
long-established production run.
A 6·35mm 'Model 1924', smaller but otherwise identical, subsequently appeared. Then
came two vest pocket models, one in 7·65mm and the other in 6·35mm; these are smaller
than the Model 1924 and may not have the company's name on the slide; however, they
will have ALLIES and a crowned 'BA' monogram moulded into the grips.
Allies: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Calibre: 6·35mm Auto. Length Allies: 7·65mm.
overall: 4·41in/112mm. Weight, unladen: 10·8oz/305gm. Barrel:
2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

AMERICA (USA)
1: This was a ·32 Long rimfire revolver patented by William Bliss in 1878 and manufactured by the Norwich Falls Pistol Company of Norwich,
Connecticut, about 1880. It was a solid frame pattern with a seven-shot cylinder, double-action lock work and a three-inch barrel.
America: Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·32 Long rimfire. Length overall: 7·09in/180mm. Weight, unladen: not known. Barrel:
3·00in/76mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-chamber cylinder.
2: Manufactured in 1878 by Bliss & Goodyear, an alternative 'America' was a very simple solid-frame sheathed trigger seven-shot ·22 rimfire
revolver. Little is known of the makers, but since William H. Bliss was the superintendent of the Norwich Falls Pistol Company in the late
1870s, the partnership may have been a side-show producing designs in which the Norwich owners showed no interest. In the event, Bliss &
Goodyear were short-lived.

AMERICAN ARMS (USA)

1: The American Arms Company was formed in 1882 and operated from an office in Boston, Massachusetts, manufacture taking place at its
factory in Chicopee Falls. Operations moved in 1897 to Milwaukee, but ceased in 1904. Revolvers were made under patents assigned by
various inventors, among the more significant being that granted to Henry F. Wheeler (1890) to protect a lock mechanism which allowed the
hammer to be cocked by pressing the trigger and released by a second pressure to fire the cartridge. A selector switch on the frame allowed the
revolver to operate in normal double-action mode.
Only the late production models used the Wheeler lock, and the earlier weapons were unremarkable; American Arms Company revolvers were
generally ribbed-barrel hinged-frame patterns with a removable cylinder, the earliest having a sheathed trigger. Later models adopted a trigger
guard. Grips were rounded and small, the side plates forming an ornate 'AAC' monogram.
It seems that the revolvers produced by the American Arms Company were not distinguished by model name or number; the arbitrary model
numbers listed in the data table are purely for convenience.
Model 2: Type: hinged-frame revolver. Calibre: 38. Length overall: 7·48in/190mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 3·23in/82mm,
rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.
2: A modern American Arms, located in Garden Grove, California, manufactures the American Eagle 380—a 9mm Short six-shot double-action
automatic based on the Walther PPK, though with a more angular exterior.

AMERICAN ARMS & AMMUNITION COMPANY (USA)

Successor to the Norton Armament Corporation, this operated in Miami, Florida, in 1978-81. It marketed the German Korriphila TP-70 pistol (q.v.)
in ·22 and ·25.

AMERICAN BOY (USA)

Very similar to the second America described above, this chambered ·32 Short rimfire cartridges; it was made by Bliss & Goodyear in 1878-9 for
sale by the Townley Hardware Company.

17
AMERICAN BULLDOG (USA)
A range of revolvers manufactured by Johnson & Bye and
then Iver Johnson Arms & Cycle Works of Worcester,
Massachusetts, between 1882 and 1891. Operations moved
to Fitchburg in 1891, where production continued until
about 1900. They were all in the general Bulldog form, with
short octagonal barrels, solid frames, double-action lock
work, and nickel plating. The grips were marked with a
dog's head motif. They were available in ·22, ·32, ·38 and
·41 calibres, all but the seven-shot ·22 having five-cartridge
cylinders.
American Bulldog: Type: solid-frame revolver.
Calibre: ·32. Length overall. 7·28in/l85mm.
Weight, unladen; unknown. Barrel: 3·00in/76mm,
rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

From a catalogue issued by J.H. Johnston's Great Gun

Works, Pittsburgh, 1888.

AMERICAN EAGLE (USA)

A sales name for a solid-frame sheathed trigger single-action
revolver manufactured by Hopkins & Allen in 1870-98,
either as a seven-shot ·22 rimfire or a five-shot ·32 rimfire.
The same weapon was also made under names such as
Monarch and Mountain Eagle.

AMERICAN FIREARMS COMPANY (USA)

This company functioned in San Antonio, Texas, between 1966 and 1974, marketing derringer reproductions in various calibres alongside a
conventional blowback ·25 ACP automatic pistol. According to sales literature, this was also available chambered for a ·250 Magnum' cartridge,
details of which are still lacking.

AMERICAN GUN COMPANY (USA)

The affairs of the American Gun Company are complex. The 'company' was simply a sales name placed on some revolvers made by the Crescent
Firearms Company of Norwich, Connecticut, for the H. & D. Folsom Company. Folsom, a retailer of sporting goods, had acquired Crescent's
operations in 1893.
Best known for its budget-price shotguns, Crescent appears to have been created from the Norwich Falls Pistol Company, successor to the Norwich
Pistol Company (liquidated in 1881), which itself failed in 1887.
The American Gun Company revolvers were the usual five-shot top-break double-action models common to the period, very similar to guns made
by Smith & Wesson and others. They chambered ·32 S&W ammunition and had top-rib barrels.

AMERICAN STANDARD TOOL COMPANY (USA)

This firm operated briefly from Newark, New Jersey, in 1869-72, succeeding the Manhattan Firearms Company (q.v.). Best known for perpetuating
the Hero single-shot pistol, the American Standard Tool Company may also have continued to sell the ·22 rimfire seven-shot Manhattan tip-up
revolver, with a sheath trigger and wood or ivory grips. This gun was one of many infringements of the Rollin White patent removed from
production by lawsuits brought by Smith & Wesson.

AMERICUS (USA)
Another of the sales names for the standard Hopkins & Allen seven-shot ·22 rimfire solid-frame sheathed trigger revolver manufactured between
1870 and 1900 in vast quantities.

AMES (USA)
The Ames Sword Company of Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, entered the handgun business as sub-contractors. The Minneapolis Firearms
Company had acquired the rights to make and sell the French Turbiaux (q.v.) palm- squeezer pistol under the name 'Protector'. Rights were then
taken over by Peter Finnegan, an agent of the company; Finnegan formed the Chicago Firearms Company and contracted with Ames to manufacture
the guns. Ames made sundry small improvements to the design, but production fell short of Finnegan's demands and, in 1896-7, a series of lawsuits
resulted in Ames purchasing the rights to the pistol. Having thus been saddled with the Protector, the Ames Sword Company persevered with it for
some years. By the turn of the century the archaic design, which dated back to 1882, could not compete with more modern weapons. By c.1910 the
Ames company had given up the struggle and abandoned production.

18
AMT (USA)
The Arcadia Machine & Tool Company of Covina, California, began by customising the ·45 M1911A1 Government Model. From this AMT
developed its own Hardballer, based on the M1911A1 but built of stainless steel. The grip and manual safeties were elongated, a loaded-chamber
indicator was fitted, the trigger became adjustable, the magazine aperture was chamfered, and a matt-finished slide rib was standard. A Long Slide
version, some two inches longer than normal, developed slightly more velocity from the standard ·45 round.
AMT then developed the Back-Up, a blowback pocket automatic chambered for the ·22 Long Rifle rimfire round and subsequently for ·380 Auto.
Made largely of stainless steel it has grip and manual safeties and an eight-shot magazine. The guns have concealed hammers and recessed 'no snag'
sights to facilitate quick drawing.
The Lightning, introduced in 1984, mates a modified Ruger Target frame with an AMT receiver and barrel unit of stainless steel. The Clark trigger
has adjustable stops, and the trigger guard is modified to suit the two-handed grip. Various options are available, from a five-inch bull barrel to 6·5,
8 and l0in barrels which may be of regular tapered or heavy bull type. The Bullseye variant uses a 6·5in barrel with a ventilated rib and mounts for
an optical sight.
AMT took on the manufacture of the Auto Mag (q.v.) in 1985 and modified the design to fire the ·22 Winchester Magnum rimfire cartridge. In
common with other AMT products, the Automag II was made of stainless steel. It retained a degree of gas assistance in the operating system, but
met little success when marketed in 1988.
Back-Up: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·380 ACP. Length overall: 4·25in/108mm. Weight, unladen: 18·0oz/510gm.
Barrel: 2·52in/64mm, rifled. Magazine: five-round detachable box.
Auto Mag II: Type: automatic pistol (delayed blowback). Chambering: ·22 WMRF. Length overall: 9·33in/237mm. Weight, unladen:
23·0oz/652gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round detachable box.

ANCION-MARX (BELGIUM)
Liege-based, Leopold Ancion-Marx was one of the more prolific Belgian makers of cheap revolvers, beginning in the 1860s with a variety of open-
frame Lefaucheux pinfires and then moving to the smaller centre-fire calibres. The later guns were almost all of the solid-frame Velo-Dog pattern in
5·5mm or 6·35mm calibre. They were produced under a variety of names, probably for sale through different agencies. Unfortunately, these names
do not appear to have been formally registered; similar weapons with the same names, but not of Ancion-Marx make can be encountered.
Authenticated Ancion-Marx names include Cobolt (not to be confused with 'Cobold', q.v.); Extracteur; Le Novo (also used by Bertrand of Liege
and Galand of Paris); Lincoln (used by several other Liege makers); Milady (also used by Jannsen Fils of Liege).

ANCION-MARX: A selection of inexpensive revolvers from the company's 1909 catalogue.

ANSCHUTZ (GERMANY)
Founded in Zella St Blasii in 1865, J.G. Anschutz GmbH of Ulm/Donau,
now better known as a rifle maker, makes a long-range competition pistol
in ·22 calibre. This is actually the bolt-action from the left-handed variant
of the Anschutz Model 64 rifle fitted to a 250mm barrel and given a pistol
stock. It is available either in single-shot form or as a five-shot magazine
repeater.
Udo Anschutz of Zella-Mehlis, manufactured single-shot Free Pistols Udo Anschutz: The Rekord' target pistol, from
between 1927 and 1939. Although built to a standard basic design, they
a Waffen-Glaser catalogue dating from
were invariably highly customised and nominally identical models often
c.1933.
exhibit startling differences. The Rekord-Match 1933 and Rekord-Match
210 both used Martini hinged-block actions and were chambered for the
·22 Short, Long or Long Rifle rimfire cartridges. Micro-adjustable sights were fitted, while stocks and grips were tailored to individual
requirements.
Rekord Model 1933: Type: single-shot pistol (dropping block). Chambering: ·22 Extra Long rimfire No.7. Length overall:
16·22in/4l2mm. Weight, unladen: 45·8oz/1,300gm. Barrel: 10·63in/270mm, rifled. Magazine: none.
19
APAOLOZO (SPAIN)
Little is known of the activities of Apaolozo Hermanos of Zumorraga, Spain, excepting that the brothers made pistols from the early 1920s until the
Spanish Civil War. Their name never appears on their products, identification being possible only from a dove-like swooping bird trademark
impressed in the butt grips. They were also fond of stamping ACIER COMPRIME on their products; this simply means 'Made of Steel', but has
been quoted as a maker's or model name.
Apaolozo: A ·38 revolver resembling the Colt Police Positive.
Paramount: A 6·35mm automatic pistol based on the 1906 Browning; it is marked PARAMOUNT CAL ·25 on the slide, 'Cal 6,35' on the grips,
which also bear the flying bird trademark. Other makers have made similar Paramount pistols, in both 6·35mm and 7·65mm calibre, and only
the trademark distinguishes the Apaolozo product.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·41in/112mm. Weight, unladen: 13·8oz/390gm. Barrel:
2·09in/53mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Triomphe: This 6·35mm automatic was identical with the Paramount, including the grips, but the slide inscription read PlSTOLET
AUTOMATIQUE TRIOMPHE ACIER COMPRIME. It was probably for export to France and Belgium.

ARISTOCRAT (USA)
A pocket revolver manufactured by Hopkins & Allen for sale by the Suplee Biddle Hardware Company in 1870-1900. It was available either as a
seven-shot single-action sheath trigger solid-frame revolver chambered for the ·22 Short rimfire cartridge, or as an otherwise similar five-shot ·32
Short rimfire pattern.

ARIZAGA (SPAIN)
Gaspar Arizaga of Eibar produced a number of automatic pistols which, while unremarkable, were as reliable as could be expected and achieved
worthwhile sales. He operated from the early 1920s until the Civil War.
Arizaga: The least common of the Arizaga products, this was a 7·65mm pistol of Eibar type,
marked GASPAR ARIZAGA EIBAR CAL 7·65 on the slide.
Mondial: A 6·35mm automatic of rather unusual appearance, the Mondial appears to be a copy of
the Savage design. The resemblance is only skin-deep, however; internally, it is the usual
Browning-inspired blowback. Two versions are said to have been made: a Model 1, with grip,
applied and magazine safeties, and a cheaper Model 2 with only the applied safety. Only the
Model 2 has been seen. As no pattern number lies on the guns, existence of the Model 1 must
be considered as unconfirmed. Identification is by an owl in a circle trademark on the butt, Arizaga: 6·35mm
surmounted by MONDIAL. Mondial.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 120mm.
Weight, unladen: 342gm. Barrel: 62mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Pinkerton: This is perhaps the most common Arizaga product. One type is a 6·35mm
copy of the Browning 1906, distinguished by holes in the right-hand grip through
which the magazine contents can be checked. The only marking is PINKERTON
AUTOMATIC 6·35MM on the slide. The second model, still derived from the
Browning 1906 mechanically, shows affinities with the Mondial. The slide has
large vertical grooves resembling those of the Mondial and Savage, while the
identical safety catch is fitted in the same fashion. No trademark is present, the
slide inscription being the same as before. A 7·65mm version of the first model
was reportedly made, but this has not been confirmed.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length Arizaga: 7·65mm Warwinck.
overall: 4·41in/112mm. Weight, unladen: 13·2oz/375gm. Barrel:
1·97in/50mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Warwinck: This is simply a 7·65mm Mondial, differing only in dimensions. The
slide-top is marked AUTOMATIC PISTOL 7·65 WARWINK and the grips carry the Arizaga owl mark surmounted by WARWINK.

ARIZMENDI (SPAIN)
Arizmendi y Goenaga, founded in Eibar in 1886, began producing Velo-Dog revolvers in the 1890s. Automatic pistols were developed early in the
present century, eventually producing a varied product-line. Operations were reorganised as Francisco Arizmendi in 1914, under which title most of
the pistols were made before trading ceased in 1936. Most are identifiable by Arizmendi's patented loaded-chamber indicator—a groove in the top
of the slide, marked with an axial line, which continues over a mobile block in the centre of the groove. When the chamber is empty the line is
continuous; when the chamber is loaded, the block is displaced laterally to give a step in the indicator line.
Arizmendi: Two revolvers classified as 'Arizmendi' are known, though the only identification is Arizmendi's trademark, a circle containing a
five-pointed star, surmounted by 'FA' in a tablet. Both are simple solid-frame folding trigger five-shot weapons resembling the Velo-Dog
type. No extracting mechanism is fitted; they are gate-loaded, spent cases being expelled through the gate by an ejector rod carried on a crane
attached to the cylinder axis pin. The first model chambers the 7·65mm Auto cartridge; the rear of the frame is high and only the tip of the
hammer is visible. The second model handles ·32 S&W ammunition. Its lower frame exposes the entire hammer head, and a sliding safety
catch lies on the back strap.
Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·91in/150mm. Weight, unladen: 21·3oz/605gm. Barrel:
2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: five-round cylinder.
Boltun: Two differing models bear this name: the first, in 6·35mm calibre, resembles the Pieper of 1907. Close examination shows that it lacks
the hinged barrel of the Pieper and is simpler, though retaining a separate Pieper-type bolt moving in the receiver with a thumb-grip above
the receiver top. Its only marking is AUTOMATIC BOLTUN PATENT on the slide. The second model, in 7·65mm calibre, is a copy of the
Browning of 1910 and is practically the same as the 9mm Walman (q.v.). The slide inscription reads AUTOMATIC PISTOL BOLTUN
PATENT MARCA REGISTRADA 7375 CAL 7,65.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 5·12in/130mm. Weight, unladen: 12·5oz/355gm. Barrel:
2·44in/62mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

20
Continental: This was a 6·35mm Eibar type automatic, copied from the 1906 pattern Browning (but without grip safety) prior to 1914. The only
marking is '6·35' on the butt grip and CONTINENTAL PATENT 16137 on the slide.
Kaba Spezial: This is an example of the adoption of a successful existing name by a Spanish maker; the Kaba Spezial was originally a German
pistol by Menz (q.v.), but the Arizmendi gun bears no resemblance to the original. The first of the Spanish Kaba Spezials bore the Arizmendi
y Goenaga trademark on the slide, together with PISTOLET AUTOMATIQUE KABA SPEZIAL and KABA across the grips. The gun was a
6·35mm Eibar-type automatic based on the Browning of 1906. Relatively few were made; when F. Arizmendi took over the company, it was
superseded by an improved model. Though perpetuating the same basic design, it had squared contours and was generally better-looking; the
slide inscription was retained, stamped more neatly and accompanied by the 'FA' trademark. The grips display a circle containing KABA
SPEZIAL, almost identical with the markings on the original German weapon. A 7·65mm version of the improved Spanish model was also
made.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·33in/110mm. Weight, unladen: 13·3oz/376gm. Barrel:
2·13in/54mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Pistolet Automatique: Arizmendi ran out of inspiration, failing to find a name for this 6·35mm Eibar-type pistol, the slide of which is marked
with PISTOLET AUTOMATIQUE and the 'FA' trademark.
Puppy: This popular name was used by at least five Spanish gunmakers. The guns were almost all solid frame hammerless 5·5mm Velo-Dog
revolvers, Arizmendi's Puppy being no exception. It had a five-cartridge cylinder and a folding trigger. The barrel is marked PUPPY, while
the 'FA' trademark lies on the frame.
Roland: This was produced in the early 1920s in both 6·35mm and 7·65mm. Both versions were ordinary Eibar designs, though a little above
average in finish. Arizmendi had by this time changed his trademark, and the new pattern, a star above a crescent separating MARCA
(above) and REGISTRADA (below), was impressed in the butt grips. This appeared for the first time on the Roland pistol.
Singer: Pistols under this name were produced twice in the Arizmendi
history; first by Arizmendi & Goenaga, then by Francisco
Arizmendi. Two models of the A&G Singer exist, a 6·35mm 1906-
type Browning and a 7·65mm pattern based on the Browning of
1910 design. They appear to date from 1913 and are both marked
PISTOLA AUTOMATICA 7,65 or PISTOLA AUTOMATICA
6,35. The only indication of their origin is a trademark of a crowned
'AG' above a crescent. The butt has a motif apparently representing
a diva in an opera house.
When Francisco Arizmendi took over the company in 1915 he
dropped the Singer in favour of his own Victor. However, there
appears to have been some goodwill attached to the Singer name
and so, after 1918, he renamed the Victor pistol 'Singer'. At the Arizmendi & Goenaga:
same time he registered a new trademark for this name: an oval 7·65 Waldman
with a human figure, arms akimbo, beneath a radiant sun, appears
on the grips. The new Singer was in 6·35mm and 7·65mm calibres
and was a standard Eibar-type gun, the slide bearing the Patent
Number 25389, referring to the new trademark.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65 Auto. Length overall: 5·91in/150mm. Weight, unladen: 24·7oz/700gm. Barrel:
3·23in/82mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Teuf-Teuf: This was another proven brand name appropriated by Arizmendi. The original 6·35mm Teuf-Teuf automatic was made in Belgium
c.1907. The Spanish model is a 7·65mm Eibar-type gun, probably made in 1912-13, bearing no resemblance to the Belgian pattern. The slide
is marked AUTOMATIC TEUF-TEUF PISTOL 7.65MM and bears the A&G trademark.
Velomith Artian: Little is known of this model, identifiable only by F.
Arizmendi's mark; it is a 'Velo-mith', an odd class of revolver
designed to look as much like an automatic as possible. Top-break
construction is used, the barrel being formed into a slab-sided deep
unit with a groove in the side, duplicating the appearance of the
1900-model Browning automatic. The straight butt ends in a
simulated magazine, while the frame rises high and square at the
rear to terminate with a 'hammer tip' which is actually the frame
latch. Firing is achieved by an internal hammer. There is a folding
trigger and, unusually, a cam-actuated self-extracting mechanism
on the five-shot cylinder. Pressing a button under the front end of
the barrel locks out the cam, allowing the revolver to be opened
without ejecting. Arizmendi y Goenaga:
Victor: This was the original name for the 6·35mm and 7·65mm pistols 7·65mm Walman.
introduced c.1910—11. They were subsequently re-named Singer
(q.v.).
Walman: This is probably the most common Arizmendi & Goenaga
pistol. A 6·35mm and 7·65mm variant are each marked AMERICAN AUTOMATIC PISTOL WALMAN patent on the slide, though
'American' appears to have been dropped towards the end of the production run. WALMAN appears on the grips, together with the A&G
trademark. There are slight constructional differences—6·35mm guns have the muzzle formed into a lump carrying the front sight and a
rectangular cut in the top of the slide to fit around it; 7·65mm examples have an uncut slide carrying the sight blade. The designs are
otherwise standard striker-fired Eibar blowbacks.
Francisco Arizmendi continued producing the Walman until the late 1920s, his 6·35mm guns reverting to a plain-cut 7·65mm-type slide.
These later models can also be distinguished by a change in the marking: WALMAN on the slide, and running diagonally down to the rear
across the centre of the grip. Arizmendi & Goenaga examples had the diagonal running up to the rear. Arizmendi grips were squared at the
top, whereas A&G patterns were rounded.

21
 The rarest Walman is the 9mm/·380 model produced by Arizmendi in the mid 1920s. This is based on the 1910 Browning, with the return
spring around the barrel and a grip safety. The patent cartridge indicator is still present and the slide is marked AUTOMATIC PISTOL
WALMAN PATENT MARCA REGISTRADA 7375 9M/M.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 9mm Short. Length overall: 5·91in/150mm. Weight, unladen: 21·9oz/620gm. Barrel:
3·46in/88mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Ydeal: These are 6·35mm and 7·65mm Eibar-type automatics displaying somewhat lower standards of manufacture than other Arizmendi
products. The only markings, in either calibre, comprise PISTOLET AUTOMATIQUE YDEAL on the slide, YDEAL embossed on the
grips, and the 'FA' trademark stamped on the slide. The guns seem to date from c.1916 and have the patent loaded indicator. A model in 9mm
Short may also exist.

ARIZMENDI, ZULAICA (SPAIN)

The relationship between Arizmendi, Zulaica y Cia of Eibar and the other 'Arizmendi companies' is unsolved. The combine came into existence
during the First World War, making 7·65mm Ruby pistols for Gabilondo y Urresti (q.v.), who had acquired a French contract in 1916. Like many of
the sub-contractors who made this weapon, Arizmendi, Zulaica y Cia continued production after the order had been fulfilled under the name Cebra.
The notable depth of the butt frame gives the Cebra a nine-round magazine capacity. Numerous variants show differences in the shape of the grips,
the retraction grooves and the safety catch, but the slide marking is always PISTOLET AUTOMATIQUE 'CEBRA' ARIZMENDI ZULAICA y CIA
EIBAR (ESPANA). A ·38 Cebra revolver was also made, but operations ceased about 1925.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·10in/155mm. Weight, unladen: 21·3oz/605gm. Barrel:
3·35in/85mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.

ARMAS DE FUEGO (SPAIN)

Little is known about Manufacturas de Armas de Fuego of Guernica, except that it apparently inherited brand names associated with S.A.
Alkartasuna. It has been suggested that MAF was Alkartasuna re-organised and re-named for legal or financial reasons, supported by the fact that
the pistols carry identical trademarks. Armas de Fuego flourished briefly in c.1920-4, making the Alkar and Alkartasuna pistols.

ARMERO ESPECIALISTAS (SPAIN)

Armero Especialistas Reunidas, the 'United Arms Specialists' of Eibar, comprised a group of gunsmiths who set out to manufacture an automatic
pistol in the early 1920s. They then marketed revolvers made by Orueta Hermanos (q.v.) until in a position to manufacture revolvers of their own.
Operations continued until the Civil War, products being well regarded at that time.
Alfa: The first models, made by Orueta Hermanos. were ·32, ·38 and ·44-calibre copies of the Smith & Wesson No 2 hinged-frame models. The
distinctive Alfa mark appeared on the grips. Armero Especialistas subsequently made their own revolvers, electing to produce ·38 weapons
more or less identical with the Colt Police Positive and the Smith & Wesson Military & Police models. These also bore the Alfa trademark.
They were followed by ·22 LR and ·32 S&W versions, production continuing until the Civil War. Many guns were exported prior to c.1937.
(NB: Alfa was also the trademark of Adolph Frank of Hamburg, being found on a variety of arms and accessories sold by that firm.)
Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·38. Length overall: 8·86in/225mm. Weight, unladen: 21·3oz/605gm. Barrel: 4·33in/110mm, rifled.
Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Omega: Aptly named, representing the other end of the Armero Especialistas range, Omega pistols were simple 6·35mm and 7·65mm 'Eibar'
automatics. They bore omega on slide and butt, and had a triangular trademark on the right rear of the frame.

ARMI JAGER (ITALY)

Best known for its numerous look-alike ·22 rimfire automatic rifles—including replicas of the Kalashnikov, AR-15, FAMAS and other military
weapons—Armi Jager di Armando Piscetti Sri of Milan also manufactures a number of ·22 rimfire revolvers based upon the Colt Frontier design.
Known as the Baby Frontier, Frontier and Super Frontier, they differ largely in barrel length and general finish. The Frontier and Super Frontier are
also made in ·357 Magnum and ·44 Magnum centre-fire versions.
Frontier: Type: solid-frame revolver (Western style). Chambering: ·357 Magnum. Length overall: 11·22in/285mm. Weight, unladen:
40·0oz/1,135gm. Barrel: 5·51in/140mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

ARMINIUS: A selection of Pickert made revolvers, from pre-1939 catalogues.

22
ARMINIUS [I] (GERMANY)
A wide range of pocket revolvers was made prior to 1945 by Friedrich Pickert, Arminius Waffenwerk, in Zella St Blasii (to 1920) and Zella-Mehlis
thereafter. The Arminius name was provided by a German hero of the first century AD, all guns having a warrior's head embossed in the grips.
Arminius revolvers were made in tremendous varieties, as it seems that barrel length, cylinder capacity and calibre could be combined and permuted
indefinitely. The list (below) describes the standard models on sale between the wars, but is far from exhaustive. Though of obsolete design, the
guns were well made, reliable and good value at low price.
The basic pattern was unremarkable: a gate-loaded solid-frame weapon with a rod ejector mounted beneath the barrel. Some guns had removable
cylinders, triggers being folding or conventionally guarded. The firing system was either double-action or a self-cocking hammerless version in
which a concealed hammer struck a floating firing pin. Safety catches were standard on the hammerless models. Some guns had a folding trap in the
bottom of the butt, through which five or six spare cartridges could be inserted.
Most Pickert revolvers chambered standard commercial cartridges, though some were made in 5mm Pickert calibre in 1900-14; also known as 5·2 x
16·5R, this cartridge was developed from the 5mm Bergmann pistol round about 1900. Pistols were also made, but were much less common than the
revolvers.
TP1: A ·22 single-shot hammer fired target pistol with a 200mm barrel and a drop-down action.
TP2: Similar to TP1, but with a double set trigger and concealed hammer.
Model 1: A hammerless seven-shot ·22 Short or Long Rifle rimfire revolver with a 50mm barrel.
Model 2: A seven-shot hammer-model revolver chambering ·22 Short or LR rimfire cartridges, with a 150mm barrel.
Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·22. Length overall: 8·27in/210mm. Weight, unladen: 21·2oz/600gm. Barrel: 5·91in/150mm, rifled.
Magazine: seven-chamber cylinder.
Model 3: A five-shot 6·35mm (·25 ACP) hammerless revolver with a 50mm barrel and a folding trigger.
Model 4: A five-shot hammerless 5·5mm Velo-Dog revolver with a 50mm barrel and a folding trigger.
Model 5/1: A five-shot hammer revolver in 7·5mm Swiss, with a 65mm barrel.
Model 5/2: Another hammer revolver in 7.5mm Swiss (eight shot) or 7·62mm Nagant (five shot); 65mm barrel.
Model 7: A five-shot ·320 hammer revolver with a 65mm barrel.
Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·320. Length overall: 5·83in/148mm. Weight, unladen: 14·1oz/400gm. Barrel: 2·52in/64mm, rifled.
Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.
Model 8: A hammerless ·320 or 7·65mm Auto (·32 ACP) revolver, five-shot,
with a 50mm or 140mm barrel and a folding trigger.
Model 9: A ·320 or 7·65mm Auto five-shot hammer revolver with a 60mm
barrel.
Model 9A: A variant of the Model 9 with an 80mm barrel.
Model 10: A five-shot ·320 or 7·65mm Auto hammerless revolver with a
60mm barrel and a folding trigger.
Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length
overall: 5·71in/145mm. Weight, unladen: 14·1oz/400gm. Barrel:
2·52in/64mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.
Model 13: A five-shot ·380 hammer revolver with a 65mm barrel.
Model 13A: A ·22 Long rimfire version of the Model 13, with an eight-shot Arminius: HW3.
cylinder and a 135mm barrel.
Model 14: A five-shot hammerless ·380 revolver with a 65mm barrel.

ARMINIUS [II] (GERMANY)

A range of revolvers manufactured since the middle 1950s by Herman
Weihrauch KG of Mellrichstadt. Weihrauch was founded in 1899 in Zella
St Blasii, making bicycles and sporting guns until Thuringia fell under
Soviet control after 1945. Air rifles and sporting guns were made after the
company had been re-established in western Germany after the end of the
Second World War, to be joined by revolvers using Pickert's old Arminius
brand name. Rights to this name had lapsed in 1945, allowing Weihrauch
to re-register after the statutory ten years had elapsed.
Weihrauch Arminius revolvers are very different from Pickert patterns,
embodying side-opening hand ejector systems owing much to Colt and
Smith & Wesson. Substantial pistols of good quality, all models carry the
Arminius mark on the frame—a bearded head with winged helmet, a Arminius: ·22 HW5T.
stylised version of the Pickert trademark used prior to 1945. The model
number is engraved on the cylinder crane; the calibre and cartridge
designation appear on the barrel; and MADE IN GERMANY usually
appears on the frame.
HW3: This 2·2in-barrel model has a rounded butt. Normally found in ·22 Long Rifle rimfire, early models could be had in ·32 S&W Long; the
cylinders hold eight and seven rounds respectively. The HW3 has been sold in Europe under the Gecado brand, owned by Gustav Genschow
until 1959 and since then by Dynamit Nobel; it was also marketed in the USA in the 1960s as the Dickson Bulldog.
Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·32 S&W Long. Length overall: 6·93in/176mm. Weight, unladen: 24·4oz/693gm. Barrel:
2·76in/70mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
HW4: Another ·22 revolver, similar to the HW3, available with 2·5, 4 or 6-inch barrels and blue or chromed finish. The butt may be square or
flared, or anatomical target grips can be fitted.
HW5: Using interchangeable cylinders, this can handle either ·22 LR or ·22 WMRF cartridges. It is generally similar to the HW3, but has a four-
inch barrel and a larger grip. A ·32 S&W Long version was sold in the USA as the Omega in the 1960s.

23
 HW7: Apart from a six-inch barrel with a ventilated rib,
this is little more than an enlarged HW5 with the
same chambering options.
HW7S: Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering:
·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: 10·43in/265mm.
Weight, unladen: 31·9oz/905gm. Barrel:
5·91in/150mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-chamber
cylinder.
HW9: A ·22 LR revolver intended for competitive use; it
has a ventilated rib, target sights, an adjustable trigger
with a shoe, and thumb-rest grips. The standard
model has an alloy frame; the HW9ST variant is Arminius: ·22 HW9.
steel.
HW38: This—as the name suggests—is a ·38-calibre
revolver produced in three different barrel lengths, all
with ventilated ribs.
Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38 Special. Length overall: 8·86in/225mm. Weight, unladen: 30·9oz/750gm. Barrel:
4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
HW68: A lightweight HW4 with a 2·5in barrel, and a
black-anodised alloy frame, this has interchangeable
cylinders and can fire ·22 LR or ·22 WMRF
cartridges.
HW357: Much the same as the HW38, but chambered
for the ·357 Magnum cartridge, this is primarily a
personal defence weapon. It offers fixed sights,
though target sights may be obtained for competition
work.
Arminius: ·357
HW357 Target.
ARMSCOR (PHILIPPINES)
Previously trading as Squires-Bingham (q.v.) or 'Squibman',
this company manufactures various firearms including a
series of ·38 Special revolvers. These are double-action solid
frame side-opening patterns with Colt-style thumb latches. The M200P Police Model is a six-chamber gun with fixed sights, a half-length ejector
rod shroud, rubber or wood grips, and a four-inch barrel. The M200TC Thunder Chief is basically the same revolver but with a full shroud, an
adjustable back sight and wood grips. The M200DC Detective Chief has a 2·5in barrel with a full shroud, fixed sights, and rubber grips with finger
grooving. All models have a transfer bar safety system and a floating firing pin. [Note that this company should not be confused with the South
African armaments consortium of the same name.)

AROSTEGUI (SPAIN)
Eulogio Arostegui of Eibar, a small company which operated from the middle 1920s until the Spanish Civil War, produced a varied range of Eibar
automatics, Velo-Dog revolvers and copies of the Smith & Wesson M&P revolver under the brand names 'E.A.' and Oscillant-Azul. Arostegui also
marketed a Super Azul machine pistol, which predated the better-known Mauser Schnellfeuerpistole (q.v.) by several years. The Super Azul was
manufactured by Beistegui Hermanos (as the Royal), but was enthusiastically promoted by Arostegui. Many were exported to China and South
America by way of agents in Germany.

ARIOLA HERMANOS (SPAIN)

Little is known of Ariola Hermanos of Eibar, maker of ·38 revolvers copied from the Colt Police Positive in the middle 1920s. The barrel is marked
ARIOLA EIBAR 19... ·38 LONG CTG, with MADE IN SPAIN on the left side of the frame.

ARRIZABALAGA (SPAIN)
Hijos de Calixto Arrizabalaga of Eibar, the sons of Calixto Arrizabalaga, appear to have
begun operations during the First World War with a 7·65mm Eibar-pattern pistol—
probably as sub contractors to a prime supplier to the French Army. Manufacture of
similar pistols continued until activities were ended by the Civil War. The Eibar pistols
were marketed under the names Arrizabalaga, Campeon and Terrible, alongside the
appreciably more original Jo-Lo-Ar and Sharpshooter.
Arrizabalaga: This, the company's original 7·65mm Eibar-type design, appears to Arrizabalaga: 7·65mm
have been sold with official use in mind. Offering average quality, it was Jo-Lo-Ar, with the
provided with a lanyard ring and a frame large enough to take a nine-shot barrel tipped open.
magazine. The slide bore the company name and PISTOLA AUTOMATICA
7·65MM. See also Azanza & Arrizabalaga, below.
Campeon: This name appears on 6·35mm and 7·65mm pistols, both being blowback
Eibar-type designs marked AUTOMATIC PISTOL CAMPEON PATENT FOR
THE...CARTRIDGE 1919 on the slide. The grips are marked Campeon; the 7·65mm model also has '7·65 1919' embossed above the name,
together with the initials 'CH' in a diamond, at the lower rear of the butt. The 6·35mm model has a 'CH' mark above CAMPEON; Crucelegui
Hermanos of Eibar sold the Campeon under their own name.
The only mechanical feature of note is that both sides of the slide-top are cut away behind the breech face, leaving a central ridge into which
a transverse striker-retaining pin is driven. This ridge appears on one or two other Eibar designs; there seems no good mechanical reason for
what may simply have been a voguish styling feature.

24
 Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 4·72in/120mm. Weight, unladen: 20·9oz/592gm. Barrel:
2·48in/63mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Terrible: One of the least-inspiring names ever applied to a firearm,
this is merely the 6·35mm Campeon rechristened.
Jo-Lo-Ar, Sharp-Shooter: The Sharp-Shooter (or 'Sharp-Sooter', as
many slides would have it) appeared in 1918, being based on
Spanish Patent 68,027 of 1917. It comes as a welcome change from
the ubiquitous 'Eibars' of the time and is unusual in many respects.
The slide is open-topped in front of the breech face, exposing the
upper surface of the barrel. Two lugs lie beneath the barrel—one at
the muzzle, which is pinned to the front of the frame, and one
below the chamber which engages a cut-out on the safety-catch
shaft. A small coil spring lies under the front lug; when the safety Arrizabalaga: 9mm Jo-Lo-
catch is rotated back past the 'safe' position, the rear lug is freed and Ar or Sharpshooter pistol
the barrel tips about the front pivot. The breech rises, allowing the with the distinctive 'one-
barrel to be examined, cleaned, or loaded with a single cartridge. It hand' cocking lever.
can then be closed and locked by rotating the safety catch. Thumb-
cocking the hammer and pressing the trigger fires one shot.
Spent cases were ejected by residual chamber pressure, a system which is incapable of expelling an unfired cartridge in the absence of an
extractor. By 1919, however, the Sharp-Shooter had gained an extractor and it had been named 'Jo-Lo-Ar' for Jose L. Arnaiz, patentee of the
extractor. The Jo-Lo-Ar is also notable for the absence of a trigger guard, the trigger being partly sheathed in an extension of the frame. Most
guns are fitted with a peculiar hand-cocking lever attached by screw to the right side of the frame, patented by Arnaiz in 1923.
The Sharp-Shooter was made in 6·35mm, 7·65mm and 9mm Short, its slide being marked SHARP-SHOOTER PATENT NO. 68027. The Jo-
Lo-Ar was made in the same chamberings, plus 9mm Bergmann-Bayard (for Peru) and even ·45 ACP—though these must have approached
the safety margin for blowbacks. Slides displayed PISTOLA JO-LO-AR EIBAR (ESPANA) PATENT NOS 68027, 70235.
Both pistols were sold by Arrizabalaga and also by Ojanguren y Vidosa of Eibar. Those sold by the latter bear a small white metal medallion
in the grips with an 'OV' monogram. Manufacture of the Jo-Lo-Ar apparently ceased about 1930.
Jo-Lo-Ar: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 9mm Short. Length overall: 8·54in/217mm. Weight, unladen: 25·4oz/720gm.
Barrel: 6·10in/155mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

ARVA (UNKNOWN)
A 6·35mm pistol copied from the Clement (q.v.) by an unknown gunmaker, who added an additional grip safety. Opinions vary as to the Arva's
nationality: some claim Belgian, others Spanish. Since we have been unable to find a specimen to examine, no opinion is offered.

ASCASO (SPAIN)
Francisco Ascaso was a noted revolutionary firebrand, linked with political murders in Spain during the late 1920s. Deported in 1931, he returned to
Spain in 1935 to take up political cudgels once more and was killed on 20 July 1936—three days after the start of the Civil War. It is assumed that
his name was probably attached to this pistol in commemoration of his activities. Production did not start until 1937, and then simply as a rapid
response to a shortage of pistols among the Republican forces rather than any long-planned venture.
The gun is an exact copy of the contemporary Spanish Army-issue Astra Mo. 1921 (Modelo 400) automatic, differing only in markings and finish.
An oval engraving in the forward portion of the barrel casing contains F ASCASO TARASSA, and the general finish is poorer than on issue Astras.
Tarassa, in Catalonia, was presumably the place of manufacture and the weapon is a creditable production in the circumstances—innumerable
simpler designs could have been acquired. Production appears to have continued through 1937 and 1938, but it is doubtful if more than a few
thousand were made.

ASP (USA)
Armament Systems & Procedures of Appleton, Wisconsin, converted the ASP
Combat from the 9mm Smith & Wesson Model 39 automatic pistol in the mid 1980s.
The goal was a reliable, concealable but powerful pistol for police and security
services.
The exterior of the M39 was smoothed, the working surfaces were ground and
polished, a new recoil spring was fitted, and the trigger components were honed. The
contents of the slotted-side magazine could be seen through the clear plastic grips. A
Guttersnipe channel sight allowed very rapid aiming. Made in limited quantities to
special order, the gun was never available to the general public.
ASP Combat M39: Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering:
9mm Parabellum. Length overall: 6·69in/170mm. Weight, unladen:
24·0oz/680gm. Barrel: 3·23in/82mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round
detachable box.
ASP: This particular Asp pistol was once a Smith & Wesson M39.

ASTRA (SPAIN)
This brand name is found on guns made by Esperanza y Unceta and then Unceta y Cia. Like many other Spanish companies, Unceta has
incorporated the trademark in its trading style and is now Astra-Unceta SA. Juan Esperanza and Pedro Unceta began trading in Eibar in 1908; the
business moved to Guernica in 1913 and became Esperanza y Cia; it adopted the Astra trademark in 1914, and in 1926 became Unceta y Cia.
Esperanza y Cia began production of the Spanish army's Campo Giro pistol in 1913, redesigning the weapon in 1918 to produce the Modelo 1921.
This was marketed commercially as the Astra 400 and has provided the basis for a series of adaptions.
Many other models have borne the Astra name; production continues today, as Unceta was one of the four handgun manufacturers permitted to
recommence operations after the Civil War.

25
AUTOMATIC PISTOLS
Astra 1911: The first pistol to bear the Astra name—although the name was not
registered as a trade mark until November 1914—was no more than the
contemporary Victoria pistol re-named. It was a standard 6·35mm or 7·65mm
'Eibar' copy of the Browning Mle 1903. A grip safety was added in 1916,
production continuing until 1918, about 300,000 guns being made under a
selection of brand names: Astra, Brunswig, Fortuna, Leston, Museum, Salso and
Victoria. Some 7·65mm examples were supplied to the French and Italian armies
in 1915/16.
Maker: Esperanza y Unceta y Cia. Type: automatic pistol (blowback).
Chambering; 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·71in/145mm. Weight, unladen:
21·0oz/595gm. Barrel: 3·19in/8lmm, rifled. Magazine, seven-round detachable
box. Astra: 7·65mm Model 1916.
Astra 1924: This 6·35mm blowback Eibar-type automatic was based on the
Browning 1906 design, lacking both a grip safety and the usual 'Eibar' safety
catch. Offering rather better quality than most of its contemporaries, the Astra's
slide is marked ESPERANZA Y UNCETA GUERNICA SPAIN ASTRA 6·35 ·25. The grips bear the early circle within a sunburst badge,
with the centred Astra separating cursive letters 'E' (above) and 'U' (below).
Astra 100: This designation was applied to Victoria pistols until 1915, when it changed to 'Astra 1911'. There was also an Astra 100 Special,
manufactured after 1915 with a nine-shot magazine, which appears to have been a commercial version of the 7·65mm military Victoria.
Astra 200: Often called Firecat in the USA, this was introduced in 1920 and remained in production until 1966. It was a 6·35mm blowback
based on Browning's 1906 design, complete with grip and magazine safeties but with the safety catch midway along the frame in 'Eibar'
style. With a 56mm barrel and a six-shot magazine it was available in a vast range of finishes which gave rise to subsidiary numbering in the
company catalogues—e.g., 200/1, 200/2.
Maker: Unceta y Cia. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering, 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·33in/110mm. Weight, unladen:
12·5oz/355gm. Barrel, 2·20in/56mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Astra 202: Also known as Firecat CE, this was a variant of the Astra 200 with engraving, nickel plating and pearl grips.
Astra 207: An engraved and blued version of the Astra 200.
Astra 300: Available in 7·65mm Browning (·32 ACP) or 9mm Short, this was
essentially a smaller version of the Astra 400. Introduced in 1922 in 9mm Short
and adopted by the Spanish prison service, it was then offered commercially in
both calibres. The 9mm version was adopted by the Spanish navy in 1928.
The German authorities purchased 85,390 7·65mm and 9mm Astra 300 pistols for
the army and Luftwaffe during the Second World War. Production ceased in 1947
after 171,300 had been made.
Astra 400: This was the first of the 'tubular pistols' derived from the Campo Giro. It
has a distinctive tube-like slide doubling as the breech block, while three lugs on Astra: 7·65mm Model 300.
the barrel beneath the breech seat in the frame in the manner of the 1903
Browning. An annular recoil spring is retained around the barrel by a muzzle
bush. An internal hammer strikes an inertia firing pin and a grip safety is fitted.
The remarkable Astra 400 chambers the 9mm Largo cartridge,
probably the most powerful ever used successfully in a
blowback design. The design succeeds by using a heavy
slide, a strong recoil spring and a stiff hammer spring—
clearly apparent when retracting the slide.
Although chambered for the 9mm Largo cartridge, the
Astra 400 will also handle 9mm Parabellum, 9mm Steyr, 9mm
Browning Long and ·38 Auto rounds. This point is frequently disputed; enthusiasts
often run into trouble when attempting to fire all these rounds in an Astra, notably
with the 9mm Parabellum. However, the pistols in question are often elderly and Astra: 9mm Model 400.
sufficiently worn to upset the critical dimensions of the chamber; secondly,
different manufacturers adopt slightly differing dimensional tolerances for their cartridges. An Astra 400 in
good condition and chambered in accordance with the maker's plan dimensions should fire all the quoted
rounds; we have proved this more than once to our own satisfaction. This wide acceptance of ammunition was
intended solely to prevent soldiers being immobilised for want of 9mm Largo when other ammunition was
available; alternative ammunition should not be fired from Astra 400 pistols as regular practice.
Owing to dimensional differences, 9mm Parabellum cartridges can cause particular problems in feeding. Anyone
contemplating firing such ammunition in an Astra should test a variety of brands.
The Astra 400 was introduced in 1921 and immediately became the standard pistol of the Spanish army. It was widely exported, some being
bought by the French Army in the mid 1920s. Production ended in 1946 after 106,175 had been made. Experimental models in other calibres
were also made; at least one survivor chambers the 7·63mm Mauser round.
Maker: Unceta y Cia. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 9mm Bergmann-Bayard. Length overall: 9·25in/235mm. Weight,
unladen: 31·0oz/878gm. Barrel: 5·91in/150mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Astra 500: This was apparently a smaller variant of the Astra 400 (180mm overall instead of 215mm), chambered for 9mm Browning Long
cartridges. Unceta company does not recognise this designation, nor do production records exist; we conclude, therefore, that the Astra 500
does not exist.

26
Astra 600: This was a smaller version of the Astra 400; 205mm long and chambered for the 9mm Parabellum cartridge. It was manufactured in
1943-4 for the German government. A few may have chambered 7·65mm Parabellum—the evidence is conflicting. A total of 10,450 had
been delivered until German occupation of the Franco-Spanish border ceased late in 1944. Production continued until 1946, 49,000 more
guns being made for commercial sale. Some went to West German police forces after 1945.
Maker: Unceta y Cia. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall: 8·07in/205mm. Weight,
unladen: 31·9oz/905gm. Barrel: 5·24in/133mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Astra 700: Four thousand of this 7·65mm Browning (·32 ACP) version of the Astra 400 were made in 1927. All were sold commercially.
Astra 700 Special: This was an improved successor to the Astra 700. The dimensions were reduced, befitting the smaller cartridge, and the sides
of the slide were slightly flattened to resemble the Mle 10 Browning. Overall length was 160mm and the magazine held twelve shots. The
700 Special was the first pistol to carry the Unceta y Cia name, the plastic grips bearing a revised trademark—a circle within a sunburst with
ASTRA across the centre, as before, but separating the letters 'U' (above) and 'C' (below).
Astra 800: Also called Condor, this was introduced in 1958. It is basically an Astra 600 with an external hammer and a loaded-chamber
indicator. Chambered for 9mm Parabellum, it was 207mm long with an eight-shot magazine and had a curved-back grip to give a better hold.
The safety catch was moved to the left rear of the frame. The word CONDOR was moulded into the grips. Production ended in 1969 after
11,400 had been made.
Maker: Astra-Unceta y Cia. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering. 9mm Short. Length overall: 8·15in/207mm. Weight,
unladen: 35·3oz/1,000gm. Barrel: 5·31in/135mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Astra 900: series Spanish companies took advantage of Mauser's reduced production after the end of the First World War, introducing copies of
the Mauser C/96 Military Model in the 1920s to capture such traditional Mauser markets as China and South America. Unceta y Cia
introduced the Astra 900 in 1927, selling nine thousand to China in 1928.
The gun resembles the Mauser C/96 externally, but with significant manufacturing changes. A removable sliding cover-plate on the left side
gives access to the lockwork, and a separate barrel-return spring lies in the frame below the chamber. The standard of manufacture is very
high, and the finish was generally excellent. The lockwork is pinned to the right side of the frame and differs from the Mauser pattern in
several respects; for example, the bolt lock is pinned to the barrel extension and is forced to engage the bolt by the spring-loaded trigger bar.
The bolt and barrel are locked together for a short distance on recoil, until the end of the bolt lock strikes a transom in the frame and is driven
down to free the bolt as the barrel stops. The downward movement of the bolt lock presses on the trigger bar and acts as a disconnector. The
recoiling bolt cocks the hammer and returns to chamber a new round, whereafter the barrel-return spring forces the barrel forwards and the
bolt lock rides up into engagement once more.
The Astra 900 is much the same size as the Mauser C/96, but somewhat heavier owing to more steel in the barrel and barrel extension. It
chambered the 7·63mm Mauser cartridge, of course. In addition to China, many guns were exported and others served the Spanish Security
Police and Guardia Civil.
Astra 901: This arose in response to a demand from China, by adding a selective-fire mechanism to the basic Astra 900. A radial switch-lever
on the right side of the frame can prevent the trigger bar re-engaging the hammer while the trigger is pressed. A secondary sear released the
hammer when the barrel was forward and the bolt had locked. The 7·63mm Astra 901 had a rate of fire of about 850 rounds per minute. As
the standard ten-shot fixed magazine proved to be of little use with a fully automatic weapon, only about 1,600 Astra 901 pistols were ever
made.
Astra 902: This was simply the 901 pattern with a fixed twenty-shot magazine and a 190mm barrel. Introduced late in 1928, about 7,000 were
made; almost all went to China. A very few were made without the fire-selector, apparently without changing the designation.
Astra 903: An improvement on the 902 model, introduced in 1932, the Astra 903 had removable ten- or twenty-shot magazines. It made little
impact in China, perhaps owing to increasing competition from other Spanish makers, and 2,004 of the 3,450 made were taken by the
German government in 1940 and 1943. The Astra 903E or 'Model E', included in the production totals, had some small internal changes in
the magazine release and
magazine platform.
Maker: Unceta y Cia. Type:
automatic pistol (recoil
operated). Chambering:
7·63mm Mauser. Length
overall: 12·13in/308mm.
Weight, unladen:
45·0oz/1,275gm. Barrel:
6·30in/160mm, rifled.
Magazine: 20- or 30-round
detachable box.
Astra 904: A pre-production
version of the Model F (see
below), this was an Astra 903
with a rate-reducer and minor
changes to the fire selector
switch. A bolt hold-open was
added. The Astra 904 was
produced to demonstrate the
modifications requested by the
Guardia Civil, and is virtually a Model Astra: selective-fire 9mm Model F. The detail view shows the rate-reducer in the grip.
F chambering the 7·63mm Mauser
cartridge. Ten were made, late in 1933.
Astra Model F: This was an Astra 903 modified to meet the requirements of the Guardia Civil, chambered for the 9mm Largo cartridge and
embodying a butt-mounted rate-of-fire retarder to restrict the automatic fire rate to about 350 rounds per minute. Detachable ten- or twenty-
round box magazines were used. 1,100 pistols were made in 1934-5, 950 being delivered to the Guardia Civil in June 1935. The remaining
150 were seized by the Basque provisional government on the outbreak of the Civil War.

27
Astra 1000: After the end of the Second World War, Unceta y Cia began a new number series with this model, a 7·65mm Auto (·32 ACP)
version of the Astra 200 with a twelve-shot magazine and a 130mm barrel. Small quantities were made in the late 1940s.
Maker: Unceta y Cia. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 7·87in/200mm. Weight, unladen:
37·0oz/1,050gm. Barrel: 5·12in/130mm, rifled. Magazine: eleven-round detachable box.
Astra 2000: This was an external-hammer model of the Astra 200, lacking the grip safety and chambering 6·35mm Auto or ·22 Short. The
6·35mm version could be converted to ·22 by means of a kit. The Astra 2000 was sold in the USA as the 'Colt Junior' until Colt withdrew
after passage of the Gun Control Act of 1968. Imported pistols subsequently reappeared as the Cub.
Maker: Unceta y Cia. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·41in/112mm. Weight, unladen:
12·5oz/354gm. Barrel: 2·24in/57mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Astra 3000: This was a 1948-vintage revival of the Model 300, and made until about 1956. The only change was the addition of a loaded-
chamber indicator pin at the rear of the slide. The gun was available in 7·65mm with a seven-shot magazine or as a six-shot in 9mm Short.
Astra 4000: Also known as the Falcon, this 1956 introduction is more or less the
Astra 3000 with an external hammer. It is currently available in ·22 LR, 7·65mm
or 9mm Short versions. The butt is rounded at the rear to improve grip and the
grip safety has been omitted. The grip is marked MOD 4000 and FALCON in
addition to the Astra trademark.
Astra 5000: Announced in 1969, this marked a major design change in the Astra line.
Often known as the Constable, its resemblance to the streamlined Walther PP is
heightened by the adoption of a double-action lock with external hammer and a
slide-mounted safety catch which can lock the firing pin and drop the hammer. Astra: Model 4000 or Falcon.
The slide can be removed by operating a catch set in the frame above the trigger
guard, which is quite unlike the Walther method.
The Astra 5000 is available in ·22 LR, 7·65mm and 9mm Short chambering. The
Constable Sport has an extended barrel carrying a ramp-pattern front sight, a
micrometer back sight, and is available in ·22 LR only.
Maker: Astra-Unceta y Cia. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 4·00in/102mm. Weight,
unladen: 25·0oz/708gm. Barrel: 3·50in/89mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Astra 7000: This is an enlarged ·22 LR Astra 2000 with a 59mm barrel and a seven-round magazine.
Astra A-50: This single-action version of the Model 5000 lacks the slide-release latch, and has its safety catch on the left rear of the frame
instead of on the slide.
Astra A-60: Introduced in 1987, this is a 9mm Short Model 5000 updated with a thirteen-round
staggered-column magazine and an ambidextrous safety catch on the slide.
Astra A-80: This modern pistol, marketed from 1982, has a distinct resemblance to contemporary
SIG models. Chambered for 9mm Parabellum, its breech is locked by engaging the barrel-block
in the ejection slot of the slide. The barrel is tilted by a cam below the breech acting against a
pin in the frame. The A-80 has a double-action lock, with a de-cocking lever on the left side to
drop the hammer on to a notch in the sear before it can strike the firing pin. The firing pin has an
automatic safety in the guise of a spring-loaded plunger to keep the pin locked except during
the last small movement of the trigger, whereupon the plunger withdraws to permit the Astra: Model 7000.
falling hammer to drive the firing pin forward. The standard left-side de-cocking lever may
be substituted by a right-side lever if desired.
Maker: Astra-Unceta y Cia. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated).
Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall: 7·09in/180mm. Weight,
unladen: 34·7oz/985gm. Barrel: 3·82in/97mm, rifled. Magazine: fifteen-
round detachable box.
Astra A-90: This revision of the A-80 appeared in 1985, featuring an improved
double-action mechanism, adjustable sights, and slightly smaller dimensions.
The de-cocking lever intercepts the hammer instead of a sear notch, and a
two-piece firing pin is fitted. A slide-mounted safety catch can move the rear
portion of the firing pin out of the hammer path when required; the front
section of the firing pin has the same automatic safety system as the A-80.
Astra TS-22: This ·22 LR target pistol was derived from the A-50 by fitting a Astra: A-60.
longer barrel and an extension dovetailed into the standard slide. The
extension carries a full-length sight ramp and is weighted to give the requisite
front-heavy balance. The TS-22 has a long grip with a thumb rest, and a finger
spur protrudes from the magazine floor plate. The result is a comparatively
cheap but quite satisfactory competition pistol.
Maker: Astra-Unceta y Cia. Type: automatic
pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire.
Length overall: 9·25in/235mm. Weight, unladen:
35·3oz/1,000gm. Barrel: 5·91in/150mm, rifled.
Magazine: ten-round detachable box.

Astra: TS-22 target pistol.

28
REVOLVERS
Astra-Unceta did not enter the revolver field until the Cadix range was announced in 1958. This proved popular, whereupon heavier weapons were
developed under the Astra name.
Cadix series: These revolvers were based on Smith & Wesson patterns, being solid-frame models with swing-out cylinders operated by a push
catch on the left of the frame. The ejector rod lies in a tapering shroud under the barrel. Cadix revolvers offered three calibres and three types
of cylinders, the ·22 version holding eight cartridges, the ·32 six and the ·38 five. Variants are numbered according to calibre and barrel
length; thus the ·22 LR with two-inch barrel is the 'Model 222' and a ·32 with a four-inch barrel is the 'Model 324'. Several sight options were
available, and the ·38 Special model could be seen with a muzzle brake.
Cadix 384: Maker: Astra-Unceta y Cia. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38 Special. Length overall: 8·94in/227mm. Weight,
unladen: 24·0oz/680gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.
Astra 357: Derived from the Cadix range in 1972, this was the first Astra revolver to adopt the transfer-bar safety system of connecting the
hammer and the firing pin. This was necessary to satisfy the US Gun Control Act of 1968 and safeguard export orders. It was also the first
large-calibre Astra that could compete against American designs. Barrels varied from 75 to 150mm, finish was blue or stainless steel, and
various degrees of embellishment were available.
Maker. Astra-Unceta y Cia. Type: Solid frame revolver. Chambering; ·357
Magnum. Length overall: 9·25in/235mm. Weight, unladen: 38·8oz/1,100gm.
Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Astra 357 Police: This six-shot solid-frame swinging-cylinder revolver—intended
for police or military use chambers ·357 Magnum, ·38 Special or 9mm
Parabellum, and a 9mm Steyr replacement cylinder can be substituted for the
9mm Parabellum pattern. Cylinders for rimless cartridges are supplied with
loading clips.
Astra 41, 44, 45: Numbers indicate calibre in the designations of these six shot solid-
frame revolvers chambered for ·41 Magnum, ·44 Magnum or ·45 Colt cartridges.
They all have swing-out cylinders, barrel ribs and shrouded ejector rods. The back
sight is fully adjustable, and 152mm or 216mm barrels are available.
Astra 44: Maker: Astra-Unceta y Cia. Type: solid-frame revolver.
Astra: Police Model 357 Magnum revolver, with spare
Chambering: ·44 Magnum. Length overall: 11·54in/293mm. Weight,
cylinder and adaptor for rimless cartridges.
unladen: 45·1oz/1,280gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: six-
chamber cylinder.
Astra 250: This is a smaller version of the Astra 960 (below), with a short barrel and a back sight formed merely by grooving the frame top. It
could be chambered for ·22 LR, ·22 WMRF, ·38 Long or ·38 Special cartridges. Usually encountered in blued finish, a stainless steel '250
Inox' was also available.
Astra 680: Introduced in 1981, this was a slight variation of the Model 250. Changes were made to the shape of the frame and recoil shield,
probably to facilitate manufacture.
Astra 960: A conventional six-shot solid-frame S&W-type revolver, the 960 has a barrel rib and a shrouded ejector rod. Its back sight is fully
adjustable and the mainspring can be adjusted to vary the hammer strike. Various lengths of barrel, finishes and grip styles have been made.

ATCSA (SPAIN)
Armas de Tiro y Casa SA of Barcelona began life in the early 1930s by producing a single-shot target pistol chambered for the 4mm Ubungspatrone
saloon cartridge. The barrel was carried on a vertical pivot in front of the chamber and swung laterally to allow reloading. A six-shot side-opening
solid framed ·38 Special revolver followed in 1934. This gun was reputedly of high quality, using stainless steel for the cylinder, and had an unusual
quick-release latch on the crane which allowed the cylinder to be replaced with a pre-loaded one. A distinctive arc-shaped cut-out on the front lower
edge of the butt formed a rest for the little finger, though the revolver was otherwise based on the Colt Police Positive. The only marking is on the
left of the frame, below the hammer: ATCSA PAT 130395.
Contemporary reports regarded these revolvers as well made of good material, but the company was closed down during the Civil War before
achieving prominence. It never re-opened.
Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·38. Length overall: 9·84in/250mm. Weight, unladen: 29·3oz/830gm. Barrel: 4·72in/120mm, rifled.
Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

AUBREY (USA)
This name was associated with guns manufactured by the Meriden Arms Company, created by Sears, Roebuck & Company of Chicago about 1894.
Marketed until the 1930s, the revolvers were in ·32 Long and ·38 Long chambering and were standard Meriden five-shot double action top-break
patterns. The brand name—correctly 'A.J. Aubrey'—was provided by the Meriden factory superintendent and principal designer, Albert Aubrey.

AURORA (SPAIN)
A 6·35mm pistol based on the Browning 1906 pattern, with Spain or made in Spain stamped into the frame—but entirely without identification of
the maker. The safety catch is marked feu, suggesting that it may have been made for sale in France.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·33in/110mm. Weight, unladen: 10·2oz/288gm. Barrel:
1·97in/50mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

AUTOGARDE (FRANCE)
A Velo-Dog pattern five-shot revolver chambered for the 7·65mm Auto cartridge, sold by Societe Francaise des Munitions in 1900-14 period. As
SFM was primarily an ammunition manufacturer, the guns were probably made in Belgium. They have a folding trigger and a shrouded hammer
with only the spur visible above the raised frame sides. An 'SFM' monogram lies on the butt.

29
AUTO MAG (USA)
This powerful automatic pistol developed around a wildcat cartridge called the ·44 Auto Magnum, introduced in the mid 1950s by loading cut-down
·308 Winchester cases with ·44 revolver bullets. Early in the 1960s, Max Gera of Sanford Arms, Pasadena, designed the recoil-operated pistol that
was eventually called Auto-Mag. Marketed from 1970, it had a rotating bolt-head controlled by cam tracks in the frame. With a 240-grain ·44 bullet
and a 25-grain charge, it developed 1640 ft/sec and 1455 ft-lb at the muzzle; recoil force was claimed to be 11·7 ft-lb.
Shortly after its announcement came the news that the pistol would henceforth be made by a new firm, Auto-Mag Corporation of Pasadena, and
would be available in October 1970 for $200. At this time, anyone purchasing the gun was committed to making his own ammunition, though one
ammunition company promised to begin production if demand warranted it. Delivery of guns began in October 1970, but the financial burden
proved too great and Auto-Mag Corporation was liquidated in 1972. Production stopped. Patents, stock and machinery were then bought by the
Thomas Oil Company, which formed TDE Corporation to make the pistol. TDE opened a factory in North Hollywood and Harry Sanford, originator
of the Sanford Arms Company and 'father' of the Auto-Mag, became chief engineer.
Production recommenced, the Model 160 in being
offered in ·357 Auto-Mag and the Model 180 in ·44
Auto-Mag. The ·357 round was also created from the
·308 Winchester case. High Standard Company
assumed responsibility for the Auto-Mag in mid 1974,
leaving manufacture to TDE but guaranteeing the necessary sales outlets and financial
backing. By this time commercial ·44 Auto-Mag ammunition was available, first from
Cartouchoes Deportivo de Mexico and later from Norma, but ·357 owners still had to make their
own.
By 1977, High Standard was having second thoughts about support; manufacture of the Auto-Mag
ceased yet again. Rights reverted to Harry Sanford who, in 1979, announced that five hundred 'Auto-Mag
Model B' pistols would be made from existing components—after which production would finally end. It is believed
that less than 100 Model B Auto-Mags were made before work ceased in 1980. At $1,000 in 1979, the Model B was far
too expensive to sell in quantity.
In the early 1980s, before giving up the struggle, AMT Corporation (q.v.) produced about a hundred Auto-Mag Model C
pistols with an adjustable Behlert back sight. AMT attempted to revive the basic design in ·22 calibre in the mid 1980s, but
this was equally unsuccessful.
Variations in the Auto-Mag are numerous, many small details being changed during the production runs. The original ·44 model had a six-inch
barrel; TDE's ·44 also had a six-inch barrel, while the ·357 patterns measured 6in or 8in. The eight-inch barrel lacked the customary ventilated rib.
Customised versions with special grips, known as 'Lee Jurras Special' models after their originator, were supplied to order with names such as
Bicentennial, Backpacker, International, Grizzly, Condor, Alaskan or Silhouette; some of these were fitted with a special barrel to take the ·41 JMP
('Jurras Mag Pistol'), modified from the original ·44 cartridge for silhouette shooting. Then came interchangeable barrel conversion units to allow
·357 barrels to be fitted to a ·44 frame.
The Model B offered by Sanford in 1979 was basically the original weapon with a strengthened bolt and an optional 8in or 10in heavy target
barrels. These barrels can be identified by SILHOUETTE engraved on the side. The original pistols were marked AUTO MAG ·44 AMP MODEL
180 PASADENA CALIFORNIA PAT PENDING on the slide, together with an 'AM' monogram in a circle. Under the TDE regime this changed to
AUTO MAG ·44 AMP MODEL 280 EL MONTE CALIFORNIA PATENTED together with 'TDE' in a circle. This then changed to HIGH
STANDARD AUTO MAG and the High Standard symbol. It is believed that Model B could be marked with either the TDE or High Standard
marking, since Sanford's production was based on components already on hand. The AMT models carry similar markings but with an encircled
'AMT' and a 'C' prefixed serial number.
Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: ·44 Auto Mag. Length overall: 11·50in/292mm. Weight, unladen: 57·0oz/1,615gm.
Barrel: 6·50in/165mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

AUTOMATIC PISTOL (SPAIN)

The number of cheap Spanish 6·35mm and 7·65mm pistols with no other marking on the slide than automatic pistol is legion. Few are readily
identifiable, though a handful can be identified from other features:
1: A 7·65mm model with the front of the frame tapering up to meet the slide and grip plates heavily decorated with (top to bottom) an eagle, a
crown, and an oval within which is a figure wielding a club: this latter mark is generally associated with Tomas de Urizar y Cia of Eibar, but
the pistol is otherwise identical to the Colonial made by Extezagarra y Abitua. It is probably a Colonial marketed by Urizar.
2: A 6·35mm 'Eibar' with the same arrangement of motifs on the grips as described above and with EIBAR EC, in very small lettering, on the
frame. This is probably an Urizar item made by a small one-man firm in Eibar.
3: A 6·35mm model with grips bearing a floral motif at the top, CAL 6·35 in a curved scroll, and three floral motifs at the bottom: apparently a
variant of the Tisan, made by Santiago Salaberrin of Ermua.
4: A 6·35mm Eibar-type gun with 'BH' moulded into the top of the grips, made by Beistegui Hermanos of Eibar.

AUTOMATIQUE FRANCAISE (FRANCE)

1: This is a 6·35mm automatic pistol of unusual appearance, manufactured prior to 1914 by Societe Francaise d'Armes Automatiques de Saint-
Etienne. Nothing is known of this company, which failed to survive the First World War. The pistol is based on the Mannlicher design of a
slide with arms passing alongside the barrel and joined at the front to contain the return spring. The barrel is exposed for most of its length.
The butt is deep from front to rear, with an odd-shaped grip safety at the front, a magazine release button at the rear bottom, and ornate grips.
The right side of the slide is marked AUTOMATIQUE FRANCAISE and the left side of the frame carries the company name.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·72in/120mm. Weight, unladen: 11·1oz/315gm. Barrel:
2·60in/66mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
2: Guns marked PISTOLET AUTOMATIQUE FRANCAISE and with UNION (q.v.) on the grips were made by Seytres of Saint-Etienne.

30
AUTO ORDNANCE (USA)
THE original Auto-Ordnance Company was formed in the early 1920s to
market the Thompson submachine gun, the actual manufacture being done
by other firms. The Thompson patents and rights have passed through
several hands, and the present Auto-Ordnance Company of West Hurley,
New York, has no direct connection with the old. However, it still
promotes a semi-automatic version of the Thompson and other shoulder
arms, and now does its own manufacturing. It also produces an accurate
copy of the Colt M1911Al ·45 pistol except for the Auto-Ordnance
marking and trademark on the slide. A modified version, the M41 Action
Express chambers the ·41 AE cartridge.

AZANZA Y ARRIZABALAGA (SPAIN)

The connection between this Eibar-based company and Hijos de Calixto
Arrizabalaga (q.v.) has not yet been confirmed, but it is believed that the
Arrizabalaga of the partnership with Azanza was the father of the 'Hijos'.
Azanza y Arrizabalaga operated briefly during the First World War, making Eibar-pattern pistols of average quality.
A.A.: This was a 7·65mm pistol of generous size, with a nine-shot magazine and obviously intended as a police or military weapon. It was
probably begun as a sub-contract for French Army orders in 1915-16 and then continued as a commercial venture. The slide is marked
AZANZA & ARRIZABALAGA MODELO 1916 EIBAR (ESPANA) and has the company's trademark, 'AA' in an oval, on the left rear of
the frame.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·10in/155mm. Weight, unladen: 20·6oz/585gm. Barrel:
3·43in/87mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.
Reims: Models of this gun existed in 6·35mm and 7·65mm. Both were copies of the 1906-model blowback Browning, with small butts and five-
or six-round magazines. They were marked 1914 MODEL AUTOMATIC REIMS PATENT and have another version of the company
trademark, an encircled 'AA' surmounted by a crown. These pistols were probably produced for export to France in 1914-15, when soldiers
were buying every pistol they could find—but before the Government issued official contracts to the Spanish gunmakers.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·33in/110mm. Weight, unladen: 13·5oz/384gm. Barrel:
2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

AZPIRI (SPAIN)
Azpiri y Cia of Eibar, sometimes known as Antonio Azpiri, made a small range of pistols. Little more is known about the company that produced
them; it appears to have operated for a short time between 1912 and 1925, aiming largely for the French market.
Avion: This is a good-quality copy of the 1906-type Browning in 6·35mm calibre. The slide is marked PISTOLET AUTOMATIQUE AVION
BREVETE which suggests manufacture for export to France. The frame has the usual MADE IN SPAIN in the smallest possible lettering,
and the grips are embossed with a design showing a Bleriot-type monoplane.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·49in/114mm. Weight, unladen: 10·6oz/300gm. Barrel:
2·13in/54mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Colon: A series of automatic pistols made in the 1919-25 period. Two models were made in 6·35mm and two more in 7·65mm, all based on the
1903 or 1906-model Brownings. Only one of the 6·35mm patterns has a grip safety; while the 7·65mm guns differ in size and magazine
capacity. There are no model numbers or distinguishing nomenclature, the only marking being a standardised AUTOMATIC PISTOL
"COLON" inscription on the slide together with a calibre mark. Some guns have an 'AA' monogram on the grips. The guns are uncommonly
seen and appear to have been solely for domestic consumption. Note, too, that the name 'Colon' was used by Orbea Hermanos for a revolver.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·53in/115mm. Weight, unladen: 13·3oz/377gm. Barrel:
2·20in/56mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

AZUL (SPAIN)
This brand name was used by Eulogio Arostegui of Eibar. It first appeared on a 6·35mm Eibar-type automatic of the early 1920s, based on the 1906
Browning; it was then applied to a 7·65mm gun based on the Browning of 1903, another typical 'Eibar'. Then came another 7·65mm model, with an
external hammer and a lanyard loop on the butt to entice the military or police markets. Finally, as noted under Arostegui (q.v.), the name was
attached to Mauser-pattern machine pistols made by Beistegui Hermanos and marketed by Arostegui in the early 1930s.

B
BABY (GERMANY)
A ·22 revolver made by Reck of Nuremberg in the late 1950s. Like most of Reck products of that time, it was a simple five shot pattern with folding
trigger, easily recognisable by the collar around the muzzle holding the front sight.

BABY BULLDOG (USA)

An American hammerless double-action ·22 RF revolver with a folding trigger, dating from c.1885. Maker unknown; also found in ·32 calibre.

31
BABY HAMMERLESS (USA)
A general designation applied to revolvers manufactured by Henry M. Kolb of
Philadelphia between 1892 and 1930. All were five-shot, solid-frame ·22 Short rimfire
revolvers with concealed hammers and folding triggers. A vertical spring catch on the
right of the frame of the first models allowed the knurled axis pin to be withdrawn for
removal of the cylinder. Three bands of knurling appeared on the axis pin of the Model
1910 revolver, and the spring catch was mounted horizontally. The 1918 Model has the
letter 'S' in the grip mouldings instead of 'K', marking the appearance of R.F. Sedgely as
the senior partner in the company. The 1921 model had a much thinner plain axis pin and
a spring-loaded retaining sleeve engaging a slot in the frame. A 1924 model was much
the same except for the addition of knurling to the axis pin. The Model 1910 was also
made in ·32, the only respect in which it differed from the ·22 being the calibre. See also
'Kolb'.

Baby Hammerless M1896: Type: solid-frame Baby Hammerless: A typical Kolb ·22 pattern, with comparable European gun.
revolver. Calibre ·22. Length overall: 5·04in/128mm.
Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 1·77in/45mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

BABY RUSSIAN (USA)

A ·38 S&W five-shot single-action top break revolver with a spur trigger, made by the American Arms Company c.1890.

BACON (USA)
In the Civil War years, the small Connecticut town of Norwich became a prominent pistol-making community, and the inter-relationship of the
participants is difficult to disentangle. The Bacon Arms Company (sometimes known as the Bacon Manufacturing Co.) was one such firm, founded
by Thomas K. Bacon about 1862. Single-shot ·32 RF pistols and ·36 cap-lock revolvers were succeeded by solid-frame rimfire revolvers, some of
which were licensed from Smith & Wesson. The principal post-1870 products were Suicide Specials and, as most were made to sell for one dollar
or less, nothing in the way of outstanding quality of originality may be expected. The company went out of business in 1891.
Bacon Gem: This was the only gun to be made under the Bacon name: a tiny ·22 RF five-shot, solid frame revolver with sheathed trigger.
Bonanza: Patented in 1878, this was a ·22 RF seven-shot solid-frame revolver with a stud trigger. The patented feature was a release catch in
front of the trigger which allowed the arbor pin to be withdrawn and the cylinder removed from the frame. Spent cases were then punched
out of the chambers with the arbor pin.
Conqueror: Made to Bacon's 1878 patent in ·22 RF (seven shot) and ·32 RF (five shot), these solid-frame revolvers had two-inch round barrels
and cylinders released by two spring catches in the frame. They were loaded through a gate on the right side, but lacked ejectors. It has been
reported that the five-shot Conqueror was also made in ·38 RF and ·41 RF, but none has been seen.
Express: Another 1878 design, this was a ·22 RF revolver similar in most respects to the Conqueror but with a two-inch octagonal barrel.
Governor: Yet another cheap rimfire revolver, this chambered ·22 Short rimfire ammunition, and had a seven-shot cylinder accompanied by a
two-inch round barrel. The solid frame differed from those of the Conqueror and Express, as a removable side plate covering the lockwork
formed part of the trigger sheath. The arbor pin extended about an inch beneath the barrel and was retained by a push-in catch on the right
side of the frame. There was no ejector.
Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·22. Length overall: 5·51in/140mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 2·24in/57mm, rifled.
Magazine: seven-chamber cylinder.
Guardian: Offered in ·22 RF and ·32 RF chamberings, this was another solid-frame stud-trigger revolver. The rear of the frame was unusually
high-set, concealing most of the hammer, and the butt took bird's head form. Both types had a two-inch octagonal barrel, but the ·22 gun had
the usual seven-shot cylinder whereas the ·32 was five-shot.
Little Giant: This resembled the Express and Conqueror models, but had an unusual circular plate on the left of the frame, slotted for a
turnscrew, which doubled as a cover for the action and a pivot for the hammer. The Little Giant was otherwise typically Bacon, being a non-
ejecting seven-shot ·22 RF with a 2in or 2·5in round barrel and a bird's head grip.

BALLESTER MOLINA (ARGENTINA)

This was a close copy of the Colt M1911A1 automatic pistol manufactured
by Hafdasa (qv) of Buenos Aires in 1938-44. It lacks the grip safety of the
Colt, and there are small dimensional differences most notably in the
smaller butt. The breech-locking system and dismantling procedure are the
same as those of the Colt. The slide is marked PLSTOLA AUTOMATICA
CAL ·45 FABRICADO POR 'HAFDASA' PATENTES
INTERNACIONALES 'BALLESTER-MOLINA' INDUSTRIA
ARGENTINA. The pistol was used by the Argentine forces and was also
bought by a British Purchasing Commission in 1942, the weapons being
supplied to SOE and other clandestine forces; as a result, they are more
common in Europe than expected.
Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: ·45 ACP.
Length overall: 8·98in/228mm. Weight, unladen:
40·2oz/1,140gm. Barrel: 5·00in/127mm, rifled. Magazine:
seven-round detachable box.
Hafdasa-made ·45 ACP copy of theM1911A1 Colt-Browning.
BANG-UP (UNKNOWN)
Although not identified with any maker, this ·32 RF revolver is sufficiently like the Guardian to make it likely either that the Bacon Arms Company
produced or that somebody used the Bacon gun as his model. Excepting a minor relocation of a single pin, the Guardian and the Bang-up differ very
little. Both are solid-frame non-ejectors with octagonal barrels and stud triggers.

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BAR (GERMANY)
A repeating pistol invented by Burkhard Behr of Zurich in 1898, this was manufactured
for Behr by J. P. Sauer of Suhl in 1900-14. The layout of the Bar pistol resembled a
revolver, but the flat fluted barrel-block contained two superposed bores. The cylinder
was replaced by a flat four-chamber block, the upper two aligning with the barrels. The
hammer—concealed within a high frame—carried a rotating firing pin. Pressing the
unfolded trigger raised and then dropped the hammer to fire the upper chamber; a
subsequent pull rotated the firing pin and fired the lower chamber.
Pressing a catch in the top of the frame released the chamber block, which was rotated
manually until the lower loaded chambers were uppermost. They could then be fired by
pulling the trigger. Half turning the block exposed ail the chambers at the sides of the
weapon, where they could be emptied by using a pin carried in the butt.
The Bar Pistole originally chambered a special 7mm rimmed calibre, but many of those
made after 1907 accepted the 6·35mm Auto (·25 ACP) cartridge.
Bar-Pistole: Maker: J.P Sauer & Sohn, Suhl. Type: repeating pistol (two barrel). BAR: Made by Sauer & Sohn prior to 1914.
Calibre: 7mm. Length overall: 5·91in/150mm. Weight, unladen: 10·9oz/310gm. Barrel:
2·36in/60mm, rifled. Magazine: four-round rotating block.

BARRENECHEA Y GALLASTEGUI (SPAIN)

The only product bearing the name of this Eibar-based company is a copy of the S&W Military & Police revolver in ·38 Special. The barrel is
marked FDO POR BARRENECHEA Y GALLASTEGUI, EIBAR, SPAIN which leads to the conclusion that the partnership was simply a sales
outlet and that the gun was made elsewhere. Comparison with others suggests that it was made by Manuel Escodin.
Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·38. Length overall: 10·43in/265mm. Weight, unladen: 28·6oz/810gm. Barrel: 4·88in/124mm, rifled.
Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

BASCARAN [I] (SPAIN)

Martin A. Bascaran of Eibar set up in business during the First World War,
but instead of the usual Ruby sub-contract produced a weapon of original
design and good quality. About 1920 he brought his family into the firm
and continued to make Martian and Thunder pistols until recession in the
late 1920s brought business to a close.
Martian: The first version of this 6·35mm or 7·65mm pistol appeared
early in 1915. Well made and finished, it was a simple blowback.
However, instead of the usual Browning-inspired method of
attaching the barrel to the frame by lugs beneath the breech,
Bascaran's squared-off barrel had a ridge on top and shoulders 7·65mm Eibar-type Martian.
beneath. It was unlocked from the frame by pulling the rear of the
trigger guard down and away from the butt. The slide was shaped
internally to ride on the squared sides and ridge, keeping the
working parts securely aligned during recoil.
Martians were striker-fired and had an unusual safety catch on the
left side, in front of the grip, which moved vertically to disconnect
the sear from the trigger—a considerable improvement on the usual Eibar-pattern catch. Slides are usually marked AUTOMATIC PISTOL
MARTIAN CAL... and carry Bascaran's trademark of an encircled 'MAB' monogram. The grips have Martian embossed across them.
The design of this model was probably too complex for wartime mass-production; as a result, Bascaran abandoned it sometime in 1916 and
transferred the name to a run-of-the-mill 7·65mm 'Eibar' copy of the 1903-model Browning. Marked FA. DE MARTIN A. BASCARAN
EIBAR MARTIAN CAL 7·65, it fulfilled wartime military contracts; production continued after 1919, alongside a 6·35mm model based on
the Browning of 1906. Both were known as the 'Martian Commercial'. The grips are embossed with the encircled 'MAB' trademark,
surrounded by MARTIAN COMMERCIAL. Production ceased about 1927.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·10in/155mm. Weight, unladen: 22·0oz/623gm. Barrel:
3·46in/88mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Thunder: While Bascaran was quite content to rely on the second-model Martian for his bread-and-butter, he was aware that there was still a
market for a better product. The Thunder of 1919 was simply the original 6·35mm Martian. The quality was much higher than that of the
Martian Commercial but, strangely, identifying marks were omitted from the slide. The only acknowledgement was THUNDER embossed
across the grips. The pistol remained on sale until the late 1920s.
Thunder M1919: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·41in/112mm. Weight, unladen:
13·2oz/375gm. Barrel: 1·97in/50mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

BASCARAN [II] (SPAIN)

Hijos de Jorge Bascaran of Eibar made unremarkable 7·65mm Eibar-type pistols called Marke and Martigny. Though information is scant, it seems
that the company was formed when Martin Bascaran brought his brothers into his business after the First World War. Whether the one Bascaran
company grew out of the other, or traded concurrently, is not yet known. The Marke and Martigny guns were probably made in 1920. However,
though many authorities have noted their existence, we have never found any examples.

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BASCULANT (VARIOUS)
1: A 6·35mm blowback based on the 1906-model Browning, this was made by Aguirre Zamacolas y Cia of Eibar in c.1925-9. A simple design of
no particular merit, it should not be confused with Pieper guns of the same name.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·53in/115mm. Weight, unladen: 10·9oz/308gm. Barrel:
2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
2: A trade name used by Pieper of liege in catalogues to signify guns embodying the tip-down barrel feature of his 1905 patent. The mark did not
appear on the pistols themselves.

BAUER (USA)
The Bauer Firearms Corporation of Fraser, Michigan, trading in 1972-84, made a 6·35mm blowback pistol based on the Baby Browning. Offering
high quality, the 'SS' (Satin Stainless) and 'SB' (Stainless Blued) models could be obtained with walnut or simulated pearl grips. The Bauer was
among the best of the several 6·35mm designs which appeared contemporaneously after the US Gun Control Act of 1968 placed restrictions on
small imports.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·00in/102mm. Weight, unladen: 10·1oz/285gm. Barrel:
2·13in/54mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

BAYARD (BELGIUM)
Use of this trademark was made by Henri Pieper & Cie, subsequently briefly Henri & Nicolas Pieper
and latterly Anciens Etablissements Pieper of Herstal-lez-Liege. But the pistol of this name was based
not on any of Pieper's patents but those of Bernard Clarus; and while they may appear to be ordinary
Browning-type blowbacks externally, internally they display considerable novelty.
The pistol is a fixed-barrel blowback with the slide forming an upper section over the exposed barrel.
The breech block and the firing pin are contained in the deepened rear section of the slide, in addition
to the inverted hammer suspended from a cross-pin. The sear is also suspended in the slide, behind the Bayard:
hammer, being hung so that it connects with the trigger bar when the slide is forward and the breech
closed. The outer sides of the hammer carry rollers, aligned with two inclined ramps formed from the 6·35mm.
rear end of the frame. The rear of the above-barrel recoil spring fits in a tube screwed to a frame
transom, which also holds the breech end of the barrel; the front of the spring is enclosed in an extension to the front sight collar. This unit is
detachable, held in place only by the pressure of the recoil spring; by pressing the front sight back, and allowing it to rise clear of the slide, the recoil
spring and its guide rod can be removed. The slide can then be drawn back, up and off the frame.
The butt contains a standard box magazine. When the pistol is fired, recoil carries
the slide, hammer and sear back. The rollers on the hammer ride up the ramps on
the frame against the pressure of a leaf spring, until the hammer engages with the
sear and is held in its cocked position. As the slide returns and chambers a new
round, the sear stops behind a retaining piece attached to the trigger bar. When the
trigger is pulled, this retainer is forced back, pushing the sear free and allowing
the hammer to drop and strike the firing pin.
The Clarus patents were bought by the Pieper company in 1908 and the pistol
appeared late in 1909. Earliest guns chambered 7·65mm Auto ammunition, but
were joined by a 9mm Short model in 1911 and a 6·35mm version in 1912. Only
the barrel, magazine platform and breech face were changed to suit the various
cartridges; the guns were all 4·75in long overall with a 2·5in barrel. That such a
small gun could be made in 7·65mm and 9mm was originally attributed to the
'recoil absorbing' feature claimed by Clarus in his patent owing to the action of the
ramps and hammer. However, there seems no good warrant for the claim; other BAYARD: A typical 6·35mm Pieper made Bayard pistol.
manufacturers subsequently made pistols just as small. Perhaps Pieper simply saw The illustration emphasizing its small size is taken from the
the value of the recoil absorbing claim as a way of boosting sales at the expense of 1911 catalogue produced by A. L. Frank of Hamburg.
others.
Markings on all models comprised CAL... MODULE DEPOSE on the left front side of the slide, generally with ANCIENS ETABLISSEMENTS
PIEPER LIEGE BELGIUM below, and the mounted knight trademark above BAYARD over the left grip.
Production continued until the Germans occupied the factory in 1914, and then resumed in 1919. New models were announced in 1923. These
resembled the 1910-type Browning externally, but retained the peculiar Clarus hammer and sear system. The same three calibres were retained,
though the 6·35mm gun was significantly smaller than its cousins. A slight change in the magazine catch was made in 1930, but this was not
sufficient to warrant changes in designation. The modernised Piepers were made until the Germans invaded Belgium in 1940.
Bayard M1910: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 4·92in/125mm. Weight, unladen:
16·6oz/470gm. Barrel: 2·24in/57mm, rifled. Magazine: five-round detachable box.
Bayard M1912: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·80in/122mm. Weight, unladen:
12·0oz/340gm. Barrel: 2·20/56mm, rifled. Magazine: five-round detachable box.
Bayard M1930: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·71in/145mm. Weight, unladen:
12·0oz/340gm. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine, six-round detachable box.

BAYONNE (FRANCE)
Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne was founded in 1921 and produced a wide range of soundly-designed pistols for many years. Guns were made for
German military and police use during the Vichy period (1940-4) and may be seen with standard German acceptance marks. Commercial
production resumed after the end of the Second World War and, in the 1960s, MAB obtained a contract to provide the French military forces with
the 9mm Parabellum PA-15. Difficulties in the mid 1980s forced the company to close, despite an unsuccessful rescue bid. This left the French
forces without an indigenous handgun supplier, and they eventually settled on the Beretta Model 92 as a replacement.
Excepting a few that were named for specific markets, Bayonne-made pistols were all known by 'MAB' and a model number.

34
MAB Model A: This first appeared in 1921 and remained in production until the company closed. It was a 6·35mm blowback automatic based
on the 1906-pattern Browning, with grip, magazine and applied safety devices.
MAB Model B: Introduced in 1932 and manufactured until 1949, this was an improved 6·35mm automatic with obvious Beretta overtones in
the open-topped slide and the barrel formed as part of the frame. The slide was marked in what became the standard pattern for the
company's pistols: PlSTOLET AUTOMATIQUE MAB BREVET 'MODULE B'.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·89in/175mm. Weight, unladen: 9·5oz/270gm. Barrel:
3·93in/100mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
MAB Model C: Dating from 1933, this was the first MAB design to carry the return spring around the barrel in the manner of the 1910-type
Browning. The butt is unusually deep from front to rear, giving the pistol an ungainly appearance but offering a firm grip. The Model C was
originally produced in 7·65mm Auto chambering, then in 9mm Short. The slide marking took the usual MAB form, though the 9mm model
may be marked '9mm' or '·38' for sale in Europe or the USA respectively.
MAB Model D: Basically a lengthened Model C, with the same
general layout but a four-inch barrel, this was introduced in
7·65mm calibre in 1933. Joined by a 9mm Short version, it
remained in production until the company closed.
MAB Model E: This is post-1945 design is little more than an
enlarged Model D, strangely chambered only for 6·35mm
cartridges.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto.
Length overall: 6·22in/158mm. Weight, unladen:
20·0oz/567gm. Barrel: 3·23in/82mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-
round detachable box. 7·65mm MAB Model D.
MAB Model F: An unusual ·22 RF pistol introduced in 1950, this was
basically the Model B—with an open-topped slide—and barrels
varying from 2·65in to 7·25in. Target sights of varying degrees of
luxury could be fitted to suit the purchaser's fancy. The well-raked
butt ensured that the Model F pointed well and it made a useful
low-price target pistol when fitted with a long barrel.
MAB Model GZ: This 7·65mm pistol differs from the
usual Bayonne designs largely because it was made
by Echave y Arizmendi of Eibar in the 1950s and
1960s. Generally resembling the Model C, with a
concentric return spring, it was hammer-fired and
used a dismantling catch on the left rear of the frame
to release the slide. The slide was marked ECHASA-
EIBAR (ESPANA) CAL ·32 (7·65MM) MODELO
GZ-MAB ESPAGNOL.
Maker: Echave y Arizmendi, Eibar, for Bayonne: ·22 LR rimfire MAB Model F.
Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne. Type:
automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering:
6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 6·22in/158mm.
Weight, unladen: 9·0oz/255gm. Barrel: 3·15in/80mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
MAB Model R: This superficially resembles the Model D, but has an external hammer instead of an internal striker. It came in three versions: 'R
Court', chambered for 7·65mm Auto; 'R Longue' for 7·65mm Longue; and 'R Para' for 9mm Parabellum. The 7·65mm models were
conventional blowbacks, but 'R Para' was redesigned to incorporate a rotating-barrel breech lock. Gas pressure initially attempts to drive
back the slide, but a lug on the barrel, engaged in a spiral track in the slide, ensures that rearward movement of the slide must be
accompanied by rotary movement of the barrel. Barrel rotation is resisted by the torque created by the bullet engaging the rifling. Pioneered
in the Savage pistol (q.v.), this 'locked breech' is more of a delayed blowback—yet it was satisfactory, although the 9mm Model R did not
sell as well as the 7·65mm versions.
MAB Model PA-15: This militarised 'R Para', suitably
strengthened and with a fifteen-round magazine,
retained the rotating-barrel locking system. It was
accepted by the French army in the 1970s, when
stocks of MAC Model 50 pistols began to dwindle,
and has remained in use ever since. After the collapse
of Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne, a new gun was
needed; the situation at the time of writing is that the
navy and Gendarmerie Nationale have adopted the
Beretta 92F, but the army awaits funds to follow suit.
A variant of the PA-15 known as the PA-PF1 has a
lengthened barrel and slide, plus target sights. It is
used by French armed forces competition teams. Bayonne: 9mm MAB PA-15.
Type: automatic pistol (delayed blowback).
Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall:
9·65in/245mm. Weight, unladen:
38·8oz/1,100gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled.
Magazine: fifteen-round detachable box.
MAB 'Le Chasseur': Introduced in 1953, this was a Model F with an external hammer, chambered for ·22 Long Rifle rimfire cartridges.
Alternative barrel lengths, sight options and anatomical grips were available.

35
 MAB Winfield: Bayonne-made pistols were sold under this name by the Winfield Arms Corporation of Los Angeles. Early models had slides
marked MADE IN FRANCE FOR WAC, but in later years the pistols were given new names for the American market; the Model C was
sold as 'Le Cavalier', the Model D became 'Le Gendarme' and the Model R Para was entitled 'Le Militaire'.

BEATTIE (BRITAIN)
James Beattie traded in Regent Street, London, in various guises from 1850 to 1894—James Beattie, J. Beattie & Son, J. Beattie & Co. His name
can be found on various pinfire and centre-fire revolvers. Most have Belgian or similar European origins and lack additional identification; Beattie
was merely a retailer whose name, in the style of the time, was placed on guns he sold.

BEAUMONT (NETHERLANDS)
The sole venture of the de Beaumont company of Maastricht into the pistol business concerned Dutch service revolvers; no commercial production
was ever undertaken. When the Dutch adopted the 1903-model Browning pistol in 1911, production of revolvers ceased even though some
remained in reserve until 1940.
Model 1873: These are often called Chamelot-Delvigne revolvers, but bear nothing other than a general resemblance to others bearing that
name. Variations include 1873 O.M. (old model), a typical solid-frame product of the time with a hinged loading gate and a separate ejector
rod carried in the holster. Chambered for the 9·4mm Dutch Service cartridge, the double-action 1873 O.M. was followed by the 1873 N.M.
(new model), which was lighter and had a cylindrical rather than octagonal barrel. Finally came the 1873 Kl.M. (small model), reduced in all
dimensions except calibre, with an octagonal barrel and a five-shot cylinder instead of the six shot pattern.
Model 1873 O.M.: Type: solid frame revolver. Calibre: 9·4mm. Length overall: 10·98in/279mm. Weight, unladen: 45·3oz/1,285gm.
Barrel: 6·30in/160mm, rifled. Magazine: six chamber cylinder.

BEHOLLA (GERMANY)
This 7·65mm blowback pistol was developed by Becker & Hollander of Suhl, who had
manufactured rifles and shotguns prior to the First World War. Production of the Beholla
pistol began in 1915, to meet demands made by the German army, and continued until
1918. Virtually all bear official acceptance stamps. Beholla pistols were also made under
the names Leonhardt, Menta and Stenda (q.v.); it is believed that the German authorities
ordered production of several Beholla-type pistols to begin simultaneously, but
confirmation is still lacking and it is probable that some were assembled and sold after
the end of the First World War.
Beholla.
The only unusual feature of the Beholla design concerned a dovetailed lump on the barrel
beneath the chamber, which slid into a matching seat in the frame and was retained by a
pin. The pin must be punched out before dismantling the gun, suitable holes being
provided in the slide; the slide is then pulled back and locked by turning the safety catch upward, and the barrel can be driven back until it is free
from its seat in the frame. The slide and barrel may then be removed. Slides were marked SELBSTLADE PISTOLE BEHOLLA CAL 7·65 on the
left and BECKER U HOLLANDER WAFFENBAU SUHL on the right.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·51in/140mm. Weight, unladen: 22·oz/640gm. Barrel:
2·95in/75mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

BEISTEGUI (SPAIN)
The affairs of Beistegui Hermanos of Eibar are tortuous; in addition to making and
selling their own pistols, the brothers made pistols to be sold by others and acted as sales
agents for pistols made elsewhere. As it is difficult to unravel the parentage of some
guns, the entry for 'Grand Precision' should also be consulted—as that Eibar company
marketed many Beistegui products.
The Beistegui brothers, like many others, obtained their foothold in the pistol business in
1915 by accepting a sub-contract from Gabilondo to make Ruby automatics; they
Menta.
continued to produce pistols until closed by the Civil War.
Beistegui: This is the original Ruby model, doubtless made on the machinery
installed for French contract work. It was marketed as the ' 1914 Model' and is a
standard 7·65mm Eibar-type blowback, offering generous size and a lanyard ring
on the butt. The slide displays 1914 MODEL AUTOMATIC PISTOL BEISTEGUI HERMANOS EIBAR (ESPANA) and the grips are the
usual plain chequered pattern.
B.H.: Pistols have been reported in 6·35mm and 7·65mm, but none has yet been authenticated; if they exist, they are probably post-1918
commercial versions of the Beistegui with plastic grips displaying a suitable monogram. The company did produce a 'B.H.' revolver, copied
from the Smith & Wesson M&P and chambering ·38 S&W Long cartridges. Resemblance is heightened by a florid 'B&H' monogram
engraved on the left side of the frame in place of the familiar (and very similar) 'S&W' monogram. Monogrammed white metal medallions
let into the top of the grips were also typically Smith & Wesson.
Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre ·38. Length overall: 10·63in/270mm. Weight, unladen: 30·0oz/852gm. Barrel: 5·79in/147mm, rifled.
Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Bulwark: This pistol, made in two different versions, apparently spans the gap between Beistegui and the Grand Precision company. The first
pattern, rarely seen, was a fixed-barrel 7·65mm blowback with an external hammer and no markings other than the 'B&H' monogram on the
grips. The slide was split at the front to expose the length of the barrel; it seems to have been inspired by the original Star (q.v.), which, in
turn, had been copied from the Mannlicher of 1901. Copying foreign designs was an acceptable old Spanish custom, but copying indigenous
designs was less acceptable; probably after objections from Echeverria, the early Bulwark was soon a thing of the past. A few 6·35mm guns
have been reported, but are scarcer even than the larger model.
The second Bulwark was a copy of the Browning of 1906, complete with grip safety. It was made in 6·35mm and 7·65mm calibres. Although
the Beistegui monogram appears on the grips, the slide is marked FABRIQUE DE ARMES DE GUERRE DE GRANDE PRECISION
BULWARK PATENT DEPOSE NO 67259. The patent could be Spanish or Belgian but, as no relevant specifications have been produced, it
may simply protect a trade mark.
36
 Libia: Almost identical with the Bulwark, this differs only in the substitution of LIBIA for 'Bulwark' in the slide inscription. These pistols
invariably have Spain stamped in minute letters somewhere on the frame, indicating production for export.
Made for Fab. d'Armes de Grande Precision. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
5·12in/130mm. Weight, unladen: 25·4oz/720gm. Barrel: 2·36in/60mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

BENELLI (ITALY)
This long-established gunmaking company, Benelli Armi SpA of Urbino,
specialised in shotguns until an interesting 9mm Parabellum pistol
appeared in 1976. The military-style Model B-76 features an ingenious
delayed blowback system. The slide contains a separate breech-block
linked to the fixed barrel by a toggle joint. When loaded, the pressure of
the recoil spring forces the slide forward, pushing on the toggle to drive
the rear of the breech block down into a recess in the frame. The pressure
generated on firing attempts to drive the bolt backward out of the recess,
but the angle of the toggle slows the action; the bullet is clear of the
muzzle before the block rises to drive the slide back. The double-action
trigger operates an external hammer; the manual safety catch on the frame Benelli: 9mm B-76.
can lock hammer and trigger in cocked or rest positions; and there is a
chamber-loaded indicator.
The B-76 sold moderately well, but production ceased in 1990. A ·22 RF
trainer dispenses with the toggle joint to work as a simple blowback.
Type: automatic pistol (delayed blowback). Chambering: 9mm
Parabellum. Length overall: 8·07in/205mm. Weight, unladen: 38·2oz/970gm. Barrel: 4·25in/108mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round
detachable box.

BENEMERITA (SPAIN)
This name was used by D. F. Ortega de Seija of Madrid in 1920-35 period on 6·35mm and 7·65mm Eibar-type blowbacks. They appear to be
'A.A.A' guns made by Antonio Aldazabal of Eibar, differing only in the markings, and Ortega de Seija was probably a mere sales outlet. The
6·35mm model is marked 1916 MODEL AUTOMATIC PISTOL "BENEMERITA" PATENT CAL 6,35 on the slide and has a lion's head motif on
the grips surrounded by BENEMERITA MARC A REGISTRADA; the 7·65mm is identical, except for a 1919 model date and differing calibre
marking.
Benemerita M1916: Maker: A. Aldazabal, Eibar, for D.F. Ortega de Seija, Madrid. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering:
6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·49in/114mm. Weight, unladen: 10·7oz/302gm. Barrel: 2·13in/54mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round
detachable box.

BENGAL NO. l (USA)

This was a five-shot solid frame ·22 rimfire revolver made by Iver Johnson.
It had a tapered barrel, a bird's head butt, stud trigger, and—unusual in this
class—lacked a cylinder axis pin protruding beneath the barrel.

BERETTA (ITALY)
The origins of Armi Beretta SpA of Gardone Val Trompia, near Brescia, lay
with the creation of a barrel making business in 1680; by 1900, the
company's sporting guns had attained an enviable record of excellence, in
1915, under pressure of war, Beretta made its first pistol and has since risen
to become one of the world's major pistol makers.
Model 1915: The first Beretta pistol was a wartime project, its quality
falling short of the company's usual standards. Chambered for the Beretta 1915
7·65mm Auto cartridge (·32 ACP), it was a simple blowback with a
slide cut to form an arm lying along each side of the barrel. The
separate barrel was pinned to the frame. Extracted cases were ejected
by striking the tip of the firing pin, moved forward in the breech
block by the internal hammer during the recoil stroke. A separate
ejection port appears in the solid top of the slide. A later variant
chambering the 9mm Glisenti cartridge had a stronger recoil spring, a buffer spring to soften the slide return, and a positive ejector. Both
models had a prominent safety catch on the left side of the frame, which also engaged recesses in the slide to assist dismantling. Some guns
had a second safety catch on the frame, under the rear end of the slide, but we have
been unable to discover what rules determined its presence.
A few otherwise standard M1915 Beretta pistols chambered 9mm Short ammunition.
The guns are all identified by the slide inscription PIETRO BERETTA—BRESCIA
CASA FONDATA NEL 1680/CAL. 9M.—BREVETTO 1915.
Model 1915: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto.
Length overall: 5·87in/l49mm. Weight, unladen: 20·1oz/570gm. Barrel:
3·35in/85mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Model 1915/19: This is an improved Model 1915, the most obvious change being an
elongated slide cutaway to serve as the ejection port. The barrel-lump beneath the
chamber slides horizontally into its seat instead of dropping vertically into a hole, and Beretta 1923
a smaller safety catch appeared. The M1915/19 was produced only in 7·65mm calibre.

37
Model 1919: Beretta's first commercial pistol was a 6·35mm Auto (·25 ACP) version of the Model 1915/19 with a grip safety in the rear of the
butt. Introduced in 1920, it remained in production until 1939.
Model 1923: This was basically an 9mm Glisenti-chambered M1915/19 with an external hammer. Only a few were made, originally for military
use though some were subsequently sold commercially. The slide is marked BREV. 1915-1919 MLO 1923. These guns present a unique
appearance owing to a long butt whose metal grips end about '/sin above the bottom of the grip frame. The base of some frames is slotted to
receive a holster-stock.
Model 1923: Type: automatic: pistol (blowback). Chambering: 9mm Glisenti. Length overall: 5·91in/150mm. Weight, unladen:
28·2oz/800gm. Barrel: 3·35in/85mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Model 1931: Another improvement of the basic design, this 7·65mm Auto model reverted to the 1915 pattern size but presented a more
streamlined appearance and retained the external hammer introduced in 1923. Most of
these pistols were issued to the Italian navy, receiving wooden grips bearing a small
medallion with the naval 'R/anchor/M' emblem (for 'Regia Marina'). A few were marketed
commercially with standard 'PB' embossed black plastic grips.
Model 1934: Probably the most common of the pre-1945 Beretta pistols, this served
throughout the Second World War and was little more than an M1931 chambered for 9mm
Short. The slide is marked P. BERETTA—CAL. 9 CORTO MO 1934
BREVETTATO/GARDONE V.T. followed by the date of manufacture; this may be on a
combination of the Julian and Fascist calendars, the later commencing in 1922, e.g. '1937
XV' or '1942 XX'. Military weapons were also marked 'RE' (Regia Esercito), 'RA' (Regia Beretta 1931
Aeronautica) or 'RM' (Regia Marina) for the army, air force and navy respectively, while
police weapons bore 'PS' (Publica Sicurezza) on the left rear of the frame. The Model 1934
was also offered commercially, but most guns were taken by the Italian forces.
Model 1934: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 9mm Short. Length
overall: 5·91in/150mm. Weight, unladen: 26·4oz/750gm. Barrel: 3·46in/88mm, rifled.
Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Model 1935: This is simply the M1934 chambered for 7·65mm Auto (·32 ACP). It was
principally issued in the air force and navy and, consequently, usually bears 'RA' or 'RM'
on the frame. Examples sold commercially after 1945 were known as Model 935.
Model 318: Simply a Model 1919 with improved butt contours to give a better grip, this was
introduced in 1935 and remained in production until 1946. It will be found with finishes
ranging from browned steel to gold plating, and was sold in the USA as the Panther.
Model 418: Also known as the Puma, the slightly improved Model 418 replaced the 318
pattern in 1947. Changes included a more rounded plastic grip, a re-shaped grip safety,
and an indicator pin in the slide which protruded when a cartridge was chambered.
Beretta 1934
Model 420: A designation applied to the chrome plated and engraved variant of the Model
418.
Model 421: This was merely an engraved gold-plated Model 418 with tortoise-shell grip
plates.
Model 948: Solid in the USA as the Featherweight or Plinker, this was a ·22 Long Rifle rimfire Model 1934 with an 85mm (standard) or 150mm
barrel. The grip displays BERETTA across the top instead of the earlier 'PB' monogram.
Model 949: The Tipo Olimpionico, chambered for ·22 Short or Long
Rifle rimfire ammunition, was designed for Olympic-level target
shooting. The general arrangement follows the Model 1915, with an
open-topped slide, but the barrel measures 222mm. A muzzle
deflector/compensator is standard, special wooden grips and fully
adjustable target sights are fitted, and balance weights can be
attached to the barrel when required.
Model 949: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: Beretta 949 Tipo Olympionico.
·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: 12·52in/318mm. Weight,
unladen: 38·0oz/1,077gm. Barrel: 8·74in/222mm, rifled.
Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Model 950: This ·22 model, also known as the Minx, is an interesting departure from the line of
development which began with the 1915-pattern Beretta. Though general appearance suggests a
modernised M1915, the barrel is pinned to the front of the frame and can be released by rotating
the safety catch. The breech can then be raised clear of the slide for cleaning. Alternatively, it
can be loaded, closed and fired, giving the pistol a single-shot capability.
Variants include the standard Model 950, with a 60mm ·22 LR barrel; the Model 950 Special
with a 95mm ·22 LR barrel; Model 950B with a 60mm ·22 Short barrel; and Model 950B Special
with an 85mm ·22 Short barrel.
Model 951: This marked not only Beretta's return to the military field but also the advent of a
locked-breech design. Also known as the Brigadier, the Model 951 was developed to a demand Beretta 950BS
by the Italian army for a 9mm Parabellum service pistol. The locking wedge pioneered by the
Walther P.38 was chosen, while appearance reverted to the open-topped slide and external hammer of the M1934-though the Model 951 was
appreciably larger. A cross-bolt safety catch ran through the frame.
Although called 'Model 951', suggesting a date of 1951, the pistol did not reach production status until 1957. This was due to problems with
the light alloy frame, which could not withstand the battering it took from the slide and was redesigned in steel. The perfected gun was
adopted by the Italians, then by the Egyptian and Israeli armies and some other military forces.
Model 951: Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall: 8·00in/203mm. Weight, unladen:
31·4oz/890gm. Barrel: 4·53in/115mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

38
Model 951R: A specialised machine-pistol variant of the Model 951, this had a
selector switch and modifications to the lockwork to allow a cyclic rate of 1,200
rounds per minute. A wooden hand grip was fitted to the front of the slide and a
special ten-shot magazine protruded from the bottom of the butt. The 951R was
produced in limited numbers for the Italian special forces.
Model 951 Target: This was apparently manufactured specially for the Egyptian
Army and is virtually the same as the Model 952 Special described below.
However, it chambers 9mm Parabellum, has a different back sight and the
magazine catch lies on the heel of the butt.
Model 952: A variant of the Model 951 chambered for the 7·65mm Parabellum
cartridge. Beretta 951 Brigadier
Model 952 Special: This was a target adaption of the Model 952 with a longer barrel,
revised sights and anatomical grips. It chambered the 7·65mm Parabellum
cartridge.
Bantam: The American sales name for the Model 418 during the 1950s.
Jetfire: Used in the USA, this was the Model 950 chambered for 6·35mm Auto (·25 ACP) cartridges.
Jaguar: Introduced in the mid-1950s, this was a ·22 pistol with a 102mm or 152mm barrel. By changing return springs, it could be adapted to
fire either ·22 Short or ·22 Long Rifle rimfire cartridges. Frame and slide were still recognisably derived from the Model 1934, but the
outline was streamlined and the pistol had the cross bolt safety of the Model 951. It had an external hammer and a slide marked P BERETTA
JAGUAR.
Model 70: This appeared in 1958 to replace the Model 948. While retaining typical
Beretta shape, it was streamlined and had a cross-bolt safety, a hold open device
and a push button magazine release. Variants included the Model 70, chambered
for the 7·65mm Auto cartridge, with a steel or light alloy slide; the Model 70S in
·22 LR, 7·65mm Auto or 9mm Short, with a magazine safety; the Model 70T with
an adjustable back sight and a 152mm barrel; and the Model 71, chambered for
the ·22 LR cartridge, in anodised alloy with an 89mm barrel. The Model 72 was
the European designation for the Jaguar; Models 73, 74 and 75 were ·22 rimfire Beretta 75
variants of the Model 72 with barrels of various lengths for use as cheap target
pistols.
Model 70: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto.
Length overall: 6·30in/160mm. Weight, unladen: 23·30//660gm. Barrel:
3·36in/85mm, rifled. Magazine: seven round detachable box.
Model 76: This ·22 LR target pistol had a special slab-sided barrel instead of the usual thin barrel protruding from a standard slide. The barrel
was formed integrally with the frame with a bolt working in a slot at the rear; the visual effect was that of a heavy combat automatic pistol.
An external hammer and adjustable sights were fitted.
Model 20: Marking Beretta's first double action lock, this 6·35mm-calibre gun retained the open-topped slide. After chambering a cartridge in
the usual way, operation of the safety catch dropped the hammer safely. To fire, the safety was released and the trigger pulled through to
raise and drop the hammer. Alternatively, the hammer could be thumb cocked for single-action firing.
Model 20: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·92in/125mm. Weight, unladen:
10·9oz/310gm. Barrel: 2·36in/60mm, rifled. Magazine: eight round detachable box.
Model 90: This extended the double action system to 7·65mm calibre and forsook the familiar open topped slide for a conventional solid-topped
version. With an 89mm barrel and an eight-shot magazine, the streamlined modern-looking Model 90 was a good pocket pistol which met
success in the market-place. The interesting point about this pistol was that it was manufactured in Rome rather than Gardone.
Model 101: Also called the 'New Jaguar', this was simply a new name for the ·22 LR Model 71 with a 152mm barrel and newly-designed
adjustable back sight.
Model 102: A 1960s-vintage American sales designation for the Model 76.
Model 104: An American sales designation for the Model 951, used in the 1960s.
Design of automatic pistols took a sudden leap forward in the 1970s, when police and military forces demanded weapons with faster reaction
time, improved safety systems and larger magazine capacities. Beretta read the signs very early and the first gun of a new range appeared in
1976.
Model 81: This 7·65mm pistol has the familiar open-topped Beretta slide, well-shaped wooden grips, an external hammer, and double-action
lockwork. Its principal innovation was the adoption of a double-row magazine holding twelve rounds. The safety catch is ambidextrous—
duplicated on both sides of the frame so that it can be used with either hand. The magazine release is recessed in the side of the butt and can
be switched from left to right if desired. A new stripping catch lies in the frame, and a magazine safety could be fitted if required.
Model 81: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length
overall: 6·77in/172mm. Weight, unladen: 23·6oz/670gm. Barrel: 3·82in/97mm, rifled.
Magazine: twelve-round detachable box.
Model 81BB: This is an improved Model 81 with a new loaded-chamber indicator moving
laterally in the slide, and a new safety system that positively locks the firing pin except
during the final movement of the trigger as it releases the hammer.
Model 82BB: This is an 81BB with a slimmer butt and a single-column eight-shot
magazine.
Model 84: This was the second 1976 introduction, identical with the Model 81 excepting
that it chambers 9mm Short cartridges and has a thirteen-round magazine. Apart from Beretta 85BB
weight, the dimensions also remain the same.
Model 84BB: A Model 84 with the 'BB' features—loaded-chamber indicator and firing-pin
safety system.

39
Model 84F: This is a Model 84BB with the trigger-guard shaped for a two-handed grip and a hammer de-cocking facility incorporated into the
safety catch.
Model 85BB: Similar to the 84BB, but with a slim butt and an eight-round magazine.
Model 85BB: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 9mm Short.
Length overall: 6·77in/172mm. Weight, unladen: 21·9oz/620gm. Barrel:
3·82in/97mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Model 85F: A modification of the Model 85BB incorporating a hammer de-cocking
capability.
Model 86: Introduced in 1985, this updated Model 950 (with a similar tipping barrel)
has an external hammer, double-action lockwork, a hammer de-cocking unit, a
loaded-chamber indicator, an ambidextrous safety catch and an anodised light
alloy frame. Beretta 89
Model 87BB: This is similar to the Model 84BB but chambers the ·22 LR cartridge
and has an eight-shot magazine.
Model 87BB/LB: This is an 87BB with a long barrel of 150mm.
Model 89: Conceived as an updated Model 76 ·22 LR target pistol configured in a
slab-sided combat pistol form, this gun has an external hammer, an ambidextrous safety catch, a fully adjustable back sight, a trigger stop
and a magazine safety device. It was intended as a military training aid and or a competition pistol bearing some resemblance to service
weapons.
Model 89: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: 9·45in/240mm. Weight, unladen:
40·9oz/1,160gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Model 92: The third 1976 debutant, this combat pistol was simply an
updated Model 951. In 9mm Parabellum calibre, it used the same
breech-locking wedge, but adopted the double-action lock and used
the extractor as a loaded chamber indicator in the manner of the
Models 81 and 84. The M951 was adopted by the Italian forces in
the late 1970s and then by several other armies.
Model 92: Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated).
Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall: 8·54in/217mm.
Weight, unladen: 33·5oz/950gm. Barrel: 4·92in/125mm, rifled.
Magazine: fifteen-round detachable box.
Model 92S: This is a variant of the Model 92 with the safety catch on
the slide, instead of the frame, where it acts additionally as a de-
cocking lever. Applying the catch when the pistol is cocked will
deflect the firing pin, drop the hammer and break the connection Beretta 92S
between trigger and sear.
Model 92SB: Developed for the US Army pistol trials of 1979-80, this
was fitted in accord with the JSSAP specification with an
ambidextrous safety catch and the magazine release was moved
from the heel of the butt to the forward edge below the trigger-
guard. It could easily be reversed from left to right as required. The
firing-pin lock originating in the Model 81 BB was also
incorporated, and the butt straps were grooved to improve the grip.
The pistol was adopted in this form by the Italian special forces and
several police departments, but, although victor in US Army trials,
the Americans demanded minor changes (resulting in the Model
92F described below).
Model 92SB-C: This compact 92SB offers reduced dimensions and a
thirteen-shot magazine instead of fifteen.
Model 92SB-C Type M: An 92SB-C with an eight-round single- Beretta: Model 92SB.
column magazine whose special base forms a rest for the firer's
little finger, this has a distinctive incurved butt strap to improve
grip.
Model 92F: The American JSSAP requested small changes in the Beretta Model 92S before approving it for issue. The trigger guard was
revised for a two-handed grip; the front butt strap was incurved and a special base fitted to the magazine to improve grip; new grip plates
were requested; a new lanyard ring was required; the barrel was to be chromium plated; and the exterior surfaces were to be coated with
'Bruniton', a Teflon-type protective coating. In this form the Beretta became the 'Pistol 9mm M9' in 1985 and was adopted by all US military
forces, many police and security agencies, and by several other armies.
Model 92FS: This is the current production variant of the Model 92, replacing the 92F version in 1990. In response to complaints from the USA
that over-loading caused the slide to crack, this model has a slightly extended hammer axis pin and grooves cut in the slide for most of its
length. Should the pistol be fired with an excessive load, any tendency for the slide to over-travel will be stopped as the pin-tips reach the end
of the groove and strike the solid portion of the slide to arrest further movement.
Model 92FS-Inox: This is simply a 92FS with a stainless steel barrel and slide on a light alloy frame.
Model 92G: An adaption of the standard 92F, this embodies changes requested by the French Gendarmerie Nationale. The 'safety function' has
been removed from the safety catch, which, consequently, operates only as a de-cocking lever.
Model 92D: A double-action-only ('self cocking') variant of the Model 92F, without the safety catch.
Model 92DS: This is simply a Model 92 with the safety catch function reinstated.
Model 92FC: The 'Compact' version of the basic 92F Beretta, this is smaller than the full-size gun (but mechanically identical).
Model 92FCM: Distinguished by its thinner grip, this is simply a 92FC with a single-column eight round magazine.

40
 Model 93R: In the same way that the Model 92 was an
updated M951, so the Model 93R is an improved
M951R. It is essentially a Model 92 with a longer
barrel ported at the muzzle to form a compensator,
and a three-round burst capability actuated by a thumb-
switch. A folding metal grip is attached to the front of
the frame, and the thumb of the forward hand can be hooked
into the extended trigger guard to give a particularly secure
hold. An optional folding metal butt can turn the weapon into a carbine.
A twenty-round magazine is normally fitted, though the normal fifteen-round '92'
pattern can also be used. The three-round mechanism means that a burst has a Beretta: 93R.
reasonable chance of being kept on target, giving this pistol a better accuracy rating
than the original 951R. It has been adopted by Italian and other special forces and by the anti-terrorist units of
the Carabinieri.
Model 93R: Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated), capable of selective fire and three-round bursts.
Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall: 9·45in/240mm. Weight, unladen: 39·5oz/1,120gm. Barrel:
6·14in/156mm, rifled. Magazine: fifteen- or twenty-round detachable box.
Model 98: This is the Model 92SB-C chambered for the 7·65mm Parabellum cartridge, intended for the few police forces
firmly wedded to this particular calibre. Production ceased in 1988.
Model 98F: A version of the Model 98 chambering 7·65mm Parabellum or IMI 9 x 21mm, this gun has been aimed at
countries in which 9mm Parabellum is restricted to military forces.
Model 98F Target: This is a variant of the Model 98F with a 150mm barrel, a muzzle counterweight and adjustable target sights. It is available
only in IMI 9 x 21mm calibre.
Model 98FS and 98FS Target: These are variants of the 98F and 98F Target incorporating the extended hammer axis pin and grooving to
prevent over-travel of the slide.
Model 99: Intended for police use, this was simply the Model 92SB-C Type M chambered for 7·65mm Parabellum. Production ceased, owing to
lack of demand, in 1988.

BERGERON (FRANCE)
L. Bergeron of Saint-Etienne was a small manufacturer of whom little record remains. His only pistol product appears to have been the 6·35mm Le
Steph, a blowback resembling the 1906-type Browning 1906 manufactured for a few years prior to 1914.

BERGMANN (GERMANY)
The name of Theodor Bergmann is prominent in the history of modern firearms, though he now seems to have been an entrepreneur who left most
of the designing to employees such as Louis Schmeisser. Bergmann's first pistol was patented in June 1892 in conjunction with Otto Brauswetter, a
watchmaker of Szegedin in Hungary. It protected an unsuccessful long-recoil pistol.
The first gun to appear under the Bergmann name was a delayed blowback with a bolt engaging an inclined face in the receiver to delay the breech
opening. One was supplied to the Swiss Army for trial in 1893, but may have been the only example.
Model 1894: Shortly after the Swiss trial, Bergmann abandoned the dubious delayed-action system in favour of a simple blowback. This became
the Model 1894 Bergmann-Schmeisser. Among its remarkable features was the absence of any extractor, the empty case being blown from
the chamber by residual pressure and ejected by striking a protrusion in the bolt way. Consequently, cartridge cases had neither rim nor
groove; extraction was generally effectual, but the empty case often jammed in the bolt way. The Model 1894 was extensively tested, but
relatively few pistols were made. Guns chambering 8mm, 6·5mm and 5mm Bergmann ammunition were tested in Switzerland in 1894, plus
two chambering the 7·5mm rimmed Swiss revolver cartridge. The compact 5mm version had a unique folding trigger. Though featured in
some Eisenwerke Gaggenau catalogues, these pistols never encountered commercial success and were immediately replaced by the Model
1896 after several experimental adaptions had been made.
Maker: V.C. Schilling (?), Suhl, for Theodore Bergmann. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Calibre: 8mm. Length overall:
11·02in/280mm. Weight, unladen: 36·3oz/1,030gm. Barrel: 5·31in/135mm, rifled. Magazine: five-round clip-loaded integral box.
Model 1896: This remained a blowback with a revolver-
type butt and a clip fed box magazine ahead of the
trigger, but the recoil spring was removed from
beneath the barrel and placed inside the hollow bolt.
The magazine cover, which had two diagonal slots,
could be rotated downward to allow a five-round clip
to be dropped into the feed way; returning the cover
raised a spring-loaded arm against the bottom
cartridge, forcing rounds upwards to be caught by the
bolt. The clip could be left in place, or pulled clear
with a ring protruding below the magazine once the
magazine cover had been closed. The Bergmann was
supposed to work equally well with or without the
clip, but contemporary reports suggest that
withdrawing it left too much sideplay and that
pressure from the follower arm jammed the
cartridges.

5mm M1896 with the original folding trigger. Note the cartridges and the magazine clip.
The 5mm second-pattern or perfected M1896 pistol had a conventional trigger and
guard.

41
 The Model 1896 was originally produced in 5mm and 6·5mm versions retaining gas ejection and the rimless- grooveless cartridge case. The
5mm pistol, which originally had a folding trigger, was identified as the 'Bergmann M1896 No. 2', while the 6·5mm version—with a
conventional trigger—was the M1896 No. 3.
Dissatisfaction with the rimless-grooveless case and its erratic ejection, and the difficulty of extracting an unfired round, eventually forced
Bergmann to add a conventional extractor. A conventional rimless cartridge case was adopted at the same time, about five hundred 5mm and
nine hundred 6·5mm old-style pistols having been made. The folding trigger of the 5mm No. 2 was abandoned in favour of a conventional
guarded pattern and production continued in the factory of V.C. Schilling in Suhl. The 5mm No. 2 and 6·5mm No. 3 Bergmann's operate
similarly, though the latter is appreciably larger and has a reciprocating breech cover.
The Bergmann M1896 No. 4 was chambered for an 8mm cartridge which had the same length and base diameter as the 6·5mm round. This
pistol, which failed to achieve much
success, was identical with the No. 3 except
for the barrel and minor magazine
dimensions. The No. 4 was produced in the
same number series as the No. 3, but no
more than two hundred were made.
Bergmann permitted customers to specify
barrel length and sight arrangements, or to
have pistols chambered for other cartridges.
Many variations may be found, particularly
among the guns intended for target-
shooting.
M1896 No. 2 old model: Maker: V.C.
Schilling, Suhl, for Theodor Bergmann.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback).
Calibre: 5mm. Length overall:
6·89in/175mm. Weight, unladen:
16·6oz/470gm. Barrel: 3·15in/80mm,
rifled. Magazine: five-round clip-loaded
integral box.
M1896 No. 3: Maker: V.C. Schilling,
Suhl, for Theodor Bergmann. Type:
automatic pistol (blowback). Calibre:
6·5mm. Length overall:
10·04in/255mm. Weight, unladen:
31·0oz/880gm. Barrel: 4·41in/112mm, The Military Model No.5, or M1897, from Revue de L'Armee Belge, 1898.
rifled. Magazine: five-round clip-loaded integral box.
Model 1897: In 1895, Bergmann patented an odd system of retaining the breech bolt by a screwed plug. By this time, however, Mauser was
offering his Model 1896 and other designs were being touted; the ambition of all pistol designers, a lucrative military contract, would clearly
only be gained by a locked-breech weapon with a powerful cartridge. Bergmann promptly abandoned his 1895 design and, in 1897, patented
a laterally-moving bolt lock actuated by short recoil. He also adopted a detachable columnar magazine ahead of the trigger which (like the
Mauser C/96) could still be charger-loaded. The calibre was 7·63mm, the cartridge being very similar to Mauser's but with a longer neck; to
avoid confusion it became the '7·8mm Bergmann No. 5', the pistol being known as the M1897 No. 5.
M1897 No. 5: Maker: V.C. Schilling. Suhl, for Theodor Bergmann. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Calibre: 7·8mm. Length
overall: 10·63in/270mm. Weight, unladen: 40·7oz/1,155gm. Barrel: 3·93in/100mm, rifled. Magazine: five-round detachable box.
Model 1899: The No. 6 pistol appeared in 1899, combining the No. 5 locking system with the old side-loading magazine. It chambered the 8mm
No. 6 cartridge, another Bergmann-inspired design which later became the 8mm Simplex—and bore no similarity to the earlier 8mm No. 4.
The No. 6 pistol was subsequently chambered for 7·5mm No. 4A or No. 7A, 7·65mm No. 8 and 8mm No. 7. None of these Bergmann's were
made in quantity, as the poorly designed No. 6 was rejected by military and commercial customers alike. Some guns were chambered for a
10mm cartridge (erroneously identified as the '10mm Hirst' for many years) and rebuilt to use the No. 5 magazine, one example being
rejected by the British Army in 1902.
Bergmann-'Mars': In 1901, Bergmann patented a
machine-gun using a vertically-moving locking piece
to lock the breech block; the idea was soon adapted to
the layout of the No. 5 pistol and offered commercially
as the Mars or Model 1903. Prototypes were
apparently made for 7·8mm Bergmann and 7·65mm
Browning cartridges, but production models
chambered the 9mm Bergmann No. 6 (sometimes
known as '6a'). This later achieved fame as the 9mm
Bergmann-Bayard—in Spain—9mm Largo. Bergmann
finally had success; the 'Mars' was adopted by the
Spanish army in September 1905.
A 9mm Bergmann-'Mars', forerunner of the
But the rug was pulled from beneath Bergmann in his better-known Belgian Bergmann-Bayard
moment of triumph. Bergmann pistols had been
contracted to Schilling of Suhl, but Schilling was
purchased in 1904 by Heinrich Krieghoff. Krieghoff
gave notice that the existing contract would be
cancelled when due for renewal in 1905, leaving Bergmann with a Spanish contract and no means of fulfilling it. His immediate reaction was
to try and organise production in his own small factory at Gaggenau, but this proved impossible and he elected to abandon the pistol business
entirely. Louis Schmeisser left to join Rheinische Metallwaaren- und Maschinenfabrik in Sommerda.

42
 Production of the Mars was licensed in 1907 to Anciens Etablissements Pieper of Liege in Belgium; Pieper duly completed the Spanish order
and went on to market the Mars under its own name, then made some modifications in the basic design to produce the Bergmann-Bayard
(q.v.). And with that, the Bergmann name passed out of the pistol scene for several years.
Bergmanns Industriewerke made rifles and machine-guns until 1918, introducing the first true submachine-gun towards the end of the First
World War. Theodor Bergmann had retired in 1910 and died in 1915. Hugo Schmeisser, who had replaced his father Louis on the latter's
departure for Sommerda, left the company in 1921 whereupon the factory at Suhl and patent rights were sold to AG Lignose, a consortium
led by Pulverfabrik Lignose.
Maker: V.C. Schilling, Suhl, for Bergmanns Industriewerke. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Bergmann.
Length overall: 9·92in/252mm. Weight, unladen: 32·1oz/910gm. Barrel: 4·09in/104mm, rifled. Magazine: five-round detachable box.
Pocket pistols: Wytold Chylewski (q.v.) had designed a small automatic pistol capable of one-handed operation in 1913-16. The Bergmann
company acquired these patents and began marketing the gun under its own name shortly before selling out to Lignose. The pistol is better
known as the 'Lignose Einhand' (q.v.).
Contemporaneously, perhaps to hedge bets in case the one handed idea failed, a conventional Bergmann internal- hammer blowback
Taschen-Pistole (pocket pistol) was based on the 1906 pattern Browning. Models 2 and 3 were in 6·35mm calibre, with six- and nine shot
magazines respectively. A Model 4 in 7·65mm calibre and a Model 6 in 9mm Short were proposed but never produced.
Slides were marked THEODOR BERGMANN GAGGENAU WAFFENFABRIK SUHL CAL 6,35 DRGM and the grips were embossed
with BERGMANN. The Lignose company then took over, production continuing under old numbers but new name.
Model 2: Maker: Bergmanns Industriewerke, Waffenbau Suhl. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length
overall: 4·65in/118mm. Weight, unladen: 13·2oz/375gm. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: six round detachable box.
Bergmann Erben: In 1937 the AG Lignose acquired August Menz (q.v.) of Suhl and for a short time thereafter marketed pistols marked
THEODOR BERGMANN ERBEN. 'Erben' translates as 'heirs' or 'successors', but was little more than an attempt to profit from the goodwill
extant in the Bergmann name. There was no other connection. The first models were simply contemporary Menz 7·65mm PB Spezial pistols,
in production at the take-over. The 6·35mm Model II was based on an earlier Menz design, though with some slight changes in slide contour.
The pistols may all have been assembled from existing parts; work ceased in 1939 and output appears to have been small.

BERGMANN-BAYARD (BELGIUM)
As recounted above, Theodor Bergmann produced his 9mm
Mars pistol but was unable to fulfil the Spanish army order
gained in 1905. The contract and the rights in the pistol were
licensed to Anciens Etablissements Pieper of Liege in 1907.
Pieper made changes; the barrel was slightly longer, the grip frame wider, an
integral barrel extension was adopted and the rifling was changed to six-groove left-
hand twist. This became the 'Bergmann-Bayard' and was supplied in quantity to Spain,
where it was known as the Modelo 1908—the designation under which Pieper subsequently
sold it commercially. A contract is said to have been placed by Greece after the end of the
Second Balkan War in 1913, but had not been fulfilled before the Germans invaded
Belgium in 1914. Bergmann-Bayard 1910/21
From 1908 to 1910 the pistol had smooth magazine-housing walls and hard rubber grips
carrying Pieper's Bayard trademark. The Bayard crest was dropped in 1910 and finger-tabs were formed in the magazine
housing. In this form the Bergmann-Bayard was adopted by the Danish army as the m/1910. Production ceased in 1914,
when the Germans occupied Liege, and never resumed.
In 1922, in dire need of additional pistols, the Danish government decided to manufacture the Bergmann-Bayard. Large hard
plastic grip plates were substituted, and a retaining screw replaced the frame cover-plate spring catch. The modified weapon was made in Tojhus
arsenal in Copenhagen as the m/1910/21 and bore HAERENS TOJHUS or HAERENS RUSTKAMMER. Existing m/1910 pistols were modified as
they became due for repair, and Belgian markings will be found with large grip plates. Some Belgian-made examples were marked 'M1910/21' if the
retaining screw had been added. Manufacture continued until 1935, the pistols remaining in service until the end of the Second World War. The
Danes had intended to replace them with the Browning GP35, but few had been supplied before the Germans occupied Denmark and Belgium in
1940.
Bergmann-Bayard Model 1908: Maker: Anciens Etablissements Pieper, Herstal-lez-Liege. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated).
Chambering: 9mm Bergmann-Bayard. Length overall: 9·84in/250mm. Weight, unladen: 35·8oz/1,015gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled.
Magazine: six-round detachable box.

BERN (SWITZERLAND)
The Swiss government arsenal, Eidgenossische Waffenfabrik Bern, has made firearms—principally rifles and machine-guns—since 1875.
Ordonnanzrevolver 1878: The first Bern-made handgun was a solid-frame six-shot 10·4mm revolver with rod ejection. It is sometimes called
the 'Schmidt', as the detail design was due to Rudolf Schmidt, director of the arsenal. The gun had a double-action lock and a hinged plate on
the left side of the frame which could be swung
forward to give access to the lockwork. The M78 is
readily identified by the Swiss cross embossed in the
grips and excellent quality.
The previous issue weapon had been the
Ordonnanzrevolver 1872, a 10·4mm rimfire Chamelot-Delvigne
design modified slightly by Schmidt. About a thousand had been made in Belgium
by Pirlot Freres of Liege, many being converted to 10·4mm centre-fire in 1879, creating
the Ordonnanzrevolver 1872/78.
Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: 10·4mm. Length overall: 11·02in/280mm. Weight,
unladen: 35·3oz/1,000gm. Barrel: 5·91in/150mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

Bern: An early 7·5mm

Ordonnanzrevolver 1882, designed
by Rudolf Schmidt.
43
 Ordonnanzrevolver 1882: In 1880 the army requested a lighter revolver for infantry officers and Schmidt introduced the concept of small
calibre and high velocity instead of the established large calibre/low velocity combination. The 7·5mm cartridge and experimental revolver
were so well received that they were adopted as standard in 1882.
The double-action solid framed gun differed little from the preceding 1878 pattern, with a rod ejector and an Abadie-style loading gate lock.
Modifications made in 1887 prevented the hammer being cocked if the loading gate was open or stopped the hammer falling if it was already
cocked. A new jacketed bullet replaced the original patched-lead pattern in the same year.
Additional changes were made in 1889: the angle of the butt was altered and the locking of the hinged side-plate changed. The resulting
variant remained the standard service handgun until the advent of the 7·65mm Parabellum.
Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: 7·5mm. Length overall: 9·25in/235mmmm. Weight, unladen: 26·5oz/750gm. Barrel: 4·57in/116mm,
rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Ordonnanzpistole 1900: After a series of trials, the Swiss adopted the 7·65mm Parabellum in May 1900. Five thousand guns were ordered from
DWM in Berlin, two thousand finished Ordonnanzpistolen 1900 being delivered in 1901-2. Those delivered in 1903-4, however, were numbered
and blued in Bern, and subsequent consignments were assembled in the arsenal.
Ordonnanzpistole 1906: Adopted in January 1906, this was a so-called New Model pistol with a coil-pattern main spring and a combination
extractor/loaded-chamber indicator. It is believed that all 10,215 guns were supplied by DWM in kit form, to be assembled, numbered and blued
in Bern. Those assembled prior to 1909 had a cross-on- sunburst chamber mark; subsequent guns had a cross-on-shield.
Ordonnanzpistole 06 WF and 06/24 WF: Supplies of DWM Parabellums ceased in 1914 and, by 1917, the Swiss were so in need of pistols
that a production line was prepared in the Bern factory. This went into action in 1918 and the first Swiss-made Parabellum was delivered to the
army. The guns had a distinctive outline Swiss cross on the front toggle-link above WAFFENFABRIK BERN. Production continued until 1928,
by which time 12,385 had been made. Apart from its markings, the 06 WF pattern was identical with the original German-made Model 1906.
One benefit of indigenous manufacture was to reduce the price to the army from 400 to 225 Swiss francs, but in an endeavour to lower the price
even more some minor modifications were made, including the adoption of plastic grips, two magazines per pistol instead of three and some
small manufacturing economies. About five thousand so-called 'Pistolen 1906/24' were made between mid-1928 and the Spring of 1933.
Ordonnanzpistole 06 WF: Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 7·65mm Parabellum. Length overall: 9·37in/238mm.
Weight, unladen: 31·4oz/890gm. Barrel: 4·72in/120mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Ordonnanzrevolver 82/29: During the late 1920s, the 1882 revolver was given a slight overhaul; the frame was lightened, the lockwork simplified,
and about 18,000 of the resulting 82/29 pattern (adopted in January 1929) were issued to junior NCOs and men throughout the army.
Ordonnanzpistole 06/29 WF Redesign of the Parabellum had only
saved ten francs, so a thorough overhaul took place. Adopted for
officers and senior NCOs in November 1929, the Pistole 06/29 had
a straight front grip strap, a vertically ridged trigger cover plate,
and a flat safety-catch which moves up to 'safe'; the toggle grips are
smooth and the grip safety is almost twice the previous size.
The first supplies were delivered from Bern in August 1933. A total
of 27,931 had been made by 1946 when military production ceased;
sporadic production for the commercial market, which had begun
about 1938, continued into 1947 but totalled little more than 1,300
Bern: A 7·65mm Ordonnanzpistole 06/29,
pistols.
among the most distinctive of all Luger-
Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: inspired handguns.
7·65mm Parabellum. Length overall: 9·45in/240mm.
Weight, unladen: 32·8oz/930gm. Barrel: 4·72in/120mm,
rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Pistolen WF 43 and 47: During the Second World War, the Swiss
concluded—as had the Germans—that the Parabellum was past its prime and too expensive to make. The Bern arsenal began development of a
new handgun, using the Browning GP35 as a point of reference. More than forty pistols were made under the general designation 'Pistolen WF
43 Browning'; all used the GP35-type cam to drop the barrel out of engagement with the slide, most of the variants differing in magazine
capacity, grip angle, trigger mechanism or safety features. The Browning system was then set aside in favour of the 'Pistole WF 47
Gaskolbensreaktion', which diverted gas tapped from the barrel into an expansion chamber in the slide. Gas pressure kept the breech closed until
the bullet left the barrel, after which blowback action took over. At least ten prototypes were made.
Pistolen WF 47 and WF 43 were extensively tested as replacements for the Parabellum, but the SIG SP 47/8 was selected and Bern has
never ventured into the pistol business since the late 1940s.
Pistole WF 43 Browning (Details taken from gun no 29):
Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm
Parabellum. Length overall: 8·27in/210mm. Weight, unladen:
36·2oz/1,025gm. Barrel: 4·72in/120mm, rifled. Magazine:
sixteen round detachable box.

BERNADON-MARTIN (FRANCE)
Etablissements Bernadon Martin of Saint Etienne operated from 1906 to
1912. Bernadon was the financial backer and Martin the designer; patents
were granted in 1905-7 to protect small details of bolt and trigger
construction, manufacture of the '1907/8 Model' beginning late in 1906.
The pistol was a blowback automatic chambered for 7·65mm Auto (·32
ACP), offering generous proportions and a fixed barrel fully exposed Bern: The 9mm Pistole W F 47
above the divided arms of the slide. A distinctive spring catch at the front was tested briefly by the Swiss army.
of the trigger guard locks the slide open for cleaning. A grip safety, which
had also been a feature of the early patents, was added to the second or
'1908/9' model in 1908.
1910 brought Martin a new patent for a dovetail and spring catch barrel-

44
attachment system, but the sales of the original designs had been poor, the company was in financial trouble and the new design was never
produced. Late in 1912 the company went into liquidation.
The 1907/8 model soon reappeared as the Hermetic; it is presumed that remaining stock had been sold by the liquidators, as the stamping of
HERMETIC CAL 7·65MM ST ETIENNE on the slide is badly aligned enough to suggest addition to existing pistols.
Hermetic [1907/8 model]: Maker: Etablissements Bernadon-Martin. Saint-Etienne. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering:
7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·00in/152mm. Weight, unladen: 24·0oz/680gm. Barrel: 3·54in/90mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round
detachable box.

BERNARDELLI (ITALY)
Vincenzo Bernardelli SpA of Gardone Val Trompia began making gun barrels in 1865, but soon progressed to sporting guns and rifles. Quantities
of Mo. 1889 (Bodeo) service revolvers were made in 1929-33, but Bernardelli did not enter the pistol business seriously until after the end of the
Second World War.
AUTOMATIC PISTOLS
VP Model: Introduced late in 1945, this was a small 6·35mm blowback similar to the Walther Model 9. The barrel is forged in unit with the frame
and the slide is retained by a dumb-bell locking piece forming part of the frame. Releasing a small spring catch allows this unit to be forced out
by the firing-pin spring, and the slide can be removed. The normal five-round magazine gave a small grip and poor hold, so an extended eight-
round magazine—with its lower portion encased in shaped plastic—was available as an option.
Production continued until 1970.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·13in/105mm. Weight, unladen: 9·3oz/265gm. Barrel: 1·97in/50mm, rifled. Magazine: five-
round detachable box.
Pocket Model: Introduced in 1947, this was a 7·65mm enlargement of the VP Model, using exactly the
same dismantling system. The separate barrel was screwed into a lump formed on the frame;
standard barrels were 85mm long, but lengths up to 250mm were available. The method of
construction allowed the rapid introduction of a slightly modified 9mm Short version. Long barrels
had front sights fitted to collars which slipped over the muzzle and locked by a screw; the sights
could be removed to allow the slide to slip over the barrel during dismantling.
Baby Model: The first of Bernardelli's ·22 pistols appeared with the 'Baby' of 1949. It was no more than Bernardelli: 6·35mm Model 68.
the 1945 VP model with alterations for rimfire cartridges. It was available chambered either for ·22 Short or ·22 LR ammunition.
Standard Model: This, introduced in 1949, was the 'Pocket Model' adapted for ·22 LR cartridges. The normal barrel length was 90mm, but, in
addition to the standard 85mm barrel, others up to 250mm could be obtained with removable front sights.
Model UB: Also called the 'New Pocket Model', this was a further enlargement of the Pocket Model chambered for 9mm Browning Long or even
9mm Parabellum cartridges. Developed in hammer and striker-fired versions, few seem to have been made—which is hardly surprising
considering the power of the cartridges and the absence of a locked breech.
Model 60: Dating from 1961, this was an updated Pocket Model; the
frame forgings were improved to give a better angle to the grip and
streamline the appearance. The gun used twin return springs—unusual
in this class—to soften the recoil movement of the slide, and was
available in ·22 LR, 7·65mm Auto or 9mm Short.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto.
Length overall: 6·50in/165mm. Weight, unladen:
24·2oz/685gm. Barrel: 3·54in/90mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-
round detachable box.
Model USA: This variant of the Model 60 was designed to satisfy the US
1968 Gun Control Act. In addition to the standard frame-mounted Bernardelli: 69 TS chambers ·22 LR.
safety catch and magazine safety of the Model 60, the USA version
added a Walther-style slide-mounted unit which locked the firing pin.
Model 68: A replacement for the VP Model, this incorporated largely
cosmetic changes. The slide is more rounded and the grip a trifle better
angled; a loaded-chamber indicator pin protrudes from the rear of the slide, and an optional extended magazine promoted a better handhold. The
Model 68 and the VP went out of production in 1970.
Baby Model 68: As the name suggests, this was the Baby with the 1968-vintage cosmetic improvements.
Model 69 Tiro Standard: This adaption of the Model 60 was designed to meet the International Shooter's Union regulations for competition
shooting. It had an extended barrel, an extended slide doubling as a muzzle counterweight, and fully adjustable sights.
Model 80: This was simply a new name for the Model USA when distributed by Interarms.
P-018: Bernardelli's first locked-breech pistol appeared in 1982, though full
production was not reached until 1985. The breech lock relies on the
familiar Browning cam to disengage barrel lugs from the slide. The
appearance is somewhat angular but compact, and the lock is double-
action. A firing-pin lock is released only during the final movement of the
trigger, and a fifteen-round double-row magazine is provided. The standard calibre
is 9mm Parabellum, but the P-018 has also been chambered for 7·65mm Parabellum and 9mm
Largo cartridges.
Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall:
8·39in/213mm. Weight, unladen: 35·6oz/1,010gm. Barrel: 4·80in/122mm, rifled.
Magazine: sixteen-round detachable box. Bernardelli: 9mm P 018.
P-018-9: Also called 'P-018 Compact', this is a reduced-scale P-018 with a fourteen-round
magazine.

45
P-060-A: Announced in the mid-1980s, this is a double-action blowback pistol with hammer-drop safety, available in ·22 LR, 7·65mm Auto or
9mm Short calibres. In short, it is an updated and re-christened version of the Model 60.
REVOLVERS
Bernardelli revolvers are generally based upon Smith & Wesson practice, with side-opening cylinders; some later models dispense with the ejector-
rod lug beneath the barrel.
Pocket or VB Model: This appeared in the early 1950s in ·22 rimfire or ·32 centre-fire
chambering. As the name suggests, it had a two-inch barrel and an ejector support lug
underneath the muzzle.
Martial: Sharing the Pocket-model frame, this had a 127mm barrel and grips which
extended ·5in below the butt frame to provide a better hold. Martial revolvers were
chambered for either ·22 LR or ·32 S&W Long cartridges.
Special or VB MR: Introduced in the 1950s as the Special, on the same frame and butt
as the Martial, this is distinguished by a 178mm barrel and fully adjustable target
sights. It was only made in ·22 LR chambering. It was later re-named the VB MR
(Miri Regolabile—'adjustable sights') and provided with a barrel rib.
New Pocket Model: Also called the VB Tascabile, this is a variant of the original Pocket Bernardelli: VB revolver.
Model with a 64mm tapered barrel. Lacking the under-barrel lug for the ejector rod, it
was available in ·22 LR or ·32 S&W Long variants.
VB Revolver: Type: solid frame revolver. Chambering: ·32 S&W Long. Length overall: 10·43in/265mm. Weight, unladen:
19·9oz/586gm. Barrel: 5·91in/150mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

BERNEDO (SPAIN)
Little is known of Vincente Bernedo y Cia of Eibar other than that the company entered the pistol business during the First World War and lasted
until the end of the 1920s. Work began with the usual Eibar type 7·65mm blowback, but progressed after the war to the more original Bernedo or
'BC', a 6·35mm automatic with a half-length slide and breech block with a completely exposed barrel ahead of it. The barrel was fixed to the frame
by a transverse pin held by a spring catch; the pin can be easily removed without tools to allow the barrel to be lifted out for cleaning. The slide is
marked PISTOLET AUTOMATIQUE BERNEDO PATENT NO 69952, and the grip carries a circular motif with V BERNEDO CO embossed
around it. The gun did not sell in large numbers and is now rarely found.
Bernedo [Eibar type]: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·10in/155mm. Weight, unladen:
20·6oz/585gm. Barrel: 3·39in/86mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

BERSA (ARGENTINA)
Fabrica de Armas Bersa SA of Ramos Meija has been selling pistols in the Americas since the 1970s, acquiring a reputation for good quality at a
competitive price.
Model 644: A blowback pocket automatic chambered for ·22 LR rimfire ammunition,
this resembles Bernardelli designs of the late 1960s. A hammer-fired single-action, it
is the basic model upon which the rest of the Bersa line depends.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length
overall: 6·57in/167mm. Weight, unladen: 28·0oz/795gm. Barrel:
3·50in/89mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Model 622: This is derived from the Model 644, but has a lengthened barrel carrying the
front sight to provide an inexpensive target pistol.
Model 97: This is an enlarged version of the M644 chambering 9mm Short cartridges.
Picolla: A smaller version of the 644 pattern, this handles the ·22 Short cartridge. Bersa: ·22 rimfire M644.
Model 223: Introduced in 1984, this modern-looking double-action ·22 LR automatic has
an eleven-shot magazine. Variant models 224 and 225 differ in purely minor respects:
the final digit represents the barrel-length in inches.
Model 383: This updated version of the Model 97, with double-action lockwork and a nine-shot magazine, fires the 9mm Short cartridge.

BERTRAND (BELGIUM)
Manufacture Generale d'Armes et Munitions Jules Bertrand was one of the many small manufacturers operating in Liege prior to 1914, turning out
cheap revolvers in the 1890s and graduating to equally cheap automatic pistols at the turn of the century. German occupation in 1914 put an end to
his business.
Continental: Bertrand's principal automatic pistol design was a 6·35mm blowback differing slightly in
the trigger mechanism from his earlier 'Le Rapide'. The barrel is forged with the frame, and a
separate breech block is controlled by a return spring in a tunnel above the barrel. The pistol is
marked CONTINENTAL on the slide, but the grips are those of Le Rapide, and it looks as if the
new pistol was simply the old pattern with a few minor changes. Note that 'Continental' was used
by a number of other makers.
Le Novo, Lincoln: These were 6·35mm or ·320 Velo-Dog revolvers, similar to others produced in and
around Liege under the same names. Bertrand's product can be distinguished only by the 'JB'
monogram on the grips.
Le Rapide: The original Bertrand 6·35mm automatic pistol, this was the predecessor of the
Continental—from which it differed largely in the trigger mechanism. The slide is marked
MANRE. GRL D'ARMES ET MUNITIONS CAL BROWNING 6·35 LE RAPIDE and the grips
are embossed with LE RAPIDE and the 'JB' monogram. Bertrand: 6·35mm Le Rapide.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·72in/120mm.
Weight, unladen: 14·5oz/410gm. Barrel: 1·97in/50mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

46
BICYCLE (VARIOUS)
1: A five-shot top-break double action ·32 S&W revolver manufactured by Harrington and Richardson, c.1895.
2: A ·22 rimfire single-shot pistol, styled like an automatic, made in France by an unknown company c.1910.

BIG BONANZA (USA)

A seven-shot single-action solid frame ·22 Short rimfire revolver with spur trigger, manufactured by the Bacon Manufacturing Company about
1880.

BIG HORN (USA)

The Big Horn Arms Company of Watertown, South Dakota, produced a futuristic-style ·22 single-shot pistol in the 1960s. The mechanism had a
simple hand-actuated sliding bolt set in a tubular receiver, the receiver/barrel unit being set into an ornate plastic stock with a decorated fore-end.
The base of the anatomical-style grip had a palm-rest platform, and adjustable sights were fitted to a barrel rib.

BIJOU (VARIOUS)
1: A sales name for a 6·35mm Browning Velo-Dog revolver made by D. Debouxtay of Liege, Belgium, about 1908.
2: The Menz Lilliput 6·35mm automatic pistol.

BISON (GERMANY)
A ·22 Colt Model 1873-style single action revolver made in Germany, possibly by Schmidt (q.v.) of Ostheim/Rhon, for sale in the USA in the early
1970s. One model chambered the ·22 LR cartridge and another was accompanied by a spare cylinder accepting ·22 WMRF. The revolvers all had
adjustable back sights.

BITTNER (AUSTRIA-HUNGARY)
Gustav Bittner of Weipert in Bohemia was a gunmaker
whose family had been in the trade since the early
seventeenth century. In the 1880s he was associated with his
brother Raimund and a third gunsmith, Wenzel Fuckert, as
Gebruder Bittner. The trio made sporting guns while
repairing firearms for the Austro Hungarian army.
Gustav Bittner began work on a mechanical repeating pistol
around 1880, making many prototypes before the 'Model
1893' was perfected. Series assembly may not have begun
until 1897, since most surviving examples bear suitably
dated proof marks. The Bittner pistol, like others of its type, Bittner: 7·7mm 1893-pattern.
has a bolt rotated by a ring-type actuator. The rear surface of
the actuator is slotted to receive a conventional trigger. A
forefinger is inserted into the actuator ring and pushed
forward, opening the bolt, cocking the striker and permitting a cartridge to rise from the magazine ahead of the trigger. Pulling back the actuator
ring closes and locks the bolt. Further backward movement allows the trigger blade to come forward through the slot in the actuator ring, where it is
pressed by the continued movement of the finger to release the striker that lies inside the bolt.
A spring-loaded follower arm forced cartridges out of the five-round clip and into the bolt way. The 138mm hexagonal barrel chambered the 7·7mm
Bittner cartridge, with a rimmed case and an 85 grain bullet.
Bittner's was as good as any pistol of its type but, like them, arrived on the market just as the automatic pistol appeared and failed to prosper. Yet it
seems to have sold in appreciable numbers as it is the most common mechanical repeater encountered today. As many as a thousand may have been
made when work ended c.1900.
Bittner: Data taken from a representative specimen, probably dating from c.1895. Weipert type: repeating pistol. Calibre: 7·7mm. Length
overall: 11·81in/300mm. Weight, unladen: 30·2oz/855gm. Barrel: 6·02in/153mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round integral box.

BLAND (BRITAIN)
Thomas Bland & Sons of Birmingham and London commenced operations in 1802 and was initially concerned with sporting guns. After a few
years, however, Bland began selling—though possibly not making—heavy-calibre military-style revolvers. In 1887, in conjunction with Frank
Cashmore, another Birmingham gunmaker, Thomas Bland patented a four-barrelled drop-down pistol similar to that of Lancaster (q.v.). A rotating
firing pin struck by a self-cocking hammer fired four barrels in succession. It was produced in ·455 in the hope of encouraging sales to army
officers, but whether many sold in the face of competition afforded by contemporaneous large-calibre revolvers must be doubted.

BLOODHOUND (USA)
A seven-shot solid-frame revolver in ·22 Short made by Hopkins & Allen about 1880. It has the single-action lock and stud trigger that typify the
period.

BLUE JACKET (USA)

Another Hopkins and Allen revolver of the 1880s, this appeared in two versions. The Blue Jacket No. l was a seven-shot ·22 Short solid-frame
model with a spur trigger, while the similar Blue Jacket No. 2 was a five-shot weapon chambering the ·32 Short rimfire cartridge.

BLUE WHISTLER (USA)

Made by Hopkins and Allen, this five-shot solid frame ·32 Short RF revolver was essentially similar to Blue Jacket No. 2.

47
BODEO (ITALY)
The 'Pistola a Rotazione, Systema Bodeo, Modello 1889'
became the Italian service revolver in 1891; it remained the
principal handgun until supplanted by the Glisenti pistol
after 1910, but it was never declared obsolete and it
remained as a reserve weapon until the end of the Second
World War. The Model 1889 was a six-shot solid-frame
double action 10·4mm centre-fire revolver, with a loading
gate and a rod ejector. The gate was connected to the
hammer on the Abadie system, and little in the design was
original; Bodeo was honoured by virtue of heading the
commission that recommended the design. The only unusual
mechanical feature (for the period) was a hammer block to
Bodeo: A typical 10·4mm
prevent the hammer falling far enough to fire the cartridge Italian service revolver of the
unless the trigger was pulled fully back. folding-trigger type.
One version of the Model 1889 had an octagonal barrel and
a folding trigger without a guard; another had a cylindrical
barrel and a conventionally guarded trigger. The former was
for the rank and file, the latter for officers and NCOs. Both
types went into production in 1889 and, as might be
expected, the folding trigger type was made in greater numbers prior to 1914. Production continued until c.1931.
Bodeo revolvers were made by—among others—Castelli of Brescia, Fabricca d'Armi of Brescia, Metallurgica Bresciana; Siderurgica Glisenti of
Turin, Real Fabricca d'Armi of Brescia and Vincenzo Bernardelli of Gardone Val Trompia. Errasti and Arrostegui of Eibar made guns on contract
during the First World War. It has been suggested that other Spanish gunmakers participated (e.g., F. Arizmendi), but we have no positive
information.
Bodeo M1889: Maker: various contractors: see text. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: 10·35mm. Length overall: 9·25in/235mm.
Weight, unladen: 33·5oz/950gm. Barrel: 4·53in/115mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

BOLUMBURU (SPAIN)
Gregorio Bolumburu of Eibar was an industrious producer of automatic pistols under several names who, like many others, made his start by
pirating the Browning 1906 design. He remained in business until 1936, though the chronology of his guns is still uncertain.
Bristol: This conventional 7·65mm Eibar-style blowback is identifiable only by BRISTOL on the slide.
Giralda: Another routine 7·65mm 'Eibar', except that the safety catch is on the rear rather than the mid-
point of the frame, this has a slide marked 7·65 1915 MODEL AUTOMATIC PISTOL GIRALDA
PATENT and the grips carry the Bolumburu trademark of a charging bull.
Gloria: The 'Gloria Model of 1913' was one of Bolumburu's first products, a 6·35mm blowback copied
from the Browning 1906. It was followed by a standard Eibar-type 7·65mm calibre Model 1915.
Slide inscriptions on the latter reads 7·65MM 1915 MODEL AUTOMATIC PISTOL GLORIA
PATENT.
Gloria M1915 [Eibar type]: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto.
Length overall: 5·35in/136mm. Weight, unladen: 19·8oz/561gm. Barrel: 2·76in/70mm,
rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Marina: This is a 6·35mm Eibar-pattern gun of no particular merit. Its slide is marked PLSTOLET Bolumburu: 6·35mm Regina.
AUTOMATIQUE MARINA BREVETE SGDG (CAL 6,35) and the grips carry a motif of a fouled
anchor with MARINA.
Regent: Except for the slightly more rounded rear frame, this differs little from the Marina except in the name on the slide.
Regina: This is a modified Regent, made in 6·35mm and 7·65mm. The 6·35mm pattern resembles the Regent, but has the slide top relieved at both
sides in similar manner to the Campeon (q.v.); specimens examined have been of the worst quality. The slide bears AMERICAN AUTOMATIC
PISTOL REGINA surmounted by a crown. The only maker's identification is 'GB' stamped on the slide or frame. The 7·65mm version offers
rather better quality, omits the word 'American' from the inscription and carries a floral design across the grip instead of the name. The butt is
longer than usual, as it holds a nine-round magazine.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·71in/145mm. Weight, unladen: 22·4oz/634gm. Barrel:
3·23in/82mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.
Rex: Top of the Bolumburu line, this well finished copy of the 1910 model Browning chambered 6·35mm Auto, 7·65mm Auto or 9mm Short. It
uses the Browning-type return spring, concentric with the barrel and retained by a knurled collar, but can be distinguished by relieving of the
sides of the slide top over the breech (shared with the Regina). The slide is marked MANUFACTURE D'ARMES A FEU "REX" PATENT, but
the grips carry the 'GB' monogram and 'GB' is stamped on the frame. This pistol has sometimes been accorded Belgian origins, but the name was
undoubtedly applied in Spain for export purposes.
Eibar type automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·31in/135mm. Weight, unladen: 21·5oz/610gm.
Barrel: 3·15in/80mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

BONANZA (USA)
Patented in 1878 and made by the Bacon Arms Co of Norwich, Connecticut, this ·22 rimfire seven-shot solid-frame revolver had a sheathed trigger.
The patented feature was a release catch in front of the trigger which allowed the cylinder to be removed from the frame after the axis pin had been
withdrawn; spent cases where then ejected by punching them out of the chambers with the pin.

48
BORCHARDT (GERMANY)
Hugo Borchardt (1845-1924) was born in Germany, but
emigrated to the USA at the age of sixteen and subsequently
took out American citizenship. He became a skilled engineer
with the help of various gunmakers, being responsible for
the Sharps-Borchardt rifle and experimental revolvers for
Winchester. In 1883 he went to Hungary to become works
director of Femaru Fegyver es Gepgyar of Budapest,
returned briefly to the USA in 1890-2, then settled in
Germany to pursue his gun-designing career. After receiving
a pistol patent in 1893, he reputedly approached Fabrique
Nationale of Liege before reaching agreement with Ludwig
Loewe of Berlin.
The Borchardt pistol used the toggle lock which was later
adapted by Georg Luger for the Parabellum; the system was
probably suggested to Borchardt by the Maxim machine
gun, which had been demonstrated in Hungary during his
time there.
The Borchardt toggle breaks upwards, controlled by a clock-
type return spring in a large housing at the rear of the frame.
Another innovation was the magazine housed in the butt,
deriving from Borchardt's connections with the rifle designer
James Lee in North America. The construction of the pistol
looks awkward, with far too much overhang at the rear and a Borchardt: 7·65mm Loewe-made Borchardt pistol, No 220, with its accessories.
butt almost at right-angles to the frame. However, the grip is
at the centre of balance; contemporary reports speak highly of the handling characteristics, excellent accuracy and lack of recoil.
The pistol was provided with a shoulder stock to transform into a light carbine and contemporary reports again tell of good accuracy at ranges out to
200 yards. The Borchardt was regarded with considerable respect by the gunsmiths of the day, but commercial success was prevented by high price
and size. Promoted by Loewe from 1894, the first guns bear WAFFENFABRIK/LOEWE/BERLIN in three lines above the chamber, DRP 75837 on
the toggle-link, and SYSTEM BORCHARDT PATENT on the right side of the frame. Something over a thousand had been made by 1 January
1897 when Loewe took over the Deutsche Metallpatronenfabrik of Karlsruhe and re-named his new consortium 'Deutsche Waffen- und
Munitionsfabriken' or DWM (q.v.). Pistols manufactured after January 1897 were marked SYSTEM BORCHARDT/DEUTSCHE WAFFEN- UND
MUNITLONSFABRIKEN/BERLIN in three lines on the right side of the frame, retaining the patent mark on the toggle. Two thousand were
manufactured by DWM, possibly from pre-1897 parts, before assembly ceased in 1899; the highest known serial number is 3013.
The Borchardt only ever appeared in one form: with a 152mm barrel chambering the 7·63mm Borchardt cartridge and an eight-round magazine.
Experimental guns are said to have been made in 7·65mm Parabellum, and the possibility remains that DWM used Borchardts to develop pistol
ammunition. A few—perhaps only one or two—were chambered for the odd bottle-necked 9mm Borchardt cartridge at the turn of the century.
Hugo Borchardt patented belated attempts to improve his pistol in 1907-11. Even by 1905, however, the superiority of the Parabellum was clear;
there is no evidence that Borchardt's patents were converted into reality.
Borchardt C/93: Maker: Ludwig Loewe & Co.. Berlin-Charlottenburg (see remarks in Text). Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated).
Chambering: 7·65mm Borchardt. Length overall: 10·98in/279mm. Weight unladen: 40·9oz/1,160gm. Barrel: 6·50in/165mm, rifled.
Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

BOSTON BULLDOG (USA)

This sales name was applied to Iver Johnson revolvers sold by J.P. Lovell & Sons of Boston in 1887-1900. The solid-frame double action revolver
was chambered for ·22 Short rimfire, ·32 Short rimfire, ·32 S&W or ·38 and had a 2·5in barrel (though other lengths were available to order). The
·22 Short was a seven-shot; the others all had five-round cylinders.

BOY'S CHOICE (USA)

This solid-frame seven-shot ·22 Short rimfire revolver was manufactured by the Hood Firearms Company of Norwich, Connecticut, about 1875.
Like many other guns of this era, it had a spur trigger.

BRAENDLIN (BRITAIN)
The Braendlin Armoury Co. Ltd of Birmingham and London
manufactured the 'Martin-Marres-Braendlin Mitrailleuse
Pistol' in the 1880s. Patented in April 1880 by A. Martin, the
·450 Mitrailleuse pistol had a block of four barrels, arranged
in a double vertical row hinged to the frame. The barrel-
block tipped downward for loading. A vertical rod carrying
cams, controlled by the trigger, cocked and released the
firing pins of the barrels sequentially as the trigger was
pulled. Cartridges were mounted in a perforated metal plate
(similar to the loading plate of the Mitrailleuse volley gun) so that the
barrels could all be loaded at a stroke. Martin-Marres-Braendlin multi-barrel pistol.
The original pistol encountered little success, surviving specimens being
rare. The Braendlin Armoury Co. Ltd was liquidated voluntarily in 1889, the name passing to a new
unincorporated company led by Charles Greener. A modified four-barrelled pistol was offered, seemingly influenced
by a patent granted in 1885 to Francotte of Liege (q.v.). Very few second-pattern Braendlin Mitrailleuse Pistols seem to have been
made—probably in Belgium—and no specimen has yet been found. The Braendlin Armoury Company appears to have traded until 1898.

49
BRIGADIER (CANADA)
The North American Arms Company of Toronto operated only in 1948-52,
and its Brigadier pistol was simply an enlargement of the Browning GP35
designed around a powerful new ·45 NAACO cartridge. Based on a cut-
down ·30-06 rifle cartridge case carrying a standard ·45 ACP bullet, this
developed 1,600 ft-sec and 1,307 ft-lb at the muzzle. Brigadiers used an
alloy frame, but still weighed 4·251b; they had a five-inch barrel, an eight-
round magazine and must have been a handful to shoot.
The standard removable trigger module could be replaced by a selective-
fire mechanism; a twenty-shot magazine could be accompanied by a
unique butt-stock with a perforated barrel guard that fitted over the slide of
the pistol. This resulted in a species of submachine-gun known as the
Borealis. The promoters hoped that the Brigadier and Borealis would be NAACo: ·45 Brigadier:
adopted by the Canadian Army, but NATO standardisation killed the
project in 1951. Only a handful of prototypes had been made.
NAACo Brigadier: Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated).
Chambering: ·45 NAACo. Length overall: 9·65in/245mm.
Weight, unladen: 66·9oz/1,896gm. Barrel: 5·51in/140mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

BRITARMS (BRITAIN)
This competition pistol appeared in the 1970s, but has passed through the hands of several manufacturers with varying degrees of success; the most
recent promoter has been Westlake Engineering of Bordon, Hampshire. The Britarms pistol represents a type of rapid fire pistol which has become
standard in recent years; a slab-sided blowback, with a steeply raked anatomical grip that lowers the barrel in the hand to reduce recoil climb. Bolt
retracting grips lie ahead of the ejection port in the Britarms, and a hold open catch appears in the left grip. An integral magazine is loaded through
the open action. Mark III guns chamber ·22 LR rimfire ammunition, while the Model 3000 handles ·32 centre-fire. The design is effectual enough to
attain success, but teething troubles, unreliability and constant changes of promoter have been a hindrance.
Britarms 2000 Mk III: Maker: Westlake Engineering. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Calibre: ·22. Length overall: 11·00in/280mm.
Weight, unladen: 42·9oz/1,215gm. Barrel: 5·91in/160mm, rifled. Magazine: five round detachable box.

BRITISH BULLDOG (VARIOUS)

1: A series of revolvers manufactured by Forehand &
Wadsworth of Worcester, Massachusetts, USA, in
1875-90. There were three models: a seven shot ·32, a
six shot ·38 and a five-shot ·44. All were double-action
solid frame revolvers, with loading gates, hand ejectors
and short bird's head grips. The name BRITISH
BULLDOG appeared on the top strap.
2: A series of revolvers made by Johnson, Bye &
Company of Worcester, Massachusetts, USA, in 1881-
2 and sold through J.P. Lovell & Co. of Boston. The
range comprised a five-shot ·32CF, a five-shot ·38 and
a five-shot ·44. All were solid-frame single action non-
ejectors with stud triggers.
3: A popular name for the Webley No. 2 revolver (q.v.),
manufactured from 1879 to 1914. It was a compact
short-barrelled solid frame gun with a loading gate and
a bird's head butt. The earliest examples were ·442
calibre with five-shot cylinders, but the No. 2 was later
chambered for ·32, ·38, ·44 and ·45.
4: The Webley No. 2 was extensively copied in Belgium
and sold with no other marking but the title; no
manufacturer's name is ever present, but small
variations in pattern and finish suggest that several
Belgian gunmakers were involved in 1885-1910. The
guns are rarely easily distinguishable from the genuine Webleys, excepting for the absence of British markings.
British Bulldog: A representative solid-frame revolver, from the catalogue issued by J.H. Johnston's Great Gun Works, Pittsburgh,
Pennsylvania, 1888.

BRIXIA (ITALY)
Metallurgica Bresciana gia Tempini of Brescia made the Model 1910 Glisenti (q.v.) for the Italian army. MBT subsequently strengthened the frame
slightly, omitted the grip safety and submitted the Brixia pistol to the army; a handful was purchased as the Model 1912, for field trials, but had
insufficient advantage over the Glisenti to persuade the authorities to make a change. MBT then placed the Brixia on the commercial market, but the
outbreak of war in 1914 ended production before any success had been achieved; the design was never revived. The Brixia closely resembles the
Glisenti, but has a flat (rather than stepped) left side and its grips are marked 'MBT'.
Brixia M1912: Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Glisenti. Length overall: 7·68in/195mm. Weight, unladen:
28·7oz/815gm. Barrel: 3·54in/90mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

BRONCO (SPAIN)
Little more than a routine copy of the 1906-model Browning made by Echave y Arizmendi of Eibar, this dates from c.1919-30. It was available in
two models- 6·35mm Auto and 7·65mm Auto- identical but for size.
50
BRON-GRAND (SPAIN)
This was a hammerless Velo-Dog revolver made by Fernando Ormachea of Eibar, probably between 1906 and 1915. The gun had a folding trigger,
and its solid frame was raised behind the cylinder to conceal the hammer. It was available in 6·35mm Auto and 7·65mm Auto versions.

BRONG PETIT (USA)

Yet another hammerless solid frame Velo-Dog revolver, this was made by Crucelegui Hermanos of Eibar prior to 1914. It chambered 6·35mm Auto
(·25 ACP) ammunition.

BRON-SPORT (SPAIN)
This variation on the Brong-Petit was made by Crucelegui, probably from c.1912 to 1915. Basically a standard Velo-Dog type, it differed in having
a straight-sided butt—resembling that of an automatic pistol—and a conventional trigger in a large trigger-guard. The sides of the upper section of
the barrel were cut away to heighten the resemblance to an automatic pistol. The most common Bron-Sport is chambered for 6·35mm Auto, but
specimens in 7·65mm Auto and 8mm Lebel have been reported.
Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·33in/110mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel:
1·65in/42mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

BROWNING (BELGIUM)
In the mid 1890s, John Moses Browning developed a series of automatic pistols patented in the USA in 1897. Winchester, with whom Browning
had close ties, had no interest in handguns and so an approach to Colt was made. The Colt management immediately saw the military potential of
the powerful locked-breech guns, but could muster little enthusiasm for the smaller blowback. In April 1897, the commercial director of Fabrique
Nationale d'Armes de Guerre of Herstal-lez-Liege, Belgium, met the Brownings on a trip to the USA. An agreement allowing FN to exploit the
Browning blowback was signed in mid-July. It is assumed that no acrimony came from Colt, as the market was later divided so that Colt took the
western hemisphere and FN the eastern one; Britain was neutral territory in which both firms competed. Ultimately, Colt produced modified FN-
type blowback Brownings—described in detail in the Colt section—and FN made the locked-breech GP.
Fabrique Nationale has made millions of Browning pistols since 1900, and the word 'Browning' is synonymous in many European languages with
'automatic pistol'.
In December 1990 FN Herstal SA was purchased by GIAT Industries of France; it is presumed that the FN-owned subsidiaries of Browning Arms,
US Repeating Arms and Manurhin were included in the deal, though at the time of writing this has not been made clear.
Model 1900 or Old Model: This was developed in 1898 by FN engineers working from
a hand-made pistol supplied by the Browning brothers in the summer of 1897. It is a
unique design and was never pirated by European gunmakers in the way that later
designs were copied. Strangely, innumerable poor copies have been made in China.
The Model 1900 was a blowback, the first design ever to use the 7·65mm Auto (·32
ACP) cartridge. It had a four-inch barrel and a seven-shot magazine. The recoil
spring, in a tunnel in the slide above the barrel, was connected by a rod to a link
hanging from the top of the slide. The lower link-tip engaged in the striker, allowing
the return spring to power the striker and give more than enough energy to ignite the
most reluctant cap. The trigger mechanism was simple and robust, and the barrel was
fixed to the frame. Browning: 7·65mm Model
The pistol was adopted by the Belgian army in 1900 and then offered commercially, 1900.
to be adopted by many European military and police forces. Early examples had
rather thin grip plates embossed with a representation of the pistol and a small 'FN'
logo; later grips were more robust, bearing a florid 'FN' monogram. A lanyard ring was added to the left rear of the butt soon after production
began. Manufacture continued until sometime in 1912. The 'Old Model' will be remembered—if for no other reason—as the pistol with which,
in June 1914, Gavrilo Princip murdered Austrian Archduke Ferdinand and his wife to precipitate the First World War.
Maker: Fabrique Nationale d'Armes de Guerre. Herstal-lez-Liege. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto.
Length overall: 6·69in/170mm. Weight, unladen: 22·6oz/640gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Model 1903: This much-changed design was a considerable simplification
of the 1900 pattern, and the model for countless millions of Spanish
and other imitations. It was a blowback in which the return spring lay
beneath the barrel; a hammer concealed inside the frame struck the
firing pin; a grip safety appeared in the butt; and lugs beneath the
chamber of a five-inch barrel engaged grooves in the frame. The pistol
could be dismantled simply by pulling back and then locking the slide
by means of a catch, grasping the muzzle and rotating the barrel
through 90° to unlock it from the frame. The catch was then released
and the slide, complete with barrel and return spring, could be slipped
forward off the frame.
Browning: 9mm Model 1903.
The Model 1903 was chambered for the 9mm Browning Long
cartridge, developed by FN to provide a useful calibre which could still
be used in a blowback pistol. In fact the cartridge was unnecessarily
large for a pocket pistol but too weak for military use. Nevertheless,
the pistol was accepted as a service weapon in Belgium, Serbia, Turkey, Russia, Sweden, the Netherlands, Paraguay and Peru. The guns were
durable enough to survive for many years; indeed, the Swedish army abandoned their 9mm Lahti pistols and reverted to the M/1907 Browning
as recently as 1986.
The normal M1903 magazine carried seven rounds, but an extended ten round magazine was available for use with a wooden holster-stock. The
pistol was offered by FN until the early 1920s, though it is suspected that no production had taken place since the German invasion of Belgium
in 1914 and that the 'new' pistols were assembled from pre-war parts; Husqvarna made M/1907 pistols in Sweden until c.1941. It has been
averred that Model 1903 pistols were made in 9mm Short during the German management of the factory during the First World War, but
confirmation is lacking.
51
 Maker: Fabrique Nationale d'Armes de Guerre. Herstal-lez-Liege. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 9mm Browning
Long. Length overall: 8·00in/203mm. Weight, unladen: 32·1oz/910gm. Barrel: 5·04in/128mm,rifled. Magazine: seven round detachable
box.
Model 1906: More or less a scaled-down Model 1903, this was designed around the specially created
6·35mm Auto cartridge. The two appeared on the market together and, once again, FN had
produced a pattern which was to be copied far and wide. The M1906 duplicated the construction as
the 1903 pattern, except that a striker replaced the internal hammer and the manual safety catch was
omitted. At about no. 100,000, a safety catch was fitted to the left rear of the frame—largely to aid
dismantling. This 'Triple Safety Model' now had applied, grip and magazine safeties.
The Model 1906 was popularly called the Baby Browning in the early days, but this name was later
officially given to a later model (see below). References to the 'Baby' should be checked carefully!
Maker: Fabrique Nationale d'Armes de Guerre. Herstal-lez-Liege. Type: automatic pistol
(blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·5in/115mm. Weight, unladen:
12·3oz/350gm. Barrel: 2·13in/54mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Browning: 6·35mm Model
Model 1910: This is a considerable change from its predecessors; instead of a slab-sided slide with the return
1906.
spring under the barrel, the 1910-pattern return spring is retained around the barrel by a bayonet-joint
collar at the muzzle, locking into the near-tubular slide.
It was produced in 7·65mm Auto and 9mm Short chamberings, had an 87mm barrel
and a seven-round magazine, was striker fired and had the Triple Safety features. It
was widely adopted by police forces and enjoyed a considerable commercial sale
worldwide.
Maker: Fabrique Nationale d Armes de Guerre. Herstal-lez-Liege. Type:
automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering. 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
6·00in/152mm. Weight, unladen: 21·2oz/600gm. Barrel: 3·46in/88mm, rifled.
Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Browning: 7·65mm Model
Model 1910/22: In 1923 the government of the 'Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes'
(later known as Yugoslavia) ordered 60,000 pistols from FN with 114mm barrels and 1910.
eight-round magazines. The quickest way to meet the demands involved lengthening
the 1910-pattern frame to accept a larger magazine and adapting the standard slide to
cover the long barrel. To save expense, FN technicians developed a short tubular
housing that attached to a modified 1910-type slide by a bayonet fitting.
The M1910/22 resembled the 1910-pattern pistol, excepting that the
barrel and slide were longer and the grip was deeper. Some were
produced in 9mm Short with the original frame dimensions and a six-
round magazine, but this variant was soon abandoned and the large-
frame model, in either 7·65mm Auto or 9mm Short, became standard;
early short-frame models are now rarely found. The Belgian and
Netherlands armies adopted the 7·65mm 1910/22, and 9mm examples
were supplied to Yugoslavia in the 1930s.
The 7·65mm Model 1910/22 remained in production throughout the
German occupation of Belgium during the Second World War, being Browning: Model 10/22.
used by the German forces as the 'Pistole 626 (b)'. Small quantities of
the 9mm variant were assembled as 'Pistolen 641 (b)', but only until
supplies of pre-1940 parts had been exhausted. Manufacture began
again in 1950, the last 10/22 guns of pre-war type being made in 1959.
Maker: Fabrique Nationale d'Armes de Guerre. Herstal-lez-
Liege. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm
Auto. Length overall: 7·01in/178mm. Weight, unladen:
25·7oz/730gm. Barrel: 4·49in/114mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.
Baby Browning: Introduced in 1932, this 6·35mm blowback was basically a modernised Model 1906
with the frame extending the length of the slide to give a squared-front appearance. The grip safety
was omitted, the manual safety being a long lever beneath the left grip with the operating button
protruding just behind the trigger guard. Early models have baby moulded into the bottom of the
grip plates, in addition to the 'FN' monogram in the upper part. 'Baby' was omitted when production
resumed in the late 1940s, while guns made for the US market have BROWNING in place of the
monogram.
Model 1935: Also known variously as the HP (for 'High Power'), GP (for 'Grande Puissance'), or Hi-
Power, this is renowned as "Browning's last design"—something of an exaggeration. Browning had
begun work on a new pistol soon after the end of the First World War, intending to improve the Browning: 6·35mm
Colt M1911; he produced a striker-fired weapon with a single-row magazine. Armed with patents Baby Browning.
granted in 1922, he took the gun to Fabrique Nationale where Dieudonne Saive argued for a
double-row magazine and a hammer lock. Numerous prototypes in various calibres were made, until the basic features had all been settled by the
time Browning died late in 1926.
It has often been suggested that the design stemmed from a request by the French Army, but this seems to be based solely on the fact that one
prototype chambered the 7·65mm Longue cartridge; Saive was too astute to waste ten years of design work in the hope that the French would
break a lifetime's habit by ordering a firearm from outside France. The launch of the new pistol, finalised in 9mm Parabellum calibre with a
thirteen-round double-row magazine, was set for the Spring of 1929. The crash of the Wall Street stock market in October 1929 and ensuing
worldwide trade depression halted progress; not until 1934 did FN judge the market conditions to be right. However, the Belgian army accepted
the pistol for service as the Model 1935 and this success was rapidly followed by orders from Lithuania, Latvia, Romania, Estonia, China and
Peru. None of these was completed—the Belgian army had priority and, by the time initial demands had been satisfied, the Second World War
had begun and exports were suspended.

52
 The Model 1935 is an improvement on Browning's original swinging-
link breech lock, relying on a fixed lump beneath the chamber into
which a shaped path is cut to bear against a hardened transom in the
frame. As the barrel moves back, the shaped path pulls it down to
disengage the lugs from the slide. The only dubious feature is the
trigger linkage; instead of the Browning stirrup passing around both
sides of the magazine well, as in the Colt M1911, the Model 1935 has a
slide-mounted transfer bar doubling as a disconnector. Though
undoubtedly an effectual design, the resulting trigger pull is neither as
sensitive nor so amenable to refinement as the stirrup pattern. As such
tuning is only demanded by target shooters, and as the Model 1935 was
designed as a combat pistol, this theoretical deficiency is of little Browning: A fixed-sight
moment. Model 1935 or High-Power.
Two versions of the M1935 were available prior to 1940: the Ordinary
Model, with a normal fixed-notch rear sight, or an Adjustable Sight
Model with a tangent-leaf back sight graduated to 500 metres and a slot
in the backstrap of the butt to accept a wooden stock. A minor variant
of the latter pistol offered a larger back sight graduated to 1000 metres—a riotous piece of optimism.
Other aberrant variations included an Ordinary Model with a nine-shot magazine, chambering 7·65mm Parabellum or 7·65mm Longue for trials
in Switzerland and France respectively. Neither was ever offered commercially. There is also said to have been a selective-fire Adjustable Sight
Model which, fitted with the stock and set to automatic mode, could function as a submachine-gun.
When Belgium was occupied by the Germans in 1940, the FN factory was placed under German ownership to become 'DWM Luttich'.
Production of the Model 1935 continued as the 'Pistole 640 (b)\ over 319,000 being made for the German forces. From late 1940 to early 1941
many FN staff fled Belgium, arriving in Britain to work for the Ministry of Supply; among their baggage were drawings of the Model 1935.
Although evidence remains meagre, it seems that a few Model 1935 pistols were made in Britain in 1941-2; approval of a 'Pistol, Browning
9mm (FN), Automatic Mk 1 (UK)' was cancelled in April 1945 during a general reassessment of obsolete designs. Unfortunately, no formal
introduction has been traced.
In 1942 John Inglis Company of Canada was asked to supply Model 1935 pistols to China; the project started slowly, as metric dimensions had
to be converted, but production 151,816 guns were made from February 1944 to September 1945. Some of these were supplied to British,
Canadian and Greek forces in addition to the Chinese.
The British Army recognised four variants of the Model 1935: Pistol, Browning, FN 9mm No. 1 Mk 1 with a back sight adjustable to 500 metres
and provision for shoulder stock; Pistol, Browning, FN 9mm No. l Mk 1 *, with an improved ejector and a modified back sight; Pistol,
Browning, FN 9mm No. 2 Mk 1 with a fixed rear sight and no stock lug; and Pistol, Browning, FN 9mm No. 2 Mk 2, a variant of No. 2 Mk 1
with the improved ejector.
Fabrique Nationale resumed manufacture after the Second World War had ended, renaming the pistol 'Model 1946' for military sale or 'High-
Power' commercially; the military designation never stuck, and so the pistol has remained Model (19)35 to the rest of the world...while FN
employees always call it High-Power.
Maker: Fabrique Nationale d'Armes de Guerre, Herstal-lez-Liege. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm
Parabellum. Length overall: 7·76in/197mm. Weight, unladen: 32·5oz/920gm. Barrel: 4·65in/118mm, rifled. Magazine: thirteen-round
detachable box.
High-Power Mk 2: By the 1970s the Model 1935 was serving over fifty armies around the world, but newer designs were beginning to erode its
supremacy. FN technicians for once failed to analyse the markets correctly; instead of developing something new, they simply added an
ambidextrous safety catch, anatomical grips, wider sights, and a phosphated finish. The High-Power Mk 2 appeared in 1980-1 but met little
success; it fell short of FN high standards and there were complaints of unreliable performance. It was abandoned in 1987.
High-Power Mk 3: Announced in January 1989,- this was developed to replace the Mk 2. New computer-controlled machinery improved the
standard of manufacture, and the dimensions of the frame and slide were changed to strengthen the components. The contours of the enlarged
ejection port were revised; the grips were redesigned; and the sights were dovetailed into the slide so that they could easily be replaced with
target patterns. The Mk 3 was intended for military use; it was accompanied by the Mk 3S, with automatic firing-pin safety system which
prevents the pin moving except during the final movement of the trigger as the hammer is released. The Mk 3S is intended for police use and
commercial sale, the automatic firing-pin safety being considered superfluous on a military pistol owing to the better training. The Mk 3S was
immediately adopted by the Belgian Gendarmerie, while the Mk 3 has generated military interest.
Maker: Fabrique Nationale Herstal SA. Herstal. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall:
7·87in/200mm. Weight, unladen: 31·2oz/885gm. Barrel: 4·65in/118mm, rifled. Magazine: thirteen-round detachable box.
BDA family: Work began on these pistols in the late 1970s and they were
announced in 1983. The 1935 design was modernised by adding a
double-action lock and an ambidextrous combination safety
catch/hammer de-cocking lever, in addition to extending and shaping the
trigger guard for a two-hand grip. The BDA-9S ('standard') had a 118mm
barrel and a fourteen-round magazine in a full-sized frame; BDA-9M
('medium') had a 96mm barrel in a shortened frame; and BDA-9C
('compact') embodied a 96mm barrel and a short butt containing a seven-
round magazine. The idea was good, but problems arose transforming the
prototypes into production models and manufacture was never seriously
undertaken. The family was abandoned in 1987.
BDA-9: During the period of the family concept, the Model 1935 was still Browning: 9mm BDA.
being improved. An entirely new double-action lock mechanism was
developed; an ambidextrous hammer de-cocking lever was fitted; a
reversible magazine release was produced for right or left-handed use;
and the sights were dovetailed into the slide. There is no safety catch;

53
 once the chamber has been loaded, the de-cocking lever is pushed up to interpose a safety block between hammer and firing pin, release the
hammer and brake the hammer's descent. The automatic firing pin safety system of the Mk 3S guards against accidental discharge. All that is
needed to fire the first shot is to pull through on the trigger in double-action mode. The BDA-9 entered production in 1990.
BDA-9M: Maker: Fabrique Nationale Herstal SA, Herstal. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum.
Length overall: 7·01in/178mm. Weight, unladen: 26·3oz/745gm. Barrel: 3·78in/96mm, rifled. Magazine: fourteen-round detachable box.
Barracuda: This was FN's sole venture into the revolver business, intended to satisfy
police forces which preferred revolvers to automatics. A conventional double action,
solid-frame six-shot weapon with a swinging cylinder, it chambered ·357 Magnum
cartridge and—oddly for a revolver—had its trigger guard shaped for two-hand grip.
A replacement cylinder allowed 9mm Parabellum cartridges to be fired, though these
had to be fitted into a rosette-shaped clip to enable extraction. The coil-pattern
hammer spring could be adjusted to give four degrees of tension.
The Barracuda was a high-quality weapon, but sales were disappointing; it appeared
at a time when police forces were at last overcoming distrust of automatic pistols.
Production stopped in 1987. FN bought the revolver-making portion of Manurhin
(q.v.) in 1989, creating FN France to make Manurhin revolvers under the FN name. Browning: ·357 Barracuda.
The purchase of FN by GIAT in 1990 has left the status of the FN/Manurhin revolver
project in question.
Maker: Fabrique Nationale Herstal SA. Herstal. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·357 Magnum. Length overall: 8·01in/204mm.
Weight, unladen: 36·2oz/1,025gm. Barrel: 2·95in/75mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

BROWNING (USA)
Browning Arms of Morgan, Utah, is a descendant of John Browning's original company and initially had no link with Fabrique Nationale except for
distributing FN products in the USA. Browning Arms has sold the High-Power and the BDA ·380 marked with the Browning trademark and name.
In addition, ·22 RF blowbacks have been made in the 'Buck Mark' series (named after the company trademark). These have a fixed barrels and short
slides, similar to the Colt Woodsman or High Standard pistols. The Plus model had laminated wood grips; the Varmint had walnut anatomical grips
and an optical sight mount; and the Silhouette featured target sights and a deeply grooved fore-end.
The company also busily imported Japanese shotguns; since these damaged sales of competing FN-made Browning shotguns, FN bought Browning
Arms in 1987 and changed its sales policy. The pistol business does not appear to have been affected.
Buck Mark: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: 9·49in/241mm. Weight, unladen:
32·0oz/907gm. Barrel: 5·51in/140mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round detachable box.

BROWREDUIT (SPAIN)
This was another of the 'Brow...' family of Velo-Dog revolvers, made in this case by Salvator Arostegui of Eibar. It offers the usual solid frame, a
folding trigger, and a hammerless action. Chambered for 6·35mm Auto, the Browrediut has a five-round cylinder. The distinctive prefix in these
Velo-Dogs arises from use of Browning-designed cartridges.

BRUTUS (USA)
Representing the usual type of ·22 RF solid-frame stud trigger revolver, this seven shot example was made by the Hood Firearms Company of
Norwich, Connecticut, in 1875-77. It was similar to the Hood 'Alaska' pattern, suggesting that the name may have been reserved for a particular
retailer.

BSA (BRITAIN)
The post-1919 successor to the Birmingham Small Arms Company, BSA Guns ltd, renowned for rifles and sporting guns, entered the automatic
pistol field after the First World War. The popularity of revolvers appeared to be waning in favour of the automatic, and BSA's technicians clearly
felt they could produce a pistol which avoided the defects in contemporary pistol design. The first (and last) public mention of the BSA occurred in
H.B.C. Pollard's 'Automatic Pistols' (1920), in which he wrote 'A new range of ·400 automatics are now being tried for military purposes and the
post-war models are obviously better than existing types, as they embody the latest ideas and practise on the subject' and 'An entirely new set of
automatic pistol cartridges are now in preparation. These will have a belt around the case designed to prevent any possible jams caused by
interlocking of the rim flanges. The calibres are 7, 9 and probably 11mm'. These were the only pistol cartridges ever to use belted construction.
The pistols were tested in 1920-2 by the Small Arms Committee, but were rejected
largely because the army had set its mind on a ·38 revolver and was still not convinced
that an automatic was suitable for military service. The weapons were returned to BSA
and the company lost interest in the project. Only a handful of pistols is thought to have
been made; none was included when the BSA study collection was sold at auction in
1971, and only one survives elsewhere.
BSA: Maker: BSA Guns Ltd. Birmingham. Type: automatic pistol.
Chambering: ·34 BSA Belted. Length overall: 6·33in/161mm. Weight,
unladen: not known. Barrel: 3·75in/95mm, rifled. Magazine: seven round BSA: The ultra-rare -34
detachable box. blowback.

BSW (GERMANY)
The Suhl-based factory of Berlin-Suhler Waffen- und Fahrzeugwerke is best known for making Astora-brand sporting guns and rifles. Created from
the long-established Simson & Co. (q.v.), which had been nationalised in the early days of the Third Reich, BSW later became part of Wilhelm-
Gustloff-Stiftung and ceased trading at the end of the Second World War. A double-action automatic, designed and patented in 1933-5, was
submitted to the German army as a potential military pistol. At least two 9mm Parabellum guns survive, but it is assumed that the complicated (and
possibly fragile) weapon was not effectual enough to challenge the Walthers.
BSW: Maker: Berlin-Suhler-Wetke, Abteilung Suhl. Type: automatic pistol (gas operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length
overall: 8·27in/210mm. Weight, unladen: 27·7oz/785gm. Barrel: 4·92in/125mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

54
BUCHEL (GERMANY)
Gunsmith Ernst Friedrich Buchel of Zella-Mehlis specialised
in Free Pistols for international competition. He made two
basic models in the period between the world wars, the Tell
and Luna being single-shot ·22 Long rimfire pistols with
dropping breech blocks and barrels as long as twelve inches.
The Tell grip was set at a most acute angle, fashionable with European pistol
shooters of the time, and a lever set into the upper surface of the grip controlled the
Buchel: The Tell target pistol,
breech block. The grip of the later Luna was set more conventionally, and a ring-tipped
from the Waffen-Glaser
lever inside the grip allowed the action to be opened without disturbing the firing hand.
catalogue of c.1933
Like all Free Pistols, the Buchel designs were custom-built for each purchaser and
exhibit innumerable variations of grip and sights.
Luna: Type: single-shot pistol. Calibre: ·22. Length overall: 18·31in/465mm. Weight, unladen: 40·0oz/1,135gm. Barrel: 120in/305mm,
rifled. Magazine: none.

BUDISCHOWSKY (USA)
This small double-action automatic, chambering either ·25 or ·32 ACP, was marketed by Norton Armaments of Mount Clemens, Michigan in 1973-
77. It was simply the German Korriphila (q.v.) pistol.

BUESCU (ROMANIA)
This obscure revolver, "Captain Buescu's Model 1876", was a solid-frame six-shot gate loader of conventional j[pattern but unknown (Belgian?)
make. The first modern Romanian service revolver was 'Galant-Lebeau M1874', which was subsequently modified; precisely what this entailed is
not yet known, as the guns have no outstanding features and Buescu does not seem to have received patents. He may simply have been the president
of a Romanian testing commission.

BUFFALO BILL (USA)

An American revolver from the 1875-85 period, this conventional ·22 Short rimfire seven-shot pattern had a solid frame and a spur trigger. It was
sold by Homer Fisher Company, according to the markings, but the actual manufacturer remains unknown.

BUHAG (GERMANY)
Buchsenmacher Handwerkgenossenschaft AG of Suhl maintained the gunmaking tradition of Suhl in the German Democratic Republic. The
principal product has been a ·22 Short rimfire Olimpiamodell target pistol, derived from the pre-war Walther of similar name, with a lengthy fixed
barrel, an open-topped slide and an internal hammer. Target sights and a muzzle counterweight were available, together with an assortment of grips.
Buhag pistols are rarely seen in the West, though they are regarded as serviceable and accurate.
Buhag: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Calibre: ·22. Length overall: 11·81in/300mm. Weight, unladen: 29·3oz/832gm. Barrel:
7·87in/200mm, rifled. Magazine: five-round detachable box.

BULL DOZER (USA)

A product of the Norwich Pistol Company of Norwich,
Connecticut, this ·22 Short (seven-shot), ·38, ·41 or ·44 Short
(all five-shot) rimfire revolver was sold by J. McBride &
Company c.1875-83. The Bull Dozer was the usual cheap
solid-frame Suicide Special and had a spur trigger.

BULLFIGHTER (BELGIUM)
A Belgian revolver of unknown make, chambered for the
·300 rimmed cartridge, this represents the Bulldog class
common in the 1890s, with a short barrel and a bird's head
grip. Most of these guns were destined for export and
frequently carried only dealers' or trade names.

BULLS EYE (USA)

Another of the many revolvers made in America in 1870-80,
this anonymous ·22 Short rimfire solid frame Suicide
Special has a seven-round cylinder and a stud trigger.

BURGHAM SUPERIOR (FRANCE, SPAIN)

1: A sales name for the French Unique (q.v.) pistols. Campo-Giro: Manufacturer's drawings of the 9mm M1913 pistol.
2: A 6·35mm Eibar-type Spanish automatic pistol of
unknown make, based on the 1906-pattern Browning. It was probably named to capitalise on the existence of the French Burgham Superior.

C
CAMPO-GIRO (SPAIN)
An officer in the Spanish army, Lieutenant-Colonel Venancio Lopez de Ceballos y Aguirre, Count of Campo Giro, began work on an automatic
pistol in about 1900. The first prototypes were submitted to field trials in 1904, and, therefore, are generally known as the '1904 Model'. A laterally-
sliding wedge beneath the barrel, controlled by a cam track in the frame, locked the breech. The magazine was in the butt and an external hammer
fired the pistol.

55
The calibre of these early models is in some doubt; one survivor is said to be 7·65mm —perhaps chambering 7·65mm Parabellum or 7·8mm
Bergmann No. 5 (which despite its designation was the same diameter) and another has been reported in 9mm. Though Aguirre referred to '9mm
Campo-Giro', this was essentially the same as the 9mm Bergmann(-Bayard), renamed 9mm Largo with the advent of the Model 1921 (Astra) pistol.
Models 1910, 1912 and 1913: An improved version of the Campo-Giro developed around the 9mm Bergmann cartridge. Some changes were made
to the frame, making it more comfortable to hold, and 25 examples of the 'Model 1910' were made in Oviedo in 1911. Extensive testing revealed a
need for additional modification, and an improved pistol was officially adopted in September 1912. Five hundred were ordered in November, but
teething troubles eventually led to the substitution of a simplified weapon abandoning the locking wedge in favour of blowback operation. The slide
was controlled by an exceptionally strong spring, with an additional shock absorber in the frame to reduce the hammering effect during recoil and
run-out.
The blowback Model 1913 Campo-Giro was approved for army issue on 5 January 1914. A seven-shot magazine was carried in the butt and an
extra round could be loaded into the chamber. About 1,000 M1913 pistols were made by Esperanza y Unceta y Cia.
Model 1913-16: Adopted in September 1916, this slightly modified 1913-pattern could be distinguished by the removal of the magazine catch from
behind the trigger guard to the base of the butt. Internally, a change was made so that the safety catch could be applied with the hammer down or
cocked in addition to the half-cock position of the earlier guns. Externally, the 1913-16 Campo-Giro had two grip-retaining screws instead of one.
The Spanish army acquired 13,000 in 1916-19, and about five hundred were sold privately. Towards the end of the production run, in 1918,
complaints began to be made about frame failures; Aguirre had died three years previously, so the problem was passed to Esperanza y Unceta. The
Campo-Giro was speedily redesigned to become the 'Astra 400' (q.v.), which replaced it in the Spanish army after 1921.
Campo-Giro M1913: Maker. Esperanza y Unceta, Guernica. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Calibre: 9mm. Length overall:
9·33in/237mm. Weight, unladen: 33·5oz/950gm. Barrel: 6·50in/165mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

CA-SI (SPAIN)
This 7·65mm Eibar-type automatic is generally attributed to Fabrique d'Armes de Grande Precision, owing to the sunburst motif on the grips
surmounted by CA-SI.

CASULL (USA)
The ·454 Casull (or Magnum Revolver) round was
developed in the late 1950s by Jack Fullmer and Dick Casull
of Salt Lake City, Utah; suitable revolvers appeared in the
early 1960s. The cartridge is based on the ·45 Colt case, but
the loadings are far more powerful and guns must be
strongly built to withstand the high pressures involved.
Revolvers were made in small numbers by Colt and Ruger,
but only the Freedom Arms ·454 Casull revolver remained
by the 1970s. Still in production, the high-grade steel Freedom Arms: ·454 Casull,
Freedom Arms Casull offers traditional Peacemaker with hand-filling Pachmayr
appearance, a plain cylinder and large size. Loaded to its Signature grips.
maximum capacity, the cartridge can develop a muzzle
energy of some 2000 ft-lb, twice that of ·44 Magnum, but
takes some controlling and is usually loaded to a lesser
standard.
Maker: Freedom Arms, Freedom, Wyoming. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·454 Casull. Length overall: 14·00in/356mm.
Weight, unladen: 50·0oz/1,418gm. Barrel: 7·50in/191mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

CDM (MEXICO)
This was an aluminium-framed ·22 LR six-shot double-action revolver marketed briefly in the USA in the 1970s. Claimed to be of 'American
manufacture' in advertisements, it is more likely to have been promoted by Cartouchoes Deportivos de Mexico. Manufacture was probably sub-
contracted in Mexico.

CENTURY (USA)
The Century revolver is a large bronze-framed single-action weapon in the Peacemaker mould, chambered for the ·45-70 cartridge. Originally
introduced by Century Arms in 1976, a change of ownership created Century Manufacturing Inc. in Greenfield, Indiana, in the mid 1980s. The
revolver is made only to specific order; it can also be chambered for ·375 Winchester, ·444 Marlin and ·50-70 Government cartridges. Shooting
ammunition of this potency needs a large and heavy gun and demands considerable skill.
Century Model 100: Maker: Century Mfg, Inc., Greenfield, Indiana. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·45-70 Government.
Length overall: 15·38in/391mm. Weight, unladen: 94·0oz/2,665gm. Barrel: 6·50in/165mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder

CENTENNIAL 1876 (USA)

A trade name for a series of revolvers made by the Deringer Rifle & Pistol Works of Philadelphia in the 1870s. The basic weapon was the familiar
seven-shot ·22 RF solid frame single-action type, with a stud trigger, but similar five-shot guns were made for ·32 or ·38 rimfire cartridges.

CESAR (SPAIN)
1: This was an otherwise anonymous 7·65mm Eibar-type automatic, possibly made by Urizar (see below). It has been attributed to Manufacture
d'Armes des Pyrenees, though with no apparent justification. The only specimen examined displayed CESAR across the grip, above a Roman
helmeted head motif.
2: The 'J. Cesar' 6·35mm copy of the 1906-model Browning was made by Tomas de Urizar. The only feature worthy of note on an unremarkable
gun is the variety of butt grip motifs, which runs from Urizar's familiar dragon to a club- wielding savage (found on other Urizar products), a
'JC' monogram, and even a rabbit. The slide marking is constant, however: AUTOMATIC PISTOL J CESAR 6·35.
J. Cesar [Eibar type]: Maker: Tomas de Urizar, Barcelona. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length
overall: 4·53in/115mm. Weight, unladen: 10·8oz/305gm. Barrel: 2·05in/52mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
56
CHALLENGE (USA)
This was a five-shot ·32 RF single action solid frame revolver manufactured by the Norwich Falls Pistol Company in accordance with a patent
granted to William H Bliss in 1878. It has a stud trigger.

CHAMELOT-DELVIGNE (BELGIUM)
Pirlot Freres of Liege were the post-1870 licensees of a double-action revolver lock designed by Joseph Chamelot of St Gilles, near Brussels, and
Henri-Gustave Delvigne of Paris. The subject of a dozen Belgian patents granted in 1862-73, the 'Chamelot & Delvigne' or 'Chamelot Delvigne'
lock became extremely popular owing to its robust reliability, being embodied in several service revolvers.
The earliest 'M1865' Chamelot & Delvigne revolvers were pinfires made in Liege. Though soon demonstrating their reliability, no real success was
encountered until the inventors assigned their patents to Pirlot Freres. A Pirlot-made revolver was soon adopted by the Belgian army (as the
M1871), and attention was immediately attracted from other European countries. True Chamelot-Delvigne revolvers included:
Model 1871: A solid-frame 11mm centre-fire design
adopted by the Belgian Army as a trooper's weapon.
Model 1872: It has been claimed that the Swiss adopted a
Chamelot & Delvigne revolver in the 1860s a 12mm gun
for Guides and a 9mm version for artillery NCOs—but
no trace of this has yet been found in Swiss federal
records. Experiments undertaken during the 1860s had
led to the approval of a 9mm M1866 revolver, but this
was a Lefaucheux-type pinfire; several hundred were
made by Beuret Freres of Liege for sale to army officers
who wished to buy them. Chamelot-Delvigne: French
Only after a series of trials in 1870-2 was the Chamelot Model 1874 officers'
Delvigne gun approved in Switzerland. Rudolf Schmidt revolver.
had made minor changes to the lock, the chambering had
been changed from the 11mm Belgian centre-fire
cartridge to a 10·4mm rimfire pattern, and the
Ordonnanzrevolver M l872 had been created.
A 10·4mm centre-fire copy of the Swiss gun was then adopted in Italy, apparently as the 'Modello 1872' though issue did not begin until 1874.
The Swiss and Italian revolvers were both solid-frame six-shot weapons with a loading gate and a rod ejector.
Ordonnanzrevolver 1872 (Switzerland): Maker: Pirlot Freres, Liege. Type: solid frame revolver. Chambering: 10·4mm rimfire. Length
overall: 10·94in/278mm. Weight, unladen: 35·3oz/1,000gm. Barrel: 5·91in/150mm, rifled. Magazine: six chamber cylinder.
Model 1873: This 11mm centre-fire pattern was adopted for NCOs and men of the French cavalry after extensive trials had been held in Saint-
Etienne. It could be distinguished from the otherwise similar French M1874 officer's revolver by its dimensions and plain-surface cylinder. It
was also left in the white, instead of being blued or blacked.
The Dutch army adopted what has been described as a Chamelot-Delvigne 9·4mm revolver in 1873, but it had so little in common with
contemporary Belgian, Swiss, Italian and French guns that additional details will be encountered under 'Beaumont'.
Model 1873 (France): Maker: Manufacture Nationale d'Armes, Saint-Etienne (MAS). Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: 11mm. Length
overall: 9·53in/242mm. Weight, unladen: 42·3oz/1,200gm. Barrel: 4·49in/114mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Model 1874: The 11mm centre-fire French officers' revolver was essentially similar to the 1873-type cavalry revolver, but was reduced slightly in
length and weight and had a fluted cylinder.
Model 1872/78: The Swiss adopted a 10·4mm centre-fire cartridge and a new-pattern revolver in 1878. However, to standardise ammunition supply,
1872-type rimfire revolvers were recalled for conversion. The resulting centre-fire guns were known as Ordonnanzrevolvers M1872/78,
'Chamelot, Delvigne and Schmidt', and were issued pending deliveries of the first 1878-model guns.

Chanticler (SPAIN)
An undistinguished 7·65mm Eibar-type automatic pistol, this was made in the early 1920s by Isidor Charola of Eibar.

CHAROLA Y ANITUA (SPAIN)

Founded in Eibar in the early 1880s, Anitua y Charola—as
the company was then known—made copies of Smith &
Wesson and other American revolvers. These included some
11mm guns of Merwin & Hulbert-type, supplied for field
trials with the Spanish army in 1888. A typical example, with chequered grips and a
triangular lanyard ring on the butt, displays FABRICA DE ARMAS DE ANITUA Y
CHAROLA EIBAR on the left side of the barrel.
The company is best known for one of the earliest successful automatic pistols, the
'Charola y Anitua' of 1897. This has the distinction of being the smallest-calibre pistol ever to
embody a locked breech, lack of experience in automatic mechanisms leading to a degree of over-insurance.
The swinging locking wedge, pinned to the frame, engages a lug on the bolt; barrel, barrel extension and bolt
all recoil together for about 5mm after firing, whereafter the wedge, pressed by a lug on the
barrel extension, disengages to allow the bolt to recoil. The bolt then cocks the hammer and Charola y Anitua: 5mm
returns to load a fresh round from the Mauser-style magazine in front of the trigger-guard. automatic pistol.
The butt and trigger mechanism derive from revolver practice, though the remainder of the
design is so strongly reminiscent of the Mauser C/96 that thoughts of Spanish copies come to mind. The special bottle-necked
rimless 5mm cartridge became better-known as the 5mm Clement. Some Charolas were also made in 7mm calibre with fixed or
removable magazine, apparently more in the nature of a factory trial than a commercial venture. Charola y Anitua 7mm ammunition was specially
made by DWM (DWM case no.501) and does not appear to have been marketed.

57
The pistol was manufactured in Spain for a few years and then licensed to an unknown gunmaker in Belgium. It is said to have been popular in
Russia prior to 1914, where most of the Belgian-made guns were sold. But it is certainly a rare pistol today.
Charola y Anitua: Maker: Anitua y Charola, Eibar. and then possibly Garate, Anitua y Cia. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated).
Calibre: 5mm. Length overall: 9·06in/230mm. Weight, unladen: 20·2oz/572gm. Barrel: 4·09in/104mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round
detachable box.

CHARTER ARMS (USA)

Charter Arms Corporation of Stratford, Connecticut, was founded in 1964 by Douglas McClenahan, an experienced engineer who had worked for
Colt, High Standard and Sturm, Ruger. McClenahan saw a market for a short-barrelled pocket revolver and, unable to interest his employers, went
into business for himself. After the usual initial struggle, Charter Arms has become a well-respected company offering high-quality guns.
Undercover: The company's first revolver, this has a swing-out cylinder and a two-inch
standard barrel. The chrome molybdenum steel frame allies with an alloy butt frame
and trigger guard to an empty weight of exactly one pound. Since its inception, the
Undercover has been produced as a five-shot ·38 Special with a three-inch barrel, or a
six-shot chambered for ·22 LR, ·22 WMR or ·32 Long. Good sights are fitted, heavier
grips are available, and the lock includes a transfer block to prevent accidental
discharge; only if the trigger is correctly pulled does the block transmit the blow of
the hammer to the firing pin. The rimfire versions were replaced by the Pathfinder
(q.v.).
Undercover: Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38 Special. Length
overall: 6·25in/159mm. Weight, unladen: 16·0oz/454gm. Barrel:
2·00in/51mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder. Charter Arms: 38 Special
Police Undercover: Introduced in 1984, this is an Undercover with two-inch barrel Undercover.
chambered either for the ·32 H&R Magnum (six-shot cylinder) or ·38 Special
cartridges (five-shot). The 'pocket hammer' was available as an option. Samples made in ·22 failed to catch on.
Undercoverette: This was an Undercover with a slimmer butt intended for female police officers. It replaced the ·32 version of the Undercover in
c.1977-82.
Pathfinder: Another variant of the basic design, this was a ·22 LR six shot with a
three inch barrel. It had a ramp front sight and was intended for general
recreation or as a 'kit gun' for hunters. It replaced the ·22 Undercover. Later
versions added extra barrel lengths, optional large grips, and ·22 WMR
chambering.
Pathfinder: Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire.
Length overall: 7·40in/188mm. Weight, unladen: 18·5oz/525gm.
Barrel: 3·00in/76mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Bulldog: An enlarged Undercover chambered for the ·357 Magnum or ·44 Special
cartridges, this is a five-shot revolver weighing 19·21oz with a three-inch
barrel. An interesting detail is its beryllium-copper firing pin, unconditionally
Charter Arms: ·22 Pathfinder.
guaranteed against breakage. Finish may be blue or stainless steel, and there is
a spurless 'pocket hammer' option.
Bulldog: Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·44 Special. Length overall: 7·5in/191mm. Weight, unladen: 19·0oz/539gm. Barrel:
3·00in/76mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.
Bulldog Pug: This 1986-vintage introduction has a shrouded ejector rod, broadened trigger blade and hammer spur, and a 2·5in barrel.
Bulldog Tracker: Chambered for the ·357 Magnum cartridge and fitted with adjustable sights, this has bigger grips than the standard Bulldog and
may be obtained with a 2·5, 4 or 6in barrel.
Off-Duty: Introduced in 1984, this is simply the Undercover in black finish.
Police Bulldog: This is a small Bulldog chambered for standard ·38 cartridges
rather than ·357 Magnum. Various forms are available; 'P' models have the
spurless pocket hammer; 'B' models have a heavy or bull barrel, and 'S'
models offer silk-finish stainless steel.
Target Bulldog: Available in ·357 or ·44 Magnum, this has a heavy barrel,
adjustable sights and a square butt; as the name implies, it is intended for
competition shooting.

CHICAGO ARMS COMPANY (USA)

This sales name was applied to revolvers made c.1870-90 by the Meriden
Firearms Company (q.v.) for sale by the Frederick Bifflar Company of
Chicago. The ·32 and ·38-calibre top break five-shot guns had double-action Charter Arms: ·44 Bulldog.
locks and ribbed barrels.

CHICAGO CUB (USA)

One of a number of cheap ·22 RF solid-frame revolvers manufactured in the 1950s by Reck Sportwaffen of Lauf bei Nurnberg, Germany, this was
in Europe as the 'Recky' and in the USA as the Chicago Cub. The Gun Control Act of 1968 ended importation of these weapons, and Reck—
deprived of a major market—turned to the manufacture of starting and signal pistols that continues today.

CHICAGO LEDGER (USA)

This five-shot solid frame ·22 revolver, made by an unidentifiable American gunmaker, dates from the 1880s. With a bird's-head butt and stud
trigger, it resembles the classical Suicide Special excepting for a notably prominent hammer spur.

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CHICAGO PROTECTOR (USA)
A Palm-Squeezer pistol sold by the Chicago Firearms Company in the 1890s, this was a modification of the French Turbiaux pattern (q.v.).
American manufacturing rights were purchased from the original promoter, the Minneapolis Firearms Company by its salesman, Peter Finnegan.
Finnegan formed the Chicago Firearms Company to exploit the gun, then contracted with the Ames Sword Company to make the pistols. Ames
failed to produce the right quantity in the required time, lawsuits ensued, Finnegan won and Ames got the pistol. Attempts were made to market it
for some years, with little success, until the struggle was abandoned in 1910.
Chicago Protector: Maker: Ames Sword Company, Chicopee Falls, Mass. Type: repeating pistol. Calibre: ·32. Length overall.
4·72in/120mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 1·77in/45mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-chamber disc.

CHIEFTAIN (USA)
This solid frame stud-trigger ·32 RF five-shot revolver was made with a 2·33 or 2·68in octagonal barrel. The butt may be a saw-handled or
conventionally squared-end. It was manufactured in the 1880s by the Norwich Pistol Company for Maltby, Curtis & Co. of New York.

CHINESE STATE FACTORIES

Any attempt to tabulate the pistols emanating from China in the
past century would be doomed before it started, since they defy
classification. The expression 'Chinese Copy' is no mere figure of
speech when applied to pistols; Chinese workshops have produced
copies of many weapons alongside indigenous designs based on
Western designs. Apart from some official copies—e.g., well-
known ·45 ACP Mauser C/96 copies manufactured in the 1930s by
Shensi and Shantung arsenals—most were produced by the handful
in backyard workshops. The 1900-model Browning was
particularly favoured. Chinese State Factories:
These backyard copies share a fine crop of spurious markings; 7·65mm Type 64.
some are incomprehensible strings of letters, others are well-made
facsimiles of recognised trademarks—particularly the Mauser
banner.
Leaving the copies aside, all that remains is to record those pistols used by Chinese military forces and, for the most part, offered on the
international export market. Current products are generally the work of North China Industries Corporation of Beijing.
The earliest state-manufactured pistols were simply copies of Soviet originals, reflecting the Sovietisation of the People's Army in the 1950s. These
guns were then copied in Chinese arsenals. With the gradual divergence of Soviet and Chinese politics, however, native designs have predominated.
Type 51: This is the Chinese-made copy of the Tokarev TT-33, distinguishable by
narrower retraction grooves and Chinese markings. Like the original, the Type 51
chambers for the Soviet 7·62mm pistol cartridge (also known as the Type 51 in
China).
Type 51: Maker: state factories. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated).
Chambering: 7·62mm type 51. Length overall: 7·68in/195mm. Weight,
unladen: 31·4oz/890gm. Barrel: 4·53in/115mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round
detachable box.
Type 64: An unusual weapon, basically a 7·65mm blowback with an integral silencer,
this fires a special rimless Type 64 cartridge made only in China. The standard semi-
rimmed 7·65mm ACP will not fit. Chinese State Factories: 9mm
The silencer is formed in a bulbous casing around the barrel; escaping gas, trapped by Type 59.
a series of rubber discs, is directed into an expansion chamber filled with wire gauze.
Silent discharge would normally be followed by the clatter of the slide as it opened to
extracted the spent case, then ran forward to re-load. The Type 64 can function in this
manner if desired but, if absolute silence is needed, the slide can be locked to the
barrel and no reciprocation takes place. The firer departs the scene, opening the breech and reloading manually when convenient.
Type 64 silenced: Maker: state factories. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Type 64. Length overall:
8·74in/222mm. Weight, unladen: 63·8oz/1,810gm. Barrel: 3·74in/95mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.
Type 67: This is simply an improved Type 64 with a slimmer tubular silencer; operation is
exactly the same.
Type 59: The Chinese-made version of the Makarov, apart from a slight difference in
weight, is identical to the Soviet version. The standard 9mm Makarov cartridge is also
known by the Chinese as the Type 59.
Type 77: This is another copy—but a remarkable one, being derived from the pre-war
Lignose Einhand pistol! The front of the trigger-guard, with a reverse curve, is linked to
the slide. By curling the forefinger around the guard, the slide may be pulled back to
cock the pistol. Releasing the grip allows the slide to close, chambering a round, and the
finger can then be replaced inside the trigger-guard. The trigger guard slider remains Chinese State Factories:
static during firing. 7·65mm Type 77.
The blowback Type 77 uses a fluted chamber to reduce the gas pressure acting on the
base of the case, by leaking a proportion of gas past the case wall, in an effort to ease
extraction. It fires the rimless 7·65mm Type 64 cartridge associated with the silenced pistols described above.
Type 77: Maker: state factories. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Type 64. Length overall: 5·83in/148mm.
Weight, unladen; 17·6oz/500gm. Barrel: rifled. Magazine, seven-round detachable box.

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Type 80: Another oddity, this is a modernised reincarnation of the Mauser Schnellfeuerpistole of the 1930s. The outline remains basically Mauser,
with the magazine ahead of the trigger and a lug locked bolt reciprocating in the barrel extension. But the removable box magazine is canted
forward to improve the reliability of the feed, and the butt is a squared modern pattern. A clip-on telescoping stock is available, and even a
bayonet may be obtained. The cartridge is the standard 7·62mm Type 51 and the manufacturers claim accuracy to 150 yards with the stock fitted.
Type 80: Maker: state factories. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated), capable of selective fire. Chambering: 7·62mm Type 51. Length
overall: 11·81in/300mm. Weight, unladen: 38·8oz/1,100gm. Barrel: rifled. Magazine: ten- or twenty-round detachable box.

CHIPMUNK (USA)
This Bolt-Action single-shot target pistol is made by Chipmunk Manufacturing Inc. of Medford in Oregon. Popular in various types of competition,
it is rarely seen outside the USA.

CHOBERT (FRANCE)
Louis Chobert of 16 rue Lafayette, Paris, described himself as an 'arquebusier' an old-fashioned alternative to gunsmith. But he was no more than a
salesman, dealing largely in imported Belgian revolvers of the cheaper kind; the usual weapons found with his name are small-calibre Velo-Dog
hammerless revolvers with folding triggers. These were popular as home and personal defence weapons in the 1880s; they were bought from any of
a dozen small companies in Liege.

CHUCHU (BRAZIL)
This Brazilian patented a rarely encountered four-barrelled ·22 rimfire folding pistol in 1884. It had a rotating firing pin, driven by a self-cocking
hammer to strike four cartridges in succession. The action was hinged so that the barrels could be folded beneath the frame, facilitating pocketing,
and a latch prevented the cartridges falling from the chambers. Pressure on an extractor rod passing down the centre of the barrel cluster ejected all
four cases simultaneously.

CHYLEWSKI (SWITZERLAND)
Witold Chylewski developed an unusual automatic pistol capable of being operated by one hand. In the early days of the automatic, the revolver
makers made much of the fact that their products could be operated one-handed, whereas an automatic required both hands to cock and load.
Inventors set about remedying this by arrangements of levers, but the ideas failed when applied to heavy military calibres.
Chylewski sensibly stuck to a simple 6·35mm blowback pocket pistol, with a relatively weak recoil spring and minimal slide travel. He connected
the front edge of the trigger guard with the slide, so that pulling back on the guard with the forefinger retracted the slide to cock and load. The
forefinger was then transferred to the trigger; alternatively, on some versions, the slide was released automatically and the trigger-guard retreated
farther to trip the trigger lever and fire the gun.
Chylewski received several relevant patents in 1910-18. Small numbers of pistols, perhaps no more than two hundred, were made by SIG in
Switzerland. They bore the company name on the left side and BREVETE CHYLEWSKI; unfortunately SIG no longer has records of quantity.
The next stage is unclear. Surviving Chylewski pistols often have the one-hand feature disabled, sometimes said to have arisen from a patent-
infringement argument with Ole Krag. However, Krag had died in 1912 and it seems unlikely that Norwegian executors would have pursued patents
that had almost elapsed in Switzerland. It is more likely that the original one-hand cocking system began to bind when worn, and became an
irritation.
Rights to Chylewski's designs passed to the Bergmann company who, after slight changes had been made, produced the 'Einhand' pistol in the late
1920s (see 'Bergmann' and 'Lignose'). Even more remarkably, the Chylewski/Einhand system reappeared in China in the early 1980s, when the
Type 77 pistol was announced by the North China Industries Corporation (see 'Chinese State Factories'). This pistol is virtually an Einhand
chambered for the Chinese 7·65mm Type 64 cartridge.
Chylewski: Maker: SIG, Neuhausen. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·61in/117mm.
Weight, unladen: 13·2oz/375gm. Barrel: 2·24in/57mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

CLAIR (FRANCE)
It is frequently asserted, especially by the French, that the
Clair brothers of Saint-Etienne—Benoit, Jean-Baptiste and
Victor—produced the first practical automatic pistol and,
indeed, are due the lion's share of the credit for perfecting
the whole genre. This claim is grossly inflated. Work on the
Clairs' gas-operated pistol is said to have begun in 1880; the
absence of documentary evidence is dismissed by R.K.
Wilson, author of 'Automatic Pistols': 'It is said that the
brothers were just simple-minded mechanics who shunned
publicity and who were apparently too ingenuous to patent
their ideas. If this is so, they were indeed unusual inventors
and quite unlike any other of the breed ever seen in the gun
trade.
The first record of their activity is an 1889 British patent, Clair: From its British patent
of 1893.
claiming the principle of gas operation: 'The explosion gases
being allowed to pass through an orifice in the barrel to a
tube running beneath it, to furnish power for operating the
loading mechanism'. As this claim had already been
registered by others, the patent was refused.
1893 brought the brothers' first claim for a gas-operated shotgun and a gas-operated pistol with a circular tube magazine in the butt, curling round to
meet the frame. The patent drawings show rimmed cartridges, probably standard French 8mm Lebel revolver ammunition. Later drawings show
rimless rounds whose proportions suggest 9mm Bergmann-Bayard or Steyr rounds—possibly introduced by later commentators anxious to depict
the Clair system to its best advantage by adding the refinement of a contemporary rimless cartridge.

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The production history of the Clair guns is still contested. Michel Josserand, in 'Pistols Revolvers & Ammunition', claims that a five-shot pistol was
made in 1887; Jaroslav Lugs (Firearms Past & Present) gives 1893 and 1895 on different pages, while Pollard, who was at least writing from
personal experience, suggests a date close to 1900 —though he then sabotages his remarks by suggesting that the Clair chambered a 7·7mm
cartridge. The Frenchman Leleu dates the first gun to 1895, in a description of the 'Exposition Universale de 1900 a Paris'. This seems plausible; the
content of the 1893 patent raises doubts that anything more than a rough model had then been made and, if pistols had indeed been produced six
years previously, it seems strange that patent applications should be delayed for such a long time. Allowing that the 1893 patent required
refinement, however, would make 1895 a likely date for the start of production.
There is no doubt that pistols were offered for sale. Pollard describes one as Marge and clumsy compared to the French revolver, with a folding
trigger and no trigger guard. Its ballistics are, however, an improvement on the revolver...' He also gave a comparison—Clair velocity 850 ft/sec,
penetration 120mm; French revolver velocity 752 ft/sec, penetration 85mm.
Any claim that the Clair brothers produced the first automatic pistol must be dismissed; by 1895 they had been pre-empted by Paulson (1886),
Schonberger (1892) and Borchardt (1893), not to mention the Orbea gas operated revolver made in 1863.
Pistolet Clair: Data taken from a specimen dating from the late 1890s. Maker: Clair Freres, Saint-Etienne. Type: automatic pistol (gas
operated). Calibre: 7·7mm. Length overall: 17·32in/440mm. Weight, unladen: 45·9oz/1,300gm. Barrel: 6·30in/160mm, rifled. Magazine:
six-round detachable box.

CLEMENT (BELGIUM)
Gunsmith Charles Ph. Clement of Liege—later C. Clement, Neumann Freres—patented an ingenious blowback pistol with a fixed barrel and
moving bolt in 1903. The barrel and return spring were concealed in a fixed housing attached by two screws engaging a pillar formed by the rear
end of the frame. The bolt, slightly offset to clear the pillar, recoiled backward out of the housing.
Model 1903: This chambered the 5mm Charola y Anitua cartridge; the ammunition was
made in Belgium. As the Clement pistol survived the Charola y Anitua design, so the
cartridge eventually became known as '5mm Clement'.
Model 1907: Clement overhauled his design in 1907, moving the strengthened retaining
pillar to the centre of the frame. A slot allowed the bolt to reciprocate around the pillar.
An extension above the bolt head engaged a return spring housed over the front of the
bolt. The Model 1907 pistol chambered 6·35mm or 7·65mm Auto cartridges.
Clement M1907: Maker: Charles Ph. Clement. Liege. Type: automatic pistol
(blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·91in/150mm. Weight,
unladen: 20·6oz/583gm. Barrel: 2·96in/75mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round Clement: 7·65mm pistol
detachable box. showing transitional design
Model 1908: This may be recognised by its parallel-sided grip, which replaced the previous features, c.1905
tapered pattern, and the position of the magazine catch. Earlier models had a push-button
in the back strap of the butt, whereas the M1908 has a conventional button in the side of the grip.
Model 1910: Charles Clement patented a new design in 1910, rationalising his previous ideas. The barrel housing and barrel became a single unit,
pinned to the same central pillar but retained by the trigger guard; springing the guard from the butt and pulling it forward unlocked the barrel,
which could then be pivoted upward for cleaning or to allow the bolt to be removed.
Model 1912: This was Clement's final product, abandoning his patented designs in favour of a routine 6·35mm blowback similar to the 1906-type
Browning (though lacking a grip safety). Relatively few were made, but there were numerous detail variations. One type has the barrel retained
by a collar attached to the muzzle and screwed to the frame; another—comparatively common—has its slide-top recessed above the breech,
while a rarer third is conventionally flush-topped. Some are marked CLEMENT'S PATENT; others display MODEL 1912 BREVETE 243839.
It is suspected that Clement had either retired or died by this time, and that Neumann Freres had taken over. But the company did not survive the
German occupation of Liege and no Clement pistols were made after 1914.
Clement M1912: Maker: Charles Ph. Clement, Liege. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·53in/115mm. Weight, unladen: 13·4oz/380gm. Barrel: 2·01in/51mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Clement Revolver: A few of these were produced by Neumann Freres in 1912-14. They were virtual copies of the ·38 Special Colt Police Positive,
identifiable by the Clement 'CC' monogram moulded into the grips.
Clement: Maker: Neumann Freres, Liege. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·38. Length overall: 9·84in/250mm. Weight, unladen:
29·1oz/825gm. Barrel: 4·72in/120mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

CLEMENT-FULGOR (BELGIUM)
Very little is known of this pistol, advertised only by Neumann Freres in 1913-14. It was a 7·65mm blowback based on the 1903-pattern Browning,
with no Clement features at all. It could be considered as the 7·65mm equivalent of the 1912 type Clement. Manufacture is said to have begun in
1913 but, in view of the German invasion in 1914, probably never reached real quantity.
Clement-Fulgor: Maker: Neumann Freres, Liege. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
7·01in/180mm. Weight, unladen: 25·2oz/715gm. Barrel: 4·33in/110mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

CLERKE (USA)
The Clerke Company of Santa Monica, California, advertised two revolvers in the mid-1970s. Both were nickel-plated solid frame models with
double-action locks and five-round swinging cylinders. One chambered ·32 S&W, the other being a ·22 Long Rifle rimfire. Other reports speak of
two blowback automatic pistols, in ·22 LR and ·380 Auto. They do not appear to have remained on the market for very long.

COBOLT (BELGIUM)
This ·450 revolver, similar to the HDH Cobold (q.v.), was sold by Ancion-Marx of liege in the 1880s. It may have been named to capitalise on the
popularity of its near-contemporary.

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CODY (USA)
Made by Cody Manufacturing Corporation of Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, this curious six-shot hinged frame ·22 LR design provided the 1960s
equivalent of the Velo Mith and similar guns revolvers with barrels shaped to resemble an automatic pistol. The Cody revolver had a respectably-
sized frame, giving a comfortable grip, but failed to attract many customers and was soon abandoned.

COLT (USA)
This world-renowned firearms manufacturer has traded variously as Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg. Co. and Colt's Firearms Company (1847-1947);
Colt's Manufacturing Co., (1947-55); Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg. Co. (1955- 64); Colt Firearms Division, Colt Industries (1964-89); Colt
Manufacturing Co., Inc. (1989 to date).
Samuel Colt came from a good family, with money, but chose to strike out for himself. Most of his life was spent inventing and manufacturing
firearms, but he was less than successful at first. His first venture—the Patent Arms Manufacturing Company of Paterson, New Jersey—failed in the
1840s, but the success of the Walker Colt and the subsequent adoption of a Colt cap-lock revolver for the US Dragoons helped him make a mark.
By 1850 he had his own factory in Hartford, Connecticut; in 1855, he built a second larger one. The Civil War made a huge fortune for the
company, though Samuel did not live to see the end of it, dying at the early age of 47 in 1862.
Control of Colt fell to a series of directors skilful enough to retain the company's substantial reputation in the arms field, even though frequently
clinging to obsolete designs long after competitors had abandoned them.
Smith & Wesson's exploitation of the Rollin White patent delayed the development of the first effectual Colt cartridge revolver until the early
1870s. However, the adoption of the ·45 Single Action Army ('SAA') revolver by the US Army in 1873 enabled Colt to regain its position;
thereafter, success followed success. The SAA and the double- action Frontier models dominated the legend and myth of the Wild West. 'Colt'
became synonymous with 'revolver' and, thanks to novels and films, has remained so ever since.
The development of automatic pistols followed the same pattern. Colt harnessed the genius of John Browning to develop the M1911 ·45 automatic
from the original 1897 master-patent. Adoption of the Colt-Browning by the US Army gave it global stature; it remained in US service until the
mid-1980s, and is still in use throughout the world.
In common with many firearms manufacturers, Colt has had a recent history of financial difficulties arising from costs rising faster than prices,
mergers, takeovers and—finally—a management buyout returning the company to an independent position from which it may gain strength by
returning to the virtues that made its name: good quality, careful manufacture and sound design. Although Colt began by manufacturing cap-lock
revolvers, this survey begins in 1870 with the first cartridge guns.
DERRINGERS
Breech-loading pocket derringers became popular in the middle 1860s, when the ·41 rimfire chambering became all but standard. Many companies
produced guns of this class, encouraging Colt to enter the fray in 1870 by buying the National Arms Company of New York. National was already
selling two derringers, which became Colt's First and Second Models. Colt designer F. Alexander Thuer received a patent on a Third Model in 1870.
All Colt derringers are loaded by pivoting the barrel: the National models by swinging the barrel sideways about a pin beneath the breech, so that
the barrel dropped to the left, and the Third Model by swinging the barrel horizontally so that the breech moves to the right.
First and Second Models: These were almost identical with the original National Arms Company
models, but were stamped with the Colt name and address. They had Moore's patent method of
swinging the barrel sideways and down to reload, and had small curled butts. Both had 2·5in
barrels, a half-round front sight blade, and a back sight notch cut in the hammer spur. Two notches
gave the hammer half- and full-cock positions, and a spring-loaded stud on the right of the breech
locked the barrels in place. Both guns were 4·88in long and weighed just under 7oz.
The First Model had an all-steel grip integral with the butt; the Second Model had separate
chequered walnut grips. Production of both models totalled a little over 15,000. The last guns were made
about 1890. Colt: ·41 No.1 derringer.
First Model Derringer: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg Co.. Hartford. Conn. Type: single-shot
pistol. Chambering: ·41 rimfire. Length overall: 4·88in/124mm. Weight, unladen: 10·0oz/284gm. Barrel: 2·50in/64mm, rifled. Magazine:
none.
Third Model: Made from 1871 until about 1912, this original Colt design differed appreciably from its
predecessors. Sold concurrently with the First and Second Models for many years, complicating
accounting, upward of 45,000 were despatched from Hartford.
The Third Model looked more like a pistol than the earlier Colt derringers, with a bird's head butt,
walnut grips and a brass frame. The barrel was still 2·5in long and overall length remained a
fraction under five inches, but the weight dropped to 6·5oz. The frame ran forward to carry a
vertical pivot-pin around which the barrel swung for loading; as the barrel neared the end of its arc,
a pin ejected the empty case.
Third Model Derringer: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg Co. Hartford. Conn. Type: single-shot
pistol. Chambering: ·41 rimfire. Length overall: 4·88in/124mm. Weight, unladen: 6·5oz/185gm. Colt: ·41 No.3 or Thuer
Barrel: 2·60in/64mm, rifled. Magazine: none. derringer.
Fourth Model: The revival of the Colt Single Action Army was accompanied by interest in the derringer. To
satisfy demand that came largely from collectors, Colt introduced a modernised Third Model chambering ·22 Short rimfire so that it could be
fired for amusement; 112,000 were sold in 1959-63. The Fourth Model was a copy of the third pattern excepting calibre and finish, as many
were elaborately engraved, with wood, ivory or mother-of-pearl grips.
Lord and Lady Model: Successful revival of the Colt derringer led to this fancy pair of Fourth Model guns, announced in 1970. The Lord derringer
had a gold-plated frame, blued barrel and walnut grips; the Lady model had a gold frame and barrel, blued hammer and trigger, and simulated
pearl grips. Both chambered ·22 Short rimfire ammunition.
SINGLE-ACTION REVOLVERS
Open Top Rimfire Model 1872: Quite why Colt thought this revolver to be acceptable is now difficult to understand. In spite of the 1868 US Army
decision to use only solid-frame revolvers, Colt introduced another open-top weapon In the hope of gaining a military contract. Predictably
rejected by the army, it remained in production for four years although no more than 7,000 were made. The six-shot Model 1872 chambered the
·44 Henry rimfire cartridge and, unusual among Colt designs, had its back sight on the barrel ahead of the cylinder.

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 New Model Army Revolver or 'M1872': Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg Co.. Hartford. Conn. Type: open-frame revolver.
Chambering: ·44 Henry rimfire. Length overall: 13·38in/340mm. Weight, unladen: 42·0oz/1,190gm. Barrel: 7·50in/191mm, rifled.
Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Single Action Army Revolver Model 1873: This was
the successor to the Open Top, introduced late in
1871. Approval was gained after rigorous testing
throughout 1872 and it became the US Army's
M1873. The design was a natural evolution distilled
from all the previous Colt revolvers, with additions to meet
the Army's needs and to incorporate metallic-cartridge technology.
Although initially produced for the army, the SAA built such a huge reputation that it
became the symbol of the Old West: the immortal cowboy's gun. Production began in 1873
and continued until 1940, by which time 357,859 had been made. A few were assembled from
spares during the Second World War, but there was then a ten-year break until
popular demand forced Colt back into production in 1955.
Colt: ·45 Single Action Army
No other gun has ever enjoyed such a long production run and few commercial 1873.
designs have exceeded the sales of the Single Action Army revolver. It has,
moreover, been widely copied, particularly since the advent of the 'fast draw' craze in the 1950s led to a demand for
Western-style single-action revolvers.
This remarkable Colt revolver is not particularly unusual either in design or construction. It is a solid and heavy weapon with a single-action
system which became obsolete within a few years of its introduction.
The solid frame is designed with economy of line, the flat downward-sloping underside carrying a flattened oval trigger guard of relatively small
dimensions. The standing breech has a distinctive hemispherical shape, with a loading gate hinged in the right side. The butt is set low, giving a
high sight-line above the hand, and is flared to give an excellent grip. The rear face of the large hammer matches the curve of the breech. The
robust spur is well curved for the thumb and heavily chequered. The plain rounded-edge flat-blade front sight is brazed to the muzzle of the plain
cylindrical barrel. A rudimentary back sight groove runs along the flat top strap. An ejector rod lies in a slotted housing ('ejector case' in Colt
terminology), which is pinned to the right lower side of the barrel and brazed into a seat in the frame.
The Single Action Army is essentially a working gun; although many have been engraved for presentation or recent 'Commemorative Issues', the
standard revolver was plain and unadorned. Grips were originally of plain wood, but hard rubber patterns were adopted in 1882; the metal parts
were generally blued. No less than thirty different chamberings have been offered commercially; the US Army specification was ·45, but
cartridges from ·22 LR rimfire to ·476 Eley centre-fire have been used. The earliest guns lacked calibre marks, but these have been stamped into
the barrel or frame since c.1880.
The SAA was not expensive in its heyday; the only accessory offered was a turnscrew, and even that was not essential. Government contracts
continued from 1873 to 1891, by which time 36,060 ·45 revolvers had been delivered with 7·5in barrels. Between 1898 and 1903 about 21,300
survivors were returned to the factory to have an overhaul in which barrels were shortened to 5·5in. The alteration was probably the result of
experience gained in the Spanish- American War.
Single Action Army Revolver or M1873: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg Co.. Hartford, Conn. Type: solid-frame revolver.
Chambering: ·45 Colt (one of many options—see text). Length overall: 10·25in/260mm. Weight, unladen: 36·0oz/1,021gm. Barrel:
4·75in/121mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
The Buntline Special: This ultra-long barrelled Single Action Army has acquired a reputation far in excess of its importance, numbers or
usefulness. Originating in a five-gun order allegedly placed with Colt early in the twentieth century by Edward Judson, who wrote pulp fiction
under the pseudonym Ned Buntline, the name has been retrospectively attached to a few long-barrel revolvers made to special order between
1878 and 1884. Made with barrels of 10, 12 or 16in, the Colts all had shoulder stocks and folding-leaf back sights. Factory records list a mere
eighteen, some of which were apparently cut to a more manageable length within a few years. However, so remarkable is the myth that limited
numbers of the 12in and 16in barrelled versions were specially made in 1958 and again in 1970.
SAA Flat Top Target Model: This special target version was made in very limited numbers between 1888 and 1895. In effect, it was a selected
standard SAA with a flattened top strap of the frame instead of the normal slightly curved variety. A back sight was mounted on the 'flat top' and
a larger front sight blade, usually of German silver, was pinned to the muzzle. However, factory-pattern sights were often replaced with their
owner's particular fancy and variations will be seen. The ejector rod was also frequently removed, requiring the cylinder to be removed for
reloading.
Barrels came in a variety of lengths from 4·25in to 9in, though the normal length was 7·5in. No less than 21 different chamberings were supplied
in a total factory production of only 925 guns.
Single Action Army Bisley Model: This
derivative of the Flat Top Target
Model was introduced in 1894 with
British target shooters in mind. The
difference between the Bisley and
any other SAA lies largely in the butt, hammer and
trigger. The butt has a distinctive hump-backed appearance, giving a better hold in the manner
fashionable at that time. The hammer has a low, sweeping spur; internally, the hammer is
hooked to the mainspring by a stirrup to reduce friction and improve
the pull-off. The trigger is longer, chequered, and markedly curved.
Colt: Bisley revolvers had a
As with most target weapons, the Bisley was produced in a range of distinctive 'hunched frame'
calibres; factory records list eighteen different cartridges, barrel appearance.
lengths ranging from 3·5in to 7·5in. Production continued until 1915,
by which time about 44,350 had been sold.
Single Action Army Revolver, Bisley Model: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg Co., Hartford, Conn. Type: solid-
frame revolver. Chambering: ·38-40 WCF (one of many options). Length overall: 12·50in/318mm. Weight, unladen:
40·5oz/1,148gm. Barrel: 7·50in/191mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

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Bisley Flat Top Target Model: This is easily confused with the true Bisley model, which was produced roughly concurrently. The Bisley Flat Top
was actually the forerunner of the Bisley Model; only 970 were made and almost all were shipped to Britain.
The differences between this and the Bisley Model are slight; both guns have the distinctive humped butt, but the frame has the distinctive flat
top strap whereas the Bisley has a curved top strap. The Bisley type trigger and hammer is shared by both guns. Barrel length was the standard
7·5in, with very few deviations. Calibres ranged from ·32 to ·455 and, remarkably, there was never a ·22 rimfire variant.
Modern Single Action Army Revolvers: The popularity of the SAA forced Colt to resume manufacture in 1955. Most of the original tooling
remained in the factory, and the earliest 'new' guns actually incorporated original pre-war parts. Variations between pre- and post-war models are
so slight that only serial numbers positively identify the difference. However, the multiplicity of calibres was no longer economic, and only ·38
Special, ·357 Magnum, ·44 Special and ·45 Colt chamberings were offered. Barrels measured 4·75in, 5·5in and 7·5in, excluding the special
three-inch barrelled Sheriff's Model and two issues of Buntline Specials with 12in or 16in barrels.
New Frontier Model Single Action Army revolver: Announced in 1961, this was the target-shooting model of the post-war SAA. Its name
capitalised upon the presidential campaign slogan used by John F. Kennedy in 1960. Apart from the sights, it was the Flat Top Target Model of
1888 with a polished finish and an inscribed medallion in the grip. A Buntline version with 12in or 16in barrels apparently found few takers.
New Frontier Model: Maker: Colt Firearms Division. Colt Industries. Hartford. Conn. Type: solid frame revolver. Chambering: ·357
Magnum length overall: 11·50in/292mm. Weight, unladen: 60·0oz/1,700gm. Barrel: 5·50in/140mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber
cylinder.
Frontier Scout Models: To meet the demand for a Single Action
Army replica which was smaller and lighter than the standard
gun, this pattern was introduced in January 1958 in ·22 LR
rimfire. The low-power cartridge and a precision- cast
aluminium frame allowed the original Model Q Frontier Scout
(later designated 'Q-1' ) to be slightly smaller and some 8oz
lighter than the standard SAA. It was also appreciably cheaper.
The earliest frames were left in the white, but blueing was
applied from September 1958 onward. The standard barrel
measured 4·75in.
Colt announced the Buntline Scout (Model Q-2) in January Colt: ·22 rimfire Frontier
1959. Chambered for the ·22 LR rimfire cartridge, it differed Scout.
from the Q-l purely in barrel length—9·5in instead of 4·75in.
The Q-type Frontier Scouts were joined for the 1962 season by
the 'K' patterns, developed in 1960-1. These guns had heavier frames suitable to handle ·22 WRM ammunition; they weigh about 6oz more than
'Q' equivalents. The Frontier Scout 62 (K-l) was an improved Q-l with blue finish; K-2 was an improved Q-2 Buntline in blue; K-3 and K-4 were
simply models K-l and K-2 with nickel plating. K-series guns were generally sold with staghorn grips.
Frontier Scout [Model Q-1]: Maker: Colt Firearms Division. Colt Industries, Hartford. Conn. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering:
·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: 9·33in/237mm. Weight, unladen: 24·0oz/680gm. Barrel: 4·75in, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Cloverleaf House Model: This was the first Colt revolver specifically made for metallic cartridges. Production began late in 1870; ten thousand
were made. The Cloverleaf was a small light solid-frame revolver with short curved butt and a spur trigger. It chambered ·41 rimfire cartridges
and had a barrel of 1·5in or 3in. Weight was 14·5oz with the three-inch barrel.
The Cloverleaf name arose from the four-round cylinder, which was deeply indented between the chambers. The chambers were recessed to
conceal the cartridge rims and were loaded from the right by manually rotating the cylinder until a chamber was clear of the frame. A stud kept
the cartridges in place as the cylinder rotated and could be swung aside for loading. Alternatively, the cylinder could be removed from the frame
and the empty cases poked out by an ejector rod housed inside the cylinder arbor pin.
Early hammers had a high spur, but this changed c.1874 to a low-profile version less likely to catch in the pocket. From no. 7500 onward, the
Cloverleaf was produced with a conventional five-chambered cylinder. The barrel was standardised at 2·63in and the ejector rod was discarded.
The gun could still be loaded through the side groove, but the cylinder had to be removed for unloading.
Cloverleaf Model: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg Co.. Hartford. Conn. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·41 rimfire. Length
overall: 6·75in/171mm. Weight, unladen: 14·50oz/411gm. Barrel: 3·00in/76mm, rifled. Magazine: four-chamber cylinder.
Open-Top Pocket Revolver: Introduced in 1871, an anachronism even for its day, this
popular seven-shot ·22 rimfire gun was featured in sales catalogues until the 1880s.
About 114,000 were sold. They had open brass frames and smooth cylinders. The
butt took bird's head form and the usual stud trigger was employed. An ejector rod
appeared along the right side of the barrel of the earliest examples, but was
abandoned in 1874. Post-1874 cylinders had to be removed for unloading, though
they could be loaded through a groove on the right side of the frame.
New Line Pocket Model: Introduced in 1873, this was little more than a modified Open-
Top with a strap over the grooved cylinder; the Open-Top then became known as the
Colt: ·22 rimfire Open Top.
'Old Model'. In addition, the New Line frame was lightened and refined. Loading
could still be accomplished through the side-groove; unloading entailed cylinder
removal. The barrel was originally cylindrical, but later displayed flattened sides. The first pattern had short cylinder flutes with locking recesses
behind them; the second type carried the recesses on the rear cylinder face, the flutes being
lengthened accordingly. The guns all fired ·22 Short rimfire cartridges from 2·25in barrels
and had seven-shot cylinders. Production ceased about 1877.
New Line Pocket Model: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg Co.. Hartford. Conn.
Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·22. Length overall: 5·50in/140mm. Weight,
unladen: 7·1oz/200gm. Barrel: 2·25in/57mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-chamber
cylinder.
New Line ·30 Pocket Model: Made in 1874-6, this was simply a more powerful New Line ·22
with a five-round cylinder capable of firing ·30 Short and Long cartridges. This attempt to Colt: ·22 New Line Pocket
improve performance was not a success and only 11,000 were made. Model.

64
New Line ·32 Pocket Model: Confined to 1873-84, this chambered a better cartridge—·32 Long rimfire-and was highly successful as a result;
about 22,000 were made. It would also fire the ·32 Short rimfire, should anybody wish to, and was later modified for ·32 Long and Short Colt
centre-fire cartridges. Cylinders had five chambers, and barrels measured 2·25in or 4in.
New Line ·38 Pocket Model: This was an enlargement of the ·32 pattern, originally chambered for ·38 Short and Long rimfire cartridges and later
for the ·38 Short Colt centre-fire round. With a 2·25in barrel it weighed only 13·5oz; however, only about 5,500 were made in 1874-80.
New Line ·41 Pocket Model: Excepting a few small components, this was simply a progression from the ·38 version, so that Colt had covered the
entire range of useful rimfire calibres. About 7,000 were made in 1874-. From 1877 it was produced with a 2·25in barrel, weighing a mere 12oz.
The cylinder had five chambers. Most minor parts were interchangeable with the ·38 equivalents.
New Model House Revolver: this adaption of the New Line series had a greatly enlarged squared butt to improve hand-hold. The solid frame and
sheath trigger and five-chamber cylinder were retained. Barrels usually measured 2·25in, handling ·32, ·38 and ·41 centre-fire ammunition.
Demand was never great and only about 4,000 were made in 1880-6.
New Model House Pistol: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg Co.. Hartford. Conn. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·38. Length
overall: 7·10in/180mm. Weight, unladen: 14·5oz/411gm. Barrel: 2·25in/57mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.
New Model Police Revolver: Introduced in 1882, this was simply the
House Model with an ejector rod under the barrel and a choice of 4·5in,
5in or 6in barrels. Moulded rubber grips depicting a policeman
arresting a thief led to the sobriquet 'Cop and Thug Model', although
guns exported to Britain had plain wooden grips.
DOUBLE-ACTION REVOLVERS
Samuel Colt was no lover of double-action locks, averring that heavier
Colt: New Model Police
trigger pull hindered steady aim; there was justification for this view in
Revolver.
many early designs. The emergence of effectual double-action systems in
the 1870s forced the Colt management to compete; company employee
William Mason spent most of the decade developing the features that
eventually gelled in a suitable double-action revolver in 1877. Mason left Colt for Winchester in 1883, to design revolvers which—legend has it—
were never marketed because of a secret agreement that Winchester would stay out of the handgun business if Colt avoided the rifle trade.
New Model Double Action: The first Colt double action pattern,
this was introduced in 1877 and remained In production until
1909. About 166,000 were made. It was based on the Single
Action Army revolver, offering a scaled-down SA frame, but
the unusual butt was a slender bird's head with heavily
chequered wood or rubber grips.
The range of calibres was smaller than might be expected; the
Lightning was made only in ·38 centre-fire and the Thunderer in
·41 centre-fire. A few guns were made in ·32, apparently only to
special order.
Barrel length varied from 1·5in to 6in without the ejector, or
4·5in to 10in with it (though extremes are rare). A conventional
hinged loading gate lay on the right side of the frame behind the Colt: 38 New Model Double
cylinder, and the ejector, when fitted, pushed the empty cases Action.
out through the gate in the manner of the Single Action Army.
Non-ejector models had a removable cylinder arbor.
The Lightning and Thunderer suffered from a complicated action with some weak parts. Gunsmiths soon found them almost impossible to
repair; it is a mystery how they survived so long in the face of robust competitors.
New Model Double Action ['Lightning']: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg Co.. Hartford, Conn. Type: solid frame revolver.
Chambering: ·38-40 WCF. Length overall: 9·06in/230mm. Weight, unladen: 23·0oz/652gm. Barrel: 4·50in/114mm, rifled. Magazine: six-
chamber cylinder.
Double Action Army & Frontier Model: Hot on the heels of the 1877-type double-action pattern, Colt announced a much heavier and more robust
weapon to attract the army. No interest was forthcoming at first, but the gun sold well commercially and the US Army bought 4,500 in 1902
when experience in the Philippine Insurrection showed the advantages of large calibre.
Though heavier and stronger than the ·38 and ·41 revolvers, the Army & Frontier mainspring was relatively weak; it had to be if the action was
to be cocked by the trigger, but misfires and accidental discharges resulted. The US Army refused it for this reason in 1879. However, it was a
better weapon than its immediate predecessors, easier to repair, tolerant of dirt and more resistant to misuse.
The Army & Frontier Model resembled the 1877 patterns externally, except for size and the shape of the frame beneath the hammer. It weighed
39oz with a 7·5in barrel, but barrels from 2in to 12in were available in calibres from ·22 rimfire to ·476 Eley. The bird's head butt was retained.
A little more than 51,000 guns were made from 1878 until c.1905. They included a consignment with enlarged 'gloved finger' trigger-guards,
delivered to the US Army for use in cold climates and often known (misleadingly) as the Alaska Pattern; another oddity was the pseudo-
hammerless models, which actually had a shrouded hammer.
Double Action Army & Frontier Model, or M1878: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg Co., Hartford, Conn. Type: solid-frame revolver.
Chambering: ·45 Colt. Length overall: 9·85in/250mm. Weight, unladen: 36·0oz/1,020gm. Barrel: 4·75in/121mm, rifled. Magazine: six-
chamber cylinder.
Navy Revolver Model 1889: The first Colt swing-out cylinder revolver was this pattern, five thousand being purchased by the US Navy in 1889-
90. The cylinder, which swung to the left on a crane, was retained by a spring latch on the left side of the frame. The latch slid forward to lock
the cylinder by pushing a bolt into a recess in the cylinder arbor. The cylinder was revolved anti-clockwise and locked by a pawl on its rear face.
The frame was deepened at the front, the flat lower run beneath the cylinder and the squared front edge giving an appearance of solidity and
strength. The guns chambered ·38 and ·41 Short and Long cartridges, and had barrels measuring 3in, 4·5in and 6in.

65
New Army & Navy Models: The
primary defect of the 1889-pattern
navy revolver and its predecessors
had been the cylinder locking system,
corrected in the 1892 model by substituting
conventional recesses in the periphery of the cylinder. These were
engaged by a small bolt, which dropped clear as the hammer lifted
and a pawl engaged the ratchet on the rear of the cylinder to
commence rotation. Unfortunately, the New Army & Navy
cylinders revolved anti-clockwise, tending to push the crane out of
the frame instead of into it; when the guns became worn, misalignment
between chamber and barrel shaved slivers of lead from the bullet and reduced
accuracy.
Colt: A 38 M1894 New
The US Army and Navy adopted the M1892 revolver as soon as it appeared, and
Army.
commercial sales were brisk. More than 291,000 had been made by the time
production ended in 1907, and the reputation of double-action Colt revolvers was secure.
Several differing versions of the New Army & Navy revolver were used by the US armed forces. Improvements made
by Colt soon led to the M1894, which incorporated an interlock to prevent the gun being fired unless the cylinder was fully closed. Colt engineer
Frederick Felton patented this modification in March 1895. Most surviving M1892 revolvers were subsequently modified to M1894 standards in
Springfield Armory. The Model 1896 was virtually identical with the 1894 pattern, excepting that some of the components of the lockwork were
refined; the Model 1901 was supplied with a lanyard ring on the butt, earlier guns being altered when necessary by military workshops; the
Model 1903 had a narrower grip and the bore diameter reduced from ·363 to ·358 to improve accuracy.
New Army & Navy Model, or M1892: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg Co.. Hartford. Conn. Type: solid-frame revolver.
Chambering: ·38 Long Colt. Length overall: 11·50in/292mm. Weight, unladen: 33·1oz/937gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine:
six-chamber cylinder.
Army Special Model: Announced in 1908, this followed the New Army & Navy pattern and incorporated several improvements. Appearance was
modernised by sloping the front face of the frame back and deeply curving the lower run over the trigger guard; more of the trigger was exposed;
and the cylinder rotation was changed to clockwise, correcting a defect in earlier models. The hammer was given a loosely pivoted firing pin,
and barrel lengths were restricted to 4·5in or 6in. The range of chamberings was increased to ·32, ·38 Short and Long, ·38 Smith & Wesson, ·38
Special and ·41 Long. Production continued until 1927, when just over 240,000 had been made.
Army Special Model: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg Co.. Hartford, Conn. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·45 Colt.
Length overall: 9·65in/245mm. Weight, unladen: 34·0oz/965gm. Barrel: 4·50in/114mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Marine Corps Model 1905: Only 926 of these guns were made, outside the main evolutionary stream of Colt revolver design. Produced to special
order, very few were ever sold commercially. Basically they were the New Army & Navy Models with special small rounded-base butts, made
only in ·38 calibre with a six-inch barrel. Production ended in 1907.
Official Police Model: Introduced in 1927, this was no more than the Army Special of 1908 under a new name—few purchases were being made
by the military by the 1920s, but large quantities were being bought by police forces. Changes amounted to a darker finish on the metal and
standardisation in ·38 calibre, though a few in ·32 and a ·22 rimfire trainer were also made. The back sight notch was widened and squared, after
which about 400,000 Police Models were made until production ceased in 1969.
Official Police Model: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg Co., Hartford, Conn. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38 Colt.
Length overall: 11·22in/285mm. Weight, unladen: 36·3oz/1,030gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Colt Commando: This was a special 1942-vintage wartime order for factory guards and other security forces. It was simply the ·38 Official Police
revolver with a four-inch barrel, though a few were made with six-inch pattern. The name COMMANDO was inscribed on the barrel and about
50,000 were made.
Marshal Model: The Marshal of 1954 was yet another version of the Police Model, with barrels measuring 2in or 4in. Only 2,500 were sold and it
is now comparatively rare.
Officer's Model: Colt introduced the first of these in 1904 and still sold a revolver of the name in the early 1970s. The Officer's Model was always
a rather special product, more of a target gun than for general use. The number of variations and changes is complicated, totally confusing and
will not be pursued here; only the general features are described below, but all were basically conventional six-shot solid frame double-action
revolvers of generous proportions and good workmanship.
Officer's Model: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg Co.. Hartford. Conn. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38 Colt. Length
overall: 1l·25in/286mm. Weight, unladen: 33·5oz/950gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: six chamber cylinder.
Officer's Target Model: This was produced in ·32 and ·38 from 1904 until 1972, in parallel with the Army Special Model. No less than nine
different cartridges could be chambered, and barrel length varied from 4in to 7·5in, with a six-inch pattern as the favourite. The earliest guns had
cylinders that rotated anti-clockwise, but the movement was reversed after the introduction of the Army Special in 1908.
Many minor additions and changes were made to satisfy the demands of individual shooters; for example, barrel-tops could be stippled to reduce
glare, and the butt straps were often chequered in addition to the grips.
Officer's Target Model, rimfire: Dating from 1930, this was a ·22 version of the ·32/·38 pattern. It was made only with a six-inch barrel.
Officer's Model Special: Announced in 1949, this variant was made ·22 and ·38 only, the former weighing more than the latter owing to the extra
metal in the cylinder and barrel.
Officer's Model Match: The 'O.M.M.', as it was usually called, replaced the Special described above when the latter was discontinued in 1952. The
Match pattern was only produced from 1953 to 1972, in ·22 or ·38 with a six-inch barrel. Differences from its predecessor were confined largely
to a change of frame metal and consequent numbering in the J-Frame series.

66
New Service Model: This 1898-vintage
introduction was intended as a military
weapon from the outset; the largest of Colt's
swing-cylinder models, it faced
considerable competition from other makers
seeking similar contracts. Time passed before it was accepted by the
military, but substantial numbers eventually were purchased—particularly during
the First World War—and over 356,000 had been delivered when production ended in
1944.
Although intended to be chamber ·45 Colt, the New Service Model was eventually
available for eighteen different cartridges. The 4·5in-barrelled ·45 pattern weighed 2·251b.
The general design differed little from the New Army & Navy models of 1892 onward, but
minor changes improved robustness and reliability.
The Master Shooter target revolver was introduced early in the series. It was a Colt: ·45 New Service.
standard New Service Model with special attention paid to finish and special
sights, usually specified by the customer. Few other changes were made during production apart from minor improvements
to the frame, a positive hammer lock and a pivoted firing pin added after 1920.
New Service Model: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg Co., Hartford. Conn. Type: solid-frame revolver.
Chambering: ·45 Colt. Length overall: 10·83in/275mm. Weight, unladen: 41·0oz/1,162gm. Barrel: 5·50in/140mm, rifled.
Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Model 1917: A notable variant of the New Service Model, this US Army revolver chambered the ·45 ACP rimless cartridge. To position
ammunition in the cylinder and enable ejection, they were fitted into two half-moon spring clips and then loaded in two clusters of three rounds;
the clip ensured correct headspace and gave the ejector something to push against.
Camp Perry Model: Named after the NRA range in Ohio and introduced in 1926, this was an attempt to enter the specialised target pistol market.
The pistol used the frame of the Officer's Model Target revolver, but a special flattened chamber block replaced the cylinder. The barrel ran back
into this block and the whole assembly swung out to the left for reloading. The ·22 rimfire Camp Perry Model weighed 35oz; Colt claimed that
this accustomed the firer to the weight of the full-bore Officer's Model. Few were convinced, as sales only reached 2,525 pieces between 1926
and the end of production in 1941. The barrel measured 8in or 10in, walnut grips were standard, and the trigger pull could be adjusted to order.
Camp Perry Model: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg Co., Hartford, Conn. Type: single-shot pistol. Calibre: ·22. Length overall:
14·00in/356mm. Weight, unladen: 34·5oz/978gm. Barrel: 10·00in/254mm, rifled. Magazine: none.
New Pocket Model: Dating from 1893, this provided a modern swing-out cylinder ·32 revolver for personal defence. It was simply a compact
version of the contemporary military patterns, offering a 2·5in or 3·5in barrel. Success was instantaneous, starting an entire line of similar
weapons in the Colt catalogue. About 30,000 New Pocket Model revolvers were made prior to 1905, when they were replaced by improved
versions.
Pocket Positive Model: The introduction of this model in 1905 resulted from development of the Positive Lock mechanism, which ensured that the
firing pin could not strike the cartridge unless the hammer had been drawn back to full cock. This feature apart, there was little change from the
New Pocket Model. Production of the Pocket Positive continued until 1940; ·32 calibre was standard, though alternatives were offered, and a
few guns were made with spurless hammers.
Pocket Positive Model: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg Co, Hartford, Conn. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·32 Colt.
Length overall: 8·50in/216mm. Weight, unladen: 16·0oz/455gm. Barrel: 4·50in/114mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
New Police Model: This 1896-vintage ·32 Colt got off to a good start when 4,500 were bought by the New York City police department straight
from the Hartford factory. Inspired by New York's lead, police forces throughout the USA and Canada also adopted it. The frame was similar to
that of the 1889-type Navy revolver, with a straight underside, but the cylinder and locking mechanism were different. The New Police Model
remained in production until 1907, about 50,000 being made.
New Police Target Model: As the name implies, this was simply a target version of the New Police Model with a six-inch barrel and better sights.
About 5,000 were sold in 1897-1905.
Police Positive Model: Designed to replace the New Police Model,
incorporating the Positive Lock mechanism, this 1907-vintage ·32
revolver was made in parallel with its predecessor for some months.
Production continued until 1939, by which time about 200,000 had
been made. A target model with a heavy frame was made concurrently,
though less than 3,500 were sold.
The Police Positive was widely adopted by police forces across North
America, being offered in four barrel-lengths: 2·5in, 4in, 5in and 6in.
Police Positive Model: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg Co.,
Hartford, Conn. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·32
Colt. Length overall: 8·25in/209mm. Weight, unladen: Colt: ·32 Police Positive.
20·0oz/567gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: six-
chamber cylinder.
Pequano Police Positive Model: About 11,000 of this second-grade weapon were assembled from left-over parts and low quality stocks on hand at
the factory in 1933. Most of the guns were speedily exported to South America, Puerto Rico and the Philippines, but some were bought by the
British Purchasing Commission in 1940. The Pequano was outwardly identical with the standard Police Positive.
Police Positive Target Model: Although listed as a ·22 rimfire pattern, this 1910-vintage adaption of the standard Police Positive could also be
chambered for ·32 centre-fire cartridges. A six-inch barrel was standard, mounted in the normal Police Positive frame. Apart from special sights,
it was a similar as possible to the standard police weapon. About 28,000 were made.

67
Police Positive ·38 Model: This was introduced in 1905 to meet demand for a revolver similar to the existing ·32 Police Positive, but firing a
heavier bullet with better ballistic performance. The resulting ·38 was scarcely larger than the ·32 and, apart from its tapering barrel, differed
little from the small-calibre pattern. More than 200,000 were sold before production ceased in 1943. Many went to police forces throughout the
Americas, and others were bought by European military purchasing commissions in the desperate days of 1938-9. The ·38 Police Positive was
also widely copied in Spain, quality varying from good to terrible.
Police Positive ·38: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg Co.. Hartford. Connecticut. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38
Special. Length overall: 8·50in/216mm. Weight, unladen: 20·0oz/565gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Banker's Special Model: Announced in 1928, promoting 'easy carrying and quick access...primarily for bank employees', this ·38 Police Positive
had a two inch barrel; advertisements made much of the full-size butt, which had been retained to give a good handgrip. The US Government
equipped railroad mail clerks with this revolver, while others served North American police forces. About 35,000 were made before production
ended in 1943, the total including a few examples with a spurless hammer.
Police Positive Special Model: Dating from 1908, this was the first small-frame swing-cylinder revolver capable of firing powerful ammunition
and soon became a very popular police weapon. It could be chambered for ·32, ·32-40 Winchester, ·38 S&W or ·38 Special cartridges, the
cylinder being 0·25in longer than the standard Police Positive type to accommodate the longer rounds. Barrel lengths vary from l·25in to 6in, the
most common pattern measuring 4in. Production continued until the 1970s, by which time over 750,000 had been made.
Detective Special Model: This 1927-vintage Colt resembles the Banker's Special, being
simply a Police Positive Special with a standard two-inch barrel. It retained the long
cylinder and fired the same range of cartridges. Apart from a slight reduction in the
length of the frame in 1966, the Detective Special has remained unchanged since
1927; by the early 1980s, more than 400,000 had been made. A few were made with
a shrouded hammer, giving the usual hammerless appearance.
Detective Special: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg Co.. Hartford,
Connecticut. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38 Special. Length
overall: 6·75in/171mm. Weight, unladen: 21·0oz/595gm. Barrel:
2·13in/54mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Border Patrol Model: Only 400 of these special revolvers were made in 1952; they
were simply an ordinary Police Special with a heavy four-inch barrel. They were Colt: ·38 Detective Special.
designed to be exceptionally resistant to rough treatment and were chambered for the
·38 Special Cartridge.
Diamondback Model: Announced in 1966, this combines the short frame of the Detective Special with the ventilated rib, shrouded ejector rod,
target hammer and sights of the Python. It had a 2·5in or 4in barrel, chambered ·22 rimfire or ·38 Special ammunition and was surprisingly
heavy.
Diamondback: Maker: Colt Firearms Division, Colt Industries. Hartford. Connecticut. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38
Special. Length overall: 9·00in/229mm. Weight, unladen: 28·5oz/810gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Cobra Model: This was really a variant of the Detective Special, dating from 1950, with
an alloy frame to reduce weight from 22oz to 15oz. A government contract for an
aircrew revolver resulted in a variant with an alloy cylinder, but this was never
offered commercially. The Cobra was available in ·357 Magnum and ·38 Special.
Courier Model: Made for just two years, from 1955, this Cobra derivative had a three-
inch barrel and a short butt. It chambered ·22 or ·32 ammunition, but production
amounted to less than 3,000 pieces.
Agent Model: Yet another variation on the Cobra, this 1966-pattern ·38 Special revolver
combined the short butt of the Courier with the barrel of the Cobra. A hammer shroud
was sold as a standard accessory.
Colt: ·38 Cobra.
Trooper Model: Dating from 1953, the Trooper was a new design instead of simply a
variation of established guns. Intended as a large-calibre holster revolver, it offered a
prominent ramp-mounted front sight, an adjustable target back sight,
4in or 6in barrels, and could be obtained in ·22, ·357 Magnum or ·38
Special versions. The frame and general layout followed the example
of the Police Special, and sales were good until the model-run ended in
1969.
·357 Magnum Model: This was a deluxe version of the Trooper with
target sights. Available in ·357 Magnum or ·38 Special, it had barrels
of 4in or 6in, and the enlarged grips ran high up the butt. In 1961, after
less than 15,000 had been made, it was absorbed into the Trooper
production run and the previous distinction disappeared.
Python Model: Introduced in 1953, alongside the Trooper, this soon
became one of the primary weapons in the Colt catalogue; it was also
the first of the company's revolvers to show substantial changes in Colt: ·357 Magnum Trooper
design since the early twentieth century. The Python has a heavy barrel Mk III.
with a ventilated rib, shroud covering the ejector rod, and an adjustable
back sight. The rib is stippled to prevent reflections.
Chambered for the ·357 Magnum cartridge, the Python weighed a hefty 38oz with a four-inch barrel, or 44oz with the six-inch option. The flat-
face hammer struck a firing pin that floated in the frame.
Python: Maker: Colt Firearms Division, Colt Industries, Hartford, Connecticut. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·357 Magnum.
Length overall: 9·25in/235mm. Weight, unladen: 38·0oz/1,075gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

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Mark III series: Announced in 1969 to replace the existing Colt range, this introduced
stainless steel springs, surface-hardening of all major parts, and a general
improvement in quality. Variants included the Police Mark III, chambering ·38
Special only, with 4in, 5in or 6in barrels; the Lawman Mark III, chambered for ·357
Magnum only, with a four-inch barrel; the Metropolitan Mark III in ·38 Special, with
a heavy four-inch barrel; and the Trooper Mark III. The Trooper barrel was shrouded
and ribbed in the same manner as the Python, to serve as the target revolver in the Mk
III range. Like the original Trooper, it was available in ·357 Magnum or ·38 Special,
with 4in and 6in barrels in each calibre.
Trooper Mk III: Maker: Colt Firearms Division, Colt Industries, Hartford,
Connecticut. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·357 Magnum. Length
overall: 11·50in/292mm. Weight, unladen: 42·0oz/1,190gm. Barrel: Colt: ·357 Lawman Mk III.
6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Mark V series: A revised version of the Mark III Trooper and Lawman models was
introduced in 1982. The principal changes included an improved trigger mechanism, shorter lock time and an improved grip.
King Cobra: This was a 1986-vintage stainless steel derivative of the
Python, with a full length ejector-rod shroud and ultra-short hammer
fall. The 'Gripper' grips are wraparound Neoprene with finger grooves
in the front edge, and the sights have red and white inserts to facilitate
aiming.
King Cobra: Maker: Colt Firearms Division, Colt Industries,
Hartford, Connecticut. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering:
·357 Magnum. Length overall: 6·50in/165mm. Weight, unladen:
37·5oz/1,065gm. Barrel: 2·50in/64mm, rifled. Magazine: six-
chamber cylinder.
Peacekeeper: This replaced the earlier Lawman Mark III in 1987. It is
similar to the King Cobra but has matt blued-steel finish and a Colt: ·357 King Cobra.
shortened ejector-rod shroud. The 'Gripper' is fitted as standard.
Anaconda: The latest (1990) revolver in the 'snake series', this is a large-
frame ·44 Magnum pattern with the ventilated rib and full length
ejector-rod shroud of the King Cobra and a hand-filling contoured wrap-round grip. The entire gun is machined from satin-finish stainless steel
to satisfy hunters and silhouette shooters.
AUTOMATIC PISTOLS
The advent of the automatic pistol in Europe, in the 1890s, was largely ignored by the American manufacturers, preoccupied with revolvers. Colt
proved the exception; from the very start, its management realised that the new pistol could easily rival the revolver if it could operate reliably. This
gave Colt such a substantial lead over American competitors that it was maintained almost until the present-day.
Colt bought or leased rights to many designs, including the work of John Browning. The primary objective, as it had been with the large-calibre
revolvers, was always a military contract. An automatic pistol was submitted to the US Army as early as 1898. This was successful enough to
commit Colt to perfecting an acceptable pistol as soon as practicable. Success ultimately came with the Model 1911, which has enjoyed the longest
continuous production run of any automatic pistol in history.
·38 Model 1900: This was the first Colt automatic, little
more than a development model as only 3,500 were
made. The US Army and Navy each bought 200 for
trials, and the rest were sold commercially.
The Model 1900 fired a ·38 rimless cartridge and had a
detachable seven-round box magazine in the butt.
Patented by Browning in 1897, the barrel was locked to
the slide by two transverse ribs engaging grooves
machined inside the upper surface of the slide. The barrel
was held to the frame by two links, front and rear; it
moved parallel to the frame during recoil, dropping back Colt: ·38 Military Model
and down to disengage the lugs from grooves. This freed (M1902) Colt-Browning with
the slide to move back, extracting the empty case and a spur hammer and
chambering a fresh round on its return. conventional retraction grips
The barrel was 6in long, and the external hammer had a on the slide.
flat cocking spur. The first models had an oddly
combined back sight/safety catch but, in 1901, a solid
sight block was substituted and the delicate safety
mechanism abolished. Plain wooden grips were screwed to the butt.
Colt-Browning M1900: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg Co.. Hartford, Connecticut. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Calibre:
·38. Length overall: 9·25in/235mm. Weight, unladen: 36·0oz/1,020gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable
box.
·38 Sporting Model 1902: This was simply a modified Model 1900, the most notable being the introduction of an inertia firing pin. The 1900-type
pin was long enough to rest on the primer as the slide closed, risking accidental discharge. Shortening the pin ensured that it only passed through
its bush to strike the cap when propelled by the hammer. The grips were moulded rubber and the hammer was rounded, but the mechanical
arrangements repeated the 1900-pattern Colt-Browning. The 1902 Sporting Model remained in production until 1908.
·38 Military Model 1902: This was a little larger and heavier than the otherwise comparable Sporting Model and had an eight-round magazine.
Additionally, the front of the slide was diced to facilitate grip when cocking, a slide lock and hold-open catch were fitted, and the bottom left
side of the squared butt carried a lanyard ring. Only 200 were bought by the US Army for evaluation, but the pistol sold well on the commercial
market and remained available until 1929. About 18,000 were made.

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·38 Pocket Model 1903: This was really the Sporting Model of with a shorter barrel and
slide. It was promoted in Colt catalogues until 1929, though sales were not great and
only 26,000 were made. Though the barrel had been shortened to 4·5in, the ·38
M1903 was far from a true pocket weapon.
·32 Hammerless Pocket Model: This was much more successful than the contemporary
·38 version. Colt had observed that imports of Fabrique Nationale's Browning pistols
far exceeded its own sales and approached John Browning for a suitable blowback
design. This became the ·32 Model 1903, chambered for a rimless ·32 ACP (7·65mm
Auto) cartridge fed from an eight-round box magazine in the butt. Although called
hammerless, the action included a hammer concealed beneath the slide. The barrel, Colt: ·38 'Pocket Model',
initially 4in long, was soon shortened to 3·25in and remained standard until 1903.
production ended in 1945 after 772,215 had been made. About 200,000 had been
taken by the US Army.
·32 Pocket Hammerless: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg. Co.. Hartford, Connecticut. Type: automatic pistol (blowback).
Chambering: ·32 ACP. Length overall: 7·00in/178mm. Weight, unladen: 19·5oz/555gm. Barrel: 4·25in/108mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-
round detachable box.
·380 Hammerless Pocket Model: Introduced in 1908, this was simply the Model 1903 in ·380 calibre, chambering a cartridge specially designed
for it by John Browning. This subsequently became widely known as '9mm Short'. The ·380 remained available until 1945, but it was less
popular than the ·32 version and only 138,000 were made.
·25 Hammerless Pocket Model: Introduced commercially in 1908, this was a licensed variant of the FN Browning Model 1906—the original 'Baby
Browning'—and had been popular in Europe before Colt began work in the USA. It was a true pocket pistol, 4·5in overall and weighing only
13oz. The gun was far from easily held, owing to the short grip, but the recoil of the ·25 ACP (6·35mm Auto) cartridge was light and easily
controlled. It was amply provided with grip, applied and magazine safety devices. About 409,000 were sold in 1908-41.
·25 Pocket Hammerless: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg. Co., Hartford. Connecticut. Type: automatic pistol (blowback).
Chambering: ·25 ACP. Length overall: 4 45in/113mm. Weight, unladen: 13·0oz/370gm. Barrel: 2·13in/54mm, rifled. Magazine: six-
round detachable box.
Junior Colt Model: Colt returned to the pocket pistol field after the end of the Second World War with this simplified 1957-vintage design, using
an external hammer with half-cock notch and abandoning the grip safety. The earliest examples (·22 or ·25) were made to Colt's specification by
Astra (q.v.), but the Gun Control Act of 1968 prohibited importation of such a small pistol; in 1970, therefore, Colt began assembling ·25 guns in
Hartford, work continuing until 1972.
·45 Model 1905: The Philippine Insurrection convinced the US Army that
·45 represented the minimum calibre for any future sidearm. Colt
promptly set about designing a suitable automatic. The resulting ·45
rimless cartridge proved to be less powerful than was desirable, but
eventually led to the ·45 ACP. The ·45 1905-type pistol was offered to
the US Army, but only 200 were acquired for evaluation in 1907. The
Hartford production line produced only 6,000 in the six-year life of the
gun.
The M1905 was a large pistol, weighing 33oz, and had a seven-round
magazine. It retained the parallel-motion movement of the five-inch
barrel. A few guns had their back straps slotted for a special leather and Colt: A round-hammer ·45
metal holster, converting them into rudimentary carbines. However, the Model 1905 Colt-Browning.
absence of any sort of safety device was an unattractive feature and
Colt was sent back to the drawing board to find a solution.
Colt-Browning M1905: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg
Co., Hartford, Connecticut. Type: automatic pistol (recoil
operated). Calibre: ·45. Length overall: 8·00in/203mm. Weight,
unladen: 33·2oz/940gm. Barrel: 4·50in/114mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
·45 Model 1911: This was one of Colt's great contributions to the history
of firearms. It served the US armed forces for 75 years, and is still
widely used elsewhere. Variations are still being produced
commercially.
John Browning revised the locking system for this pistol, discarding
the cumbersome parallel motion in favour of a single link beneath the
breech and guiding barrel movement by a barrel-bush at the muzzle. As
the slide and barrel recoil, the link drops the breech to disconnect the
barrel-top lugs from recesses in the slide. In theory, since the barrel
begins to tilt before the bullet leaves the muzzle, the accuracy should
not be as good as the original system. In practice, experience reveals no
noticeable difference; there have been few complaints about the Colt: ·45 M1911.
accuracy of the M1911.
The US Army tested the design most thoroughly—for almost five
years—but testimony to its essential rightness was provided by the lack
of subsequent modifications. It had both manual and grip safeties,
remedying the major drawback of the 1902 pattern, and the only major changes came in 1923-6 after field experience during the First World
War.
Colt-Browning M1911: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg Co., Hartford, Connecticut (but see notes in text). Type: automatic pistol
(recoil operated). Chambering: ·45 ACP. Length overall: 8·59in/218mm. Weight, unladen: 39·0oz/1,105gm. Barrel: 5·03in/128mm, rifled.
Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

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·45 Model 1911A1: The changes made in the 1920s were relatively small:
the contours of the back strap and grip safety were altered; the frame
was chamfered behind the trigger; and the profile of the hammer spur
was altered. But they were sufficient to advance the designation to
M1911A1 and, so far as the military were concerned, no further
changes were ever made.
Pistols made by Colt were marked COLTS PT. F.A. MFG. CO. OVER
HARTFORD, CT. U.S.A. on the left side of the slide behind the
patent-acknowledgement marks. A rampant colt trademark lies
immediately behind the slide-retraction grip. The mark UNITED
STATES PROPERTY will be found on the left side of the frame ahead
of the trigger, with MODEL OF 1911 U.S. ARMY (or 'Navy') on the Colt: 45M1911A1.
right side of the slide. Military guns will also exhibit government
inspectors' marks.
In addition to Colt, however, ·45 M1911 pistols were made by
Springfield Armory (q.v.) prior to the First World War; during the war,
when vast numbers of guns were needed, additional contracts were placed with established gunmakers—e.g., Remington, Savage and
Winchester—plus a selection of metalworking giants such as the Burroughs Adding Machine Co. and Lanston Monotype. However, only
Remington (q.v.) made guns in significant numbers; the North American Arms Company of Montreal managed to complete about a hundred
M1911 pistols after the end of hostilities.
Similar problems arose during the Second World War. This time, however, several contractors supplied M1911A1 pistols in large numbers;
Ithaca Gun Co. of Ithaca, New York, made 442,000; Remington-Rand Inc., of Syracuse, New York, made 949,000; and Union Switch & Signal
Co. of Swissvale, Pennsylvania, contributed 55,100. At the other end of the scale, the Singer Manufacturing Co. of Worcester, Massachusetts,
made about five hundred.
The only significant variation of the M1911, chambered for ·455 Webley & Scott cartridges, was supplied to the British during the First World
War; most went to the Royal Flying Corps (later the Royal Air Force) and served until 1945. The commercial market, however, was another
matter and Colt has produced many variations to satisfy particular needs.
·45 National Match Model: The M1911 was popular with target shooters, most of whom 'tuned' their pistols to produce the trigger pull they
preferred and remove excess play between components. Colt decided to do better, producing a proper factory-prepared target version of the
M1911 in 1933. The selected components were carefully hand-fitted and finished. Special sights were fitted to produce a remarkably accurate
pistol.
·22 Ace Model: The ·45 cartridge was too costly for training purposes, so
Colt produced the 'Ace' in 1931 to allow ·22 rimfire rounds to be fired
from a full-sized M1911 look-alike. Size and weight duplicated the ·45
version, but the barrel was fixed and the operation was pure blowback.
Lack of power in the action was criticised, probably due to the inertia
of the full-sized slide, but this could be solved by selecting the right
brand of ammunition and the Ace shot very well. Production continued
until 1941, then began again for a short time after 1945.
Ace: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg. Co., Hartford,
Connecticut. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering:
·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: 8·0in/216mm. Weight, unladen:
Colt: 10mm Delta Elite.
39·0oz/1,105gm. Barrel: 4·75in/121mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-
round detachable box.
Service Model Ace: The 1931-type Ace had been visualised as a training
pistol for the full-bore weapon, but the reduced recoil gave no
semblance of firing a ·45 cartridge. Introduced to overcome this, the
Service Ace of 1937 adopted a unique floating-chamber system. The chamber was a loose component inside the barrel, forced back against the
breech face by a proportion of the gas generated on firing. This multiplied the otherwise small effect of the ·22 cartridge, giving the slide such a
heavy blow that it moved back very rapidly. The recoil force was very similar to that of the full-bore pistol. Production continued in small
numbers until 1945.
·22/·45 conversion unit: To satisfy those who were reluctant to buy a second pistol, Colt produced a conversion unit allowing the ·45 M1911 to be
modified to fire ·22 rimfire ammunition. Though expensive when introduced in 1938, it paid for itself after a few hundred rounds. The elaborate
kit included a replacement slide, barrel, barrel bushing, ejector, recoil spring, magazine and slide stop: conversion was not to be completed in a
few seconds. The transformed M1911 had all but become an Ace.
A curious counter-conversion kit allowed owners of ·22 Ace pistols to convert them to ·45 ammunition. The process was even more involved
than transforming a ·45 gun to ·22, so few kits were sold.
·38 Super Model: Successor to the ·38 Model 1902, announced in 1929, this was simply a small-calibre version of the M1911. As it shared many
components with the ·45 pistol, the Super Model was also much the same length and weight. Its magazine held nine ·38 Super cartridges instead
of seven ·45 examples.
·38 Super: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg Co., Hartford, Connecticut. Type: automatic pistol (recoil). Chambering: ·38 Super Colt.
Length overall: 8·50in/216mm. Weight, unladen: 39·0oz/1,105gm. Barrel: 4·92in/125mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.
Super Match Model: Only about five thousand of these were made from 1935, as they were expensive for their day and work was stopped by the
war; 1,200 were bought by the British Purchasing Commission in 1939. The Super Match was a carefully-assembled refinement of the Super
Model, with a matted slide-top to prevent reflection.
Gold Cup National Match Model: Assembled from selected components, these ·45 M1911A1 and ·38 Super pistols appeared in 1957. Particular
attention was paid to the fit of barrel and bushing, the lockwork was smoothed, and some of the sear surfaces were relieved to prevent undue
friction. The trigger was cut away for lightness, while minor improvements were made to the extractor, recoil spring and slide-bearing surfaces.
Target sights were fitted as standard.

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Commander Model: This was introduced in 1949 in response to requests for a
lighter pistol than the M1911A1, yet still capable of firing the ·45 ACP
cartridge. The frame was made from high-strength aluminium alloy; the slide
remained steel. Slide and barrel were shortened, giving a handy pistol
weighing only 26oz. Recoil was increased commensurate with the reduction in
weight, and the Commander required some skill to extract the best from it. It
was also made in 9mm Parabellum, ·38 Super and (for sale in Italy) 7·65mm
Parabellum chamberings.
Commander: Maker: Colt Firearms Division, Colt Industries, Hartford,
Connecticut. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering:
9mm Parabellum. Length overall: 8·00in/203mm. Weight, unladen:
25·6oz/725gm. Barrel: 4·25in/108mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round
detachable box. Colt: ·45 Officer's ACP.
Combat Commander Model: Experience showed that the aluminium frame of
the Commander wore rather more rapidly than some people liked and so, for
the Combat Commander of 1971, Colt returned to steel, this increased weight
to 33oz.
·45 Combat Elite Model: This variant of the standard Government Model (M1911Al) was prepared for practical pistol shooting contests. It had an
enlarged grip safety, three-dot combat sights, a bevelled magazine aperture and an enlarged ejection port. The frame was stainless steel, the slide
and other parts were blued carbon steel, and wrap-round chequered rubber grips were standard.
10mm Delta Elite Model: The Delta Elite of 1987 was chambered for the then-new 10mm Auto Pistol cartridge, being the first gun in this calibre
to be made by a major gunmaker; Colt had taken something of a gamble, as the 10mm cartridge had been trying to gain a foothold for a decade
without much success. The company's faith appears to have been vindicated.
The Delta Elite is basically an M1911A1 in a different calibre, the only visible difference being the 'Delta' motif of a red triangle inside a circle
moulded into the butt plates.
Officer's ACP Model: Rock Island Arsenal developed the General Officer's Model in the 1970s by shortening the M1911Al for issue to generals of
the US Army and Air Force. Though never offered commercially, such a demand arose that Colt developed its own Officer's ACP. Like the
Rock Island prototype, the barrel is shortened to 3·5in and the magazine holds only six rounds, making a compact but powerful weapon.
Officer's Model ACP: Maker: Colt Firearms Division, Colt Industries, Hartford, Connecticut. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated).
Chambering: ·45 ACP. Length overall: 7·25in/184mm. Weight, unladen: 34·0oz/965gm. Barrel: 3·50in/89mm, rifled. Magazine: six-
round detachable box.
Double Eagle Model: The first automatic pistol to be produced by the newly reorganised Colt's Manufacturing Company Inc., in 1990, this breaks
new ground: the first double-action pistol to be commercially offered by Colt. It sensibly retains the proven 1911 -pattern action, but allies it to a
double-action trigger mechanism with a decocking lever under the left grip above the magazine release. This allows the hammer to be safely
lowered on a chambered round without touching the trigger. Additional security is provided by an automatic firing-pin lock which only
disengages during the last movement of the trigger when firing. The trigger guard is shaped for a two-handed hold, the front strap is grooved to
improve the grip, and the finish is satin stainless steel. The Double Eagle is being produced in ·45 ACP and 10mm Auto calibres.
·380 Government Model: This was introduced for the benefit of those who liked the appearance of the M1911Al but preferred something less
powerful. It is a scaled-down Government model chambered for the comparatively weak ·380 Auto cartridge, but retaining the locked breech of
the larger weapon—even though the lock is unnecessary. The grip safety is absent, but later production models incorporate an automatic firing-
pin lock. Finish may be blue or nickel.
·380 Mustang: Smaller than even the ·380 Government Model, with a magazine holding only
five rounds, this 1983-vintage Colt-Browning has achieved considerable popularity for
home defence or off-duty policemen. Finish may be blue, nickel or matt stainless steel.
Mustang: Maker: Colt Firearms Division, Colt Industries, Hartford, Connecticut.
Type: automatic pistol (recoil). Chambering: ·380 ACP (9mm Short). Length overall:
5·50in/140mm. Weight, unladen: 18·5oz/525gm. Barrel: 2·75in/70mm, rifled.
Magazine: five-round detachable box.
·380 Mustang Plus II: Announced in 1990, this allies the barrel and slide of the Mustang with
the frame of the ·380 Government Model, increasing magazine capacity to seven
rounds. Colt: ·380 Mustang.
·380 Mustang Pocketlite: This 1987-vintage product is simply the ·380 Mustang with a
blued aluminium alloy frame, reducing the weight to only 12·5oz. The price to be paid is
greater recoil.
·22 Woodsman Model: This pistol, first of a long series, was designed by John Browning for Colt and marketed from 1915 though the 'Woodsman'
name was not adopted until 1927. It was intended for hunting and informal target shooting, firing the ·22 Long Rifle rimfire cartridge. It has a
long fixed barrel ahead of a short slide, has a concealed hammer beneath the slide, and is a simple blowback. The grip was well raked and the
handsome proportions gave good balance. The Woodsman soon acquired a reputation for accuracy and reliability at low cost and 84,000 had
been made by 1932. Minor changes were then made, whereupon production continued (in two slightly differing versions) until 1943. Barrels
measured 4·5in and 6·5in, and variety of finishes, trigger pulls and sights was to be found.
Woodsman: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg. Co.. Hartford. Connecticut. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 22 LR
rimfire. Length overall: 12·40in/315mm. Weight, unladen: 28·0oz/795gm. Barrel: 6·50in/165mm, rifled. Magazine: ten round detachable
box.

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·22 Woodsman Match Target Model:
This special target pistol had a
barrel milled from solid rather than
turned from steel bar stock; the flat
sides are most distinctive, the front
of the frame being deepened accordingly. The
trigger action was hand finished, and the price in the mid 1930s was
$41.50. Sales did not meet expectations; perhaps the heavy barrel spoiled the balance, but,
whatever the reason, the Match Target Model was dropped in 1943 and never revived.
Woodsman Match Target: Maker: Colt's Patent Fire Arms Mfg. Co.. Hartford.
Connecticut. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR
rimfire. Length overall: 10·25in/260mm. Weight, Colt: A pre-war ·22
unladen:40·0oz/1,135gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: ten- Woodsman.
round detachable box.
·22 Woodsman Target and Sport Models: Production of the Woodsman began again in 1947 and continued until 1977.
Pre- and post-war models differed in few respects other than greater variety in finish and sights.
Post-war Woodsman Target Models: The specialised target-model Woodsman was revived in 1948, but post-war versions differed from the pre-
1943 pattern. The slab-sided barrel was fluted for most of its length and the butt was enlarged, moving the centre of balance back to a better
location. Minor changes were made from time to time through the production run.
The Challenger Model of 1950 was an inexpensive version of the Target and Sport patterns, with simplified sights and modified grips. It was
discontinued in 1955 in favour of the Huntsman. Essentially similar to the Challenger, the Huntsman was promoted as particularly suitable for
the target-shooting beginner. The Woodsman Targetsman Model of 1955, another economy pattern, was no more than a Huntsman with better
sights, an elaborate butt and a six-inch barrel.

COLUMBIAN (USA)
1: The Columbia Armory allegedly traded in Columbia, Tennessee. However, whether it ever existed has been doubted. Its name appears on
cheap revolvers offered under the names Columbia, Parker and Spencer in the 1888-1900 period. These were all sold by Maltby, Henley &
Company of New York. The patents marked on the pistols were granted to John T. Smith—brother of Otis Smith, a gunmaker of Rock Fall,
Connecticut. Smith presumably made the pistols and was happy to mark them with 'Columbia Armory' or any other fiction his customers
desired.
The one uniting feature of the three models is the invariable addition of the phrase 'Safety Hammerless Revolver', as all featured Smith's
concealed-hammer design. His patents protected a solid-frame revolver with a thumb-operated safety catch on the top surface of the hammer
shroud and a cocking indicator above the cylinder. First glance suggests hinged-frame construction, owing to a prominent screw in front of the
cylinder where the hinge normally falls, but this simply allows the trigger guard, lock and hammer unit to be swung down and out of the frame
for cleaning—an ingenious idea which deserved greater success.
The Parker came in ·32 calibre, the Columbian chambered ·22 rimfire or ·32 centre-fire cartridges, and the Spencer was made for ·32 centre-
fire.
2: Another case of spurious labelling; these solid-frame double-action non-ejecting revolvers are marked NEW YORK ARMS CO.. This trade
name was employed by Garnet Carter & Company of Chattanooga, Tennessee, and the revolvers were made by the Crescent Firearms
Company of Norwich, Connecticut. This particular Columbian was made in ·38 calibre, bears no patent marks, and probably dates from 1892-
1900.
3: This conventional solid-frame revolver, with a removable five-shot cylinder, was manufactured in 1891-4 by Foehl & Weeks of Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania. The only patented feature was a rebounding hammer and cylinder latch mechanism.
Columbian DA: Maker: Foehl & Weeks. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·38. Length overall: 6·81in/173mm. Weight, unladen:
unknown. Barrel: 3·00in/76mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

COLUMBIAN AUTOMATIC (USA)

Also made by Foehl & Weeks (see [3] above) this succeeded the Columbian. It was 'automatic' only in ejection, being a hinged-frame design with
the usual cam-actuated ejector in the cylinder. It is doubtful if many were made before the company folded.

COMPETITION (USA)
Competition Arms of Tucson, Arizona, manufactures a single-shot pistol with interchangeable top-break barrels which can be supplied in
chamberings ranging from ·22 Short rimfire to ·454 Casull. An adjustable back sight is fitted, together with an optical sight mount. Production began
in 1987.

CONQUERER (USA)
Manufactured by the Bacon Arms Company, this ·22 or ·32 rimfire revolver was patented in 1878 and appeared with a round barrel and a cylinder-
release operated by two spring catches in the frame. The gun was loaded through a gate on the right side of the frame, but no ejector was fitted. It
has been averred that this model was also made in ·38 and ·41 rimfire, but none has been seen.
Conqueror: Maker: Bacon Arms Company. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·32. Length overall: 6 22in/158mm. Weight, unladen:
unknown. Barrel: 2·36in/60mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

CONSTABULARY (VARIOUS)
This name attaches to numerous revolvers made in the 1875-1900 period, all of which were based, some more closely than others, on the Webley
Royal Irish Constabulary revolver of 1872. Emanating from many gunmakers in Belgium and France, they all followed the pattern of a large-calibre
short-barrelled solid frame revolver—loaded through a gate, or by removing the cylinder.

73
 CONSTABULARY
Typical 'police' revolvers,
from the 1911 catalogue of
A.L. Frank of Nuremberg.

CONTINENTAL (VARIOUS)
1: Another Spanish copy of the Browning 1906,
this is attributable to Tomas de Urizar owing to
his dragon motif on the grips. The slide marking
duplicates the Arizmendi Continental, leading to
the surmise that both companies sold a gun made
by one of them.
2: This version of the Continental is presumably
from the same stable as the two discussed above,
as it carries the same slide marking. However, it
is an external-hammer 6·35mm blowback automatic even though the remainder of the design follows the usual 1906-type Browning lines.
3: A cheap 6·35mm blowback of the usual 1906 Browning pattern, this is made of soft metal with a poor finish. It is notable only for an unusually
effectual safety catch locking both trigger and internal hammer. The slide is marked CONTINENTAL KAL 6,35 RHEINISCHE WAFFEN-
UND MUNITIONSFABRIK COLN. Poor quality Suggests Spanish manufacture, probably by Francisco Arizmendi of Eibar. The possibility
that the slide mark is an Arizmendi fabrication has been considered, and attention drawn to the spelling of 'Coln'; however, use of 'C' instead of
'K' was common in Germany, particularly prior to the First World War, and the presence of German proof marks may suggest that these guns
were legitimately imported by an enterprising distributor.
Continental: Maker: Rheinische Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken, Koln (see text). Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering:
6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4 76in/121mm. Weight, unladen: 14 1oz/400gm. Barrel: 2·09in/53mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round
detachable box.
4: Another weapon attributed to Rheinische Waffen und Munitionsfabrik, this 7·65mm pistol displays 'Koln' in the slide mark, which may simply
indicate post-1920 sales. Probably of German or Belgian origin, it appears to be based upon the Webley & Scott Police Model automatic of
1906. The left side of the slide is marked CONTINENTAL AUTOMATIC PISTOL 7,65 M/M SYSTEM CASTENHOLZ. Further information
is still lacking.
5: This Belgian 6·35mm blowback automatic was made by Bertrand of Liege. It was simply his 'Le Rapide', renamed for sales purposes; although
marked CONTINENTAL on the slide, its grips still carry the Le Rapide inscription.
6: American revolvers produced by, or more likely for J.H. Johnston's Great Western Gun Works of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, these date from
c.1875-85. They are conventional seven-shot ·22 rimfire or five-shot ·32 centre-fire patterns with solid frames, stud triggers and bird's head
butts.
7: Revolvers made by the Hood Firearms Company of Norwich, Connecticut, USA, these were similar to [6] above, conventional solid-frame
stud trigger models of the late 1870s. Hood products are recognisable by five false rifling grooves cut into the muzzle, an artifice convincing
buyers that the guns were fully rifled...without the additional expense of doing so.

CONTINENTAL
A 6·35mm pistol marked as a product of Rheinische Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken, but doubtless originating in Spain.

COONAN (USA)
Coonan Arms of St Paul, Minnesota, set its heart on developing a ·357 Magnum automatic based on the Colt-Browning M1911Al—a herculean task
given the physical problems of a long rimmed cartridge. The Coonan Model A appeared on the market in 1985, using a conventional swinging link
to drop the barrel out of engagement with the slide. The Model B of 1987 adopted the alternative solid lug and cam system. Both are generally
similar to the M1911A1, but have straight-sided butts with walnut grips. Adjustable back sights are fitted, and the extended slide- release and safety
catches facilitate operation.
Magnum Model A: Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: ·357 Magnum. Length overall: 8·30in/211mm. Weight,
unladen: 42·0oz/1,190gm. Barrel: 5·00/127mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

COOPERATIVA OBRERA (SPAIN)

The Workers' Co-operative of Eibar was a small workshop which produced only the Longines pistol. This was a well-finished 7·65mm blowback
resembling the 1910-model Browning 1910 externally, but, as usual, reveals itself as a standard 'Eibar' pattern when dismantled. The recoil spring
lies in the frame beneath the barrel. The appearance is also marred by the usual Eibar-type hooked safety catch halfway along the frame. Slide
inscriptions READ CAL 7,65 AUTOMATIC PISTOL LONGINES.

COPELAND (USA)
Little is known of Thomas Copeland of Worcester, Massachusetts, excepting that he produced ·22 rimfire revolvers into the early 1870s. One had a
brass frame and an octagonal barrel; the second had a ten-shot cylinder and a solid steel frame. Neither was made in quantity.

74
COW BOY (SPAIN)
An anonymous 6·35mm Eibar-type automatic, this has obvious Spanish origins even though the slide is marked COW BOY FABRICATION
FRANCAISE MARQUE DEPOSE and carries a trademark of a cowboy on a prancing horse in a circle—very similar to the Colt 'pony' pattern,
which was probably less than coincidental. The butt carries a similar motif and the words COW BOY.
Cow Boy: Maker: unknown. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·50in/114mm. Weight,
unladen: 10·3oz/292gm. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

CRESCENT (USA)
This mark distinguished revolvers produced by the Norwich Pistol Company from 1878 to 1887. Chambering: ·32 rimfire ammunition, they
represented the usual Norwich solid-frame stud trigger gun, with five- or six-chamber plain or fluted cylinders, and 2·5in octagonal barrels. The butt
was rounded, with walnut or ivory grips. Like most Norwich products, they display a patent date of 23 April 1878.
Crescent: Maker: Norwich Falls Pistol Co.. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·32. Length overall: 6·50in/165mm. Weight, unladen:
unknown. Barrel: 2·50in/64mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

CROWN CITY (USA)

Crown City Arms Inc. of Cortland, New York, produced a copy of the Colt M1911Al in ·45 ACP, 9mm Parabellum and ·38 Super chamberings in
1976-9. A copy of the Colt Commander was made for the same three cartridges. Quality was no more than adequate, according to contemporary
reports.

CRUCELEGUI (SPAIN)
1: Crucelegui Hermanos of Eibar specialised in Velo-Dog revolvers, produced in quantity in 1900-25 and then sold under various brand names:
Bron-Sport, Brong-Petit, C.H., Le Brong, Velo-Mith and Puppy. All were of the same design, chambered for 5mm, 6·35mm, 7·65mm and
8mm cartridges.
2: A 7·65mm Eibar-type blowback made by Hijos de C. Arrizabalaga of Eibar and sold by Crucelegui Hermanos, whose manufacturing plant
may not have been geared to the production of automatic pistols.
Crucelegui: Maker: Hijos de C. Arrizabalaga, Eibar, for Crucelegui Hermanos, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering:
7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·91in/150mm. Weight, unladen: 21·2oz/600gm. Barrel: 3·35in/85mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round
detachable box.

CZ (CZECHOSLOVAKIA)
The notation 'CZ' can have two interpretations: Ceska Zbrojovka ('Bohemian Arms Factory') or Ceskoslovenska" Zbrojovka AS ('Czechoslovakian
Arms Factory Ltd'). Both made pistols, for convenience considered here together. Ceska Zbrojovka, better known as 'CZ', was founded in Pilsen in
1919 as Jihoceska" Zbrojovka, making the Fox pistol. A move to Strakonice occurred in 1921; in 1923, CZ received the contract to produce pistols
for the Czech Army. Production expanded in the 1920s and 1930s to include rifles, machine-guns, submachine-guns, bicycles, artillery, motor-
cycles and machine tools. In 1949, under Communist rule, it became Ceska Zbrojovka Narodni Podnik ('Czech People's Firearms Factory'). By
1955, however, growing non-firearms work was reflected in another change of name to Cesky Zavody Motocyklove ('Czech Motorcycle Factory').
Ceskoslovenska" Zbrojovka of Brno ('ZB') was also formed in 1919, as Ceskoslovenska Zavody na Vyrobu Zbrani, initially state-owned but
reorganised as a limited company in 1924 to unfetter export trade. The factory initially made rifles, but turned to the Pistol 'N' in 1922. The Czech
government decided to concentrate military pistol manufacture in one factory and, in 1923, the manufacture of the 'N' was passed to CZ in
Strakonice. The Brno company abandoned pistol-making for many years, but returned to make target pistols after 1949.
Fox: The first indigenous Czech pistol was a 6·35mm blowback. Marketed from 1920, it had an odd almost tubular slide, with the concentric recoil
spring retained around the barrel by a knurled ring at the muzzle. There was no trigger guard, as the trigger blade folded beneath the frame. The
Fox remained in production until 1926.
Fox: Maker: Ceska Zbrojovka. Strakonice. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall.
4·96in/126mm. Weight, unladen: 20·7oz/585gm. Barrel: 2·56in/65mm, rifled. Magazine: seven round detachable box.
CZ1922: Little more than an improved Fox, with a conventional trigger and guard and the optimistic
sights of the original replaced by a simple groove in the slide top. It remained in production until
1936, proving a popular export.
CZ1936: The CZ1922 model was replaced by a new design in 1936, the new 6·35mm blowback
featuring a self-cocking action. Operating the slide loaded the chamber in the normal way but, as
the slide returned, the hammer fell on to a blocking bar. Pulling the trigger cocked the hammer,
removed the blocking bar and released the hammer to fire the chambered round. Subsequent
'automatic' action gave the same result, the blocking bar being restored by the disconnector after
every shot. It was undoubtedly designer Frantisek Myska's trial run before developing the CZ38 CZ: 6·35mm
military pistol. As this action was acceptable in a pocket pistol, the CZ1936 sold well until CZ1922.
production ceased in 1940.
Model 1936: Maker: Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering. 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
5·04in/128mm. Weight, unladen: 13·8oz/390gm. Barrel: 2·52in/64mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
CZ1945: The 1936-pattern pocket pistol went back into production after the end of the Second World War; the safety catch was removed, as it was
considered redundant in view of the quirky firing system, but there were few other changes.
Model Z: Better known as the Duo (q.v.), originally made by Dusek, this was made in the Strakonice CZ factory shortly after the Communist
takeover. Dusek's business had been seized by the State. The slide of post-1948 guns was marked Z AUTO PISTOL R 6,35 MADE IN
CZECHOSLOVAKIA.
Model 448: This was apparently a ·22 rimfire target pistol designed expressly for Czech competition marksmen by Myska and Lacina. No specimen
has been available for examination, and reports indicate that the gun was made in limited numbers.

75
CZ Model (19)22 or Pistole N: Ceskoslovenska Zavody began by making Mauser rifles under licence, with technical assistance from Germany.
Josef Nickl was among the technicians involved in the Brno factory. A frustrated pistol designer, he had offered several designs to the Mauser
management prior to 1918. All had been rejected, including the 'Nickl-Pistole'—a modification of the blowback 7·65mm Mauser Model 1910
with a routing-barrel lock. The Czechs sought a military pistol, so Mauser granted a licence to make the Nickl design.
Production of the CZ1922 or Pistol N began late in 1921, and 10,000 were eventually made. The beautifully made gun presents an odd
appearance, as the back of the slide is all but flush with the back strap of the butt. The upper part of the slide swells into tubular form and the
retracting ribs run diagonally. The marking "9.mm N./Cs. st. zbrojovka, Brno" lies on the lock cover plate above the left grip.
The mechanism is somewhat complicated for a 9mm Short cartridge; the barrel is locked by
two lugs at the sides, engaging in slots in the slide walls. An additional lug under the barrel
engages in a helical groove in the frame. Barrel and slide move back on firing, rotating the
under-lug in the fixed frame-groove; this turns the barrel through about 20° until the side
lugs disengage. The barrel then stops and the slide is freed to complete the extraction and
reloading cycle. During the closing movement of the slide, the barrel is driven back, and the
under-lug turns it back until the side lugs re-engage with the slide. The CZ1922 has an
external hammer.
Whether production of this pistol was ever passed to the Ceska Zbrojovka Strakonice factory
in 1923 is debatable; if any were made there, they retained the Brno marking, since a 1922- CZ: vz.24 in
pattern gun with Strakonice marking has never been recorded. Moreover, the Brno factory 9mm Short.
had developed a simpler gun that had all but been approved by the army. Frantisek Myska, a
senior Ceska Zbrojovka engineer, was entrusted to prepare the modified Brno pistol for
series production. This entailed redesigning many internal components and smoothing the
exterior to simplify machining.
Model 22: Maker: Ceskoslovenske Zavody, Brno. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Short. Length overall:
6·00/152mm. Weight, unladen: 21·9oz/620gm. Barrel: 3·43in/87mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
CZ Model (19)24: The simplified pistol became known as the CZ 24, though the changes were principally concerned with minor details; the only
significant modifications were the addition of a magazine safety and adoption of hard rubber grips instead of wooden ones. The marking
CESKA ZBROJOVKA A.S. v PRAZE was engraved in the top rib of the slide. According to Czech records a version in 9mm Parabellum
calibre, fitted for a shoulder stock, was made for the Turkish Army, but no specimen of this model is known to exist. Guns were also made for
Lithuania and Poland in 1929-34. Production continued until the Germans seized Czechoslovakia in 1939; about 190,000 were made.
Model 24: Maker: Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Short. Length overall:
6·00in/152mm. Weight, unladen: 24·0oz/680gm. Barrel: 3·54in/90mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
CZ Model (19)27: Myska was still not satisfied with the 1924 model, largely because he
could see no good reason for a locked breech in 9mm Short chambering. He simply
changed it into a 7·65mm blowback. Though similar, blowback guns can be
distinguished from the earlier locked-breech patterns by vertical retracting grooves on
the slide.
The CZ 1927 was made for police, security guards and commercial sale until the
German occupation in 1939. Production continued under German supervision,
'Pistolen 27 (t)' being made until 1945. The top-rib of the slide was marked
BOHMISCHE WAFFENFABRIK A.G. IN PRAG with "pistole modell 27 kal. 7,65"
on the left side of the frame. Guns made after 1941 omitted the top-rib mark in favour CZ: 9mm vz.27.
of 'fnh Pistole Modell 27 Kal. 7,65' on the left side of the slide; 'fnh' was the German
identification code for the CZ factory. Work resumed in 1946, initially by assembling
guns from left-over wartime parts; new CZ 27 pistols were available as late as 1951,
by which time total production was approaching 700,000. Post-1948 guns have slides
marked CESKA ZBROJOVKA-NARODNI PODNIK/STRAKONICE, with the
encircled 'CZ' trademarks and '7·65'; MADE IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA often appears on the front lower left side of the frame ahead of the
trigger guard.
Model 27: Maker: Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
6·50in/165mm. Weight, unladen: 25·0oz/710gm. Barrel: 3 82in/97mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
CZ (19)38: As mentioned above, Myska designed a 6·35mm pistol with
self-cocking action in the mid 1930s. He then adapted the mechanism
to a larger military weapon, chambered for the 9mm Short cartridge.
This became the Czech Army's vz.38 pistol and is generally considered
to have been a mistake. Although firing the 9mm Short round, it was as
big as most pistols chambering 9mm Parabellum; and the exceptional
stiffness of the self-cocking action makes it almost impossible to place
shots accurately without long and arduous practice. The only virtue is
the ease of dismantling for cleaning; a catch at the side releases the
barrel, which is hinged at the muzzle, to swing up so that the slide can
be slipped off backward. A side plate can then be slid off the expose
CZ: 9mm vz.38.
the lockwork.
Production of 41,000 pistols was authorised in June 1938, but no guns
had been forthcoming before the Germans seized Czechoslovakia even
though most of the initial order were in the last stages of assembly; the
first deliveries were forthcoming after October 1939. Most of these
were assimilated into the German inventory as Pistolen 39 (t), but few were issued; the quirky blowbacks were generally left in the hands of
local security forces. The guns supplied to the Czechoslovakian army in 1938 are marked CESKA ZBROJOVKA AKC. SPOL V PRAZE on the
left side of the slide beneath the ejection port. Official acceptance marks—e.g., 'E7 (Bohemian lion) 39'—may be encountered on the right side
of the frame above the grip. No vz.38 has been seen with 'Bohmische Waffenfabrik' slide-mark, though some will exhibit Waffenamt inspection
marks.

76
 It is believed that a few pistols were made under German supervision for Bulgaria in 1941, distinguished by an additional rotary safety lever on
the left side of the frame.
Model 38: Maker: Ceska Zbrojovka. Strakonice. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 9mm Short. Length overall:
8·11in/206mm. Weight, unladen: 32·0oz/910gm. Barrel: 4·65in/118mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
CZ 1950: Not surprisingly, the post-war Czechoslovak Army wanted nothing to do with the CZ 1938 design, instead accepting a new pistol
developed by the Kratochvil brothers. The 7·65mm gun leaned heavily on the Walther PP for inspiration, though there were some interesting
differences. The safety catch was on the frame Instead of the slide; the loaded-chamber indicating pin protruded from the side of the slide instead
of the end; the trigger guard was forged integrally with the frame; and dismantling was controlled by a catch in the side of the frame. Though
serviceable, its calibre was not considered adequate for military use and the CZ 1950 was confined largely to the Czech police. Small quantities
reached the commercial market before it was replaced by the CZ 1970 (below) after 1969.
Model 50: Maker: Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
6·57in/167mm. Weight, unladen: 24·7oz/700gm. Barrel: 3·78in/96mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
CZ 1952: During the lengthy wait for a new pistol, the Czechoslovak army
had been forced to adopt Soviet weapons. These included the Tokarev
service pistol. This crude but generally effectual weapon was replaced
in 1952 by a new CZ design chambering the 7·62mm Soviet cartridge,
although the Czechs actually developed ammunition generating higher
muzzle velocity.
A cartridge of this power obviously needed a locked breech, but the
vz.52 incorporates one of the most complex pistol-locking systems
ever mass produced. Tracks in the frame cam two rollers out of
engagement with the slide during recoil, showing some affinity with
the German MG42 machine gun (which can be traced back to a patent CZ: vz.52.
granted in Poland in the early 1930s). In spite of its complexity, the
effectual vz.52 has a remarkably light recoil considering the powerful
cartridge that is used. Production ended c.1956, surviving guns how
being relegated to reserve stocks.
Model 52: Maker: Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Calibre: 7·62mm. Length overall:
8·23in/209mm. Weight, unladen: 33·9oz/960gm. Barrel: 4·72in/120mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
CZ (19)70: The CZ 1950 acquired a poor reputation for reliability, so changes were made in the late 1960s to cure the problems. The appearance of
the CZ 1970 hardly changed except for the markings and the patterning of the grips. Production ended in 1983.
CZ (19)75: Probably the best pistol ever to appear from Czechoslovakia,
and one of the outstanding designs of the post-1945 period, this has
attained wide popularity outside its country of origin. The design has
been widely copied in Switzerland, Italy and even Britain. Ironically, it
has not been adopted by the Czech forces, as 9mm Parabellum is not a
Warsaw Pact calibre. Whether the tremendous changes currently being
made in eastern Europe will affect the situation remains to be seen.
The CZ 75 was designed by the Koucty brothers and bears no
relationship to previous Czech pistols. The standard of manufacture
was excellent and balance was exactly right. It offers nothing
revolutionary; simply the sound application of proven design features.
CZ: 9mm vz.75
The CZ 75 breech is locked by Browning-type cam, which unlocks the
barrel from the slide by dropping the breech during the recoil stroke.
The slide rides on rails inside the frame, offering better support and
finer accuracy than more usual exterior rails. The magazine holds
fifteen rounds, and the double-action trigger operates an external
hammer. The slide is marked CZ MODEL 75 9MM PARA and the
frame MADE IN CZECHOSLOVAKIA.
Model 75: Maker: Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall:
8·00in/203mm. Weight, unladen: 34·6oz/980gm. Barrel: 4·72in/120mm, rifled. Magazine: fifteen-round detachable box.
CZ 1983: This is a conventional fixed-barrel 7·65mm pistol which might be considered
an improved CZ 1970. It has an ambidextrous safety catch and a magazine catch
behind the trigger guard which can be operated from both sides of the pistol. The
double-action lock incorporates an automatic safety device to prevent the hammer
reaching the firing pin except when the trigger is fully squeezed. The hinged trigger-
guard, held by a spring catch, controls the stripping of the pistol; however, if the
magazine is in place, the guard cannot open and the pistol cannot be stripped.
Conversely, the magazine cannot be inserted in the butt if the trigger guard is not
properly closed.
Model 83: Maker: Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice. Type: automatic pistol CZ: 7·65mm
(blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·81in/173mm. Model 83.
Weight, unladen: 22·9oz/650gm. Barrel: 3·78in/96mm, rifled. Magazine:
fifteen-round detachable box.
CZ 1985: This updated CZ 1975—retaining the same size, shape and general design—
offers a manual safety and slide stop redesigned to allow ambidextrous operation. Some small interior mechanical changes improve reliability,
and an adjustable back sight can be fitted if required.

77
Grand: This title covers a range of six-shot revolvers made by the Brno
factory from the 1950s. They are all based on the solid-frame swing-
out cylinder Smith & Wesson practice, chambering ·38 Special or ·357
Magnum. Various sight and grip options were available.
ZKP 493: A single-shot target pistol with a hinged barrel and external
hammer, this exhibited revolver-like configuration. It was marketed as
the Champion but has rarely been seen outside Czechoslovakia.
ZKP 524: The Koucty brothers designed this 7·62mm automatic pistol,
with a swinging-link barrel locking system inspired by the M1911 CZ: ·38 Grand.
Colt-Browning. It had an external hammer, together with a Colt-type
slide-stop and safety catch. The grip safety was omitted, and the
wedge-shape butt was more rounded than that of the Colt. Chambered
for the 7·62mm Soviet cartridge, the ZKP 524 was apparently intended
as a military weapon; it was never adopted and only a handful was
made. It may simply have been a step on the way to the CZ 1975 design.
ZKR 551: This was a single-action solid framed gate-loading revolver developed specifically for international competition shooting. Introduced in
1957, it was chambered for the ·38 Special cartridge. The ZKR had a heavy slab-sided barrel with a pronounced rib, an interchangeable front
sight and a micrometer back sight. It was extensively used by Czechoslovak shooters, but was rarely seen outside the country.
ZKR551: Maker: Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38 Special. Length overall: 11·70in/297mm.
Weight, unladen: 35·3oz/1,000gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

CZAR (USA)
1: Revolvers made by Hopkins & Allen of Norwich, Connecticut, in 1871-85. The seven-shot ·22 rimfire version had a solid frame, a stud trigger,
a 3·5in octagonal barrel and a saw-handle butt. It is usually found with surprisingly ornate engraving and may display a dealer's name. There
was also a ·32 five-shot revolver offering similar construction.
Czar: Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·22 rimfire. Length overall: 7·48in/190mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel:
3·15in/80mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-chamber cylinder.
2: This seven-shot ·22 rimfire solid-frame stud trigger revolver, with a saw-handle or square butt, had barrels measuring 2-7·5in. It was made by
the Hood Firearms Company of Norwich, Connecticut, about 1875-82; unusual for Hood products, which normally featured false rifling, the
Czar had three-groove rifling extending the length of the barrel.

D
DAISY (USA)
This ·22 rimfire seven-shot solid-frame stud trigger revolver, with bird's head grip, was made by the Bacon Arms Company of Norwich,
Connecticut, in the 1880s. It had an unusual pincer-type cylinder arbor catch and a brass front-sight blade, but was otherwise a conventional Suicide
Special of its period.

DAKOTA (USA)
A sales name used by EMF Company ('European Military Firearms') of
Santa Ana, California, on Western-style revolvers made principally by
Pietta and Uberti of Italy. The Dakota Single Action and Dakota Bisley
were both based on the Colt Single Action Army Model; the Dakota
Outlaw was an adaption of the Remington M1875; and the Dakota Police
was a modern re-creation of the Remington M1890.
Dakota: A typical
DARDICK (USA) Italian-made
The Dardick Corporation of Hamden, Connecticut, produced this EMF revolver,
innovative pistol; unfortunately, it failed in the market-place and had a based on the Colt
short life. David Dardick announced the perfected pistol in 1954, having Single Action
conceived the idea in 1949. The guns sold in small numbers until Army.
production ended in 1962. The principle was licensed to another company
and makes periodic (but unsuccessful) reappearances on heavy machine guns and cannon.
The Dardick Open Chamber gun can be likened to a revolver in which the cylinder is formed with three triangular cut-outs in its periphery to act as
a transporter-cum-breech. Ammunition is contained in a box magazine
inserted into the butt. Specially shaped cartridges, or 'Trounds' as Dardick
named them, were forced up the magazine by a spring to enter the open
recess in the cylinder. Pressing the trigger rotated the cylinder to receive
the next round; brought the first round into position behind the barrel; fired
it; then moved on to eject the case and, at the same time, present another
recess for loading from the magazine. Subsequent trigger-strokes fired and
ejected until the magazine was emptied and the last round had been fired.
Trounds were retained in the cylinder by the top strap of the frame and a
thin metal shroud containing the ejection port.
The peculiar shape of the cartridge was achieved by taking standard
commercial rounds and loading them into trochoidal* plastic outer cases.
Dardick envisaged making brass cases of the appropriate shape once
demand grew, but this stage was never reached.
The Model 1100 had a small grip and an eleven-round magazine, while the Dardick: Model
Model 1500 had a larger grip to hold fifteen rounds. Both chambered ·38 1500.
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Dardick Special, which was simply the normal ·38 Special in the plastic casing; however, by using adapters and interchangeable barrels, Dardicks
could chamber ·38 S&W Long, 9mm Parabellum and ·22 LR cartridges. The Model 1100 had a three-inch barrel; the Model 1500 offered a six-inch
barrel as standard, but alternatives were advertised. A shoulder stock and a special long barrel could convert the M1500 into a carbine.
Although the Dardick pistols worked, they were sufficiently different to meet sales resistance. Ammunition was not readily available and, by
comparison with conventional pistols, they were expensive; the Model 1500 cost $99.50 in 1960, when the Colt Trooper could be had for $74.60.
Combination of these factors led to the Dardick's failure.
Dardick Model 1500: Type: solid-frame pistol/revolver. Chambering: ·38 Special cartridges loaded in special carrying 'trounds'. Length
overall: 9·00in/229mm. Weight, unladen: 34·0oz/965gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: fifteen-round detachable box.
* Defined by the Oxford English Dictionary as a 'curve traced by a point on or connected with a rolling circle', the shape of the Tround could also be
described as a rounded-apex equilateral triangle with convex sides.

DAVIS (USA)
Davis Industries of Chino, California, began producing a ·32 ACP (7·65mm Auto) blowback pistol in 1986. It is a conventional single-action model,
with black Teflon or chrome finish and an unusual ventilated rib atop the slide.
Davis P-32: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·32 ACP (7·65mm Auto). Length overall: 5·40in/137mm. Weight, unladen:
22·0oz/625gm. Barrel: 2·80in/71mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

DECKER (GERMANY)
Wilhelm Decker of Zella St Blasii patented a remarkable pocket revolver in 1912, which might have
had better success had not the outbreak of war ended production in 1914. The hammerless six-shot
6·35mm gun had a solid frame, and an axial striker. The trigger was attached to a long bar running
under the cylinder; pressing the trigger drew back the bar, raised a pawl to rotate the cylinder, locked
the cylinder in place, then cocked and released the striker. The Decker revolver was loaded through a
gate on the left side of the frame; ejection was achieved by detaching a pin carried in the cylinder
arbor and punching spent cases back through the gate. A thin sheet-metal cover over the cylinder on
the right side of the frame retained the cartridges and facilitated pocketing by smoothing contours. Decker.
Decker revolvers are rare today, manufacture having ceased by the end of 1914. The pistol was
briefly marketed in England by R.H. Mueller as the Mueller Special Revolver, but no specimen is
known and it is unlikely that many were made in this form.
Decker: Maker: Wilhelm Decker. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·65in/118mm. Weight,
unladen: 9·0oz/255gm. Barrel: 1·97in/50mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

DEFENDER (USA)
1: A brand name applied to a series of ·22 and ·32 rimfire revolvers made by Johnson, Bye & Company of Worcester, Massachusetts, from 1872
to 1883. They were of the usual solid-frame non-ejecting pattern with a sheath trigger, and usually had bird's head grips.
2: A standard 7·65mm Eibar-type automatic made by Javier Echaniz of Eibar for a short time in the 1920s.
Defender: Maker: Javier Echaniz. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·75in/146mm.
Weight, unladen: 20·1oz/570gm. Barrel: 3·23in/82mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
3: The 'Defender 89' was an improved model of the Defender (1), made by Iver Johnson Arms & Cycle Works in Worcester and then Fitchburg,
Massachusetts, from 1889 to 1895. The changes were relatively minor; the revolvers remained the same ·22 and ·32 rimfire solid frame non-
ejectors with sheath triggers. Iver Johnson had bought out his partner Martin Bye in 1883, but continued making Johnson & Bye designs for
some years; the Defender 89 was a break with the past, but only insofar as it carried Iver Johnson marks.

DEFENSE (SPAIN)
A 6·35mm Eibar-pattern pistol, based on the 1906-pattern Browning, this otherwise unidentifiable product lacks a grip safety. The slide is marked
PISTOLET AUTOMATIQUE CAL 6,35 DEFENSE, suggesting export to a French-speaking market; the only specimens observed have borne
Belgian 'foreign arms' proof marks.

DEK-DU (SPAIN)
An unusual revolver produced in c.1905-12 by Tomas de Urizar of Eibar, this was a hammerless Velo Dog with a revolver-style butt. Its barrel is
partly octagonal/mostly cylindrical, with a pronounced collar holding the front sight. The large cylinder contains twelve chambers in a single ring.
The Dek-Du was available in 5·5mm Velo-Dog or 6·35mm Auto (·25 ACP) chambering; a spring catch held the cylinder arbor, allowing the
cylinder to be removed for loading.
Dek-Du: Maker: Tomas de Urizar. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·72in/120mm. Weight, unladen:
14·0oz/395gm. Barrel: 2·20in/56mm, rifled. Magazine, twelve-chamber cylinder.

DELU (BELGIUM)
Fabrique d'Armes Delu et Cie of Liege made a 6·35mm blowback automatic broadly based on the 1906 pattern Browning 1906 and dating from
1908-14. The only feature of note is the short grip safety, which protrudes rather sharply from the upper rear of the grip. Some examples have been
seen without any form of grip safety at all. The slide is marked FABRIQUE D'ARMES F. DELU & CO LIEGE BELGIQUE and the grips bear an
encircled 'FD' monogram.
Delu: Maker: Fabrique d'Armes F. Delu. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·61in/117mm.
Weight, unladen: 11·6oz/330gm. Barrel: 2·13in/54mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

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DEMON (SPAIN)
Manufactura de Armas 'Demon' of Eibar may simply have been a sales name, concealing a better-known Spanish manufacturer. Its 6·35mm and
7·65mm run-of-the-mill Eibar-pattern pistols each have their own peculiarities. The 6·35mm gun has a large shield-shaped operating surface on the
safety catch, which lies on the left rear of the frame. One version of the 7·65mm Demon is quite unremarkable, but the other has an extended butt
frame for a twenty-round magazine making the pistol higher than it is long.
The 6·35mm pistol is marked with the company name, demon and a suitably diabolic face on the grips; 7·65mm models have a peculiar inscription
AUTOMATIC PISTOL DEMON 7,65 32 CALIBER METAL COVERED BULLET on the slide, plus DEMON on the grips.
Demon [Eibar type]: Maker: unknown. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·91in/150mm.
Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 3·35in/85mm, rifled. Magazine: twenty-round detachable box.

DERINGER (USA)
The younger Henry Deringer's name has been immortalised (and usually misspelled) in the large-calibre single-shot cap-locks with which legend
has filled every Wild West gambler's vest-pocket. Most genuine Deringer products appeared before his death in 1869, though the Deringer Rifle &
Pistol Works was run by J. J. Clark until 1879. A range of rimfire revolvers was made to the patents of Charles Foehl.
Centennial 1876: These were top-break stud-trigger revolvers in ·22 Short (seven-shot), ·32 Short and ·41 rimfire (each five-shot).
Deringer Model 1: A seven-shot single-action ·22 Short rimfire revolver, this had a tipping barrel very similar to the then-current Smith &
Wesson's. Small numbers were made in 1873.
Deringer Model 2: Another single-action ·22 Short rimfire pattern, this had a three-inch tipping barrel similar to that of the Model 1—but round
instead of octagonal. Foehl's patented cylinder-rotation pawl was abandoned for a more conventional mechanism. A five-shot ·32 rimfire version
was also made.

DERINGER
Henry Deringer was best known for the cap-lock pocket pistol shown here, in an
engraving from a J.H. Johnston catalogue of 1888, but the Deringer Rifle & Pistol
Works also made inexpensive revolvers.

Derringer Pocket Pistols.

I have on hand a lot of Derringer Pistols, 2 to 2·5 inch barrel, of the genuine Derringer
pattern. These pistols are hand-made, patent breech, back- action, steel lock,
Damascus steel barrels, rifled gain twist, and about 60 balls to a pound; double
sighted, German silver mounted, nicely engraved, checkered and varnished, walnut
handles, with bullet moulds, being muzzle loaders using powder, ball, and caps. The
shooting power of these celebrated weapons is well known to nearly every Southerner, and many of the old frontiersmen; and this, with their deadly
accuracy, makes them the most desirable for "sure work." The price of these pistols has been, until lately, $15.00 to $20.00 a pair. I sell them at
$5.50 a pair, or $3.00 each moulds included, post paid, and fully warranted.

DESTRUCTOR (SPAIN)
A brand name for two Eibar-type automatics produced by Iraola Salaverria of Eibar in the 1920s, one in 6·35mm and the other in 7·65mm calibre.

DETONICS (USA)
Detonics Firearms Industries of Bellevue, Washington, manufacture a range of
pistols based on the Colt M1911A1. The Service Master and Score Master, made
of stainless steel, have an extended safety catch, improved trigger mechanisms and
adjustable sights. The Combat Master—a reduced-size M1911A1 in stainless
steel—has progressed from the Mark I of 1977 to the current (1990) Mark VI.
Designed for combat or practical pistol shooting, the guns have throated barrels
with polished feed ramps; bevelled and polished magazine apertures in the butts;
carefully tuned triggers and sears; slide-backs sloped to facilitate rapid thumb-
cocking of the hammer; and frames that have been reshaped to prevent the
traditional bite of the hammer tang on the web of the thumb during firing. Each Detonics:
barrel is carefully fitted, being located by a V-block instead of the conventional Servicemaster.
muzzle bush. The Mark I is matt blued steel, the Mark offers IV polished blued
steel, and the Mark VI is matt stainless steel.
The Pocket Nine, introduced in 1984, was a small 9mm Parabellum double-action
delayed blowback. Intended as a personal defence pistol, it failed to make an impact and was discontinued by 1988.
Combat Master Series II: Maker: Detonics Industries. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: ·45 ACP. Length overall:
6·77in/172mm. Weight, unladen: 25·7oz/730gm. Barrel: 3·50in/89mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

DEUTSCHE-WERKE (GERMANY)
In 1921 Deutsche-Werke AG of Erfurt, which had been formed immediately after the
end of the First World War from the remnants of the government arsenals, acquired the
rights to guns designed by Heinrich Ortgies. At that time only the 7·65mm Ortgies pistol
had been offered in quantity, though designs had been prepared for 6·35mm and 9mm
Short models.

Deutsche-Werke: An
engraved 9mm Ortgies
pistol.

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All three versions were put into production under the Deutsche-Werke banner in 1922, beginning with the 6·35mm. While this is identical with the
7·65mm model (which will be found described under 'Ortgies') except for size, the 9mm model may exhibit minor variations. Some 7·65mm and
9mm examples can be found with a manual safety catch on the left side of the frame above the centre of the grip; others have screws holding the
grip plates instead of the original Ortgies 'invisible' attachment.
Markings on these pistols vary; early models carry the slide inscription DEUTSCHE-WERKE AKTIEN- GESELLSCHAFT WERKE ERFURT and
have the monogram 'HO' (for Heinrich Ortgies) let into the butt grips. Later models are inscribed DEUTSCHE WERKE (monogram) WERKE
ERFURT, the ornate monogram—'D' formed by a stylised lion—being repeated on the grips.
Ortgies: Maker: Deutsche-Werke AG, Erfurt. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 9mm Short. Length overall:
6·50in/165mm. Weight, unladen: 21·2oz/600gm. Barrel: 3·43in/87mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

DIANE (USA)
A 6·35mm blowback automatic of conventional form, this has been made by the Wilkinson Arms Company of El Monte, California, since the
1970s. It is made in Standard form, made largely of steel, or as the Lightweight with an alloy frame.

DICKINSON (USA)
One of many small manufacturers abounding in Massachusetts after the Civil War, E.L. & J. Dickinson of Springfield originally made single-shot
pistols. In 1871, after the Rollin White patent restrictions had been removed, Dickinson produced a six-shot ·32 rimfire revolver called the Ranger
No. 2. It offered good quality, but much the same pattern as many competitors—a solid frame non-ejector with a cylindrical barrel and bird's head
grips. The Ranger No. 2 was loaded through a groove in the right side of the frame; or unloaded by pulling out the cylinder axis pin, removing the
cylinder, and punching out the empty cases with the pin. Dickinson did not survive beyond the mid-1880s.
Ranger No. 2: Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·32. Length overall: 6·65in/169mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 2·80in/71mm,
rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

DICKSON BULLDOG (USA)

This WAS a ·22 rimfire revolver made by Hermann Weihrauch of Mellrichstadt, Germany, in 1955-65 period. It was the current Arminius HW-3
(q.v.) under an American sales name.

DICKSON SPECIAL AGENT (USA)

A name for the Echasa 7·65mm automatic pistol made by Echave y Arizmendi of Eibar. It was sold under this name in the USA in the early 1960s.

DICTATOR (USA)
A ·32 Short rimfire revolver manufactured by Hopkins & Allen in the 1880s. It was the usual solid-frame single action weapon of the period, with a
sheathed trigger, a saw-handle or bird's head butt, and a five-chamber cylinder. The 2·88in barrel was round and the cylinder was removable, the
arbor being retained by a spring clip.
Dictator: Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·32. Length overall: 6·89in/175mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 2·87in/73mm,
rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

DIMANCEA (ROMANIA)
Captain Haralamb Dimancea of the Romanian
army patented this revolver in 1885. It was a
six-shot ·38 or five-shot ·45 weapon
employing a unique mechanism. It was genuinely
hammerless, instead of another concealed- hammer 'hammerless' pattern; the
trigger operated a star wheel inside the frame, which revolved to strike the firing
pin. There is no external means of cocking, and the Dimancea revolver can only
be fired in the self-cocking mode. This gives the effect of a double-action
revolver, but requires much less trigger pressure.
What looks like a hammer spur on the rear of the frame is a latch that can be pulled down
to allow the cylinder and barrel to be pushed to the left side, pivoting about a bolt in the
lower front of the frame. The barrel is then drawn forward to operate a self-ejecting
mechanism.
Manufacture was undertaken by the Gatling Arms & Ammunition Company (q.v.) in
Dimancea: An unusual ·45
1888-90 and revolvers were all suitably marked on top of the barrel rib; some are also
revolver made in Britain by the
marked DIMANCEAS PATENT. Owing to their short production life, few Dimancea
Gatling Arms & Ammunition
revolvers survive.
Co.
Dimancea: Maker: Gatling Arms & Ammunition Co., Birmingham. Type:
hinged-frame revolver. Calibre: ·45. Length overall: 11·22in/285mm. Weight, unladen: 32·5oz/920gm. Barrel:
5·51in/140mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

DIPLOMAT (USA)
This ·380 blowback automatic, with external hammer, was marketed by Hawes Firearms of Los Angeles in 1955-65 period. It is believed to have
been Italian, possibly the work of Bernardelli (q.v.).

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DOLNE (BELGIUM)
Etablissements L. Dolne-Bar of Liege lays claim to the 'Apache' revolver, a pinfire combination gun patented in Belgium in 1869-70. Many
thousands were made by an assortment of Belgian and French makers until the middle 1880s. Butts were generally brass, frames being steel; the
most distinctive characteristic was the absence of a conventional barrel, the bullets being fired straight out of the chamber through a hole in a top-
strap continuing down across the cylinder-face to the frame.
The essence of the Apache designs lay in their multiple threat. A spring-loaded folding knife blade was let into the lower part of the frame, from
which it could be flicked by pressing a catch. The butt was pierced and hinged to fold beneath the frame, which carried a folding trigger; the gun
could then be grasped with the cylinder in the palm of the hand and the fingers through the holes in the butt, producing an effectual knuckle-duster.
Apache: Type: combination knuckleduster-knife revolver. Calibre: 7mm (pinfire). Length overall: about 8·00in/203mm with blade open
and grip unfolded. Weight, unladen: 12·5oz/355gm. Barrel: none. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

DOMINO (ITALY)
Fabbrica Armi Sportive Sri of Settimo Milanese made guns for Italguns International, a sales agency operating in 1972-85. After Italguns failed,
FAS began to market the pistols under its own name.
FAS OP 601: Formerly known as the IGI-Domino, this high quality ·22 Short rimfire target pistol is typical of the modern style, being slab-sided
with anatomical grips. The bolt reciprocates in the receiver and is cocked by grips mounted on arms which run forward alongside the barrel. The
barrel is set low, almost as an extension of the firer's trigger finger hand, while the trigger and lockwork are contained in a removable module
with adjustments for pull-off and trigger travel. The five-shot magazine is removed upward, allowing the butt grip to be of virtually any shape.
The grips supplied by the maker came in various sizes, for left or right hands alike. The Domino quickly proved to be excellent, taking a gold
medal in the 1980 Olympic rapid-fire competition.
FAS SP 602: The sports version of the
Domino incorporates minor differences in
the trigger mechanism, which can be
adjusted down to 100gm. The two pistols
look similar externally, but the ·22 LR
rimfire SP 602 has larger retraction grips
and lacks the barrel ports of the ·22 Short
rapid-fire gun.
FAS CF 603: Intended for centre-fire standard
pistol competitions, this Domino Domino: ·22 IGI-
derivative chambers the ·32 S&W Domino (FAS)
cartridge. The trigger has a fixed pull of OP 601.
1,360gm to comply with ISU rules.
PGP 75: This Pardini-design single-shot bolt
action Free Pistol has an ultra low-set
barrel and a trigger which can be set by a
lever protruding from the wooden fore-
end. Various grips are available, including
fully adjustable ones, and differing barrel weights can be fitted.
IGI-Domino OP 601: Maker: Fabbrica Armi Sportive, Settimo Milanese, for Italguns International. Type: automatic pistol (blowback).
Chambering: ·22 Short. Length overall: 11·22in/285mm. Weight, unladen: 40·6oz/1,150gm with auxiliary weights Barrel: 5·59in/142mm,
rifled. Magazine: five-round internal box.

DORNHEIM (GERMANY)
A long-established retailer, G.C. Dornheim AG of Suhl, marketed Gecado-brand pistols for several decades. ^The company is believed to have
disappeared in 1940, the brand name currently being owned by Dynamit Nobel. Pre-1939 pistols included 6·35mm and 7·65mm Eibar-pattern
automatics made by SEAM but marked GECADO in a diamond and offering only average quality.
The model offered by Dynamit Nobel in the 1950s was simply a modification of the 6·35mm exposed-barrel Reck P8 blowback (q.v.) with a
repositioned safety catch. Slides were marked GECADO MOD 11 CAL 6,35 (.25) MADE IN GERMANY. These is no evidence of any of the
previous ten models were ever marketed.

DORNAUS & DIXON (USA)

Dornaus & Dixon Enterprises of Huntingdon Beach, California,
was responsible for the initial production of the Bren Ten pistol in
1983. This was a near-copy of the CZ 75 attributed to the well-
known American pistol-shot and instructor Jeff Cooper, utilising
the 10mm Auto Pistol cartridge developed by Norma a few years
earlier.
The Bren Ten was offered as a the standard Military & Police
Model, with an eleven-round magazine; as a Pocket Model, with a
shorter butt and a nine-round magazine; as the Dual-Master, with
interchangeable 10mm and ·45 ACP barrels and slides; and as the
Initial Issue Commemorative, which was decorated in gold and
fitted in a presentation case. Bren Tens were otherwise
unremarkable and, owing to high price and the inability of the
company to meet manufacturing schedules, failed to make the Dornaus &
Dixon: 10mm
anticipated impact on the market. Work ceased early in 1985 after
about 1,500 had been made, but the adoption of the 10mm cartridge Bren Ten.
by the FBI in 1989 led to a resurgence of interest. Late in 1990 it
was announced that Peregrine Industries of Balboa, California, had

82
acquired the rights to the Bren Ten and would be producing it as the 'Peregrine Falcon'.
Bren Ten Standard: Maker: Dornaus & Dixon, Huntingdon Beach, California. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering:
10mm Auto. Length overall: 8·75in/222mm. Weight, unladen: 39·0oz/1,105gm. Barrel: 5·00in/127mm, rifled. Magazine: eleven-round
detachable box.
Bren Ten Pocket: Maker: Dornaus & Dixon, Huntingdon Beach, California. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 10mm
Auto. Length overall. 6·90in/175mm. Weight, unladen: 28·0oz/795gm. Barrel: 3·75in/95mm, rifled. Magazine, nine-round detachable
box.

DOUGLAS (SPAIN)
This was a 6·35mm Eibar-type blowback automatic manufactured by Lasagabaster Hermanos of Eibar; the date is in some doubt. The slide
inscription reads 6·35 1914 MODEL AUTOMATIC PISTOL DOUGLAS PATENT, but the guns probably date from the early 1920s. Grips are
marked DOUGLAS and 'LH'.
Douglas M1914: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·50in/114mm. Weight, unladen:
10·5oz/295gm. Barrel: 3·05in/52mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

DREYSE (GERMANY)
Rheinische Metallwaaren- und Maschinenfabrik was founded in Sommerda in 1889, purchasing the assets of the moribund Waffenfabrik von
Dreyse in 1901. Founded sixty years earlier to make the famous Needle Gun for the Prussian army, the Dreyse concern had also made needle-pistols
and cap-lock revolvers. Fortunes had declined after the German army adopted the Mauser in 1872, despite production of sporting guns offering
exchangeable ignition systems for combustible or metal-case ammunition. Dreyse had then produced a series of guns for metallic cartridges, but
they had been unable to reverse the slide into obscurity.
7·65mm Model 1907: Pistols bearing the Dreyse name were actually designed by Louis
Schmeisser in 1905-6 and were marketed from 1907 onward. The earliest gun,
chambered for the 7·65mm Auto (·32 ACP) cartridge, was most unusual. Most of the
cranked slide lay along the top of the barrel, with a short section projecting down
behind the chamber to serve as the breech block. The breech block was confined
within a flat-sided frame with a bridge to carry the back sight and arrest the upper
section of the slide.
The recoil spring surrounded the barrel, enclosed in the frame and held by a collar
engaging the front end of the slide through a spring catch. Pulling back on the finger
grips at the front of the slide brings the breech block into view behind the frame. The Dreyse: 7·65mm
Dreyse pistol was fired by a striker whose tail protruded back through the rear of the M1907.
breech block when the chamber was loaded. The entire top section of frame and slide
could be pivoted on a pin in front of the trigger guard, being locked in the firing
position by a catch at the rear of the frame. This final refinement was essential to
dismantling; removal of the cranked slide would have been impossible otherwise.
Changes were made during the production life of the pistol; the only major modification concerned the firing mechanism. Prior to c.1915, the
cocked striker had been held by the sear before being released by the trigger; pulling the trigger subsequently pushed the striker back before
releasing it, compressing the striker spring to a greater extent. This appears to have been inspired by the 9mm Dreyse (below) as an insurance
against insensitive wartime ammunition. It allowed a second strike if the first misfired.
Another wartime change involved a recess cut in the top front of the slide to facilitate removal of the recoil-spring retaining bush. Pistols are
usually marked DREYSE RHEINMETALL ABT. SOMMERDA on the left side of the frame, with an 'RMF' monogram on the grips. However,
early models may be marked DREYSE RHEINISCHE METALLWAAREN- UND MASCHINENFABRIK ABT SOMMERDA, while a few
made in 1914, after adoption of the Rheinmetall acronym, omitted 'Dreyse' completely. The 7·65mm pistol was popular commercially. Many
were purchased by police forces, including the Royal Saxon Gendarmerie; marks such as K. Sachs. Gend. will often be encountered.
Dreyse: Maker: Rheinische Metallwaaren- und Maschinenfabrik, Sommerda. Type: automatic
pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·30in/160mm. Weight, unladen:
25·0oz/710gm. Barrel: 3·65in/93mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
6·35mm Model 1907: The 7·65mm Dreyse was followed by a more conventional 6·35mm model, broadly
based on the 1906 Browning pattern without the grip safety. However, it had a unique patented method
of assembly. The barrel is located by a cylindrical lump under the chamber fitting into a recess in the
frame, where it is held by a metal dovetail rib connecting the top surface of the barrel with the top of
the breech block section of the slide. The sprung rib, carrying the sights, lay snugly in its groove.
Lifting the back sight clear of the slide allowed the whole rib to be removed backward, allowing the
Dreyse: 6·35mm
pistol to be dismantled. The rib reciprocated with the slide, ejection being to the right beneath it.
M1907.
6·35mm guns are simply marked DREYSE on the left side of the slide and have 'RMF' monograms on
the grips.
Dreyse: Maker: Rheinische Metallwaaren- und Maschinenfabrik,
Sommerda. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering:
6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·50in/114mm. Weight, unladen:
14·1oz/400gm. Barrel: 2·05in/52mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round
detachable box.
9mm Model, c.1912: This, a 9mm Parabellum enlargement of the 7·65mm model, appeared
some time prior to the First World War. Use of such a powerful cartridge in a blowback pistol
demanded a very strong recoil spring. Gripping the peculiarly shaped Dreyse slide made cocking
impossible, so Schmeisser patented a system of isolating the spring during the cocking stroke. a long
arm carrying the sights and a serrated grip, with two lugs projecting downward, was attached to the front
of the slide by a pivot pin. The recoil spring bush extended about two inches back from the muzzle, forming a
sleeve surrounding the front end of the recoil spring, and had an upstanding lug which engaged the front lug under the
hinged arm. The second underlug locked into a recess on the top of the slide.
Dreyse: 9mm.
83
 Lifting the arm by the serrated grip disconnected the recoil-spring sleeve lug and then retracted the slide without resistance. Returning the arm
chambered a cartridge and closed the breech, whereupon the arm snapped into engagement with the recoil spring sleeve as it dropped to its rest
position. When the 9mm Dreyse was fired, the slide carried the arm straight backward and—owing to the lugs—compressed the main spring to
absorb the recoil.
The external appearance of the 9mm Dreyse suggests an abnormally long barrel; the measurement is about 5in, though this is as much due to the
sleeve reducing return-spring space by 2in as a quest for ballistic excellence. The quirky engagement system was probably sound when the
pistols were new; most surviving specimens exhibit worn lugs that allow the cocking arm to leap upward when fired. This disconnects the return
spring, allowing the slide to recoil violently and jam open. The solid bridge fortunately prevents the slide from being blown off the frame.
The 9mm pistol embodied the self-cocking striker mechanism of the modified 7·65mm pattern, described above, and the hinged frame was held
by a heavy cross-bolt instead of a spring catch. The pistol seems to have been marketed commercially about 1912 and remained in production
until 1915-16 when all Dreyse pistol manufacture ceased. It apparently remained in dealer's stocks for some time, as it was still being advertised
in the early 1920s. Never formally approved by the German army, at least a few were carried by officers during the war. Production seems to
have been small; few examples survive. The markings duplicate the 7·65mm pistol, though DREYSE lies on the right side of the frame above
the ejection slot, with the remainder on the left side.
Dreyse: Maker: Rheinische Metallwaaren- und Maschinenfabrik, Sommerda. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 9mm
Parabellum. Length overall: 8·11in/206mm. Weight, unladen: 37·0oz/1,050gm. Barrel: 4·95in/126mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round
detachable box.

DRULOV (CZECHOSLOVAKIA)
Lidove Druzstvo Puskaru 'Lov' of Litomysl, subsequently 'Dilo' Svratovich (national co-operative), has been part of the state-controlled Czech
firearms industry since the Communist take-over in 1948. It specialises in inexpensive target pistols which are nevertheless well made and good
performers.

Model 70 Standard: This is a bolt-action single shot pistol, the bolt being operated by a knob protruding from the rear of the frame. Closing the
bolt cocks the striker. The barrel is almost 10in long, carrying a laterally adjustable front sight, while the back sight is adjustable for elevation.
The walnut wrap-round grip has a prominent thumb rest.
Drulov M70: Maker. Dilo Svratovich, Litomysl. Type: single-shot pistol. Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: 14·37in/365mm.
Weight, unladen: 44·1oz/1,250gm. Barrel. 9·84in/250mm, rifled. Magazine: none.
Model 70 Special: Similar to the Standard model, this has an additional set-trigger. Inside the trigger guard lie a horizontal setting lever and a
button; pressing down the lever 'sets' the trigger, and a slight pressure on the button fires the pistol.
Model 75: A variant of the Model 70 Special, this has an improved set trigger, different sights and a better grip. The set-trigger arrangement is
similar to the preceding pattern, but the setting lever springs back when released; the Model 70 Special design remains down until the trigger
button is pressed. The Model 75 back sight is fully adjustable.
Pav: Designed by Pavlicek, providing its name, this 1963-vintage introduction was the original Drulov. It is a cheap and simple drop-barrel single
shot weapon with a front sight dovetailed into the muzzle and a mere groove in the rear of the frame serving as a back sight. The Pav is loaded
by pressing a catch on the left side to open the barrel, placing a round in the chamber, cocking the firing pin by a knob on the striker, and then
closing the barrel. Cheap and cheerful, it was doubtless a good (if extremely basic) trainer.
Pav: Maker: Dilo Svratovich, Litomysl. Type: single-shot pistol. Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: 10·24in/260mm. Weight,
unladen: 35·5oz/1,005gm. Barrel: rifled. Magazine: none.

DUAN (SPAIN)
This average-quality 6·35mm Eibar-pattern blowback automatic, manufactured by Fernando Ormachea
of Eibar in the 1920s, is difficult to distinguish from its many competitors other than by the inscription
AUTOMATIC PISTOL CAL 6,35 DUAN FABRIQUE EN ESPAGNE on the slide and an ornate
dragon moulded into the butt grips.

DUO (CZECHOSLOVAKIA)
This 6·35mm blowback automatic was made by Dusek of Opocno (see below) from 1926 to 1949; the
design was then appropriated by the Czech state firearms industry and marketed as the 'Z' pistol. The
general design was based on the 1906-pattern Browning, with the usual 2·25in barrel and six-round
magazine. It was commercially successful, selling widely throughout Europe and North America. It was Dusek: DUO
sold in Germany by Eblen of Stuttgart, whose name is sometimes encountered. The slide marks were 6·35mm.
rendered in German during the occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1939-45, the location being shown as
84
'Opotchno'.
The Duo was also sold under the names Ideal, Jaga and Singer. These do not usually carry the Dusek name and are identified only by the sales name
embossed in the grips.

DUPLEX (USA)
The Osgood Gun Works of Norwich, Connecticut, was formed in 1880 for the sole purpose of making this revolver; the partnership between
financial backer Osgood and patentee Freeman W. Hood failed in 1882 as a result of poor sales. The Duplex revolver was a modernised version of
the better-known Le Mat of the Civil War period, which had carried a shotgun charge in a separate central barrel forming the cylinder axis pin.
Eight-shot single action hinged frame ·22 Short rimfire Duplex guns have an additional ·32-calibre barrel—forming the cylinder arbor—which
extends back through the frame to chamber a single ·32 Short rimfire cartridge. The hammer had a movable firing pin; set in the upper position it
fired the ·22 cartridges in the cylinder chambers in the usual manner. When switched to the lower position it fired the ·32 cartridge in the lower
barrel. The lack of any form of automatic extraction was a drawback. A strap hinged to the barrel in front of the cylinder, which snapped over the
standing breech, was a poor frame-latch; it was probably effective enough when new—but soon developed a dangerous amount of play.
Duplex revolvers are scarce and unusual. They are generally marked DUPLEX PAT DEC 7 1880; they may be also display OSGOOD GUN
WORKS. Some were apparently sold under the name 'Monarch' and marked accordingly.
Osgood Duplex: Type: hinged-frame revolver. Calibre: ·22 and ·32. Length overall: 5·88in/149mm. Weight, unladen: 8·1oz/230gm.
Barrel: 2·56in/65mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-chamber cylinder (·22) plus a single-shot ·32 barrel doubling as the cylinder axis pin.

DUSEK (CZECHOSLOVAKIA)
Frantisek Dusek of Opocno set up as a pistol-maker in the late 1920s, making 6·35mm blowback automatics under various names; most were based
upon Browning originals. He remained in business throughout the Second World War and his products can occasionally be found with inscriptions
applied under German supervision. Dusek also made components for other weapons during this period; his military output was identified by the
code 'aek'. With the arrival of Communism and state control, Dusek's business was transferred to the Ceska Zbrojovka plant.
Known brand names include Duo, Ideal, Jaga, Perla and Singer; the Duo and Perla differed, but the remainder were merely sales names for the Duo
model.

DWM (GERMANY)
The origins of Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabrik of Berlin lay with the formation in 1872 of Heinrich Ehrmann & Company to manufacture
brass cartridges. Ehrmann & Co. became Deutsche Metallpatronenfabrik Lorenz in 1878, but was sold in 1889 to Ludwig Loewe of Berlin. Loewe,
one of Germany's leading firearms and machine tool manufacturers, dropped the 'Lorenz' part of the title and subsequently formed prosperous
alliances with other ammunition firms. Deutsche Metallpatronenfabrik became Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabrik in 1896, absorbing Loewe's
arms manufactory. The company expanded steadily, prospered during 1914-18, but the post-war slump and Versailles Treaty provisions hit the
company hard; by 1922 it was no more than a holding company, calling itself 'Berlin-Karlsruhe Industriewerk' (BKIW). Rearmament in the 1930s
revitalised BKIW, which reverted to the DWM title in 1936. War once more led to expansion followed by desperate contraction; the rump of DWM
became 'Industriewerke Karlsruhe' (IWK) in 1949, a title revised in the 1970s to become 'IWKA Industrieanlagen GmbH'.
DWM manufactured a wide range of firearms during its life, including Borchardt, Parabellum (Luger) and DWM pistols. Details of the Borchardt
and the Parabellum will be found in the relevant sections.
The DWM pistol developed in the early 1920s was no more than a thinly-disguised copy of the Browning M1910. DWM marketed its gun initially
as the 'Model 22'. The original version had walnut grips, but these were soon changed to black plastic and the pistol became the 'Model 23'—though
this was purely company inventory nomenclature and never appeared on the pistols. The sole marking is the DWM monogram on the left side of the
slide and on the black plastic grips. Production ceased in 1928. Fabrique Nationale threatened legal action, even though relevant Browning patents
had all but expired, and sales were too few to justify the investment in production. DWM pistols were offered until 1931, by which time as many as
50,000 may have been made.
Model 1922: Maker: Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken, Berlin (see text). Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering:
7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·00in/152mm. Weight, unladen: 20·1oz/570gm. Barrel: 3·45in/88mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round
detachable box.

E
EAGLE (USA)
A sales name for a series of revolvers made by Johnson, Bye & Co between 1879 and 1886. They were the company's first double-action patterns,
but retained the contemporary solid frame, stud trigger and bird's head butt. The ·22 version had a seven-chamber cylinder; the ·32, ·38 and ·44 held
five rounds.

EARTHQUAKE (USA)
A five-shot solid frame revolver, with a stud trigger, a rounded butt and ivory grips, manufactured by E.L. Dickinson of Springfield, Massachusetts,
in 1872-80.

EASTERN ARMS (USA)

The fictitious 'Eastern Arms Company' was merely a sales name employed by the Meriden Firearms Company of J. L. Meriden, Connecticut, on
guns marketed by F. Biffen & Co. of Chicago. These ·32 and ·38 centre-fire revolvers, dating from 1895-1915, were both hinged-frame double
action models with automatic extraction. They are readily identified by the peculiar form of front sight adopted on all Meriden (q.v.) products.

E.B.A.C. (FRANCE)
This was applied to the Unique 6·35mm automatic also sold as 'Le Sans Pareil'. The slide is marked PISTOLET AUTOMATIQUE EBAC CAL
6.35M/M and the grips display 'EBAC' within a diamond. The initials presumably refer to a dealership.

85
ECHAVE Y ARIZMENDI (SPAIN)
Echasa-Echave, Arizmendi y Cia SA of Eibar was founded about 1911 as Echave y Arizmendi, and has confined ^its attention to automatic pistols.
Early models offered no particular merit, but quality improved in the 1930s; Echave y Arizmendi was one of only four pistol makers permitted to
return to the trade after the end of the Civil War in 1939. A healthy export business was created in the post-1945 years, when Echasa also made the
Model GZ pistol for Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne (q.v.). However, exports to the USA declined sharply after the implementation of 1968 Gun
Control Act and the company failed in 1979.
Basque: This was the 7·65mm Echasa under a different name. The slide is marked
BASQUE CAL ·32 MADE IN SPAIN and the grips carry BASQUE within an oval.
Basque: Maker: Echave, Arizmendi y Cia, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol
(blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·30in/160mm. Weight,
unladen: 24·0oz/680gm. Barrel: 3·19in/81mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round
detachable box.
Bronco: Dating from the end of the First World War, this Eibar-pattern copy of the
Browning of 1906 came complete with grip safety. It was made in 6·35mm and 7·65mm
calibres, the designs being identical but for size; slides were marked with the calibre and Echave y Arizmendi:
1918 MODEL AUTOMATIC PISTOL BRONCO PATENT NO 66130. The patent 7·65mm 'Fast' Model 761.
number refers to the trademark moulded into the grip, an 'EA' monogram.
Bronco M1918: Maker: Echave, Arizmendi y Cia, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol
(blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·41in/112mm. Weight, unladen: 13·4oz/380gm. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled.
Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Dickson Special Agent: This was simply the 7·65mm Echasa renamed for sale in the USA.
E.A.: A 6·35mm automatic, virtually the Bronco without the grip safety, this was actually a 'Bronco predecessor'.
Echasa: This acronym became the company's trading name during the 1950s, a form of contraction common in Spain. The 7·65mm double-action
Echasa blowback was copied from the Walther PP. The most significant difference lies in the method of dismantling. Instead of springing the
trigger-guard, as in the Walther, a sliding catch at the left rear of the frame allows the slide to be removed. The safety catch was moved from the
slide to the frame; internal details of the lockwork are very different; and the de-cocking system of the Walther, which lowered the hammer by
means of the safety catch, was omitted. The impression is that the harder parts of the copying task were dodged. Several variants were made, but
the differences were matters of finish.
Echasa (Walther type): Maker: Echave. Arizmendi y Cia, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length
overall: 7·09in/158mm. Weight, unladen: 22·9oz/650gm. Barrel: 3·15in/80mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.
Fast: No more than the Echasa under a different name, the Fast
range was widened by introducing additional calibres. The Fast
221 chambered ·22 rimfire; the Fast 631 accepted 6·35mm
Auto; the Fast 761 handled 7·65mm Auto cartridges; and the
Fast 901 fired 9mm Short ammunition. These guns all displayed
blued steel and black plastic grips. Within each calibre range
were variants with differing finish; e.g., the Fast 633 was a 631 in chromed
finish with white grips, while the Fast 902 was a 901 with walnut grips.
All bore the Echasa trademark on the slide: an encircled 'EYA', resembling a three-spoked
wheel in which the spokes formed 'Y'. The words FAST and ECHASA were moulded
into the grips; wood grips carried a medallion with the 'EYA' mark. Echave y Arizmendi:
Lightning: A sales name for the 6·35mm Bronco; slides are marked 6,35 AUTOMATIC Lur-Panzer.
PISTOL LIGHTNING and the grips have the old 'EA' monogram.
Lur Panzer: This was a 'Luger Look-alike', a copy of the German Erma LA·22 blowback pistol (q.v.). The barrel
extension is marked LUR CAL ·22 LR MADE IN SPAIN and the 'EYA' mark, while the grips have PANZER moulded
in a diamond motif.
Lur-Panzer: Maker: Echave, Arizmendi y Cia. Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR
rimfire. Length overall: 8·78in/223mm. Weight, unladen: 28·3oz/800gm. Barrel: 4·13in/105mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round detachable
box.
Pathfinder: Another sales name for the 6·35mm Bronco.
Protector: This was the 6·35mm 'E.A.' with minor changes to the trigger-guard and magazine catch.
Selecta: This resembles the Protector, but the top rear end of the slide is relieved to leave a thin central section acting as a sight rib. There were four
distinct types: Model 1918 Double Safety, a 6·35mm with applied and magazine safeties; 6·35mm Model 1918 Triple Safety, with an additional
grip safety; 7·65mm Model 1919 Double Safety; 7·65mm Model 1919 Triple Safety. The slide marking is invariably 19... MODEL
AUTOMATIC PISTOL SELECTA PATENT, with the 'EA' monogram on the grips.
Selecta: Maker: Echave. Arizmendi y Cia, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·33in/110mm. Weight, unladen: about 12·2oz/345gm. Barrel: 2·01in/51mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

ECIA (SPAIN)
Ecia-Esperanza y Cia of Guernica is now renowned as a manufacturer of trench mortars and ammunition, but, briefly in the 1930s, produced the
'Ecia' 7·65mm automatic pistol. This was a simple blowback on Eibar-type lines, but had a hammerless self-cocking mechanism which relied upon a
long trigger pull to cock and release the striker for each shot. It is doubtful if many were made, as surviving specimens are very rare.

ECLIPSE (USA)
A ·22 OR ·32 single-shot pistol in which the barrel was carried on a vertical pivot and could be swung sideways for loading, this was made by
Johnson, Bye & Co. in 1878-85. The bird's head grip and stud trigger followed contemporary revolver practice.

86
EIG (USA)
The Eig Corporation was a distributorship active in the 1950-70 period, selling an assortment of European pistols. These were principally Rohm
revolvers and Tanfoglio Titan automatic pistols (qq.v.). It seems probable that the 1968 Gun Control Act ended this firm's activity by restricting
imports.

EL CANO (SPAIN)
This ·32 six-shot solid frame revolver had a six-inch barrel and a side-opening cylinder based on the Smith & Wesson Military & Police model, but
without support for the front of the ejector rod. It was made in the mid-1920s by Arana y Cia of Eibar.
El Cano: Maker: Arana y Cia, Eibar. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·32 S&W Long. Length overall: 10·51in/267mm. Weight,
unladen: unknown. Barrel: 5·91in/150mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

EL CID (SPAIN)
A 6·35mm Eibar-type blowback, based on the Browning of 1906, this was the work of Casimir Santos of Eibar. The slide is marked MODEL 1915,
suggesting 1915-18 as the period of manufacture.
El Cid M1915: Maker: Casimir Santos, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·53in/115mm. Weight, unladen: 10·6oz/300gm. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

ELES (SPAIN)
This is one of those Spanish 6·35mm Eibar-type automatics which appear in all the lists, but is never actually seen. It is mentioned by Pollard in
'Automatic Pistols', which suggests that it was one of the many which appeared during the First World War and vanished shortly afterwards.

ELEY (SPAIN)
Another unidentifiable Eibar-type 6·35mm automatic, the only thing of certainty is that the British Eley company—famous for cartridges—had no
connection with it.

EM-GE (GERMANY)
Founded in Zella St Blasii in the nineteenth century,
Moritz & Gerstenberger filed the Em-Ge trademark
immediately after the end of the First World War.
Sporting guns, airguns and cheap revolvers were
made prior to 1945. Operations then ceased, though
members of the Gerstenberger family escaped the clutches of
the Russians to settle in western occupation zones. Gerstenberger & Eberwein
was formed to make starting pistols in the early 1950s, soon progressing to revolvers. The
trading style is currently Em-Ge Sportgerate GmbH & Co. KG, Gerstenberger & Eberwein.
Under the names Em-Ge, G&E, Omega and PIC—together with a bewildering collection of model
numbers of no vital significance—the company markets a line of cheap ·22 rimfire and ·32 centre-fire
revolvers. They are all double action six-shot guns with solid frames and barrels measuring 2·25-6in. One
basic pattern is gate-loaded, with ejection performed by removing a pin carried in the cylinder arbor
and punching out the cases; the other model has a spring-loaded ejector rod on the bottom right side Em-Ge: 32 Model
of the barrel, where it aligns with the loading gate. The revolvers were widely sold in the USA before 300.
the passing of the Gun Control Act of 1968; since then, however, the market has largely been
confined to Europe.
Model 223: Maker: Em-Ge Sportgerate, Gerstetten-Gussenstadt. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall:
7·87in/200mm. Weight, unladen: 27·2oz/770gm. Barrel: 2·95in/75mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Model 300: Maker: Em-Ge Sportgerate. Gerstetten-Gussenstadt. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·32 S&W Long. Length
overall: 10·63in/270mm. Weight, unladen: 32·8oz/930gm. Barrel: 5·91in/150mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

EMPIRE (USA)
1: A series of solid-frame stud trigger revolvers made by Jacob Rupertus of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, between 1871 and 1880. There was a
seven-shot ·22 rimfire, a five-shot ·32 rimfire and a five-shot ·41 rimfire. Some display EMPIRE NO. 1 and others merely EMPIRE; there
seems to be no distinction between them.
Empire: Maker: Jacob Rupertus, Philadelphia. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·22 Long. Length overall: 5·12in/130mm.
Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 2·50in/64mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-chamber cylinder.
2: The fictitious Empire Arms Co. or, alternatively, the Empire State Arms Co. was a sales name used by the Meriden Firearms Company in
1895-1915. The five shot ·32 or ·38 pseudo-hammerless revolvers offered the usual hinged frame and ribbed barrel, recognisable by the
Meriden front sight.

ENCORE (USA)
This range of seven-shot ·22 and five-shot ·32 and ·38 solid-frame rimfire revolvers were made by Johnson, Bye & Co. in 1874-87. They resembled
the company's Favorite model, with a similar sheath trigger, but had round or part-round barrels instead of octagonal patterns.

87
ENFIELD (BRITAIN)
The Royal Small Arms Factory in
Enfield Lock, Middlesex, was well-
established as a rifle factory when, in
July 1879 it was ordered to produce a
revolver. Designs were produced and
approved in merely sixteen days—one
suspects advance warning—and
prototypes were manufactured for
testing. On 11 August 1880, 'Pistol,
Revolver, Breech Loading, Enfield,
Mark I' was formally approved.
The ·476 Enfield Mark I was a six-shot
double action revolver with a hinged Enfield: ·476 Mark II
frame and an unusual extraction system; revolver.
tipping the barrel pulled the cylinder
forward while the extractor plate
remained static. This, in effect, drew the
cylinder off the empty cases. The bottom
cartridge case occasionally stuck on the
frame, and the cylinder had to be turned
to remove it. Accuracy was acceptable when the guns were new, but deteriorated alarmingly.
Two features of the design soon caused second thoughts: rifling the mouth of the chambers and nickel-plating the interior parts of the lockwork.
Experience soon showed that the chamber rifling soon choked with lead, while plating peeled off the working parts and jammed the action.
Approval was cancelled within a month in favour of a pattern lacking rifled chambers and plated lockwork, accepted in September 1880.
Service revealed more minor defects and, in April 1881, Enfield submitted a modified design. The front sight was rounded to prevent catching in the
holster; the chambers were taper-bored to reduce the chance of bullets loosening in their cases; the top strap was forged integrally with the body
instead of separately; and a lock was added to prevent the cylinder moving when the gun was holstered. The butt grips were plain instead of
chequered, and the cylinder lock was linked with the loading-gate shield to lock the hammer when the gate was open—avoiding accidents caused by
pulling the trigger while reloading. The new pattern was sealed as the Mark II in March 1882.
A safety device was added to all Mark I and Mark II revolvers in July 1887, preventing the hammer being jarred forward when in the rebounded
position. This was replaced by an improved design in 1889, pistols so fitted being stamped 'S' on the left side of the frame below the barrel catch.
The Enfield remained in service until the 1890s, but
was superseded for issue on 8 November 1887 by the
Webley Mark I. This marked the end of handgun
production at Enfield for many years. Production did
not begin again until 1921, when some Webley Mark
VI ·455 revolvers were made in the factory. These
were identical with Webley-made examples, apart
from a slimmer grip, and can be distinguished only by
the ENFIELD stamp on the right of the frame below
the hammer.
The British Army turned away from ·455 calibre after
the First World War, combat experience showing that
to make the best of such power demanded good
training and constant practice. A ·38 cartridge firing a Enfield: Pistol, Revolver, ·38 No.2 Mk I.
200-grain bullet was regarded as satisfactory and, in
1932, the 'Pistol, Revolver, No 2 Mark I'—usually
called the ·38 Enfield—appeared. This six-shot
hinged-frame double action revolver, with a five-inch
barrel, was a modification of a Webley design. The original cartridge was known as ·38 Webley Special, but doubts arose over the legality of a soft
lead bullet under the terms of the Geneva Convention; a 178-grain jacketed bullet was substituted in January 1938.
While the ·38 Enfield Mark I satisfied most of the army, the Royal Tank Regiment found that the hammer spur caught on internal fittings as the
crews were climbing into and out of their vehicles. The Mark I* was approved in June 1938. The absence of a hammer spur turned it into a self-
cocking model. The main spring was lightened to reduce the pull-off pressure and thumb recesses formed in the grips improved the hand-hold.
Existing pistols were converted to Mark I* when overhauled, so that original Mark I models are comparatively uncommon today.
In July 1942 the Mark I** was introduced, dispensing with the hammer safety stop to facilitate production. This proved false economy, as the
revolver would fire if dropped on the hammer. Accordingly, all Mark I** Enfield's were recalled after the war to gain a hammer stop, thus reverting
to Mark I* standards.
Mark I* pistols were also made by Albion Motors Ltd of Glasgow, about 24,000 being made from June 1941 to late 1943. These are marked
ALBION on the right side of the frame. Components were also made by the Singer Sewing Machine Company of Clydebank, then sent to Enfield
for assembly; though no revolvers will be marked 'Singer', Enfield-made examples will often reveal 'SM' or 'SSM' stamped on various parts.
The ·38 revolver eventually became obsolete when the British Army adopted the Browning GP35 automatic in 1957, and with that Enfield pistol
production ended. The factory at Enfield was closed in 1988, small arms production being transferred to the Nottingham Small Arms Factory
(NSAF). No pistols are currently manufactured.
Pistol, Revolver, BL Mk I: Maker: Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield, Middlesex. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Calibre: nominally
·476. Length overall: 11·46/291mm. Weight, unladen: 40·6oz/1,150gm. Barrel: 5·87in/149mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Pistol, Revolver, No.2 Mk I: Maker: Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield Lock, Middlesex (but see text). Type: hinged-frame revolver.
Calibre: ·38. Length overall: 10·24in/260mm. Weight, unladen: 27·5oz/780gm. Barrel: 5·00in/127mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber
cylinder.

88
ENFORCER (USA)
Made by Safari Arms Company of Tempe, Arizona, this pistol was announced in 1979. It was a compact version of the Colt M1911Al with ornate
grips and a selection of sight options. It does not appear to have survived for long.

ENTERPRISE (USA)
Enterprise Gun Works of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, marketed a line of cheap revolvers (possibly made elsewhere) in 1870-80. They were all of the
usual solid-frame pattern with a sheath trigger and a bird's head butt. Loading gates lay on the right side of the frame, but extraction required the
cylinder to be removed. Enterprise revolvers were chambered for ·22, ·32, ·38 or ·41 rimfire cartridges, all but the seven-shot ·22 having five-
chamber cylinders.
Enterprise: Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·22. Length overall: about 5·25in/133mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: about
2·50in/64mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-chamber cylinder.

ENVALL (SWEDEN)
This unusual revolver was patented in 1885 by a major in the Swedish army. What appears to be a trigger merely cocks the hammer, firing being
performed by pressing a thumb-button in the top of the frame behind the hammer. The revolver was otherwise conventional, with a solid frame and
a hinged loading gate, but had a curiously raked butt to ensure that the thumb fell naturally on the firing button. A shoulder-stock could convert the
revolver into a light carbine, but the gun was never formally approved. Surviving specimens are very rare.
Envall: Data taken from a gun tested in Sweden in 1885. Maker: unknown. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: nominally 11mm. Length
overall: 13·39in/340mm. Weight, unladen: 36·3oz/1,030gm. Barrel: 5·91in/150mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

ERIKA (AUSTRIA)
Franz Pfannl of Krems invented this pistol in 1912. The odd 4·25mm (·167) cartridge was probably
developed in collusion with the Hirtenberg cartridge company. The Erika, despite its tiny calibre, was a
cumbersome design. The butt was raked, but at a considerable distance from the chamber; the magazine
was placed between the butt and the trigger, giving the gun an unmistakable appearance. The barrel unit
was hinged at the rear and pinned to the front of the frame, the bolt moving beneath the overhanging
section of the barrel extension. The recoil spring, in a tunnel above the barrel, was connected to the bolt by
a central rod hooking over a lug on the top of the bolt. The outer surface of the bolt is grooved on both
sides to give a cocking grip.
The Erika was made until 1926, though production is unlikely to have exceeded 3,500. Minor changes were Erika: 4·25mm-
made during its life; the length of the butt changed, and specimens may be found with 1·5 or 2·25 inch calibre.
barrels. Pfannl appears to have licensed his design to George Grabner of Rehberg, who produced the similar,
smaller and slightly modified Kolibri (q.v.); Pfannl also apparently sold Kolibri pistols under a counter-agreement with Grabner. Many Erika and a
few Kolibri pistols carry Pfannl's 'FP' monogram on the grips.
Erika: Maker: Franz Pfannl, Krems am Donau. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Calibre: 4·25mm. Length overall: 3·93in/100mm.
Weight, unladen: 9·0oz/255gm. Barrel: 1·65in/42mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

ERMA (GERMANY)
Erfurter Maschinen- und Werkzeugfabrik Berthold Geipel
GmbH was formed in Erfurt immediately after the end of the
First World War, becoming better-known as Erma-Werke in
the 1930s. The original pre-war company is best known for
its submachine-guns, based on Vollmer patents, which
culminated in the immortal MP40.
Clandestine reconstruction of the German army in the early
1930s promoted pistol practice without requiring full-sized
ranges. Erma-Werke produced a conversion kit, designed by
Richard Kulisch, which adapted the standard 7·65mm or Erma: The 'Old Model' target
9mm Parabellum pistol to fire ·22 rimfire cartridges. The pistol with its auxiliary weight,
unit included an insert barrel, a bolt and toggle unit, and a designed to keep the muzzle
magazine. The replacement toggle carried its own recoil down during rapid fire.
spring, the normal pattern being far too strong for the ·22
cartridge. The original spring remained in the butt after the
conversion kit had been fitted, but took no part in subsequent operation.
The system was adopted by the army in November 1934 and then advertised commercially. It was revived in post-war years and remained on sale
until the 1960s,* when declining numbers of Parabellum pistols made continued production uneconomic.
* However, several thousand were made by the post-war Erma company for Interarms; in addition, some pre-war patterns were refurbished in the
DDR in the early 1950's.
Success of the conversion kit persuaded Erma to enter the target-pistol market, announcing a ·22 rimfire automatic in 1936. Later known as the 'Old
Model', it was a fixed-barrel blowback with an open-topped slide, a cast zinc frame and an external hammer. The slide has a stripping catch on the
left side, while the barrel could be unscrewed and changed for one of a different length—75mm, 125mm and 200mm patterns were standard.
Balance weights and various types of sight were available.
Erma 'Old Model': Maker: Erfurter Maschinenfabrik, Berthold Geipel, Erfurt. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR
rimfire. Length overall: 8·66in/230mm. Weight, unladen: 34·9oz/990gm. Barrel: 4·25in/108mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round detachable
box.
An improved 'New Model' appeared in 1937. The grip was raked more sharply, the magazine was based on that of the Parabellum, and the stripping
catch was on the frame. Barrels were still interchangeable, but differences in contour were evident. The Master was supplied with a 300mm barrel as
standard;, the Sport had a 210mm barrel; and the short Hunter pattern measured 100mm. Production ceased in 1940, though small numbers were
assembled from parts as late as 1943.

89
 Erma 'New Model': Maker: Erfurter Maschinenfabrik, Berthold Geipel, Erfurt. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR
rimfire. Length overall: 12·40in/315mm. Weight, unladen: 38·8oz/1,l00gm. Barrel: 7·87in/200mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round
detachable box.
Erfurt vanished into the Russian occupation zone in 1945, and a new Erma company—now Erma-Werke GmbH of Munchen-Dachau—was set up
afresh in 1949. Development of submachine guns resumed in the 1950s, and a return to the pistol business occurred in 1964.
EP·22: Often known as the LA·22 in English-speaking markets
(apparently for 'Luger Automatic 22'), this is a ·22 blowback with a
superficial resemblance to the Parabellum. It uses the toggle system
developed for the pre-war Kulisch conversion kit, though the recoil
spring lies in the rear of the frame. The trigger system is much more
conventional than that of the original 9mm pistol. The EP·22 was
comparable with the standard 9mm P.08, but long-barrelled Navy and
Carbine models were also offered, the latter with a wooden fore-end
and a detachable stock. Production continued until the early 1970s.
KGP-68 and KGP-68A: Introduced in 1968, this improved EP·22
chambers 7·65mm Auto (·32 ACP) or 9mm Short cartridges. Erma: EP·22 blowback
Modifications to toggle system introduced an element of delay into the rimfire 'Lugerlike'.
blowback action and there were minor improvements in the trigger
mechanism. Problems raised by the US Gun Control Act of 1968 were
overcome by developing the KGP-68A, with an additional magazine
safety system to prevent firing unless the magazine was fully engaged.
KGP-68: Maker: Erma-Werke GmbH. Munchen-Dachau. Type:
automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·69in/187mm. Weight, unladen: 22·6oz/640gm. Barrel:
3·94in/100mm, rifled. Magazine, six-round detachable box.
KGP-69: This was introduced to satisfy those who wanted to fire the ·22 cartridge, incorporating most of the '68' improvements but reverting to
pure blowback.
EP-450 series: Inspired by the success of the Erma-Lugers, the first of a series of simpler blowback automatics—derived from starting and tear-gas
pistols made since the 1960s—appeared in 1984. The guns had double-action lockwork, slide-mounted safety catches and external ring
hammers. The EP450 series resembles a scaled-down Colt M1911Al and fires ·22 LR rimfire (EP-452), 7·65mm Auto (EP-457) or 9mm Short
cartridges (EP-459) respectively. The EP-452 is blackened alloy, the others being stainless steel.
EP-457: Maker: Erma-Werke GmbH, Munchen-Dachau. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
6·30in/160mm. Weight, unladen: 21·9oz/620gm. Barrel: 3·23in/82mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
EP-550 series: This contains guns resembling the Walther PP, the EP-552
firing the ·22 LR rimfire cartridge and the EP-555 chambered for
6·35mm Auto.
EP-650 series: The EP-652 and EP-655 are similar to the 550-type guns,
but have squarer slides.
ER models: Erma-Werke introduced revolver-type starting pistols in the
1960s, and eventually graduated to cartridge guns. These are based
broadly on Smith & Wesson practice and are solid-frame side-opening
patterns with transfer-bar firing locks. The ER-422 and ER-423
chamber ·22 LR rimfire and ·22 WMRF cartridges respectively, and can
be obtained in various barrel lengths. ER-432 is a short-barrelled
revolver chambering the ·32 S&W cartridge; ER-438 handles ·38
Erma: ER-440.
Special, and has a five-chamber cylinder instead of the usual six; and
ER-440 is simply an ER438 in stainless steel.

ERRASTI (SPAIN)
Antonio Errasti of Eibar had an impressive list of trade names, but most prove to be alternative sales names for a handful of differing guns. He
began by making cheap Velo-Dog revolvers in the early 1900s, but obtained a contract to make Italian 10·4mm 'Bodeo' Mo. 1889 revolvers during
the First World War. These offered good quality and can only be distinguished from Italian products by the inscription ERRASTI EIBAR on the
right side of the frame. More wartime sub-contracting brought Errasti into the automatic pistol business, production of all sorts of handguns
continuing until the Civil War.
Errasti: There were two models of this pistol, in 6·35mm and 7·65mm calibre, but there were several minor variations between specimens; the
finger grip cuts on the slide, for example, may be straight or curved, and the number of grooves may differ on otherwise identical guns. The
pistols are standard Eibar-type blowback Browning copies, and the differences are probably attributable to an out-worker system in which parts
were made by small individual workshops. The usual slide marking is ...MM AUTOMATIC PISTOL ERRASTI; grips carry the ERRASTI at
the top and an 'AE' monogram in a shield.
Revolvers of this name appeared in the 1920s and were based on the usual S&W Military & Police design, with solid frames and six-chamber
swing-out cylinders. Called 'Errasti Oscillante', they were available in ·32, ·38 and ·44, though only the ·32 is regularly encountered.
Errasti [S&W type]: Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·38. Length overall: 9·65in/245mm. Weight, unladen: 28·6oz/810gm. Barrel:
4·72in/120mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Broncho: A sales name for the Errasti automatics.
Dreadnought, Goliat, Smith Americano: These names concealed a range of ·32, ·38 and ·44 revolvers made in c.1905-20. They were six-chamber
double action pocket patterns with ribbed barrels and prominent hinge-bolts, small rounded butts and removable cover-plates over the lockwork.
The style had been popularised in the USA by Iver Johnson, Harrington & Richardson and others in the 1890s. The quality was generally
mediocre and few have survived.
Dreadnought [S&W type]: Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·32 S&W Long. Length overall: 7·48in/190mm. Weight, unladen:
23·5oz/665gm. Barrel: 3·23in/82mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Oicet: This is said to be an Errasti copy of the Colt Police Positive, produced in ·38 calibre during the 1920s; no specimen has yet been traced.
90
ESCODIN (SPAIN)
The history of Manuel Escodin of Eibar is sketchy; the only
known fact is that he produced a revolver in 1924-31.
Chambered for ·32 or ·38 Special, the Escodin was a near-
perfect copy of the S&W Military & Police Model. An
ornate coat-of-arms trademark is badly stamped on the left
side of the frame.

ESCORT (USA) Escodin: ·32-20

WCF Model 31.
This was a ·22 Short rimfire automatic pistol advertised
briefly in the USA in 1959/60; it appears to have been a Star
with a duraluminum frame.

ESPRIN (SPAIN)
Esprin Hermanos of Eibar manufactured revolvers from
1906 until possibly 1917, when they went out of business. The poor-quality guns used cast or soft metal parts, and the fact that the brothers went out
of business in the middle of a war says something derogatory about their products.
Euskaro: This name applied to all Esprin revolvers; they were hinged-frame models based on American practice of the 1890s exemplified by Iver
Johnson and the Meriden Firearms Company. They were usually double action, though there are reports of a hammerless model copied from the
S&W 'New Departure'. Calibres ranged from ·32 to ·44, this particular brand being notable for misleading inscriptions such as Use SMITH AND
WESSON CARTRIDGES stamped into the barrel.
Euskaro M1914 [S&W type]: Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·44. Length overall: 9·84in/250mm. Weight, unladen: 25·0oz/710gm.
Barrel: 4·92in/125mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

ETNA (SPAIN)
A 6·35mm Eibar-pattern blowback automatic, this was modelled on the Browning of 1906 (without grip safety) by Santiago Salaberrin of Eibar,
c.1910-20.

EUREKA (USA)
This was a seven-shot ·22 rimfire solid-frame non-ejecting revolver with a sheath trigger and a bird's head butt, made by Johnson, Bye & Co. in the
1880s.
Eureka: Maker: Johnson. Bye & Co.. Worcester. Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·22. Length overall: 5·79in/147mm.
Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 2·25in/57mm, rifled. Magazine, seven-chamber cylinder.

EXCELSIOR (VARIOUS)
1: A ·380 revolver, modelled on the Gasser (q.v.) pattern and sold in Britain by John Blissett & Sons of London in the 1867-75 period. It
probably emanated from Belgium.
2: A five-shot ·32 rimfire solid-frame stud trigger revolver, typical of its period, made by the Norwich Pistol Company of Norwich, Connecticut,
USA, in the 1880s.
Excelsior: Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·32. Length overall: about 5·9in/150mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel:
2·25in/57mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

EXPRESS (USA, SPAIN)

1: A seven-chamber ·22 rimfire solid frame sheath-trigger revolver made by the Bacon Arms Company to patents granted in 1878. It closely
resembled Bacon's Conqueror, but has a two-inch octagonal barrel. The same double spring catch allows the cylinder to be removed; though
gate-loaded, extraction of spent cases had to be done by driving out the cases with the cylinder axis pin.
2: A sales name associated with a blowback automatic pistol produced by Tomas de
Urizar of Eibar. One version was sold under Urizar's own name, and two others
were supplied to Garate Anitua y Cia.
The first Urizar Express was a fixed-barrel model with open-topped slide
reminiscent of the 1910-pattern Mauser. A 6·35mm appeared first, with a two-inch
barrel with a prominent top-rib and a slide forming the breech block at the rear. The
slide was marked THE BEST AUTOMATIC PISTOL EXPRESS on the left rear
and FOR THE 6,35MM CARTRIDGE on the right. The safety catch, on the left
rear of the frame, had the French markings SUR and FEU. The 7·65mm version
shared the same basic construction, but had a four-inch barrel without the top rib; it EXPRESS: 7·65mm Eibar-
was marked similarly, excepting for calibre. The grips of both pistols bore an oval type pistol, made by
containing a representation of the pistol. Garate, Anitua y Cia for
The second-model Express, in 6·35mm and 7·65mm, was a standard 'Eibar'. There Tomas de Urizar.
were several minor variations in the machining of the slide and frame, and some
guns had grip safeties. They apparently date from 1914-20 and display THE BEST
AUTOMATIC PISTOL EXPRESS on the slide; some also have VERITABLE EXPRESS FOR THE ...MM CARTRIDGE, and others bear the
Garate Anitua name. The grips invariably have a 'GAC' monogram and may also have a motif of the pistol or a fox.
The third version appeared in 1921, being a virtual repeat of the 6·35mm second model but with an external hammer. The slide was marked
6,35MM AUTOMATIC PISTOL EXPRESS and the grips carried the word EXPRESS but there was no indication of the manufacturer. An
unusual feature was the employment of the front sight blade as a loaded-chamber indicator; a lever in the slide, which rested on the cartridge
rim, only raised the sight blade into the line of sight when the pistol was loaded.

91
 Express Model 31: Maker: Tomas de Urizar, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
6·10in/155mm. Weight, unladen: 21·2oz/600gm. Barrel: 3·39in/86mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

F
FABRICATION FRANCAISE (FRANCE, SPAIN)
This bland inscription can be found on the 'Policeman' automatic pistols produced by Manufrance (q.v.) when, doubtless for sales reasons, the
company chose not to advertise its name. It is also found on various Eibar-type automatics without other identification.

FABRIQUE FRANCAISE (FRANCE)

Fabrique Francaise d'Armes de Guerre of Louhans made a small 6·35mm blowback automatic, copied from the 1906-pattern Browning complete
with grip safety. It offered better quality than the average Eibar-type gun, even though the rough safety catch suggests Spanish origin. The grips
bear an 'SA' monogram, the registered mark of Societe" d'Armes of Paris—connected with Societe Francaise de Munitions SA. It is believed that
the pistols were produced in Spain c.1910 for sale in France.
A similar pistol, with the same monogram on the grips, has been seen with the slide inscription SOCIETE D'ARMES PARIS AUTOMATIQUE
CAL 6,35 BREVET FRANCE.

F.A.G. (SPAIN)
Francisco Arizmendi y Goenaga of Eibar is known to have produced two different revolvers marked
with these initials. The first chambers 8mm Lebel rounds and is virtually a copy of the French Mle
1892; the second, in 7·62mm Nagant, was a copy of the Russian M1895 service revolver but without
the gas-seal feature. Both patterns are rare; they probably date from 1897-1905.
F.A.G. [Nagant type]: Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: 7·62mm. Length overall:
9·06in/230mm. Weight, unladen: 29·3oz/830gm. Barrel:
4·13in/105mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-chamber cylinder. F.A.G.: Arizmendi y Goenaga
pocket revolver. Note the
monogram on the grip.
FAGNUS (BELGIUM)
Alfred Fagnus & Cie of Liege produced pinfire revolvers in the 1860s, unremarkable except for an arm
protruding vertically downward on the tip of the cylinder arbor. This was used to punch empty cases
out of the detached cylinder. The solitary revolver of interest produced in the centre-fire cartridge era was based on the patents of Spirlet.
The ·45 military-style weapon had a hinged frame, pivoted at the top of the standing breech. It is locked by a curved arm extending from the butt to
form the rear of the trigger-guard, then continuing to curve around the front section of the guard. Springing this arm down and swinging it to the left
releases the front section of the guard to be pulled downward; this releases the frame to swing the barrel and cylinder upwards. Additional forward
pressure on the front section then causes the ejector star to be forced from the cylinder. The double-action Fagnus was made briefly in the early
1870s. Surviving specimens are uncommon.
Fagnus: Type: hinged-frame revolver. Calibre: ·45. Length overall: 10·55in/268mm. Weight, unladen: 36·2oz/1,025gm. Barrel:
5·63in/143mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

FALCON (USA)
1: A 6·35mm blowback automatic pistol of German origin, sold by the Spesco Corporation of Atlanta, Georgia, in the 1960s. Similar guns were
sold contemporaneously under other names—e.g., Hawes, Pic—but were actually the Gecado (q.v.).
2: The Falcon Firearms Manufacturing Corporation of Granada Hills, California, makes an unusual left-handed stainless steel version of the Colt
M1911A1 known as the Portsider. The ejection port lies on the left side of the slide, with the safety and slide-stop catches on the right side of
the frame. The gun also has a special trigger and a ring hammer.

FAMAE (CHILE)
Fabricaciones Militares del Ejercito of Santiago, the Chilean military arsenal, has manufactured two revolvers; the first, dating from the late 1940s,
was a virtual copy of the Colt Police Positive in ·32 calibre. It has CART ·32 LARGO on the barrel, and a shield bearing FAMAE on the left of the
frame. Manufacture of another gun began in the late 1970s. The five-chamber ·38 Special solid frame double-action pattern, also based on the Colt,
has a 'FAMAE' monogram in silver on the grips.
FAMAE [Colt type]: Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·32. Length overall: 8·19in/208mm. Weight, unladen: 20·3oz/575gm. Barrel:
4·09in/104mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

FAVORITE (USA)
A sales name for revolvers made by the Johnson, Bye & Company in 1873-84. They were similar to the Defender series—solid frame weapons with
the stud triggers and bird's head butts typical of the period. Favorite and Favorite No. l were seven-shot ·22 rimfires; Favorite No. 2 was a five-shot
·32 rimfire; No. 3 was a five-shot ·38 rimfire; and No. 4 was a five-shot ·41 rimfire.

FEDERAL ARMS COMPANY (USA)

This fictitious trading style was adopted by the Meriden Firearms Company of Meriden, Connecticut, in c.1885-1910. It was applied to two
conventional hinged-frame pocket revolvers with rounded butts and ribbed barrels. One was a five-shot ·32, while the other was a five-shot ·38; they
may be found in blue or nickel finish.

FEG (HUNGARY)
Fegyver es Gazkeszuelekgyara, the 'Arms and Gas Appliances Factory' of Budapest was the post-1975 form of what had previously been known as
Femaru Fegyver es Gepgyar or Femaru es Szersamgepgyar (described under 'Femaru' and 'Frommer'). FEG currently makes pistols for both military
and commercial markets.

92
PA-63 or Model AP: The PA-63 is the official Hungarian army sidearm, chambered for the
9mm Makarov cartridge, while the Model AP is the commercial form chambered for the
7·65mm Auto cartridge. The pistol is the familiar copy of the Walther PP, made in the
Budapest factory under various titles since 1946. Both versions have an aluminium frame
and steel slide, but the PA-63 has a bright-finish frame while the AP's is anodised black.
Model R: This is a 7·65mm blowback of original design, though still with hints of Walther
influence. The double-action lock includes a slide-mounted safety catch which can drop the
hammer when applied. A stripping catch on the left side of the frame ahead of the trigger
allows the slide and barrel to be easily removed. The frame is aluminium, the slide is steel,
FEG: 7·65mm Model R.
and the bore is chromium plated.
Model R: Maker: FEG, Budapest. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering:
7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·47in/139mm. Weight, unladen: 15·9oz/450gm.
Barrel: 2·83in/72mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Model FP9: This is so close a copy of the Browning GP35 High-Power
that most of the parts will interchange. The FP9, distinguished by a
ventilated sight rib above the slide, has not been adopted for service in
Hungary. However, it has sold widely in western Europe and has even
been acquired by small police forces.
Model FP9: Maker: FEG, Budapest. Type: automatic pistol
(recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length
overall: 7·80in/198mm. Weight, unladen: 32·6oz/925gm. Barrel:
4·65in/118mm, rifled. Magazine: thirteen-round detachable box.
Models P9R and P9RA: These are modernised versions of the FP9 to
improve sales potential. Double-action lockwork and a slide-mounted FEG: 9mm FP-9, based on the
safety catch represent significant improvements. The safety catch
FN-Browning High-Power.
lowers the hammer when applied, locks the firing pin, and places a
solid block between the hammer and firing pin. The P9R has a steel
frame; that of the P9RA is aluminium. The P9R is currently marketed
by Mauser as the DA-90.
Interesting and unusual left-hand models were manufactured in the
mid-1980s, with the safety catch on the right side of the slide, and the slide stop and magazine catch on the right side of the frame.
Model P9R: Maker: FEG, Budapest. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall:
7·83in/199mm. Weight, unladen: 34·7oz/985gm. Barrel: 4·61in/117mm, rifled. Magazine: fifteen-round detachable box.

FEGYVER (HUNGARY)
Fegyver es Gepgyar Reszvenytarsasag: 'Arms and Machinery Manufacturing Company', Budapest. See 'Frommer'.

FEMARU (HUNGARY)
Femaru Fegyver es Gepgyar RT of Budapest, and its successor Femaru es
Szersamgepgyar NV were the post-1919 title of the original Fegyver es
Gepgyar factory (see 'Frommer'). The Frommer connection was completely
severed by 1945, as the inventor had died in 1936 and his designs were already
obsolete. With that the company turned to sound but uninspired weapons until,
in the early 1970s, it was reorganised as FEG (above).
Hege: This 7·65mm blowback double-action automatic was a copy of the
Walther PP made by Femaru for sale by Georg Hebsacker (Hege-Waffen)
of West Germany. The slide carried the encircled Pegasus Hege trademark
and HEGE WAFFEN WEST GERMANY AP66 CAL 7,65MM 1966. The
ultimate destination was North America, but the Hege AP66 did not have Femaru: 9mm
much success. Tokagypt.
Tokagypt: A modification of the Soviet Tokarev TT33 for the 9mm
Parabellum cartridge, this had a new safety catch and a one-piece wrap-
around plastic grip. It was produced to meet a contract placed by the
Egyptian Army in 1958, but the army authorities changed their mind and the guns went to the Egyptian police. Apparently the police didn't like
it either and, after the first few batches had been delivered, the contract was terminated. This is difficult to understand; the concept was sound,
and the pistols were well made. Perhaps the decision was more political than technical.
The remaining guns were released to the commercial market, many being sold in West Germany under the name Firebird. About 15,000
Tokagypts are believed to have been made.
Tokagypt: Maker: Femaru Fegyver es Gepgyar, Budapest. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum.
Length overall: 7·56in/192mm. Weight, unladen: 32·1oz/910gm. Barrel: 4·53in/115mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

93
Walam: This was also intended for Egypt; once again, the contract was abruptly
terminated and most guns were sold commercially. The Walam is another
copy of the Walther PP, chambering 9mm Short ammunition, though the
loaded-chamber indicator is mounted on the top left of the Walam slide. The
pistol is also occasionally called the Model 48, which can lead to confusion
with the Hungarian army Model 48 (the Soviet Tokarev TT-33). The Walam
is marked WALAM 48 CAL 9MM BROWNING MADE IN HUNGARY
FFG with the year of manufacture; dates as late as 1958 have been recorded
with the FFG mark. The title of the company changed c.1958-9, subsequent
pistols being marked FEMARU ES SZERSAMGEPGYAR NV 48M KAL
9MM and the butt grips, previously plain-chequered, display a five- point star. Femaru: 9mm Short
Femaru also a made a 7·65mm Walam in small numbers. Most were sold Walam.
through Hege-Waffen of Germany; examples have been seen with normal
Hungarian markings accompanied by HEGE stamped into the frame.
Walam: Maker: Femaru Fegyver es Gepgyar, Budapest. Type:
automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 9mm Short. Length overall:
6·89in/175mm. Weight, unladen: 25·6oz/725gm. Barrel:
3·94in/100mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

FIALA (USA)
The Fiala Arms & Equipment Company of
New Haven, Connecticut, marketed the Fiala
Magazine Pistol from 1920 to 1923, the pistols
being made by the Blakeslee Forging
Company of New Haven. Although resembling the
contemporary Colt Woodsman, with a lengthy exposed barrel, a short slide and a well-
raked butt, the Fiala was a single-shot pattern. A ten-round magazine was contained in the butt,
loading being accomplished by unlocking the slide, retracting it, pushing it back and locking it closed.
After firing the shot, the slide was unlocked, pulled back to extract and eject the case, and pushed
forward to load the next round. The claimed objective was a simple pistol for beginners, safer than an
automatic and less prone to inflicting damage on the lead ·22 LR bullet during loading. Whatever the Fiala: ·22.
objective, the public failed to take to it; just over 4,000 pistols were made, some of which remained
unsold as late as 1928.
The standard Fiala barrel was 7·5in long; by operating a turnscrew on the right side of the frame, however, it could be replaced
with a 2·75in barrel to make a pocket pistol. Alternatively, a 20·5in barrel and a shoulder stock converted the pistol into a light carbine.
Fiala: Maker: made for Fiala by Blakeslee Forging Co.. New Haven. Connecticut. Type: single-shot pistol. Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire.
Length overall: 11·22in/285mm. Weight, unladen: 31·0oz/880gm. Barrel: 7·50in/191mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round detachable box.

F.I.E. (USA)
Firearms Import & Export Company of Hialeah, Florida, distributes European-made pistols under its own name. In the 1970s, in the wake of the
1968 Gun Control Act, FIE began to make some of the guns under licence. The FIE Titan series are virtual copies of the Tanfoglio Titan pistols.
More recent Tanfoglio designs, such as the TA-90, are imported alongside Tanarmi revolvers sold as the Buffalo Scout or Yellow Rose.
Titan II: Maker: Firearms Import & Export Co., Hialeah. Florida. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length
overall: 6·25in/159mm. Weight, unladen: 25·0oz/710gm. Barrel: 3·13in/80mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

FIEL (SPAIN)
This sales name was adopted by Erquiaga Muguruzu y Cia of Eibar for a series of 6·35mm and
7·65mm Eibar- pattern blowback automatics. The company had acted as sub-contractors to Gabilondo
during the First World War, making Ruby automatics for the French army, then offered it
commercially as the Fiel; work continued into the 1920s, by which time a 6·35mm pistol based on the
usual 1906-pattern Browning had been added.
The 7·65mm pistol was marked ERQUIAGA Y CIA EIBAR CAL 7,65 FIEL, while the 6·35mm
version displayed AUTOMATIC PISTOL 6,35 FIEL NO 1. The earliest examples of both models had
plain grips, but the company became Erquiaga Muguruzu y Cia about 1921 and an 'EMC monogram
was added on the grips. 6·35mm Fiel
The 'No. 1' on the 6·35mm gun probably distinguished it from a second pattern, also called 'Fiel' but an No 1.
entirely original design. A solid frame assembly forming a shroud over the top of the pistol contained
the removable barrel and the bolt. The 1·5in barrel had bearing rings at the muzzle, centre and breech, the centre ring being notched to engage the
safety catch doubling as a barrel-locking pin. The tubular bolt contained the firing pin and firing-pin spring; the return spring fitted around the rear
two-thirds of the bolt, which was suitably reduced in diameter. The rear section of the bolt passed through the frame shroud and ended in a screwed-
on cocking knob. Pulling the knob back retracted the bolt, compressing the recoil spring against the rear of the frame. A five-round magazine was
contained in the butt, and a removable side plate gave access to the lockwork.
In spite of ingenious design, this Fiel variant does not appear to have been successful; surviving specimens are not common. It was also marketed
under the name Diane.
Fiel No.1 [Eibar type]: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·83in/148mm. Weight, unladen:
21·0oz/595gm. Barrel: 3·31in/84mm. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

94
F.M.G. (CHILE)
Fabrica de Material de Guerra of Santiago, forerunner of FAMAE (q.v.), made a 6·35mm a copy of the 1906-pattern Browning blowback, complete
with grip safety and safety catch at the left rear of the frame. It offers acceptably good quality and carries the company name on the slide, together
with 'FME'—sometimes 'FMG'—on the butt grips. The guns are assumed to date from the 1930s.

FOEHL & WEEKS (USA)

The Foehl & Weeks Firearms Mfg. Co. of Philadelphia was formed in 1890 to exploit patents granted to Charles Foehl and Charles A. Weeks, most
of which related to details such as rebounding hammers and cylinder stops. The products were all five-shot ·32 or ·38 revolvers.
Columbian: Made in both calibres, this was a solid-frame gun with a removable cylinder. The patent date 20 January 1891 appears on the barrel.
Columbian Automatic: Introduced shortly after the Columbian (above), this improved ·38-calibre hinged-frame pattern had a cam-operated
'automatic' ejector.
Perfect: Offered in ·32 or ·38, this was generally similar to the Columbian but was a pseudo-hammerless pattern—the hammer being concealed in
the rise of the frame behind the cylinder.
It is doubtful whether any of these revolvers was made in quantity, as Foehl & Weeks went out of business in the latter part of 1894.
Perfect: Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·38. Length overall: 6·89/175mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 3·15in/80mm, rifled.
Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

FOREHAND & WADSWORTH (USA)

Sullivan Forehand and Henry Wadsworth married the daughters of Ethan
Allen, a noted New England gunsmith. On Allen's death in 1871, Ethan
Allen & Company became Forehand & Wadsworth. The partnership's first
products were ·22 single-shot pistols of a type made by Allen since 1865,
but thoughts soon turned to solid-frame revolvers; production of hinged-
frame guns began about 1888.
Wadsworth's interest in the company declined, until, in 1890, it was
reorganised into the Forehand Arms Company; Wadsworth (who died in Forehand &
1892) had presumably been bought out. Shortly after Forehand died in Wadsworth: ·32 New
1898, the Forehand Arms Company was purchased by Hopkins & Allen, Model Hammerless.
though the Forehand name appeared on revolvers until 1902.
Pocket Models: The first of these were solid-frame ·32 or ·38 double-
action five-shot revolvers, with round barrels carrying the patent date
24 July 1875. The frame was notable for a large removable plate in the
left side, giving access to the lockwork. Production continued into the Forehand Arms period, later versions having a hexagonal barrel and the
company name on the top strap above the cylinder.
Hinged-frame pocket models in ·32 and ·38 were sold from 1888 onward; closely resembling many other revolvers of the period, these had the
usual ribbed barrel, a prominent hinge screw and a spring catch above the standing breech.
Solid Frame Pocket Model: Maker: Forehand & Wadsworth, Worcester, Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·38. Length
overall: 7·00in/178mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 2·68in/68mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.
Hammerless Models: Made by the Forehand Arms Company, these were little more than the hinged-frame pocket models with a shrouded spurless
hammer. They were made in ·32 and ·38.
Bulldog: An early Forehand & Wadsworth product, this appeared in various forms; originally in ·38, it was a five-shot solid frame single-action
model with a sheath trigger and a hexagonal barrel. A later variant in ·44 offered a much longer butt, a trigger guard, and a double-action lock. A
third pattern in ·38—with a loading gate and a hand ejector—had a small frame and a bird's head butt. The name British bulldog appeared on the
top strap.
Russian Model: This owed some of its mechanism to Allen patents and appears to have
been produced to take advantage of the contemporary success of the Smith & Wesson
of similar name. The ·44 pattern bore a superficial resemblance to the S&W, with a
lengthy ribbed barrel, but was a solid-frame gate loader with hand ejection. The ·32
Russian bore no resemblance to the S&W model, being little more than a ·32 sheath-
trigger Bulldog with a rounded butt.
Russian Model: Maker: Forehand & Wadsworth. Worcester. Massachusetts.
Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·44. Length overall: 12·80in/325mm.
Weight, unladen: 35·1oz/995gm. Barrel: 7·50in/191mm, rifled. Magazine: six- Forehand &
chamber cylinder. Wadsworth:
Terror: Another ·32 solid-frame revolver with a round barrel, sheath trigger and bird's ·32 Terror.
head butt, this resembles the ·32 Russian Model in most respects.

95
FRANCHI (ITALY)
Luigi Franchi SpA of Fornaci is best known as a maker of
shotguns, but introduced the RF83 revolver in 1983. This is
conventional solid frame side-opening six-shot double-action
revolver with a ribbed barrel and a shrouded full-length ejector rod.
Spare ·38 Special and ·357 Magnum cylinders are available for the
·38-calibre guns. Several variants—Compact, Standard, Service and
Target—differ in fittings and dimensions, the Target model having
a ventilated barrel rib and special sights.
RF-83 Standard: Type: solid-frame revolver.
Chambering: ·38 Special. Length overall: 8·75in/222mm.
Weight, unladen: 25·4oz/720gm. Barrel: 3·00in/76mm,
rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder. Franchi: ·38
RF-83.
FRANCOTTE (BELGIUM)
Auguste Francotte of Liege was among the foremost late
nineteenth-century Belgian revolver manufacturers, and a complete
list of his products would be impressive; no fewer than 150
different types of revolver were being offered in the 1890s. Numerous Adams and Tranter revolver designs were made under licence in 1860-80,
almost identical with the British originals, alongside good copies of Smith & Wesson designs and Lefaucheux pinfires. Francotte then produced the
open-frame Lefaucheux-Francotte revolvers, originally pinfire but later in various centre-fire calibres. Among the most important patterns were the
11mm Swedish M1871 Trooper's.
The arrival of the hinged-frame revolver persuaded Francotte to adapt the Pryse-type locking system, in which two transverse pins in the top of the
standing breech are operated by vertically mounted spring arms. He also adopted the Pryse cylinder catch: a milled knob in front of the cylinder
which, rotated half a turn, released the arbor pin and allowed the cylinder to be removed.
By the middle 1880s, Francotte was concentrating on producing revolvers on which retailing gunsmiths then put their own name; the only
identification is an unobtrusive 'AF' stamped somewhere on the frame. Revolvers bearing the names of British and Continental gunsmiths should be
examined closely in case this mark has been overlooked.
Francotte became more ambitious in the 1890s, looking farther afield to produce an acceptable 8mm repeating pistol. A reciprocating bolt was
operated by a ring trigger, feeding cartridges from a magazine in the butt. Prototypes were certainly made and some guns may even have been sold,
but surviving examples are rare. Equally rare is a four-barrel repeating pistol patented in 1885; no specimens attributable to Francotte are known,
but the second model produced by the Braendlin Armoury (q.v.) may have been licensed from Francotte.
The sole Francotte automatic pistol, a 6·35mm blowback of unusual design, appeared about 1912. The frame is formed to resemble the rear end of
the usual slide, but is actually a fixed housing into which a separate bolt recoils on firing. A hollow section attached to the front end of the bolt
serves as a slide, containing the barrel and carrying a lug pressing against the recoil spring in the frame beneath the barrel. To permit cocking, the
finger grips are cut at the front end of the 'slide'; the bolt lies in a distinct gap between what are apparently two parts of the slide. A five-round
magazine fits into the butt and a safety catch on the left side doubles as a barrel-retaining pin. The Francotte pistol was a well-made and ingenious
design, but few were sold before the German occupation of Belgium put Francotte out of business.
Pistolet Francotte: Maker: A Francotte & Cie, Liege. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·25in/108mm. Weight, unladen: 14·5oz/410gm. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

FREEDOM ARMS (USA)

Freedom Arms Company of Freedom, Wyoming, began to make a series of 'mini-revolvers' in the late 1970s.
This had previously been made by Rocky Mountain Arms and North American Arms (qq.v.). In essence, they
are modern versions of the 1880s solid frame single-action revolvers with sheath triggers and bird's head
butts, but offering incomparably better quality. Modern features include a floating firing pin in the standing
breech, an improved cylinder lock, an improved trigger mechanism and a refined butt giving a better grip. The Freedom
FA-S is made of stainless steel; the FA-L has a 1·8in barrel instead of the standard three-inch type; and the Arms: ·22
FA-BG 'boot gun' has a long barrel and squared butt. All chamber the ·22 LR rimfire cartridges, but Magnum Boot Gun.
models may be obtained for ·22 WRFM. In complete contrast, the company also makes the ·454 Casull (q.v.)
revolver.
Freedom FA-S: Type: solid-frame revolver.
Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall:
4·00in/102mm. Weight, unladen: 4·0oz/115gm.
Barrel: 100in/25mm, rifled. Magazine: five-
chamber cylinder.

FRENCH STATE FACTORIES

The French government factories with an interest in the
production of handguns have included Manufacture Nationale
d'Armes de Saint Etienne (MAS); Manufacture Nationale
d'Armes de Chatellerault (MAC); and Manufacture Nationale
d'Armes de Tulle (MAT). In addition, pistols were made for
the pre-1945 governments by Societe Alsacienne de
Constructions Mecaniques (SACM) of Cholet in Alsace. French State Factories: 8mm
Model 1892 ('Lebel').
Until the 1870s, the French armed forces purchased revolvers
from commercial sources. With the arrival of smokeless
powder and the small-calibre jacketed bullet, it was decided to
bring handguns into the state manufacturing system where—
with a few aberrations—they have remained ever since.

96
The first attempts to improve the Mle 1873 and Mle 1874 service revolvers led to an experimental 1885-vintage 11mm solid-frame six-shot revolver
with a loading gate and an ejector rod. By 1888 this had been modified for an 8mm smokeless cartridge, about a thousand guns being made as 'Mle
1887'. Trials revealed that the weapon was not entirely satisfactory, and it was refined by Saint-Etienne staff to produce the Mle 1892.
Modele 1892: This weapon, also known as the Modele d'Ordonnance or 8mm Lebel, was a solid frame six-shot revolver with side-swinging
cylinder opening to the right and collective ejection by a hand lever. Access to the double-action lock was facilitated by opening the left side of
the frame, which is suitably hinged at the front. What appears to be a loading gate on the right side of the frame is the release lever for the
cylinder-locking system; retracting it to open the cylinder also immobilises the hammer.
An extremely rare variant is the 'Mle 92 a Pompe', with a different locking system. Its cylinder was retained by a spring catch controlled by a
thick sleeve surrounding the ejector rod beneath the barrel. Pulling the sleeve forward released the cylinder; pushing it back then ejected spent
cases.
The Mle 92 was soundly designed and well made, remaining in military service until the Second World War and in police hands until the late
1950s. Its principal defect was the low-powered cartridge; a 120-grain 8mm bullet moving at 720 ft/sec had much too little hitting power for
combat purposes.
Modele d'Ordonnance 1892: Maker: Manufacture Nationale d'Armes de Saint-Etienne. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: 8mm. Length
overall: 9·37in/238mm. Weight, unladen: 29·6oz/840gm. Barrel. 4·50in/114mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
MAS-35: Experience in the First World War persuaded the French army to
begin work on an automatic pistol, albeit on a low priority. Government
technicians and various manufacturers were canvassed until a gun
promoted by Societe Alsacienne de Constructions Mecaniques (SACM)
was selected for service as the Modele 1935.
The design was due to Charles Petter, a Swiss who had worked briefly
with SACM; his patent of 1934 was little more than a variation on the
Browning swinging link system, the most important feature being the
construction of the firing lock in a separate, removable unit. The well- French State Factories:
made pistol was excellent, with a well-shaped butt and a reliable action. 7·65mm Model 1935.A
The safety catch was criticised, as it was a simple half-round shaft at the (SACM-Petter).
end of the slide which rotated to prevent the hammer striking the firing pin.
The biggest problem, however, lay in the cartridge; like the Mle 1892
revolver, the Mle 1935 pistol was handicapped by the useless 7·65mm
Longue. The 87-grain bullet was propelled at 1,100 ft/sec, an improvement
on the revolver but still poor by military standards.
In 1938, with war looming, Saint-Etienne redesigned the Mle 1935 to facilitate mass-production; the basic mechanical features were retained,
but the lines became more angular and the components were finished to a lower standard. The original Browning-derived ribs on the barrel,
locking into grooves in the slide, were replaced by a simple lug on the barrel locking into a single recess in the slide, and various short cuts were
taken in the lockwork.
To distinguish between the two pistols, the original SACM design became the Mle 1935A while the utility model became the Mle 1935S. War
began almost before production had begun; it has been claimed that work continued under German supervision, but only the Mle 1935A has
been seen with German acceptance markings and official German inventories do not mention the Mle 1935S at all.
Modele 1935A: Maker: Societe Alsacienne de Constructions Mecaniques, Cholet. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering:
7·65mm Longue. Length overall: 7·60in/193mm. Weight, unladen: 26·1oz/740gm. Barrel: 4·33in/110mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round
detachable box.
Mode1e1935S: Maker: Manufacture d'Armes de Saint-Etienne (see text). Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 7·65mm
Longue. Length overall: 7·40in/188mm. Weight, unladen: 27·9oz/790gm. Barrel: 4·13in/105mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round
detachable box.
MAS-1950: The French army once again asked for a pistol after the
Second World War had ended, the principal demand being a
respectable calibre. Saint-Etienne took the obvious steps and
redesigned the Mle 1935 to take the 9mm Parabellum cartridge,
lengthening the grip to take a nine-round magazine. The Mle 1950 was
made at Chatellerault and Saint-Etienne; the initials of the factory
(MAC and MAS respectively) will be found on the right side of the
slide.
Modele 1950: Maker: government factories in Saint Etienne and
Chatellerault. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated).
Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall: 7·68in/195mm.
Weight, unladen: 30·3oz/860gm. Barrel: 4·41in/112mm, rifled. French State
Magazine: nine-round detachable box. Factories: 9mm
PA-MAS 9mm G-1: Manufacture of the Mle 1950 ended by 1960, by MAS-1950.
which time the army had sufficient stock for the foreseeable future.
Subsequent demands were met by purchasing the PA-15 from
Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne (q.v.), until the company failed in
1988. When the armed forces decided they needed more pistols at the
end of the 1980s, there was simply no manufacturer in France to
comply. Competitive trials led to selection of the Beretta 92F. Initially, pistols were simply purchased from Beretta for the Gendarmerie
Nationale; however, in 1990, licensed production began at Saint-Etienne for the gendarmerie and the French navy. It was anticipated that the
Army would be granted funds to allow it to procure the pistol in 1991.

97
FROMMER (HUNGARY)
The pistols designed by Rudolf Frommer were made by Fegyver es
Gepgyar Reszvenytarsasag ('FGGY') of Budapest prior to 1919, and then by
a successor Femaru Fegyver es Gepgyar RT (1919-47). Frommer was born
in 1868, joining FGGY in 1896 after qualifying as an engineer. He became
factory manager in 1900, remaining so until retirement in 1935; he died in the following
year.
He was a first-class engineer with an original mind, and the pistols bearing his name were successful
enough to see widespread use. Some were unnecessarily complicated, but their durability is implicit in
their long employment by military and police in central Europe. Frommer was a contemporary of two
other eminent Austro-Hungarian firearms designers, Georg Roth and Karel Krnka, and a certain amount
of cross-fertilisation undoubtedly took place. Certainly, the enthusiasm of Frommer and Krnka for long
recoil operation argues some degree of co-operative effort, though the precise connection is by now lost. Frommer:
Model 1901: This, the first Frommer design, appeared in 1903 but achieved small success. It was entered 7·65mm
for various military trials without success and was soon abandoned. The long thin barrel protrudes M1910.
from a combined frame and receiver. A lengthy barrel jacket, forming part of the receiver, supports
the barrel during recoil. The true barrel protrudes only about an inch at the muzzle. The pistol was chambered for the
8mm Roth cartridge, which later became the 8mm Roth-Steyr. A rotating bolt-lock was employed, controlled by long recoil, and an external
hammer was fitted. The ten-round magazine, charger-loaded through the top of the open action, was integral with the butt.
Frommer M1901: Maker: Femaru Fegyver es Gepgyar. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Calibre: 8mm. Length overall:
7·09in/180mm. Weight, unladen: 22·9oz/650gm. Barrel: 3·94in/100mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round charger-loaded internal box
Model 1906: A transitional form of the M1901, this incorporated changes to simplify the action and improve reliability. Long recoil operation was
retained, but the gun chambered the 7·65mm Roth cartridge (alias 'Roth-Frommer' or 'Roth-Sauer'). The magazine on the earliest examples was
the integral 1901 pattern, but this was soon changed to a conventional removable box inserted in the butt from below; this magazine resembled
that of the Parabellum, with large wooden finger grips at the bottom and a stiffening groove in the side.
Model 1910: A final expression of the 1901-vintage design, this was an improvement of the M1906 with a new grip safety in the back strap of the
butt. Although production of the 1906 and 1910 Frommers lasted until the beginning of the First World War, few were made; neither model is
common today.
Frommer M1910: Maker. Femaru Fegyver es Gepgyar, Budapest. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto.
Length overall: 7·32in/186mm. Weight, unladen: 22·4oz/635gm. Barrel: 3·94in/100mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
'Stop' Model: This design appeared in 1912 and was adopted by the Honved, the
Hungarian second-line element of the Austro-Hungarian Army; it subsequently
became the official service pistol of the independent post-1919 Hungarian army and
remained in military and police hands until 1945, though theoretically replaced by later
models.
The Frommer Stop was a fresh approach to long recoil operation, the vital feature
being a double spring system lying in a tunnel above the barrel. One spring controls
the movement of the bolt, while its companion absorbs the barrel recoil and returns the
barrel to the firing position. This two-spring system is implicit in any long recoil Frommer: 7·65mm
mechanism where barrel and bolt move independently; the springs surrounded the 'Stop', or Model 1912.
barrel and bolt in the 1901 Frommer design, but placing them in the 1910-type tunnel
(though complicating maintenance) made the gun much more compact.
At the instant of firing, the Stop is locked by a rotating head on the two-piece bolt. An
inertia firing pin is struck by an external hammer, and the only safety device is a grip
lever. Barrel and bolt then recoil for about an inch to unlock the bolt. The bolt is then held while the barrel runs back, stripping out and ejecting
the empty case as it does so. The bolt is then released to run forward, chamber the fresh round, and rotate its head to lock the breech.
Original service pistols all chambered the 7·65mm Auto cartridge and always bear an official acceptance mark on the left front side of the trigger
guard: 'Bp' (for Budapest), followed by the Austro-Hungarian or Hungarian arms and the last two figures of the year of manufacture. The pistol
was also offered commercially in 9mm Short after 1919, but these lack official markings. The Frommer Stop remained in production until about
1930, and is still relatively common in Central Europe. A variant marked 'M1939' was reportedly made for special export order.
Frommer 'Stop': Maker: Femaru Fegyver es Gepgyar, Budapest. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto.
Length overall: 6·50in/165mm. Weight, unladen: 21·5oz/610gm. Barrel: 3·94in/100mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Baby Model: This is no more than a smaller edition of the Stop, intended as a 7·65mm pocket pistol. It was made alongside its larger cousin from
1912 onward and, in 9mm Short, after 1919—but never in 6·35mm, as sometimes suggested.
Liliput Model: Marking Frommer's first move away from long recoil operation, this simple 6·35mm blowback was introduced in 1921. The Liliput
had an external hammer and a grip safety.
The Stop design was too expensive to mass-produce, and Frommer had finally been
convinced that there was no need to lock small-calibre pistols. The Liliput laid the
foundation for the pistols which replaced the Stop in later years.
Frommer 'Liliput': Maker: Femaru Fegyver es Gepgyar, Budapest. Type:
automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·33in/110mm. Weight, unladen: 10·6oz/300gm. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled.
Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Model 1929: Chambered for the 9mm Short cartridge, this pistol appeared in 1929 and
was immediately adopted by the Hungarian army, some 50,000 being made prior to
1935. In essence it is little more than an enlarged Liliput, an external-hammer
blowback with the barrel retained in the frame in Browning fashion by four lugs. It
was a robust and simple weapon and, as a service pistol, a more practical proposition Frommer: 9mm M1929.
than perpetuating the Frommer Stop. A short-lived training version was developed
for ·22 rimfire in 1933, but it failed to gain military approval.

98
 Model 29: Maker: Femaru Fegyver es Gepgyar, Budapest. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 9mm Short. Length overall:
6·77in/172mm. Weight, unladen: 26·5oz/750gm. Barrel: 3·94in/100mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Model 1937: Appearing a year after his death, Frommer's last design was an improved Model 1929 in 9mm Short chambering. It was adopted by
the Hungarian army as the '37.M'. The principal difference between the 1937 and 1929 patterns lies in the abandonment of pinned-in cocking
grips at the rear of the slide in favour of conventional grooving. The later gun also has a smaller hammer and an additional finger-rest on the toe
of the butt. A Frommer-type of grip lever provided the only safety device, and production continued until 1942.
The German government negotiated a contract for 50,000 7·65mm Auto 1937-type pistols with pro-Axis Hungary in 1941. These were destined
largely for the Luftwaffe. Excepting for the change of calibre, the first consignments were identical with the M1937; shortly after supply had
begun, however, the Luftwaffe demanded a manual safety catch. This was added to the left rear of the frame, whereupon the slide marking was
changed from the original FEMARU FEGYVER ES GEPGYAR RT 37 to P. MOD. 37 KAL 7,65 with German Waffenamt acceptance stamps.
The code 'jvh' concealed the manufacturer, in accordance with the contemporaneous German system.
Production of the Pistole 37 (u) was extended until 1944, ending after 85,000 or so had been produced. The well-made 7·65mm-calibre guns
were extremely accurate and pleasant to shoot, being rather heavier than the general run of pistols in this calibre. Many are still in circulation.
Model 37: Maker: Femaru Fegyver es Gepgyar, Budapest. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length
overall: 7·17in/182mm. Weight, unladen: 27·2oz/770gm. Barrel: 4·33in/110mm, Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

FRONTIER (USA)
1: Colt made this name famous with its Model 1873 Single Action Army revolver, though exactly where and when it first acquired the name
'Frontier' is far from clear. Since then, almost every Model 1873 copy has used the name somewhere in its title.
2: The Frontier or Army revolvers were solid frame gate-loaders in ·41 Long centre-fire (Frontier) or ·44-40 Winchester (Army) chamberings,
manufactured by J.B. Ronge et Fils of Liege. Both have notably thick barrels and finger-rests beneath the trigger-guard, with a 'JBR'
monogram in the butt grips. The style suggests manufacture in 1875-85.

FYRBERG (USA)
Andrew Fyrberg of Hopkinton, Massachusetts, was active in the firearms business for many years. For the greater part of his career he was satisfied
to license his patents to others; much of his work appears in revolvers made by Iver Johnson and Harrington & Richardson. Early in the twentieth
century, however, Fyrberg decided to produce revolvers to a 1903 patent protecting an improved latch and cylinder retainer for hinged-frame
revolvers.
Hinged-frame double action guns were made in ·32 and ·38 with rounded butts and ribbed barrels. Both had five-chamber cylinders, the ·32 having a
three-inch barrel and the ·38 version measuring 3·25in. There is no proof that Fyrberg actually manufactured these revolvers; their appearance is so
like the contemporary products of Iver Johnson, except for the prominent catch of Fyrberg's patent frame latch above the cylinder, that it seems
more probable that a well-established company made them. Fyrberg probably bought the parts, added the catch, then assembled and finished the
guns. The butt grips bear his 'AFCo' monogram. Work is believed to have ceased about 1912.
Fyrberg: Maker: probably Iver Johnson for A. Fyrberg & Co. (see text). Type: hinged-frame revolver. Calibre: ·32. Length overall:
6·30in/160mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 3·00in/76mm,rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

G
GAC (SPAIN)
The 'GAC Firearms Mfg. Co.' was a sales ploy used by Garate, Anitua y Cia of Eibar. It was confined to a ·32-30 or ·38 copy of the S&W Military
& Police Model, where it was stamped into the barrel. Although the revolvers were only manufactured in 1930-6, a surprising number turned up in
England in 1940 and were issued to the Home Guard.
GAC: Maker: Garate, Anitua y Cia, Eibar. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·32 S&W Long. Length overall: 9·65in/245mm.
Weight, unladen: 29·1oz/825gm. Barrel: 5·04in/128mm.rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

GABILONDO (SPAIN)'
Founded in 1904 as Gabilondos y Urresti, this company originally made cheap revolvers of Velo-Dog type. One Gabilondo brother left in 1909,
whereupon the name became Gabilondo y Urresti; the Radium automatic was added to the product line shortly afterward.
Work on an Eibar-pattern automatic, marketed as the Ruby, began in 1914. Early in 1915, Gabilondo y Urresti received an open-ended contract
from the French army for 10,000 Ruby pistols every month, a figure soon increased to 30,000. The partnership could not possibly meet such a
demand, so work was sub-contracted to five other local makers; even this was insufficient and several companies eventually became suppliers to the
French. The Ruby contracts laid the foundations of several Spanish pistol-making businesses. Although the output was supposed to be controlled by
Gabilondo, and all the pistols were to be named 'Ruby', the whole business got out of hand—and anyone capable of making automatic pistols leaped
aboard the bandwagon. The situation became even more chaotic when the Italian army also began ordering automatic pistols.
Gabilondo y Urresti moved to Elgoeibar, close to Eibar, shortly after the end of the First World War and became Gabilondo y Cia. Manufacture of
Eibar-type pistols was largely superseded by a 1910-pattern Browning clone sold under several names. The first of a new range of Llama pistols,
based on the Colt M1911, appeared in 1931 and continues to date. These well-made and reliable pistols have achieved worldwide sales.
Gabilondo y Cia re-located in Vitoria after the end of the Spanish Civil War. A fresh range of Llama designs, intended to reflect modern techniques,
was introduced in the 1980s.
Bufalo: This was made by Gabilondo y Cia for sale by the Armeria Beristain y Cia of Barcelona, and bears the 'BC' monogram moulded into the
grips. Beristain had patented—among other features—a grip safety and a loaded-chamber indicator for automatic pistols, the former being used
in the Bufalo design.
The smallest Bufalo was a 6·35mm copy of the 1906-type Browning, marked AUTOMATICA PISTOLA ESPANA PATS 62004 Y 67577
BUFALO 6,35 ( ·25 CAL). The larger models, in 7·65mm and 9mm Short, were modifications of the Browning of 1910, with a concentric recoil
spring, but had an internal hammer instead of a striker. The Beristain grip safety also differed internally from the Browning type. The marking
duplicated the 6·35mm type, excepting for the calibre notation and the omission of 'Pistola'; MADE IN SPAIN was added on the right side of the
slide.
The Bufalo was made from 1919 until, in 1925, Beristain's patent expired and the agreement apparently lapsed; pistols were still made, but under
different names.

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 Bufalo M1920: Maker: Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar, for Armeria Beristain (see text). Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering:
6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·72in/120mm. Weight, unladen: 138oz/390gm. Barrel: 2·28in/58mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round
detachable box.
Danton: Dating from 1925-33, this was little more than the slightly modified Bufalo
under a new name. The 6·35mm model appeared minus a grip safety but with a new
safety catch at the left rear of the frame. In about 1929 the Beristain grip safety was
added.
The 7·65mm and 9mm Short models were similar to the Bufalo, but variants were
made with seven-, nine- and twelve-round magazine and grip lengths to suit. Later
examples had grip safeties and applied safety catches on the rear of the frame. The
slide marking was ambitious: AUTOMATIC PISTOL WAR MODEL 7·65MM (32)
DANTON PATENT 70724 TESTED. The 6·35mm model omitted 'War Model', but
the guns all have DANTON and the Gabilondo 'GC' monogram on the grips. Gabilondo:
Danton: Maker: Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar. Type: automatic pistol 7·65mm
(blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·14in/156mm. Danton.
Weight, unladen: 24·1oz/685gm. Barrel: 3·39in/86mm, rifled. Magazine:
eight-round detachable box.
LLAMA AUTOMATICS
This range encompasses a wide variety of individual models, all of which are minor changes rung on a couple of basic themes. The guns resemble
the Colt M1911, with external hammers; under the skin, however, some have muzzle bushes and swinging-barrel breech locks while others are
simple blowbacks. Marking is invariably the same, apart from changes in calibre. Prior to 1936, slides bore GABILONDO Y CIA ELGOEIBAR
(ESPANA) CAL 9MM/·380IN LLAMA; post-1936 versions read LLAMA GABILONDO Y CIA ELGOEIBAR (ESPANA) CAL 9MM/·380.
Current examples display LLAMA CAL... or GABILONDO Y CIA VITORIA (ESPANA) and the Llama badge—an encircled hand bearing a
torch- within LLAMA TRADE MARK.
Model I-A: This 7·65mm blowback was introduced in 1933. As with all the blowback models, the barrel was anchored in the frame by the locking
pin which, in the Browning system, anchors the bottom end of the swinging link. A lump beneath the breech engages the pin and acts as the
locating piece.
Model II: A 9mm Short blowback, otherwise identical with the Model I and introduced in the same year.
Model III: A 9mm Short blowback offering minor mechanical improvements on the Model II, which it replaced in 1936; discontinued in 1954.
Llama III: Maker: Gabilondo y Cia. Vitoria. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 9mm Short. Length overall: 6·30in/160mm.
Weight, unladen: 19·4oz/550gm. Barrel: 3·62in/92mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Model III-A: A version of the Model III with an additional Colt-style grip safety. It
superseded the Model III in 1955 and is still in production.
Model IV: Chambered for 9mm Largo or ·38 ACP, this locked-breech Llama lacks the
grip safety. Introduced in 1931, it was actually the first of the Llama series.
Model V: This was identical to the Model IV, but was intended for export to the USA
and was marked in English with the addition of MADE IN SPAIN on the slide.
Model VI: A locked-breech gun chambered for 9mm Short, lacking the grip safety.
Model VII: Produced in 1932-54, this was a locked-breech design chambered for ·38
Super Auto. It lacked the grip safety. Gabilondo:
Model VIII: A grip-safety version of the Model VII, chambering ·38 Super, ·45 ACP or 9mm Short
9mm Largo. It superseded Models IV and VII in 1955. Llama Model
Llama VIII: Maker: Llama-Gabilondo y Cia. Vitoria. Type: automatic pistol III-A.
(recoil operated). Chambering: ·45 ACP. Length overall: 8·46in/215mm.
Weight, unladen: 37·9oz/1,075gm. Barrel: 5·00in/127mm, rifled. Magazine:
seven-round detachable box.
Model IX: Chambered for 7·65mm Parabellum, 9mm Largo or ·45 ACP, this pattern had a locked breech but no grip safety. It was made from 1936
to 1954.
Llama IX-A: Maker: Llama-Gabilondo y Cia, Vitoria. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Largo. Length overall:
8·46in/215mm. Weight, unladen: 30·7oz/870gm. Barrel: 5·00in/127mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Model IX-A: A version of the Model IX with grip safety, this was introduced in 1954. It is currently being made in ·45 ACP only.
Model X: Chambered for 7·65mm Auto, with a largely superfluous locked breech, this gun dates from 1935-54. It lacks the grip safety.
Model X-A: A version of the Model X, with an additional grip safety. Made from 1954 to the present day.
Model XI: Originally called the 'Llama Especial' this differs from all other models; the base of the elongated grip curves forward to form a finger
rest. The magazine holds nine rounds, requiring a longer butt. The barrel is 5in long, the slide being lengthened accordingly. A ring hammer was
substituted for the spur type used on all other Llamas. The grips were of walnut, vertically grooved. Chambered only for 9mm Parabellum, the
Llama Especial was a striking pistol and perhaps one of the best 9mm combat pistols ever made. Manufactured from 1936 to 1954, it was widely
used in the Spanish Civil War.
Model XI-B: This modernised Model XI is still in production. It has a shorter barrel and slide than the original pattern, as well as a spur hammer.
Model XV: This ·22 LR blowback—also marked 'Especial'—has a grip safety and can be found with different grips, finishes or sights. It is still in
production.
Model XVI: A deluxe version of the Model XV, this will usually found with engraving, a ventilated rib, adjustable sights and shaped grips.
Llama XVI Maker: Llama-Gabilondo y Cia, Vitoria. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall:
6·50in/165mm. Weight, unladen: 17·0oz/481gm. Barrel: 3·62in/92mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.
Model XVII: Offered only in ·22 Short rimfire, this is an ultra-small and greatly streamlined Model XV with the grip shaped for the fingers.
Omni: Introduced in 1982, this ·45 ACP Llama automatic has several novel features, including a slide mounted on roller bearings and a double-
action lock. The breech lock is still the Browning link. It was originally produced as the 'Omni I' in ·45 with a seven-round magazine; 'Omni II'
in 9mm Parabellum with nine-round magazine, and 'Omni III' in 9mm Parabellum with a thirteen-round magazine. However, only the original
·45 is still in production.
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Model 82: Derived from the Omni, this discarded the roller-bearing slide and adopted a dropping-wedge breech lock inspired by the Walther P-38
and the Beretta 951. This system was entirely new to Llama, but usually provides more reliable feeding and better accuracy as the barrel remains
fixed in relation to the frame. The Model 82 has an ambidextrous slide-mounted safety, which conceals and locks the firing pin and disconnects
the trigger bar.
The hammer drops in a safe condition as the slide is cycled to load the gun; the first round is fired in double-action mode. The Llama Model 82
was adopted by the Spanish Army in 1985.
Model 82 Omni: Maker: Llama-Gabilondo y Cia, Vitoria. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum.
Length overall: 8·00in/203mm. Weight, unladen: 39·0oz/1,105gm. Barrel: 4·25in/108mm, rifled. Magazine: fifteen-round detachable box.
Model 87: This is an enlarged and improved version of the Model
82. The barrel is longer, the slide being suitably extended by a
block (ported at the top) doubling as a balance weight and
muzzle brake. The frame and magazine offer a new chemically-
treated nickel finish. The magazine catch is enlarged; the
magazine opening is bevelled; and the trigger is adjustable for
length and sensitivity of pull. A version with fully adjustable sights
is produced for competition shooting. This pattern lacks the muzzle brake.
LLAMA REVOLVERS
The revolvers all have the usual Llama inscription on the barrel, plus a calibre mark and the Vitoria
address. All current examples have the hammer mounted upon an eccentric axis which is only raised Gabilondo:
by trigger action; consequently, the hammer will not strike the firing pin unless the trigger has been 9mm Llama
properly pulled. M87.
Model XXII Olimpico: Offering the usual Smith & Wesson solid-frame side-opening pattern, this
was designed as a ·38 Special target revolver and has some unusual features; an adjustable anatomic grip, a micro-
adjustable rear sight, a ventilated over-barrel rib, and a web joining the underside of the barrel to the ejector shroud.
Model XXVI: This is a less expensive version of the Model XXIX (below), with conventional grips and shrouded ejector rod.
Llama XXVI: Maker: Llama-Gabilondo y Cia. Vitoria. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre ·38. Length overall: 9·25in/235mm. Weight,
unladen: 33·0oz/935gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Model XXVII: Similar to the Model XXVI, this had a two-inch barrel and ·32 Long.
Model XXVIII: Another Smith & Wesson copy, in ·22 LR with a six-inch barrel, this gun features a ramp front sight and a micrometer back sight.
Model XXIX Olimpico: This is simply the Model XXII chambered for ·22 rimfire.
Llama XXIX Olimpico: Maker: Llama-Gabilondo y Cia. Vitoria. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38 Special. Length overall:
12·00in/305mm. Weight, unladen: 40·7oz/1,155gm. Barrel: 5·51in/140mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Model XXXII Olimpico: A ·32 target revolver, this is distinguished by its unusual construction. The cylinder is about half the length of the frame
aperture, the barrel extending back into the frame space to meet it. The arbor is also visible. The ejector rod housing runs the full length of the
barrel and is squared off under the muzzle.
Comanche: A ·357 Magnum revolver of high quality, this has a ventilated rib and an adjustable back sight.
Martial: This is a robust ·38 Special revolver with a ventilated rib, ramp front sight and an adjustable back sight.
Piccolo: Called a personal-defence revolver, this is offered in ·38 Special.
Piccolo: Maker: Llama-Gabilondo y Cia, Vitoria. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38 Special. Length overall: 6·61in/168mm.
Weight, unladen: 22·8oz/645gm. Barrel: 2·00in/51mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Scorpio: This is similar to the Piccolo, but somewhat heavier.
Super Comanche: An enlarged Comanche with longer and
heavier barrel, and a micro-adjustable back sight, this can
be found in ·357 Magnum or ·44 Magnum chamberings.
Mugica: These Llama pistols were sold by Jose Mugica, a
gun dealer of Eibar. The Mugica Model 101 and 101-G
were the Llama Models X and X-A respectively; Mugica 105 and
105-G were the Llamas III and III-A; Mugica 110 and 100-G were the Llama VII
and VIII; and the Mugica 120 equated to the XI-pattern Llama. All bore MUGICA-
EIBAR-SPAIN on the slide. They do not carry model numbers, nor is there any indication of
their Gabilondo origin.
Perfect: This standard Eibar-type pistol appeared in 6·35mm and 7·65mm calibres. It was of
relatively poor quality, being marketed through Mugica to cover the lower end of the market.
Gabilondo: ·357
Guns can be identified by PERFECT on the grips, framing a floral design; some may have
Magnum Llama Super
MUGICA-EIBAR on the slide, others display MUGICA-MADE IN SPAIN and some make
Comanche.
no mention of the vendor.
Plus Ultra: This aberrant pistol was made to satisfy those non-technical customers to whom 'big' equated with 'good'. It was
an ordinary 7·65mm Eibar-type automatic with the butt lengthened to take a twenty-shot magazine. It looks deeper than it is long, though
measurement shows this to be an optical illusion—but one which may have helped sales. The Plus Ultra was made in c.1925-33 and seems to
have been popular with some of the more flamboyant amateurs of the International Brigades during the Spanish Civil War.
Radium: Made by Gabilondo y Urresti prior to 1914, this was an unusual little 6·35mm blowback based on the Browning of 1906 but without grip
safety. The distinguishing feature is the magazine; it is in the butt, but cannot be removed. The gun is loaded by sliding the right-hand grip
downward, depressing the magazine platform and exposing the interior of the magazine casing. Six cartridges can be dropped in until the
magazine is full, then the grip cover is replaced and the magazine spring/platform assembly returns to put the rounds under pressure. The
Radium seems to have been dropped in early 1915, owing to pressure of other work, and was never revived. The slide is marked FIRE ARMS
MANUFACTURING AUTOMATIC PISTOL RADIUM CAL6,35.
Radium: Maker: Gabilondo y Urresti. Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·53in/115mm. Weight, unladen: 10·4oz/295gm. Barrel: 2·24in/57mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round integral side-loading box

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Ruby: Gabilondo y Urresti introduced this 7·65mm Eibar-pattern blowback commercially in 1914. Specimens were submitted to the French army,
resulting in the 1915-vintage contract explained in the introduction. The company abandoned the original Ruby pattern at the end of the First
World War, transferring the name to a copy of the 1910-pattern Browning, but in 1919 dropped the name completely in favour of 'Bufalo' and
then 'Danton'. The Ruby name was also applied to a 6·35mm Eibar-type gun, identical with the Bufalo, until production ended in 1925.
7·65mm and 9mm Short patterns were made under the resurrected Ruby name from 1925; slides were marked RUBY ARMS CO, sometimes of
Eibar but at other times in Guernica. The series continued until 1930 when it was terminated to make way for the new Llamas.
Ruby [Eibar type]: Maker: Gabilondo y Urresti. Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
6·10in/155mm. Weight, unladen: 23·3oz/660gm. Barrel: 3·46in/88mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.
Ruby Extra: (Llama Models XII, XIII and XIV). The Ruby name was revived again in the 1950s for revolvers which absorbed three models of the
existing Llama range. The guns are basically Smith & Wesson copies marked RUBY EXTRA in an oval on the left frame, with a ruby medallion
at the top of the grips. The barrel inscription read GABILONDO Y CIA ELGOEIBAR ESPANA—the revolvers being made in Elgoeibar while
automatic pistol production was concentrated in Vitoria.
Model XII, in ·38 Long, had a five-inch barrel and a squared butt. Model XIII (·38 Special) had a rounded butt, being found with four- or six-
inch barrels with ventilated ribs; the long-barrel gun also had a micrometer back sight and target grips. The Model XIV, in ·22 LR rimfire or ·32
centre-fire chamberings, was offered with a variety of barrel lengths and sight options. Ruby Extra revolvers represented Gabilondo's budget-
price line.
Tauler: As with Mugica (q.v.), so with Tauler: these were Llama pistols sold under a dealer's name. Tauler was a gun dealer in Madrid who had the
ability to obtain contracts to supply the police, Customs Guards and similar official bodies in the early 1930s. Various Llama models-I to VIII,
made in 1933-5—were marked with his own name; inscriptions and trademarks vary, but TAULER always appears. It is notable that the
inscriptions are always in English.

GALAND (BELGIUM)
Gunmaker Charles Francois Galand of Liege and Paris made many contributions to revolver design. In 1872 he patented a double-action lock which
was widely adopted, notably by Webley in England and Colt in the USA. He also developed a unique extracting mechanism which others used
under licence.
Galand invented the Velo-Dog, one of the most-copied revolver designs in history. Prior to 1870 Galand was working in Liege, but by 1872 his
patent applications gave an address in Paris; his Velo-Dog revolvers, made from 1894, were always marked GALAND ARMS FACTORY PARIS.
Business did not survive the First World War.
Galand: The principal design also appeared as the 'Galand-Sommerville',
'Galand-Perrin' and similar combinations, according to licensee or co-
designer, but was basically an open frame double-action revolver. It
generally had a six- chamber cylinder and the novel extractor was actuated
by a lever, beneath the barrel and frame, which usually formed part of the
trigger-guard.
Swinging the lever down and forward allows the barrel and cylinder to slide forward on the
frame; after a short travel, a star-shaped extractor plate in the centre of the cylinder halts while the
cylinder itself runs farther forward to pull the empty cases from the chambers until they fall away. Fresh
rounds are loaded with the extractor plate still out, relying upon the length of the bulleted
cartridge to reach into the chambers and stay there until the lever is swung down, returning the
Galand: Galand
cylinder to the breech face.
self-extracting
Galand produced these revolvers under his own name, in a variety of calibres, from 1868 revolver.
onward. The term Galand-Perrin is frequently applied to those that chambered the 7mm, 9mm
or 12mm Perrin cartridges variously known as French Rim, Thick Rim or Welt Rim patterns. The 12mm pistol was
adopted by the Romanian army in 1874 and the Russian navy in c.1875.
More common in England is the Galand & Sommerville, with a shortened actuating lever latched to the front of the frame; it
was made in ·380 and ·450 by Braendlin & Sommerville Ltd of Birmingham, which after various changes, became the Braendlin Armoury
Company (q.v.). Sommerville was Galand's co-patentee for the extracting system.
Galand: Maker: Charles Galand, Liege. Type: open-frame revolver. Calibre: 9mm. Length overall: 7·95in/202mm. Weight, unladen:
38·8oz/1,100gm. Barrel: 3·74in/95mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Le Novo: This was a novel 6·35mm-calibre folding revolver, dating from c.1907 though looking
older. It is an open-frame pattern with a concealed hammer, a folding trigger, and a hollow metal
butt which can be folded beneath the frame to enclose the folded trigger. A lever on the frame
extracts the cylinder arbor by means of a rack, allowing the cylinder to be lifted out for reloading.
The knurled up of the concealed hammer protrudes through a slot in the frame shroud, allowing it
to be thumb-cocked.
Le Novo: Maker: Charles Galand, Liege. Type: open-frame revolver. Chambering: Galand: Le
6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·33in/110mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: Novo.
1·18in/30mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.
Tue Tue: Another remarkable design, this indicates the wide market for small pocket revolvers in the
days before the blowback automatic ousted them. One of the best pocket designs, dating from
c.1894, its concealed hammer and solid frame and combined with a side-swinging cylinder opening to the right. A central extractor is operated
by a rod, and the cylinder locks in place by a latch on the right of the frame. It was originally made in ·22 Short rimfire and 5·5mm Velo-Dog,
but was later chambered for the 6·35mm Auto cartridge.

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Velo-Dog: This—the original that launched a myriad copies—was an open-frame pattern very similar to Le Novo, originally with a conventionally
guarded fixed trigger and a normal butt. The folding trigger then reappeared, to give the slender hammerless aspect common to most of the later
'Velo-Dog' copies.
The name came from a combination of 'Velocipede' and 'dog'; contemporary cyclists who penetrated the depths of the country were liable to be
attacked by dogs, and this hazard was to be countered by carrying a suitable revolver! The originals chambered a particular cartridge known as
the 5·5mm Velo-Dog, with a 45-grain jacketed bullet in a long thin case. In truth, it was rather less effectual than the ·22 Long Rifle rimfire
pattern. Some cartridges were charged with cayenne pepper and some with dust shot, appealing to those with humanitarian principles, but the
effect of the jacketed bullet was considered to be more permanent in the carefree days before firearms legislation. In later years, the basic
revolver was modified to use ·22 rimfire or 6·35mm Auto ammunition.
Velo-Dog: Maker: Charles Galand, Liege. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: 5·5mm. Length overall: 4·92in/125mm. Weight, unladen:
unknown· Barrel: 1·85in/47mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

GALEF (USA)
An importer trading in New York City, this company's name can be found on a number of Beretta automatic pistols and Italian-made Western-style
revolvers imported into the USA in 1965-75.

GALESI (ITALY)
Originally known as Industria Armi Galesi of Collobeato/Brescia, prior to c.1955, this
gunmaking business currently trades as Rigarmi di Rino Galesi. The first pistols were
made in 1914 but, although soon well known in Italy, achieved no widespread
recognition until substantial exports began to the USA in the 1950s.
Galesi: The original 1914-vintage pistol was a 6·35mm blowback based on the Browning
of 1906, but without grip safety. Production was curtailed by the outbreak of the First
World War, but revived in 1919 and continued until the advent of a slightly improved
design (6·35mm and 7·65mm)in 1923. Made until 1930, these guns are marked
simply: BREVETTO 1923 GALESI BRESCIA on the slide and carry a lion-on-shield
motif let into the grips. Galesi: Hijo
A new gun appeared in 1930, adapted from the 1910-pattern Browning 1910 with the Militar.
recoil spring around the fixed barrel. Striker fired, it was offered in 6·35mm or
7·65mm calibre, lacked the grip safety, and had no sights other than a groove in the
slide top. Known as the Model 6, a 9mm Short version appeared in 1936 and was
purchased in small numbers by the Italian army as a substitute standard pistol.
The basic pattern was revised again in 1950, the principal change being the use of a spring-out locking
piece at the rear of the frame to facilitate dismantling. The resulting Model 9 has been produced in ·22,
6·35mm and 7·65mm calibres in a bewildering variety of finish, engraving, grip material and shape. Most
Model 9 pistol can be identified by two horizontal grooves in the lower part of the grips, allowing a more
positive location for the fingers. The slide markings vary; it is usually INDUSTRIA ARMI GALESI
BRESCIA BREVETTO CAL..., though other marks include BREVETTO 1930, AN. IT. ARMI GALESI
and SOC ITAL FLLI GALESI BRESCIA, which is believed to date from the period immediately prior to
the adoption of the Rigarmi name. Galesi:
Galesi M1923: Maker: Industria Armi Galesi, Collobeato/Brescia. Type: automatic pistol 6·35mm
(blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·72in/120mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Model 6.
Barrel: 2·28in/58mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Galesi Model 9: Maker: Rino Galesi, Collobeato/Brescia. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
6·30in/160mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 3·35min/85mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Rigarmi: The company continued to produce the Model 9, merely changing the slide marking to RIGARMI BRESCIA or RLNO GALESI
RIGARMI BRESCIA. The guns were renamed 'Modelo 53' in 6·35mm or 'Modelo 54' in ·22 LR rimfire.
A near-copy of the Walther PP appeared in 1960 complete with ring hammer, a slide-mounted safety and a double-action lock. The Italia Militar
was offered in ·22 LR or 7·65mm Auto; the Italia 69 was in the same chamberings, but its longer barrel protruded from the slide to carry the
front sight on a collar. Rigarmi has also made various cap-lock revolvers based on Colt designs.
Rigarmi M1953: Maker: Rigarmi di Rino Galesi. Collobeato/Brescia. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto.
Length overall: 4·72in/120mm. Weight, unladen: 13·9oz/395gm. Barrel: 2·28in/58mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

GALLIA (UNKNOWN)
According to some authorities, this sales name was applied to 7·65mm Unique pistols made by Manufacture d'Armes de Pyrenees; however, no
7·65mm pistol with this mark has been seen. However, there are numerous 6·35mm pistols carrying this name and the inscription FABRIQUE A
ST. ETIENNE or FABRICATION FRANCAISE. The general appearance and quality of these pistols, all of Browning 1906-derived Eibar type,
suggests Spanish origin with misleading markings to promote sales in France—probably in the 1920s.

GALLUS (SPAIN)
A 6·35mm Eibar-pattern Browning-1906 type blowback automatic, this was made in the early 1920s by Retolaza Hermanos of Eibar. It carries no
identification other than the slide marking PISTOLET AUTOMATIQUE 6,35 GALLUS and grips bearing an encircled CAL 6,35.
Gallus: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·53in/115mm. Weight, unladen: 12·5oz/355gm.
Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

103
GAMBA (ITALY)
Armi Renato Gamba of Gardone Val Trompia made excellent sporting guns until, in the
mid 1970s, the first of a series of pistols appeared. The designs were licensed from
Mauser. Business failed in 1984, but was reconstituted in 1988 as Societa Armi Bresciane
Linea Renato Gamba.
HSc 80: As the name implies, this is an Italian-made version of the effectual (but pre-war)
Mauser HSc. The first guns, made under licence, were a straight copy of the German
prototype; in 1979, however, the trigger guard was given a reverse curve, a fifteen-
round two-column magazine was fitted in a deepened butt, and a new magazine release
appeared. Under the SAB banner the name has been changed to HSc Super G-15.
Gamba: RGP-81.
HSc80 G15: Maker: Societa Armi Bresciane, Gardone Val Trompia. Type:
automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
6·00in/152mm. Weight, unladen: 24·7oz/700gm. Barrel: 3·35in/85mm, rifled.
Magazine: fifteen-round detachable box.
Personal: This small 6·35mm blowback pistol, with an exposed barrel and open-top slide,
bears a strong resemblance to the Tanfoglio (q.v.) Targa.
Guardian: A 7·65mm pistol, virtually an enlarged Personal with a double-action lock, is another Tanfoglio look-alike. The Guardian B-79 has a
two-column magazine containing twelve rounds.
Trident: This ·38 Special six-shot revolver, with a 2in or 2·5in barrel, was licensed from
Mauser. Based generally on Colt practice, with a pull-catch to release the cylinder, it
has a full-length ejector rod shroud and a full-length ramped foresight. Under SAB
this model is made with a 2·5in or 3in barrel and called Trident 2½ or Trident 3.
Trident Golden Black: No longer available, this was simply a Trident in highly-
polished black finish with gold inletting.
Trident Vigilante: A basic Trident with a four-inch flat-sided barrel, a ramp front sight
and micrometer back sight, this is now the SAB Trident Super 4.
Trident Match 900: This combines the basic Trident frame forged integrally with a slab
sided six-inch barrel. It features a full-length ejector-rod shroud and a small blade
Gamba: Trident.
front sight. The back sight is a micro-adjustable pattern set well behind the standing
breech and above the hammer, while the anatomical grip has a large prawl to fit the
thumb web. The Match 900 may chamber ·32 Long or ·38 Special.
Trident Match 900: Maker: Societa Armi Bresciane, Gardone Val Trompia. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·32 S&W Long.
Length overall: 11·81in/300mm. Weight, unladen: 35·3oz/1,000gm. Barrel: 5·91in/150mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
SAB G90: SAB introduced a completely new range of locked breech military-style automatic pistols in 1989. They are faithful copies of the CZ75
double-action pistol, using the Browning dropping-barrel breech lock. The only unusual thing is that they are chambered for the 9 x 21mm IMI
cartridge, since commercial 9mm Parabellum ammunition is prohibited in Italy.
SAB G91: Compact Introduced in 1990, this is a shortened G90 with a twelve-round magazine instead of the fifteen-round type. Like the G90, the
G91 may be obtained in black or chromed finish.
G91 Compact: Maker: Societa Armi Bresciane, Gardone Val Trompia. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 7·65mm
Parabellum. Length overall: 6·89in/175mm. Weight, unladen: 30·0oz/850gm. Barrel: 3·54in/90mm, rifled. Magazine: twelve-round
detachable box.

GARANTIZADA (SPAIN)
The name Fabrica de Armas Garantizada of Eibar appears on a cheap ·38 copy of the Colt Police Positive revolver. An unusual cylinder latch is
incorporated in the crane arm in front of the cylinder. The weapon was probably made in the late 1920s. However, as the cylinder latch is almost
identical to that used on the Crucero revolver made by Ojanguren y Vidosa of Eibar in the same period, it is concluded that 'Garantizada' is merely a
sales name.

GARATE (SPAIN)'
Garate Hermanos of Ermua was an obscure gunmaking company which operated from c.1910 into the early 1920s, producing a selection of Velo-
Dog revolvers in 6mm, 6·35mm, 7·65mm and 8mm calibres. The Cantabria revolvers were all hinged-frame models with the barrel secured by a
catch above the standing breech, a concealed hammer with a cocking spur protruding through the shroud, and a slab-sided and grooved barrel unit
which resembled the front of an automatic pistol. Folding triggers were fitted, and the butts were either angular or curved, following automatic
pistol and revolver style respectively.
The Cantabria name was also applied to a 6·35mm Eibar-style automatic pistol sold by Garate Hermanos, but probably made elsewhere. The
specimen examined carried the inscription model 1918 and offered poor quality.
The Velo-Stark seems to have been the company's first product; it was a Velo-Dog type solid-frame revolver with a loading gate, a rod ejector, a
folding trigger and a concealed hammer.
Cantabria [Eibar type]: Maker: Garate Hermanos, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·41in/112mm. Weight, unladen: 10·6oz/300gm. Barrel: 2·05in/52mm, rifled. Magazine: five-round detachable box.

GARATE, ANITUA (SPAIN)

Garate, Anitua y Cia of Eibar made a range of handguns, being concerned with automatic pistol production from the earliest days (see Charola y
Anitua). The quality of their products seems to have varied according to the intended market; some were poor, but others extremely well made. The
company was one of only two Spanish gunmakers to receive contracts from the British army during the First World War, which must be regarded as
testimony to the quality their products could attain. Like many others, the company was driven out of business in the Spanish Civil War and was
never revived.
Cosmopolite Oscillatory: This ·38 revolver was based on the Colt Police Positive; the only remarkable feature was that the ejector rod acted as the
cylinder lock without the assistance of the usual thumb-catch. It was sold in the 1927-33 period.
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El Lunar: Another revolver in the Colt tradition, with a thumb-catch to release the cylinder, this was produced for the French army 1915-16 and
chambered the 8mm Lebel cartridge. In order to resemble the Mle 1892 French revolver, the barrel was reinforced at the muzzle and close to the
frame; French troops called it '92 Espagnole'.
GAC: A ·38 Smith & Wesson copy; see separate entry.
Garate, Anitua: The company produced
only two guns under its own name. The
first is of considerable interest, as it
became an official British Army
revolver during the First World War
under the title 'Pistol, O.P., [Old
Pattern] No. 1 Mark I. This ·455 six-
shot hinged frame revolver was
approved on 8 November 1915, with a
ribbed barrel and double-action
lockwork. It was declared obsolete in
1921. So far as can be determined it
was never sold commercially. The
other Garate, Anitua design was a
commonplace 7·65mm Eibar-type
automatic.
Garate, Anitua: ·455 Pistol, Revolver, OP No.1 Mk I, made for the
Garate [OP No.1 Mk I]: Maker: British Army during the First World War.
Garate, Anitua y Cia, Eibar.
Type: hinged-frame revolver.
Calibre: ·455. Length overall:
11·02in/280mm. Weight,
unladen: 24·0oz/680gm. Barrel:
5·12in/130mm, rifled.
Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
La Lira: This unusual pistol would have been a faithful copy of the Mannlicher M1901 but for two significant changes; first it chambered 7·65mm
Auto cartridges and, secondly, a conventional detachable box. magazine in the butt replaced the integral charger-loaded Mannlicher design.
Owing to the shape of the butt, the magazine has a distinct curve and carries its own magazine catch. The praiseworthy idea cured defects which
restricted sales of the Mannlicher, yet failed to prosper; few La Lira pistols survive. They appear to date from c.1912-14; perhaps wartime
contracts caused production to be abandoned in favour of more lucrative business. The breech block is marked SYSTEMA LA LIRA PARA
CARTOUCHO BROWNING 7,65MM and a 'GAC' monogram appears on the grips.
La Lira: Maker: Garate, Anitua y Cia, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Calibre: 7·65mm. Length overall: 7·48in/190mm.
Weight, unladen: 23·6oz/670gm. Barrel: 4·53in/115mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.
L'Eclair: This was a solid-frame hammerless six-shot revolver, with a cylinder swinging out to the right, chambered for the 5·5mm Velo-Dog
cartridge. It was made prior to 1914.
Sprinter: Another of the many 6·35mm blowbacks patterned on the 1906-model Browning, this was also made prior to the First World War. It is
remarkable only for the polyglot slide marking THE BEST AUTOMATIQUE PISTOL SPRINTER PATENT FOR THE CAL 6,35
CARTRIDGE, the safety catch markings being in French.
Triumph: This is essentially similar to the La Lira: a Mannlicher copy in 7·65mm calibre. It carries no maker's name but the inscription on the
breech block reads TRIUMPH AUTOMATIC PISTOL FOR THE 7·65MM CARTRIDGE, suggesting that it was intended for export. The usual
'GAC' monogram is on the grips, and the only difference lies in the magazine catch in the back strap of the butt instead of part of the magazine
body.

GASSER (AUSTRIA)
Leopold Gasser of Vienna and St Polten operated two factories which reputedly turned out 100,000 revolvers annually in the 1880s and 1890s.
These were adopted by the Austro-Hungarian Army and were widely distributed throughout central Europe and the Balkans, the most common form
being the 'Montenegrin Gasser'. Relevant patents were also used in the later Rast & Gasser (q.v.) service revolver, though Leopold had died in 1871.
His younger brother Johann continued the business for many years. It had passed to August Gasser by 1903, but soon became Rast & Gasser. The
actual date of the company's demise is not clear, though it does not seem to have survived beyond 1912.
The original Gasser revolver was an open-frame model,
with the barrel unit attached to the frame by a screw
beneath the cylinder arbor. The arbor pin was
screwed into the barrel unit and fitted into a recess in
the standing breech. The cylinder was gate-loaded
from the right side, and a rod ejector was carried beneath the barrel. A
unique safety bar will usually be found on the right of the frame, below the
cylinder; this carries pins which pass through holes in the frame to engage the lock
mechanism. Slightly retracting the hammer allows one of these pins to move inward,
preventing the hammer moving forward again when released. The pistol can thereafter be carried
safely when loaded. Pressure on the trigger withdraws the pin from the path of the hammer before
firing.
The M1870 Gasser became the Austro-Hungarian cavalry revolver; it chambered an 11mm centre-fire
cartridge usually called the '11mm Montenegrin', a long cartridge which had earlier been used in single-
shot Werndl carbines and pistols. The Model 1870/74 had a steel frame instead of wrought iron. A similar
Gasser:
gun was issued to the Austrian Navy.
Montenegrin.
A Gasser-Kropatschek M1876, designed as an officer's model, was smaller than the standard patterns. It
was a re-design of the 1870 model instigated by Alfred Kropatschek, the changes being principally a matter of reducing weight
by reducing the calibre to 9mm.
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The title 'Montenegrin Gasser' covers a variety of six-chamber large-calibre revolvers. They originally appeared as open-frame models, similar to
the M1870 and usually in the same 11mm calibre. Single and double-action locks were used, grips were often in ivory or bone, engraving and gold
inlay work was common, and the predominant impression was one of weight and bulk. It is often said—though little hard evidence is available—
that King Nicholas of Montenegro made the ownership of such revolvers mandatory for his male population...and that His Majesty had a financial
stake in the manufacturers. Montenegrin Gasser-style revolvers, however, were made by numerous small Belgian and Austrian firms, as well as by
Leopold Gasser.
Later models offered hinged-frame construction, with Galand cylinder locks and a self-extracting mechanism. Most are marked 'Guss Stahl',
"Kaiser's Patent" and similar phrases. Genuine Gasser products are marked L. GASSER PATENT WIEN or L. GASSER OTTAKRING PATENT,
and often carry the Gasser trademark of a heart pierced by an arrow. Gasser also produced revolvers for the commercial market. The Gasser-
Kropatschek, for example, appeared with fluted cylinders instead of the smooth-surfaced military pattern. He also produced the 9mm 'Post & Police'
solid frame non-ejecting double-action revolver, with a hexagonal barrel; a commercial version of this gun was also made, generally offering better
finish. There was also a commercial version of the open-frame M1874 in 9mm; and a 9mm hinged-frame self-extracting model with the Galand
double-action lock.
Probably the last handgun to carry Gasser's name was the 8mm Rast & Gasser Model 1898 service revolver, adopted by the army of Austria-
Hungary. This eight-shot solid-frame pattern had an ejector rod beneath the barrel. The Abadie-type loading gate on the right side of the frame
behind the cylinder disconnected the hammer from the trigger when it was opened for loading. The angular Rast & Gasser has its grip too square to
the bore to aid instinctive shooting, but was extremely well-made and reliable.
M1870 army revolver: Maker: L. Gasser, Vienna. Type: open-frame revolver. Calibre: 11mm. Length overall: 12·60in/320mm. Weight,
unladen: 45·9oz/1,300gm. Barrel: 7·28in/185mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Gasser-Kropatschek officer's revolver: Maker: L. Gasser, Vienna. Type: open-frame revolver. Calibre: 9mm. Length overall:
9·21in/234mm. Weight, unladen: 27·2oz/770gm. Barrel: 4·57in/116mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
M1898 army revolver: Maker: Rast & Gasser, Ottakring, Vienna. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: 8mm. Length overall.
8·86in/225mm. Weight, unladen: 38·6oz/980gm. Barrel: 4·57in/116mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-chamber cylinder.

GAULOIS (FRANCE)
An alternative, and more common, name for the 'Mitrailleuse' repeating pistol made by Manufrance (q.v.).

GAVAGE (BELGIUM)'
Fabrique d'Armes de Guerre de Haute Precision (Armand Gavage) of Liege began to produce
an automatic pistol of similar pattern to the Clement (q.v.) in the early 1930s, though
production was never great. It had a fixed barrel and barrel extension, with a rectangular bolt
moving beneath the latter. Hammer fired, it was in 7·65mm calibre and had a dismantling
catch similar to that of the Parabellum just above the trigger; the safety catch lay on the rear
of the frame. There are no maker's marks other than an 'AG' monogram in the grip.
Production apparently continued until after the German occupation of Liege in 1940;
specimens have been seen with Waffenamt acceptance marks, but their status is the subject of
dispute.
Gavage: Maker: Armand Gavage, Liege. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Gavage: 7·65mm.
Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·94in/151mm. Weight, unladen:
21·1oz/600gm. Barrel: 2·95in/75mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable
box.

GAZTANAGA (SPAIN)
Isidro Gaztanaga of Eibar entered the pistol business in the early 1900s with a cheap pocket revolver called the Puppy. Shortly before the First
World War, the Puppy was abandoned in favour of an Eibar-type copy of the 1906-type Browning; Gaztanaga made 7·65mm pistols for the French
army during the war, though apparently operating independently instead of being a contractor to Gabilondo. Production of Eibar-style automatics
continued after the war, and a Colt-type revolver was introduced in the late 1920s. In 1933 the company was re-organised as Gaztanaga, Trocaola y
Ibarzabal, and some of the older models were phased out in favour of a Walther PP copy. The Spanish Civil War then put an end to business.
Destroyer: This was Gaztanaga's 'house name' for his automatic pistols, beginning with a 6·35mm Model 1913
copy of the Browning of 1906. It lacked the grip safety, but retained the FN-style safety catch on the rear of
the frame. The 6·35mm Destroyer may have remained in production during the war, but was overshadowed
by a 7·65mm Destroyer made for the French. This was a simple copy of the Browning Mle 1903 with a nine-
shot magazine. The slide was marked CAL 7,65M/M PISTOLET AUTOMATIQUE DESTROYER I
GAZTANAGA EIBAR. Some were apparently made with seven-round magazines and marked MLE 1916
DESTROYER, suggesting that they were made for commercial sale and after the war.
The 6·35mm gun was altered in the post-war period by moving the safety catch to the usual 'Eibar' mid-frame
position and changing the slide inscription from 6,35 1913 MODEL AUTOMATIC PISTOL DESTROYER
PATENT to CAL 6,35M/M MODEL AUTOMATIC... The 7·65mm model underwent a complete overhaul,
Gaztanaga:
reappearing as a modified copy of the 1910-pattern Browning with a prominent stripping catch on the left of the frame 6·35mm
above the trigger and the safety catch at the rear of the frame. The stripping catch simply holds the slide to the rear Destroyer.
while the barrel is removed. The pistol is marked '1919' on the slide, and the grips—like the 6·35mm type—bear
DESTROYER and an 'IG' monogram.
The name was also used on a ·38 Special revolver produced in about 1929. It was the usual Colt Police Positive copy, and contemporary reports
suggest that it was of reasonable quality.
Destroyer M1919: Maker: Isidro Gaztanaga, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
6·10in/155mm. Weight, unladen: 20·8oz/590gm. Barrel: 3·31in/84mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Horse Destroyer: This appears to have been a variant of the ·38 Destroyer revolver noted above; none has been traced, but records in Eibar show
that Gaztanaga registered this trade name.
Horse Destroyer: Maker: Isidro Gaztanaga. Eibar. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38 S&W. Length overall: 11·02in/280mm.
Weight, unladen: 32·0oz/905gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
106
Indian: Simply the wartime 7·65mm nine-shot Destroyer automatic, this was made for commercial sale after 1918.
Puppy: Gaztanaga's first revolver was a solid-frame pseudo-hammerless ·22 LR five-shot pattern with a bird's head butt and a folding trigger; it
may also have been made for 5·5mm Velo-Dog calibre. An ejector rod on the Abadie principle was fitted, together with a loading gate on the
right side of the frame behind the cylinder.
Puppy: Maker: Isidro Gaztanaga. Eibar. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·22. Length overall: 5·31/135mm. Weight, unladen:
unknown. Barrel: 1·57/40mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.
Super Destroyer: Apparently a copy of the Walther PP externally, this proves to be nothing but a 1910-type Browning under the surface, with the
recoil spring around the barrel retained by a muzzle bush. The trigger system is single-action only, while the slide-mounted safety catch merely
locks the firing pin and has no effect on the hammer. The slide was marked PISTOLA AUTOMATICA 7,65 SUPER DESTROYER and the
finish was quite good. It was sold by Jose Mugica, a dealer in Eibar, but the Civil War put an end to production after only two years.
Surete: This is a modified second-model Destroyer, based on the Browning of 1910 but without the stripping catch noted previously. The slide is
marked CAL 7,65 PISTOLET AUTOMATIQUE SURETE and the only indication of the maker is the monogram 'IG' stamped inconspicuously
on the frame.
Surete: Maker: Isidro Gaztanaga, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·10in/155mm.
Weight, unladen: 21·2oz/600gm. Barrel: 3·35in/85mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

GECADO (GERMANY)
A trade name used on pistols sold by G.C. Dornheim of Suhl (q.v.).

GECO (GERMANY)
Gustav Genschow AG of Hamburg has been in the ammunition business since the
nineteenth century, the distinctive headstamps being well known. Prior to 1914,
Genschow marketed pistols made for them by other companies.
Geco: Under this registered trademark, Genschow sold a variety of hammerless solid-
frame revolvers made by Francisco Arizmendi of Eibar. The smaller versions were in
6·35mm calibre, with folding triggers, and could almost be classified as Velo-Dog
types. The larger ones—while retaining the same general specification—stretched to
7·65mm Auto (·32 ACP), ·32 Long and 8mm French Ordnance chamberings, making
them rather larger than the average Velo-Dog.
German Bulldog: These were heavier solid-frame double-action revolvers with loading
gates and rod ejectors, in a variety of calibres. General features suggest Belgian Geco: German Bulldog.
manufacture and certain details suggest that Henrion, Dassy & Heuschen
(Manufacture d'Armes HDH) of Liege were responsible.

G.H. (SPAIN)
This ·38 Long six-shot double action revolver, a copy of the S&W Military & Police, was made by Guisasola Hermanos of Eibar in the late 1920s.
G.H. [S&W type]: Maker: Guisasola Hermanos, Eibar. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38 S&W. Length overall:
10·04in/255mm. Weight, unladen: 18·3oz/520gm. Barrel: 5·04in/128mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

GLISENTI (ITALY)
Real Fabbrica d'Armi Glisenti of Brescia entered the pistol business by manufacturing the Italian army's M1889 Bodeo (q.v.) revolver, which is now
sometimes called the 'Glisenti M1889'. Shortly after the turn of the century, the company was re-organised, became Societa Siderurgica Glisenti of
Turin, and set about developing an automatic pistol. The origins of this pistol have never been satisfactorily explained; its design was credited in
Italy to Revelli, an army officer, but appears to have drawn inspiration from the Haussler-Roch pistol patented in Switzerland in 1903. It seems
possible that the Haussler-Roch gun was submitted to competitive trials in Italy at about this time, and that it showed sufficient promise for elements
of its locking system to be appropriated.
Rumours concerning the existence of a new Italian service pistol began to circulate in 1903, and, in 1906, Glisenti obtained machine tools from
Britain to begin production. Within a year, however, Societa Glisenti sold the manufacturing rights to Metallurgica Brescia gia Tempini (MBT, see
Brixia); MBT, already under contract to make components for the pistol, now took over the entire project.
Great difficulty was experienced in setting up production, MBT eventually
buying more tools from Germany, but production of a Glisenti pistol
chambered for an odd 7·65 x 22mm bottle-necked cartridge began late in
1908. This Model 1906 failed to satisfy the Italian army, so the pistol was
redesigned to take a 9mm cartridge of the same dimensions as the German
9mm Parabellum—but loaded to a lower velocity in order to reduce the recoil. This became the
Model 1909 and was formally adopted by the Italian army in 1910.
The reduced charge was also dictated by the construction of the Glisenti. The breech lock was a
wedge pivoting in the frame, which engaged in a recess beneath the bolt. The bolt moved in the
barrel extension, which could slide along the top of the frame. On firing, barrel, extension and bolt
recoiled together for about 7mm, whereupon the wedge had been turned far enough to disengage it
from the bolt; the barrel unit stopped, held by the depressed locking wedge, and the bolt continued
to recoil. When the bolt returned, chambering a fresh round, the wedge rose, freed the barrel and Glisenti: 9mm
re-engaged the bolt. A barrel-return spring then pushed the entire unit back into the firing position. M1910.
The whole system operated so rapidly that it was more a delayed blowback than a fully locked
breech.
The other feature demanding a reduced charge was the frame construction; in the front of the frame was a screw, held by a
spring catch, which unscrewed to allow the entire left side of the frame to be removed. This reveals that the frame has no left
side at all, resulting in a lack of stiffness and no support for much of the left side of the barrel extension. Prolonged use loosened the side plate and
introduced a degree of play into the entire action.

107
The firing mechanism was also odd, as it did not cock when the slide ran back; instead, pulling the trigger released the striker only after pushing it
back against its spring. This gave a long and creepy trigger pull. Safety was provided by a lever let into the front edge of the grip.
The Glisenti remained in production until the early 1920s, although from 1916 onward it was supplemented by increasing numbers of Beretta
pistols. The Beretta became the official issue pistol in 1934, but the M1910 Glisenti survived in service until 1945.
In 1912 MBT produced the 'improved' model Brixia (q.v.) but, apart from acquiring a small number for evaluation, the Italian army showed no
interest and the design was abandoned.
Glisenti M1910: Maker: Societa Siderugica Glisenti, Brescia. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Glisenti.
Length overall: 8·15in/207mm. Weight, unladen: 30·0oz/850gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

GLOCK (AUSTRIA)
Glock AG of Deutsch-Wagram made items such as entrenching tools and
knives before surprising the world in 1983 by winning a competitive trial to
provide 25,000 pistols for the Austrian army. As Glock had never made
pistols before, the order took them rather by surprise—much of the first
production run had to be sub-contracted.
Since that time, however, the Glock pistol has acquired a sound reputation
for reliability and simplicity and is selling well throughout the world. The
Norwegian Army, other NATO forces, and police and security authorities
have adopted them in addition to the Austrians.
Glock 17: This provides the pattern on which the others have all been
based. Chambering 9mm Parabellum and using the familiar dropping- Glock: 9mm
barrel method of breech locking, it contains a mere 32 components and Model 17.
has a seventeen-shot magazine. The frame is a composite of alloy and
synthetic material, which helps in keeping the weight down. The firing
mechanism is self-cocking; first pressure on the trigger disengages a
trigger safety device, then cocks the striker (which is in the safe half-
cocked position at all other times) and releases it to fire the pistol. No manual safety is fitted, as the trigger safety, automatic firing-pin lock and
an automatic trigger-bar safety device will inhibit firing unless the trigger is correctly pulled. When the Glock 17 appeared, scare stories
appeared in the popular press suggesting that the use of plastic made it an ideal terrorist gun. The Glock, they said, could evade detection at
airports and other security checks. There was no substance at all in these stories; there is more than sufficient steel in the construction to show up
on any search device.
Glock 17: Maker: Glock GmbH, Deutsch-Wagram. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length
overall: 7·40in/188mm. Weight, unladen: 21·9oz/620gm. Barrel: 4·49in/114mm, rifled. Magazine: seventeen-round detachable box.
Glock 17L: A Glock 17 with a longer barrel and slide, this was intended for competition shooting.
Glock 18: This was developed from the Glock 17 by adding a fire selector and developing nineteen- and 33-round magazines, turning the weapon
into a machine pistol. It is about 35mm longer than the standard pistol and has a cyclic rate of fire of 1300rpm. It is not available commercially,
being restricted to military and police customers.
Glock 19: This is a compact Glock 17 with a shorter slide and barrel, and a fifteen-round magazine.
Glock 19: Maker: Glock GmbH, Deutsch-Wagram. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length
overall: 6·97in/177mm. Weight, unladen: 21·0oz/595gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: fifteen-round detachable box.
Glock 20: Introduced in 1990, this is similar to the Model 17 but larger in all dimensions and chambered for the 10mm Auto cartridge. It uses a
fifteen-round magazine.
Glock 21: Chambered for the ·45 ACP, with a fifteen-round magazine, this is simply a variant of the Glock 20.
Glock 22: Another 1990 introduction, the '22' is a slightly enlarged Glock 17 chambered for the ·40 S&W cartridge.
Glock 23: This is similar to the Model 19, but is slightly larger and chambers ·40 S&W.

GMC (ARGENTINA)
Garbi, Moretti y Cia of Mar Del Plata made small numbers of a ·22 LR blowback automatic pistol, apparently in the mid 1940s. It was simply
constructed, with an external hammer, a manually-cocked bolt and an exposed trigger with no guard.

GOVERNOR (USA)
A seven-shot ·22 Short rimfire revolver made by the Bacon Arms Company in the early 1880s, this had a solid frame and a two-inch round barrel. It
differed from other Bacon models by having a side plate forming half the trigger sheath; the plate could be removed to reveal the lockwork.
Retained by a push-in latch on the right side of the frame, the cylinder axis pin extended about an inch beneath the barrel. No ejector was fitted.
Governor: Maker: Bacon Arms Co., Norwich, Connecticut. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·22. Length overall: 5·51in/140mm.
Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 2·24in/57mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-chamber cylinder.

GRANDE PRECISION (SPAIN)

Fabrique d'Armes de Guerre de Grande Precision of Eibar was a trading name registered by Extezagarra y Abitua of Eibar, adopted to promote sales
in Europe by suggesting French or Belgian origin. The title was sometimes shortened by omitting 'de Guerre'. The manufacturer has so far defied
identification. There seems to have been some degree of co-operation with SEAM (q.v.), as pistols of the same pattern appear under both names;
however, 'Grande Precision' inscriptions often appear on guns made and sold by other companies.
The pistols often carry makers' monograms, let into the grips or—in Spanish fashion—stamped inside a circle on an inconspicuous part of the
frame. It is likely that while some guns were made by Extezagarra y Cia, many others were made by one-man workshops in Eibar to a 'Grande
Precision' specification.

108
Bulwark: This 6·35mm blowback was made by Beistegui Hermanos (q.v.), but may
be found with the Grande Precision slide inscription while retaining the Beistegui
monogram on the grips.
Bulwark [Eibar type]: Maker: Beistegui Hermanos, Eibar, for Fabrique
d'Armes de Grande Precision. Type: automatic pistol (blowback).
Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·53in/115mm. Weight,
unladen: 10·2oz/290gm. Barrel: 2·00in/51mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round
detachable box.
Colonial: Two pistols bear this name: a 6·35mm blowback of the usual Eibar type and
a 7·65mm blowback resembling the 1910-pattern Browning externally, but a Grande Precision:
standard 'Eibar' beneath the skin. The markings on the 6·35mm version read CAL 7·65mm Colonial.
6,35 1913 AUTOMATIC PISTOL MODEL COLONIAL, while those on the 7·65
read FABRIQUE D'ARMES DE GRANDE PRECISION COLONIAL PATENT
DEPOSE 39391Z. Both have COLONIAL on the grips. The 6·35mm gun gives no
indication of the manufacturer; the 1913 date is suspect, as the name was not
registered as a trademark until 1920 and '1913' may be no more than a fictitious claim to long-established design. The 7·65mm model frequently
displays makers' monograms; the most common is 'EC' on the slide and a medallion in the grips; 'LC' (or CL) has also been seen.
Colonial [Eibar type]: Maker: Extezagarra y Cia (?). Eibar, for Fabrique d'Armes de Grande Precision. Type: automatic pistol
(blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·53in/115mm. Weight, unladen: 13·8oz/390gm. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled.
Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Helvece: This was a 6·35mm Colonial, with the full company name and HELVECE PATENT on the slide. The grips have PATENT at the top and
an 'LVC' monogram in the centre.
Jupiter: Slides of these 7·65mm Eibar-pattern pistols, based on the 1903 Browning, bear similar markings to those of the Helvece (above) except
for the name and PATENT DEPOSE 43915—although no trace of such a patent can be found. Most examples also have an 'EC' monogram,
probably for 'Extezagarra y Cia', on the slide.
Jupiter [Eibar type]: Maker: Extezagarra y Cia (?), Eibar, for Fabrique d'Armes de Grande Precision. Type: automatic pistol (blowback).
Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·00in/152mm. Weight, unladen: 21·7oz/615gm. Barrel: 3·35in/85mm, rifled. Magazine:
nine-round detachable box.
Libia: This 6·35mm or 7·65mm Eibar-type gun (virtually identical with the Bulwark) was made and sold by Beistegui Hermanos, but can also be
found with the Grande Precision title and PATENT DEPOSE NO 69024. No trace of this patent has yet been found.
Looking Glass: A 7·65mm pistol usually associated with Domingo Acha of Ermua, this will also be found with the Grande Precision title on the
slide. These examples lack Acha's marks. A better-quality version has been seen with the dragon trademark of Aguirre y Cia moulded into the
butt.
Aguirre is not known to have marketed a 7·65mm pistol under its own name, suggesting that this Looking Glass was made specifically for sale
by Grande Precision. But it does not explain how the Grande Precision organisation came to be using Acha's trade name.
Minerve: Practically the same as the 6·35mm Colonial and the 7·65mm Jupiter, these are both standard Eibar-type blowbacks. Slides carry the usual
Grande Precision title, while the grips on the 6·35mm have a florid 'LS' monogram in the top section; both patterns carry a small medallion with
a different 'LS' monogram let into the grips. Neither can be identified with a known maker.
Princeps: A 7·65mm Eibar-pattern blowback made and sold by Tomas de Urizar (q.v.), this can also be found with Grande Precision markings,
princeps patent, and no indication of the maker.
Trust: This name covers 6·35mm and 7·65mm pistols, both of the normal Eibar type. The 6·35mm version is merely marked AUTOMATIC
PISTOL CAL 6,35 TRUST; the 7·65mm model has an ornate trademark design containing the word TRUST on the slide, together with the usual
Grande Precision title. There are no indications of the makers.
Trust [Eibar type]: Maker: unknown, for Fabrique d'Armes de Grande Precision, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering:
7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·14in/156mm. Weight, unladen: 29·3oz/830gm. Barrel: 3·46in/88mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round
detachable box.
Trust Supra: Faithfully copied from the Browning of 1906, though of obviously poorer quality, this 6·35mm pistol retains the grip safety and rear-
mounted safety catch. Its slide carries the full Grande Precision name and TRUST-SUPRA CAL 6,35, while the grips carry the dragon mark of
Tomas de Urizar.

GRANT HAMMOND (USA)

This bulky recoil-operated ·45 pistol was
submitted to trials with the US Army in 1917.
Its bolt, containing the vertical locking
plunger, reciprocated inside the barrel
extension. As action recoils, so the vertical
plunger is driven up by a cam until it frees the bolt to run back
alone while the barrel stops. The only unusual feature was automatic ejection of the
magazine after the last shot was fired, allowing the fresh magazine to be inserted with the
minimum of delay. Even for its time, the Grant Hammond was archaic, and the execution of
the basic design created a fragile and unreliable weapon. Rejected by the army, it vanished into
history after only a handful had been made.
Grant Hammond:
Grant Hammond: Data from a 1915-patent gun tested by the US Navy, 1917. Maker: One of the ·45
Grant Hammond Mfg Corp., New Haven, Connecticut. Type: automatic pistol (recoil automatics made
operated). Chambering: ·45 ACP. Length overall: 11·25in/286mm. Weight, unladen: for US Army
42·0oz/1,190gm. Barrel: 6·75in/171mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable trials, 1917.
box.

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GREAT WESTERN (USA)
1: The Great Western Gun Works of Pittsburgh made (or perhaps simply sold) the usual solid frame ·22 and ·32 rimfire non-ejecting sheath
trigger revolvers in 1870-85. They were marketed under the Great Western name and Continental brands.
2: The Great Western Arms Company of Los Angeles and elsewhere in California, operating in 1954-62, sold Colt SAA replicas in ·22, ·38 and
·45 calibres under the names Frontier, Deputy and Buntline. They were probably made in Italy.

GREEN (BRITAIN)
Edwinson C. Green of Cheltenham Spa was a 'country
gunmaker' of considerable repute, patenting numerous
improvements relating to shotgun mechanisms. In his British
Patent 29321 of 1889, Green laid claim to various details of
revolver construction; these included a stirrup-type barrel latch for
hinged-frame revolvers, with a cut-out on the rear face which prevented the barrel being
unlatched if the hammer was down. As a result of this he became involved in a protracted
lawsuit with Webley, who claimed prior rights to the stirrup lock on the basis of the 1885
Carter patent. As Edwinson Green was able to show that he had been making revolvers with this
lock since 1883, his claim was eventually upheld and an agreement was reached with Webley. Many
Webley enthusiasts have since attempted to dismiss these facts as hearsay; however, thanks to Green's
late grandson, who was still running the family business in Cheltenham in the mid-1970s, we had an
Green: A typical
opportunity to inspect the original documents relating to the lawsuit.
Webley-made
Revolvers made in a workshop in Cheltenham are still frequently encountered. They were military style revolver.
·450 or ·455 hinged-frame self-extractors embodying several versions of the Green-patent stirrup lock.
They offered high quality and appear to have been popular with British Army officers. Manufacture ceased in the late 1920s.
Green [typical example]: Maker: Edwinson C. Green, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Type: hinged-frame revolver.
Calibre: ·455. Length overall: 10·63in/270mm. Weight, unladen: 35·4oz/1,005gm. Barrel: 5·50in/140mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber
cylinder.

GRUSONWERKE (GERMANY)
Grusonwerke AG of Magdeburg—swallowed up by Krupp in 1893—was famous for its armour plate, but appears to have had a brief flirtation with
a gas-seal revolver in the early 1890s. DWM produced a 7·4mm cartridge (no.501) but it seems doubtful if anything other than prototype revolvers
were ever made; none is known to exist. The Grusonwerke design resembled other gas-seal patterns (e.g., Nagant) but pulled the barrel back into
engagement with the cylinder rather than the more usual method of pushing the cylinder forward to meet the barrel.

GSM (GERMANY)
This marking is found an a Hungarian copy of the Walther PP which was sold in West Germany in the 1960s. The slide is marked GSM MAUSER
OBERNDORF GERMANY SPLT CAL 9MM BROWNING SHORT.

GUARDIAN (USA)
This revolver was made by the Bacon Arms Company in ·22 and ·32 rimfire chamberings. It was simply another of the solid-frame stud-trigger
models produced by Bacon in 1870-90. The rear of the frame was unusually high, concealing most of the hammer, and the butt was of bird's head
form. The ·22 had the usual seven-chamber cylinder, the ·32 being a five-shot, and both had 2·75in octagonal barrels.
Guardian: Maker: Bacon Arms Co.. Norwich. Connecticut Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·32. Length overall: 6·70in/170mm.
Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 2·75in/70mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

GUISASOLA (SPAIN)
1: Fabrica de Armas Benito Guisasola of Eibar has been identified with only one handgun, a ·38 copy of the S&W Military & Police revolver
produced in the late 1920s. The usual S&W cylinder-release catch, on the rear of the frame, is replaced by a catch on the cylinder crane arm—
similar to that used by Ojanguren y Vidosa. However, the Guisasola pistol has a very prominent hammer axis pin passing through the frame,
lacking on Ojanguren designs. It also carries a unique inscription on the barrel: USE US STANDARD AMMUNITION.
2: Guisasola Hermanos of Eibar, trading separately from Benito Gusiasola (though there may be a family connection), also produced a ·38 S&W
copy. This retains the S&W-type cylinder latch. The brothers also marketed a pair of Eibar-type automatics, in 6·35mm and 7·65mm, which
were made by Gabilondo; this, of course, throws doubt upon the parentage of the revolver.

GUSTLOFF (GERMANY)
Gustloff-Werke of Suhl was extensively involved in the production of military small
arms during the Second World War in Suhl (code 'dfb'), Weimar ('bcd') and Meiningen
('nyw'). Work was undertaken in 1938-9 on a 7·65mm automatic pistol in the hope of
attracting a military contract. The gun was a blowback with the recoil spring around the
barrel and an internal hammer. A unique hammer-spring tensioning lever was fitted at the
top of the left butt grip, working in conjunction with the double-action lock in a manner
reminiscent of the Sauer 38H. If the hammer was cocked, tension could be removed from
its spring by using the lever; if the hammer was down, the pistol could be fired by pulling
the trigger in normal double-action fashion. The slide was marked GUSTLOFF Gustloff-Werke:
WAFFENFABRIK SUHL and the grips carried a 'G' medallion. 7·65mm double-
A specimen pistol was presented to Hitler in January 1940, with the suggestion that it action.
might be a suitable police pistol. Guns were to be made in the Weimar factory using, it
has been alleged, inmates of the nearby Buchenwald concentration camp as the labour

110
force; Gauleiter Sauckel of Weimar made several applications for a pre-production order, but no order ever appeared and the project was
abandoned. Apart from surviving correspondence in the German national archives, no records or drawings of the project remain. A few Gustloff
pistols, with steel or die-cast zinc frames, survive in the hands of collectors.
Gustloff: Maker: Gustloff-Werke, Suhl. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·61in/168mm.
Weight, unladen: 25·9oz/735gm. Barrel: 3·74in/95mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

GYROJET (USA)
This gun was made by MBAssociates of San Ramon,
California, formed by Robert Mainhardt and Art Biehl
early in 1960 to exploit any good promotional ideas that
were forthcoming. The two men ultimately became
interested in weapons, deciding that 'since the existing
technology was over fifty years old and nothing really new had
happened in that time' (Mainhardt's words), there was room for improvement.
Eventually they developed small spin-stabilised rockets and went on to develop a hand-held
launcher. This was effectively a pistol firing 13mm rockets instead of conventional
ammunition.
Whether MBA knew it or not, there was little novelty in the basic premise: the Germans (as usual)
had made a 20mm spin-stabilised rocket launcher in 1944. Nevertheless, the Gyrojet rockets were
a considerable technical feat; 13mm calibre and about l·5in long, they had a solid head and a MBAssociates:
tubular body containing a solid propellant. The base was closed by a venturi plate with four jets, Gyrojet.
angled to give spin as well as forward thrust, and there was a central percussion primer.
The launcher resembled an automatic pistol in general outline and carried six rockets in the butt. The hammer in the
frame above the trigger drove the nose of the rocket back to impale the percussion cap on a fixed firing pin in the
standing breech. This ignited the rocket which, as it accelerated down the bore, over-rode and re-cocked the hammer.
By 1965, the company had developed the Gyrojet pistol and a number of shoulder-fired 'carbines' in a variety of
experimental calibres and had put the pistol on the market. It sold on its novelty value—even at the high price of $250—but the sought-after military
contract did not appear. The accuracy was far below that of a conventional pistol, one report spoke of eleven-inch groups at 10 yards, and the cost of
the ammunition was high. In addition, the decline in velocity after launch did nothing for penetration or accuracy. Restrictions on weapons over ·50
inch calibre made by the 1968 Gun Control Act resulted in a few guns being made in 12mm, but the project failed and manufacture ceased in about
1970.
Gyrojet Pistol: Maker: MBAssociates. San Ramon, California. Type: pistol-type rocket launcher. Calibre: 12mm. Length overall:
9·75in/248mm. Weight, unladen: 15·9oz/450gm. Barrel: 8·25in/209mm. smoothbore Magazine: six-round detachable box.

H
HAENEL (GERMANY)
The old-established C.G. Haenel Waffen- und Fahrradfabrik of Suhl dated back to 1840, for much of
its early life being a gunsmithing and metalworking business. The first contact with handguns appears
to have been as a contractor, making the Commission-designed Reichsrevolver (q.v.) in the early
1880s. Gunmakers V. Chr. Schilling and Spangenberger & Sauer formed a co-operative venture with
Haenel to produce the guns, which were stamped S. & S. V.C.S. C.G.H. SUHL or, later, V.C.S. C.G.H.
SUHL accordingly.
In 1921 Hugo Schmeisser, who had been working for Theodor Bergmann, came to Haenel as chief
engineer. He brought a 6·35mm blowback automatic pocket pistol design which he had patented in 1920.
The gun had several unusual features. The barrel was held in place by the recoil spring guide-rod passing Haenel: 6·35mm
through a lump beneath the breech into a recess in the frame, and the safety catch was linked to the Model 1
magazine catch; the magazine could not be removed unless the pistol was set safe, nor could the catch be
set to fire until the magazine was replaced.
Production of the well-made pistol began in 1922, continuing until 1930. The slide was marked C.G. HAENEL SUHL—SCHMEISSER'S PATENT
and the grips carry an 'HS' monogram variously transcribed as 'Haenel-Schmeisser' or (more plausibly) 'Haenel-Suhl'. A revised pattern appeared in
about 1927, whereupon the original version became Model 1 and the new one was Model 2. The Model 2 was mechanically identical with its
predecessor, but was shortened, lightened and had much more squared lines—as if inspired by the contemporaneous Mauser WTP. It carried the
same slide inscription, but had SCHMEISSER across the top of the grip. Production of the Model 2 seems to have been restricted, as surviving
examples are less common than the Model 1.
Haenel moved away from handguns in the 1930s in favour of submachine-gun design and military weapon production. After the war the plant was
in the Soviet zone of occupation, later East Germany, and was absorbed into the state-controlled VEB Fahrzeug- und Jagdwaffenfabrik 'Ernst
Thalmann', making sporting guns. Hugo Schmeisser vanished into Russian hands in 1945 and has never been heard of since.
Schmeisser Model 1: Maker: C.G. Haenel, Suhl. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·72in/120mm. Weight, unladen: 13·4oz/380gm. Barrel: 2·48in/63mm, Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Schmeisser Model 2: Maker: C.G. Haenel, Suhl. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
3·94in/100mm. Weight, unladen: 11·8oz/335gm. Barrel: 2·05in/52mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

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HAFDASA (ARGENTINA)
Hispano-Argentina Fabricas de Automoviles SA of Buenos Aires entered
the pistol business in the 1930s with a near-copy of the Colt M1911A1
made for the Argentine government. The company then made a ·22 rimfire
automatic of unusual appearance, before abandoning the field as abruptly
as it had entered.
Ballester-Molina: The original Hafdasa product was a ·45 automatic
closely modelled on the Colt M1911A1, apart from the omission of the grip safety.
The Ballester-Molina has a slightly longer slide and smaller butt than its prototype, fitting a small
hand rather better than the Colt. Externally, the simplest identifier is the irregular spacing of the
finger grips on the slide.
HAFDASA: ·45
The left side of the slide is marked PISTOLA AUTOMATICA CAL ·45 FABRICADO POR
Ballester-Molina.
'HAFDASA' PATENTES INTERNACIONALES 'BALLESTER-MOLINA' INDUSTRIA
ARGENTINA. As well as being the official Argentine army and police weapon, Ballester-Molina pistols were bought
by the British Purchasing Agency in 1939-40. These were supplied to SOE or other clandestine organisations and, as a
result, are more common in Europe than may be expected.
Criolla: A ·22 rimfire version, presumably originally designed as a trainer, was also manufactured in small numbers. It is
externally identical to the ·45 model but is a simple blowback internally. Most of the guns were sold commercially.
Hafdasa: Owing to the slide marking, the Ballester-Molina is often called 'Hafdasa'. However, the true Hafdasa was a ·22 blowback automatic of
unusual appearance. The frame carries a tubular receiver containing the barrel, a long ejection port being cut in both sides. The bolt is secured in
the rear section of the receiver—which also carries the striker and recoil spring—by a screw-on end cap. The butt is wide and well-raked; the
whole pistol is well made and effectual, excepting for an awkward turn-button safety catch on the left grip. The Hafdasa is cocked by retracting
the serrated portion of the bolt visible through the ejection ports. The only marking is an 'HA' monogram moulded into the grips.
Hafdasa Model B: Maker: Hafdasa, Buenos Aires. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall:
8·50in/216mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 4·72in/120mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round detachable box.
Zonda: This was a sales name for the ·22 Hafdasa, identical but for ZONDA on the receiver.

HAMADA (JAPAN)
The Japan Gun Co. Ltd of Tokyo, founded as the Hamada Gun Shop in 1895, was created in 1941; production of sporting guns ceased owing to
shortages of material, forcing a change to military-orientated war contracts. Bunji Hamada, owner of the business, decided to develop a 7·65mm
automatic pistol for military use. His design was little more man a copy of the 1910-pattern Browning, a fixed-barrel blowback with the recoil
spring around the barrel, but it passed its official tests and was accepted as a substitute standard handgun. Production began late in 1941, five
thousand being made before production ended in 1944. According to Bunji Hamada, the guns were all sent to Japanese military units on the Chinese
mainland. Some may then have been distributed in the Japanese puppet state of Manchuoko (Manchuria), but only a dozen survivors are known and
evidence is hard to find.
In 1942, becoming increasingly desperate for serviceable handguns, the Japanese army requested a version of the Hamada pistol chambering the
standard 8mm Nambu cartridge; the 7·65mm weapon was enlarged and submitted for approval. The army, however, were not keen on civilian-
designed pistols and directed the First Army Technical Research Institute to refine; this was undertaken by Ordnance Major Yato, leader of the 8mm
substitute pistol project, without affecting basic operation. The Hamada Type 2 was duly approved in June 1943. Production began in the Spring of
1944 in the former Notobe textile manufactory; as work on the 7·65mm version ended, so the Tokyo factory was closed down. About 500 Type 2
pistols were delivered to the army in 1944; although parts for several thousand were made in 1945, the factory was continually under threat from
air-raids and few pistols were actually delivered. Remaining stocks were seized by US Occupation authorities in 1945 and destroyed. Only about ten
Type 2 Hamada survivors are known.
Type 2 Hamada: Maker: Japan Gun Co. Ltd. Notobe. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Calibre: 8mm. Length overall: 6·97in/177mm.
Weight, unladen: 26·5oz/750gm. Barrel: 3·74in/95mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

HAMAL (BELGIUM)
A locked-breech automatic pistol of unknown (but large) calibre, this was patented in 1902 by Belgian Victor Hamal. Enquiries made to the patent
agent revealed that the fees had been paid by Webley & Scott, suggesting that a prototype had been made in the Birmingham factory. The action
relied on a cam-locked bolt moving in a barrel extension, and had a removable Mauser C/96-type magazine ahead of the trigger guard. Photographs
of the pistol have been seen, but there is no record of any survivors.

HAMMERLI (SWITZERLAND)
Renowned for its target pistols,
Hammerli AG of Lenzburg began
making gun barrels in 1863. Production
of target guns—on the basis of Martini
and Schmidt-Rubin actions—began in
1933. A licence to make the Walther Olympia-Pistole was
negotiated in 1951, Hammerli subsequently using the design as a basis
for several derivatives. The company is currently partly owned by SIG (q.v.)
and is sometimes known as 'SIG-Hammerli', though only the P240 pistol carries this
name.
Hammerli often built pistols to special order, particularly prior to 1945, which means that there Hammerli: ·22
are custom-built guns which defy classification. Production since the end of the Second World Model 106.
War has been more or less standardised.
SINGLE-SHOT PISTOLS
Model 106: A single-shot free pistol with an 11·5in barrel and a five-lever set trigger capable of adjustment to any
desired release pressure between 5 and 100 grammes. Production was confined to 1965-71.

112
 Model 106: Maker: Hammerli AG. Lenzburg. Type: single-shot pistol (Martini breech). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall:
16·73in/425mm. Weight, unladen: 45·9oz/1,300gm. Barrel: 11·30in/287mm, rifled. Magazine: none.
Model 107: Made from 1965 to 1971, this was simply a Model 106 with an octagonal barrel.
Model 120: A less exotic free pistol than
its predecessors, this was a single-
shot ·22 with a side-lever breech
action, a ten-inch barrel, a
micrometer sight, and a receiver
prepared for a telescope sight. It
looks more conventional than the
Models 106 or 150, owing to a
relatively plain butt and trigger-
guard.
Model 120 Sportpistole: Hammerli: ·22
Maker: Hammerli AG. Model 120.
Lenzburg. Type: single-shot
pistol (bolt action).
Chambering: ·22 Short
rimfire. Length overall: 15·75in/400mm. Weight, unladen: 43·4oz/1,230gm. Barrel: 10·04in/255mm, rifled. Magazine: none.
Model 150: This single-shot ·22 LR
Free Pistol has a modified Martini
action, a 1l·25in barrel, a set
trigger, adjustable sights and an
anatomical grip.
Model 152: Electronic Simply a Model
150 with an electronic trigger
instead of a mechanical type, this
embodies an electro-magnet
powered by a battery to give an Hammerli: ·22
exceptionally light and precise Model 150.
trigger pull and a very short lock
time. The trigger-pull can be
adjusted between 2gm and 100gm,
and is so sensitive that a sharp draught can fire it; power should be switched off while re-loading in case a jolt inadvertently releases the trigger.
AUTOMATIC PISTOLS
Hammerli-Walther Olympia Model 200: This is the licensed Swiss-made version of the pre-war Walther Olympia Pistole (q.v.), made in various
forms until the mid-1960s. Offered with a 7·5in barrel, thumb-rest grips and adjustable sights, the Model 200 chambered either ·22 LR or ·22
Short rimfire cartridges.
Model 203: A version of the Model 200 with adjustable
grips.
Model 204: Distinguished by a 7·5in barrel in ·22 LR only,
this had a micrometer back sight, a muzzle brake and
three interchangeable barrel weights.
Model 205: This was simply a derivative of the Model 204
with adjustable custom grips.
Model 206: The first of the Hammerli International pistols, Hammerli: ·22
this was the first departure from the traditional Walther Model 203.
appearance. Though the guns differed little internally
from their predecessors, the external appearance changed
to a slab-sided appearance with arms running from the
half-slide below and alongside the barrel. The impression is more like a military automatic, though spoiled by balance weights and a three-slot
muzzle brake. The Model 206 was available in 1962-8 in ·22 LR or ·22 Short.
Model 206 International: Maker: Hammerli AG. Lenzburg. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length
overall: 12·52in/318mm. Weight, unladen: 38·8oz/1,100gm. Barrel: 7·09in/180mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Model 207: This was a Model 206 with adjustable palm-rest grips suitable for Free Pistol contests.
Model 208: Introduced in 1966, this ·22 LR pistol with a fixed 150mm
barrel, a reciprocating half-slide and an eight-round magazine, was
basically the Model 206 altered to conform with national (instead of
international) competition rules. Removable fully adjustable match
sights are standard; the trigger pull is adjustable; and the grip is of palm
rest type. Two different trigger units, with different weights, were
available, and the magazine catch was moved to the heel of the butt on
guns made after 1969.
Model 209: A variant of the 208 intended for rapid-fire contests, this was Hammerli:
fitted with a large single-slot muzzle brake/balance weight and has six International
ports drilled into the front end of the barrel to counter the natural rise of Model 208.
the pistol and allow the firer to get back on target as quickly as
possible. Plugs can be inserted into three of these barrel vents to
compensate for varying loadings; after 1969, three longitudinal vents
were added in the left side of the barrel behind the front sight, to
counter a tendency among right-handed marksmen to pull leftward.
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Model 210: This was a minor variant of the Model 209, dating from 1966-70, with adjustable palm-rest grips.
Model 211: A model 208 with thumb-rest grips.
Model 212: This simplification of the Model 208 is intended for sporting use. The sights are simpler and a safety catch may be fitted to comply with
German hunting regulations.
Model 212: Maker: Hammerli AG. Lenzburg. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall:
8·46in/215mm. Weight, unladen: 31·0oz/880gm. Barrel: 4·96in/126mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Model 215: Another simplified '208', but still intended as a target pistol, this is distinguished by a reduction in the quality of finish. Functionally the
same as the Model 208, it is slightly less expensive to produce.
Model 230: A complete departure from the Walther-inspired designs, this
1970-vintage ·22 Short blowback automatic has a 160mm barrel and
six-round magazine. The bolt moves in a solid receiver, micrometer
sights are fitted, and the grip is adjustable. This pistol was specifically
designed for the International 25-metre rapid-fire Silhouette
competition.
Model 230: Maker: Hammerli AG. Lenzburg. Type: automatic
pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 Short. Length overall:
11·61in/295mm. Weight, unladen: 43·7oz/1,240gm. Barrel: Hammerli: ·22
6·30in/160mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box. Model 232.
Model 232: Introduced in 1975, this is a short-barrelled Model 230. The
barrel has six gas ports drilled into it, just above the trigger, and there is
a variety of trigger and grip options.
Model 280: Dating from 1987, this marked another major change in design. The magazine lies ahead of the trigger and a carbon-fibre frame has
been adopted—partly to save weight, but also to permit precise balance adjustment by means of a series of weights. The Hammerli 280 is
available in ·22 LR or ·32 Long chambering and has an alloy slide.
SIG-Hammerli P-240: The rise in full-calibre target shooting led
Hammerli to combine with SIG to produce this pistol, which is
essentially a competition-shooting version of the SIG P 210 military
pistol. It uses the same dropping-barrel system, relying on a massive
one-piece lug over the breech to lock into the ejection opening—a
practice subsequently adopted for SIG military pistols. The P-240 is
made to a very high standard of fit and finish; for example, the barrel
swells out at the muzzle to form a lapped fit into the forward end of the
slide, the fit being so precise that these items are not interchangeable. Hammerli: ·22
The P-240 was originally made in ·38 Special for the Wadcutter cartridge, Model 280.
and a ·22 LR fixed-barrel blowback version was produced for practice
or for small-calibre competition. Conversion units were also made,
allowing the owner of one type of gun to convert to the other at will.
Currently, however, the P-240 is only available in ·32 calibre.
SIG-Hammerli P-240: Maker: Hammerli AG, Lenzburg. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: ·38 Special. Length
overall: 10·51in/267mm. Weight, unladen: 49·0oz/1,390gm. Barrel: 5·91in/150mm, rifled. Magazine: five-round detachable box.
REVOLVERS
Dakota: A single-action Colt SAA or Frontier-style revolver, this was made in ·22 Short, Long or Long Rifle rimfire and ·22 WMR., Barrels
measured 118, 140 or 190mm, cylinders had six chambers and the butt straps were brass. Production was confined to c.1965-77.
Dakota: Maker: Hammerli AG. Lenzburg. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·357 Magnum. Length overall: 11·10in/282mm.
Weight, unladen: 40·0oz/1,135gm. Barrel: 5·51in/140mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Super Dakota: This was a strengthened variant of the Dakota, only offered in ·22 WMR; barrels measured 140mm or 190mm, the front sight was
ramped and the back sight was adjustable.
Virginian: Similar to the Dakota models, this chambered ·357 Magnum or ·45 Colt and had the same barrel and sight options. The trigger guard and
back strap were chromed, barrel and cylinder were blued, and the frame was case-hardened. This model incorporated Hammerli's 'Swissafe'
system in which the cylinder arbor pin could be pushed back and locked to prevent the hammer falling far enough to fire
the cartridge.

HAMILTON (SWEDEN)
This extraordinary 6·5mm automatic pistol was patented in Sweden by Count Gustav Hamilton
in December 1900 and made by Thorssin & Son of Alingsas. The gun pictured in the
patent papers had a clip-loaded magazine ahead of the trigger guard in Bergmann
fashion, though Mathews' "Firearms Identification" pictures a box-
magazine version. The most remarkable feature was the curved bolt
which moved downward into the butt, in a shallow arc, as it
was blown back. According to H.B.C. Pollard in
"Automatic Pistols" the Hamilton pistol fired an
implausibly heavy 10·4gm bullet at 228
m/sec; however, the Swedish test reports,
while agreeing with the velocity, give a bullet Hamilton: 6·5mm-
weight of only 4·1gm. This suggests that the calibre prototype.
'Hamilton-Patron' was simply a 6·5mm
Bergmann cartridge.
Hamilton: Data from a Swedish trial
gun, 1903. Maker: J. Thorssin & Sons,
Alingsas. Type: automatic pistol
114
 (blowback). Calibre: 6·5mm. Length overall: 10·51in/267mm. Weight, unladen: 43·2oz/1,225gm. Barrel: 4·13in/105mm, rifled.
Magazine: six-round detachable box.

HARD PAN (USA)

These revolvers were made by the Hood Arms Company of Norwich, Connecticut, in 1875-85. They were of the usual seven-chamber solid-frame
pattern, with sheath triggers and false rifling grooves at the muzzle of the otherwise smooth-bored barrel. Identical examples may be marked Hard
Pan or Hard Pan No. 1.

HARRINGTON & RICHARDSON (USA)

This company was formed in 1874 by Gilbert H. Harrington and William A. Richardson, to make revolvers in Worcester, Massachusetts. It was
incorporated in 1888, but both founders died in 1897 and the company was reorganised in 1905. Operations contracted in the 1970s, a move from
Worcester to Gardner occurring in 1973, but business finally failed in 1987.
Harrington & Richardson had made three million revolvers by 1907 and, for many years thereafter, maintained a reputation for reliability combined
with low price. However, the products were not sufficiently attractive to compete with foreign imports or in the cut-throat firearms market of the
post-1960 era.
Aetna No. 2 and No. 2½: The earliest H&R products included these cheap single-action sheath trigger solid-frame revolvers. Both were five-shot
·32 rimfires: No. 2 with a two-inch octagonal barrel and a bird's head butt, and No. 2½ with a 2·44in barrel and a squared butt. The guns offered
better quality than most of their competitors, selling briskly enough to give Harrington & Richardson a good start in life.
Model 1876: This was an improved Aetna, made in ·22, ·32 and ·38 rimfire chamberings.
The American Double Action: Patented in 1887, this embodied a double-action lock with a 'safety hammer'. The sophisticated solid-frame
American Double Action was loaded through a hinged gate on the right rear of the frame, behind the cylinder. Extraction was achieved by
removing the cylinder arbor pin in the usual way. A six-shot ·32 centre-fire pattern, it can be found with 2·5in, 4·5in or 6in octagonal barrels
marked H & R ARMS COMPANY WORCESTER MASS and hard rubber grips carrying an ornate geometrical design.
The American DA: Maker: Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·32. Length
overall: 8·27in/210mm. Weight, unladen: 10·2oz/290gm. Barrel: 4·49in/114mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Safety Hammer Double Action: This augmented the American Double Action, being
built on the same basic configuration with the addition of the patented safety
hammer; this had no spur, but the concave rear face was knurled so that, after lifting
the hammer by pressure on the trigger, it could be caught by the thumb and pulled
back to the full-cock position. The safety claim arose simply from the lack of a spur
to catch in the pocket. The Safety Hammer Double Action chambered ·32 centre-fire
cartridges, but proved so popular that other calibres were added.
Safety Hammer DA: Maker: Harrington & Richardson, Worcester,
Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·32. Length overall:
6·34in/161mm. Weight, unladen: 9·5oz/270gm. Barrel: 2·50in/64mm, rifled.
Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Vest Pocket: This was a seven-shot ·22 rimfire derivative of the Safety Hammer Double Harrington &
Action with a 1·13in barrel. Richardson: ·22
Young America: This was similar to the original safety hammer model, in ·22 rimfire or Young America.
·32 centre-fire.
Young America Bulldog: A minor variant of the Young America, and thus of the Safety Hammer Double Action, this had a normal spur hammer.
Automatic Ejecting: Introduced about 1897, these hinged-frame revolvers
were developed from patents granted to H&R, Andrew Fyrberg and
others. They had ribbed barrels; a spring latch holding the frame and
barrel unit together; and a cylinder-retaining catch in the top strap.
They also introduced the familiar H&R trademark of a pierced target
card, moulded into the grips. Automatic Ejecting revolvers appeared in
various forms: in ·32 or ·38 with 3·75in, 4in or 5in barrels, or under
other model names—e.g. 'Premier', with a 5in barrel in ·38, and 'Police'
in ·22 rimfire or ·32 centre-fire with the safety hammer.
An interesting and uncommon variant was the Knife Model, a ·32 or Harrington &
·38 revolver with a 2·5in knife blade attached beneath the muzzle to Richardson: ·32
fold back under the four-inch barrel. Though neither is common, the Automatic
·38 version appears to have been made in greater numbers than the ·32. Ejecting.
Hammerless: The last of the nineteenth-century patterns shared the
hinged-frame design of the Automatic Ejecting model, but the rear of
the frame was built up to conceal the hammer in the usual manner. This
revolver appeared in many guises, e.g., in ·22, ·32 or ·38 with barrels of
2in, 3in, 3·25in, 4in, 5in or 6in.
Models 1904, 1905 and 1906: In spite of the popularity of the hinged-frame models, H&R continued to make solid-frame revolvers. These sold
well owing to their cheapness and simplicity. The Model 1904, offered in ·32 or ·38, had a four-inch octagonal barrel and a good-sized butt. It
was followed by the Model 1905 in ·32 and the Model 1906 in ·22 rimfire, the three being virtually indistinguishable.
Trapper: Introduced in 1907, this was based on the 1906-pattern solid frame but had a six-inch octagonal barrel.
Special: Another of the derivatives of the 1906-model solid-frame revolver, this was a nine-shot ·22 rimfire with a six-inch ribbed barrel and target
grips.
Victor: Announced shortly after the end of the First World War, this was a solid-frame gun in ·22 LR or ·32 (the latter having a larger frame).
USRA Model: Introduced in 1923, this was a simple top-break single-shot target pistol with an adjustable back sight. A ten-inch barrel was
standard, though 7in and 8in patterns—plus a variety of grip styles—could be obtained to order. The popular USRA pistol achieved considerable
success in competitive shooting, remaining in production until 1941.

115
 USRA Model: Maker: Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, Massachusetts. Type: single-shot pistol. Calibre: ·22. Length overall:
unknown. Weight, unladen: 31·0oz/880gm. Barrel: 10·00in/254mm, rifled. Magazine: none.
Sportsman: This hinged-frame revolver appeared at the end
of the 1920s, in either single-action or double-action
form. It duplicated the grip, size and balance of the
USRA target pistol to produce a revolver capable of
holding its own in competitions. Five interchangeable
grip styles were offered, and the trigger guard had a spur
behind it which filled the gap between guard and grip to
give a solid rest for the shooter's second finger. The rear
face of the nine-shot cylinder was recessed around the Harrington &
chambers, leaving a solid ring of steel around the outside Richardson:
of the cartridge rims to prevent metal splash should there Model 649
be a case-head failure. This was a praiseworthy safety 'Convertible'.
feature, and has since been 'introduced' several times by
other manufacturers. The Sportsman had a six-inch
barrel, though a three-inch option turned it into a pocket
pistol.
New Defender: This was simply a version of the Sportsman (above) with a two-inch barrel.
POST-1945 DESIGNS
The range of H&R handguns was completely reorganised after the end of the Second World War. Most became known by model numbers, which,
for simplicity, are here listed in numerical order:
Model 603: This was a six-shot double-action ·22 WMR revolver with a solid frame, a swing-out cylinder and single stroke ejection. The six-inch
barrel had flat sides, and the grips were smooth walnut.
Model 603: Maker: Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·22 WMRF. Length
overall: 10·75in/273mm. Weight, unladen: 35·0oz/990gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Model 604: A minor variant of the Model 603, this had a target-style bull barrel with a raised rib.
Model 622: A six-shot ·22 LR solid-frame double-action revolver, this
offered 2·5in or 4in barrels, a round butt, black Cycolac grips and blue
finish.
Model 622: Maker: Harrington & Richardson, Worcester,
Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·22 LR
rimfire. Length overall: 9·00in/229mm. Weight, unladen:
256oz/725gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: six-
chamber cylinder.
Model 623: This was simply a nickel-plated Model 622. Harrington &
Model 632: A minor adaption of the Model 622, this chambered the ·32 Richardson: ·32
centre-fire cartridge. Model 904.
Model 642: A Model 622 chambering ·22 WMR.
Model 649 Convertible: Essentially similar to the Model 622, this was
sold with a 5·5in or 7·5in barrel and hardwood grips. The cylinder
could be quickly removed to change between ·22 LR and ·22 WMR.
Model 649 Convertible: Maker: Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·22
LR/Magnum rimfire. Length overall: unknown. Weight, unladen: 31·0oz/880gm. Barrel: 5·50in/140mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-chamber
cylinder.
Model 650 Convertible: This was simply a variant of the Model 649 with nickel finish.
Model 660 Gunfighter: A 6-shot ·22 rimfire solid-frame revolver with a spring-
loaded ejector rod and a double-action lock, this was offered in 'Frontier style'
with a 5·5in barrel and walnut grips.
Model 686: This was basically a Model 660 with barrels of 4·5in, 5·5in, 7·5in,
10in or 12in.
Model 732 Guardsman: Made only in blued finish, this six-shot ·32 solid frame
double-action revolver was offered
with 2·5in or 4in barrels, a swing-out cylinder and a hand ejector. Harrington &
Model 733: This was simply a nickel-plated Model 732, made only with a 2·5in Richardson: ·22
barrel. Model 929
Model 826: Introducing the '800-Series Personal Defence Revolvers', this was Sidekick.
simply a modification of the Model 603 with a 3in bull barrel and a smooth
cylinder chambered for ·22 WMR ammunition.
Model 829: Derived from the Model 826, this had a nine-chamber cylinder for ·22 LR rimfire ammunition.
Model 830: This was a Model 829 finished in nickel.
Model 832: A six-shot derivative of the Model 826, this chambered ·32 S&W Long.
Model 833: A Model 832 with nickel finish.
Model 900: This was a nine-shot ·22 RF solid-frame non-ejecting revolver with double-action lockwork and barrels of 2·5in or 4in.
Model 903: This nine-shot ·22 LR double-action revolver had a solid frame, a swing-out cylinder and single stroke ejection. The flat-sided barrel
measured 6in and grips were smooth walnut.
Model 904: A variant of the Model 903, this featured a bull barrel with a raised rib.
Model 905: This was a nickel-plated version of the Model 904.

116
Model 922: Offered with barrels measuring 2·5in, 4in or 6in, this nine-shot ·22 non-ejector had a solid frame. The 2·5in-barrelled version was
known as the Bantamweight and had a round butt; the others had square butts.
Model 922: Maker: Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire.
Length overall: 10·50in/267mm. Weight, unladen: 21·8oz/620gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-chamber cylinder.
Model 923: A Model 922 variant, this was nickelled instead of blued.
Model 925 Defender: Chambered for ·38, this six-shot hinged-frame hand ejector had a two-inch barrel and a one-piece wrap-around grip with a
bird's head butt.
Model 926 Defender: This designation covered two models, a five-shot ·32 or ·38 with a three-inch barrel. Both were hinged-frame double-action
patterns.
Model 929 Sidekick: A nine-shot ·22 with 2·5in,
4in or 6in barrels, this solid-frame double-
action revolver has a swing-out cylinder and a
rod ejector. The 4in- and 6in-barrelled
versions had adjustable back sights.
Model 929 Sidekick: Maker:
Harrington & Richardson, Worcester.
Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame
revolver. Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire.
Length overall: 7·25in/184mm. Weight, Harrington &
Richardson: ·22
unladen: 22·0oz/625gm. Barrel:
Model 999 De
2·50in/64mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-
Luxe Sportsman.
chamber cylinder.
Model 930: Sidekick This was a nickel-finish
Model 929 with barrels measuring 2·5in or
4in.
Model 939 Ultra Sidekick: Another nine-shot
·22, this offered a 6in barrel with a ventilated rib. It had a solid frame with a swing-out cylinder, an adjustable back sight and thumb-rest grips.
The barrel was flat-sided. The Model 939 was fitted with a safety, preventing the pistol being fired unless unlocked by a special key—a
domestic rather than a true mechanical safety feature.
Model 940 Ultra Sidekick: Similar to the Model 949, this had a round instead of
flat-sided barrel.
Model 949 Forty-Niner: Gate-loaded and fitted with a well-proportioned
Western-style butt, this nine-shot solid frame ·22 model had a 5·5in barrel and
a rod ejector. It also had an adjustable back sight and a double-action lock.
Model 950: This was simply a nickel-plated Model 949.
Model 999 De Luxe Sportsman: Adapted from a tried and well-tested pre-war
pattern, this nine-shot ·22 hinged- frame auto-ejecting revolver had a six-inch
barrel with a ventilated rib. The front and back sights were adjustable, and the
grips were chequered walnut.
Harrington &
Model 999 Deluxe Sportsman: Maker: Harrington & Richardson. Richardson: ·32
Worcester. Massachusetts. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Chambering: Automatic Pistol.
·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: 10·75in/273mm. Weight, unladen:
34·0oz/965gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-chamber
cylinder.
H&R Automatic Pistol: This was manufactured from 1910 to 1914 under licence
from Webley & Scott (q.v.), though differing in minor respects from the British-made prototypes. It was hammerless in name only, using an
internal hammer, and the differences in the lockwork of the H&R version was probably due simply to manufacturing convenience. More obvious
is the shaping of the barrel and slide; the Webley had an open-topped slide with a bridge carrying the front sight, the slender barrel allowing the
bridge to pass across it in recoil. The H&R model used an open-topped slide without a bridge, the built-up barrel matching the slide contours to
give the appearance of a solid slide with a protruding muzzle. Demand for this pistol seems to have been small, and few were made.
Harrington & Richardson also produced a ·32 model which, while based on the Webley, had no precise Webley counterpart. It had an internal
hammer lock, a bridged open-top side, an extended slender barrel, and a short grip safety behind the butt. It also used a coil-pattern recoil spring
instead of the Webley V-spring. This ·32 H&R pistol appeared in 1913; production continued until the early 1920s, but it never achieved
popularity.

HARTFORD (USA)
1: Revolvers marked with the name of the 'Hartford Arms Company' were made by the Norwich Falls Pistol Company in 1878-90. The five-shot
·32 rimfire guns were of the usual solid-frame non-ejecting type, with sheath triggers and saw-handle butts.
2: The Hartford Arms & Equipment Company was formed in 1929 to manufacture four differing ·22 target and hunting pistols: a single-shot
pistol, a repeating pistol (the single shot with a magazine added), and two blowback automatics. All four looked very much alike, with fixed
barrels, half-length slides and well-raked grips. The slide of the single-shot pistol was locked by a catch when the pistol fired, but was then
unlocked, manually retracted and returned to load a fresh round. A prominent safety catch lay behind the grip on the left side of the frame and,
on the automatics, a second catch acted as a slide-release and stripping aid.
The single-shot pistol and the first automatic had round barrels, the portion in front of the frame being 5in long. The second automatic had a
heavier slab-sided barrel which appears to be a continuation of the frame. All were marked with the company name on the left side.
Though several thousand of the excellent pistols were made, the company went bankrupt in 1932. The shell of the Hartford Arms &
Equipment Company, together with its tools, stock and pistols, were bought by High Standard (q.v.). The Hartford automatics formed the basis
of the highly successful High Standard range.
Hartford: Maker: Hartford Arms & Equipment Co.. Hartford, Connecticut. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR
rimfire. Length overall: 11·00in/279mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 6·70in/170mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round detachable box.
117
HAWES (USA)
Hawes Firearms of Los Angeles, California, distributed revolvers and automatic pistols under its own brand name. The automatics included the ·25
Courier and the ·380 Diplomat; the former was a Rino Galesi model, the latter being an external-hammer blowback of unknown origin.
The revolvers were almost all 'Frontier' types based on the Colt Single Action Army revolver of 1873, differing in such matters as barrel length and
calibre. These revolvers were made by J.P. Sauer & Sohn (q.v.).
Silver City Marshal: Offered in ·22 LR or ·22 WMR, this had a 5·5in barrel and a six-chamber cylinder.
Western Marshal: Chambering: ·357 Magnum, ·44 Magnum or ·45 Long Colt, this had a six-inch barrel and a six-chamber cylinder.
Chief Marshal: Offered in ·357 Magnum or ·44 Magnum, this six-shot revolver was made with a 6·5in barrel, brass grip straps, and adjustable
sights.
Chief City Marshal: Available only in ·45 Colt, this had a brass-strapped frame and adjustable sights.
Texas Marshal: This was simply a variant of the Western Marshal with nickel finish.
Montana Marshal: Another version of the Western Marshal, this had a brass-strapped frame.
Deputy Marshal: Chambered for ·22 LR or ·22 WMR, this was sold with six-chamber cylinders and a 5·5in barrel.
Federal Marshal: Another of the centre-fire guns in this series, chambering ·357 Magnum, ·44 Magnum or ·45 Long Colt, this had a six-inch barrel
and a six-chamber cylinder.
Denver Marshal: This was a Deputy Marshal with adjustable sights and a brass-strapped frame.
Trophy Model: This modern-style revolver offered a solid frame, double-action lockwork, a swing-out cylinder and hand ejection. Chambered for
·22 LR or ·38 Special, trophy revolvers had six-inch barrels and adjustable back sights.
Medallion: Offered in the same calibres as the Trophy pattern, which it duplicated mechanically, the Medallion had 3in, 4in or 6in barrels and fixed
sights.
Stevens Favorite: Copied from a traditional design made by the Stevens Arms & Tool Company (q.v.), this ·22 single-shot pistol had a tip-up
barrel. It could be found with plastic or rosewood grips, and fixed or adjustable sights.

HDH (BELGIUM)
Manufacture d'Armes HDH of Liege—also known as Henrion, Dassy & Heuschen and then Henrion & Dassy—was among the better producers of
cheap revolvers at the turn of the century. The company originated the name Puppy, afterwards widely copied by others, and shortly before the First
World War produced an original automatic pistol.
Cobold: This commonplace double-action solid-frame revolver had an
octagonal barrel and a bird's head butt, being notable only for an odd
type of mechanical safety catch on the frame which engaged the
chamber mouth to prevent cylinder rotation or cocking of the hammer.
The gun appeared in various calibres from ·38 to ·45, including 10·6mm German
and 9·4mm Dutch service.
Cobold: Maker: Henrion. Dassy & Heuschen, Liege. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre:
9·4mm. Length overall: 7·48in/190mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel:
3·15in/80mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder. HDH: Hinged-
H & D: The company's patented 6·35mm blowback automatic had a rounded slide frame ·22 rimfire.
with a serrated breech-block section containing a striker. Beneath the barrel was a
recoil spring housing. The frame was flat-sided, with a safety catch behind the grip, and was marked H
& D AUTOMATIC PISTOL PATENT. These guns are extremely rare today and it is unlikely that
many were made before the Germans occupied the Liege area in 1914.
H & D: Maker: Henrion & Dassy, Liege. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·33in/110mm.
Weight, unladen: 10·9oz/310gm. Barrel: 2·56in/65mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
HDH: These initials were applied to an enormous range of revolvers, from 5·5mm Velo-Dog types to the
bizarre twenty-shot monsters beloved by Belgian and French makers. The New Model was a real pocket
model: a hammerless open-frame five-shot ·22 with a folding trigger and a folding butt. The six-shot
5·5mm Velo-Dog was rather more ornate than the general class, distinguished by a hinged frame
with central ejection, and a folding trigger. Solid-frame short- barrelled revolvers were made
alongside a 'Type Ordonnance' hinged-frame model with automatic ejection and ribbed barrel.
These two were also chambered for 8mm Lebel, and in ·38 or ·45 calibres. At the lunatic end
of the scale was a tip-up hinged-frame revolver on the Spirlet system, with an oversized
cylinder holding twenty 5·5mm Velo-Dog or 6·35mm Auto cartridges; a variant had sixteen
chambers for the 7·65mm Auto round. All these were sold by HDH and so marked, but were
also sold to the trade and may be found with gunsmiths' names-though 'HDH' will usually be HDH: ·22 Puppy.
found tucked away somewhere.
Left Wheeler: This oddly-named pattern, a ·32 copy of the Colt Police Positive, was probably the last HDH revolver to be made.
Lincoln, Lincoln Bossu: The Lincoln was a ·22 or ·32 rimfire solid-frame vest-pocket revolver with folding trigger, generally with ornate engraving
and imitation pearl or ivory grips. The Lincoln-Bossu was a plainer hammerless folding- trigger Velo-Dog in 5·5mm or 6·35mm calibre.
Lincoln: Maker: Henrion & Dassy, Liege. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·32. Length overall: 6·10in/155mm. Weight, unladen:
24·2oz/685gm. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.
Puppy: Generally of Velo-Dog type, these were all folding-trigger pocket revolvers in small calibres—·22, 5·5mm, 6·35mm and 7·65mm. There
were innumerable variations: hammerless, small hammer, large hammer, solid frame, hinged frame. Most were decorated to some extent.
HECKLER & KOCH (GERMANY)

118
At the end of the Second World War, the Mauser factory in Oberndorf was dismantled by
the French as war reparations. In 1949, however, a company formed by Edmund Heckler
and Theodor Koch took over part of the old Mauser works to make machine tools, and
then, in the 1950s, went into the small arms field by adapting a pre-war Mauser pistol
design. Heckler & Koch was then approached by the German army to revise the Spanish
CETME rifle—ironically, based on a pre-1945 Mauser—and from that rose to become a major
producer of rifles, machine-guns, submachine-guns, grenade launchers and similar weapons. In 1990,
however, an expected major contract for the revolutionary G-11 rifle failed to materialise and Heckler
& Koch GmbH got into financial difficulties. It was announced in December 1990 that H&K was
to be purchased by GIAT, the French state consortium, but agreement was cancelled in mid- Heckler & Koch:
January 1991; the company was then purchased by Royal Ordnance of Britain. HK-4.
HK-4: This, the company's first handgun, was basically an improved Mauser HSc; the profile is
different and the moulded plastic grips have thumb-rests, but the dismantling, assembly and double-action lockwork are
obviously derived from the earlier model.
The blowback HK-4 was available in ·22 LR, 6·35mm Auto, 7·65mm Auto and 9mm Short chamberings, one being converted to another simply
by interchanging barrel, recoil spring and magazine; when changing from rim to centre-fire the strike of the firing pin could also be altered.
Pistols were sold individually, but could be bought in 9mm Short with a complete kit of the barrels and components allowing the owner to
change to any calibre at will.
The HK-4 was sold in the USA in the 1960s in all calibres; in c.1968-73, however, it was promoted as the Harrington & Richardson HK-4 in ·22
and 9mm, each gun being accompanied by a conversion kit for the other calibre. Manufacture ceased in the middle 1980s.
HK-4: Maker: Heckler & Koch GmbH, Oberndorf/Neckar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 9mm Short. Length overall:
6·18in/157mm. Weight, unladen: 16·9oz/480gm. Barrel: 3·35in/85mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
P-9 and P-9S: These delayed blowbacks were originally offered in 7·65mm and
9mm Parabellum chamberings; the difference is simply that the P9 was
single-action while the P9S had double-action lockwork.
The delayed blowback system derives from the G3 rifle, which has a roller-
locked breech block. The pistol slide carries a two-part breech block, the front
part of which carries two rollers engaging recesses in the barrel extension. As the
slide closes on loading, the heavy rear section of the bolt forces the rollers out into the
recesses. On firing, the chamber pressure forces the case against the bolt face; this tries to
force the rollers back, but the shape of the recesses turns the motion inward. However, the
rollers cannot move in until they force the heavy section of the breech block backward by
pressing upon an angled tongue. Once the inertia of the block (and the slide) is overcome,
Heckler & Koch:
the rollers move in and the entire slide and breech block run back to complete the reloading
9mm P-9S.
cycle.
The P-9 had an internal hammer, with a thumb-operated de-cocking lever on the left side. This lever allowed the
hammer to be lowered under control or, alternatively, to be cocked from the down position. The slide had a manual
safety catch and a loaded-chamber indicator pin. The polygonal rifling was devised by H&K to reduce friction and
give a higher velocity than might be expected. The rifling grooves merge until the bore-section looks like a flattened
circle. Another innovation was coating the exterior surfaces of the frame with a durable plastic.
The P-9 was discontinued in the late 1970s but the P-9S remained in production. This differed only in having a double-action lock and a suitably
modified trigger guard; at first this was merely enlarged but, in the mid-1970s, was reverse-curved to suit the fashionable two-handed grip. A
variant P-9S in ·45 ACP was introduced in 1977.
HK P-9S: Maker: Heckler & Koch GmbH, Oberndorf/Neckar. Type: automatic pistol (delayed blowback). Chambering: 9mm
Parabellum. Length overall: 7·56in/192mm. Weight, unladen: 28·0oz/795gm. Barrel: 3·98in/101mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round
detachable box.
P-9 Sport: As its name implies, this is a competition version of the P-9S with an extended barrel carrying a muzzle weight blending with the slide
contours.
VP-70: This highly innovative design failed to gain the acceptance it merited. It
was a blowback, firing the 9mm Parabellum cartridge from a fixed barrel.
The magazine carried eighteen rounds. The trigger mechanism was double-
action only, relying on a self-cocking striker mechanism; pulling the trigger
cocked and then released the striker, giving a distinct 'first pressure' as
cocking took place, after which further pressure released the striker. Since this
system allows a pistol to be safely carried when loaded, no manual safety was fitted,
though a push-button safety catch could be provided if required.
When the optional plastic holster-stock was clipped to butt and frame, connection was made
with the lockwork allowed single shots to be fired—or, when a change lever on the butt was
moved, the weapon could fire three-round bursts for each pressure of the trigger.
Heckler & Koch:
The original VP-70 was introduced in 1970; it was soon renamed VP-70M ('Military') to allow
VP-70.
the VP-70Z ('Zivil') to be introduced, discarding the three-round burst mechanism and holster-
stock to be sold as a simple semi-automatic pistol. The VP-70M was bought by a few African military forces and the
VP-70Z by some police agencies, but sales were generally disappointing and manufacture was terminated in the mid-
1980s.
HK VP-70Z: Maker: Heckler & Koch GmbH, Oberndorf/Neckar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering:
9mm Parabellum. Length overall: 8·03in/204mm. Weight, unladen: 28·9oz/820gm. Barrel: 4·57in/116mm, rifled. Magazine: eighteen-
round detachable box.

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P-7, P-7 M8 and P-7 M13: The P-7 originated as the Polizei-Selbstlade-Pistole (PSP),
in response to a demand from the German police authorities for a pistol with
adequate performance but capable of being brought into action with the minimum
fuss. The VP-70 had shown that 9mm Parabellum blowback designs were still
regarded with some distrust, so Heckler & Koch designers reverted to a delayed
blowback. A totally new method of achieving the desired delay was perfected. In
the frame beneath the barrel lies a cylinder containing a return spring and a piston
rod, attached to the inner front of the slide. As the pistol is fired, propellant gas
enters the cylinder through a port connecting it with the barrel; as the chamber
pressure attempts to blow back the empty case and the slide, so the piston rod is
driven into the cylinder against the high pressure gas. This delays the movement of
the slide until the bullet is clear of the barrel. As the residual gas pressure in the Heckler & Koch:
barrel falls, the slide begins to move back; the piston forces gas out of the cylinder 9mm P7M13.
and back into the barrel, whence it escapes from the muzzle and breech during the
reloading cycle. A small but perceptible opening of the breech occurs before the
cylinder pressure checks the initial movement of the slide, but separated case-heads
are prevented by fluting the chamber. Surrounding the case with gas stops it bulging
by equalising the internal and external forces.
To allow the pistol to be brought into action quickly, the unique firing mechanism of the P-7 relies on a moving-grip device in the front strap of
the butt. As the pistol is taken up, the hand naturally squeezes this grip inwards to cock the firing pin ready for a first shot made simply by
squeezing the trigger. As long as the grip is held tightly, the striker is cocked automatically as the slide closes ready for the next shot. Should the
pressure be released, the striker remains uncocked; if, for example, the P-7 is then dropped, it is made safe as soon as it leaves the hand and
cannot fire when it hits the ground.
Should a misfire occur, the firer merely releases and re-squeezes the grip to make a second attempt at firing. The gun can also be silently de-
cocked by pulling back the slide a short distance and releasing the cocking grip.
The P-7 M8 has an eight-round magazine, while the P-7 M13 has a thirteen-round pattern.
HK P-7 M13: Maker: Heckler & Koch GmbH, Oberndorf/Neckar. Type: automatic pistol (delayed blowback). Chambering: 9mm
Parabellum. Length overall: 6·54in/166mm. Weight, unladen: 31·0oz/880gm. Barrel: 4·13in/105mm, rifled. Magazine: thirteen-round
detachable box.
P-7 K3: Although outwardly resembling the standard P-7, this is a simple blowback
lacking the gas piston and cylinder. This is simply because it uses the 7·65mm Auto
or 9mm Short cartridges, neither of which demands a locked breech. The squeeze-
cocking mechanism is unchanged. Optional conversion kits can change either
centre-fire chambering into ·22 LR rimfire.
P-7 M45: This was developed in 1987 to encourage sales in the USA, being a modified
P-7 M8 chambering ·45 ACP cartridges. Owing to the extra power of the ·45
cartridge, the gas cylinder slide-delay was replaced by an oil-filled cylinder with a
port in the piston-head. The slide pushed the piston head through the oil as it moved
back, forcing the incompressible oil from one side of the piston to the other through
a restrictive port. Analogous to the recoil system of an artillery weapon, this
effectively delayed the slide opening and also damped the recoil blow. Heckler & Koch:
Consequently, the P-7 M45 was very comfortable to fire. The complex valve P7K3.
necessary to allow oil to pass back easily as the slide closed was too expensive to be
practical, and the project was abandoned after a few prototypes had been made.

HEGE (GERMANY)
Hege-Waffen (Hebsacker Gesellschaft) of Schwabisch Hall has distributed handguns under its Hege trade name. By 1978, at least three differing
pistols were on sale under the title 'Hege AP-66'; one was a Hungarian copy of the Walther PP, made by FEG; a second was a similar copy made
somewhere in Germany; and the third was the Spanish Astra Constable automatic. The FEG Tokagypt (q.v.) pistol had been sold as the AP66
Firebird in 1967-75. Distribution of cartridge pistols declined after 1980, and the company currently specialises in black-powder replicas.
Hege AP-66: Maker: made by FEG, Budapest, for Hege-Waffen (see text). Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm
Auto. Length overall: 7·09in/180mm. Weight, unladen: 20·8oz/590gm. Barrel: 3·94in/100mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable
box.

HEIM (GERMANY)
C. E. Heinzelmann of Plochingen made the 6·35mm blowback Heim automatic, which resembles the Mauser WTP externally; it is closer internally
to the Browning of 1910, with a fixed barrel and concentric recoil spring secured by a muzzle bush. It carries the company's name on the slide and
appears to have been made in the early 1930s.
Heim: Maker: C.E. Heinzelmann, Plochingen am Neckar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length
overall: 4·25in/108mm. Weight, unladen: 10·9oz/310gm. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

HEI-MO (GERMANY)
A 7·65mm blowback with no known antecedents, this is basically of Spanish Eibar-type, with the familiar safety catch halfway along the frame.
However, the barrel is octagonal and protrudes about 0·5in from the slide—most convenient for stripping, as construction parallels that of the 1903-
pattern Browning 1903. The only markings are KAL 7,65 on the slide and DRGM on the frame. Heinrich Moritz of Zella St Blasii registered the
Hei-Mo trademark in January 1917, but may have sub-contracted manufacture of the guns.

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HELFRICHT (GERMANY)
Alfred Krauser of Zella-Mehlis made the Helfricht and Helkra pistols, identical but for name, to the
patents of Hugo Helfricht. Four models were made from 1921 to about 1929, all in 6·35mm calibre.
Models 1, 2 and 3 have the slide and frame ending just above the front of the trigger guard, exposing the
barrel for about half of its two-inch length. Model 4 is more conventional in appearance, its slide and
frame extending to cover the barrel completely.
Construction is unusual. The slide is shallow and the frame is deep, allowing the ejection port to be split
between the two. When the pistol is at rest, the upper portion of the ejection port lies along the barrel while
the lower part reveals the breech block. When the pistol is fired, the slide moves back and the two halves
align just as the cartridge case is ejected. The method of assembly is also unique. The front end of the
frame has two hook-like projections on the left inner side; these are engaged by two hooks forming part of

a rod which passes along the inner top of the slide, through the top of the breech block, and terminates in a slotted boss at
Helfricht: 6·35mm
the rear end of the slide. The recoil spring lies around the rod. When the slide recoils, the hooks engage and hold the front
Model 4.
end of the rod, allowing the slide to move backwards and compress the recoil spring. To dismantle the pistol, it is only
necessary to press in the slotted boss against the recoil spring and rotate it about one-third of a turn to disengage the hooks; the slide can then be
withdrawn backward off the frame.
Models 1, 2 and 3 also have an unusual safety catch in the form of a long lever passing beneath the left grip, with a knurled operating stud just
behind the trigger and ending in a large hook. Moving the lever locks the hook into the slide and also immobilises the trigger. These guns do not
bear model numbers, the differences being difficult to spot.
Helfricht Model 1: This has a cylindrical seating at the top front end of the slide, acting as a bearing for the dismantling shaft, with the slotted boss
protruding about 0·25in behind the slide.
Helfricht Model 1: Maker: Alfred Krauser, Zella-Mehlis. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·33tn/110mm. Weight, unladen: 10·6oz/300gm. Barrel: 1·97in/50mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Helfricht Model 2: The front end of the slide is flat on this gun, with the boss protruding at the rear.
Helfricht Model 3: Third-pattern Helfricht pistols display a flat-front slide, while the boss is flush with the rear of the slide. All these are marked
PATENT HELFRICHT on the left of the frame and have the 'KH' in the left butt grip.
Helfricht Model 4: This lacks the protruding barrel and is marked HELFRICHT'S PATENT MODEL 4 on the frame; the same 'KH' motif appears
on the grip. A 7·65mm version is said to have been made, but no specimen has yet been authenticated.
Helfricht Model 4: Maker: Alfred Krauser, Zella-Mehlis. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·29in/109mm. Weight, unladen: 12·0oz/340gm. Barrel: 1·81in/46mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Helkra: Although documentary evidence confirms that the Helkra is identical with the Helfricht, none has been seen.

HELWAN (EGYPT)
This was simply a licence-built copy of the Beretta M951 made in Egypt in
a state arsenal in the 1960s. It is identical to the Beretta except for Arabic
markings.

HE-MO (GERMANY)
This appears to be a variant of the Hei-Mo (q.v.). The frame is identical,
but the slide is an open-topped type—similar to a Beretta—and the barrel
is round. It has wooden grips, but the only marking is HE-MO GES.
GESCH. on the slide.
He-Mo: Maker: probably Heinrich Moritz, Zella St Blasii. Type: Egypt: 9mm
automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Helwan.
Length overall: 5·51in/140mm. Weight, unladen: 22·2oz/630gm.
Barrel: 2·95in/75mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable
box.

HERMAN (BELGIUM)
Marked 'F. Herman Brevet', this original 6·35mm blowback pistol is probably Belgian, though the name has not yet been traced. The construction is
unusual; the butt frame extends upwards and forms just over half of what appears to be the slide. Retracting the finger grips moves the top section of
the slide, taking the breech-block with it. Attached by screws, the block is suspended from the top section behind the fixed barrel. The recoil spring
lies around the barrel and a striker is contained in the breech block. The mobile upper section curves round at the front to surround the barrel and
retain the recoil spring.

HERO (USA)
This name graced a series of cheap revolvers made by Jacob Rupertus of Philadelphia in 1875-85. They were the usual solid-frame non-ejecting
pattern, with sheath triggers. A seven-shot ·22 RF was complemented by five-shot ·32, ·38 and ·41 rimfires.

HERTER (USA)
Herter's, Inc., of Waseca, Minnesota, distributed a variety of Western-style revolvers made in Germany in the 1960-75 period. Sold under the names
Single Six, Power-Mag, and Western, they chambered ·22 LR, ·357 Magnum, ·401 Herter Magnum (a wildcat cartridge) or ·44 Magnum. The Guide
was a ·22 LR solid-frame revolver with a side-opening cylinder, probably made by Weihrauch (see Arminius, II)

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HEYM (GERMANY)
F. W. Heym of Munnerstadt was established in 1932 in Suhl, but moved to western Germany after the end of the Second World War. Renowned
more for its high quality shotguns and sporting rifles, Heym made a few short-barrelled ·22 LR revolvers in the 1960s. This solid-frame double-
action pattern offered good quality; it was sold in the USA by Hunter of Hollywood as the Detective Model.
Detective Model: Maker: F. W. Heym. Munnerstadt. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall:
6·69in/170mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 1·97in/50mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

J.C. HIGGINS (USA)

This popular sales name was used by the Sears, Roebuck mail-order company on a range of firearms, including some pistols. The ·22 LR Higgins
Model 85 was made by Manufacture d'Armes de Pyrenees of France as the Unique Model E-2. The Higgins Model 80 was another ·22 LR target
pistol, made by High Standard by modifying the Duramatic.
Three revolvers were made; the Higgins Models 88, 90 and Ranger were all High Standard products—Model 88 being the Sentinel with a bird's
head butt, Model 90 and Ranger being similar variations of the Double Nine without the interchangeable cylinder. Most of the guns date from 1959-
68.

HIGH STANDARD (USA)

The High Standard Manufacturing Company of Hamden, Connecticut, was formed in 1926 to make gun barrel drills. In 1932, however, the stock
and tools of the defunct Hartford Arms & Equipment Company (above) were purchased cheaply and High Standard went into the pistol business
simply by putting the Hartford pistol back into production. Improvements were soon made and, by 1940, the company had earned a reputation for
its accurate automatics. Pistol production stopped in 1942 in favour of more serious military orders, but resumed in 1943 when work on a military
training pistol began. Fitted with a silencer, this was also used by clandestine forces.
Full-scale commercial production resumed after the end of the Second World War, revolvers appearing in the High Standard range in the 1950s.
Unfortunately, increasing competition and floods of cheap imports put profitability in decline; High Standard, Inc., then of East Hartford,
Connecticut, closed its doors for the last time in January 1985. Oddly, no attempt has ever been made to revive its excellent handguns.
PRE-WAR PISTOLS
Model A: The High Standard line began with this gun, which was almost identical with the Hartford (q.v.) pistol, a fixed-barrel ·22 LR with a long
barrel and a half-slide. Barrel lengths of 4·5in and 6·75in were offered, and the rear sight was adjustable. The mechanism contained an internal
hammer and the detachable box. magazine held 10 rounds.
Model A: Maker: High Standard Mfg Co., Hamden, Connecticut. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire.
Length overall: 8·50in/216mm. Weight, unladen: 32·0oz/905gm. Barrel: 4·50in/114mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round detachable box.
Model B: This gun, which appeared contemporaneously, was
simply the Model A with a fixed back sight. Late in 1940, the
dismantling catch on the left side of-the frame was replaced by a
simpler design on the right side. No additional changes had been
made when pistol production was halted in 1942. The substitution
of the dismantling catch does not seem to have been made to the other pistols in
the High Standard range.
Model C: Introduced a short time after the Models A and B, this was a version of the latter
chambering the ·22 Short cartridge.
Model D: This was merely a heavy-barrel version of the Model A.
Model D: Maker: High Standard Mfg Co., Hamden, Connecticut. Type: automatic pistol High Standard:
(blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: 11·02in/280mm. Weight, Model B.
unladen: 40·0oz/1,135gm. Barrel: 6·75in/171mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round detachable
box.
Model HD: Introduced in 1940, this was basically a variant of the Model D with an external hammer.
Model HB: Appearing after the Model HD, this was an external-hammer version of the Model B.
Model HA: Paradoxically the last of the trio to appear, this was the third High Standard hammer-gun. It was otherwise a Model A.
Model E: This 1940-vintage pistol, was a Model D with an even heavier barrel and new thumb-rest grips.
Model HE: Introduced to accompany the heavy-barrel Model E, this had an additional external hammer.
Models B-US, USA-HD and HD-M: High Standard's first 'military model', B-US, was a slightly modified Model B. In addition, the US Army had
purchased commercial-pattern pistols for training and recreation. The first contract for the USA-HD, a slightly modified Model HD, was issued
in 1943 and deliveries continued until 1945. When war ended, High Standard continued to make the USA-HD until 1951 under the commercial
title 'Model HD-M'.
POST-WAR PISTOLS
Immediately after the end of the Second World War, High Standard began a fundamental overhaul of their designs. The original Hartford-pattern
stripping catch, which allowed the slide to be removed to the rear while the barrel remained on the frame, was replaced by a new method of
construction in which the slide and barrel were removable. A catch in the front of the trigger guard released the barrel, the slide following it forward
and off the frame. Rearward movement was prevented by an abutment which anchored the recoil spring. The first pistols of this type, known as the
'G Series', appeared in 1947.
Model G: This pistol departed from previous practice in a respect other than its construction: it was chambered for the 9mm Short cartridge, the first
High Standard to be made in anything other than ·22. Externally similar to its predecessors, with an external hammer, the Model G had a safety
catch on the frame, a six-round magazine, a five-inch barrel, and adjustable sights.
Model G: Maker: High Standard Mfg Co., Hamden, Connecticut. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·380ACP. Length
overall: 9·25in/235mm. Weight, unladen: 40·0oz/1,135gm. Barrel: 5·00in/127mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Model GB: Introduced in 1949, this was in ·22 calibre. The revised construction facilitated the interchange of barrels, so 4in or 6·75in patterns were
offered.
Models GD and GE: These were similar to the Model GB, but the GD pattern had a heavy barrel, while the GE had an even heavier barrel and
adjustable sights. All the guns in the 'G' series remained in production until 1951.

122
Olympic: A minor design improvement was made in 1950, when the dismantling catch in the front of the trigger guard was replaced by a push-
button. This was not applied to the 'G' series, which was being phased out, but appeared first on the new Olympic pistol. Much the same as the
GE pattern, this chambered ·22 Short cartridges and had a light alloy slide. The Olympic was modified in 1951 to conform with the Supermatic
(below). It was still in ·22 Short, with an alloy slide, as the changes were mainly aimed at simplifying production. A third Olympic appeared in
1954, with more positive safety and dismantling catches, a new moulded grip, a raised barrel rib and adjustable barrel weights.
Olympic: Maker: High Standard Mfg Co., Hamden, Connecticut. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length
overall: 11·00in/279mm. Weight, unladen: 40·0oz/1,135gm. Barrel: 6·75in/171mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round detachable box.
Supermatic: Announced in 1951, replacing
the Model GE, this was little more than an
Olympic chambering ·22 LR rimfire. The
principal changes from the 'G' series lay in
general refinement and the addition of a
slide stop, barrel balance weights and
adjustable target sights.
Supermatic Trophy: 1959 brought a change in the Supermatic and Olympic barrels.
Instead of being heavy and parallel-sided, they became light and tapered, with longitudinal
grooving into which balance weights could be clipped. The muzzle was fitted with a stabiliser,
the adjustable sights were improved and the lockwork refined. Four models were produced, the
Supermatic Trophy was in ·22 LR with a choice of 6·75in, 8in or l0in barrels, walnut thumb-
rest grips, a gold trigger and generally superior finish. High Standard:
·22 Supermatic
Supermatic Trophy: Maker: High Standard Mfg Co., Hamden, Connecticut. Type: Citation.
automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall:
11·40in/290mm. Weight, unladen: 42·0oz/1,190gm. Barrel: 7·25in/184mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round
detachable box.
Supermatic Citation: Made to the same general specification as the Supermatic Trophy, this had a marginally poorer
finish and cheaper laminated grips. Like the Trophy model, it had the micrometer back sight mounted on the breech end of the barrel to prevent
relative movement between the sights.
Supermatic Tournament: This simple pattern had a plain tapered barrel lacking the stabiliser or weights. The back sight was mounted on the slide,
and choice was restricted to 4·5in or 6·75in barrels.
Supermatic Olympic: This was simply a variant of the Citation chambering ·22 Short rimfire.
Sport King: The Supermatic Trophy was the top of the High Standard line, selling for an expensive $112 in 1960. A utilitarian range was needed to
satisfy shooters with lesser ambitions and shorter pockets, beginning in 1950 with the Sport King and Field King models. The Sport King was
chambered for ·22 LR, being fitted with thumb-rest grips and fixed sights. Guns made after 1954 had an improved safety catch and an alloy
frame.
Sport King: Maker: High Standard Mfg Co., Hamden, Connecticut. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire.
Length overall: 9·00in/229mm. Weight, unladen: 39·0oz/1,105gm. Barrel: 4·50in/114mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.
Field King: This was generally similar to the Sport King, but had heavier barrels and an adjustable back sight.
Flite King: 1953 saw the introduction of this gun, which was similar to the Sport King but chambered ·22 Short and had an alloy slide. In 1954, in
contrast to the Sport King (q.v.), the Flite King acquired a steel slide.
Duramatic/Plinker: Introduced in 1955, this low-priced
'fun gun' appeared. Construction was simplified by
threading a long bolt up through the butt to hold it to the
frame; the barrel unit was locked to the frame by a
simple nut-and-bolt connection above the trigger; and the
Duramatic became the first High Standard to be striker-
fired. In spite of low price and surprising robustness, the
Duramatic did not achieve popularity. Discontinued in 1963, it
reappeared in the 1970s as the 'Plinker'.
Supermatic Military series: Improvements were incorporated in the Supermatic range in
the 1960s, when the first of the Military patterns was developed. The name was inspired by
the straight-side butt modelled on the Colt M1911 pattern. The back sight was rigidly High Standard:
mounted on a yoke attached to the frame, through which the slide could pass. The barrels ·22 Duramatic.
were either very heavy smooth-sided bull patterns, or lightened with four deep flutes. Military
versions of the Supermatic Trophy and Citation models were made.
Olympic ISU: Marketed from 1964 onward, this was made only in ·22 Short with a 6·75in barrel, a stabiliser, weights, a
thumb-rest grip and an adjustable back sight.
Olympic ISU Military: Dating from 1965, this was a variant of the Olympic ISU with a military-style grip and the yoke-mounted sight.
Victor: Dating from 1970, this ·22 LR target pistol retained the construction inspired by the 'G' series while adopting a slab-sided barrel continuing
the profile of the frame and slide. A heavy rib on top of the barrel extended back over the slide to carry the back sight, and a rib beneath the
barrel allowed the attachment of weights. The grip was in military style, and 4·5in or 5·5in barrels were available. Some minor changes were
made during its production life, the barrel rib becoming a ventilated pattern and the back sight being improved.
Victor: Maker: High Standard Mfg Co., Hamden, Connecticut. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length
overall: 8·75in/222mm. Weight, unladen: 48·0oz/1,360gm. Barrel: 4·50in/114mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round detachable box.
X Series: The X Series Custom 10-X, a custom-made and hand-fitted ·22 LR target pistol, was introduced in 1981. It had a 5·5in bull barrel, an
adjustable back sight on the frame, and a fully adjustable trigger.
Sharpshooter: For the less dedicated target shooter who did not need the sophistication of the X Series, this lower-grade ·22 LR Citation variant
sufficed. It was offered with a 5·5in bull barrel, thumb-rest grips and an adjustable back sight on the slide.

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REVOLVERS
These fell into two groups; solid-frame with swing-out cylinder, and Western-style models based on the traditional Colt Single Action Army.
Kit Gun/Camp Gun: The first group began with the nine-shot ·22 LR
Kit Gun, later re-named the Camp Gun. It had a good-sized alloy
frame with an adjustable back sight, a double-action lock, and a
rounded butt. The cylinder was locked by a catch on the crane, and
the hand ejector rod lay unsupported beneath the barrel.
Camp Gun: Maker: High Standard Mfg Co., Hamden,
Connecticut. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·22
LR rimfire. Length overall: 11·00in/279mm. Weight,
unladen: 28·0oz/795gm. Barrel: 5·50in/140mm, rifled.
Magazine: nine-chamber cylinder.
High Standard:
Sentinel: Introduced to accompany the Kit Gun, this combined the ·22 Sentinel Mk 1.
same frame and cylinder with a five-inch barrel, fixed sights and a
square butt. Between 1969 and 1970 the Sentinel series, which
comprised four patterns, was overhauled and given a steel frame.
The Mark 1 Sentinel was a nine-shot gun chambered for ·22 LR,
with a 2in, 3in or 4in barrel, a shrouded ejector rod, and a wrap-around walnut grip; the 4in-barrelled version had an adjustable back sight. The
six-shot Mark 2 Sentinel, in ·357 Magnum, was made with 2·25in, 4in or 6in barrels, fixed sights and a square butt; the Mark 3 was identical
with the Mark 2, apart from its fixed back sight, while the Mark 4 was simply the Mark 1 Sentinel adapted for ·22 WMR cartridges.
Sentinel Mark 2: Maker: High Standard Mfg Co., Hamden, Connecticut. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·357 Magnum. Length
overall: 9·00in/229mm. Weight, unladen: 38·0oz/1,075gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Double Nine: This began the 'Western' models. It resembled the Colt Single Action Army revolver, but the ejector rod sheath beneath the barrel was
no more than ornamental and the cylinder swung out to the left on a crane locked in the manner of the early Kit Gun. The Double Nine name
came from the 9-chamber cylinder, plus the availability of an interchangeable cylinder in action. The revolver was offered in blue or nickel
finish. The standard version had a 5·5in barrel. The Double Nine Deluxe had an adjustable back sight.
Double Nine: Maker: High Standard Mfg Co., Hamden, Connecticut. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length
overall: 11·00in/279mm. Weight, unladen: 32·0oz/905gm. Barrel: 5·50in/140mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-chamber cylinder.
Posse: This was simply a version of the Double Nine
with a 3·5in barrel, dating from the 1960s.
Longhorn: Identifiable by its nine-inch barrel and
fixed sights, this was another minor variant of the
Double Nine.
Durango: Intended as an economy model of the Double Nine, this had a 4·5in or 5·5in
barrel, chambered ·22 LR only and lacked the additional interchangeable cylinder.
High Sierra: Made with a seven-inch octagonal barrel, gold-plated trigger guard and backstrap, and
fixed sights, this was mechanically a Double Nine. The High Sierra De Luxe was identical, apart from
its adjustable back sight.
Production of all these revolvers ceased in the late 1970s as the company came under financial pressure. High Standard:
Some guns were sold under the J.C. Higgins name (q.v.) by Sears Roebuck, but were substantially the same ·22 High Sierra.
as their High Standard equivalents.

HIJO (USA)
A sales name for pistols made by Rino Galesi of Italy for distribution by Sloan of New York City in the 1950s.

HIJO QUICK-BREAK (USA)

A name found on Iver Johnson eight-shot ·22 LR and five-shot ·32 or ·38 revolvers distributed by Walzer Arms of New York City in 1955-65.

HINO-KOMURO (JAPAN)
Made by Kumaso Hino in the small workshop of the Komuro
Gun Factory in Nishi-Ohkuba, Tokyo, this pistol was
the subject of a patent sought in Japan in December
1903. It is one of the rare class of 'blow-forward'
designs; instead of being driven backward, as in the conventional blowback
pistol, the breech block remains static while the barrel moves forward to extract and
reload. Japan: Hino-
The design was due to Hino, a Japanese army officer. It was submitted as a potential Komuro.
military pistol, only to be rejected by the Japanese army on the grounds that its safety
aspects were poor. Hino then turned to the Komuro brothers, who put up the necessary money to promote the gun
commercially. Their objective was to make a quick profit out of sales to Sun Yat Sen's revolutionaries in China.
However, sales were so slow that production soon flagged; work ended about 1912.
Operation of the Hino-Komuro was rather odd; the magazine fitted into the butt and the weapon cocked by pulling the barrel
forward. This operated a cartridge lifter, which positioned a round in the feedway just before the barrel was held forward by a
catch. Pressing the trigger released the barrel to run back far enough to admit the bullet and the mouth of the cartridge-case to
enter the chamber. To fire, the grip safety was squeezed; this released the barrel to run back fully, chambering the round
completely before driving the base of the cartridge against a fixed firing pin in the standing breech.
The combination of bullet friction and gas pressure then drove the barrel forward, stripping the empty case from the chamber, and
a mechanical ejector threw it clear before the lifter brought up the next round. The pistol was chambered for the 7·65mm Auto
cartridge, although one specimen firing 8mm Nambu survives.

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 Hino-Komuro: Data from gun no.31, in the collection of the Japanese national police agency, Tokyo. Maker: Komuro Gun Factory,
Tokyo. Type: automatic pistol (blow forward). Calibre: 7·65mm. Length overall: 10·08in/256mm. Weight, unladen: 28·9oz/820gm.
Barrel: 8·03in/204mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

HOOD (USA)
The Hood Firearms Company of Norwich, Connecticut, made cheap solid-frame revolvers under a wide variety of brand names: Alaska, Brutus,
Continental, Czar, Hard Pan, Hood, International, Jewel, Liberty, Little John, Marquis of Lome, Mohegan, New York Pistol Co., Robin Hood,
Scout, Tramp's Terror, Union Jack and Wide Awake.
Despite this formidable list, the products of the Hood Firearms Company can be dismissed quickly. Freeman W. Hood operated independently in
Norwich from about 1873 to 1882; thereafter, he confined his activities to licensing patents to other makers.
Hood revolvers were all of the same cheap type, the familiar solid-frame non-ejecting sheath trigger Suicide Specials that proliferated in the late
nineteenth century. Available in ·22 or ·32 rimfire, they varied in such minor details as barrel length, cylinder grooving or the shape of the butt. The
names probably differentiated between guns sold through distributors; it is known, for example, that the Scout was retailed through the Frankfurth
Hardware Company of Milwaukee.
An almost infallible indication of Hood origin is provided by the bore; to save time and expense, Hood revolver barrels were smooth-bored but, in
order to deceive prospective purchasers that the guns were properly rifled, the last 0·5in at the muzzle had five false grooves. These had no effect
upon the bullet and simply wasted propellant gas.
Hood: Maker: Hood Firearms Co., Norwich, Connecticut. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·32. Length overall: about 5·5in/140mm.
Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 2·50in/64mm, smoothbore. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

HOPKINS & ALLEN (USA)

Like Freeman Hood (q.v.), Hopkins & Allen traded in Norwich, Connecticut, and
made a selection of budget-price revolvers under a bewildering array of brand
names—including Acme, Blue Jacket, Captain Jack, Chichester, Defender, Dictator,
Hopkins & Allen, Imperial Arms Co., Merwin & Hulbert, Monarch, Mountain
Eagle, Ranger, Tower's Police Safety, Universal and XL.
The company was founded in 1868 by two Hopkins brothers and C. H. Allen; the
founders subsequently allowed others to buy shares in the firm, and, as a result, lost
Hopkins & Allen:
control in later years. Financial difficulties encountered in the 1890s were partially
·32 rimfire Ranger
solved when business was reorganised as the Hopkins & Allen Arms Company in
No.2.
1898, but a disastrous fire occurred in 1900. The destruction of the factory was
overcome by purchasing the Forehand Arms Company in 1901. Hopkins & Allen
began work on a contract for Belgian Mauser rifles in 1915 but, before it could be
completed, the Marlin-Rockwell Corporation took over the factory in 1917 to make parts for the Browning Automatic Rifle. With that, Hopkins &
Allen vanished.
Of the names listed above, Bluejacket, Captain Jack, Chichester, Defender, Dictator, Monarch, Mountain Eagle, Ranger, Tower's Police Safety and
Universal were all commonplace solid-frame rimfire non-ejecting revolvers with sheath triggers. Typical products of the 1875-85 period, most are
·22-calibre with seven-chamber cylinders, though a few five-shot ·32 examples will be encountered.
Acme: Made in 1893 for Hulbert Brothers & Company (successors to Merwin, Hulbert & Co.), this was the same as the hammerless Hopkins &
Allen-made Forehand Model 1891. Chambered for ·32 or ·38 centre-fire cartridges, it was a five-shot solid framed non-ejecting revolver with a
safety catch on the back strap to prevent the hammer reaching full cock.
Hopkins & Allen: The first revolvers bearing the
company name were of the Suicide Special type
described above, the first move away from this
pattern coming with the Solid Frame Single Action
model of 1875—which could be charitably described as a neater version of
the same old design with a conventional trigger and guard.
Hopkins & Allen Model: Maker: Hopkins & Allen, Norwich,
Connecticut. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·22. Length overall:
Hopkins & Allen:
9·00in/229mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm,
·44 Army Model,
rifled. Magazine: seven-chamber cylinder.
marketed under
Merwin & Hulbert Automatic Ejecting Model: 1877 brought a curiously the Merwin &
aberrant open-frame revolver with a peculiar ejection system patented by Hulbert name.
Merwin, Hulbert & Company. Most guns of this pattern were made with the
Merwin & Hulbert name, but a few will be found with Hopkins & Allen marks. The barrel and barrel-frame are attached to
the rest of the revolver by the cylinder arbor pin and an interlock at the front of the grip-frame. By pressing a spring catch, the
barrel unit can be rotated about the arbor pin and then pulled forward, taking the cylinder with it. A star extractor plate, attached to the standing
breech, withdraws the fired cases from the cylinder. The barrel is returned and re-locked, allowing the cylinder to be loaded through the usual
right-side gate.
The design was later modified by engaging an additional top strap with the standing breech to give an additional locking point; this was sensible,
as these revolvers were usually in ·44 calibre. Many were chambered for the ·44-40 cartridge and will be marked CALIBER WINCHESTER
1873 on the frame; others, not so marked, were chambered for the ·44 Merwin & Hulbert cartridge, an uncommon round almost
indistinguishable from the ·44 S&W Special.
The open-frame Hopkins & Allen 'Merwin & Hulbert' revolver was tested by the US Ordnance Board in 1877 but rejected for military use on the
grounds that it was too weakly made to withstand the rigours of service. The top-strap appears to have been added as a result of the army trials.
Merwin & Hulbert Automatic Ejecting Model (Army Pocket type): Maker: Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Connecticut. Type: open-frame
revolver. Chambering: ·44-40 WCF. Length overall: 8·65in/220mm. Weight, unladen: 37·4oz/1,060gm. Barrel: 3·30in/84mm, rifled.
Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Double Action No. 6: Apparently introduced in the late 1870s, this was a simple gate-loaded five-shot ·32 centre-fire revolver with a solid frame.
By the middle 1880s, however, this pattern was obsolescent and Hopkins & Allen began to make hinged-frame guns.
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 Double Action No. 6: Maker: Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Connecticut. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·32. Length overall:
8·00in/203mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.
Automatic: Dating from 1885, this was 'automatic' only because it automatically ejected spent cases when the barrel was hinged open. The barrel
and cylinder section was held to the frame by a neatly designed spring-loaded double latch. The Automatic model was produced in ·32 and ·38
calibres, and in hammer or pseudo-hammerless form.
Forehand Model 1891: In 1891, Hopkins & Allen once more reverted to a cheap solid-frame non-ejector, making this pattern in ·32 calibre. The
revolver was developed by Forehand & Wadsworth, but there is no doubt that H&A made it; it is probable that Hopkins & Allen had an interest
in the Forehand Arms Company before the official takeover in 1901.
The gate-loaded five-shot revolver, made in hammer and pseudo-hammerless versions, seems to have been made on the machinery that had
previously made the Double Action No. 6.
Forehand Model 1891: Maker: Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Connecticut. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·32. Length overall:
7·30in/185mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 3·25in/83mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.
Safety Police: After the re-organisation of 1898 and the
fire of 1900, Hopkins & Allen made an effort to
regain their place in the market by producing this new
model in 1907, in ·22, ·32 and ·38. The Safety Police
revolver was a very good design; the hinged frame and
ejection came from the Automatic model, but the lockwork was designed so that
accidental discharge was impossible. The essence of this 'Triple Action Safety' was a
hammer mounted on an eccentric axis pin; with the trigger at rest, the eccentric lifted the
hammer so that, if the hammer was pulled back and released, it would strike an abutment on
the frame rather than the firing pin in the standing breech. Only when the trigger was pulled did
the axis pin revolve, lowering the hammer to strike the firing pin as it fell.
Good as it was, the Safety Police revolver came too late to revive the company; production
struggled on until 1914 when it was dropped to make way for more lucrative contracts from Hopkins & Allen:
belligerents in Europe. Safety Police.
Safety Police Model: Maker: Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Connecticut. Type: hinged-frame
revolver. Calibre: ·32. Length overall: 7·70in/196mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 3·00in/76mm,
rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Imperial Arms Company: This sales name was applied to guns distributed by Merwin, Hulbert & Company. Based in New York City, these
sporting-goods dealers acquired a large part of the Hopkins & Allen equity in 1874, assigning their patents to Hopkins and Allen in exchange for
sole agency for H&A revolvers. H&A designs were sold under the names of Merwin & Hulbert and Hulbert Brothers & Co. from 1874 until
1896, when the latter was liquidated. The failure of Hulbert Brothers undermined Hopkins & Allen, owed a large sum of money for the revolvers
that had been delivered. Guns bearing the Merwin & Hulbert name will generally carry H&A marks as well.
An interesting by-product of the liaison was the promotion of 'own design' ammunition; in addition to the ·44 Merwin & Hulbert cartridge
mentioned previously, ·32 and ·38 versions were also dimensionally different from other cartridges of the same nominal calibre. Many Merwin
& Hulbert revolvers chambered the company's own cartridges, though the differences were so small that the guns could usually be persuaded to
fire other rounds. Any hope that Merwin & Hulbert had of making a fortune from follow-up ammunition sales were never justified by results.
XL series: This brand name appeared in 1871, attached to the inevitable Suicide Special, as the ·22 rimfire XL No. l, the ·30 rimfire XL No. 2, the
·32 Short rimfire XL No. 2½, and the XL No. 3 in ·32 Long rimfire. These were all solid-frame five-shot weapons with sheath triggers,
remaining in production until the 1880s.
In 1885 came the XL No. 3 DA, with a conventional trigger and guard, a hammer with folding spur (to avoid catching in the pocket), and a
square butt. It was a five-shot ·32 Short centre-fire pattern with a 2·5in barrel.
The XL No. 4 belongs to the earlier period, being a single-action ·38 rimfire with a sheath trigger. It was succeeded by the XL No. 5, made to the
same pattern but in ·38 rim- or centre-fire versions. Both had five-chamber cylinders.
XL No. 6 DA was a ·32 or ·38 version of the XL No. 3 DA; the XL No. 7 was a sheath-trigger type in ·41 rimfire; and the XL Bulldog was
similar to the No. 6 DA, but chambering ·32 or ·38 Merwin & Hulbert ammunition. Hopkins & Allen also made a few large solid-frame 'Navy'
revolvers, generally encountered in decidedly unmilitary rimfire chamberings. These guns apparently date from the late 1870s.
XL Navy Model: Maker: Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Connecticut. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38 Long rimfire. Length
overall: 11·00in/279mm. Weight, unladen: 26·1oz/740gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

H.V. (FRANCE)
Very little is known of Hourat et Vie of Pau, which traded briefly in the south of France in the 1930s. As Pau is so close to the Spanish border, it is
hardly surprising that the 'H.V.' pistols are simply the familiar 6·35mm Eibar-type copy of the Browning of 1906—albeit of an excellent standard of
finish. It is possible that the major casting and machining was done in Eibar, parts then being exported to France for finishing and assembly. The
slide is marked FABRICATION FRANCAISE SYSTE. BREVETE SGDG with an 'HV' monogram, which is repeated on the butt grips.
H.V.: Maker: Hourat & Vie, Pau. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·57in/116mm.
Weight, unladen: 10·6oz/300gm. Barrel: 2·05in/52mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

HY HUNTER (USA)
Operating from Hollywood and Burbank, California, Hy Hunter Firearms Company, Inc., distributed a wide variety of firearms. The name will be
found on the Frontier Six Shooter, a Western-style single-action ·22 LR revolver made by Rohm (q.v.) in Germany; on the Detective and Chicago
Cub, cheap ·22 pocket revolvers also emanating from Germany; and on the Maxim, Militar, Panzer, Stingray, and Stuka pistols, also made by
Rohm.

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 I
ILLINOIS ARMS CO. (GERMANY)
A sales name used prior to 1939 by Friedrich Pickert of Zella Mehlis, this appeared on a selection of cheap pocket revolvers.

IMPERATO (USA)
A sales name applied to Heckler & Koch HK-4 pistols sold in the USA in the 1960s. It has yet to be identified.

IMPERIAL (USA)
1: A 7·65mm Eibar-type automatic will be found with IMPERIAL NO 2 "UNION" MOD 1915 CAL 7,65 EIBAR on the slide and a 'JA'
monogram on the grips. The monogram suggests manufacture by Jose Aldazabal, but the word 'Union' may mean that the pistol was marketed
by Union Armera Eibaressa, a marketing co-operative of which virtually nothing is known.
Imperial: Maker: probably Hijos de Jose Aldazabal, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length
overall: 5·91in/150mm. Weight, unladen: 21·2oz/600gm. Barrel: 3·35in/85mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
2: A 6·35mm Eibar type Imperial automatic was produced by Tomas de Urizar (q.v.) in the 1920s. The slide carries the name FABRIQUE
D'ARMES DE PRECISION and the butt carries the trademark of Hijos de Jose Aldazabal, presumed to have distributed the guns.
Imperial: Maker: Tomas de Urizar, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·41in/112mm.
Weight, unladen: 11·1oz/315gm. Barrel: 2·13in/54mm. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
3: Imperial-brand ·22 and ·32 rimfire revolvers were produced in America in the 1875-85 period. They follow the usual solid-frame sheath trigger
pattern, though the maker has never been identified. The seven-shot ·22 model has a fluted cylinder. Guns may be marked IMPERIAL NO.1 or
IMPERIAL NO.2, with nothing to distinguish between different numbers.
4: The 'Imperial Arms Company' was created by Hopkins & Allen (q.v.) for use on ·32 and ·38 Automatic Hammerless revolvers sold by a
particular (but as yet unknown) distributor.

I.N.A. (BRAZIL)
Industria Nacional de Armas of Sao Paulo usually makes weapons for the Brazilian Army, but made well-finished ·32 double-action solid frame
revolvers for commercial sale in the 1950s. Built on Smith & Wesson lines, with two-inch barrels, they have an 'INA' medallion in the grip and an
engraved trademark of a springing jaguar on the left of the frame.
I.N.A. [S&W type]: Maker: Industria Nacional de Armas, Sao Paulo. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·32. Length overall:
6·89in/165mm. Weight, unladen: 29·8oz/845gm. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

INAGAKI (JAPAN)
This blowback automatic was devised by Iwakichi Inagaki, who had worked for the artillery arsenal in Koishikawa, Tokyo. After retiring from the
army in 1924, Inagaki opened a gunsmithing business in the Suginami district of Tokyo. With the advent of war, he was forced to concentrate on
military work. The 7·65mm Inagaki pistol was submitted to the Japanese army in 1941. It is a simple 7·65mm blowback of conventional appearance
except for a short length of exposed barrel in front of the slide. Internally it is unusual for using a leaf spring as the recoil spring, and a second leaf
spring, carrying a heavy head, as the hammer. This was held up by the sear and, when released by the trigger, flew forward to hit the firing pin set in
a breech-block section of the slide.
The 7·65mm Inagaki pistol was apparently refused by the Japanese Army, though several hundreds were purchased to arm navy pilots. A few 8mm
guns were made for trials in 1942, which led to the standardisation of the Hamada Type 2 (q.v.), but were rejected. Only two survive.
Inagaki: Maker: Inagaki Gun Factory, Suginami-ku, Tokyo. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length
overall: 6·50in/165mm. Weight, unladen: 23·0oz/650gm. Barrel: 4·53in/115mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

INDIAN (USA)
The Indian Arms Corporation of Detroit, Michigan, marketed a 9mm Short automatic pistol
based on the Walther PP in the 1960s. Made from stainless steel, it had a distinctive ventilated
rib on its squared slide.

INFALLIBLE (USA)
The Warner Arms Company of Brooklyn was formed in c.1909, marketing German-made
1908-pattern blow-forward Schwarzlose (q.v.) pistols until the manufacturer ceased production
in 1911. Warner is believed to have purchased all the remaining parts, which were assembled in
the USA. The American-made pistols have a WAC monogram on the grip and a modified Indian: ·380 ACP
magazine-release catch on the upper left side of the grip instead of the butt heel; however, Indian.
virtually all known guns have a plug where the butt-heel catch would have been, owing to the
use of frames that had already been forged in Germany. Warner pistols often bore WARNER
ARMS CORPORATION; original Schwarzlose markings often appeared as well. Hardly
surprisingly, the venture soon failed and work stopped in 1913.
Warner then purchased the rights to an automatic pistol patented in 1914-15 by Andrew Fyrberg (q.v.), the gun being made in a factory in Norwich,
Connecticut, alongside a cheap hinged-frame double action ·32 revolver, indistinguishable from the contemporaneous products of Meriden or Iver
Johnson. The Warner Arms Company merged with N.R. Davis & Sons in 1917, forming the Davis-Warner Arms Company, and moved to Assonet.
Work on the Infallible ceased when Davis-Warner moved back to Norwich in 1919.
The striker-fired Infallible pistol was a ·32 ACP blowback relying on a bolt moving in a fixed receiver. Although basically sound enough, the
Infallible had one or two poor features. Among the worst was an ineffectual disconnector and a potentially dangerous bolt-disconnector catch (or
pin, on later guns). This allowed the firer to chamber the first round without having to contend with the return spring; however, if the connection
was not re-established before firing, the lightweight bolt could be blasted back against the minimal bolt-check pawl. If this failed, then the bolt
would fly back out of the gun.

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The Infallible had a crude cast-iron frame and a delicate safety catch. It was none too reliable, unhandsome and sat awkwardly in the hand. It failed
to achieve much popularity, only about 7,300 being made. The most common marking is —INFALLIBLE— over DAVIS-WARNER ARMS
CORPORATION, ASSONET, MASS. U.S.A. and PAT. JULY 28, 1914 MARCH 9,1915 on the left side of the frame above the grip.
Infallible: Maker: Davis-Warner Arms Corporation (see text). Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·32 ACP. Length overall:
6·61in/168mm. Weight, unladen: 24·7oz/700gm. Barrel: 3·74in/95mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

INTERARMS (USA)
Although primarily distributors, Interarms of Alexandria, Virginia, has manufactured Virginian revolvers since the 1970s. The company has also
made licensed copies of the Walther PPK, TPK and PPK/S under the name Walther American.
Virginian Dragoon: The basic model is this Western-style six-shot gun, incorporating lockwork and a transfer bar system patented by Interarms. It
has an adjustable back sight and has been offered with barrels of 5-12in, chambering an assortment of Magnum cartridges—·357, ·41, ·44 or ·45.
Virginian Dragoon: Maker. Interarms, Alexandria, Virginia. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·357 Magnum. Length overall:
11·50in/292mm. Weight, unladen: 52·5oz/1,475gm. Barrel: 7·50in/191mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Virginian Deputy: This was a Dragoon with fixed sights, in ·357 Magnum, ·44 Magnum or ·45 Colt.
Virginian 22: A reduced-scale version of the Dragoon in ·22 calibre, this was made by Hammerli in Switzerland.
Virginian Dragoon Silhouette: Made in stainless steel with a 10·5 inch ·44 Magnum barrel and special long-range adjustable sights, this is
intended for specialised competition shooting.

IRAOLA (SPAIN)
Iraola y Salaverria of Eibar produced an unremarkable
7·65mm Eibar-pattern blowback automatic in the early
1920s, bearing the company name and AUTOMATIC
PISTOL CAL 7,65.
Iraola: Maker: Iraola y Salaverria, Eibar. Type:
automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering:
7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·91in/150mm.
Weight, unladen: 24·2oz/685gm. Barrel:
3·39in/86mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round
detachable box.

IROQUOIS (USA)
About 50,000 of these ·22 rimfire solid-frame, sheath-trigger
revolvers were made by E. Remington & Sons of Ilion, New Israel Military
York, in 1878-88. Quality is rather better than the usual Industries: ·45
Suicide Special, the company name appears on the barrel, Uzi.
and nickel plating was greatly favoured.
Iroquois: Maker: E. Remington & Sons, Ilion.
Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·22
Long rimfire. Length overall: 5·91in/150mm. Weight, unladen: 7·5oz/215gm. Barrel: 2·25in/57mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-chamber
cylinder.

ISRAEL MILITARY INDUSTRIES (ISRAEL)

Based in Ramat ha-Sharon, this company is primarily
concerned—as its name implies—with the production of
military weapons for the Israel Defence Force. When that
commitment is satisfied, IMI produces items such as semi-
automatic versions of the Uzi submachine-gun for the
commercial market.
Uzi-Pistol: The company's first venture into the handgun field was made in
1984 simply by converting the Micro-Uzi miniature submachine-gun to semi-automatic form
and discarding its folding butt. The result is cumbersome by comparison with conventional
pistols but has an exceptional magazine capacity (twenty rounds of 9mm Parabellum) and its
weight and size allow a very firm two-handed grip to control recoil. Like the submachine-
gun, the Uzi-Pistol has a cocking lever in a slot in the top of the receiver, a grip safety, and Israel Military
a manual safety catch above the left grip. Industries: ·357
Uzi Pistol: Maker: Israel Military Industries, Ramat ha-Sharon. Type: automatic Desert Eagle.
pistol (blowback, selective fire). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall:
9·45in/240mm. Weight, unladen: 58·2oz/1,650gm. Barrel: 4·53in/115mm, rifled. Magazine: twenty-round
detachable box.
Desert Eagle: This is a large-calibre pistol with some unusual features, originally intended for metal silhouette and
similar long-range competitive shooting in addition to hunting. Offered in ·357 Magnum, ·44 Magnum or ·41 Action Express chamberings, the
gas-operated Desert Eagle is locked by a rotating bolt. Gas tapped from the chamber is piped forward to just below the muzzle, where it enters a
gas cylinder beneath the fixed barrel. Inside this cylinder is a short-stroke piston which drives the slide to the rear. A cam track in the slide
engages a lug on the bolt, rotating the bolt to unlock it. The bolt and slide then complete the reloading cycle.
An ambidextrous safety catch on the slide locks the firing pin and disconnects the trigger from the hammer. The standard lockwork can be
replaced with an optional assembly allowing the trigger pull to be adjusted. Various sight options are available and the slide top is grooved to
accept a telescope-sight mount.
Desert Eagle: Maker: Israel Military Industries, Ramat ha-Sharon. Type: automatic pistol (gas operated). Chambering: ·357 Magnum.
Length overall: 10·24in/260mm. Weight, unladen: 60·5oz/1,715gm. Barrel: 5·91in/150mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.

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Jericho 941: This gun appeared in 1990. Though the slide has some resemblance to the Desert Eagle, there is no mechanical affinity; the Jericho
appears to be based on the CZ75, a conventional double-action locked-breech pistol with a slide moving in internal frame rails. The Jericho
breech locks with a Browning cam, while a slide-mounted safety catch retracts and locks the firing pin before dropping the hammer. A notable
feature is the rapid conversion between 9mm Parabellum and ·41 Action Express simply by changing barrels and magazines; the ·41 AE
cartridge case has the same base dimensions as 9mm Parabellum, so no change need be made to the bolt face.

ITM (SWITZERLAND)
Industrial Technology & Machines AG ('ITM') of Solothurn began manufacturing a locked-breech pistol based upon the CZ 75 in 1984; indeed, the
first pistols were near-identical copies made under licence, but improvements and minor changes soon appeared. ITM experienced considerable
problems with sub-contractors in Italy and Britain, hindering progress; in 1990, the company was absorbed into the Sphinx AG machine-tool and
engineering combine. It is uncertain whether the ITM or Sphinx name will be used on pistols; those seen in late 1990 carried both.
AT 84: The first ITM pistol was simply a well-made 9mm Parabellum copy of the CZ 75.
AT 84: Maker: ITM, Solothurn (see text). Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall:
8·11in/206mm. Weight, unladen: 35·3oz/1,000gm. Barrel: 4·72in/120mm, rifled. Magazine: fifteen-round detachable box.
AT 88: An improved AT 84, this features closer tolerances, better finish and a slight dimensional change in the barrel—which will not interchange
with the earlier type. The barrels were made by Peters Stahl of Germany, offering exceptional wearing properties and excellent accuracy. The
safety catch could be applied whether the pistol was cocked or not, and an automatic firing-pin safety system was introduced in 1987. An
ambidextrous safety catch is fitted, an ambidextrous slide-stop catch being optional. The AT 88 may chamber 9mm Parabellum or ·41 Action
Express, and can be converted from one to the other merely by changing barrel and magazine.
AT 84P and AT 88P: These were shortened and lightened versions of the AT 84 and AT 88 respectively, with all the characteristics of their parent
pistol excepting reduced weight (90gm less) and length (22mm less).
AT 84P: Maker: ITM. Solothurn (see text). Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall:
7·24in/184mm. Weight, unladen: 32·1oz/910gm. Barrel: 3·66in/93mm, rifled. Magazine: thirteen-round detachable box.
AT 84H and AT 88H: These were 'Hideaway' versions of the basic pistols, with a further reduction in weight and size and a consequent reduction
in magazine capacity to ten rounds. Originally in 9mm Parabellum, they can be converted to ·41 Action Express or 9mm Action Express; a
universal magazine will accept all three cartridges, so that only the barrel and recoil spring need be changed.
Sphinx ·3AT: The first use of the Sphinx name was made in 1989, before ITM formally
merged with its current parent. The ·3AT is a 9mm Short blowback, with an automatic
firing-pin safety, a self-cocking action, automatic de-cocking, an ambidextrous magazine
release and an ambidextrous slide latch.
Sphinx ·3 AT: Maker: ITM, Solothurn (see text). Type: automatic pistol
(blowback). Chambering: 9mm Short. Length overall: 6·02in/153mm. Weight,
unladen: unknown. Barrel: 3·23in/82mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round detachable
box.
AT 2000: This is the Sphinx version of the AT88 series and is available in the same
Standard (AT 2000S), Compact (AT 2000P) or Hideaway (AT 2000H) versions; it is, in ITM: Sphinx
fact, the same weapon under new ownership. The slide is marked ITM SOLOTHURN 3 AT.
AT 2000 P while the frame is marked SPHINX MADE IN SWITZERLAND. The
standard 'S' model has fixed back sights, and wooden or rubber grips. An adjustable back
sight with luminous Tritium inserts, a 25-shot magazine, and conversion barrels for 9mm Parabellum or ·41AE are available as options.
AT 2000 SDA, PDA and HDA: These are variations on the conventional double-action AT 2000 theme, capable only of self-cocking (SDA—
'Standard Double Action [only]'). The external hammer lacks a spur, but the three versions otherwise correspond to the relevant double-action
guns.
AT ·380: This is the Sphinx version of the ·3AT described above. Fixed sights and rubber grips are standard, but adjustable sights, luminous sights
and wooden grips are optional alternatives. A special fifteen-shot version chambered for the 9 x 18mm Police cartridge is available to order.

IVER JOHNSON (USA)

As noted under 'Johnson, Bye & Co.' (q.v.), Iver Johnson
bought out his associate Martin Bye in 1883 to form Iver
Johnson & Company (soon altered to 'Iver Johnson Arms &
Cycle Works Co.'). Business moved from Worcester,
Massachusetts, to nearby Fitchburg in 1891. Johnson died in
1895, business being carried on by his widow until her death; in 1910 the
company was the largest producer of revolvers in the world.
Trading continued after the end of the First World War, with a wide range of revolvers
in addition to bicycles, shotguns, rifles and machine tools. In the 1970s, however, the
financial winds blew chill and manufacture of rimfire revolvers ceased in 1975.
Iver Johnson was sold in 1982, resulting in the formation of Iver Johnson's Arms Inc. in
Middlesex, New Jersey, before departing for Jacksonville in Arkansas. When this venture failed
in 1986, the remains of Iver Johnson were purchased by the previous owners and absorbed into
American Arms Incorporated. Thus the Iver Johnson identity has currently vanished.
The extreme diversity of Iver Johnson revolvers restricts the space that can be allotted to each of them. Iver Johnson: 32
Work began simply by continuing existing Johnson & Bye models: Defender, Eagle, Encore, Favorit Safety Automatic.
and Tycoon revolvers were perpetuated, though most bore Johnson's name on the barrel. They were all
cheap Suicide Specials.
Hyde Model: In 1883, Johnson moved away from the previous simplicity to produce an aberrant design credited to Andrew Hyde. This was a five-
shot ·38 solid-frame pattern in which the cylinder, carried on an arbor pin pivoted at the front, could be rotated sideways to the right to expose
the chambers. The same basic design was also exploited by C.S. Shattuck (see Mossberg) in ·32 rimfire, but with similar lack of success.
Johnson abandoned the Hyde-type revolver in 1887; Shattuck followed a year later. Johnson had also offered a Knife Model, which combined
the Hyde action with a folding knife blade beneath the barrel.
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Safety Automatic Double Action Model: By the middle 1890s, Johnson had designed a new revolver. A standard hammer pattern was introduced
in 1893, to be followed by a pseudo-hammerless version in 1894. Made in ·32 and ·38, these remained the mainstay of the Iver Johnson line until
1950 and their unique 'Safety Hammer' became the cornerstone of the company's advertising—the slogan 'Hammer the Hammer' was a succinct
description of what the system achieved. It consisted of a transfer bar attached to the trigger, a frame-mounted firing pin, and a hammer shaped
to strike the frame without touching the pin. Only if the trigger was correctly pulled through did the transfer bar rise behind the firing pin to be
hit by the hammer as it fell. The hammer then struck the transfer bar to transmit the blow to the firing pin.
If the pistol was dropped, or the hammer accidentally released during cocking, the transfer bar was in its rest position and the hammer could not
reach the firing pin. The gun hammer could literally be struck with a club hammer without danger.
The 'Automatic' designation referred to automatic ejection of spent cases when the hinged frame was opened. The first of the pseudo-
hammerless models concealed the hammer beneath a clip-on shroud, but later models had a proper built-up frame.
Safety Automatic Double Action: Maker: Iver Johnson Arms & Cycle Works Co.. Fitchburg. Massachusetts. Type: hinged-frame
revolver. Calibre: ·32. Length overall: 7·50in/191mm. Weight, unladen: 15·5oz/440gm. Barrel: 3·00in/76mm, rifled. Magazine: five-
chamber cylinder.
Model 1900: In the early 1900s the range was expanded to include a solid frame non-ejecting ·22 rimfire pattern.
Model 1900: Maker: Iver Johnson Arms & Cycle Works Co.. Fitchburg. Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·38. Length
overall: 6·50in/165mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 2·50in/64mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.
Safety Cycle Automatic: This was a short auto-ejecting hinged-frame revolver with a two-inch barrel.
Petite: Even smaller than the Safety Cycle Automatic was this seven-shot ·22 Short solid-frame pseudo-hammerless revolver with a one-inch barrel
and a folding trigger; it could be considered as the American answer to the European Velo-Dog guns, but was too small to be taken seriously in
North America and did not remain in production for long.
Petite: Maker: Iver Johnson Arms & Cycle Works Co., Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·22. Length
overall: 4·13in/105mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 1·00in/25mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-chamber cylinder.
Sealed Eight: The first of these ·22 guns appeared after the end of the First
World War, incorporating an eight-chamber cylinder with the rear of
each chamber counter-bored to surround the cartridge rims. The
standard Supershot Sealed Eight, described as a 'sport revolver', had a
six-inch barrel; the Protector Sealed Eight was a home-defence and
pocket model with a 2·5-inch barrel. Both were hinged-frame models with
automatic ejection and the safety hammer. A later solid-frame non-ejecting Target
Sealed Eight may be considered as a successor to the Model 1900.
Sealed Eight revolvers were made until Iver Johnson switched to more warlike products in
1942. Several new models appeared after the end of the Second World War, most
incorporating the innovative 'Flash Control Cylinder' with its front face recessed to leave a solid
rim enclosing the chamber mouths and the end of the barrel. This was intended to deflect gas
leaking from the chamber/barrel junction away from the firer.
Supershot Sealed Eight: Maker: Iver Johnson Arms & Cycle Works Co., Fitchburg. Iver Johnson: Protector
Massachusetts. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Calibre: ·22. Length overall: Sealed Eight.
10·75in/273mm. Weight, unladen: 24·0oz/680gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine:
eight-chamber cylinder.
Model 50 Sidewinder: This was a solid-frame eight-shot ·22 LR rimfire revolver with a 4·75in or 6in barrel and a Western-style butt. It usually had
fixed sights, but a deluxe model with adjustable sights was also made.
Model 55A Sportsman Target: An eight-shot ·22 LR gun with a 4·75in or 6in barrel, this was a solid frame non-ejector with fixed sights. It was
little more than a modernised Target Sealed Eight.
Model 55S-A Cadet: A small solid-frame non-ejector with a 2·5in barrel, fixed sights and a round butt, this was offered in several guises: as an
eight-shot ·22 LR; an eight-shot ·22 WMR; a five-shot ·32; or a five-shot ·38.
Model 57A Target: This was a variant of the Model 55A with adjustable sights and a thumb-rest grip.
Model 66 Trailsman: Lacking the safety hammer feature, this was a hinged-frame eight-shot ·22 LR revolver with a heavy ribbed six-inch barrel,
adjustable sights and a thumb-rest grip.
Model 66 Trailsman: Maker: Iver Johnson Arms Company. Fitchburg, Massachusetts. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Calibre: ·22. Length
overall: 11·00in/279mm. Weight, unladen: 33·5oz/950gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-chamber cylinder.
Model 66A Trailsman Snub: Identical with the Model 66 apart from its 2·5in barrel and rounded butt, this was also offered in ·32 and ·38 (five-
chamber cylinders).
Model 67 Viking: This was simply a Model 66 with the safety hammer restored.
Cattleman series: Six-shot Cattleman revolvers were single-action Frontier-style solid frame
guns, made by Uberti of Italy (q.v.) and distributed by Iver Johnson in the USA. The
Trailblazer was a ·22 LR or ·22 WMR with a 5·5in or 6·5in barrel and adjustable sights; the
Cattleman came with barrels of 5·5in, 6in or 7·25in and fixed sights. The Buckhorn was the
Cattleman with adjustable sights, while the Cattleman Buntline had an eighteen-inch barrel,
fixed sights and a detachable walnut shoulder stock.
Hijo Quick Break: This Iver Johnson Safety Hammer Automatic Double Action revolver—·22
LR, ·32 or ·38—bore the name of the Walzer Arms Company of New York, by whom it was
retailed in the 1950s.
Iver Johnson: TP-
X300 Pony: Dating from 1975, this ·380 ACP (9mm Short) locked-breech automatic appears to
22.
have been a near-copy of the Spanish Echeverria Starfire (q.v.).
X300 Pony: Maker: Iver Johnson's Arms. Inc., Middlesex, New Jersey. Type:
automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·380 ACP. Length overall: 6·10in/155mm.
Weight, unladen: 20·0oz/565gm. Barrel: 3·00in/76mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

130
TP·22: Added to the Iver Johnson range when the company was under new ownership in Jacksonville, this was essentially a ·22 LR rimfire copy of
the Walther PPK. A ·25 ACP version was predictably known as the TP-25.
TP-22: Maker: Iver Johnson's Arms, Inc., Jacksonville. Arkansas. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire.
Length overall: 5·40in/137mm. Weight, unladen: 14·5oz/410gm. Barrel: 2·85in/72mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Trailsman: Another gun introduced during the Jacksonville era, this dates from 1984. Based on the discontinued Colt Woodsman, it was a fixed-
barrel ·22 LR automatic.
Swift: Made by Iver Johnson exclusively for the John P. Lovell Arms Company of Boston, this dated from 1890-1. Lovell had been the sole sales
agent for Iver Johnson products until Johnson's death in 1895, when the arrangement ended. In addition to selling Iver Johnson revolvers, Lovell
had commissioned the Swift, which embodied a patent granted to Freeman Hood to protect the ejector mechanism. The name was said to honour
Captain Swift of the 5th Cavalry, who supposedly designed the revolver in collaboration with Lovell, but little evidence supports the story.
The Swift was a hinged-frame ·38 double-action revolver, made in both hammer and pseudo-hammerless forms, with a five-chamber cylinder.
The only significant difference between it and the contemporary Iver Johnsons lay in the frame latch—which pulled down to unlock instead of
being lifted—and construction of the automatic ejector.
U.S. Revolver Company: Guns bearing this name were cheaper versions of the normal Iver Johnson products; they duplicated the solid-frame
Model 1900 and the hinged-frame Safety Automatic models, but lacked the safety hammer, had some consequent changes in the lockwork, and
not as well finished. They were offered alongside Iver Johnson- marked guns until the 1940s; U.S. REVOLVER CO. appeared on the barrel and
'US' was moulded into the grips.

IZARRA (SPAIN)
This is the Basque word for 'star', being a standard 7·65mm Eibar-pattern blowback automatic made after 1918 by Bonifacio Echeverria (see Star).
It offers rather better quality than the usual gun of this type, and has a deep grip taking a nine-shot magazine. Some pistols may be found with long
barrels protruding from the slide.
Izarra: Maker: Bonifacio Echeverria, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
6·10in/155mm. Weight, unladen: 23·8oz/675gm. Barrel: 3·46in/88mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.

IZHEVSK ARMS FACTORY (USSR)

Founded as an ammunition factory in 1807, this state-owned arsenal was eventually extended to include a small-arms factory. Though principally a
maker of rifles and machine-guns for the Soviet Army, Izhevsk also produces guns for commercial sale.
IZh-1: A typical Olympic-quality ·22 LR rimfire Free Pistol, this embodies a Martini-type breech block operated by a side lever. Introduced in
1962, it has adjustable sights and grips.
IZh-3: This is a modernised IZh-1 with improved sights and differing grips.
IZh-HR30: Intended for Standard Pistol competition shooting, this modern-looking ·22 LR rimfire gun has the slab-sided appearance common to
many pistols in its class. It has adjustable sights and grips, and a grip safety in the butt—most unusual on a modern target gun.
IZh-HR30: Maker: Izhevsk Ordnance Factory. Type: automatic pistol. Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: 10·55in/268mm.
Weight, unladen: 41·3oz/1,170gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: five-round detachable box.
IZh-HR31: A variant of the HR30, designed for rapid-fire contests, this gun is chambered for ·22 Short rimfire cartridges and has a muzzle brake.

J
JAGA (CZECHOSLOVAKIA)
Yet another name used by Frantisek Dusek of Opocno, this hides the well-known Duo pistol -little more than a copy of the Browning of 1906
without the grip safety. Pistols may be marked AUTOMAT. PISTOL »JAGA« 6,35 on the slide, or may have no marking at all; in each case,
however, the grips display JAGA in a curved banner.

JAGER (GERMANY)
Very little is known about F. Jager & Co. of Suhl, founded c.1907, which produced the
remarkable Jager pistol in 1916-18 and then—in straitened circumstances—returned to the
production of sporting guns and gun parts until the end of the Second World War.
The Jager pistol was designed with simplicity in mind; in the 1990s we are familiar with the
'sheet metal and wire-spring wonders' developed since the 1940s to simplify mass production,
but to find this pistol exhibiting the same concept as early as 1914 comes as quite a shock.
Excepting the barrel, bolt, butt-straps, recoil spring and striker, the parts are all stamped from
steel sheet. Two pieces form the sides of the butt and frame; inside, a boss secures the barrel-
block at the breech end. The side pieces are held apart by separate front and back straps,
Jager: 7·65mm.
located by pins on the bottom corners of the butt and secured by screws. The front strap,
carrying the trigger and guard, continues to the muzzle end of the frame. Screws hold the
machined breech block in the pressed-steel slide, the front end of the slide looping around the
muzzle to hold the recoil spring around the barrel. The breech block carries the striker and
spring, a simple trigger bar is set in a groove in the frame, and a seven-round magazine fits into the butt. The slide is marked JAGER-PI STOLE.
D.R.P. AN GEM. and some have an additional 'DRGM', suggesting that the bulk of production took place before the patent was finally granted.
For all its simplicity, the Jager cannot be called flimsy; it shoots well and is reliable enough. Yet the German Army, not usually, averse to weapons
promising rapid production, never included it in the lists of approved weapons. It is doubtful if more than 6,000 were made.
Jager-Pistole: Maker: F. Jager & Co., Suhl. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
6·10in/155mm. Weight, unladen: 22·6oz/640gm. Barrel: 3·11in/79mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

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JAPANESE STATE FACTORIES
The handguns of the Japanese armed forces in the mid 1880s were mostly ·44-calibre Smith & Wesson revolvers. In 887, however, a decision was
taken to eschew foreign suppliers and manufacture service weapons in military arsenals. Excepting an occasional contract, this policy was followed
until 1945. Guns originating through military channels received numerical designations and are listed here; those produced under the names of the
originators, even though arsenal-manufactured, are discussed elsewhere—e.g., Inagaki, Hamada or Nambu.
26th Year Type revolver: The designation of this weapon was derived from the era of the reigning emperor, 1893 being the 26th year of the Meiji
Era. The revolver—finally adopted in 1894—was a mixture of features taken from occidental designs; the lockwork is based on a Galand design,
the hinged frame and frame latch are Smith & Wesson's, a hinged side-plate covering the lockwork was provided by the French Mle 1892, and
the general shape may be due to any of several claimants—opinions differ. The 26th Year Type can only be fired in self-cocking mode, owing to
the absence of a hammer spur. It chambered a unique rimmed 9mm cartridge of Japanese origin.
The guns were made by the artillery arsenal in the Koishikawa district of Tokyo; by the early 1920s the demand had slackened, and when half
the arsenal was destroyed by the Tokyo earthquake of 1923, the Type 26 production was discontinued. However, a programme of refurbishment
seems to have begun in the early 1930s, when a few hundred new guns were made.
Nevertheless, the revolver was retained in service and was found in the hands of second-line troops until 1945. Though firing a very weak
cartridge and possessing an ineffectual cylinder-stop, which prevented rotation only when the trigger was being pressed, the 26th Year pattern
offered good workmanship and superb blueing.
26th Year Type: Maker. Tokyo artillery arsenal, Koishikawa. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Calibre: 9mm. Length overall:
8·50in/216mm. Weight, unladen: 31·0oz/880gm. Barrel: 4·72in/120mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Type 94: This automatic pistol was designed by Kijiro Nambu in 1934, in response to
army requests for an 8mm pistol for airmen, tank crews, and others for whom the
standard 14th Year Type was inconveniently bulky. It was apparently based on
prototypes dating back to 1929, but the thread of the story is now broken in many
places. It has been suggested that the gun was developed for commercial sale, on
the basis of contemporaneous catalogues, but this is now discredited; all but a tiny
handful of surviving guns bear Japanese ordnance marks, and no single
commercial sale has been proven.
The designation reflects a change in nomenclature; after 1930, the system was
based upon calendar year instead of reign-periods, and 1934 was '2594' in Japan. Japanese State
The Type 94 chambered the standard 8mm 14th Year cartridge and relied on a Factories: 8mm
vertically-moving block to lock the slide and barrel together at the instant of Type 94.
firing. The block is cammed out of engagement during a short recoil stroke. The
sear is exposed on the left side of the frame, allowing the hammer to be released if
a cocked pistol is carelessly handled. Moreover, faulty design makes it possible to fire the pistol with the breech unlocked.
Pre-war models were of good quality and finish, but quality deteriorated rapidly during the war years. Enthusiasts now recognise many
variations even though the overall design did not change. Manufacture was confined to the Nambu Rifle Manufacturing Company of Kokubunji,
Tokyo, and its post-1936 successor Chuo Kogyo. A little over 70,000 Type 94 pistols were made between 1935 and 1945.
Type 94: Maker: Nambu Rifle Mfg Co./Chuo Kogyo, Kokubunji, Tokyo. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 8mm.
Length overall: 7·09in/180mm. Weight, unladen: 27·0oz/765gm. Barrel: 3·78in/96mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

JENNINGS (USA)
Jennings Firearms Inc. of Stateline, Nevada, introduced the 'J-22' ·22 rimfire blowback automatic in 1981; several good-quality variants have been
made, differing largely in matters of finish and grip material.
J-22: Maker: Jennings Firearms. Inc., Stateline. Nevada. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall:
4·93in/125mm. Weight, unladen: 13·0oz/370gm. Barrel: 2·50in/64mm, rifled. Magazine, six-round detachable box.

J.G.A. (GERMANY)
This was a pseudo-hammerless solid-frame non-ejecting 7·65mm Auto revolver with a folding trigger, made by (or more likely for) J.G. Anschutz
Germania-Waffenfabrik of Zella St Blasii immediately prior to the First World War. Apart from an unusual safety catch mounted high on the frame,
locking the hammer when applied, the gun was more-or-less comparable to the contemporary Velo-Dog models.

JOHA (FINLAND?)
This 6·35mm pistol is a copy of the Browning 1906; it has no grip safety and has the usual Eibar-
pattern safety catch on the frame above the trigger. Consequently, it is usually assumed to be Spanish.
However, other sources have claimed that it was made in the early 1930s by Ase-ja Konepaja of
Turku, Finland. As the only marks are AUTOMATIC PISTOL JOHA CAL 6,35 on the slide, JOHA at
the top of the grip, and Eibar proof marks, it is much more probable that the pistols were made in Eibar
for sale in Finland.

JUPITER (SPAIN)
Joha.
This 6·35mm Eibar-type automatic follows the usual 1906-pattern Browning design. It lacks
manufacturer's marks, but is generally attributed to Fabrique d'Armes de Grande Precision (q.v.). A
7·65mm gun of the same name, also in Eibar style, bears the Grande Precision name with an additional
'EC' monogram on the slide—suggesting Extezagarra y Cia as the likely manufacturer.
Jupiter: Maker: Fabrique d Armes de Grande Precision, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering. 6·35mm Auto. Length
overall: 4·53in/115mm. Weight, unladen: 13·9oz/395gm. Barrel: 2·28in/58mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

132
 K
KABA (GERMANY/SPAIN)
Used as a sales name on 4·25mm Menz-made Liliput pistols, this signified Karl Bauer of Berlin.
The Kaba Spezial, also marketed by Bauer, was a 6·35mm blowback automatic with the slide cut away to expose the barrel in Mauser fashion.
Made by August Menz, its slide is marked KABA KAL 6,35 SPEZIAL, as are the grips.
A 6·35mm Eibar-type Kaba Spezial automatic was made for Bauer, initially by Arizmendi y Goenaga and later by Francisco Arizmendi. Bauer
apparently began taking delivery of these pistols shortly after the end of the First World War, but replaced them with Menz products after about
1928. The slide is marked PISTOLET AUTOMATIQUE KABA SPEZIAL and the grips have an encircled KABA SPEZIAL, a marking later used
on Menz products.
Ka-Ba Spezial: Maker; August Menz. Suhl. for Karl Bauer of Berlin. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto.
Length overall: 4·57in/116mm. Weight, unladen: 13·6oz/385gm. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

KAPITAIN (SPAIN)
This was a 7·65mm Eibar-type automatic made by Alkartasuna of Eibar in the 1920s. Its slide is marked PlSTOLET AUTOMATIQUE KAPITAIN
CALIBER 7.65M/M (32) ALKAR PATENT.

KESSLER (GERMANY)
Friedrich W. Kessler of Suhl sold a little-known 7·65mm automatic pistol of his own
design, manufacture being sub-contracted to Friedrich Pickert (q.v.); the latter's Arminius
trademark appears on the grips. The shape is reminiscent of the 1900-pattern Browning,
with a-hump at the rear of the frame which appears to carry an inverted hammer; however,
a bolt moving within a fixed receiver is cocked by front-mounted finger grips.
Nothing other than photographic evidence has been found, no guns being traced for
examination. Suhl directories list F.W. Kessler as a gunmaker prior to 1890, though the
business had passed to 'F. & B. Kessler' by 1914; it is suspected that the pistol dates from
about 1905, and that production was minuscule. Kessler: 7·65mm;
note the Pickert
Kessler: Maker: F. W. Kessler, Suhl. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Calibre
'Arminius'
7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·50in/165mm. Weight, unladen: 22·8oz/645gm.
trademark.
Barrel: 3·74in/95mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

KIMBALL (USA)
The short lived Kimball Arms Company of Wayne, Michigan, made a
delayed blowback pistol designed around the ·30 M1 Carbine cartridge by
John W. Kimball. Delay was achieved by allowing the barrel to recoil a
short distance with the breech block, after which the barrel was held and the
block continued alone. The inner surface of the chamber was grooved to slow
extraction and hold the breech closed until the pressure fell. Externally, the pistol
resembled the ·22 Colt Woodsman, with an exposed tubular barrel ahead of a short slide.
It has been said that Kimball's purpose was to produce a military weapon and create a pistol capable
of firing a rifle cartridge so that hunters need carry only one type of ammunition. It was doomed on
either score; the military authorities of the 1950s would not even look at a blowback breech, and
serious hunters did not carry low-power ammunition designed to be fired in an eighteen-inch Kimball: 30-
barrel; as the Kimball had a five-inch barrel (the Aircrew Model variant measured only 3·5in), calibre Aircrew.
combustion was incomplete and the ejection of unburned powder from the muzzle created
irregular ballistics.
The ·30 M1 Carbine cartridge soon proved to be too powerful for the Kimball, leading to broken frame lugs and the
potentially lethal chance of slides being blasted back off the frame; and, although Kimball planned to produce the gun in ·22
Hornet, ·357 Magnum and ·38 Special, production ceased in 1958 after a life of less than three years. A few pistols handled the ·22 Hornet cartridge,
but by far the majority chambered the ·30 Carbine pattern. However, as no more than 238 Kimballs were made, the design never made an impact in
the market-place.
Aircrew Model: Maker: Kimball Arms Co., Wayne, Michigan. Type: automatic pistol (delayed blowback). Chambering: ·30 M1 Carbine.
Length overall: 8·00in/203mm. Weight, unladen: 28·9oz/820gm. Barrel: 3·50in/89mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

KIND (GERMANY)
Albrecht Kind, founded in Nuremberg in 1853, is better known by its principal tradename—'Akah'. By 1930, the company had important
warehouses in Nuremberg, Berlin and elsewhere. Operations were re-established after the end of the Second World War in Hunstig bei
Dieringhausen. Kind has always been primarily an importer and distributor; the name will be found on Kolb 'Baby Hammerless' and Belgian
'Constabulary', 'Lincoln' and 'Kobold' revolvers prior to 1939.

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KIRRIKALE (TURKEY)
Kirrikale Tufek Fb, formed in the late 1940s, made the 'Kirrikale' pistol, a copy of the
Walther PP in 7·65mm and 9mm Short. There are few external differences,
particularly where the Turkish-issue guns are concerned. However, these are marked
'Kirrikale Tufek Fb Cap...mm' on the left side of the slide; they are usually dated on
the right side of the slide beneath the ejection port (e.g., '1949' on gun no. 14007). The tops
of the original wooden grips were marked with a star-and-crescent (right) and 'FjM' (left). The last
guns were made by Makina ve Kimya Endustrisi—no more than the Kirrikale company, renamed
c.1952—and bear the encircled MKE trademark on the slide and grips. Guns were sold in the USA as the
'MKE Model TPK', by the Firearms Center Inc. of Victoria, Texas, and later (simply as the 'MKE') by
Mandall Shooting Supplies. Most of these are also marked MADE IN TURKEY on the slide. It is believed Kirrikale:
that production ceased in 1953, but that guns were subsequently assembled from existing parts or
refurbished for commercial sale into the 1960s.
Kirrikale: Maker: Kirrikale Tufek Fb (later MKE). Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto.
Length overall: 6·61in/168mm. Weight, unladen: 24·7oz/700gm. Barrel: 3·74in/95mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-
round detachable box.

KLESESEWSKI (SPAIN?)
Allegedly applied by A. Klesesewski of Berlin, this name graces a 6·35mm Eibar-pattern automatic pistol, which is also marked AMERICAN
AUTOMATIC PISTOL CAL 6.35 and has motif of a bird resembling a vulture on the butt. The same butt motif appears on an identical pistol
marked CAL 6,35 MODEL AUTOMATIC PISTOL ORIGINAL MODEL VICTORIA ARMS CO. This bears no resemblance to any of the Victoria
designs produced by Esperanza y Unceta and must be ascribed to an unknown Eibar maker of the 1920s.
Klesesewski: Maker: unknown. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·33in/110mm. Weight,
unladen: 11·5oz/325gm. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

KNIL (THE NETHERLANDS)

An acronym meaning 'Royal Netherlands Indies Army', this designation may be applied to two handguns—a 9·4mm Model 1891 revolver and the
M1911 Parabellum pistol. Strictly, the revolver should be known as the 'NIL' model; the 'royal' prefix was not granted until the early 1900s. The
M1891 was a 9·4mm six shot solid frame weapon with a loading gate and rod ejection. Its double-action lock was based on a Galand design. The
revolver offered considerably better quality than the Beaumont (q.v.) patterns issued to home troops.

KOBENHAVN AND KRONBORG FACTORIES (DENMARK)

The oldest Danish government arsenal, founded in the 1660s
(though owned privately for much of its life) Kronborg
Gevaerfabrik occasionally turned its attention from rifles to the
manufacture or modification of handguns. For the most part the
Danes relied upon purchasing their military revolvers from
outside sources, usually Belgium, until up-to-date guns were
made in the Copenhagen factory (Kobenhavns Tojhus) from
1880 onward. The earliest Danish revolver was the M1861 navy
pattern, a distinctive ring-trigger 11mm Lefaucheux-type pinfire
made in Copenhagen by Georg Christensen. Kobenhavn:
M1871/81: The M1871 navy revolver was a conventional M1880.
11mm Lefaucheux-pattern pinfire, made by Francotte of
Liege. Surviving guns were converted to 11·4mm centre-fire
in the 1880s, the work being undertaken in Copenhagen.
M1865/97: The original M1865 pinfire revolver was made by
the Kronborg factory to the designs of gunmaker Georg
Christensen of Copenhagen. This gun, which had a folding
trigger and a distinctive safety catch between the hammer
and the standing frame, was issued to cavalry and artillerymen. Surviving guns were converted to fire an 1l·4mm centre-fire cartridge in the late
1890s.
M1865/97: Maker: Kronborg gun factory. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering. 11·4mm centre-fire. Length overall: 10·63in/270mm.
Weight, unladen: 32·3oz/915gm. Barrel: 4·92in/125mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
M1880: Approved on 2 January 1880, this six-shot 9mm double-action revolver, with a Galand-type lock, was made by Kobenhavns Tojhus for
army officers. A hinged side-plate on the left side of the frame permits easy access to the lockwork. A hinged loading gate lay on the right side
of the frame behind the cylinder, and an ejector rod lay on the lower right side of the barrel.
M1880: Maker: army factory, Copenhagen. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre 9mm. Length overall: 9·09in/231mm. Weight, unladen:
27·5oz/780gm. Barrel: 4·41in/112mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
M1882: Issued to cavalry NCOs by an order of 26 July 1882, this six-chamber 9mm revolver was made in Copenhagen. A hammer safety will be
found on the left side of the frame above the grip, though construction otherwise parallels that of the M1880.
M1885: Approved for mounted gendarmerie in December 1885, this 9mm centre-fire solid frame revolver—not unlike the Webley British
Bulldog— was purchased from Francotte of Liege. Issue was extended to dismounted gendarmerie in 1894 and to fortress artillerymen in 1897.
A distinctive sliding safety catch appeared on the left side of the hammer.
M1891: This 9·lmm-calibre six-shot revolver was made for the Danish navy by J.B. Ronge fils of Liege, whose 'JFB' monogram will be found on
the right side of the frame. It is a hinged-frame auto-ejecting gun, with a distinctive locking latch protruding back above the nose of the hammer.
Navy M1891: Maker: J. B. Ronge fils, Liege. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Calibre 9mm. Length overall: 10·24in/260mm. Weight,
unladen: 31·7oz/900gm. Barrel: 5·43in/138mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

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KOBOLD (BELGIUM)
This sales name was applied to a series of revolvers made by Raick Freres of Liege. They were all
of the Constabulary type: short-barrelled solid frame guns with double-action locks, ejector rods,
and bird's head butts. Some had folding triggers, while others had fixed triggers with guards. Most
had a manual safety catch on the left of the frame which locked the hammer. They appeared in a
range of calibres, and were frequently distributed by gunmakers and retailers (e.g., J. B. Ronge of
Liege or Albrecht Kind in Germany).
Kobold [Constabulary type]: Maker: Raick Freres, Liege. Type: solid-frame revolver.
Calibre: ·320. Length overall: 4·92in/125mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel:
2·05in/52mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder. Kobold:

KOBRA (GERMAN)
An unusual 6·35mm blowback automatic of unknown parentage, this gun carries its fixed barrel in a block which appears to be the front of the slide.
However, the block is stationary; a half-length reciprocating slide behind the barrel block has wings running forward along and under the barrel
unit. The grip is in the usual place, though the trigger guard extends to the front of the frame. The Kobra has an external hammer, and a safety catch
lies on the left rear of the frame. The front of the slide is marked KOBRA CAL 6,35 DRP, the word 'Kobra' being framed by a snake. If the gun is
indeed German, then use of 'Cal' instead of 'Kal' suggests that it dates no later than the 1920s.
Kobra: Maker: unknown. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·57in/116mm. Weight,
unladen: 12·9oz/365gm. Barrel: 2·36in/60mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

KOHOUT (CZECHOSLOVAKIA)
Trading in Kdyne, Kohout AS began operations about 1927, producing the Mars until
1945. Apparently using Posumavska Zbrojovka, Kdyne, as a sales outlet, Kohout also
produced the Niva and PZK designs in 1938-9.
Mars: The earlier pattern was a 7·65mm blowback based on the Browning of 1910,
though lacking the original grip safety; it also used a striker instead of a hammer.
The second Kohout gun was a 6·35mm blowback based on the 1906-type
Browning, once again without a grip safety. The slide inscriptions were similar on
both models: MARS ...MM KOHOUT & SPOL. KDYNE and the grips embodied
MARS.
Mars: Maker: Kohout AS, Kdyne. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Kohout: 7·65mm
Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·50in/165mm. Weight, Mars.
unladen: 22·9oz/650gm. Barrel: 3·78in/96mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round
detachable box.
Niva, PZK: These were simply 6·35mm Mars with different names, and were marked
accordingly.

KOLB (USA)
Henry M. Kolb of Philadelphia, in association with Charles Foehl (late of Foehl & Weeks) set up business in Philadelphia in 1892 to make
revolvers; the company specialised in ·22 pocket patterns until 1912, when Foehl died and was replaced by R. F. Sedgley. The firm became R. F.
Sedgley & Co. in 1930.
Baby Hammerless: The five-shot ·22 Kolb revolvers, collectively known under this trade name, had solid frames with concealed hammers and
folding triggers. Small changes in detail were made from time to time, largely concerned with methods of retaining and removing the cylinder.
The 1910 model has three bands of knurling on the cylinder-arbor pin and a horizontal spring latch on the right side of the frame to allow the pin
to be withdrawn. The 1918 pattern, introduced after Sedgley's arrival, substitutes 'S' moulded into the grips for the earlier 'K'. The arbor pin of
the 1921 model is noticeably thinner, while that of the 1924 design was knurled.
Baby Hammerless M1910: Maker: Henry M. Kolb. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·22. Length overall:
4·72in/120mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 1·69in/43mm, rifled. Magazine: five-round detachable box.
New Baby Hammerless: Kolb patented a hinged-frame model in 1911. Sold in ·22 Short, this five-shot ribbed-barrel gun had a twin-button frame
latch. An improved latch was patented in 1911 and immediately incorporated in the pistol; it was heavier and passed behind the standing breech.
Guns using this latch are labelled 'Model 1911'. Production of the various models continued until Sedgley died in 1938, whereupon the company
was liquidated.

KOLIBRI (AUSTRIA/SPAIN)
1: Georg Grabner of Rehberg bei Krems/Donau gave us the smallest-calibre automatic pistol and the tiniest centre-fire cartridge ever made—
though he did not originate the pistol he placed on the market in 1914. Made until the 1920s, it was based on Franz Pfannl's Erika (q.v.). The
Erika was small enough, but Grabner decided to sell an even smaller gun as a woman's self-defence weapon. What effect the Kolibri's three-
grain bullet might have had on an aggressor is questionable; its velocity was perhaps 500 ft/sec—Wilson was unable to get it to register on a
chronograph—so that the muzzle energy was about 2 ft-lb...less effective than a catapult.
The Kolibri came in 27mm and 3mm calibres, with little or no difference in size since the bore-diameter change was microscopic. The 3mm
Kolibri, which has a shorter barrel, is rarer than the 2.7mm model. The barrel was smooth-bored, the design of the pistol being reminiscent of
the Clement with a fixed barrel and a reciprocating breech block. A five-shot magazine went into the butt and there was a safety catch on the
left side.
Kolibri: Maker: Georg Grabner, Rehberg. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Calibre: 3mm. Length overall: 2·56in/65mm. Weight,
unladen: 7·8oz/220gm. Barrel: 1·18in/30mm, rifled. Magazine: five-round detachable box.
2: A 6·35mm Eibar-pattern Kolibri pistol is said to have been manufactured in the early 1920s by Hijos de Francisco Arizaga of Eibar. None has
been seen.

135
KOMMER (GERMANY)
Theodor Kommer Waffenfabrik of Zella Mehlis began to make a good-quality blowback pocket automatic in 1920, though it was little more than a
copy of the 1906-model Browning. An original touch could be seen in the enlargement of the muzzle to provide a knurled grip for dismantling,
avoiding the usual struggle with a tight and oily barrel. Markings vary; the maker's name and address is always on the top of the slide, while the side
carried KOMMER SELBSTLADE PISTOLE 6.35 on the Models 1 and 2, or KOMMER PISTOLE 6,35 on the Model 3. Production of all Kommer
pistols ended in 1940.
Model 1: Chambered for the 6·35mm Auto cartridge, this had an eight-round magazine and a slightly
rounded butt.
Kommer Model 1: Maker: Th. Kommer, Zella-Mehlis. Type: automatic pistol (blowback).
Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·25in/108mm. Weight, unladen: 13·1oz/370gm.
Barrel: 2·00in/51mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Model 2: Introduced in the mid 1920s, this was similar to its predecessor except for a straight-sided grip
and a seven-shot magazine.
Model 3: Dating from 1927, this had an extended butt for an eight-round magazine. Kommer:
Model 4: The last of the Kommers, this appeared in 1936. Based on the 1910-type Browning 1910, 6·35mm
though striker-fired and lacking the grip safety, it was a good-quality 7·65mm pistol with a seven- Model 3.
round magazine. The slide was marked WAFFENFABRIK KOMMER ZELLA MEHLIS KAL 7,65.
A cocking-indicator pin was added in the slide above serial number 12,000.
Kommer Model 4: Maker: Th. Kommer, Zella-Mehlis. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
5·51in/140mm. Weight, unladen: 20·1oz/570gm. Barrel: 3·00in/76mm.rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

KONGSBERG (NORWAY)
T he Norwegian army adopted the ·45 M1911 Colt pistol as the M/1912,
purchasing three hundred guns from Colt's Hartford factory. Whether
these were specially marked or supplied from regular commercial
production is still the subject of debate. As a production licence had
also been acquired, the Norwegian authorities decided to make guns at
Kongsberg. While tooling was being readied for series production, five
hundred pistols were painstakingly hand-assembled in 1917-19. These were designated
'M/1914', approval for the pattern being given in April 1915. Minor changes were made in the original
Colt design, the most important (for recognition purposes) being the enlargement of the slide-stop lever
to make it easier to operate with the thumb. By 1940, 22,440 guns had been made. The slides were
marked COLT AUT. PISTOL M/1912 or, alternatively, 11.25m/m AUT. PISTOL. An additional 10,000 Kongsberg:
were made during the German occupation, being issued in the Wehrmacht as Pistolen 657 (n). Several 11·25mm
hundred guns were then made for the Norwegian forces after 1946. (·45 ACP)
Early in 1987, to explore the possibilities of returning to pistol-making, Kongsberg made a special test lot M/1914.
of M/1914 guns, marked as earlier models had been and numbered from 32855 to 32874. Having thus
proved capable of producing the Colt-Browning should it be required, the Norwegians sent all twenty guns to the USA,
bearing the name of the importer- BENET ARMS AFTON VA.—on the right side of the slide. Offered to collectors for
$1,500 each, all were sold.
M/1914: Maker: Kongsberg arms factory. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Calibre: 11·25mm (·45). Length overall:
8·50in/216mm. Weight, unladen: 38·8oz/1,100gm. Barrel: 4·88in/124mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

KORTH (GERMANY)
Famed for its high standards, Korth Vertriebs-GmbH of
Ratzeburg/Holstein is now part of the Dynamit Nobel group. The first
revolvers appeared in the 1970s and rapidly made a reputation for the
highest quality—at an appropriate price. The basic design is a
conventional solid-frame double-action gun with a swinging cylinder, a
full-length ejector shroud (new-pattern guns only), a ventilated rib, an
adjustable-strike firing pin, and adjustable trigger pull. A unique feature is the
positioning of the cylinder release catch alongside the hammer. Ejection is accomplished
automatically as the cylinder is swung out.
Sportrevolver: This is a six-shot ·357 Magnum with a six-inch barrel.
Randfeuer-Sportrevolver: A ·22 LR rimfire version of the standard Sportrevolver.
Magnum Randfeuer-Sportrevolver: Available with interchangeable cylinders for ·22 LR and ·22
Magnum rimfire, this is a minor version of the preceding guns. Korth: ·357
Combat: Chambered for ·357 Magnum ammunition, this is offered with a three-inch barrel. Korth
Combat Magnum: Maker: Korth GmbH, Ratzeburg. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·357 Combat.
Magnum. Length overall: 9·06in/230mm. Weight, unladen: 34·6oz/980gm. Barrel: 3·93in/100mm,
rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Korth-Pistole: Announced in 1985, though no deliveries seem to have been made until 1987, this interesting double-action automatic pistol
presents a considerable departure from its many Browning-inspired rivals. The barrel recoils longitudinally to release a pivoting block that locks
the slide and barrel together. The return spring lies beneath the barrel and double-action lockwork is used. The Korth—offered in 7·65 and 9mm
Parabellum, or ·45 ACP—handles well, but is expensive: in 1988, it was being offered in the USA for $3,000!
KSP: Maker: Korth GmbH, Ratzeburg. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall:
8·11in/206mm. Weight, unladen: 43·7oz/1,240gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round detachable box.

136
KORRIPHILA (GERMANY)
Korriphila Prazisionsmechanik GmbH of Heidelberg and later Ulm/Donau was
formed in the 1960s to promote the small high-quality 6·35mm TP-70 blowback
automatic. It used a double-action lock, but was otherwise a quite commonplace
design with a slide-mounted safety catch. The TP-70 was sold in the USA in the
1970s as the 'Budischowsky', named for its Czech-born designer.
Korriphila announced the delayed blowback HSP-701 in the early 1980s. This was to be
made in various chamberings from 9 x 18mm Police to ·45 ACP. The action relied on a
transverse roller to drop into a recess in the frame, preventing the breech block moving
backward until an operating finger on the slide forced the roller out of its seat.
Several versions were planned, including Type I Defense, with a double-action-only trigger and a four-
inch barrel; Type II Competition, a long-barrelled single-action version; and Type III Compact with a five- Korriphila:
inch barrel and a dual-action (single and double) trigger. Guns were made in 7·65mm Parabellum, 9mm HSP-701.
Parabellum, 9mm Police and ·45 ACP. However, little seems to have been heard of this weapon (which
was to be marketed by Franconia Jagdwaffen of Wurzburg) since the initial announcements and its current production status
is unknown.
HSP-701: Maker: Korriphila Prazisionsmechanik GmbH, Heidelberg and Ulm/Donau. Type: automatic pistol
(recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall: 7·17in/182mm. Weight, unladen: 34·9oz/990gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm,
rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.

KRIEGHOFF (GERMANY)
Heinrich Krieghoff Waffenfabrik of Suhl, a renowned maker of sporting guns, became keen to obtain a Luftwaffe machine-gun contract in the mid
1930s. As a form of bait, Krieghoff acquired tools and machinery from the nationalised Simson & Co. (q.v.) and, by quoting a very low price,
obtained a Luftwaffe order for ten thousand 1908-pattern Parabellum pistols.
Parts for 15,000 were made to guard against wastage, and about 1,300 pistols which failed the rigorous Luftwaffe inspection were marketed
commercially. By 1938, with the pistol order complete, the first of the anticipated lucrative contracts for machine-guns arrived. Work on these and
automatic rifles occupied the Krieghoff factories for the duration of the Second World War.
The pistols had "Heinrich Krieghoff" over 'Waffenfabrik' and 'Suhl' on the side of the frame and bore the company trademark—'HK' separated by an
anchor—above KRIEGHOFF and SUHL on the front toggle-link. The first batch had 'G' (the date-mark for 1935) above the chamber, followed by a
few marked 'S' for 1936, but subsequent examples displayed '36' and then '1936'. About a thousand pistols was assembled for the Luftwaffe in 1941-
3, plus a second batch of rejects for commercial sale. About 150 guns were put together in 1944 and, finally, in the brief twilight between the
American occupation of Suhl and its takeover by the Soviets, about 250 were made from odd parts. Most of these were acquired by American troops
as souvenirs.

KRNKA (AUSTRIA-HUNGARY)
Karel Krnka of Vienna (whose name in patent
applications was often confusingly rendered as
Charles or Carl) was a gifted and prolific designer.
The son of Sylvester Krnka, a gunsmith of high
repute in Bohemia and a notable inventor of military
rifles, he was born in 1858. After serving in the Austro-
Hungarian infantry, developing several Schnell-ladegewehre ('quick-loading
rifles'), he became the chief engineer of the short-lived Gatling Arms & Ammunition Company of
Birmingham, producing the Dimancea (q.v.) revolver. In 1890, when the Gatling company
collapsed, Krnka returned to Prague to work as a patent agent. In 1898 he became manager of the
Roth cartridge factory and, with Roth, patented a number of automatic pistol designs. After Roth
died in 1909, Krnka moved to the Hirtenberg cartridge company and remained there until moving to
Czechoslovakia in 1922. There he eventually became associated with Ceskoslovenska Zbrojovka,
working on automatic rifles until his death in 1926. Krnka [Roth]: This
Krnka's early pistol designs are more notable for mechanical ingenuity than practicality; surviving typical recoil-
specimens are rare, as few were made. It was not until associating with Roth (and possibly also operated pistol was
Frommer) that his designs became more practical, though, even then, Krnka's predilection for long tested by the Swiss
recoil operation gave some degree of curiosity. All the successful pistols he designed appeared army in 1898.
under other names—Roth-Sauer, Roth-Steyr, Steyr—and his part in their development has long been overlooked.
The earliest Krnka patent, granted in 1888, protected an archetypal mechanical repeating pistol with a bolt action driven by a
ring trigger. No guns were made until the inventor returned to Prague, so the design is usually called 'Model 1892'; this line of
development was not pursued.
By the mid 1890s, Krnka had become interested in automatic pistols, patenting in 1895 a design which had two features which became
characteristic of his later work: an integral magazine in the butt, which had to be charger-loaded through the open action, and long recoil operation.
The barrel and bolt recoiled together across the top of the magazine; the bolt was then opened by rotation and held while the barrel ran forward
alone. The bolt was released as the barrel came to rest, running forward to chamber a fresh round and then rotated into its locked position. An
external hammer provided the firing impulse.
Pistols of this type exist in several collections, but they give no clue as to manufacturer. They failed to arouse much interest and Krnka allied
himself with Georg Roth (see Roth, Sauer and Steyr).
Krnka-Roth: Details from a gun tested in Switzerland in 1898. Maker: unknown. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Calibre: 8mm.
Length overall: 10·43in/265mm. Weight, unladen: 34·6oz/980gm. Barrel: 6·69in/170mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round (?) charger-loaded
integral box

137
KYNOCH (BRITAIN)'
The Kynoch Gun Factory of Birmingham is often confused with the Kynoch ammunition firm; however, George Kynoch left his ammunition
business in 1888, having already formed the Kynoch Gun Factory by taking over premises which had been used by William Tranter (q.v.) until his
retirement in 1885. The factory first made rifles, but then turned to a revolver developed by Henry Schlund, a Birmingham engineer associated with
Kynoch in other business ventures. This gun had an unusual action; pulling the lower of two triggers cocked a concealed hammer, then pressure on
the upper trigger fired the pistol. The Kynoch was a hinged-frame six-shot hammerless pattern, its hammer being concealed in a rise at the rear of
the frame. A knurled latch looks like a hammer spur, but pulling it back drops the barrel, whereupon the usual star ejector is automatically forced
from the centre of the cylinder.
Guns made to the original 1885 patent have the cocking trigger below the trigger guard; later models, protected by a patent granted in 1886, have
both triggers inside the guard. It is unlikely that more than six hundred guns were made in ·38, ·45, ·476 and possibly other calibres, the 1886-patent
type predominating. Kynoch then got into financial trouble, went to South Africa to set up a gun importing business, and died in Bloemfontein in
1890; the Kynoch Gun Factory ceased to trade almost immediately.
Kynoch: Maker: Kynoch Gun Factory, Aston Cross, Birmingham. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Calibre: ·450. Length overall:
11·50in/292mm Weight. unladen: 48·5oz/1,375gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

L
L.A.'s DEPUTY (GERMANY)
This ·22 Western-style revolver was made by Herbert Schmidt (q.v.) of Ostheim, principally for sale in North America in the 1960s.

LA BASQUE (SPAIN)
A conventional, if anonymous, 6·35mm or 7·65mm blowback automatic of the usual 1906 Browning pattern, this was made in Eibar in the mid
1920s.
La Basque: Maker: Tomas de Urizar, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
5·91in/150mm. Weight, unladen: 21·5oz/610gm. Barrel: 3·23in/82mm. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.

LA FURY (GERMANY)
Based on the Baby Browning, this 6·35mm blowback automatic was made in the early 1970s by Sportwaffenfabrik Karl Arndt of Lauf/Pegnitz.

LAHTI (FINLAND, SWEDEN)

This was the invention of the Finn Aimo Lahti, being made by the state-owned rifle factory (Valtions Kivaaritehdas, VKT) from 1935 onward.
Development had begun in 1929, the prototype chambering the 7·65mm Parabellum cartridge used by the Finnish m/23 (Parabellum) service pistol.
It was originally intended to produce the Lahti in 7·65mm and 9mm Parabellum but, apart from pre-production examples, the 7·65mm notion was
abandoned.
Although the shape invites comparison with the Parabellum, there is no other similarity; the mechanism is more akin to the Bergmann Mars. The
bolt reciprocates in a barrel extension and is locked by a vertically-moving yoke. The most unusual feature is the bolt accelerator—a curved arm
which, impelled backwards by the recoil of the barrel, gains in leverage as it turns about its lower axis so that the upper end strikes the bolt at a
higher velocity than the moving barrel. This gives the bolt a positive thrust just as it is unlocked, instead of merely relying upon its momentum.
Wilson, in 'Textbook of Automatic Pistols', suggested that the accelerator was added to guard against momentum diminishing by the time the bolt
unlocked during the long recoil stroke. Others believe that it was added to ensure positive operation in the sub-zero temperatures to be expected in
Finland. There are probably elements of truth in both theories.
VKT issued one batch of L-35 pistols without the accelerator, possibly unconvinced of its value, but the guns were soon recalled for revision.
Finnish L-35: After several years of testing, modification
and re-testing, the Finnish army adopted the Lahti as the
'Pistoolit L-35'. Production was so slow that general
issue did not take place until 1939. The first few guns
had Beechwood grips and front sights forged integrally
with the barrel. The grips were subsequently changed to plastic, and
a separate laterally adjustable front-sight blade was dovetailed into the muzzle. All had
stock lugs on the butt to take a Mauser-type wooden holster-stock, though only two hundred
of these were made. L-35 pistols numbered below 9000 had a loaded-chamber indicator on
top of the barrel extension.
About 500 had been made when the 1939/40 Winter War halted work. Modifications were made in
production methods once peace had returned, necessitating some changes in the pistol. The yoke Lahti:
retaining spring and accelerator were removed and the machining of the barrel extension was Finnish 9mm
simplified. Production recommenced in 1941 and about 4500 more guns had been made prior to L-35.
the 'Continuation War' of 1944. Work recommenced in 1946 and continued until 1954, by which
time about nine thousand pistols had been made.
VKT made a last batch of about 1,250 pistols for the Finnish army in 1958, to replace guns that had been lost
through wear and damage. The 1958-pattern guns have the barrel and trigger-guard design of the original L-35, but the
barrel extension of the Swedish m/40 (see below). It is supposed that VKT had disposed of the original machinery and
either bought replacement tools machinery from Sweden or contracted the manufacture of the barrel extension to Husqvarna. Unfortunately
neither VKT nor Husqvarna remains in the firearms business and confirmation is lacking.
The L-35 is an extremely reliable and high quality weapon; production was slow, relying upon hand-fitting, and the highest quality steels were
used. If the Lahti has a defect, it is difficult dismantling—almost impossible without proper tools. However, its impeccable reliability in some of
the worst climatic conditions in the world is a small price to pay.
Markings on the L-35 are few; the butt grips and top of the barrel are marked with a 'VKT' monogram set in a diamond, and the serial number is
engraved on the left of the frame and the barrel extension. Numbers without prefix are Finnish Army weapons, but about a thousand pistols
which failed to meet Army inspection standards were sold commercially with in a separate VO-prefix series.

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 Lahti L/35: Data from a second-series gun: the first few hundred were slightly. larger Maker: Valtions Kivaaritehdas, Jyvaskyla. Type:
automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall: 9·25in/235mm. Weight, unladen: 43·2oz/1,225gm.
Barrel: 4·65in/118mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Swedish M/40: In 1939, Sweden had adopted the Walther
P.38 to replace the ageing Browning M/07, but the
outbreak of the Second World war stopped supplies after
only about 1,500 guns had been delivered. The Lahti was
chosen as a substitute, but demands were too great for
VKT's limited facilities and so production was licensed
to the Svenska Automatvapen AB, which went into
liquidation before work began. The contract was passed
over to the Husqvarna Vapenfabrik AB, makers of
sporting arms and the Swedish Browning M/07 pistols
The first Husqvarna Lahti reached the Swedish army in
1942, but was issued as the M/40 model.
Lahti:
Compared with the L-35, the M/40 has a slightly longer Swedish
barrel (distinctively hexagonal at the breech reinforce) 9mm M/40.
and the trigger guard—at least after the earliest guns—is
much heavier. The M/40 has neither a loaded-chamber
indicator nor a lock-retaining spring. The higher front
sight has a vertical rear edge, and the grips carry the
Husqvarna crowned letter 'H' motif. The first five thousand pistols had a reinforcing fillet of metal on the receiver, above the guide rails, but this
was subsequently abandoned.
Husqvarna made 83,950 M/40 pistols before production stopped in 1946; all but 950 were delivered to the armed forces. However, despite its
background, the M/40 was never as serviceable as the L-35; the modified design, which included changes in the specification to suit steels
readily available in Sweden, was not tested thoroughly enough before full production began. The M/40 is said to have given trouble in service,
never showing the reliability of the L-35. Troubles were increased by the adoption of a high-powered 9mm Parabellum cartridge, originally
intended as a submachine-gun round, which caused such a plague of cracked pistol frames by the mid 1980s that the obsolescent M/07 was
reinstated as the service weapon!
Lahti M/40: Maker: Husqvarna Vapenfabrik, Husqvarna. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length
overall: 9·53in/242mm. Weight, unladen: 44·6oz/1,265gm. Barrel: 4·72in/120mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

LA INDUSTRIAL (SPAIN)
1: A six-shot solid-frame ·32 revolver resembling the S&W Military & Police model, with a four-inch barrel, this is marked LA INDUSTRIAL
ORBEA EIBAR and made in 1915-35. Nothing is known of this company, nor of its relationship (if any) with Orbea Hermanos. A similar
revolver chambering 8mm Lebel ammunition has also been reported.
2: A 7·65mm Eibar-type blowback automatic, marked in the same manner as the revolver described above, has also been reported.
La Industrial: Maker: Orbea Hermanos, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65 Auto. Length overall:
6·10in/155mm. Weight, unladen: 22·0oz/625gm. Barrel: 3·39in/86mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.

LAMPO (ITALY)
Patented in 1890 by Catello Tribuzio of Turin, this was one of the many mechanical repeaters
developed late in the nineteenth century. Unlike many, however, the peculiarly-shaped Lampo was
moderately successful. Deeply indented at the back, but straight at the front, its grip contained a
removable box magazine; the barrel and barrel extension lay above the grip. A ring trigger protruded
from the toe of the grip. Pushing the trigger forward opened the bolt by a direct linkage; pulling it back
closed the bolt, loading an 8mm Gaulois cartridge from the magazine, and then fired the round.
Lampo: Maker: Catello Tribuzio, Turin. Type: repeating pistol Calibre 8mm. Length
overall: 4·84in/123mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine:
five-round box Lampo:

LANCASTER (BRITAIN)
Charles Lancaster of London was a renowned English
gunsmith, business being perpetuated by his sons after
Lancaster's death in 1847. In 1879, after the last son had
died, the company was bought by Henry Thorn—once
apprenticed to Lancaster—and trading continued under the
original name.
The Lancaster pistol, which enjoyed considerable success in the 1880s, was a four-barrelled repeater. The
barrels were bored out of a solid block, two above two, and hinged to the frame to drop down for loading.
A standing breech carried four firing pins, behind which lay a tubular striker with a lug on its face and zig-
zag grooves on its periphery. Pulling the trigger pushed the striker back against a spring; a pin rode in the grooves
to turn the striker through 90° so that the lug was aligned with one of the firing pins. Further trigger pressure Lancaster:
released the striker to fly forward and hit the pin. After the trigger had been released, subsequent pressure rotated
the striker to align with the next firing pin, and the process continued until all four rounds had been fired.
Most of these pistols were in military calibres—e.g., ·450 or ·476—and sold to officers who distrusted the revolver. A few Lancaster pistols
chambered ·380 Long Revolver cartridges, being rifled on Lancaster's oval bore system to fire ball or shot.
Lancaster: Maker: Charles Lancaster. London (see text). Type: repeating pistol. Calibre: ·455. Length overall: 9·75in/248mm. Weight,
unladen: unknown. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: four barrels in a single block

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LANDSTADT (NORWAY)
Halvar F. Landstadt of Christiania (now Oslo) patented a complicated automatic revolver in 1899. It was, in [effect, a revolver with a flattened two-
chamber 'cylinder' or chamber-block; the upper chamber aligned with the barrel in normal fashion, but behind it lay a reciprocating blowback-
operated bolt carrying the striker and extractor. The detachable magazine was contained in the butt, the topmost cartridge being positioned behind
the lower chamber. After inserting a loaded magazine into the butt, the firer pulled a rod beneath the barrel to retract the bolt. When the rod was
released, the bolt ran forward to strip the top cartridge out of the magazine and into the lower chamber. The striker was cocked as the bolt moved
forward. Pulling the trigger caused a pawl to rotate the chamber-block through 180° to position the cartridge behind the barrel; as soon as this was
done, and the chamber-block had been locked in place, the striker fired the cartridge. Blowback action then drove back the bolt, extracting and
ejecting the spent case, and returned to load a new round into the lower chamber and cock the striker ready for the next shot.
Landstadt's objective was a pistol which could be carried safely even when a round was chambered, as the cartridge only arrived in front of the
striker if the trigger had been pressed. He doubtless achieved his aim, but at the expense of considerable complication. The only surviving Landstadt
revolver, chambering 7·5mm Norwegian service cartridges, is marked SYSTEM LANDSTADT MODEL NO.1 1900. It seems doubtful if more than
a handful of prototypes was ever made.
Landstadt: Maker: unknown. Type: automatic revolver. Calibre: 7·5mm. Length overall: 9·25in/235mm. Weight, unladen:
36·0oz/1,020gm. Barrel: 4·53in/115mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-chamber cylinder.

LANGENHAN (GERMANY)
Friedrich Langenhan established his 'Gewehr- und Fahrradfabrik' in Zella St Blasii in 1842, making sporting guns and bicycles until the outbreak of
the First World War. Development of an automatic pistol began in 1914, a patent application was made in 1915, and an army order was swiftly
negotiated. About 55,000 pistols were made for military service; none was ever sold commercially.
F.L. Selbstlader: This was a conventional 7·65mm blowback, excepting that the
breech block was a separate unit. The barrel was screwed into the frame and the
slide carried a recoil spring in its upper portion, the spring bearing against a fixed
block above the breech. The breech block ran on slides on the frame, but most of
the right side of the frame was cut away to form an ejection port and the bearing
surface was correspondingly shortened. Block and slide were held together by a yoke, hinged to the
slide, which was locked into lugs on the block by a large screw on the block-end. This was the principal
patented claim to novelty; however, experience has shown that the yoke loosens as the gun wears and the
locking screw unwinds fractionally with each shot. If the firer is unwary, the yoke will jump out of
engagement and the block flies backward off the slide.
Langenhan:
After about 13,500 F.L. Selbstlader had been made, the ejection port on the right side of the frame was cut 7·65mm FL-
back to eliminate the right retaining rail for the breech block entirely; the block merely ran along the top Selbstlader.
of the frame. The block side was milled to fit flush with the frame and slide, and the exterior surface was
blued so that no ejection port was apparent. Contemporaneously, the trigger bar and disconnector—originally fitted inside
the right of the frame—were let into the left side, both being visible. Finally, hard black rubber grips were substituted for
wooden ones.
Markings reflect these changes; first models are said to have been marked D.R.P. ANGEM. F.L. SELBSTLADER 7,65 on the left of the slide,
but none has been seen; it is probable that the patent was never granted as the mark was rapidly changed to F.L. SELBSTLADER over
D.R.G.M. 625263 on the left of the slide. When the exposed ejection port was eliminated, the mark was moved to the rear right side of the slide;
some time after the new trigger bar appeared, a second DRGM number (633251) was added to the inscription.
FL-Selbstlader: Maker: Friedrich Langenhan, Zella St Blasii. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length
overall: 6·61in/168mm. Weight, unladen: 23·6oz/670gm. Barrel: 4·13in/105mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Model II: After the end of the First World War, Langenhan offered this 6·35mm blowback pistol
commercially. Though little more than a reduced-scale version of the 7·65mm FL, the unsatisfactory
yoke connection was replaced by a cross-bolt through the slide and breech block.
Langenhan Model II: Maker: Friedrich Langenhan, Zella-Mehlis. Type: automatic pistol
(blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 5·75in/146mm. Weight, unladen:
17·6oz/500gm. Barrel: 3·15in/80mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Model III: This appeared shortly after the Model II, offering the same basic construction but with a
screw holding slide and block together. It had a five-round magazine—the previous guns carried
eight—and was marked LANGENHAN 6,35 MODEL III. The Models II and III remained on sale Langenhan:
until the late 1930s, though production appears to have ended some time previously. 6·35mm
Langenhan Model III: Maker: Friedrich Langenhan, Zella-Mehlis. Type: automatic pistol Model III.
(blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·76in/121mm. Weight, unladen:
16·6oz/470gm. Barrel: 2·28in/58mm, rifled. Magazine: five-round detachable box.

LEADER (USA)
This was a sales name employed on revolvers sold by Charles Williams Stores of New York. These otherwise anonymous ·22 seven-shot or ·32
five-shot non-ejectors had bird's head grips of a style fashionable in 1875-90. The only marking is LEADER on the barrel.

LEE (USA)
The lee Arms Company of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, made cheap solid-frame, stud trigger, non-ejecting revolvers in 1877-80, marked either with
its own name or 'Red Jacket'.
Lee: Maker: Lee Arms Co., Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·22. Length overall: 5·71in/145mm.
Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 1·77in/45mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

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LEFAUCHEUX (FRANCE)
Casimir Lefaucheux, inventor of the pinfire cartridge, produced one of the
first pepperbox-type pinfire revolvers in 1851. His son Eugene
subsequently developed a conventional single-action pinfire revolver with
a solid frame and an ejector rod. Guns based on this design became
popular militarily in the 1860s, being adopted by several European
countries. A double-action lock was developed c.1863, rapidly becoming
associated with the Lefaucheux name. It lasted into the centre-fire era, to
be employed to great effect by Francotte (q.v.) of Liege in the
'Lefaucheux-Francotte'.
Lefaucheux-Francotte: Data refers to Swedish M/71 pattern. Lefaucheux:
Maker: A. Francotte & Co., Liege. Type: solid-frame revolver. 1870 Navy.
Calibre: 11mm. Length overall: 12·20in/310mm. Weight,
unladen: 41·3oz/1,170gm. Barrel: 5·91in/150mm, rifled.
Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

LE MARTINY (BELGIUM)
This conventional 6·35mm blowback automatic resembled the 1906-pattern Browning, but had an unusual external hammer mounted in the rear of
the frame. This acted between two wings forming the rear of the slide; however, it could not be thumb-cocked and was only visible when cocked.
The manufacturer has not been traced. As the only specimen available for examination carried Belgian proof marks, and was of reasonable quality,
it seems safe to assume that it was made in Liege. Alternatively, it may have been made in Spain for sale in Belgium.

LE MONOBLOC (BELGIUM)
Made by Jules Jacquemart of Liege, this automatic pistol appeared c.1912. According to reports,
Jacquemart died shortly afterward. His widow continued the business until the Germans invaded
Belgium in 1914, when production ceased and the company disappeared.
Le Monobloc was a 6·35mm blowback of original design. The frame, receiver and barrel were a single
unit (hence the name), the barrel section being fluted externally in the style of the contemporary Pieper
design. Inside the receiver lay a bolt, with grooved finger grips protruding through slots in the receiver
sides. The upper portion of the bolt was formed into a tube, through which the recoil spring and its
guide rod passed; the tip of the guide-rod screwed into the front of the barrel unit, so the return spring
compressed as the bolt recoiled. Le Monobloc:
The magazine held six rounds and the barrel measured a mere two inches. The receiver was marked LE 6·35mm.
MONOBLOC PISTOLET AUTOMATIQUE BREVETE and the grips carried a florid 'JJ' monogram.
Le Monobloc: Maker: J. Jacquemart. Liege. Type: automatic pistol (blowback).
Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·49in/114mm. Weight, unladen: 13·8oz/390gm. Barrel: 2·09in/53mm, rifled. Magazine: six-
round detachable box.

LEONHARDT (GERMANY)
A product of H.M. Gering & Company of Arnstadt, this pistol is identical with the Beholla (q.v.) and is said to have been made directly from the
latter's drawings. It seems most likely that the Leonhardt was a post-war version of the Beholla, as none has been seen with pre-1918 military
markings and army ordnance records mention only the Beholla and Menta. Since Gering never made any other pistols, he may simply have been an
enterprising wholesaler exploiting unfinished Beholla parts left over from the war.
Leonhardt: Maker: H.M. Gering, Arnstadt. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
5·51in/140mm. Weight, unladen: 22·9oz/650gm. Barrel: 2·95in/75mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

LE PAGE (BELGIUM)
Manufacture d'Armes Le Page SA of Liege began life in the 1780s as Le Page et Chauvot;
by 1860, the establishment was making a range of medium-price pinfire revolvers. After the
end of the First World War, re-established after the German occupation as a limited-liability
company (Societe Anonyme), Le Page began making automatic pistols. The first guns
appeared in 1925. In spite of sound design and good workmanship, the pistols did not prosper
and are rarely seen today.
The revolvers: The first Le Page designs were Lefaucheux-pattern pinfires, in all the usual pinfire
calibres. These were followed by a Montenegrin Infantry Model, more-or-less copied from the Gasser
(q.v.) pattern, but with a cylinder lock of Le Page's own design. The arrival of self-extracting revolvers Le Page:
forced the introduction of the Brazilian Model, with a tip-up hinged frame and lever extractor constructed 7·65mm.
broadly on Spirlet principles, but a reversion was then made to solid-frame gate-loaders in a variety of
styles. Most common was the usual short-barrel large calibre double-action Constabulary pattern, with a bird's head butt;
the Mexican Model, derived from the Constabulary design, had a ring trigger—unusual as late as the 1890s. More practical was the Military
Model in French 8mm Ordnance calibre, though never adopted officially.
The pistols: The Le Page-patent design is a fixed-barrel blowback with an open-top slide and an external hammer. The slide contains the recoil
spring, beneath the barrel, and the breech-block section is raised above the barrel line. The only interesting feature is the lockwork and hammer
assembly, in a detachable unit forming the backstrap of the butt; removing the safety catch allows the lockwork to be pivoted back and out of its
anchorage.
These pistols were chambered for 7·65mm, 9mm Short and 9mm Browning Long cartridges, the last-named having a larger finger-ridged butt
containing a twelve-round magazine. A clip-on wooden holster-stock could also be provided.
An unremarkable 6·35mm copy of the Browning of 1906, lacking the grip safety, was produced to satisfy the pocket pistol market. Like its
larger cousins, it encountered little success.

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 Le Page: Maker: Manufacture d'Armes Le Page SA, Liege. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length
overall: 5·75in/146mm. Weight, unladen: 23·5oz/665gm. Barrel: 3·15in/80mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

LERCKER (ITALY)
The Lercker pistol, made in Bologna, was a selective-fire 6·35mm Auto machine pistol designed in 1950. Offering conventional pistol shape, it was
cocked by pulling back the bolt until it was held by the sear; this gave the pistol an awkward rearward overhang. The bolt closed as the trigger was
pulled, loading and firing the round in one movement. A selector lever permitted single shots or about 1,200 rounds per minute. Though the Lercker
was a workable weapon, the small size of the cartridge prevented it from being taken seriously as a police or military weapon. It is understood that
no more than 150 were made.
Lercker: Maker: Lercker, Bologna. Type: automatic pistol (blowback, selective fire). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
7·24in/184mm. Weight, unladen: 32·8oz/930gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: twenty-round detachable box.

L.E.S. (USA)
The 9MM P-18, sold in the 1970s by L.E.S. Importers of Skokie, Illinois, was actually the Steyr Pi-18 (q.v.). The pistol was briefly made under
license in the USA—apparently under the brand name 'Rogak'—but quality control was poor and the project was soon dropped.

LESTON (SPAIN)
Sometimes marked 'Automatic Leston', this was simply a 6·35mm Victoria made by Unceta y Cia of Guernica for dealers in Belgium.
Leston: Maker: Unceta y Cia, Guernica. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·33in/110mm.
Weight, unladen: 11·5oz/325gm. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

LIBERATOR (USA)
Guide Lamp Division of General Motors, Detroit, was skilled at pressing metal into peculiar
shapes. In 1942, therefore, Guide Lamp received a US government contract to produce a new
'·45 Flare Projector' which had been designed to be assembled from stamped components. The
company stamped out a million in three months at a rate of one every 7·5sec: the only case on
record of a pistol being made faster than it could be reloaded.
The 'Flare Projector' was, in fact, a single-shot ·45 pistol designed for guerrillas, resistance
fighters and similar clandestine forces operating behind enemy lines. It was packed with ten ·45
ACP rounds and a set of comic-strip instructions, which even an illiterate could understand, in a
waterproof bag at a total cost of $2.10 'f.o.b. Detroit'. The smoothbore four-inch barrel had a
manually operated breech-block, while a sliding trap in the butt allowed five cartridges to be
Liberator: ·45
carried.
ACP single-
To load the gun, the striker was pulled back and rotated 90° and the breech block was lifted to shot.
admit a cartridge into the chamber. The block was closed and the striker rotated back to the
cocked position, locking the block in place. Pressure on the trigger released the striker. The
spent case could be ejected with a pencil or twig once the breech had been opened, allowing the
gun to be reloaded. The Flare Projectors were later christened Liberator pistols when the security around them became less stringent. No authentic
records of their use have survived, but a million guns were distributed so profligately that examples will be found for a long time to come.
Liberator: Maker: Guide Lamp Division of General Motors, Detroit, Michigan. Type: single-shot pistol. Chambering: ·45 ACP. Length
overall: 5·55in/141mm. Weight, unladen: 15·7oz/445gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: none.

LIBERTY (VARIOUS)
1: In addition to a series of Eibar-style automatic pistols manufactured by Retolaza Hermanos of Eibar (q.v.), this name will also be found on a
number of otherwise unidentified 7·65mm Eibar-pattern automatics. The slides of Retolaza pistols are marked 7·65 1914 AUTOMATIC
PISTOL "LIBERTY" PATENT, while the anonymous products are simply marked LIBERTY.
Liberty Model 14: Maker: Retolaza Hermanos, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
5·91in/150mm. Weight, unladen: 26·5oz/750gm. Barrel: 3·23in/82mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.
2: A series of ·22 and ·32 rimfire Liberty revolvers was made by the Hood Firearms Company (q.v.) and a second unknown maker in 1875-1900.
They follow the usual seven-shot ·22 or five-shot ·32 non-ejecting patterns, with a solid frame, a sheath trigger. Though all are simply marked
LIBERTY on the barrel, Hood-made guns can be identified by five false rifling grooves at the muzzle. Non-Hood guns are either smooth-
bored or fully five-groove rifled. Guns were reportedly being sold by Sears Roebuck as late as 1902, by which time Hood had disappeared.
3: The Liberty 11 was a solid frame non-ejecting ·22 double-action revolver made by Herbert Schmidt of Ostheim/Rhon, Germany, in the 1960s.
Some had a loading gate on the right side, though there was no ejector.
4: Liberty RG 12 was a sales name for the Rohm (q.v.) RG 12 revolver, apparently confined to North America. The cheap-quality Liberty 21 was
another solid-frame ·22 revolver, with a cylinder opening to the right. It is believed to have been made by Rohm in 1955-65 for sale in the
USA by the fictitious Liberty Arms Company.
5: Liberty Chief was a sales name adopted by Miroku of Japan for revolvers sold into the North American market in the 1970s.

LIEGEOISE (BELGIUM)
Manufacture Liegeoise d'Armes a Feu Robar et Cie of Liege (q.v.) made a single pistol-type under the 'Liegeoise' banner. It is identical with the
Robar New Model Melior, being an elegant and well-made 6·35mm blowback automatic. The slide bears the Liegeoise name and BREVETS—
259178—265491—LIEGE. BELGIUM.
The other Liegeoise pistols are plainly poorer-quality 6·35mm and 7·65mm Eibar patterns. They carry the same inscription, with the additional
SOC. AN. behind the name and LIEGE (BELGIQUE) PATENT 51530 beneath. The grips display the letters 'ML' and a crown in an oval. The five-
digit patent number suggests Spanish origins, but no appropriate document has been traced. However, whether the guns are outright forgeries made
in Spain in 1915-17, for sale in France at a time when nobody in Belgium was likely to object, is debatable; it may simply be that the guns were
made in Spain for sale in Belgium at a time when Robar was still trying to rebuild its business in the wake of the German occupation.

142
 Liegeoise: Maker: Manufacture Liegeoise d'Armes a Feu Robar & Cie, Liege. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm
Auto. Length overall: 4·53in/115mm. Weight, unladen: 12·7oz/360gm. Barrel: 2·36in/60mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

LIGNOSE (GERMANY)
Aktiengesellschaft Lignose bought the ailing Bergmann (q.v.) company in 1921 and its factory in Suhl.
The Bergmann-made Chylewski one-hand-cocking pistol was perpetuated as the 'Lignose Einhand' and
production of the Bergmann Taschenpistole continued under the Lignose name. Both were given
distinctive numbers, as had been the Bergmann practice; the Taschenpistolen became models 2 and 3,
while the Einhand types became 2A and 3A. The Model 1 would have been a 7·65mm Einhand which,
together with a 9mm Short version, never appeared.
Excepting the change in designations and markings, there was no significant difference between these
and the previous Bergmann products. A variant of the Lignose Einhand 2A was eventually made with an
extended nine round magazine on the standard six-round frame. Lignose:
6·35mm
Einhand 2A: Maker: AG Lignose, Berlin. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering:
Einhand 3A.
6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·76in/121mm. Weight, unladen: 14·5oz/410gm. Barrel:
2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

LINCOLN (BELGIUM)
This name was very popular among Liege gunmakers, appearing on a variety of revolvers produced in 1880-1914. Most were folding-trigger pocket
guns, hammer and pseudo-hammerless alike, chambering cartridges from ·22 RF and 5·5mm Velo-Dog to ·32 and 8mm. The Liege houses Bertrand,
Debouxtay, Dumoulin, Jannsen fils et Cie, Le Page, Neumann Freres and Raick Freres all participated, as did Albrecht Kind in Germany.
Lincoln: Data from a representative specimen: Maker: various Belgian. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·32 rimfire. Length
overall: 6·10in/155mm. Weight, unladen: 24·2oz/685gm. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

LION (USA)
Given to a series of revolvers made by Johnson, Bye & Company in 1875-90, this graces solid frame sheath-trigger non-ejecting rimfire revolvers—
typical of their day—in ·22, ·38, ·41 or ·44 calibres.

LITTLE ALL RIGHT (USA)

The Little All Right Firearms Company of Lawrence, Massachusetts, made this unusual solid-frame revolver to the 876 patent of Boardman &
Peavey. Pressing a folding trigger above the muzzle worked an extension rod to revolve the cylinder and trip a concealed hammer. The wedge-shape
butt lay behind the cylinder, the object being to 'palm' the weapon with the barrel protruding through the fingers. Chambered for the ·22 Short
rimfire cartridge, the gun had a five-chamber cylinder and a 1·5in barrel.
Little All Right: Maker: Little All Right Mfg Co., Lawrence, Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire
Length overall: 3·93in/100mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 1·77in/45mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

LITTLE GIANT (USA)

This small ·22 rimfire Suicide Special was made by the Bacon Arms Company (q.v.) in the 1880s. It was a conventional solid-frame design with a
sheath trigger.
Little Giant: Maker: Bacon Arms Co., Norwich, Connecticut. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·22 Long rimfire. Length overall:
4·92in/125mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 2·25in/57mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-chamber cylinder.

LITTLE JOKER (USA)

Another of the many solid-frame sheath trigger revolvers made in the 1870s, this ·22 rimfire pattern was produced by John M. Marlin (q.v.) in 1873-
5.

LITTLE TOM (CZECHOSLOVAKIA)

Gunsmith Alois Tomiska of Pilsen, Bohemia, patented his first pistol in 1908—when, according
to the patent specifications, he was employed as works manager by Wiener Waffenfabrik. After
the First World War had ended, Tomiska returned to newly independent Czechoslovakia and
entered the employment of Jihoceska Zbrojovka. There he reputedly designed the Fox automatic
pistol. When the Jihoceska company was assimilated into Ceska Zbrojovka, Tomiska continued
design work until his death in 1946.
Production of the Little Tom appears to have begun simultaneously in Vienna and Plzen c.1920;
owing to the existence of the patents granted in 1908-12, however, it is probable that Wiener
Waffenfabrik would have begun series production some years previously had not the First World Little Tom:
War intervened. 7·65mm (·32
The Plzen-made Little Toms were structurally identical 6·35mm and 7·65mm patterns. Fixed- ACP) Wiener
barrel blowbacks, they had a recoil spring around the barrel, an enveloping slide, an external Waffenfabrik
hammer and a double-action lock. A sliding plate on the right side of the frame, concealing the example.
lockwork, could be removed once the slide had been removed. The safety catch lay in the frame
above the trigger, while the slide ended in a pair of wings exposing only the serrated hammer-tip for cocking. Slides are marked ALOIS TOMISKA
- PLZEN - PATENT - LITTLE TOM 6·35mm (·25) (or '7·65 (·32)'), while the wooden grips carry a medallion with an 'AT' monogram. Production
of Little Toms in Plzen was short-lived once the newly-formed Czech army sought more powerful weapons.
Wiener Waffenfabrik guns offer slightly differing slide contours. How many emanated from Vienna is still disputed; numbers run as high as 33,000,
but it is not known whether the differing calibres were numbered separately. Judging by Austrian proof marks (which are dated), Little Tom pistols
were assembled until at least 1929, though actual production had probably ended some years previously.

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Early Austrian-made 6·35mm guns usually bore WIENER WAFFENFABRIK on the left side of the slide above MADE IN AUSTRIA. This was
subsequently joined by an additional WIENER WAFFENFABRIK, PATENT. LITTLE TOM. CAL. 6·35m/m, on the right side of the slide. The
larger 7·65m guns usually have WIENER WAFFENFABRIK, PATENT. LITTLE TOM. CAL. 7·65m/m on the left side of the slide and the 'Made
in...' mark on the right, above the trigger. The grips, plastic (6·35mm) or wood (7·65mm) displayed the Wiener Waffenfabrik trademark—a 'double
W' with the right-hand stroke of the lower letter formed into 'F'.
Although not particularly important, the Little Tom deserves credit for being the first production double-action automatic—a feat usually credited to
the Walther PP of 1929!
Little Tom: Maker: Alois Tomiska, Pilsen. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·53in/115mm. Weight, unladen: 13·2oz/375gm. Barrel: 2·36in/60mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Little Tom: Maker: Wiener Waffenfabrik, Vienna. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
5·51in/140mm. Weight, unladen: 20·5oz/580gm. Barrel: 3·15in/80mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

LOEWE (GERMANY)
Ludwig Loewe & Company of Berlin began as a small
engineering business before progressing to sewing
machines. The acquisition of lucrative military orders during
the Franco-Prussian War persuaded Loewe that, given the
state of Europe, there was more to be made out of munitions
than sewing machines. In the late 1870s, Loewe negotiated a
large contract from the Russian government for the supply
of S&W-type revolvers, which were made on machinery
acquired from Pratt & Whitney; apart from the Cyrillic
Loewe: Cavalry Model.
marking 'Ludwig Loewe Berlin' on the barrel, they are
indistinguishable from S&W originals.
Loewe acquired a sizeable holding in the Waffenfabrik
Mauser in the 1880s, began making Mauser-type rifles and
then Gewehre 88 for the German army. After acquiring
Deutsche Metallpatronenfabrik Lorenz, Loewe finally
amalgamated everything to form Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabrik ('DWM', q.v.). Although he is reputed to have designed a revolver, no
record can be found of it, and Loewe's most significant contribution in the handgun field was undoubtedly to encourage Borchardt and Luger to
produce their famous pistols.

LUCIANO (ITALY)
Working in Brescia, little else is known of Luciano Giacosa & Company, manufacturer of inexpensive solid-frame non-ejecting double action
'Luciano' ·32 and ·38 revolvers in the 1960s. These were sold in the USA by the Eig Corporation and bore EIG ITALY on the top strap.
Luciano: Maker: L. Giacosa & Co., Brescia. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·38. Length overall: 6·61in/168mm. Weight, unladen:
unknown. Barrel: 1·97in/50mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

LUSITANIA (SPAIN)
A 7·65mm blowback automatic of the usual Eibar type, by an unknown Spanish maker, this is marked MODEL 1915. It presumably took the name
from the sinking of the liner Lusitania in May 1915.
Lusitania M1915: Maker: unknown. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·91in/150mm.
Weight, unladen: 28·6oz/810gm. Barrel: 3·23in/82mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.

LYNX (SOUTH AFRICA)

This revolver was developed in 1977-9 by an unknown company. The five-chamber swing-cylinder design was based on Smith & Wesson lines.
Advertised in ·357 Magnum with a three-inch barrel, it had a distinctive ventilated rib. The first guns appeared early in 1979, but few were sold and
the company apparently failed within months. No specimen has yet been seen.

M
MAGMATIC (USA)
This prototype automatic pistol was made in the late 1970s by J. Powers of Holly,
Michigan. It chambered ·44 Magnum and had an interesting action; the bolt was
unlocked by a gas piston, after which residual chamber pressure blew it open. The barrel
could be replaced by a ·45 ACP version when required, no changes being necessary to
the breech face or other mechanism. Four guns were made, but the design was never
produced commercially.

MAKAROV (USSR)
The standard Soviet military pistol for the past forty or more years, the Makarov first
became known in the West in the early 1950s. It is little more than a slightly modified
Walther PP chambered for the Soviet 9 x 18mm cartridge, believed to have been based Makarov:
on the pre-war German 'Ultra' series (see Walther entry). There was also the usual Soviet 9mm PM.
element of standardising a cartridge used by nobody else.
The Pistolet Makarov (PM) has been copied in the German Democratic Republic as the
'Pistole Makarov' or Pi-M and as the Chinese Type 59. The Soviet model has a five-
pointed star on the grip and a lanyard loop; the East German model has plain grips with no lanyard loop; and the Chinese gun has grips with several
small stars.

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 Makarov: Maker: state factories. Type: automatic pistol. Chambering: 9mm Makarov. Length overall: 6·30in/160mm. Weight, unladen:
23·6oz/670gm. Barrel: 3·58in/91mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

MALTBY (USA)
Maltby, Curtis and Turner formed Maltby, Curtis & Company in New York City about 1875. The trio also partly refinanced the contemporaneous
Norwich Pistol Company (q.v.). However, when the Norwich company was liquidated in 1881, the owners of Maltby, Curtis bought back the assets
to form the basis of the Norwich Falls Pistol Company—incorporated a few weeks after the original Norwich Arms Company's demise. The
Norwich Falls company was liquidated in 1887, when a decline in the sporting-goods market forced Maltby, Curtis & Co. to seek additional
support; wholesale reorganisation created Maltby, Henley & Co. in 1888.
Maltby, Henley acted as sales agents for the Otis Smith (q.v.), guns being marked as products of the 'Columbian Armory'. However, sufficient stock
had been acquired prior to the failure of the Norwich Falls Pistol Company to enable pre-1887 guns to be sold for some years. Norwich Falls
revolvers, therefore, may bear either of the Maltby names; Columbian Armory guns were exclusively for Maltby, Henley & Co. They were all
conventional cheap solid-frame double-action revolvers, some being pseudo-hammerless. Activities continued until the end of the nineteenth
century.
Maltby & Henley: Data for a typical exposed-hammer example Maker: Norwich Falls Pistol Co., Norwich, Connecticut. Type: solid-
frame revolver. Calibre: ·32. Length overall: 7·28in/185mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 3·27in/83mm, rifled. Magazine: five-
chamber cylinder.

MAMBA (SOUTH AFRICA)

The short-lived double-action 9mm Parabellum locked-breech Mamba
automatic pistol was developed by an amalgamation of German,
Zimbabwean and South African interests in the early 1970s. It used the
Browning-pattern cam to drop the rear end of the barrel and was built of
stainless steel. A handful was made for Relay Products (Pty.) Ltd of Harare and offered to the
South African defence Force through Sandcock-Austral Small Arms Company. Tests showed the
Mamba to be unreliable. The intention had been to produce the guns in South Africa, exporting them to
the USA for sale by Navy Arms, but the project foundered. Navy Arms decided to make the Mamba in the
USA, in blue or stainless finish, but too many teething troubles led to the abandonment of the Mamba in
1983. Mamba:
Mamba: Maker: Gear Ratio Division, Sandcock-Austral Corporation, Pty. Type: automatic 9mm.
pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall: 9·50in/241mm.
Weight, unladen: 41·0oz/1,160gm. Barrel: 5·50in/140mm, rifled. Magazine: fifteen-round detachable box.

MANN (GERMANY)
Fritz Mann Werkzeugfabrik, founded in Suhl in 1919, marketed a most unusual 6·35mm blowback automatic pistol. The gun had a solid frame, a
removable barrel and a separate bolt. Its return spring lay in a tunnel above the barrel, being connected to the bolt by an operating rod which
screwed on to the bolt-tip. Finger grips on the muzzle surface allowed the barrel to be rotated through 90° and pulled forward off the frame. The
whole pistol weighed only 9oz and was among the smallest ever made. Production began in 1920 but so little success seems to have been
encountered that work ceased in 1924.
Mann apparently intended to produce this design in 7·65mm calibre, but it was abandoned in favour of
a more conventional model. It resembled the 1906-pattern Browning, but the barrel—with a concentric
return spring—is anchored into a lump on the frame by a helical thread instead of the more common
lugs. This Mann pistol appeared in both 7·65mm and 9mm Short in 1924, seemingly being made in
some numbers until its manufacturer failed during the depression of 1929.
An interesting puzzle lies in the rarely seen Mann bottle-necked 6·33mm cartridge, loaded with a 62-
grain bullet said to have had a muzzle velocity of 1,050 ft/sec. Mann, believing the usual 6·35mm Auto
pattern to be too weak, reputedly supplied pistols chambered for the 6·33mm round. But which type? Mann:
The original 6·35mm pistol would not have withstood the extra power, and there is no record of a 6·35mm.
6·33mm version of the 7·65mm model.
Mann: Maker: Fritz Mann, Suhl. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 4·72in/120mm. Weight,
unladen: 12·7oz/360gm. Barrel: 2·36in/60mm, rifled. Magazine: five-round detachable box.

MANNLICHER (AUSTRIA-HUNGARY)
Ferdinand Mannlicher, one of the world's best-known firearms
inventors, was born in 1848 and trained as an engineer. Though he
made his name working as a railway engineer, he maintained a
strong interest in firearms. What had begun as a hobby eventually
became a profession, and the basis on which Osterreichische Waffenfabriks
Gesellschaft ('OEWG') of Steyr built a lasting reputation.
Model 1894: The earliest Mannlicher pistol was a blow-forward design in which the barrel was
projected forward against a spring on firing; an extractor on the standing breech held the spent
cartridge case until it could be ejected by the next round rising beneath it. The barrel was held at
the end of its forward stroke and, when the firer released the trigger, ran back to chamber a new
round.
The rebounding-pattern hammer struck a firing pin in the standing breech. It had to be thumb-
cocked for every shot, or could be tripped by pulling through on the trigger in revolver fashion.
Prototypes may have chambered an 8mm rimmed round, apparently the Salvator-Dormus (q.v.) Mannlicher: A 6·5mm
pattern, but production models accepted a new 7·6mm M1894 Mannlicher cartridge. It has been gun tested in
suggested that prototypes were made in the workshops of the North Austrian Railway Company Switzerland in 1895.
but that production was undertaken by Waffenfabrik von Dreyse in Sommerda, Germany.
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 Two slightly smaller models were made by 'Fab. d'Armes Neuhausen'—Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft— for trials in Switzerland.
Several first-type 7·6mm guns (230mm long, weighing 1,000gm) were made in 1894, followed by 50-60 of a modified second type (215mm,
850gm) chambering a 6·5mm cartridge—another straight rimmed round.
Production continued until 1897. Excepting those made in Switzerland, M1894 Mannlichers are usually marked MODELL 1894 or MODELL
1895, according to the year in which they were made; there is no essential difference between them.
Owing to the incorporation of changes in the design whenever convenient, variants may be found without the automatic barrel-retaining system;
or with single-action locks and an assortment of grip safeties. As the entire production was less than 200, these early Mannlichers are extremely
uncommon today.
Mannlicher M1894: Maker: Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft, Neuhausen. Type: automatic pistol (blow forward). Calibre: 6·5mm.
Length overall: 8·46in/215mm. Weight, unladen: 30·0oz/850gm. Barrel: 6·50in/165mm, rifled. Magazine: five-round charger-loaded
internal box
Model 1896: The 1894 pattern, an interesting but unpractical
design, was replaced by this fixed-barrel blowback with a bolt
recoiling in a receiver. A charger-loaded box magazine in front
of the trigger guard held six rounds. Once again, the lockwork
was unusual; the mechanism did not re-cock on recoil, but had
to be manually cocked by a hammer extension protruding from the rear of
the frame. The true hammer lay inside the receiver, where it struck a slot in the front
underside of the firing pin. The 1896-type pistol chambered the 7·6mm rimmed M1894 cartridge,
but probably no more than a handful was made.
Mannlicher M1896: Data from scale drawings, 1900. Maker: unknown. Type: automatic
pistol (blowback). Calibre: 7·6mm? Length overall: 8·86in/225mm. Weight, unladen: Mannlicher: A 7·65mm
unknown. Barrel: 4·65in/118mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round charger-loaded internal box Swiss trials gun of 1898,
subsequently developed
into the better-known
M1903.

Mannlicher: Drawings of the 1900-model pistol, from Konrad von Kromar's Repetier- und Automatische Handfeuerwaffen dersysteme Ferdinand
Ritter von Mannlicher (Vienna, 1900).

Model 1901: Mannlicher began work on a locked-breech pistol in 1896, in view of military demands, but it was not perfected until the early 1900s.
In the interim, he refined the 1896-type blowback into what many consider the be the most elegant automatic pistol ever made. Usually
designated 'M1901', the earliest guns dated from the year in which the first patents were granted—1898. Unfortunately, a 7·63mm gun surviving
from the Swiss trials of 1898-9 gives no clues to its manufacturer. The cartridge was not the contemporary 7·63mm Mauser pattern, which was
too powerful for a blowback action, but a special Mannlicher pattern loaded with an 85-grain bullet.
The perfected M1901 was made by Osterreichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft of Steyr, after the failure of von Dreyse (which had been
purchased by Rheinische Metallwaaren- und Maschinenfabrik). The new Mannlicher was purchased privately by many officers of the Austro-
Hungarian army, though rejected officially after trials in 1904-5. It was particularly popular in South America, remaining so long after it had
faded from view in Europe, and was adopted by the Argentine army as the 'Modelo 1905'. The cartridge is still manufactured in Argentina.
This Mannlicher introduced the open-topped slide to the automatic pistol world. A fixed barrel is screwed into the standing breech, forged as
part of the frame; the slide consists of a short breech-block section behind the barrel, carrying the extractor and firing pin. Two arms run forward
from this block, one on each side, to join transversely beneath the barrel. The return spring sits in a hole beneath the breech, extending forward
to anchor on a stud in the front of the slide arms. Any rearward movement of the slide compresses the spring.
There is a large external hammer, and the simple trigger linkage is covered by a removable plate on the left side of the frame. The main spring
lies in the right side of the frame, the lower arm pressing on the hammer and the upper arm on a small lever whose tip engages a notch in the

146
 underside of the slide. The plate covering the spring mechanism is joined to the lockwork plate by a forward-sweeping arm. This arm is locked
beneath the return spring by a spring catch.
The M1901 is a delayed blowback. On firing, the slide runs back against the pressure of the recoil spring until the lever in the slot on the right
side is forced downward. This is resisted by the pressure of the mainspring so that resistance additional to that of the return spring has to be
overcome. The slide cocks the hammer as it runs back; movement of the hammer, by way of the mainspring, places even more pressure on the
retarding lever. This adds friction to the slide, retarding its motion and absorbing some of the recoil energy. The slide returns after reaching the
end of its stroke and chambers a fresh round from the magazine. The magazine, integral in the butt, is loaded from a charger through the open
action. A catch can usually be pressed to expel the contents of the magazine upward through the open action.
Early models have a large thumb lever, which locks the hammer internally, while later examples have a very simple safety catch—on the rear of
the slide—which drops in front of the hammer when applied. Early guns have front sights with a rounded leading edge, later ones being vertical.
The original back sight was simply a groove in a post above the breech, forged integrally with the frame, where it is surrounded by the front
edges of the breech block when the breech is closed. The Model 1905 sight is a notch in the rear end of the breech block. Variations in grip,
magazine capacity and barrel length will be found, apparently with neither rule nor form. The normal barrel length was 140mm.
Original 1898-type guns bore no marks other than Mannlicher's motif—a crowned 'M', in a circle or a cross— while those made in 1900-1
displayed PATENT MANNLICHER on the front of the left slide arm. Subsequently, WAFFENFABRIK STEYR appeared on the lock cover on
the left side of the gun. Excepting guns supplied on contract to Argentina, the Model 1905 is marked Md. 1905/WAFFENFABRIK/STEYR in
three lines on the left frame panel and SYSTEM MANNLICHER on the right. The Argentine guns had all five lines on the left side to
accommodate the national coat of arms on the right. Numbering of the 1900 series was separate; the 1901-pattern Steyr-made guns began again
at 1 and continued to the end of M1905 production about 1910. About ten thousand of these Mannlichers had been made.
Mannlicher M1901: Maker: Osterreichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft, Steyr. Type: automatic pistol (delayed blowback: see text).
Chambering: 7·63mm Mannlicher. Length overall: 9·69in/246mm. Weight, unladen: 32·1oz/910gm. Barrel: 6·30in/160mm, rifled.
Magazine: eight-round charger-loaded integral box
Model 1903: This was the last Mannlicher pistol to be marketed
commercially, though development had begun in 1896 and a gun—
possibly made by 'Waffenfabrik Neuhausen'—was tested in
Switzerland in 1897-8. It chambered yet another special cartridge, a
7·65mm bottle-necked rimless round offering the same dimensions as
the 7·63mm Mauser but less velocity. This was a grave mistake, as the
Mannlicher pistol was not strong enough to stand up to firing the Mauser
round. A strengthened model was produced experimentally in the early 1900s but was never exploited;
Mannlicher had died in 1904 and his locked-breech pistol was soon overtaken by more effectual rivals.
A steel strut attached to the barrel extension was forced up by a ramp in the frame to lock the bolt. The
barrel and barrel extension moved backward on recoil, forcing the strut off its ramp and allowing the bolt to Mannlicher:
reciprocate independently. It had a detachable box. magazine instead of the integral charger-loaded patterns A short-
of the prototypes, ahead of the trigger guard in Mauser fashion, and firing was performed by an internal barrel
hammer. A cocking lever appeared on the right side of the frame and a safety catch at the rear acted directly commercial
on the hammer. A retracting knob on top of the bolt rendered the cocking lever superfluous. 1905-pattern.
Though the breech-lock design was strong enough to withstand the Mauser round, the rest of the pistol was
not—even though the gun was much handier than the C/96 Mauser. It never achieved popularity, despite being offered as a
fully-stocked carbine with 30cm barrel; the standard pistol could also be provided with a wooden holster-stock, which attached
to the butt. Pistol and carbine alike were tested by the Austro-Hungarian army, without success. The carbine was briefly fashionable as a hunting
weapon, even though handicapped by its ineffectual cartridge. It is doubtful if more than a thousand 1903-type pistols and pistol-carbines were
made, work having stopped well before the outbreak of the First World War.
Mannlicher M1903: Maker: Osterreichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft, Steyr. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Calibre: 7·65mm
Mannlicher. Length overall: 11·00in/279mm. Weight, unladen: 36·0oz/1,020gm. Barrel: 4·53in/115mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round
charger-loaded detachable box.

MANUFRANCE (FRANCE)
Manufacture Francaise d'Armes et Cycles of Saint-Etienne had a lengthy history, but included the
production of inexpensive pinfire revolvers—including the bizarre sixteen-shot ·32 Le Terrible, the ten-
shot 8mm L'Africain, and Le Redoubtable, a twenty-shot 6mm pattern with two barrels and a cylinder with
two rows of ten chambers apiece.
More conventional designs followed, including the inevitable Velo-Dog types. During the First World
War, Manufrance began to make the Le Francais automatic, for which great hopes were held.
Unfortunately, despite remaining in production until the 1970s, it never achieved the popularity that had
been forecast.
Auto Stand: Although carrying the Manufrance name this ·22 target automatic was simply the
Manufacture d'Armes des Pyrenees Unique Model E-l with a 150mm barrel.
Buffalo Stand: A ·22 single-shot pistol originating prior to 1914, this had a rifle-type bolt action. The standard Manufrance: 6·35mm Le
barrel was 150mm long, but others could be obtained to order. Francais 'Modele de Poche'.
Buffalo Stand: Maker: Manufacture Francaise d'Armes et Cycles, Saint-Etienne. Type: single-shot
pistol (bolt action). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: 16·53in/420mm. Weight, unladen: 45·8oz/1,300gm. Barrel:
11·81in/300mm, rifled. Magazine: none.
Franco: This was the Le Francais Policeman model, renamed for sales purposes.
Gaulois: A sales name given to the Mitrailleuse (q.v.) pistol.
L'Agent: A double-action non-ejecting solid frame revolver of conventional pattern, this chambered the 8mm French ordnance cartridge. It was
adopted by the police in some Departments in the 1890s.
Le Colonial: Resembling an overgrown Velo-Dog, this solid frame pseudo-hammerless non-ejecting revolver, chambered for the 8mm cartridge,
was sold in 1895-1905.

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Le Francais: Applied to several automatic pistols, the Le Francais range began
with a 6·35mm model designed in 1913 and marketed in 1914 as the
Modele de Poche. It was soon followed by the essentially similar 6·35mm
Le Gendarme (also sold as the 'Policeman' or 'Franco'), with a longer barrel.
The 9mm Browning Long Modele Militaire (military model) was
introduced in 1928 in the hope of landing a military contract but, although
the French army purchased small quantities, official adoption was never
agreed. Finally, in 1950, a 7·65mm version appeared.
Le Francais pistols were all made to the same basic design: blowback
automatics with hinged drop-down barrels and self-cocking strikers. The Manufrance: A 9mm
principal novelty lies in the hinged barrel, which can be released by a lever Browning Long
to allow the breech to rise clear of the slide. Similar to the earlier Pieper 'Military Model'.
(q.v.) design, this gave access for cleaning or loading. The barrel catch is
linked to the magazine so that the barrel flies open as soon as the magazine
is withdrawn, efficiently preventing inadvertent firing of the round left in
the chamber. The conventional-looking slide hides that the return spring lies
vertically in the front edge of the grip, requiring a bell-crank lever to link slide and spring.
The slide carries a striker and its spring, plus a retraction spring to keep the tip of the striker inside the breech face. When the trigger is pulled,
the trigger bar forces the striker back against the main spring and is then cammed free, allowing the striker to fly forward to fire the cartridge. In
the absence of an extractor, the empty case is simply blown from the chamber by residual gas pressure as the slide opens.
Baseplates of Le Francais magazines often have a spring clip for an extra cartridge. This spare round can be loaded into the chamber before the
barrel is closed. Consequently, as there was no need to retract the slide to cock or chamber a round, the earliest guns were made without finger
grips on the slide. The 7·65mm model dispensed with the spring clip and spare round, and so retraction grips were milled into its slide.
The 9mm Le Francais magazine can be partly withdrawn and locked clear of the slide, allowing single rounds to be loaded manually into the
open chamber while retaining the full magazine in reserve. Manufacture ceased in the early 1970s.
Le Francais (pocket model): Maker: Manufacture Francaise d'Armes et Cycles, Saint-Etienne. Type: automatic pistol (blowback).
Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·41in/112mm. Weight, unladen: 10·6oz/300gm. Barrel: 2·36in/60mm, rifled. Magazine:
seven-round detachable box.
Le Francais (military model): Maker: Manufacture Francaise d'Armes et Cycles, Saint-Etienne. Type: automatic pistol (blowback).
Chambering: 9mm Browning Long. Length overall: 8·00in/203mm. Weight, unladen: 38·4oz/1,090gm. Barrel: 5·00in/127mm, rifled.
Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Le Petit Formidable: Dating from the early 1900s, this 6·35mm five-shot solid frame non-ejecting revolver had a double action lock. It almost
qualifies as hammerless, as only the tip of the hammer protrudes through a slot in the raised frame.
Manufrance: Revolvers were made under this name in 1909-14. They were all solid-frame double-action patterns chambering either 7·65mm Auto
or 8mm French ordnance cartridges.
Mitrailleuse: One of the early repeating 'palm-squeezer' pistols, this was introduced in 1893. It fired the same cartridge as the contemporary
Turbiaux (q.v.) Le Protector. The Mitrailleuse was a rectangular box with a barrel protruding from one comer, the rear of the box being a
moving grip unit. When grasped in the hand, with the fingers around the front and beneath the barrel, the heel of the palm bore on the grip.
Closing the hand squeezed the grip section into the box, pushing a round from the single-column magazine in the front edge of the box; as the
grip was pushed in farther, a firing pin that had been cocked during the first movement of the grip was released to fire the gun.
The Mitrailleuse was marketed for defence of home and person, its principal attraction being size: it lacked the bulk of a revolver. But the arrival
of the small automatic rapidly drove mechanical repeaters from the market, and manufacture of the Mitrailleuse ceased about 1910. Shortly after
its introduction—about 1897—it had been rechristened Gaulois, the name under which it is most commonly encountered.
Mitrailleuse (Gaulois): Maker: Manufacture Francaise d'Armes et Cycles, Saint-Etienne. Type: repeating pistol. Calibre: 8mm. Length
overall: 5·16in/131mm. Weight, unladen: 10·1oz/285gm. Barrel: 2·20in/56mm, rifled. Magazine: five-round box
Populaire: This was another ·22 single shot bolt-action pistol, a cheaper version of the Buffalo Stand.
Populaire: Maker: Manufacture Francaise d'Armes et Cycles, Saint-Etienne. Type: single-shot pistol (bolt action). Chambering: ·22 LR
rimfire. Length overall: 13·58in/345mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 6·89in/175mm, rifled. Magazine: none.

MANURHIN (FRANCE)
Manufacture de Machines du Haut-Rhin of Mulhouse, a
renowned machine-tool maker, has made a particular
speciality of ammunition-making machinery. In the early
1950s, Manurhin acquired a licence to manufacture Walther
PP and PPK pistols. Identical with the original Walther
products, these could be distinguished only by MANUFACTURE DE
MACHINES DU HAUT-RHIN on the left front of the slide and LIC. EXCL.
WALTHER, with model and calibre, on the left rear. The grips had MANURHIN moulded into
the upper part and LIC. EXCL. WALTHER in the lower portion. PP and PPK models were made in
·22 LR rimfire, 7·65mm Auto and 9mm Short, in addition to a long-barrelled ·22 PP Sport.
French-made Walthers were sold in the USA by the Thalson Import Company of San Francisco in the
early 1950s. The agency subsequently transferred to Interarms, though the latter's guns had the Walther Manurhin:
trade-mark on the slide with the words MARK II underneath. The legend MADE IN FRANCE lay on MR-32
the left rear of the slide. PP and PPK models were both imported as 'Mark II', though differing little Match.
from the Thalson versions.
Manurhin continued to make the PP and PPK under contract to Walther until the middle 1960s, partly owing to the duration of the original licensing
agreement and partly owing to Walther's reluctance to open a duplicate production line in Ulm. French-made Walther-marked guns cannot be
distinguished from the subsequent Ulm-made examples.
In the early 1970s Manurhin developed a solid framed double-action revolver with a side-swinging cylinder. Though similar to contemporary Smith
& Wesson models, the MR-73's unique features included a combined roller bearing and leaf-spring trigger system giving a very smooth pull. Barrel

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lengths varied from 2·5in to 8in, the longer- barrelled versions being available with target sights. They could be chambered in ·22 LR, ·22 WRFM,
·32 S&W Long, ·357 Magnum or 9mm Parabellum, the latter requiring a special cylinder for the standard ·357 model. A special Gendarmerie
model, with a prominently ramped front sight and an adjustable back sight with rounded edges, was used by many French police forces and
government agencies.
Manurhin's ammunition-making machinery and revolver business was sold
to Fabrique Nationale Herstal SA of Liege in 1989. Browning France SA
was formed to market the MR-73 under the Browning name, but this
venture had hardly begun when FN was taken over by GIAT (see
Browning). The future of Browning France SA and the MR-73 revolver is
still unresolved.
MR-73: Maker: Manufacture de Machines du Haut-Rhin,
Mulhouse. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·357
Magnum. Length overall: 7·68in/195mm. Weight, unladen:
31·0oz/880gm. Barrel: 2·48in/63mm, rifled. Magazine: six-
chamber cylinder.

Manurhin: ·357 MR-73

MARGA (BELGIUM)'
Police et Defense.
This was a gas-operated automatic pistol developed by Captain Uldarique
Marga of the Belgian Army in 1905-7. A gas port beneath the barrel led
gas back to a piston which actuated the bolt mechanism. Prototypes must have been made, as DWM cartridge no.458 was a 7·65mm rimless pattern
for this weapon, but no specimen is known.

MARGOLIN (USSR)
This name is applied to a series of target pistols designed by
Mikhail Margolin since the early 1950s.
MTs-2-3: Also known as the Vostok, this single-shot bolt-
action ·22 target pistol was developed c.1950. The
distinctive button trigger is set by pulling down on the trigger-
guard.
MTs-55-1: Developed from the MTs-2-3, but with a Martini-type dropping block action, this had a
conventional trigger lever set by pulling down the trigger-guard.
MTs or MTsA: This is a blowback rapid-fire ·22 LR rimfire target automatic, basically simple but
with high-quality target sights. Early versions had plain barrels, but later guns have a muzzle
brake/compensator.
Margolin: ·22
MTsU: A variant chambered for the ·22 Short cartridge, this was somewhat smaller than the otherwise
similar MTs. MTs.
MTsZ-1: Made specifically for Olympic competition, this was essentially an MTs with the barrel below the line of the
hand and an inverted breech mechanism (though the magazine was in its normal place). The MTsZ-1 was a clever attempt
to gain an advantage, as recoil was directed beneath the point of support and the usual muzzle rise in rapid-fire was
avoided. After its first outing at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, rapid-fire rules were rapidly re-written to exclude it!
Margolin MTs: Maker: Soviet arms factory. Izhevsk?. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall:
12·20in/310mm. Weight, unladen: 41·6oz/1,180gm. Barrel: 6·30in/160mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

MARLIN (USA)
John M. Marlin of New Haven, Connecticut, is best known for a series of lever-action rifles, but began by making cheap handguns in 1872. The
Marlin Firearms Company was constituted in 1881; 1887 brought a double-action revolver, but contemporary reports suggest that they offered
inferior quality. Marlin abandoned revolvers after 1900 to concentrate on rifles and shotguns.
Little Joker: This was a ·22 Short solid-frame revolver, made in 1872-3, with the sheath trigger and bird's head butt typical of its period. Survivors
are uncommon.
Marlin: This name is associated with two differing revolvers. The first was a tip-up rimfire based on the Smith & Wesson pattern, introduced in
1873 in ·22, ·30 and ·32. It was supplemented by a ·38 centre-fire pattern in 1878. The 1887-type hinged-frame top-break revolver, another
Smith & Wesson clone, appeared in ·32 and ·38 calibres. Finally, in the 1890s, a solid framed ·44 Russian model was made with the cylinder
swinging out to the right. However, double-action Marlins were never successful enough to be made in quantity.
Model XXX: Maker: Marlin Firearms Company, New Haven, Connecticut. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Chambering: ·30 rimfire.
Length overall: 6·90in/175mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 3·00in/76mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.
Standard Model: Maker: John M. Marlin, New Haven, Connecticut. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38 rimfire. Length
overall: 7·50in/191mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 3·15in/80mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.
Never Miss: Apparently Marlin's first pistol, dating from 1872-5, this single-shot rimfire—with sheath trigger and bird's head butt—was made in
·22 Short, ·32 Short and ·41. The barrel pivoted laterally on a vertical post to expose the breech for loading and had a patented automatic ejector.

MARS (BRITAIN)
Hugh Gabbett-Fairfax of Leamington Spa was a prolific inventor of automatic firearms, successfully seeking many pistol and rifle patents. In 1900
he patented a long recoil automatic pistol with a box magazine in the butt. The barrel and locked breech recoiled along the frame on firing, a
cartridge being withdrawn backwards out of the magazine at the same time. The bolt was rotated at the end of the recoil stroke, unlocked, then held
fast while the barrel ran forward again. A cartridge lifter raised a new round into the feed-way during this movement, whereupon the bolt also ran
forward, chambered the new round and rotated back into lock. An external hammer was cocked by the backward movement of the bolt and released
by a trigger.
Gabbett-Fairfax had been working on this design for several years, an early attempt being submitted to Webley & Sons in 1898. Though Webley
sought a military-style automatic, the Mars failed to impress. However, the company's directors agreed to make it for sale on Gabbett-Fairfax's
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surety and announced it in 1899 in 8·5mm, ·36 (9mm) and ·45. Pistols were immediately submitted to the army authorities, some being accompanied
by shoulder stocks, and official trials began in March 1901. These continued until the pistol was finally refused in 1903.
Like so many inventors of the period,
Gabbett-Fairfax was intent upon a
military contract; mindful of the British
Army's preference for large calibres and
heavy bullets, he developed his own range
of powerful cartridges. The 8·5mm pattern fired
a 140-grain bullet at 1,750 ft/sec, giving a muzzle
energy of 952 ft-lb, while the ·45 Long launched a 220-grain bullet at 1,200 ft/sec to
give 704 ft-lb. Until the arrival of the Auto-Mag (q.v.), seventy years later, the Mars
was the most powerful automatic pistol ever made.
Its power ultimately defeated it; the late Lieutenant-Colonel R.K. Wilson, one of the few
modern writers to fire this pistol, noted that when fired "the muzzle simply rears straight
upward and...if it were not for the finger crooked inside the trigger guard the weapon
would probably fall backward out of the firer's hand". His opinion was echoed by the 1902 Mars:
test report from HMS Excellent, the Royal Navy's gunnery school, that 'No one who once
fired the pistol wished to shoot with it again'.
Gabbett-Fairfax got into financial difficulties and was declared bankrupt in September 1902, his ill fortune
being ascribed to reliance upon government orders which did not appear. The Mars Automatic Pistol
Syndicate was formed in January 1904, without Gabbett-Fairfax, and ordered pistols from an unknown
Birmingham company. These had no better luck and the Syndicate was dissolved in 1907. It has been
estimated that no more than eighty Mars pistols were ever made; they are, without doubt, the most desirable
and valuable of any production automatics.
Mars: Maker: unknown. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Calibre: 9mm (36). Length overall: 11·88in/302mm. Weight, unladen:
52·0oz/1,475gm. Barrel: 8·75in/222mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round detachable box.

MARTIN (FRANCE)
This 6·35mm automatic pistol was patented by T. Martin of France in 1905. It was a fixed-barrel striker fired blowback with grip safety. A patent
obtained in 1909 introduced a method of attaching the barrel by sliding it backward into a dovetail in the frame, securing it by a pivoting flat plate.
As few guns seem to have been made, it is possible that the inventor became associated with the Bernadon-Martin pistol (q.v.).

MARTZ (USA)
A gunsmith of Lincoln, California, John V. Martz manufactured ·45 Parabellum pistols in the early 1980s by reworking and re-barrelling original
9mm weapons. He has also developed 'Baby' Martz-Lugers, produced modern versions of the early twentieth-century Parabellum pistol-carbines,
and patented the MSTR (Martz Safe Toggle Release) device.

MATEBA (ITALY)
Macchine termo Ballistiche of Pavia developed the
Mateba revolver, designed by Emilio Ghisoni to
satisfy the demands of ISU rapid-fire contests. The
novelty lay in placing the cylinder low down ahead of
the trigger guard, keeping the barrel as low as
possible within the restrictions of ISU rules. The rear
portion resembled an automatic pistol, but concealed a
conventional double-action hammer striking a long firing pin.
An external cocking lever, above the left grip, allowed single-
action fire. The Sport & Defence Model had a large rib above the
barrel carrying the front sight, while the Combat Model had a plain barrel with the Mateba: ·38
front sight on the receiver. MTR8.
The MTR8 was the basic eight-shot gun chambering ·38 Special cartridges; MTR8M was similar, but
in ·357 Magnum; MTR12 was a twelve-shot in ·38 Special; and MTR12M was a ·357 Magnum twelve-shot. MTR14
was a fourteen-shot in ·22 LR rimfire, while MTR20 offered a twenty-chamber cylinder. The action opened to the left
and downward, retained by a sliding latch in front of the cylinder. A Mateba carbine was little more than the revolver
mechanism with a suitably long barrel and a shoulder stock.
The MTR8 and its variants were given a great deal of publicity in 1983-4; there were even rumours that the project would be exploited by Franchi
(q.v.), but nothing came of it. 1985 brought a completely new Mateba MTR6 + 6. The cylinder is placed more traditionally, above the trigger, but
the barrel aligns with the bottom chamber; recoil force was still minimised, but without the complication of the MTR8 series. The MTR6 + 6
cylinder hinges upwards, perhaps the only side-opening cylinder ever to do so, and the barrel was formed in the lower edge of a slab-sided unit
carrying the front sight. Loading, like that of the MTR8, was achieved with a quick-loader disc carrying cartridges in holes which matched all the
cylinder chambers in a single rapid movement. The ·357 Magnum MTR6 + 6 takes its name from an additional six-cartridge quick-loader plate that
can be carried—suitably filled—in the base of the butt.
The modified Mateba design, after minor modifications, is still being made. The current Model 2006M (·357 Magnum or ·38 Special) is a six-shot
pattern with barrels of 51mm, 78mm or 102mm; Model 2007S is a seven-shot ·38 Special with 78mm, 102mm or 152mm barrels. The 2006 pattern
is additionally distinguished by its interchangeable barrel. The loading-plate and a spare unit in the butt have been abandoned, cylinders being
loaded like any other revolver.
Mateba MTR-8: Maker: Macchine termo Ballistiche, Pavia. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38 Special. Length overall:
10·43in/265mm. Weight, unladen: 43·4oz/1,230gm. Barrel: 2·95in/75mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-chamber cylinder.
Mateba 2006M: Maker: Macchine termo Ballistiche, Pavia. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·357 Magnum. Length overall:
7·28in/185mm. Weight, unladen: 37·7oz/1,070gm. Barrel: 3·07in/78mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

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MAUSER (GERMANY)
Gebruder Mauser was formed in Oberndorf by Peter Paul and Wilhelm Mauser in 1872 to manufacture rifle parts, becoming Gebr. Mauser & Co. in
1874. The Mauser rifle, which had been adopted as the service weapon of the united German army, soon proved the foundation of the company's
fortunes. Eventually, the Mauser name came to be a guarantee of high quality which even those with only a passing knowledge of weapons could
appreciate. That efforts to design handguns were consistently less successful than Mauser's rifles is not so much a criticism of the weapons than of
unfortunate timing.
Model 1877: The first effort was this fixed-barrel
single-shot 9mm pattern, with a falling-block
breech operated by a thumb latch in the place
normally occupied by a hammer. The breech
block dropped into the frame when the latch was
depressed, carrying the internal hammer,
lockwork and trigger with it. The trigger lever
projected down through a slot in the trigger-
guard. The hammer was cocked as the breech Mauser:
block moved downward, and opening the breech 1878-pattern
automatically ejected the spent case. The M1877 9mm Zig-
appears to have found few takers and specimens Zag revolver.
are extremely uncommon today.
Model 1878: The successor to the single-shot pistol
was a much more practical weapon. The original
revolver was a solid-frame 9mm pattern with a
loading gate and an unusual method of revolving
the cylinder which gave rise to the sobriquet 'Zig-
Zag'. A continuous groove on the cylinder surface engaged with a stud, carried on a rod in the frame, which connected to the trigger mechanism.
As the hammer was cocked, either by thumb action or by pulling the trigger, the stud moved forward in the groove and turned the cylinder to
align the next chamber with the barrel. As the hammer fell, the stud returned down a straight part of the groove in the cylinder—in preparation
for the next shot—and thus acted as a cylinder stop.
The solid-frame Mauser revolver was soon joined by a hinged-frame M1878 in which the barrel/cylinder section was pivoted about the top of
the standing breech and locked shut by a ring catch in front of the trigger. When the catch was released, the barrel unit swung free until further
travel, against a spring, forced a central ejector to expel empty cases. The six-shot hinged-frame revolver was made in 7·6mm, 9mm and 10·6mm
calibres. However, the German military authorities preferred the simplicity (and, doubtless, low cost) of the solid-frame non-ejecting
'Reichsrevolver' (q.v.) to the complicated, costly and potentially unreliable Mauser. As a result, the 10·6mm version is less common than the
smaller commercial calibres.
An extremely rare third-pattern M1878 'Improved Model' shares the hinged-frame construction, but has a neater sliding catch to lock the frame
and barrel unit together.
Maker: Gebr. Mauser & Co., Oberndorf (see text). Type: hinged-frame revolver. Calibre: 9mm. Length overall: 10·63in/270mm. Weight,
unladen: 26·5oz/750gm. Barrel: 5·35in/136mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Model 1886 or C/86: After the failure of the 1878-type revolver, Mauser turned to the mechanical repeating pistol. The C/86 ('Construction of
1886') may have been influenced by the Mauser rifle of 1884, which had a similar tubular magazine beneath the barrel. It relied on a complicated
system of levers to lower the breech block, collect a cartridge, lift the block, ram the cartridge home, close the breech and—finally—release the
hammer to fire. It was not a success.
Model 1896 or C/96: The failure of the
mechanical repeater caused Mauser to lose
interest in handguns at a time when his
rifles were encountering great success. Not
until 1894 did he consider an automatic pistol. Ten
years earlier, Waffenfabrik Mauser AG had been formed with capital loaned by
the Wurttembergische Vereinsbank; the bank had been acquired by Ludwig
Loewe & Co. in the late 1880s, giving Loewe a considerable shareholding in
Mauser. Loewe began marketing the Borchardt (q.v.) pistol in the mid-1890s
and it is probable that Mauser's interest was rekindled.
The Mauser company employed the three Feederle brothers, one of whom had
risen to be superintendent of the Oberndorf factory. The three Feederles had been
designing an automatic pistol in their spare time; now Paul Mauser himself asked
them to perfect their gun for the good of the company. The first prototype was completed in
March 1895, patents immediately being sought in Mauser's name—a common commercial practice, as Mauser:
designs developed by employees were deemed to be company property. C/96.
The Mauser C/96, as this design was known, differed but slightly from later models—a testimony to the
essential correctness of the original concept. Several minor changes were made during the first few months of production as
improvements suggested themselves, but none affected the basic design. Loewe allowed Mauser to use the 7·65mm Borchardt
cartridge, which embittered Borchardt when the success of the Mauser pistol eclipsed his own design. Mauser loaded the
cartridge to give slightly higher velocity and it became universally known as '7·63mm Mauser', though the calibre had not changed
at all. The change in nomenclature merely identified the pistol and cartridge as being Mauser-inspired.
The C/96 had a rectangular bolt moving in a square-section barrel extension. Attached to the extension beneath the bolt was the locking piece, a
lug on the upper surface of a steel block engaging a slot in the underside of the bolt. When the barrel and extension were forward and the bolt
closed, a ramp on the frame forced the underside of the locking piece upward to secure the bolt. The bolt contained a long firing pin, which was
struck by an external hammer. The charger-loaded magazine lay in front of the trigger-guard.
Barrel, extension and bolt all moved backward for about 2·5mm on firing, allowing the locking piece to slide down the ramp to release the bolt.
The barrel stopped, whereupon the bolt ran back to cock the hammer. A return spring inside the bolt-body then ran the bolt forward to drive a

151
 fresh cartridge out of the magazine and into the chamber. Barrel and bolt moved forward, the locking piece rode up the ramp, and all was ready
for the next shot.
Early C/96 pistols were made with a variety of magazines before the design finally settled on a ten-round pattern. Another important early
change was the adoption of two lugs on the locking piece instead of one, with two corresponding recesses in the bolt; not only did this spread the
load more evenly, but it also allowed the bolt recesses to be shallower.
The C/96 was strictly a handgun; it had fixed sights and did not accept a shoulder stock. A large cocking ring obscured the sights when the
hammer was forward, a reminder that the pistol had not been cocked. The rocking safety bar alongside the hammer on the right rear side of the
frame could lock the hammer in its down position. The pistol generally had a 140mm barrel and a ten-round magazine, though small numbers
were made with 120mm barrels and six-round magazines in 1898-9. Even fewer were made with twenty-round magazines.
The original cone-head hammer was replaced by a large ring in 1899, but this was itself substituted c.1903 by a small-ring pattern which did not
obscure the sights. Most butt-heels were grooved to take a wooden holster-stock, the back sight was an adjustable leaf graduated to 500 or 1,000
metres, and the rifling pitch was changed from a turn in 26 calibres to one in 18 calibres to give the bullet better long-range stability. Behind all
this lay a desire to produce a weapon combining the characteristics of pistol and light carbine, but military authorities stubbornly resisted the
lure. Indeed, the Mauser—even without the stock attachment—was never accepted by a major army prior to 1914, though the Italian navy
bought five thousand in 1899 and some were later sold to Turkey. Small batches were bought for evaluation and many officers purchased guns
privately, but, ultimately, success still proved elusive.
Early in the production life of the C/96, a change in frame construction changed the appearance of the pistol. The frame-sides had been recessed
over the trigger and above the grips, in a distinctive rectangular pattern, but these machining operations were unnecessary; the frame became
flush-sided, with neither recessing nor ornamentation. In some subtle way, this detracted from the pistol's appearance; Mauser must have thought
so too, as a reversion was made to the recessed pattern for the remainder of production.
Further minor improvements were made to the design; the disconnector and the trigger pull were improved, and the firing pin became easier to
remove. Pistols with six-round magazines were offered until 1914, though it is likely that no production had taken place since c.1905. These
guns could be obtained with the standard tangent leaf back sight, or with a simple notched standing block. Almost all these guns have 10cm
barrels and lack the holster-stock groove. One small run was made with gently curved grips, probably early in 1901 judged by serial numbers; it
is sometimes identified (on no genuine grounds) as the "Staff Officer's Model". It is probably no more than a short-lived factory experiment, but
it must be remembered that many differing guns were tested by the German army over a period of several years.
About 1907, C/96 pistols began to be made for the 9mm Export cartridge—apparently to be sold with shoulder stocks for hunting in South
America, a market devoid of large game. They were not widely available in Europe. The guns were identical mechanically with the
contemporaneous 7·63mm model and had 140mm barrels rifled with six grooves.
The next major change in the Military Model (as the C/96 and its successors are always known) came in 1912, when the 140mm barrel was
rifled with six grooves instead of four and given a twist of one turn in 25 calibres. More important, the operation of the safety catch was
completely altered. This Neue Sicherung ('new safety') could only be set to safe if the hammer was pulled back out of contact with the firing pin.
It can be identified by 'NS' stamped into the hammer.
The outbreak of the First World War and mass mobilisation soon showed that stocks of Parabellum pistols were far from sufficient. In 1915,
therefore, the high command ordered 150,000 9mm Parabellum calibre C/96 pistols; about 138,000 were forthcoming by the end of the war.
Excepting calibre, they were identical to the pre-war 7·63mm model—thousands of which were also impressed for service, or purchased
privately. The 9mm Mausers were identified by a red-stained '9' carved into the wooden butt grips. Guns found with black numbers (or without
them) had either been re-gripped or were assembled from spare parts after the war had ended.
The Treaty of Versailles forbade the production of 9mm-calibre pistols, except under stringent control for the German army, or of pistols with
barrel lengths exceeding 100mm. Mauser promptly reverted to 7·63mm calibre and a 99mm barrel. This model sold in considerable numbers to
Soviet Russia, acquiring the nickname 'Bolo' (contemporary slang for 'Bolshevik'). The Bolo Mauser retained the 1,000-metre back sight and an
attachment slot for the holster- stock.
Data from an early cone-hammer gun with fixed sights. Maker: Waffenfabrik Mauser AG. Oberndorf. Type: automatic pistol (recoil
operated). Chambering: 7·63mm Mauser. Length overall: 10·87in/276mm. Weight, unladen: 33·7oz/955gm. Barrel: 4·75in/l21mm, rifled.
Magazine: six-round charger-loaded integral box.
Data from an adjustable-sight gun with the C/12 safety mechanism. Maker: Waffenfabrik Mauser AG. Oberndorf. Type: automatic pistol
(recoil operated). Chambering: 7·63mm Mauser. Length overall: 11·61in/295mm. Weight, unladen: 36·9oz/1,045gm. Barrel:
5·51in/140mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round charger-loaded integral box.
Data from an adjustable-sight gun made during the First World War Maker: Waffenfabrik Mauser AG. Oberndorf. Type: automatic pistol
(recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall: 11·61in/295mm. Weight, unladen: 39·5oz/1,120gm. Barrel:
5·51in/140mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round charger-loaded integral box.
M1896 'Bolo' (Germany). Maker: Waffenfabrik Mauser AG. Oberndorf. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 7·63mm
Mauser. Length overall: 10·00in/254mm. Weight, unladen: 36·5oz/1,035gm. Barrel: 3·90in/99mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round charger-
loaded integral box.
Model 1906-08 or C/06-08: The inability of the C/96 to interest the German army, which by 1906 was greatly favouring the Parabellum, forced
Mauser to offer something new. The C/06-08 followed the general layout of its predecessor, though the built-up butt improved grip and a
detachable box. magazine was used. The principal change lay in the locking system; two levers hinged to the barrel extension allowed the bolt to
move between them. As the bolt closed and the barrel moved forward, the levers were cammed out to wedge themselves behind the bolt. After
firing and a short recoil, the levers were moved back into the barrel-extension walls to release the bolt. The C/06-08 was never offered
commercially, few guns being made; they all chambered the 9mm Export Mauser cartridge, which had been created from the 7·63mm pattern by
opening up the case mouth to receive a larger bullet. It has been said that the C/06-08 was a speculative venture in response to a request from the
Brazilian Army, but the German authorities are more likely claimants.
Maker: Waffenfabrik Mauser AG, Oberndorf. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Mauser Export. Length
overall: 11·61in/295mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 4·33in/110mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round charger-loaded detachable box.
Model 1930: This was the final version of the C/96, with a 144mm barrel and the Universal Safety, the last of many innovations to appear on the
pistol. The three-position safety catch could be pulled down alongside the hammer, allowing the pistol to be fired; pushed fully up, it blocked the
hammer; or, positioned midway, it locked the hammer, trigger and bolt. The M1930 remained in production until 1937.

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Models 711 and 712: By 1930,
competition in Mauser's best
markets—the Far East and South
America—had been intensified by
Spanish imitations such as the
Royal and Azul pistols. Some of
these allowed selective automatic fire, forcing
Mauser to produce a similar weapon. The Model 711 was
virtually the 1930-type C/96 with a housing accepting
detachable ten, twenty, or forty-round box magazines. Lacking
the ability to fire automatically, it was a more sensible proposition
than its Spanish rivals—but failed to compete, as fully-automatic handguns had
become status symbols rather than practical firearms. It never sold in quantity.
In 1931, therefore, Mauser produced the Model 712 or Schnellfeuerpistole
('rapid-fire pistol') by fitting a selective- fire switch designed by Josef Nickl to Mauser:
the basic M711. The plain rectangular bar-switch lay on the right side of the C/06-08
frame. Pushed forward to 'N' the pistol functioned normally; retracting the lever pistol, no.51.
to 'R' employed a secondary sear to fire the gun automatically at about 850
rounds per minute. The Nickl system was soon replaced by an improvement
developed by Karl Westinger, though the designation remained unchanged; the
differences were largely internal, simplifying the automatic mechanism.
However, the switch became a pointed oval plate.
The Model 712 sold well enough to combat the Spanish imitations. Many thousands were sold to China and a hundred or so Nickl-type guns
went to the Yugoslav army in 1933. The remaining stock was taken by the German army at the beginning of the Second World War, being
issued as the 'Reihenfeuerpistole Mauser, Kal. 7,63mm'. The guns are said to have been used by the Waffen-SS.
M712 Schnellfeuerpistole. Maker: Mauser-Werke AG. Oberndorf. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated, selective fire). Chambering:
7·63mm Mauser. Length overall: 11·34in/288mm. Weight, unladen: 45·3oz/1,285gm. Barrel: 5·20in/132mm, rifled. Magazine: twenty-
round detachable box.
Model 1909: The success of FN-Brownings, Colts
and other small automatics persuaded
Mauser to develop a range of blowbacks
from 1907 onward. The Model 1909,
chambering 9mm Parabellum ammunition,
formed the basis of most of the guns that
followed. Striker-fired, it had a fixed barrel with an open-topped
slide. The readily detachable barrel had lugs, bored axially, beneath the breech
and muzzle. These dropped into holes in the frame, a pin being pushed through
frame and lugs to secure the barrel. The locking pin was held by a bayonet joint
and spring catch.
The M1909 appears to have been designed around a special 9mm round with a lighter
bullet and a lesser charge than the usual Parabellum pattern, but the gun was never Mauser: 7·63mm M712
offered commercially. It is surmised that even the reduced charge produced too violent an (Westinger)
action. Schnellfeuerpistole.
Model 1912: Development of the abortive M1909 continued with the addition of a recoil brake,
producing a delayed blowback. The resulting 1912 pattern apparently sold in small numbers for trials with the
Brazilian and Russian armies. The cartridge was now a variant of the 9mm Mauser Export, loaded with a 125-grain
streamlined bullet and identified as DWM no.487C. A modified version fitted for a holster-stock became the M1912/14;
some had adjustable back sights. A few were ordered by Brazil, but the outbreak of war in 1914 ended production after only about
200 had been made.
Maker: Waffenfabrik Mauser AG. Oberndorf. Type: automatic pistol (delayed blowback). Calibre: 9mm. Length overall: 7·24in/184mm.
Weight, unladen: 34·0oz/965gm. Barrel: 3·93in/100mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
6·35mm Mauser-Pistole, 1910: While the M1909 was less than successful in a large calibre,
Mauser realised that it would be more than satisfactory with a lighter load. A version
chambering the ubiquitous 6·35mm Auto (Browning) cartridge was introduced in 1910. It
was extremely successful, selling about 60,000 in 1910-13. The barrel-locking pin is held in
the frame solely by friction and a bayonet joint; and the plate on the left side of the frame,
covering the lockwork, has an oblique-cut leading edge and is retained by a thumb catch
above the trigger. Post-1914 pistols, altered to approximate to the then-new 7·65mm version
and often called the 'New Model', relied on a small spring catch under the front edge of the
frame to secure the locking pin. The cover-plate became rectangular, slid in dovetails in the
frame, and could be removed only after the slide had been detached. Production continued Mauser:
until the beginning of the Second World War, by which time the basic 6·35mm New Model 6·35mm
had acquired the contoured 1934-style grip. M1910.
Maker: Waffenfabrik Mauser AG, Oberndorf. Type: automatic pistol (blowback).
Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·30in/160mm. Weight, unladen:
21·0oz/595gm. Barrel: 3·43in/87mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.
7·65mm Mauser-Pistole, 1914: This was little more than an enlargement of the 6·35mm pattern, which had proved most effectual. The first three
thousand guns were made with distinctive frames (called 'humpbacks' by collectors) and a short extractor; later guns had a flush-top slide and a
long extractor. Production continued until the introduction of the so-called New Model (or M1934), which had a new shaped-back grip. A large
batch of 7·65mm pistols was ordered by the German army authorities in 1915, about 100,000 being supplied in 1916-18. These introduced a
distinctive 'Mauser-7,65' on the right side of the slide to prevent confusion with the smaller but outwardly similar 6·35mm patterns.

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 Maker: Waffenfabrik Mauser AG, Oberndorf. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
6·02in/153mm. Weight, unladen: 21·2oz/600gm. Barrel: 3·43in/87mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Westentaschenpistolen: Designed immediately after the end of the First World War, this gun entered
production in 1921. It was originally known as the Mauser-Taschenpistole ('pocket pistol'), but after about
500 had been made it was re-christened Westentaschenpistole (waistcoat-pocket pistol) to emphasize its
smallness.
It was a new striker-fired design with an all-enveloping slide. The one-piece plastic grip had to be
removed before dismantling could begin. An improved WTP appeared about 1938, slightly smaller than
the first pattern but with the two-piece grips and trigger guard shaped to allow a better hold. The striker
protruded through the rear of the frame to double as a cocking indicator. Production ceased early in 1940,
though sufficient components remained to permit the French to assemble about a thousand after the end of
Mauser: 6·35mm WTP2.
the Second World War.
WTP2 (Germany). Maker: Mauser-Werke AG, Oberndorf. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length
overall: 4·00in/102mm. Weight, unladen: 10·6oz/330gm. Barrel: 2·40in/61mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Model 1934: This was a 7·65mm 1914-type pistol with a facelift; the moulded grip was given a more rounded contour and the elegant spring-loaded
catch holding the locking pin was replaced by a cheap bent-steel strip.
HSc: Excellent as they were, the small-calibre Mauser pistols began to lose sales to the
Walther PP and PPK by the mid 1903s. The quest for a modern double-action pistol
resulted in the Selbspanner-Pistole mit Hahn ('self-cocking pistol with hammer').
Wrangling over patents delayed progress, as some features potentially infringed
Walther designs. Changes were made where necessary, clearing the way for the
HSa—produced in prototype form in 1937. Extensive testing cured flaws, suggested
changes, and led to the HSb; more changes perfected the HSc, which entered
production in 1940.
The HSc is a fixed-barrel blowback with an all-enveloping slide, slotted at the rear to
expose the hammer spur. Virtually all guns chambered 7·65mm Auto cartridges, Mauser:
though a few ·22 LR rimfire and 9mm Short examples may have been made 7·65mm
experimentally. Most HSc pistols saw military use, being favoured by the Luftwaffe, HSc.
but some will be found with police marks and a few were sold commercially as late
as 1944.
The streamlined appearance was radically different from any previous Mauser, and the well-shaped butt was raked to give a good hold. About a
quarter of a million was made before 1945; after a brief pause, about 20,000 were produced under French supervision from existing components.
Most of these were used by the French armed forces. Production then ceased until 1970, when Mauser-Jagdwaffen GmbH started to make pistols
in both 7·65mm Auto and 9mm Short. Work stopped in the late 1970s when owing to a rationalisation of facilities, the HSc was licensed to Armi
Renato Gamba in Italy. Gamba's successors, Societa Armi Bresciane still produce minor adaptions of the original design.
Maker: Mauser-Werke AG, Oberndorf. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·38in/162mm.
Weight, unladen: 22·6oz/640gm. Barrel: 3·39in/86mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Parabellum: Manufacture of this pistol was moved to Oberndorf
from the Berlin factory of Berlin-Karlsruher Industrie-Werke
(formerly DWM) in 1930. BKIW and Mauser-Werke AG had
common ownership by this time and it paid to concentrate
handgun production under a single roof. After 1930, therefore, Mauser-Werke
was the principal P.08 contractor. Use of the DWM trademark continued until 1934, after which the
familiar Mauser Banner appeared on most 7·65mm and 9mm commercial pistols.
The regulation P.08 was the prime contract, guns being marked in conformity with the German system.
As is the way of things, the system had a confused start; the first Mauser code, 'S/42', appeared on the Mauser:
toggle with a date-code letter—'K' for 1934, and 'G' for 1935—above the chamber. The system was 9mm
revised in 1936; the Mauser code read 'S/42' or '42', while the year code was replaced by the year ('1936' Parabellum.
then simply '36'). In 1941, the system changed again; the Mauser factory in Oberndorf was allocated
code 'byf', which appeared on the toggle link for the remainder of production.
Work for the military authorities continued until December 1942, the last batches being supplied to Portugal and (probably)
Bulgaria. However, sufficient components had been stockpiled to make thousands more pistols even though the production line was finally
converted to other tasks. Parts were still left over in 1945, allowing a few Parabellums to be assembled as souvenirs. Oddities such as completely
unmarked pistols often originated in the post-war era...as well as most of those marked with SS runes, Goring's signature, death's heads and other
nonsense.
Modern Mauser-Parabellums: The Parabellum pistol will always carry an air of glamour, so Mauser-Jagdwaffen created a new production line in
1970. Prototypes and pre-production guns were based on the Swiss Ordonnanzpistole 06/29, some machines having come from the Bern factory;
the first production pattern was Model 29/70, distinguished by a straight-front grip and a round-headed safety lever. This was eventually
replaced by the Model 06/73, with a German-style swell-front grip and a fluted-head safety. The Mauser-Parabellum-Sportmodell featured a
heavy barrel, sometimes slab-sided, and a fully adjustable back sight.
The Mauser-Parabellums were extremely well finished, engraved and inscribed to order, but were expensive items aimed squarely at the
collector market. Mauser ceased production in the mid 1980s, but just when it seemed that the Parabellum would finally disappear Mitchell
Arms (q.v.) recommenced work in 1991!
Parabellum 29/70. Maker: Mauser-Jagdwaffen GmbH, Oberndorf. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 7·65mm
Parabellum. Length overall: 10·63in/270mm. Weight, unladen: 33·7oz/955gm. Barrel: 5·91in/150mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round
detachable box.
Parabellum 06/73. Maker: Mauser-Jagdwaffen GmbH, Oberndorf. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm
Parabellum. Length overall: 8·66in/220mm. Weight, unladen: 31·6oz/895gm. Barrel: 3·93in/100mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round
detachable box.

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Pistole 38: Mauser also manufactured the Walther P.38 pistol for the Army during the Second World War. Production began in June 1942 but
destruction of wartime records has made it impossible to say how many were made. They were identical with the Walther products and can be
identified only by the Mauser codes—'byf', then 'svw'—on the left side of their slides.
Mauser HsP: In the 1970s Mauser-Jagdwaffen briefly reappeared in the handgun field by developing the Model HsP in response to the Federal
police demand for a quick-acting pistol. The HsP was a recoil-operated 9mm Parabellum pattern, but only a handful was made; rejected by the
authorities, the project was abandoned in 1983.

MAXIM (BRITAIN)
Maxim & Silverman of Crayford, Kent, promoted a pistol
patented by Hiram Maxim in 1896. Perhaps a dozen was
made; it was never sold commercially and only a single
specimen is known. R.K. Wilson, writing in 'Text Book of
Automatic Pistols' in 1943 was extremely impressed by the
blowback Maxim, which used a light hollow bolt sliding
inside a tubular receiver. It was striker fired and offered the
utmost simplicity, with only four parts in the bolt, a sear, a
trigger and an accompanying spring, the detachable box. Maxim: 7·65mm 1898.
magazine, and the barrel. Receiver, trigger guard and frame
were machined as one component. The grip was raked at
45°, and the well-balanced gun handled extremely well.
Specimens were apparently chambered for 8mm
Schonberger, 7·65mm Borchardt and other rounds, each
working with the same facility. Why Maxim failed to continue with this pistol is one of life's little mysteries.
The Maxim name was also adopted for the 6·35mm Rigarmi (q.v.) automatic pistol when sold in the USA by Hy Hunter of California in the 1960s.

MAYOR (SWITZERLAND)
Ernest & Francois Mayor of Lausanne made a pistol to the designs of Ernst Rochat of Nyon, patented in 1919. The f6·35mm blowback was made on
conventional lines, with the fixed barrel protruding from the slide. Early models has a one-piece slide with a cut-out over the barrel serving as an
ejection port; only the rear or breech-block section of the later two-piece slide recoiled, ejecting the spent cases through the resulting gap. The
design of the safety catch also changed; early guns had a lever while later products used a sliding button. Construction of the Rochat pistol frame in
two halves was unusual; the right-hand half carried the trigger and lockwork, while the left half carried the safety catch and retained the internal
components when the two sides were put together. Markings included MAYOR ARQUEBUSIER with a trademark comprising 'R' above 'N'
separated by a fish, on the left side of the slide. The fish mark was also impressed into the wooden grips.
Owing to the small size of the Mayor establishment, production of pistols was quite small—less than a thousand— and ended well before 1930 in
the face of competition from better-established manufacturers. The Mayor pistol is uncommon today, but worth saving because the workmanship
and finish were excellent.
Arquebusier: Maker: E. & F. Mayor, Lausanne. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·64in/118mm. Weight, unladen: 11·6oz/330gm. Barrel: 2·15in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

MENDOZA (MEXICO)
Productos Mendoza of Mexico City is better-known for military arms—machine-guns and submachine-guns— but made the unusual K-62 ·22 LR
rimfire sport pistol in the 1960s. The outline of this unusual weapon resembles a Western-style revolver, with a well flared grip and a prominent
hammer, but the single-shot drop-down barrel is secured by a simplified stirrup catch. Additional firepower is provided by a three-round clip on
each side of the frame, where a revolver cylinder would be, in which half-a-dozen ·22 rounds can be held for loading.
K-62: Maker: Productos Mendoza SA, Mexico City. Type: single-shot pistol. Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall:
8·07in/205mm. Weight, unladen: 14·8oz/420gm. Barrel: 4·33in/110mm, rifled. Magazine: none.

MENZ (GERMANY)
Waffenfabrik August Menz of Suhl made the 7·65mm Beholla (q.v.) pistol for the German army in 1916-18, continuing production after the war
under the trade-name 'Menta'. A scaled-down 6·35mm version dates from the immediate post-1920 era. From these beginnings, Menz went on to
produce guns to his own design until the late 1930s.
Bijou, Kaba, Kaba Spezial, Okzet: These were all names for the Liliput pistol (see below) when sold through various dealers. Kaba and Kaba-
Spezial were applied for Karl Bauer of Berlin.
Liliput This pistol went on sale in 1920, the first version being a tiny blowback automatic in 4·25mm calibre.
The cartridge had originated with the Erika (q.v.), made by Pfannl prior to 1914; Menz adopted it to keep
his pistol as small as possible. Although firing a cartridge which was far from common, the Menz Liliput
appears to have had a lengthy production life: specimens engraved MODELL 1927 are common.
Nevertheless, Menz was sensible enough to see that the Liliput would be more popular in well-known
calibre, in 1925 offering a 6·35mm Auto version. A handful was eventually made in 7·65mm Auto, but this
version is rare.
Liliput: Maker: August Menz, Suhl. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Calibre: 4·25mm. Length
overall: 3·46in/88mm. Weight, unladen: 7·9oz/225gm. Barrel: 1·73in/44mm, rifled. Magazine: six-
round detachable box. Menz: 6·35mm Liliput.
Menz: Instead of pursuing the 7·65mm Liliput, Menz chose to market a similar-but-separate pattern as the Menz
Model II. Basically an enlarged Liliput, the front of the slide was cut square until about five hundred had been made and the front subsequently
tapered beneath the muzzle.
Westentaschenmodell: This 6·35mm shirt-pocket model was made in small numbers, apparently by adding a few improvements to the basic Menta
design. The firing pin doubles as an indicator, protruding through the rear of the slide when cocked, while the barrel is retained by a pin passing
through the frame below the slide. A secondary anchor is provided by the recoil spring guide-rod, which protrudes from the front of the frame; a
groove on the tip allows the rod to be pulled out to free the barrel.
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Model III: This 7·65mm pistol brought a radical redesign. Menz abandoned the open slide of the Liliput—and the shoddy Liliput standard of
manufacture—for a better-quality pistol with a fixed barrel, a concentric recoil spring and a full-length slide similar to the 1910-pattern
Browning. The hammer was external and a slide-removal catch lay above the trigger. Menz advertised this as the Polizei- und Behorden-Modell,
slides being marked MENZ P & B PIST CAL 7·65 MOD III, but whether police forces bought any is questionable; the guns are extremely
uncommon and serial numbers suggest that only a few hundred were ever made.
Model IV: Said to have been made in small numbers prior to the Lignose takeover, probably only in prototype form, this was a Model III with a
double-action lock.
P&B Special: The Model IV was no more than a stage in the development of Menz's last design. The P&B Special was much the same as the
Model III, but its enlarged trigger guard allowed the range of movement needed in a double-action trigger. The external hammer was retained,
but a vertically-moving safety catch appeared on the end of the slide. This was used instead of the usual rocking arm, to avoid clashing with
patents taken out by Walther and Mauser. The slide was marked WAFFENFABRIK AUGUST MENZ SUHL MOD P&B SPECIAL and the
grips bore SPECIAL. This pistol appeared in 1936 but did not sell well, never interested an official agency, and is now quite rare. Perhaps
deciding that pistols were not his forte after all, Menz sold out to Lignose in 1937; remaining Menz guns were sold by the new owners under the
Bergmann-Erben name.
P&B Special: Maker: August Menz, Suhl. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
6·30in/160mm. Weight, unladen: 24·7oz/700gm. Barrel: 3·35in/85mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

MERCURY (USA)
This was a sales name for a ·22 LR rimfire version of the Melior pistol made by Robar of Liege (q.v.) for distribution in North America in the
1930s. A 6·35mm version may also have been sold.
Mercury Model 222: Maker: Manufacture d'Armes Liegeoise, Robar et Cie, Liege. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22
LR rimfire. Length overall: 5·91in/150mm. Weight, unladen: 22·4oz/635gm. Barrel: 3·54in/90mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round
detachable box.

MERIDEN (USA)
The Meriden Firearms Company of Meriden, Connecticut, marked guns sold under the Eastern Arms Company, Empire State, Federal and Meriden
brands in the period before the First World War. The mystery lies in who owned it and just how much actual manufacturing was done. It seems that
the Meriden company was created about 1894 by Sears, Roebuck Company of Chicago, the factory superintendent being Albert J. Aubrey. Aubrey's
name came to be used as a Sears, Roebuck brand name. However, it is possible that much of the manufacturing was undertaken by the Stevens
Arms & Tool Company in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts. Stevens was best-known for rifles, shotguns and single-shot pistols, but also owned some
useful revolver patents.
Whatever the provenance, the Meriden factory, under the trade names quoted above, distributed hammer and pseudo-hammerless hinged frame self-
extracting ·32 and ·38 revolvers with ribbed barrels. They all had five-chamber cylinders; three-inch barrels predominate, but four- or five-inch
patterns can be found. Quality may be charitably described as average. It would be hard to tell a Meriden gun from its many contemporaries were it
not for two little ornamental curves which sweep up from the barrel surface at each end of the front-sight blade.

MERKE (SPAIN)
This 6·35mm blowback Eibar-pattern pistol of the usual 1906-type Browning pattern was probably made by Fernando Ormachea of Eibar in the
early 1920s.
Merke: Maker: F. Ormachea, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35 Auto. Length overall: 4·49/114mm. Weight,
unladen: 12·7oz/360gm. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

MERRILL (USA)
The Merrill Company of Rockwell City, Iowa, and then (from 1979) Fullerton, California, made a single-shot drop- barrel pistol in the 1975-85
period. The gun offered conventional form, the fixed breech section carrying a striker doubling as a cocking indicator. The interchangeable barrel
could be chambered for cartridges ranging from ·22 LR rimfire to ·44 Magnum. Contemporary reports suggested that the Merrill was satisfactory in
·22, but lacked robustness and accuracy in the larger calibres.
Merrill: Maker: The Merrill Company, Fullerton, California. Type: single-shot pistol. Chambering: ·256 Winchester Magnum. Length
overall: 10·50in/267mm. Weight, unladen: 54·0oz/1,530gm. Barrel: 9·00in/229mm, rifled. Magazine: none.

MERVEILLEUX (FRANCE)
Made by an unknown gunsmith, probably in Saint-Etienne, this palm-squeezer pistol resembled the more common Gaulois (q.v.). It was basically a
square box with a barrel protruding from one corner and a shaped grip at the rear. It was small enough to be concealed easily in the hand but, instead
of pressing the rear grip inwards to operate in Gaulois fashion, the Merveilleux front grip was squeezed back by the fingers to cock the striker and
load the chamber from an internal box magazine. Additional movement then released the striker to fire the gun. The special 6mm Merveilleux
cartridge was longer than the more common 6mm Gaulois pattern, suggesting that sufficient guns were made to make ammunition manufacture
worthwhile.

MERKURIA (CZECHOSLOVAKIA)
Used on Czech CZ 75, CZ 83 and CZ 85 pistols when sold in France and other European countries, this signifies Merkuria Import-Export Company
of Prague—the official state-controlled firearms export agency.

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MERWIN & HULBERT (USA)
Merwin, Hulbert & Company of New York originated in
1853 as Merwin & Bray, operating until 1864 as sales agents
for the Plant cap-lock revolvers. Merwin, Taylor &
Simpson, formed in 1864, became Merwin, Hulbert & Co. in
1868. The agency for Hopkins & Allen (q.v.) revolvers was
negotiated in the early 1870s, many of which were sold
under the M&H name. Merwin & Hulbert licensed patents to Merwin & Hulbert: ·32 seven-
Hopkins & Allen, purchasing a controlling interest in the shot revolver made by Hopkins
gunmaker in 1874. The two Hulbert brothers continued & Allen; note the 'pocket
trading under the M&H name after Joseph Merwin died in hammer' with folding spur.
1879, becoming Hulbert Bros., Inc., only in 1892. The
company was liquidated in 1896.
Pocket Army: Maker: made for Merwin, Hulbert
& Co., by Hopkins & Allen of Norwich, Connecticut. Type: open-frame revolver. Chambering: ·44-40 WCF. Length overall:
8·00in/203mm. Weight, unladen: 37·4oz/1,060gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

METROPOLITAN POLICE (USA)

Associated with ·32 rimfire solid-frame non-ejecting revolvers with sheath triggers, manufactured in the 1880s by the Norwich Falls Pistol
Company, this may also be found on guns bearing the Maltby, Curtis name.

MIEG (GERMANY)
In 1890, Armand Mieg of Heidelberg patented a complicated mechanical repeating pistol in which the customary system of levers operated a
turning-bolt mechanism. This was predicated for a 6·65mm bottle-necked cartridge identified as DWM no.396, but it is unlikely that the design
progressed beyond a prototype. A patent granted in 1893 transformed the Mieg repeater into a delayed blowback automatic, still relying on a system
of levers to slow movement of the reciprocating bolt. This gun used an 8mm bottle-necked round, DWM no.372, but progressed no farther than a
few hand-made models. No surviving Mieg guns have yet been identified.

MIKKENGER (USA)
The Mikkenger Arms Company of Dallas, Texas, produced a number of single-action ·44 Magnum and ·45 Colt Western-style revolvers in the late
1970s. The classically gate-loaded solid frame guns had an Allen screw under the loading gate to secure the cylinder arbor pin. Pistols seen in 1978
had numbers in the 4000/5000 series, but are unlikely to have reflected production that may have amounted to a few hundred. Work had ceased by
the early 1980s.

MILADY (BELGIUM)
This name was given to pocket revolvers by both Ancion-Marx and Jannsen fils of Liege. They were either hammerless 5·5mm Velo-Dog types or
folding-trigger hammer revolvers in 6·35mm or 7·65mm Auto. Manufacture extended from c.1895 to 1914.

MIROKU (JAPAN)
The Miroku Firearms Manufacturing Company of Kochi, founded about 1965,
has made ·38 Special revolvers copied from the Colt solid frame double-
action side-opening cylinder pattern. The Model VI, with a six-chamber
cylinder and a two-inch barrel, was sold in the USA as the Liberty Chief
alongside a smaller five-shot Special Police Model. Manufacture seems to
have ceased in the mid-1980s.
Model 6: Maker: Miroku Firearms Mfg Co., Kochi City. Type:
solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38 Special. Length overall:
7·48in/190mm. Weight, unladen: 17·6oz/500gm. Barrel:
2·52in/64mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

MITCHELL (USA)
Mitchell Arms, Inc., of Santa Ana, California, makes the Single Action
Army—a Western-style revolver based, as the name implies, upon the Colt Miroku: Model VI ·38
M1873. The Mitchells have chambered a variety of cartridges from ·22 LR Special.
rimfire to ·45 Long Colt, though recent production has concentrated on ·357
Magnum, ·44 Magnum and ·45 Colt. Barrel lengths range from 4·5in to 12in, with a special 18in barrel model for use with a butt-stock. Sights of
various degrees of elegance may be fitted to order.
In the summer of 1991, Mitchell Arms announced production of a ·30 American Eagle Luger, chambering the 7·65mm Parabellum cartridge and
made almost entirely of stainless steel. Though details are lacking at the time of writing, it is intended to use the well-known chamber-mark with an
additional year-date.
Mitchell: Maker: Mitchell Arms, Inc., Santa Ana, California. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·357 Magnum. Length overall:
9·75in/248mm. Weight, unladen: 36·5oz/1,035gm. Barrel: 5·50in/140mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

MMM-MONDIAL (ITALY)
Modesto Molgora of Milan, essentially a toymaker, produces an enormous range of blank, cap and starting pistols. The company has also made a
cheap six-shot double-action non-ejecting ·22 or 6mm Flobert 'personal defence revolver' with a solid frame.

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M.O.A. (USA)
The M.O.A. Corporation of Dayton, Ohio, makes the Maximum pistol, a single-shot pattern intended solely for long-range competition work. It uses
a dropping-block breech operated by a hand-grip resembling that of a Winchester lever-action carbine, curved to fit the butt. The Maximum can be
obtained in a wide selection of chamberings from 6·5mm to ·44 Magnum. It is fitted with competition sights, but is also drilled to accept optical
sights. With a hand-fitted barrel, it is capable of half-inch groups at 100 metres.
Maximum: Maker: M.OA. Corporation, Dayton, Ohio. Type: single-shot pistol (falling block). Chambering: ·243 Winchester. Length
overall: 15·00in/381mm. Weight, unladen: 61·0oz/1,730gm. Barrel: 10·50in/267mm, rifled. Magazine: none.

MODESTO SANTOS (SPAIN)

Modesto Santos Cia, another of the small Eibar companies formed in 1915 to take advantage of French army contracts, began by producing the
usual Eibar-pattern 7·65mm blowback automatics. These were supplied to the French Army through an intermediary called Les Ouvriers Reunies.
After the war had ended, Santos produced 6·35mm and 7·65mm pistols modelled on the 1906-type Browning, selling them, depending on the outlet,
under the names Action, Corrientes and M.S. The Action was probably destined for sale in France, its slide displaying PISTOLET
AUTOMATIQUE MODELE 1920 CAL 6,35MM ACTION. All Santos, irrespective of name, can be identified by the 'MS' monogram on the grips.
MS: Maker: Modesto Santos, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·53in/115mm.
Weight, unladen: 12·5oz/355gm. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

MOHEGAN (USA)
This ·32 rimfire non-ejecting revolver, with a solid frame and a sheath trigger, was made c.1875-85 by the Hood Firearms Company. One of Hood's
better products, it is generally found with ornate engraving and bone grips.

MONARCH (USA)
Applied to a series of solid framed sheath-trigger non-ejecting revolvers of the type common in the 1880s, these were made by the Norwich Pistol
Company or the Osgood Gun Works in Norwich, Connecticut. They will be found in ·22, ·32, ·38 or ·41 rimfire.

MORAIN (FRANCE)
The name of G. Morain of Paris can be found on an 8mm pseudo-hammerless folding-trigger Velo-Dog revolver of above average quality. The
barrel marking is G. MORAIN BREVETE, which suggests that he may actually have made the pistols, or had them made to some untraced patent of
his own. Production was probably confined to 1895-1910.

MORINI (SWITZERLAND)
Morini Competition Arms SA of Lamone is better known for grips and shooting accessories, but it also makes a ·22 single-shot free pistol, the MC-
80 Super, which uses a dropping-block breech. Built to a luxurious specification, it has an adjustable grip angle, an adjustable bore axis, an
adjustable sight radius, a complex set-trigger system, various sight options, and a range of muzzle counter-weights.

MOSSBERG (USA)
Best known for its rifles and shotguns, O.F. Mossberg & Sons of New Haven, Connecticut, has rarely been involved with handguns. However,
Oscar Mossberg received several revolver patents before the First World War, most being assigned to others (e.g., Iver Johnson). Finally, in 1906,
Mossberg patented a novel four-barrel repeating pistol. Its barrels were two-over-two in a drop-down block, the revolving firing-pin being operated
by squeezing the grip. The gun was designed as a palm-squeezer, held in the hand with the barrels protruding between the fingers, and usually
chambered ·22 Short cartridges though ·32 Short rimfire was sometimes used.
Mossberg assigned the patent to C.S. Shattuck Company of Hatfield, Massachusetts, who made the resulting Shattuck Unique before failing during
the First World War. The patent reverted to Mossberg, who began to make the pistol as the Mossberg Novelty. Markets for this sort of pistol were
limited in the 1920s, and work soon ceased. The principle was revived in the 1930s as the Mossberg Brownie, though a conventional butt and
trigger-guard were added to the four-barrel block. Resembling an automatic pistol, the Brownie was made only in ·22 Short rimfire. Manufacture
ceased in 1942.

MOSSER (SPAIN)
This was a 6·35mm Eibar-style blowback, based on the Browning 1906 by
an unknown Spanish manufacturer prior to 1914. Its slide is marked THE
VERITABLE MOSSER AUTOMATIC PISTOL SUPERIOR while the
grips carry the word SUPERIOR.
Mosser: Maker: unknown. Type: automatic pistol (blowback).
Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·49in/114mm.
Weight, unladen: 12·9oz/365gm. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled.
Magazine: six-round detachable box.

MULLER (SWITZERLAND) Muller: Drawings from a

Bernhard Muller of Winterthur patented his automatic pistol in September patent of 1902.
1902, subsequently submitting it to Swiss army trials in 1904 and US
Army trials in 1905. About ten were made, all chambered for the 7·65mm
Parabellum cartridge. The rotating bolt was opened by a cam track during
a short recoil stroke, the gun being fired by an internal hammer. Some
guns also had an external cocking lever. Small-but-vital defects were
found during the trials, persuading Muller to abandon the project.
Muller: Data from a gun tested by the Swiss army in 1902. Maker: Bernhard Muller, Winterthur. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated).
Chambering: 7·65mm Parabellum. Length overall: 9·33in/237mm. Weight, unladen: 35·3oz/1,000gm. Barrel: 5·51in/140mm, rifled.
Magazine: eight-round (?) detachable box.

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 N
NAGANT (BELGIUM)
Emile and (Henri-) Leon Nagant founded 'Fabrique d'Armes Em. et L. Nagant' in Liege in 1859, though handgun production did not begin until
twin-barrel rolling-block pistols were made for the Belgian gendarmerie in the 1870s. During the intervening period, however, Emile Nagant had
developed a revolver to compete in the contemporaneous army trials. The first patents were granted in 1877, covering improvements in dismantling
systems and ejection; from these Nagant developed a series of revolvers which gained considerable popularity in military circles.
Belgian M1878: Initial success came with this 9·4mm-calibre gun, adopted for officers and men of the Gendarmerie a Cheval, army warrant
officers, senior NCOs and buglers. The M1878 was a sturdy weapon with double-action lock- work, a hinged loading gate on the right side of
the frame behind the cylinder and half-length cylinder flutes.
Nagant M1878: Maker: Fabrique d'Armes E. & L Nagant, Liege. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: 9mm. Length overall:
10·63in/270mm. Weight, unladen: 38·8oz/1,100gm. Barrel: 5·51in/140mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Belgian M1883: As the M1878 was deemed too expensive
for issue to the army rank-and-file, a simpler pattern was
introduced. It has a single-action lock and a plain-surface
cylinder. Small quantities of 1883-type guns were
purchased for the Norwegian army in 1884-5.
Belgian M1878/86: Intended to replace the 1878 pattern, this had a simpler double-
action lock in which the trigger lever acted directly on the hammer instead of (as in the
earlier gun) through an intermediate sear. The most obvious identification feature was the
replacement of the cylinder flutes with oval recesses. Nagant revolvers were retained in the Belgian
army until the end of the First World War, though most had been relegated to second-line service.
Luxembourg M1884: This was a variant of the standard Belgian M1883, chambered for the 7·5mm
Swiss service round. A variant with a curious safety lever on the left side of the frame, the tip of Nagant: Belgian M83
which could lock into a chamber mouth to prevent the cylinder rotating or the hammer being officer's.
cocked, was issued to men of the Belgian prison service. A long-barrelled M1884 with a folding
bayonet, apparently intended for gendarmerie use, enjoyed success commercially.
Swedish M1887: Trials held in Sweden resolved in favour of the Nagant, which was considered to be stronger than the otherwise
more effectual Swiss M1882. A 7·5mm Nagant revolver was adopted in Sweden in 1887. In 1897, as the Nagant factory was occupied with
Russian gas-seal guns, Husqvarna Vapenfabrik began making M1887 revolvers under licence; production continued until about 1905. The guns
were sturdy enough to be held in reserve for many years. Some military-surplus examples were offered for sale in the USA as late as 1958.
Husqvarna-Nagants were also sold commercially in 7·5mm and ·38 calibres; there are also reports of ·22 rimfire versions, but these are more
likely to be later conversions than factory-made.
Nagant M1887: Maker: E & L Nagant, Liege, and Husqvarna Vapenfabrik, Husqvarna. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: 7·5mm.
Length overall: 9·25in/235mm. Weight, unladen: 27·2oz/770gm. Barrel: 4·49in/114mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Norwegian M1893: This was a minor variant of the Swedish 1893-model Nagant, with a rounded front sight instead of the squared Swedish
pattern. Most of the Norwegian revolvers were ordered from the Nagant brothers, though some were bought from Husqvarna. It seems as though
a few others were assembled in the Kongsberg factory from a selection of new Husqvarna and cannibalised Nagant parts.
Other guns: Standard solid-frame 7·5mm Nagants were supplied to Serbia in the late 1890s, while the Brazilian navy purchased some impressive-
looking ·44 guns in the same era. The much-debated adoption by the Argentine navy has never been confirmed. Many guns were sold
commercially, copies being made by several Liege makers—notably Ancion-Marx (q.v.)—as well as Simson & Co. in Suhl.
The first gas-seal guns: Leon Nagant was responsible for this
design, patents for which were granted in 1892-5, the only
one of this type that ever succeeded. The cylinder was
moved forward during the cocking movement of the
hammer so that the coned rear end of the barrel entered the
mouth of the chamber. An 'abutment' behind the cartridge
to be fired held everything in place; not only was the
cylinder held, but the base of the cartridge was also
supported. A notable feature of these Nagants is the
abnormally long firing pin necessary to reach across the
gap and through the abutment to strike the cartridge cap.
The gas-seal system required a special cartridge with an
extended case to enclose the bullet. As the cylinder and
barrel came together, the slightly tapered mouth of the case Nagant: Izhevsk-made
entered the rear of the barrel. When the gun was fired, the 7·62mm M1895 'gas-seal'.
case mouth was expanded by gas pressure and the
movement of the bullet—bridging any gap between
chamber and barrel and so seal in all the propellant gas.
Ever since the introduction of this revolver, argument has raged over the value of the complication in military service; there is no doubt that gas
is sealed in, but the improvement in performance is generally considered too little to be worth the effort. The same system is occasionally used
today in target revolvers, where the advantages of consistent ballistics are better appreciated.
Russian M1895: The Nagants already enjoyed good relations with the Russian army, as they had co-operated in the development of the M1891 (or
Mosin-Nagant) service rifle. Doubtless owing to this connection, the Russians adopted the seven-shot solid framed Nagant gas-seal revolver in
1895. The earliest double-action guns were purchased from the 'L. Nagant & Cie, Liege', progressive blindness having forced Emile Nagant into
retirement. The first guns seem to have been issued to officers and senior NCOs. Production began in the Tula factory in 1899, whereupon
assembly in Belgium ceased. It is said that a few Russian-type guns were supplied to the Romanian army, but these were probably used only for
trials. Guns made in Russia prior to the 1917 revolution were almost all single-action; these were issued much more widely than the original
Belgian-made batches, and have come to be known as the "Trooper's Model". Production continued in the USSR until 1945. Ungainly as it
looked, the Nagant revolver was extremely reliable and popular with its users. In the words of one ex-Tsarist soldier, 'if anything went wrong,
you could mend it with a hammer'.

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 The 7·62mm calibre of the M1895 allowed Russian barrel-making machinery to be adapted for service rifles or revolvers with ease. The
stopping power of the bullet was not great, though a slight improvement was obtained by flattening its tip.
Nagant M1895 'gas seal': Maker: L. Nagant & Co., Liege, and Imperial Russian arms factory, Tula. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre
7·62mm. Length overall: 9·02in/229mm. Weight, unladen: 28·9oz/820gm. Barrel: 4·29in/109mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-chamber
cylinder.
Model 1910: Owing to restrictive clauses in the Russian contract, the Nagant company could no longer make the original gas-seal gun. The basic
frame-style was retained, permitting modified non-sealing 7·5mm and 8mm versions to be offered commercially, while a new gas-seal revolver
with a swing-out cylinder was developed. By 1910, however, the novelty had worn off and there was no market for the new gun; the Belgian
army had adopted an FN-Browning pistol and the Nagant empire was in decline; specimens are extremely uncommon. With Emile blind and
Leon dead, the latter's sons allowed the firearms business to run down in favour of automobiles. Fortunes declined still further when the
Germans occupied Liege in 1914, and the Nagant company was finally liquidated c.1931. The revolver-making machinery had been sold to
Poland a few years previously, where it was used to made the Nagant Ng30 revolver until the indigenous VIS-35 or Radom pistol could be
perfected.
Automatic pistol: Nagant catalogues produced shortly after the end of the First World War announced this gun, but there is no evidence that
production was undertaken.

NAMBU (JAPAN)
Recent researches into the history of the Nambu pistol has revised
views that were held a decade ago. The design originated with the
30th Year Pistol Project, work on which began in the small arms
section of the artillery arsenal in the Koishikawa district of Tokyo in
1897. Major Kijiro Nambu was soon ordered to supervise work,
which began by collecting as many European automatics as possible. Nambu: 8mm Type
Chief among these was the Mauser C/96. Nambu Model A.
Type Nambu Model A: Production of this distinctive automatic—
with a stock-slot in the butt and a notably cramped trigger guard—began in the Koishikawa factory
in 1903, continuing for about three years. The imperial army was too short of funds to adopt it officially,
though officers were encouraged to buy guns privately from 1904.
Although resembling the Parabellum outwardly, the mechanism of the Nambu is closer to that of the Mauser
C/96. The barrel and barrel extension recoil on the frame, and a hinged arm (with an upper lug) is attached to the
barrel extension. The arm is forced up by a ramp in the frame until the lug enters a recess in the bolt. The bolt is
held closed during the initial recoil movement until the hinged arm, passing off the ramp, drops to disengage the lug.
This frees the bolt to move away from the barrel.
A single recoil spring lies on the left side of the bolt. An internal striker lies in the bolt, which has a grooved cocking
grip at the rear end. The butt contains a detachable eight-round box magazine, with a wooden bottom piece, and a grip safety is let into its front
edge. The pistol chambered an 8mm bottle-necked cartridge, designed by Nambu on the basis of the 7·63mm Mauser. It is, however, somewhat
less powerful.
After about 2,300 guns had been made, far-reaching changes were made to the design; the magazine bottom became aluminium, the cocking grip
was more rounded, a swivelling lanyard loop was fitted and the shoulder-stock slot was omitted from all but a very few guns sold to Siam. The
trigger guard was enlarged and the trigger face made flat, rather than bevelled. Minor changes were made to the locking block, the tangent-leaf
sight and the machining of the frame, resulting in the definitive Type Nambu Model A pistol. Work continued in the Koishikawa arsenal:
production was slow, but quality high.
In September 1909, the imperial navy adopted the Type Nambu Model A for its
marines and landing parties— ironically designating it 'Army Type', owing to the
mark optimistically placed on the pistol-frame by its manufacturer. The
Koishikawa arsenal could not increase production, so the navy issued a contract
to the Tokyo Gas & Electric Company. TGE guns were similar to the Koishikawa
pattern, but had a distinctive two-piece frame without the characteristic milled-out
panels behind the grip. As the Navy considered the shoulder stock useful, the first
2,000 or so TGE pistols had a stock slot in the butt. Most of these were filled at a
later date, when opinion of the stock changed.
Nambu: 7mm Type
Production at Koishikawa Arsenal continued until the earthquake of 1923, and at Nambu Model B, or Baby
TG&E until the late 1920s. Both factories offered pistols commercially in Nambu.
addition to fulfilling military orders.
Nambu Model A: Maker: Tokyo artillery arsenal, Koishikawa, and Tokyo
Gas & Electric Co., Tokyo. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated).
Calibre: 8mm. Length overall: 8·98in/228mm. Weight, unladen:
31·7oz/900gm. Barrel: 4·72in/120mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Type Nambu Model B: Commonly called the 'Baby Nambu', this was developed concurrently with the larger Model A, apparently for purchase by
senior officers as a badge of rank. Made to the same general design as the Model A, but somewhat smaller, it chambered a 7mm bottle-necked
cartridge. Production began about 1909-10 in Koishikawa arsenal, continuing until the early part of 1923. It is believed that work was then
transferred to the Tokyo Gas & Electric Company, where about five hundred more were made. Early Model B guns had wooden magazine
bottoms, a pinched-in cocking knob, and a single-diameter firing pin. After about 450 had been made, the magazine base became aluminium, the
cocking knob was rounded, and the multiple-diameter firing pin was used. The Baby Nambu never achieved the popularity that had been hoped
for, since it was almost twice the price of comparable imported pistols.
Nambu Model B: Maker: Tokyo artillery arsenal, Koishikawa, and Tokyo Gas & Electric Co., Tokyo. Type: automatic pistol (recoil
operated). Calibre 7mm. Length overall: 6·73in/171mm. Weight, unladen: 22·9oz/650gm. Barrel: 3·27in/83mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-
round detachable box.

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14th Year Type: The Type Nambu had achieved official
recognition, but proved too expensive to be bought in
sufficient quantity to justify production. The part played by
Nambu in the design of the replacement pistol is now
difficult to determine. He is believed to have begun
redesigning the Type Nambu in 1916, to make it easier and
cheaper to manufacture, but retired from the army in 1924 as
a lieutenant-general. It seems likely that at least part of the
work was undertaken by the small arms section of the
Koishikawa (Tokyo) arsenal; Nambu commanded the entire
arsenal in 1922-4 and is unlikely to have had time to attend
to details personally.
Dual recoil springs were provided, one on each side of the
Nambu: 8mm Taisho 14th
bolt; the grip safety was replaced by a manual catch; a
year Type.
magazine safety appeared; fixed sights were used; and a
thinner grip with horizontally grooved wooden butt plates
were used. Together with simplified machining, these
brought the production cost down. The army duly approved
the design as the '14th Year Type' for issue to NCOs and
purchase by officers. The navy adopted the gun in 1927,
retaining the army designation.
Production began in the brand-new arsenal in the Atsuta district of Nagoya in the autumn of 1926, continuing until the end of 1932. The Nagoya
plant had been selected owing to the damage done to the Koishikawa (Tokyo) plant by the great earthquake of 1923 and a decision to disperse
manufacturing facilities elsewhere. The plans took so long to resolve that production began in the Koishikawa factory in the Spring of 1928;
work continued there until transferred to Kokura in the mid 1930s, though the latter made only a few thousand guns before closing the line in the
summer of 1936. Whether any production was undertaken is moot, as the guns may have been assembled from parts transferred from Tokyo.
Kijiro Nambu, meanwhile, had formed his own gunmaking company with a view to acquiring a military pistol contract. In 1933, production
machinery was transferred from Nagoya arsenal to the Nambu Rifle Manufacturing Company works in the Kokubunji district of Tokyo. Re-
named Chuo Kogyo in 1936, the Nambu factory made 14th Year Type pistols until the summer of 1944; total production was about 112,500.
A duplicate production line was installed in a factory in the Toriimatsu district of Nagoya in 1941, making its first guns almost as the Japanese
bombed Pearl Harbour. Work continued until the very end of the war, total output amounting to something in excess of 120,000.
The only major change to the 14th Year Type design was the adoption of an improved firing pin in the 1930s, a response to a rash of breakages,
and the enlargement of the trigger-guard in late 1940—allowing use with a gloved hand—as a result of experience in Manchuria.
14th Year Type: Maker: Tokyo artillery arsenal, Koishikawa, Nagoya and Kokura arsenals; Nambu-Seisakusho/Chuo Kogyo (see text).
Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Calibre: 8mm. Length overall: 8·94in/227mm. Weight, unladen: 32·1oz/910gm. Barrel:
4·72in/120mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

NAPOLEON (USA)
This name appeared on ·22 or ·32 rimfire revolvers made by the Thomas Ryan Jr Pistol Manufacturing Company of New York c.1875-85. They
followed the usual solid-frame non-ejecting pattern, with sheath triggers and bird's head or square butts.

NATIONAL ARMS (USA)

Trading in Brooklyn, New York, the National Arms Company made ·41 Short rimfire single-shot derringers from 1865 onward. Colt (q.v.) acquired
the company in 1870, perpetuating the pistol until 1890.

NEW NAMBU (JAPAN)

Shin Chuo Kogyo KK of Tokyo is the 1949-vintage incarnation of the old Chuo Kogyo
company, which made 14th Year Type Nambu (q.v.) pistols from 1936 onward. The
'New Nambu' pistols have no other connection with the original design. Shin Chuo
Kogyo entered the handgun field again in the late 1950s, with contracts to supply pistols
to the Japan Self-Defence Force and police forces.
Model 57A: Developed in 1957, this 9mm automatic was based on the Colt M1911A1,
but had a magazine safety instead of a grip safety. It was never put into production.
New Nambu Model 57A: Maker: Shin Chuo Kogyo, Tokyo. Type: automatic
pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall:
7·80in/198mm. Weight, unladen: 28·2oz/800gm. Barrel: 4·61in/117mm, rifled.
Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
New Nambu: 32 ACP
Model 57B: This 7·65mm blowback automatic was modelled on the 1910-pattern Model 57B.
Browning, but had an external hammer and a loaded chamber indicator. It was
submitted to both military and police forces, but was rejected and never entered
production.
Model 58 (Type 60): This five-shot solid-frame revolver with a swing-out cylinder, based on Smith & Wesson practice, was adopted by the
Japanese police in 1961 (as the Type 60) and later by the Maritime Safety Guard. It has also been sold commercially.
New Nambu Type 60: Maker: Shin Chuo Kogyo, Tokyo. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38 Special. Length overall:
7·76in/197mm. Weight, unladen: 24·0oz/680gm. Barrel: 3·00in/76mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

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NEW YORK PISTOL COMPANY (USA)
This trade name was used on ·22 rimfire revolvers of the usual solid-frame non-ejecting type, made by the Hood Firearms Company from 1875 to
c.1882.
New York: Maker: Hood Firearms Co., Norwich, Connecticut. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·22. Length overall: 7·01in/178mm.
Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 3·46in/88mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-chamber cylinder.

NORDHEIM (GERMANY)
Gotthilf von Nordheim of Mehlis made a 7·65mm blowback automatic in the period
immediately before the First World War, after which he seems to have retired. The recoil
spring wrapped around the barrel, retained by a screwed-in bush at the muzzle, was
inspired by the 1910-type Browning. However, the large ribbed bush extends in front of
the slide and the barrel protrudes for a further 10mm or so. The slide is marked
DEUTSCHE SELBSTLADE- PISTOLE CAL 7,65 ZUM PATENT ANGEM. and the
grips bear a 'GvN' monogram.

NORTH AMERICAN ARMS COMPANY (USA, CANADA) Nordheim: 7·65mm.

1: The North American Arms Co. Ltd. of Quebec, utilising the factory of the
moribund Ross Rifle Company, obtained a contract to manufacture the Colt ·45
M1911 pistol for the US Army in 1918. The production line was completed, but
only about a hundred pistols had been made when the Armistice came and the
contract was abruptly cancelled. No more were made, making this version among the rarest Colt M1911 variants. The slide bears the company
name on the left side.
2: The North American Arms Corporation of Toronto, unconnected with similarly-named 1918 company
noted above, operated only in 1948-52. It developed the Brigadier pistol (q.v.).
3: Made by the North American Arms Company of Spanish Fork, Utah, the Mini-Revolver can be considered
the modern equivalent of the solid-frame sheath-trigger non-ejectors of the 1880s. The Mini-Revolver
offers similar layout, but incomparably better quality; made from stainless steel it is beautifully finished.
An inertia firing pin is used. The cylinders have intermediate safety notches between the chambers,
allowing the gun to be carried with all five chambers loaded—but none aligned with the hammer.
Manufacture began with a ·22 Short rimfire version in 1974, followed in 1976 by a ·22 LR model. A North American Arms:
·22 WMRF version was subsequently added. ·22 S.

NORTH KOREAN FACTORIES

The North Korean People's Army carries two pistols, so far as is known in the West. The Type 64 is none other than the 1900-pattern 'Old Model'
Browning resurrected. This is less strange than it seems, as the making of spurious Browning 1900s has long been a pastime in the Far East;
probably all the NKPA has done was to organise this production. Guns are stamped '7,62', but chamber the 7·65mm Auto cartridge. A variant model
has a short slide and elongated barrel, the muzzle being threaded for a silencer.
The Type 68 is the locally-made version of the Soviet Tokarev TT-33. The shortened slide and barrel, plus the deepened slide, give the pistol a
stocky appearance. Internally, the swinging link has been changed to a fixed cam. The magazine catch lies on the heel of the butt, while the finger
grooves on the slide slope diagonally rather than vertically. Type 68 pistols chamber the Soviet 7·62mm pistol cartridge.
Type 64: Maker: state factories. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·70in/170mm. Weight,
unladen: 22·9oz/650gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Type 68: Maker: state factories. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 7·62mm Russian. Length overall: 7·28in/185mm.
Weight, unladen: 28·0oz/795gm. Barrel: 4·25in/108mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

NORWICH ARMS (USA)

The Norwich Pistol Company and its successor, Norwich Falls Pistol Company, made a fearful roster of inexpensive revolvers in 1875-87—
America; Bulldozer; Challenge; Chieftain; Crescent; Defiance; Hartford Arms; Maltby, Henley; Metropolitan Police; Nonpareil; Norwich Arms;
Parole; Patriot; Penetrator; Pinafore; Prairie King; Protector; Spy; True Blue; U.M.C.; and Winfield Arms.
The Norwich Pistol Company was formed in 1875 by the New York sporting-goods dealers Maltby, Curtis & Co., to make cheap revolvers, roller-
skates and tools. These were sold by Maltby, Curtis and a chain of associated dealers across the USA. The Norwich company operated entirely
separately from its parent, failing in 1881. Maltby, anxious not to lose its source of supply, bought back the remains of the company, formed the
Norwich Falls Pistol Co., put in new directors and continued as before. Production finally ended in 1887 with the failing fortunes of Maltby, Curtis
& Company in a declining sporting-goods market. Maltby, Henley & Co. was formed in 1889, whereupon stocks of parts, pistols and machinery
may have allowed sales of Norwich-type guns to continue for a few years. Unfortunately, records no longer exist to show just what was made and
sold by whom, or how revolvers were named; the complex inter-relationship of the companies offers scope for research for years to come.
Virtually all the Norwich and Norwich Falls guns were the solid-frame sheath trigger non-ejecting rimfire revolvers common to the period. They
will be marked 23 APRIL 1878, referring to a patent granted to William H. Bliss, the original Norwich factory superintendent. Chamberings ranged
from ·22 Short rimfire to ·44 rimfire.
Norwich: Maker: Norwich Falls Pistol Co., Norwich, Connecticut. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·32 Long rimfire. Length
overall: 5·75in/146mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 2·36in/60mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

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 O
OBREGON (MEXICO)
Fabrica de Armas Mexicanos of Mexico City made the 1934-patent
Obregon pistol between 1934 and 1938. It resembles the Colt ·45
M1911A1 at first glance, with the same general outline, hammer,
and grip safety, but an unusually long combination slide latch/safety
catch lies on the left side of the frame and the front half of the slide
has a tubular appearance. The magazine differs slightly from the
Colt design; some Obregons can even be found with a safety which locks
the hammer when the magazine is removed. Fabrica de Armas
The reason for the tubular slide becomes apparent once the gun is Mexicanos: Obregon.
dismantled: instead of relying on the familiar Browning swinging link, the breech is locked by rotating the
barrel—reminiscent of the Savage or Steyr. The barrel is located in the frame by cams riding in helical tracks,
while a third lug engages in an angular slot in the slide. Recoil of the slide is resisted by this third lug until the
rearward movement, transmitted through the helical cams, has revolved the barrel about 20° and aligned the locking
cam a longitudinal slot. The slide is thus free to move back and open the breech. Delay is added to the system by torque
created by the bullet engaging the rifling grooves, which opposes and thereby slows barrel rotation.
It is generally accepted that less than a thousand good-quality Obregon pistols was made. Although encouraged by the
Mexican government, it was not adopted for military service and the pistols were all sold commercially.
Obregon: Maker: Fabrica de Armas Mexicanos, Mexico City. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: ·45 ACP. Length
overall: 8·50in/216mm. Weight, unladen:40·0oz/l.135gm. Barrel: 5·00in/127mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

OCULTO (SPAIN)
This name was used on double-action hinged-frame ·32 and ·38 revolvers, copied from the Smith & Wesson New Departure pattern by Orueta
Hermanos of Eibar in the 1920s.
Oculto: Maker: Orueta Hermanos, Eibar. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Calibre: ·38. Length overall: 7·48in/190mm. Weight, unladen:
18·2oz/515gm. Barrel: 3·23in/82mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

OJANGUREN Y MARCAIDO (SPAIN)

Trading in Eibar from the 1890s onward, records of this company are few, but it appears to have been formed to make Velo-Dog revolvers. This
continued into the period of the First World War, when the company turned to modern designs based on contemporaneous Smith & Wesson's.
Ojanguren y Marcaido disappeared about 1930, victims of the economic climate.
Brow: This pseudo-hammerless solid-frame five-shot Velo-Dog revolver was usually offered with a folding trigger, though some will be found with
a conventional trigger and guard. Gate-loaded, and with a rod ejector, it was introduced between 1905 and 1910 in 6·35mm Auto, 7·65mm Auto
and other chamberings, bearing the calibre mark on the barrel and an encircled 'OM' monogram on the frame.
Cilindro Ladeable: A revolver made in the 1920s, copied from the Smith & Wesson Military & Police model, this can be identified by CAL ·32
LARGO on the barrel and the 'OM' monogram on the grips. The left side of the frame also carries a monogram, surrounded by TRADE MARK,
a near-copy of the contemporary Smith & Wesson marking.
Cilindro Ladeable: Maker: Ojanguren y Marcaido, Eibar. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·32 S&W Long. Length overall:
9·84in/250mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
El Blanco: This designation applies to two revolvers dating from the 1920s. The ·22 rimfire six-shot Modelo El Blanco had a solid frame and a side-
opening cylinder adapted from the Colt Police Positive. El Blanco Modelo de Tiro (·22 or ·32) was similar but larger, and had adjustable sights
for target shooting.
El Blanco: Maker: Ojanguren y Marcaido, Eibar. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall:
10·63in/270mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
OM: Revolvers with this title were made during and after the First World War. Copied from the S&W Military & Police model, they differed only
in chamberings—from ·22 LR to ·38 Special. All are marked with the 'OM' monogram on the frame.
Puppy: This is simply a six-shot ·22 Short rimfire version of the Brow pattern described above.
Velo-Mith: This name was used by several Spanish makers to identify a six-shot hinged-frame advance on the Velo-Dog design. The general
appearance—pseudo-hammerless, with a folding trigger—follows the Velo-Dog type, but the barrel is usually flattened and reinforced to
resemble the fore-end of an automatic pistol. The hinged frame has a top latch locked by a thumb-piece above the hammer shroud, and
automatic ejection is customary. Ojanguren y Marcaido produced Velo-Mith revolvers in 6mm, 6·35mm, 7·65mm and ·380.
Velo-Mith: Maker: Ojanguren y Marcaido, Eibar. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
6·02in/153mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 1·77in/45mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

OJANGUREN Y VIDOSA (SPAIN)

The relationship between this Eibar-based company and Ojanguren y Marcaido has not been
discovered; evidence suggests that it began as a separate entity, producing automatic pistols,
and then absorbed the remains of Ojanguren y Marcaido about 1930. O&V revolvers are
virtually identical to O&M models, the points of similarity in small details being beyond
coincidence and arguing production on the same machinery. The company disappeared, with
many others, during the Spanish Civil War.
Apache: This was the usual 6·35mm Eibar-pattern blowback, dating from the early 1920s. The
grips bear a motif of a head wearing a beret, obviously an allusion to the Parisian 'Apache'
gangs. See remarks under Crucero, below.
Apache: Maker: Ojanguren y Vidosa, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback).
Ojanguren y Vidosa:
Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·41in/112mm. Weight, unladen:
7·65mm Crucero.
13·6oz/385gm. Barrel: 2·13in/54mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

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Crucero: This name covers a revolver and a blowback automatic. The revolver is identical with the Apache, made by Fabrica de Armas Garantizada
and sold through Ojanguren y Vidosa; it is almost certainly the same weapon under a sales name. The automatic pistol is an enlarged Salvaje, an
Eibar type in 7·65mm calibre. The slide is marked PISTOLA AUTOMATICA CRUCERO EIBAR (GUIPUZCOA) ESPANA MARCA
REGISTRADA JUNIO 1917, while the grips carry a ship motif and the 'OV monogram.
Furia: This is a better-than-average Eibar-pattern 7·65mm blowback pistol bearing the slide marking PLSTOLET AUTOMATIQUE FRANCAISE
FABRIQUE A ST ETIENNE (ACIER GARANTI) and FURIA embossed in the top of the grips.
Claims to French origin are placed under suspicion by the appearance of the Indian-head trademark of Ojanguren y Vidosa of Eibar on the lower
part of the grips. It is suspected that the Furia was made in Spain for sale in France in the early 1930s. The feature which singles it out from
legions of Eibar-type guns is the curved butt back strap swelling at the base to fit the hand, an unusual refinement in this class.
Furia: Maker: Ojanguren y Vidosa, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
5·71in/145mm. Weight, unladen: 21·3oz/605gm. Barrel: 3·15in/80mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Ojanguren: This name covers most of the revolvers made in the 1930s, models based on Smith & Wesson patterns and identical with those made
by Ojanguren y Marcaido. They can only be distinguished by the encircled 'OV' trade-mark, very like the preceding 'OM' pattern, and the names
on some barrels. Two ·32 models were made—one with a six-inch barrel and a square butt, and another with a three-inch barrel and a round butt.
The latter is labelled 'Model de Expulsion a Mano' on the barrel. Two square-butt patterns were also made: the Militar y Policia in ·38 Long Colt
calibre and the ·38 Special Legitimo Tanque with adjustable sights.
Salvaje: This is almost the same as the Apache, but with a more rounded slide. The grip shows the head of a Red Indian, with feathered head-dress,
beneath SALVAJE.
Tanque: An original design of 6·35mm blowback automatic, this has a solid block running most of the length of the underside of the barrel. The
block fits into the frame, being retained by a screw at the front. The oddly shaped slide tapers away from the barrel to leave a prominent rib. The
slide is marked 6.35 TANQUE PATENT and the grip motif shows a two-man Renault tank.
Tanque: Maker: Ojanguren y Vidosa, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·25in/108mm. Weight, unladen: 10·9oz/310gm. Barrel: 1·77in/45mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

OMEGA (SPAIN, GERMANY)

1: A 7·65mm Eibar-pattern blowback automatic made by R.S.
Industria Armera of Eibar, probably during or shortly after the
First World War.
2: Applied to 6·35mm and 7·65mm Eibar-type automatic pistols
manufactured by Armera Especialistas of Eibar (q.v.).
3: A ·32 solid-frame swinging cylinder double-action revolver
made by H. Weihrauch (q.v.) of Mellrichstadt in the 1960s.
4: Used as Omega Model 100 on the Model 22K ·22 rimfire
revolver made in the 1950s by Gerstenberger & Eberwein
(q.v.) of Gerstetten-Gussenstadt.

ORBEA (SPAIN)
Springfield Armory:
Orbea Hermanos, founded in Eibar in 1859, were amongst the
10mm Omega..
earliest Spanish pistol manufacturers and the most inventive; the
Museu de Armas of Eibar owns a gas-operated automatic revolver
made by this firm in 1863. A piston beneath the barrel, through a
system of levers, cocks the hammer, rotates the cylinder and ejects
an empty case. The gun was never made in quantity and was
doubtless highly temperamental, but it reflects credit on its designer and establishes Eibar as a likely birthplace of the automatic pistol.
This burst of originality came amidst production of Lefaucheux-type M1858 pinfires and the Kerr-pattern M1862 cap-lock navy gun, but was
followed by a run of unimaginative copies. The brothers produced a copy of the ·44 S&W No.3 Russian Model for the Spanish army in the late
1870s, easily distinguishable from the American-made guns by the lack of a web beneath the barrel, then made the 11mm 'Revolver Smith y
Wesson reformado no.7' adopted in October 1884. Thereafter, Orbea Hermanos continued to turn out revolvers based on S&W or Colt patterns, later
adding automatic pistols to the range.
Colon: This ·32 revolver, based on the Colt Police Positive,
appeared in 1925. It had a four-inch barrel and a round
butt.
Colon M1925: Maker: Orbea Hermanos, Eibar.
Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·32. Length
overall: 9·25in/235mm. Weight, unladen: 15·3oz/435gm.
Barrel: 4·13in/105mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Iris: Another Colt copy, available in ·32-20, ·32 Long and ·38 Special, it differed from the
Colon in having a six-inch barrel and a square butt.
Model 1915: This six-shot 10·35mm revolver, based on the ribbed-barrel Smith & Wesson top-
break pattern, was made for the Italian Army in 1914-18. The butt frame ended in a sharp beak
bored to receive a lanyard ring, the grips stopping short to expose the beak. These revolvers were
sold as war-surplus after 1918 and are sometimes found with the names of Italian gun dealers
Orbea: OH 1905.
stamped into the frame.
M1915 [Bodeo type]: Maker: Orbea Hermanos, Eibar. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: 10·35mm. Length
overall: 9·76in/248mm. Weight, unladen: 29·3oz/830gm. Barrel: 4·72in/120mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber
cylinder.
O.H.: This graces a range of revolvers which, though lacking individual names, all carried the 'OH' trademark on the frame.

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 Copied from the S&W Military & Police pattern, with 4in or 6in barrels, they had round or square butts. Chamberings were the usual ·32, ·32-
20, 8mm French and ·38 Special, plus a few accepting 5·5mm Velo-Dog—the only known modern-style revolver using this round. Most O.H.
guns post-date the First World War; some are marked MODEL 1925, though they do not appear to differ from unmarked examples.
O.H.: Maker: Orbea Hermanos, Eibar. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38 Special. Length overall: 9·76in/248mm. Weight
unladen: 29·6oz/840gm. Barrel: 4·80in/122mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Orbea y Cia: This company is believed to denote a re-organisation of Orbea Hermanos in the early 1930s, but then terminated by the Spanish Civil
War. This would account for only a single rarely-seen pistol bearing the name.
The 6·35mm Orbea automatic offered unusual construction. The barrel terminated in an oddly-shaped block, carrying the front sight, which was
held to the frame by a screw passing up in front of the trigger-guard. This block was externally formed to match the slide which, consequently,
was shorter than normal. The recoil spring was carried in the top of the slide, an internal striker was used, and a grip safety replaced the standard
manual type. The slide was marked ORBEA Y CIA EIBAR ESPANA PISTOLA AUTOMATICA CAL 6,35.

ORTGIES (GERMANY)
Although German, Heinrich Ortgies lived in Liege for several years. There he designed an automatic pistol, patented in 1918. He returned to Erfurt
after hostilities had ceased to begin making the 7·65mm Ortgies pistol. Success was considerable, even in the depressed post-war market; upwards
of 10,000 were made. However, Deutsche-Werke (q.v.) of Erfurt made the inventor an offer too attractive to refuse, taking over the patents, stock
and tools. Ortgies himself appears to have taken no further interest in firearms.
The Ortgies pistol was an extremely well made and finished striker-fired blowback automatic, with an 87mm barrel and an eight-round magazine.
There were three patented features: the method of attaching the barrel, the disconnector, and the method of attaching the grips. The barrel was
formed with a flanged lump beneath the chamber which engaged in a claw-like seat in the frame; the barrel could be removed by turning it sideways
through 90° to disengage the claw. A spring-loaded stud protruding from the frame was pressed down by the slide, disconnecting the trigger except
when the slide was fully home and the breech closed; a recess in the slide allows the stud to rise and re-connect the trigger to the sear when the
action is fully shut. The wood grips were held by steel spring-clips inside the butt frame instead of the normal screws, reached by removing the
magazine.
A grip lever—the only applied safety device—remained locked when depressed until a button at the top of the left grip was pushed to release it. The
grip-safety spring also drove the striker, so that squeezing the grip safety gave the striker additional power to deliver a firm blow.
The original Ortgies-made models are marked ORTGIES & CO. ERFURT ORTGIES PATENT on the slide, a bronze medallion with an 'HO'
monogram being let into the grips. These medallions were retained by Deutsche-Werke for some years, together with 'Ortgies Patent'. Both these
acknowledgements were subsequently dropped, probably marking the expiry of Ortgies' interest in his patents.
Ortgies: Maker: Heinrich Ortgies, Erfurt. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Calibre: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·50in/165mm.
Weight, unladen: 22·6oz/640gm. Barrel: 3·43in/87mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

O.W.A. (AUSTRIA)
Osterreichische Werke Anstalt of Vienna operated between 1920-5, little else being known. Its only product was an original design of 6·35mm
automatic, patented in 1920; the patent was granted in the name of 'Staatliche Industriewerke', suggesting that OWA may simply have been the
former Vienna arsenal.
The OWA pistol bears a superficial resemblance to the Pieper/Steyr drop-barrel models; however, though the barrel does tip downward,
construction is quite different. The entire slide is pivoted at the front of the frame, released by a large catch at the rear. The slide is extensively cut
away behind the barrel to allow a separate breech block to move; this is slotted to pass around a pillar in the back of the frame, on which the slide
catch locks. The recoil spring lies above the breech block, while a hammer in the frame comes up through the slotted portion of the block to strike
the firing pin. A sliding safety catch on the left side locks the hammer.
The maker's name appears only on the grips, as an 'OWA' monogram. The only other markings on the slide and frame are MADE IN AUSTRIA and
PATENT ANGEMELDET.
OWA: Maker: Osterreichische Werke Anstalt, Vienna. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·72in/120mm. Weight, unladen: 14·5oz/410gm. Barrel: 1·97in/50mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

OYEZ (BELGIUM)
The Oyez Arms Company of Liege made a 7·65mm automatic pistol prior to 1914, apparently by copying the contemporaneous Pieper tip-down
barrel models. It is not yet known if Oyez and Pieper pistols differ internally. However, as the Pieper design did not appear until 1912, Oyez may
have begun production under licence in 1913 and closed down after the German invasion of Belgium in 1914. This would account for scarcity.
Oyez: Maker: Oyez Arms Co., Liege. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·71in/145mm.
Weight, unladen: 21·9oz/620gm. Barrel: 2·83in/72mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

P
P.A.F. (SOUTH AFRICA)
Pretoria Arms Factory operated briefly in the 1950s, making this well-made 6·35mm automatic, based
on the Baby Browning though lacking the grip safety. Early models had raised sights, reduced to an
aiming groove in the slide top on later guns. The slide carried a badge of two crossed cartridges above
'PAF' in a wreath, repeated in the grip mouldings, and ..JUNIOR VVERVAARDIG IN SUID-
AFRIKA/MADE IN SOUTH AFRICA in three lines. Some 10,000 are said to have been made, but
they are rarely seen outside the country of origin.
Junior: Maker: Pretoria Arms Factory. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering:
6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·53in/115mm. Weight, unladen: 13·4oz/380gm. Barrel:
2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
P.A.F.: ·25 ACP Junior.

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PAGES (FRANCE)
In 1880, V.F.E. Pages of Paris patented a unique multi-shot pistol, though it is
unlikely that many were made. None is known to survive. Two arms ran forward
from an open-frame butt to support the top and bottom of a block carrying six short
superimposed barrels. Behind these barrels was a bank of firing pins, alongside a
vertical shaft carrying six cams. Behind this was sufficient space between the two
arms for the fingers of the hand, with a trigger in the upper part. The block of barrels
could be swung open to load, probably with one of the 6mm palm-squeezer rounds.
Pulling the trigger caused the vertical shaft to make a part-turn, cocking and then
releasing the first firing pin by way of the first cam. The next trigger pressure turned
the shaft to bring the second cam into engagement, continuing until all six barrels had
been fired in sequence. The Pages system was practicable, but the resulting weapon
Pages: Multi-barrel
was cumbersome and failed to challenge contemporary pocket revolvers.
repeating pistol.

PANTAX (ARGENTINA)
Made by E. Worther of Buenos Aires, this small ·22 LR automatic pistol has the appearance of a Frommer 'Stop' copy, with a similar tubular
receiver and an external hammer in the frame. However, it is a simple blowback. The date of production is unclear; the design should suggest the
1920s, but the condition of the specimen examined suggested the 1950s.
Pantax: Maker: E. Worther, Buenos Aires. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall:
5·91in/150mm. Weight, unladen: 18·3oz/520gm. Barrel: 2·83in/72mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

PARABELLUM (GERMANY)
The Parabellum pistol was the successor to the Borchardt (q.v.), resulting from DWM employee Georg Luger's efforts to turn the Borchardt into a
more effectual weapon. His pistol is widely called the Luger but, strictly, this name only applies to appropriately marked pistols sold by A.F.
Stoeger & Company of New York. Stoeger had the commercial acumen to register 'Luger' as a brand name. As noted under the DWM entry, this
came from the company's telegraphic address in Berlin. It was attached to the pistol from 1901, guns previously being known as the 'Borchardt-
Luger'.
The Parabellum has been the subject of innumerable books and monographs which have explored it in the minutest detail; in the interest of brevity,
'The Luger Book' (1986) by John Walter and 'The Navy Luger' (1988) by Joachim Gortz and John Walter are recommended as reliable sources of
additional information.
Luger's principal improvement on the Borchardt was to replace the temperamental helical recoil spring in the back of the Borchardt receiver with a
simpler leaf spring in the back of the butt. The new spring was coupled to the toggle by a bell-crank lever. Luger also cleaned up the design in minor
details, improving balance and appearance. A prototype Borchardt-Luger pistol was demonstrated in Switzerland in 1898. It was apparently
chambered for a modified 7·65mm Borchardt cartridge, and the Swiss army, expressing interest in the design, suggested that slightly less power
might be an improvement. Luger shortened the case to produce the cartridge known since 1901 as the 7·65mm Parabellum.
Model 1900: Adopted in 7·65mm by the Swiss army in 1900,
this retained one Borchardt characteristic: a small clip in
the right-hand toggle grip which clipped over the frame
rail to ensure that the breech block did not bounce open
again as it shut. This anti-bounce lock was really
superfluous, as the toggle-joint lay slightly below the
Parabellum: DWM
thrust-line when the action was closed, any attempt to
7·65mm Model 1906.
open merely seating the toggle more firmly against the
barrel extension.
Other significant features were a grip safety; a spring extractor in the flat-top breech block; and a
safety lever set into the rear left side of the frame, moving upward to lock the sear. The head of the safety
lever was originally finely chequered, but this was soon changed to deep fluting. The guns acquired by the Swiss
bore a Swiss cross on a starlike sunburst on top of the chamber. An additional thousand 1900-type guns were
supplied to the US Army in 1901, with the American Eagle over the chamber. Guns went to Bulgaria, and many
others were sold commercially.
Parabellum M1900: Maker: Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken, Berlin-Charlottenburg. Type: automatic
pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 7·65mm Parabellum. Length overall: 9·37in/238mm. Weight, unladen:
31·0oz/880gm. Barrel: 4·80in/122mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Model 1902: By 1902-3, the Parabellum had been subjected to several military trials and a frequent observation had been that the 7·65mm bullet
lacked stopping power. Luger and the DWM ammunition design staff answered this by opening out the mouth of the 7·65mm Parabellum case to
receive a 9mm-diameter truncated-cone bullet. As the length and case diameter remained the same, there was no need to redesign the breech
block or the magazine; the barrel was simply unscrewed and replaced. The new 9mm barrel was somewhat thicker and a little shorter than the
7·65mm version, giving the new pistol a stubbier appearance.
The rifling changed from four grooves to six, and, ultimately, the length of the frame and barrel extension was adjusted. The original M1900 and
the first M1902 pistols (the latter dating no earlier than the autumn of 1903) had the so-called 'long frame', curving up ahead of the trigger-guard
to meet the barrel extension; the barrel is of a suitable length, with a long threaded section. The frame, barrel extension and barrel-thread of the
finalised 1902 pattern were shortened by about 2mm (0·08in), whereafter the front of the frame rose to meet the barrel extension at right angles.
However, it should be noted that the Parabellums of this era were still semi-experimental; hybrids will be found with 7·65mm barrels on the
short frames, or with the later 1904-patent breech block.
Parabellum M1902: Maker: Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken, Berlin-Charlottenburg. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated).
Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall: 8·54in/217mm. Weight, unladen: 31·2oz/885gm. Barrel. 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine:
eight-round detachable box.
Model 1904: The first large-scale purchase of the Parabellum by the German armed forces occurred when the imperial navy approved the 9mm
Selbstladepistole 1904, now known as the 'Navy Luger' or Marine-Modell. This had four-groove rifling, a 15cm barrel on a long frame, and
innovations which thereafter became standard on all Parabellums. The plain spring-type extractor was replaced by a new vertical-blade design

166
 carrying GELADEN on the side, visible when forced upward by a chambered round. The word GESICHERT was engraved beneath the safety
catch, visible when the catch was up and the weapon safe. A lug formed on the rear of the butt accepted a wooden stock. Navy pistols also had a
unique (if oddly shaped) back sight on the back toggle link, a thumb-catch on the right giving sight-leaf settings for 100 and 200 metres.
Comparatively few first-pattern Pistolen 1904 were made, being distinguished by an anti-bounce lock let into the right toggle grip. Survivors are
very rare.
Parabellum M1904: Maker: Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken, Berlin-Charlottenburg. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated).
Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall: 10·51in/267mm. Weight, unladen: 35·6oz/1,010gm. Barrel: 5·91in/150mm, rifled.
Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Model 1906: The first major redesign of the Parabellum mechanism
was made in 1905, when a coiled spring in the butt replaced the
leaf spring. Safety catches were also changed so that they moved
down to lock the sear; if the catch moved back when the pistol
was holstered, it did so to the safe position instead of allowing the gun
to fire. The GESICHERT inscription moved accordingly. The breech-block top was rounded,
the toggles had chequered flat faces, and the anti-bounce lock was finally abandoned. The 'New
Model' Parabellum—preferred to 'Model 1906' prior to the First World War—was produced in
7·65mm calibre with a slender 12cm barrel, or in 9mm with a thicker 10cm barrel.
A revised 9mm naval pattern, with a 15cm barrel, was brought into service to Parabellum: DWM-made
supplement the purchases made in 1904-5. The advent of the 1906-type navy gun M1908.
probably accounts for the scarcity of its predecessor. It was still known as the Pistole
1904, retaining the two-position back sight, but had a short frame.
Parabellum M1906: Data for pre-1914 pattern. Maker: Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken, Berlin-
Charlottenburg. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 7·65mm Parabellum. Length overall:
9·29in/236mm. Weight, unladen: 31·4oz/890gm. Barrel: 4·80in/122mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
US Army ·45 trial model: A few large-calibre New Model Parabellums, perhaps as many as fifteen, were made during preparatory
work for the US Army trials of 1907. The two ·45 guns submitted performed well enough for the army to order two hundred in October 1907,
for extended troop trials, but DWM refused the commission in April 1908. Tooling for the German army Pistole 1908 was probably underway,
leaving DWM with neither the time nor the facilities to deal with a short run in a strange calibre. It was also obvious that the odds were heavily
biased in favour of Colt.
Model 1908: Adoption by the German
army set the seal on the Parabellum.
It became the 9mm Selbstladepistole
1908—'Pistole 1908' or, in later
years, simply 'P.08' in service
parlance. The gun was a modified
9mm New Model with a 10cm Parabellum: 9mm LP.08
barrel, but did away with the grip or 'Artillery Luger'.
safety and, at least initially, lacked
the shoulder-stock lug that
characterised the navy Pistolen 1904.
Fifty thousand guns were ordered
from DWM in November 1908, to
be completed in 1911, after which
production would pass to the
government arsenal in Erfurt. In the
event, with continuing build-up of German forces and the ever-increasing likelihood of war, DWM was given another contract. Consequently,
the company's production was all but unbroken from 1909 to 1918. The first Erfurt guns appeared in 1911. Excepting the first batches supplied
by DWM in 1909, all service P.08 have the date struck into the chamber-top and the manufacturer's name on the top of the front toggle link.
Three major changes were made to the P.08 prior to 1918: a hold-open was reinstated in 1913; a stock-lug was added at about the same time,
owing to the adoption of the LP.08; and a modified sear appeared in 1916, allowing the mechanism to be cocked even when the safety lever was
applied.
Parabellum M1908: Data for pre-1918 pattern. Maker. Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken, Berlin; Royal Prussian rifle factory,
Erfurt. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall: 8·78in/223mm. Weight, unladen:
30·0oz/850gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Long Model 1908: The only other Parabellum to be adopted by the German army has become commonly known as the 'Artillery Model', though
officially designated Die Lange Pistole 1908 (LP.08). It was developed in 1911-12 for field and fortress artillerymen, replacing the revolver and
carbine, and was adopted in the summer of 1913. Production began in 1914. The LP.08 was a standard P.08 with a 20cm barrel and a tangent-
leaf back sight, graduated to 800 metres, mounted on the barrel in front of the chamber. It was accompanied by a board-type shoulder stock
which slid onto a lug on the butt-heel.
A 32-round 'snail' or drum magazine (Trommelmagazin 1908 or TM.08) was issued in 1917; this has previously been credited to Tatarek and
von Benko, but recent research has shown that it was patented in Germany in 1916 by Friedrich Blum. Most TM.08 were withdrawn in 1918 for
use with the Bergmann submachine-gun, but some survived with the pistols until the end of the war. Though work was initially concentrated in
Erfurt, most of the LP.08 made during the First World War were made by DWM.
The standard truncated-cone 9mm Parabellum bullet fed poorly through the Blum magazine, leading to the substitution of the ogival pattern that
has been the military standard ever since.
Long Parabellum M1908 [LP.08]: Maker: Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken, Berlin; Royal Prussian rifle factory, Erfurt. Type:
automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall: 12·32in/313mm. Weight, unladen: 37·4oz/1,060gm.
Barrel: 7·87in/200mm, rifled. Magazine, eight-round detachable box.

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Post-1919 guns: Manufacture of Parabellum pistols came to a halt
at the end of the First World War; DWM was forbidden to make
them and, in any case, pistols in 9mm Parabellum calibre were
classed as war materiel and proscribed by the Versailles Treaty;
only the very small quantities necessary to meet the needs of the
post-1920 army were exempted. Simson of Suhl (q.v.) was
nominated to make P.08 for the armed forces, acquiring production
machinery from Erfurt to undertake the work. Krieghoff (q.v.) made guns for the Luftwaffe
in the 1930s.
DWM began making the Parabellum again in 1923, producing 7·65mm and 9mm
commercial New Model guns. A contract for 7·65mm Dutch army pistols was soon
Parabellum: 7·65mm
forthcoming. Most 'Model 1923' guns had 98mm (3·83in) barrels, evading a Versailles
commercial or '1923-
Treaty clause which forbade pistols with barrels exceeding 10cm (3·94in). Known as
pattern' Pistole 08, made
Berlin- Karlsruher Industrie-Werke from 1922, DWM had become part of a
by DWM.
consortium which included Mauser. In an attempt to rationalise handgun production,
the entire Parabellum line, parts and technicians were transferred from Berlin to Mauser's Oberndorf factory on 1 May
1930. Mauser finished the incomplete Dutch contract, then worked on an assortment of contracts—including P.08 for the
German forces—until ordered to stop in 1942. Mauser-Jagdwaffen GmbH began making Parabellums again in 1970;
additional details of Mauser-made pistols will be found in the relevant section.

PARAMOUNT (SPAIN)
This name has enjoyed popularity in Spain, as several differing 6·35mm and 7·65mm Eibar-type blowback automatics were made in 1920-35. The
6·35mm patterns were made by Apaolozo Hermanos and Beistegui Hermanos, both of Eibar; 7·65mm examples by Retolaza Hermanos; and, in
addition, at least two distinct 6·35mm models by unknown makers. None had notable features.
Paramount: Maker: Retolaza Hermanos, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
5·91in/150mm. Weight, unladen: 26·5oz/750gm. Barrel: 3·23in/82mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.

PARDINI (ITALY)
Guilio Fiocchi SpA of Lecco-Belfedo markets several Pardini pistols, designed for various levels of competition. The semi-automatics follow the
currently fashionable slab-side pattern with a reciprocating bolt inside the receiver and the magazine ahead of the trigger-guard. The Modele de
Gros Calibre is chambered for ·32 S&W Long cartridges, the Standard model is supplied in ·22 LR rimfire, and the Vitesse Olympique in ·22 Short.
All are available with various grips, micrometer sights, and a selection of balance weights. The trigger of the single-shot PGP-75 Free Pistol is set
by a spur in front of the fore-end. The axis of the bore sits very low in the hand, requiring sights to be raised well above the barrel. Various grip,
sight and balance weight options are available.
Pardini Standard: Maker. Guilio Fiocchi SpA, Lecco. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall.
11·73in/298mm. Weight, unladen: 37·0oz/1,050gm. Barrel: 4·92in/125mm, rifled. Magazine: five-round box.

PARKER HALE (BRITAIN)

Best known in target shooting circles for sights and competition rifles, Parker-Hale's connection with pistols lies in adaption of Webley, Smith &
Wesson and other standard revolvers to fire ·22 ammunition for practice use. Conversion entails the insertion of ·22 sleeves in the chambers and
barrel, and a modification of the firing pin to suit rimfire ignition.

PASSLER & SEIDL (AUSTRIA-HUNGARY)

Franz Passler of Vienna and Ferdinand Seidl of Budweiss,
Bohemia, patented a 7·7mm repeating pistol in 1887. Made
in limited numbers in 1887-9, its reciprocating bolt—
common to most guns of this type—was operated by a
finger-operated ring to feed cartridges from a magazine
ahead of the trigger. The Passler & Seidl pistol relies on a
long spring-loaded follower arm, hinged beneath the barrel,
which rises into a slot in the magazine to force cartridges out
of a six-round clip.

PATHFINDER (SPAIN, USA)

This was a 6·35mm Eibar-type blowback made by Echave y Passler & Seidl: 7·7mm
Arizmendi (q.v.), identical to the Bronco but given a new repeating pistol, c.1887-9.
name for sale in the USA by Stoeger & Company. (NB: the
name is also applied to a modern Charter Arms revolver.)
Pathfinder: Maker: Echave y Arizmendi, Eibar.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·41in/112mm. Weight, unladen: 13·4oz/380gm. Barrel:
2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

PATRO (ITALY)
Patro di Roberto Palama of Borgovercelli, a small but highly specialised manufacturer, produces competition-type automatic pistols. These follow
the modern style, with the magazine ahead of the trigger-guard; the Olimpionico chambers ·22 Short rimfire while the M2 Standard accepts ·22 LR
rimfire ammunition. Offering all-steel construction, these high-quality pistols are available with all the usual options of adjustable trigger, sights,
grips and balance weights.

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PAVLICEK (CZECHOSLOVAKIA)
Frantisek Pavlicek, a small gunmaker trading in Litomysl, marketed a single-shot ·22 target pistol in the early 1930s. This simple but well-made gun
was popular in central Europe and continued to be made, in limited numbers, even during the war. Pavlicek's business, like all others in
Czechoslovakia, was taken over by the state in 1948; his pistol became the 'CZ Model P' and was made until the late 1950s. A modified version is
currently available as the Pav (see Drulov).

PERLA (CZECHOSLOVAKIA)
This was a 6·35mm blowback, made by Dusek (q.v.) of Opocno in 1935-9. Based on the Walther Model 9, with a fixed barrel and an open-topped
slide, it is marked simply AUTOMAT. PISTOL PERLA 6,35. Work ceased about 1940.
Perla: Maker: F. Dusek, Opocno. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·13in/105mm. Weight,
unladen: 9·2oz/260gm. Barrel: 2·05in/52mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

PETERS-STAHL (GERMANY)
PSW-Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH of Aachen specialises in barrel-making, supplying finished articles to many gunmakers. The company also makes
·22 rimfire adaptor barrels for the Browning High-Power, SIG P 210 and similar pistols, as well as the PSP Multi-Calibre. The PSP is a modified
Colt M1911A1, adaptable to ·38 Special, 9mm Parabellum, ·38 Super or ·45 ACP.
PSP-2000: Maker: PSW-Vertriebs GmbH, Aachen. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 10mm. Length overall:
9·45in/240mm. Weight, unladen: 43·4oz/1,230gm. Barrel: 5·91in/150mm, rifled. Magazine: twenty-round detachable box.

PHELPS (USA)
The E.F. Phelps Mfg Co. of Evansville, Indiana, makes the Eagle 1 and Heritage 1 revolvers. These are heavyweight adaptions of the Colt M1873
Single Action Army pattern, chambering ·444 Marlin or ·45-70 Government cartridges. Barrels measure 8in or 12in, and the revolvers weigh about
5·51b.

PHOENIX (BELGIUM, SPAIN)

Two Phoenix pistols are known to exist, but both are somewhat mysterious. The first is the 6·35mm Jieffeco manufactured by Robar (q.v.) of Liege,
but marked PHOENIX LOWELL MASS. USA PATENT. This presumably refers to an American importer active in the 1930s. The second gun,
also in 6·35mm calibre, resembles the usual 1906-pattern Browning but has an external hammer concealed within a slot in the rear of the slide so
that only the serrated top may be seen when down. The gun also has an unusual knurled-button dismantling catch midway along the frame on both
sides. It is marked only PHOENIX ARMS PATENT, with a crown and PHOENIX on the grips. Some sources attribute this pistol to the 'Viktoria
Arms Co.' of Eibar, but no other record of this company exists.
Phoenix: Maker: Tomas de Urizar, Eibar? Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·53in/115mm. Weight, unladen: 11·6oz/330gm. Barrel: 1·97in/50mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

PIEPER (BELGIUM)
After training as an engineer, Henri Pieper began mass producing rifle barrels in 1866 and—after opening a second ±k factory—soon specialised in
the art. In the late 1880s, Pieper turned to firearms design, producing an unsuccessful rifle and a gas-seal revolver; however, he allowed the revolver
patent to lapse after only four years and Leon Nagant (q.v.) prospered by adopting Pieper's principles to the basic Nagant solid-frame guns. Pieper
died in 1898, being succeeded by his son Nicolas. Anciens Etablissements Pieper was formed in 1905. A brand-new factory was built in Herstal in
1907-8, contracts for gun barrels and the Bergmann-Bayard pistol keeping the company occupied. Its operations continued through two world wars,
though currently confined to shotguns and sporting rifles.
Though the basic pistol action was protected by a patent granted to Nicolas Pieper in 1908, some features were attributable to an earlier Warnant
(q.v.), rights to which had been assigned to Pieper. This accounts for small variations in design among the earliest guns. Pieper pistols—in 6·35mm
and 7·65mm—were expensive to make, being priced out of the market in the early 1920s by cheaper and simpler pocket automatics.
Model 1907: These guns do not have the tip-down barrel associated with
Pieper designs, even though their appearance suggests otherwise. The
barrel and front end of the receiver are fixed to the frame by a cross-
bolt. The recoil-spring rod, riding in a tunnel above the barrel, is
screwed to the slide unit and a small sliding cover on the receiver-top
carries the knurled retracting grip. The separate breech block,
connected beneath the slide unit by a lug, contains a firing pin struck
by the internal hammer.
No sooner had production begun, however, than an important change
was made. The barrel of later 1907-type guns was retained by a radial
thumb-lever instead of the simple cross-bolt; hooks on the end of the
full-length rib beneath the barrel engaged the transverse stem of the
thumb lever. When the lever was pressed, recesses in the bolt aligned
Pieper: 7·65mm 1908.
with the barrel hooks and the rear of the barrel rose to give access to
the chamber.
The front of the barrel unit hooked into a rib on the front of the frame,
allowing the barrel to be detached once the recoil-spring rod had been
removed from the slide. Removing a screw in the rear of the frame
released the receiver and breech block.
Model 1907: Maker: Anciens Etablissements Pieper, Herstal-lez-Liege. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto.
Length overall: 4·92in/125mm. Weight, unladen: 11·5oz/325gm. Barrel: 2·24in/57mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Model 1908: The perfected tipping-barrel pistol, known as the Basculant owing to its 'balanced' barrel movement, embodied several improvements.
The front end of the barrel was retained on a pivot bolt, though the thumb-latch barrel-locking mechanism was retained. The recoil-spring rod
ended in a hook engaging a lug on the slide, disengaging automatically when the breech was raised.

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Model 1919: Advertised as the Demontant pattern, this reverted to the hook anchoring the front of the barrel and rear of the receiver. Dismantling
was effected simply by pressing the thumb catch; the recoil rod disengaged, the breech rose, and the barrel/receiver units could be unhooked
from the frame.
Arico: This was a standard Pieper pistol, carrying the usual Pieper markings, but with ARICO added on the slide. It is assumed to be a dealer's sales
name.
Arico: Maker: Anciens Etablissements Pieper, Herstal-lez-Liege. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length
overall: 4·61in/117mm. Weight, unladen: 13·2oz/375gm. Barrel: 2·56in/65mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Bayard: This was a trade name registered by Henri Pieper and used by the company ever since. However, the pistol bearing this name bears no
relationship to other Pieper designs and is based upon patents taken out in 1907 by Bernard Clarus. It is described in greater detail in the Bayard
entry (q.v.)
Legia: This 6·35mm pocket blowback was made in a factory established by Pieper in Paris during the 1920s. It was based on the Baby Browning,
differing only in the method of retaining the barrel. This is screwed into the frame rather than attached by lugs. The same pistol was sold in
Belgium as the 'New Pieper'. The standard six-round magazine could be replaced by an extended ten-round pattern; special side plates to extend
the butt grips were also available.
Legia: Maker: Anciens Etablissements Pieper, Paris (see text). Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length
overall: 4·53in/115mm. Weight, unladen: 12·3oz/350gm. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Pieper revolvers: The first relevant patent, protecting a gas-seal revolver, was granted to Henri Pieper in 1886. However, he allowed protection to
lapse in 1890 and the Nagant (q.v.) brothers seized the opportunity to exploit some of Pieper's ideas. However, Henri Pieper then developed an
improved gas-seal design (patented in 1890) in which a pawl on the trigger moved the cylinder forward to effect the seal. The mechanism was
locked at the instant of firing by an abutment pivoted from the top of the standing breech; consequently, guns made to this design can be
identified by a hump on the frame ahead of the hammer containing a screwed-in pivot pin.
Solid-frame seven-shot 8mm guns made by Pieper chamber a proprietary cartridge with the bullet contained entirely within the case-mouth.
They also have an automatic hammer-driven ejector which, through a bell-crank lever, flicks a spent case out each time the hammer falls (though
the firer can disconnect the ejector at will).
A later Pieper-type revolver, made by Osterreichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft of Steyr for a few years from c.1897 onward (probably
originally for the contemporaneous Austro-Hungarian army trials), had a swing-out cylinder. This was locked by a catch on the cylinder crane
or, on later examples, by a thumb latch behind the cylinder.
A solid-frame gate-loaded pattern was also made in the Steyr factory, but is very rarely encountered. An ejector rod lies beneath the barrel and
the right side of the frame can be pivoted forward to gain access to the lock components. The abnormally long trigger guard, however, is the
most obvious recognition feature.

PILSEN (CZECHOSLOVAKIA)
Zbrojovka Plzen was formed in 1919 as a subsidiary of the famous Skoda armaments company—well known for its artillery, never previously
associated with small arms. The Pilsen pistol was simply a somewhat squared-off version of the 1910-type Browning, lacking the grip safety. The
slide was marked AKCIOVA SPOLECNOST DRIVE SKODOVY ZAVODY ZBROJOVKA PLZEN, 'the Pilsen Small Arms Company, owned by
the Skoda factory'. The pistol was a short-lived commercial venture; 10,000 were ordered by the Czech army in 1920, but the manufacturer declined
to participate and the project was speedily dropped.
Plzen: Maker: Zbrojovka Plzen, Pilsen. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Calibre: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·91in/150mm.
Weight, unladen: 20·6oz/585gm. Barrel: 3·35in/85mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round box.

PINDAD (INDONESIA)
A licensed copy of the 9mm Browning High-Power (or GP-35) pistol, this was manufactured in the 1955-65 period by Pabrik Sendjata Ringan
Pindad, a government-operated arsenal. It can only be distinguished from the Belgian prototype by the factory name, 'P1A 9mm' and the enwreathed
Indonesian five-pointed star on the slide.
Pindad P1A: Maker: Pabrik Sendjata Ringan Pindad. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length
overall: 7·72in/196mm. Weight, unladen: 31·0oz/880gm. Barrel: 4·41in/112mm, rifled. Magazine: thirteen-round detachable box.

POWERMASTER (USA)
Made by Wamo Mfg Co. of San Gabriel, California, the ·22 single-shot bolt-action Powermaster was introduced in 1956 and made into the late
1960s. With a raked grip and a lengthy exposed barrel, it resembled the contemporary High Standard models—though offering lower quality and
simple fixed sights. Its bolt reciprocated in a fixed receiver, controlled by a guide rod which ran through a hole in the rear of the receiver to protrude
about an inch when the bolt was opened. The Powermaster also had the bolt knob on the left hand side of the breech.

PRAGA (CZECHOSLOVAKIA)
Zbrojovka Praga (Prague Small Arms Company) was founded in Vrsovice in 1918 by A. Novotny, a
gunmaker. He is said to have employed talented designers such as the Holek brothers, Krnka and
Myska, but Praga products showed little evidence of this. Two pistols were produced, one a copy of
the Browning 1910 and the other an original design of odd appearance and poor quality. Not
surprisingly, the company failed to prosper and in 1926 was foreclosed by the National Bank.
7·65mm Praga Model 1921: The first pistol produced was the vz/21 (vz: vzor, 'model'), a 7·65mm
blowback credited to Vaclav Holek but little more than an adaptation of the 1910-type Browning.
Some small changes were made; the breech-block was a separate unit, inserted in the slide, while
the return spring was retained by the nose of the slide instead of a barrel bush. The pistol was
initially touted for military or police use, 5,000 being ordered by the Czech forces when Skoda (see
Pilsen, above) declined to co-operate. They had plain wooden grips and cursive 'Zbrojovka Praga'
on the slide; this later changed to block lettering and specimens with the Prague police badge can
be found. A commercial version appeared with block-lettered slides and moulded plastic 'Praga' grips. Some Praga: 6·35mm vz.21
specimens have elongated barrels which protrude about 30mm ahead of the slide. folding trigger.

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 Praga vz/21: Maker: Zbrojovka Praga, Prague. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
6·54in/166mm. Weight, unladen: 20·1oz/570gm. Barrel: 3·78in/96mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
6·35mm Model 1921: Known in Czechoslovakia as the 'Automatica bambitka Praga', this was a peculiar 6·35mm blowback. Its pressed-steel slide
contained the breech block, pinned in place, and was shaped into a finger grip above the muzzle. The 6·35mm Praga was not a one-hand pistol;
the chamber had to be loaded by cycling the action in the normal way but, by easing the slide back slowly, the trigger could be folded up and
locked under a lip on the slide. The Praga could then be carried in the pocket with no danger of the trigger catching on the lining. When required,
the firer simply used the finger-grip to retract the slide far enough for the trigger to spring down into position. The forefinger was then
transferred to the trigger to fire the gun. The only dubious feature of this whole procedure was the total absence of a safety catch.
The slide was marked ZBROJOVKA PRAGA/PRAHA/PATENT CAL 6,35 with the word 'Praga' on the grips. The quality could charitably be
described as adequate.
Spanish Praga: The Praga name was also applied to a typical Eibar-type 7·65mm automatic pistol, with a longer butt than normal and a nine-round
magazine. It carries no marking other than PRAGA 7,65MM on the slide, but the floral decoration on the butt is commonly seen on Grande
Precision (q.v.) products.

PRECISION (SPAIN)
This was a 7·65mm Eibar-pattern blowback automatic identified only by the slide inscription PISTOL AUTOMATIC CAL. 7·65 PRECISION. As
the pistol carries the same grip marking as the Ca-Si, it was probably made by or for Fabrique d'Armes de Grande Precision (q.v.).
Precision: Maker: unknown. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·31in/135mm. Weight,
unladen: 20·6oz/585gm. Barrel: 2·76in/70mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

PROTECTOR (FRANCE, USA, SPAIN)

1: An alternative name for the Turbiaux (q.v.) palm-squeezer pistol, which is sometimes found marked LE PROTECTOR-SYSTEME
TURBIAUX.
2: A seven-shot non-ejecting ·22 rimfire revolver, with a solid frame and a sheath trigger, made in the 1870s by the 'Protector Arms Company' of
Philadelphia. The revolver was patented by Jacob Rupertus (q.v.); the Protector Arms Co. was presumably a sales name for the Rupertus
Patent Pistol Manufacturing Company.
3: This name was applied to 6·35mm Eibar-type pistols made by Echave & Arizmendi and Santiago Salaberrin (qq.v.).
Protector: Maker: Santiago Salaberrin, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·53in/115mm. Weight, unladen: 10·9oz/310gm. Barrel: 2·13in/54mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

PRYSE (BRITAIN)
Charles Pryse, a Birmingham gunmaker, patented revolver lock
improvements in 1876. The principal item was a cylinder-locking
pawl, engaging secondary notches on the cylinder when the trigger
was at rest and unlocked as the trigger was pulled. After the
cylinder had revolved, a lump on the trigger then engaged in the
primary notches to lock the cylinder while the hammer fell. Pryse made
revolvers using this system, which was copied by a selection of continental
makers...not always with the benefit of a licence. Webley (q.v.) used the
patented lock in the Webley-Pryse models.
Pryse: Data from a typical specimen. Maker: P. Webley & Sons Ltd,
Birmingham. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Calibre: ·450. Length overall:
10·75in/273mm. Weight, unladen: 37·0oz/1,050gm. Barrel: 5·50in/140mm,
rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

PUMA (SPAIN, USA)

Pryse: Webley-made ·450
1: A Spanish 6·35mm Eibar-type automatic, based on the Browning 1906 type, with the Tomas hinged-frame.
de Urizar dragon trademark on the right grip. The actual manufacturer remains unknown.
2: An American sales name for the 6·35mm Beretta Model 418 pistol.

PUPPY (SPAIN. BELGIUM)

1: Popular among Spanish makers of Velo-Dog and similar revolvers; see Arizmendi, Crucelegui, Gaztanaga,
Ojanguren y Marcaido, and Retolaza.
2: A sales name for a series of revolvers made by Henrion, Dassy & Heuschen of Liege (see 'HDH').

PYRENEES (FRANCE)
Manufacture d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises ('MAPF') of Hendaye was
formed in 1923 and has since confined its manufacture to rifles and automatic
pistols; prior to 1939, the company was notable for the vast number of brand
names and pseudonyms under which its 'Unique' range was sold. These
names often applied to one particular outlet or dealer. Pre-1939 products were
aimed at the domestic defence, police and military market. Since 1945,
however, activity has gradually turned to the target pistols that enjoy a high
reputation in the modern world of competition shooting.
Audax: Made in 1931-9 for sale by Cartoucherie Francaise of Paris, the Gaztanaga: Puppy:
6·35mm blowback was modelled on the 1906-pattern Browning. The grip 5·5mm Velo-Dog 'Puppy'.
safety was retained, but the manual catch protruded from under the left
grip plate. The 7·65mm Audax resembled the Browning of 1910; its safety

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 features duplicated the smaller Audax, and an odd bulge at the bottom rear of the butt improved grip. Both are marked PLSTOLET
AUTOMATIQUE CAL..AUDAX MARQUE DEPOSE FABRICATION FRANCAISE on the slide. The 6·35mm Audax was a minor adaption
of the Unique Model 11, the 7·65mm pattern being based on the Unique Model 19.
Audax: Maker: Manufacture d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, Hendaye. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto.
Length overall: 6·10in/155mm. Weight, unladen: 20·1oz/570gm. Barrel: 3·82in/97mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
J.C. Higgins, Western Field: The J.C. Higgins Model 85 was the ·22 Unique Model E-2 target pistol with four-inch barrel, sold in the USA by
Sears, Roebuck of Chicago. The Western Field was another ·22 target, sold in the USA by Montgomery Ward. It had a fixed barrel similar to
that of the Colt Woodsman; it had a six-inch barrel and a ten-round magazine. Manufrance (q.v.) sold an identical gun as the Auto-Stand,
MAPF's part in the proceedings remaining uncertain.
Mikros: Clearly inspired by the Walther Model 9, identical even down to the peculiar screws which
held the grips, the 6·35mm Mikros was made in 1934-9. It was sold alongside a 7·65mm
enlargement, something Walther never attempted.
Mikros 58: This post-war revival of the Mikros name appeared in the 1950s, departing greatly from
the pre-war Mikros guns. Resembling the larger Unique models, it had a fixed barrel, an open-
topped slide, and an external hammer with a ring or spur head. It was made in dimensionally
identical ·22 rimfire or 6·35mm Auto versions, though the ·22 could be obtained with a four-inch
barrel to serve as a rudimentary target pistol. Now known simply as the Mikros, it is currently
available in 6·35mm calibre only.
Mikros-58: Maker: Manufacture d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, Hendaye. Type:
automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·41in/112mm. Weight
Pyrenees: 6·35mm
unladen: 12·3oz/350gm. Barrel: 2·24in/57mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Unique Model 11.
Unique Model 10: The 'Unique' brand name has always graced the principal range of MAPF guns and can be
broadly divided into two phases: pre-1939 guns were generally Browning copies, while those introduced after 1945 show more originality.
Introduced in 1923, the Model 10 was the first MAPF product to appear. A 6·35mm blowback in 1906 Browning style, without a grip safety, it
has a distinctive Eibar-type safety catch half-way along the frame; Hendaye is just across the French border, some 50 miles from Eibar, so an
interchange of ideas needs no great stretch of the imagination. The Model 10, like most pre-war Unique-brand guns, has an oval grip badge
bearing a lion and UNIQUE.
Unique Model 10: Maker: Manufacture d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, Hendaye. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering:
6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·09in/104mm. Weight unladen: 12·7oz/360gm. Barrel: 2·09in/53mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round
detachable box.
Unique Model 11: This was simply a Model 10 with a grip safety and a loaded chamber indicator which protrudes from the top of the slide.
Unique Model 12: A variant of the Model 11, this lacks the indicator.
Unique Model 13: Derived from the Model 12, this was distinguished by a larger grip and a seven-round magazine instead of the original six-round
type.
Unique Model 14: Another variant of the Model 12, this had an even larger grip for
a nine-round magazine.
Unique Model 15: Introduced in 1923, this was the first 7·65mm model, simply an
enlarged Model 10.
Unique Model 15: Maker: Manufacture d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises,
Hendaye. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto.
Length overall: 4·96in/126mm. Weight, unladen: 20·1oz/570gm. Barrel:
2·60in/66mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Unique Model 16: A variant of the Model 15, this had a seven-round magazine
instead of six.
Unique Model 17: Adapted from the Model 15, this had a nine-round magazine. Pyrenees: Unique Bcf-66.
Unique Model 18: This 7·65mm pistol was copied from the 1910-pattern Browning,
with a concentric recoil spring and a muzzle bush. No grip safety was fitted, but it
had a lanyard ring at the bottom of the butt. A six-round magazine was standard.
Unique Model 19: Essentially similar to the Model 18, this had a seven-round
magazine.
Unique Model 20: Little more than a Model 18 with an enlarged grip, this accepted a nine-round magazine.
Unique Model 21: A version of the Model 19, this chambered the 9mm Short cartridge and had a six-round magazine. Other guns In addition to
Unique-brand pistols, MAPF also made them under the sales names Burgham Superior, Capitan, Cesar, Chantecler, Chimere Renoir, Colonial,
Prima, Rapid-Maxima, Reina, Demon, Demon Marine, Ebac, Elite, Gallia, Ixor, Le Majestic, Saint-Hubert, Selecta, Sympathique, Touriste, Le
Sanspareil, Le Tout Acier, Mars, Perfect, Triomphe Francaise, Unis and Vindex. All these were being made when the Hendaye factory was
placed under German control after the fall of France in 1940. Work continued, the Unique Model 17 being selected for mass- production as the
'Kriegsmodell'. The earliest examples duplicated the pre-war commercial model, but plain black grips were used and 7.65M/M 9 SCHUSS
appeared on the right side of the slide. The rear of the grip was then rounded to improve comfort, and then an external hammer was added to suit
German preferences. Many of these pistols will be found with German acceptance marks, but appreciable quantities of pistols without ordnance
marks suggest that they were sold commercially during the war. The system of nomenclature was revised when production resumed after the end
of the Second World War.
Unique Model 21: Maker: Manufacture d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, Hendaye. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering:
9mm Short. Length overall: 5·71in/145mm. Weight, unladen: 21·7oz/615gm. Barrel: 3·46in/88mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round
detachable box.
Unique Model Bcf-66: Characterised by a fixed barrel, an open-topped slide and an external hammer, this blowback chambers 9mm Short
cartridges. It has moulded plastic thumb-rest grips and ARMES UNIQUE HENDAYE BP FRANCE on the right side of the slide. The mark
MODELE "BcF-66" MADE IN FRANCE will generally be found on the left.

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 Unique Bcf-66: Maker: Manufacture d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, Hendaye. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 9mm
Short. Length overall: 6·61in/168mm. Weight, unladen: 25·7oz/730gm. Barrel: 3·93in/100mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable
box.
Unique Model C: This 7·65mm pistol was virtually the
wartime Kriegsmodell in civilian guise. The slide
inscription changed to 7,65 COURT 9 COUPS
"UNIQUE" above the company name, and the grips
carried an encircled 'PF' monogram; '7.65mm Court' is
the French term for 7·65mm Auto, distinguishing it from
the French service 7·65mm Longue.
Unique Model D: offered in sub-variants D-l to D-6, this
·22 LR blowback could be obtained with a selection of
barrel lengths. Muzzle compensators were normally
fitted on the longest barrels. The guns all had ten-round Pyrenees: ·22 Unique
magazines, but the grips and sights varied and balance DES/32-U.
weights could be acquired. The fixed-barrel open-topped
slide construction was common to almost all post-war
Unique pistols. The Model D-l was sold as the Corsair in
the USA in 1955-65.
Unique Model DES/69: This is a special Model D with a 150mm barrel; a special wide trigger; an extended sight base; micrometer back and
ramped front sights; and barrel balance weights. The anatomical grips shroud the lower rear portion of the slide, requiring the finger grips to be
at the muzzle. The DES-69 is extremely accurate, winning the French national pistol championship for twelve successive years.
Unique DES/69:Maker: Manufacture d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, Hendaye. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR
rimfire. Length overall: 10·60in/270mm. Weight, unladen: 35·3oz/1,000gm (without auxiliary weights) Barrel: 5·91in/150mm, rifled.
Magazine: five-round box.
Unique Model DES/VO: This modification of the DES/69 is intended for rapid-fire competitions. It has a squared-off barrel block, with vents
drilled into the bore to counter muzzle rise.
Unique Model DES/32-U: Intended for standard pistol competitions, this is an adaption of the DES/69 chambering ·32 S&W Long cartridges. It
may be distinguished by its larger bore and squared slab-sided contours.
Unique Model 823-U: Another of the company's specialised ·22 Short rapid-fire pistols, this enclosed-hammer design has a special alloy frame and
a shock-absorbing system to reduce the recoil sensation. Compensating vents above the muzzle can be plugged to 'tune' the pistol to particular
brands of ammunition.
Unique Model DES/2000-U: A modernised version of the
823-U, introduced in 1984, this has an alloy frame, a
slab-sided steel barrel block and five compensating
vents. It is supplied with an integral 340gm auxiliary
weight, the half-slide being retracted by serrations on the
top of the breech block ahead of the back sight.
Unique Model E: Identical with the D-series, with the same
options and variations, this is chambered for the ·22
Short cartridge. The Model E-l was sold as the Escort in
the USA in the 1955-65 period.
Unique Model F: This is simply a variation of the Model C, Pyrenees: ·22 Unique
chambering 9mm Short and with an eight-round DES/2000-U.
magazine.
Unique Model Fr-51: Another variant of the Model C, this
is somewhat more robust and is frequently adopted as the regulation pistol by French police forces.
Unique Model Kn: This appears to have been the factory designation for the Mikros model.
Unique Model L: Made in three models—7·65mm Lc, ·22 LR Ld and 9m Short Lf—this follows the usual open-topped slide/external hammer
pattern, and can be found with steel or alloy frames. The barrel length varies; the ·22 version measures 78mm, 7·65mm and 9mm patterns being
84mm.
Unique Model Rr-51: Like the Fr-51, this is a regulation police pistol. Made in 7·65mm calibre, it is otherwise a Model C strengthened to
withstand rough treatment. One of the guns examined was marked MODEL Rr POLICE CAL. 7,65MM (32) 9 COUPS.
Unique Rr-51: Maker: Manufacture d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, Hendaye. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm
Auto. Length overall: 5·71in/145mm. Weight, unladen: 25·9oz/735gm. Barrel: 3·15in/80mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable
box.
Unique Ranger Model: This ·22 LR pistol, introduced c.1950, was the first small-calibre rimfire to be made in the Unique series. Based on the
Model C, it has been offered with barrels measuring 90mm, 135mm or 185mm.
Unique Model 52: Derived from the Ranger, this moved closer to the design finally adopted for the Models D and E. The slide was extensively cut
away from the fixed barrel, a new system of dismantling being controlled by a lever on the right of the frame. Chambered for ·22 LR, the Model
52 was offered only with an 80mm barrel; production was brief, as it was soon superseded by Models D and E.

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 R
RADOM (POLAND)
Fabryka Broni w Radomu has been the principal Polish small arms
factory since 1920. Prior to 1939 it made the Nagant revolver and the
Radom automatic; post-1945 production has not been revealed, but is
assumed to have been copies of Soviet Makarov pistols as well as other
Warsaw Pact weapons.
Ng30: This was simply a Polish made 1895-pattern 7·62mm Russian
Nagant (q.v.), made in Radom in 1930. The only change was in the substitution
of a rounded blade front sight for the sharper Russian type. Serial numbers suggest that as many as
20,000 may have been made.
Vis-35: The Polish army of the late 1920s was armed with a variety of non-standard handguns. After casting
around for proposals, the Polish authorities decided to purchase a licence to make the
Radom: 9mm Vis-35.
Czechoslovakian vz/24 pistol, but the proposal did not impress staff of the national
armaments factory (PWU) in Warsaw. Consequently, Piotr Wilniewczyc proposed to develop a better gun—
backdating the project so that it would appear to be in progress. With the assistance of engineer Jan Skrzypinski, a
prototype was successfully test-fired in February 1931. So successful had tests been that the Polish government
bought the patent in 1933, made minor changes as a result of troop trials, then adopted the Wilniewczyc-Skrzypinski
pistol in 1935. It was designated the 'M1935 Vis army pistol' (Vis pistolet wojskowy wz.1935) and put into
production in 1936. It is usually called the Radom, where guns were made before the German army overran the factory
in September 1939. The quantity remains in dispute; Wilniewczyc quotes a figure of only 18,000 in his reminiscences, but serial numbers
approach 50,000 on guns dated 1939.
The Vis was a modified Browning, with the usual locking lugs on the barrel, but had a shaped cam beneath the breech—similar to that used on
the Browning High-Power—instead of the Colt-type swinging link. A recoil spring guide rod was added under the barrel and a grip safety was
fitted. No manual safety catch was provided; a hammer release catch on the slide, when pressed, retracted the firing pin and then allowed the
hammer to fall. The pistol could then be carried safely with a round in the chamber, and was readied for firing simply by thumbing back the
hammer.
At the rear of the frame lay a stripping catch, resembling the safety catch on a Colt M1911 but with no function other than to lock the slide back
when dismantling the pistol.
The Vis-35 is a bulky weapon for its calibre but, because of its weight, very comfortable to shoot. The pistols made for the Polish Army offered
high quality and excellent finish. Their slide markings included a Polish eagle flanked to its left by 'FB. Radom' above the date (e.g., 41938r'),
and to its right by 'VIS-wz. 35' above 'pat. Nr 15567'. Production continued after the German invasion, management being provided by Steyr-
Daimler-Puch. Adopted as Pistolen 35 (p), the first Vis pistols were made to pre-war standards. Quality soon declined under wartime pressure;
first the stock-slot and then the stripping catch disappeared; rollpins replaced solid pins in the lockwork, and the black plastic grips were
replaced with plain wooden grips in 1943. The slide marking read FB. RADOM VIS Mod.35 Pat. Nr. 15567., usually above "P.35 (p.)"; German
proof marks and WaA77 (WaA623 for Steyr-assembled examples) inspector's stamps will usually be found. The Radom factory was one of the
very few munitions concerns which was never allocated a production code by the Germans; it operated under its own name throughout the war.
Production at Radom ended in 1944 as the Soviet Army captured Radom and the factory was wrecked. Approximately 310,000 were made under
German control. Pistols coded 'bnz' have been seen, signifying the Steyr-Daimler- Puch factory at Steyr in Austria. It seems that no manufacture
took place there; however, the Radom factory was supervised in 1940-4 by staff transferred from Steyr, and it is possible that parts evacuated
from Radom in the face of the Russian advance were assembled in Austria. This would account for their very poor quality.
Vis-35: Maker: Fabryka Broni w Radomu. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall:
8·31in/211mm. Weight, unladen: 37·0oz/1,050gm. Barrel: 4·53tn/115mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

RAVEN (USA)
Raven Arms Industry, of California, makes a good quality 6·35mm P25 blowback automatic. Fitted
with an all-enveloping slide, it resembles the Baby Browning; however, it lacks the original grip safety
and has an odd safety catch doubling as a slide-lock when applied. The otherwise identical MP25 has
walnut or ivory grips.
P-25: Maker: Raven Arms, Industry, California. Type: automatic pistol (blowback).
Chambering. ·25 ACP. Length overall: 4·76in/121mm. Weight, unladen: 15·0oz/425gm.
Barrel: 2·44in/62mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

Raven: ·25 ACP P-25.

R.E. (SPAIN)
These initials stand for 'Republica Espana', the R.E. pistol simply being a facsimile of the Spanish
army's Mod. 1921 (Astra 400). During the Spanish Civil War of 1936-9, the Republican forces were unable to obtain weapons from most of the
established factories—in Nationalist hands—and organised a factory in Valencia to copy the Astra. Apart from the 'RE' monogram on the butt and
the absence of the usual manufacturer's markings, the R.E. is exactly the same as the Astra 400.

RECK (GERMANY)
Karl Arndt Reck Sportwaffenfabrik KG of Lauf bei Nurnberg made a 6·35mm blowback automatic in the 1955-65 period. Known as the Reck P-8,
it sold widely in Europe and was also extensively exported to the USA, where it sold under names such as La Fury and Chicago Cub. The P-8 was
striker-fired, made largely of alloy, available in a variety of finishes, and sold cheaply. Reck also made a derringer-like ·22 single shot pistol and the
'Recky'—a non- extracting six-shot ·22 revolver with a solid frame and a distinctive folding trigger.
The Gun Control Act of 1968 put an end to importation of many small guns into the USA; together with ever-increasing competition and growing
restrictions on ownership of handguns, turned Reck away from firearms towards starting and alarm pistols. The company was absorbed by a
sporting-goods conglomerate in the 1970s and now operates as the Reck Division of Umarex-Sportwaffen, Arnsberg, making only starting and
similar pistols.

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 P-8: Maker: Reck Sportwaffenfabrik, Lauf bei Nurnberg. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Short. Length overall:
4·57in/116mm. Weight, unladen: 18·3oz/420gm. Barrel: 2·24in/57mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

REFORM (GERMANY)
August Schuler of Suhl made this unusual repeating pistol. The butt, frame, trigger and guard and hammer all resemble revolver practice, but a
block containing four superimposed barrels lies above the frame. The detachable block was loaded with four 6·35mm cartridges and replaced on the
frame; pulling the trigger dropped the hammer to fire the uppermost cartridge. The next pull lifted the block until the second barrel aligned with the
hammer, the procedure continuing until all four barrels had been fired. A small connecting hole allowed some of the propellant gas in the second
barrel to eject the spent case from the topmost barrel. After the fourth shot, the block was removed and the fourth case had to be punched out before
reloading.
The Reform pistol dates from c.1907-14, an era in which these repeaters were popular. They were thin and light, easily pocketed, and cheaper than
contemporary automatics.
Reform: Maker: August Schuler, Suhl. Type: repeating pistol. Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 5·43in/138mm. Weight,
unladen: unknown. Barrel: 2·44in/62mm, rifled. Magazine: none (four barrels).

REGENT (GERMANY, SPAIN)

This small ·22 LR rimfire double-action revolver, resembling the Colt Police Positive, was sold in the 1955-70 period by Karl Burgsmuller of
Kreiensen. The name has also been used on a Spanish-made 'Eibar' automatic.
Regent [Eibar type]: Maker: G. Bolumburu, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·41in/112mm. Weight, unladen: 13·2oz/375gm. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

REGNUM (GERMANY)
This brutally simple repeating pistol has yet to be identified with a gunmaker, though August Menz registered 'Regnum' as a trademark. The gun
consisted of a frame with a rectangular butt, a conventionally guarded trigger, and a concealed hammer mechanism. A block of four 6·35mm
barrels, secured by a push-button in the frame, tipped forward to be loaded. Once the block was returned and locked, pressure on the trigger fired the
barrels in succession. There appears to be no ejecting mechanism.

REICHSREVOLVER (GERMANY)
This, the official sidearm of the German
army from 1880 to 1908, was designed
by the Gewehr-Prufungs Commission
with an eye to simplicity. The long-
barrelled model (183mm) is correctly known as the
M1879, or colloquially as the Troopers' Model; the short barrelled model
(126mm) is generally labelled M1883 or Infantry Officers' Model. The reality is that
the long revolver was adopted for cavalrymen, the first issue being made to the dragoons
in 1881. Mystery surrounds the short-barrel gun, which was supposedly adopted in March
1883 to arm officers, NCOs, musicians and standard-bearers in the infantry regiments. Issue was
extended in March 1891 to some artillerymen.
Both Reichsrevolvers were 10·6mm solid-frame six shot single-action patterns with loading gates
on the right side of the frame behind the cylinder. The cylinder could be removed by withdrawing
Reichsrevolver: 10·6mm-
the arbor pin, a safety catch was fitted on the left side of the frame, and the chambers were recessed calibre M1879.
into the cylinder so that the entire head of the cartridge is enclosed. Oddly, individual chambers are
numbered on the cylinder surface.
These revolvers were officially replaced by the Pistole 1908, though issues had not been completed when the First World War
began; many served during the First World War in the hands of second-line and lines-of-communication units. Many survivors
reappeared in the hands of Volkssturm units in 1944-5. Regulation-type 10·6mm ammunition was available commercially until
1939; the guns will chamber the ·44 S&W Russian cartridge, but full-power smokeless loads are not recommended.
Most Reichsrevolvers were made by gunmaker's cartels in Suhl, or, in later years, by the government factory in Erfurt. The mark 'S. & S. V.C.S.
C.G.H. SUHL' indicates a consortium of Spangenberg & Sauer, Schilling and Haenel, Spangenberger & Sauer subsequently withdrawing to leave
Schilling and Haenel working together. Guns are also known with the marks of Gebr. Mauser & Co. (mostly made for the Wurttemberg army), F.
von Dreyse, and J.P. Sauer. Additional interest arises from stampings on the butt back-strap, placed there by the units the guns had served.
Reichsrevolver M1879: Maker: various—see text. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: 10·6mm. Length overall: 12·20in/310mm.
Weight, unladen: 36·3oz/1,030gm. Barrel: 7·20in/183mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Reichsrevolver M1883: Maker: various—see text. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: 10·6mm. Length overall: 10·24in/260mm.
Weight, unladen: 32·5oz/920gm. Barrel: 4·96in/126mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

REISING (USA)
Patented by Eugene Reising in 1916-21, manufacture of this ·22 target automatic pistol began in the New Haven factory of the Reising Arms
Company in 1921. A long barrel hinged to the front of the frame, dropped down for cleaning when a locking catch was released. The slide,
resembling that of the Mannlicher, consisted of a solid rear section with forward-pointing arm linked at the front to compress the recoil spring—
which lay in the frame beneath the rear end of the barrel. A ten-round magazine fitted into the butt.
Reising moved his company to New York in 1922, renaming it the Reising Manufacturing Corporation. Approximately 3,500 pistols had been made
in Hartford and possibly another thousand in New York, but sales were not encouraging and work stopped in 1924. The pistols carry the company
name and address on the left side of the slide, minor differences between the pistols made in the two factories doubtless reflecting the improvements
that were suggested during production.
Reising: Maker: Reising Mfg Co., Hartford, Connecticut. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length
overall: 9·45in/240mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 6·69in/170mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round detachable box.

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REMINGTON (USA)
This company, founded by Eliphalet Remington in 1816, made a variety of pistols of varying quality from the 1850s onward. The original business
failed in 1886, whereupon the company was reorganised as the Remington Arms Company. Interest in pistols declined, reviving in the 1920s with
an outstanding automatic pistol—which failed to achieve the success it deserved. Remington then concentrated on shoulder arms until returning to
the pistol field in 1963 with an unusual bolt-action design.
SINGLE-SHOT PISTOLS
Model 1871: The ·50 Army Model of 1871 was an improved version of
the sheath-trigger Navy Model of 1865, with a conventionally guarded
trigger. It retained the robust Remington rolling-block, in which a
pivoted breech block- carrying the firing pin—can be swung back and
down to expose the chamber for loading. The hammer can be released
after the breech has been closed; and, as it begins to fall, the breast of
the hammer moves in behind the breech block to give positive support
as the firing pin is struck. Remington: ·38 Short
Model 1891: These, in essence , were simply the ·50 Army Model in (centre-fire) New Line
target-shooting form. The first of them had an 8in or 10in octagonal Model 4.
barrel, chambering ·22 or ·25 rimfire, but was followed by a slightly
improved model with a half-octagon ten-inch barrel with refined sights.
This was offered in ·22 Short and ·22 Long rimfire, ·25 rimfire and ·44 S&W Russian centre-fire.
M1891: Maker: Remington Arms Co., Ilion. New York. Type: single-shot pistol. Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall:
13·88in/353mm. Weight, unladen: 45·0oz/1,420gm. Barrel. 10·00in/254mm, rifled. Magazine: none.
XP-100: Dating from 1963, this bolt-pattern single-shot pistol allied a shortened Model 700 rifle action with a 10·5in barrel and a ventilated rib. The
full stock is nylon-based plastic, the back sight is fully adjustable, the receiver is tapped for mounting a telescope sight, and the grip permits
shooting with either hand. The fore-end is hollowed to hold up to five 130-grain ·38-calibre bullets to adjust the balance. The XP-100 was
designed around the ·221 Remington Fireball cartridge but, from 1980, has also been offered in 7mm Bench Rest (made by cutting down a
7·62mm NATO/·308 Winchester case). This version has a fifteen-inch barrel and is sold as the XP-100 Silhouette.
XP-100: Maker: Remington Arms Co., Inc.. Bridgeport, Connecticut. Type: single-shot pistol. Chambering: ·221 Remington Fireball.
Length overall: 16·73in/425mm. Weight, unladen: 60·0oz/1,700gm. Barrel: 10·47in/266mm, rifled. Magazine: none.
REPEATING PISTOLS
Model 1871: Invented by Joseph Rider, the Remington-Rider magazine pistol was an extremely simple design. It had a tubular magazine beneath
the barrel, an oddly-shaped thick grip and a sheath trigger. The breech block was hidden in the frame, beneath a cocking spur ahead of a smaller
hammer spur. Pulling back the breech-block spur cocked the hammer, operated an extractor and raised a cartridge from the magazine. Releasing
the cocking spur allowed the breech block to spring forward to chamber the cartridge from the lifter, and then return the lifter to pick up the next
round. The ·32 Extra Short rimfire cartridge appears to have been developed specifically for this pistol, as it allowed five rounds to be loaded
into the restricted magazine space and kept the breech-stroke as short as possible. With a three-inch barrel, overall length was a little less than
six inches. The magazine pistol was produced from 1871 to 1888, but popularity was limited and only about 15,000 were made.
REVOLVERS
The New Line guns: Production of
these revolvers, based on a design
by Remington employee William
Smoot, began in 1873. They
followed the then-standard formula:
single-action solid-frame patterns,
with sheath triggers and bird's head
or round butts. Yet quality was far
better than the average. Four
models were made; No. 1, No. 2 Remington: ·44-40 WCF
and No. 3 were five-chamber guns Model 1875 Army.
in ·30, ·32 and ·38 rimfire
respectively, with heavy ribbed
barrels and a spring-loaded ejector
rod beneath the barrel aligning
permanently with the loading gate.
No. 4 chambered ·38 Short centre-
fire or ·41 Short rimfire ammunition. A non-ejector, it had a tapered round barrel and a removable knurled cylinder arbor pin. New Line
revolvers remained in production until 1888, proving moderately popular.
New Line No. 3: Maker: E. Remington & Sons, Ilion, New York. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·38. Length overall:
8·00in/203mm. Weight, unladen: 15·0oz/425gm. Barrel. 3·75in/95mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.
Iroquois: The smallest of the New Line series, this was a simple solid-frame ·22 Short rimfire with a bird's head butt, a 2·25in barrel and a seven-
chamber cylinder. It competed in the cheap Suicide Special market, but offered far better quality than most guns in its class. Consequently, more
than 50,000 were made before production ended in 1888.
Iroquois: Maker: E. Remington & Sons, Ilion, New York. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·22. Length overall: 6·00in/152mm.
Weight, unladen: 7·5oz/215gm. Barrel: 2·25in/57mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-chamber cylinder.
Model 1875 Army: Introduced in 1875, this excellent ·44-calibre revolver was a fitting successor to the Remington cap-locks of the Civil War. It
was a conventional single-action six-shot revolver, with a loading gate and an ejector rod beneath the barrel, which set out to compete with the
Colt M1873 Single Action Army pattern. An unmodified Remington can always be recognised by the triangular stiffening web beneath the
barrel. A 7·5in barrel seems to have been standard, though other lengths are sometimes encountered. Production continued until 1890.
Model 1875: Maker: E. Remington & Sons, Ilion, New York. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·44-40 WCF. Length overall:
12·00in/305mm. Weight, unladen: 44·0oz/1,245gm. Barrel: 7·50in/191mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

176
Model 1890 Army: Little other than a lighter version of the M1875, lacking the stiffening web (except for a slight curve in front of the frame), this
remained on sale until 1894. Demand was paltry; total production was little more than two thousand.
AUTOMATIC PISTOLS
Model 51: Manufacture of revolvers ended in 1886 when the original E. Remington
& Sons collapsed, though sufficient parts remained to permit assembly for several
years thereafter. Despite the formation of the Remington Arms Company,
production of the ·44 Army Model terminated in 1894; with its demise, the
history of Remington revolvers came to an end. Though target pistols were
offered until 1909, the company made no handguns of its own until 1919. A
contract to make 150,000 ·45 M1911 Colt-Browning pistols was signed in
December 1917, but terminated in December 1918 after only 13,152 had been
delivered.
During the war years, however, a pistol had been made to the patents of John Remington: ·32 ACP
Pedersen. This external-hammer ·45 ACP weapon had been tested by the US Model 51.
Army, with favourable results, but the war had ended before the Remington-
Pedersen could be approved as a substitute standard. Work began on transforming
the gun into an internal-hammer ·380 pocket pistol, introduced commercially in
September 1919. It was followed by a ·32 version in 1921 and both remained in production until 1927. Production totals have been estimated at
about 11,500 in ·32 and 54,000 in ·380.
The Remington Model 51 was a fixed-barrel automatic, with the recoil spring around the barrel and a separate lightweight breech block in the
slide. The block and slide recoiled locked together for about ·17in, until the bottom rear section of the block stopped against an abutment in the
frame and the slide continued moving back under its own momentum. After the slide had moved a short distance farther, a ramp lifted the block
clear of the abutment and it moved back with the slide once again.
The internal hammer was cocked as the slide completed its recoil stroke; the slide and breech block then returned, chambering a fresh cartridge.
Sloping faces in the slide engaged with similar surfaces on the block as the breech closed, lowering the breech block to strike the frame after the
subsequent shot.
The Model 51 grip safety doubled as an indicator; the grip lever protruded from the butt if the action was cocked, but lay flush when it was not.
The separate manual safety catch could only be set to safe when the hammer was cocked. The Model 51 offered extremely high quality and has
been continuously praised, particularly for its excellent handling qualities and low recoil. But it was unnecessarily complicated. The only
justification for the delayed blowback system in this calibre was reduction in recoil, manufacture calling for accurate machining and precise
fitting of intricate components. This raised the price until too few guns sold to justify continuing production; it was to be 36 years before
Remington returned to the pistol business.
Model 51: Maker: Remington Arms Co., Ilion, New York. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·32 ACP. Length overall:
6·63in/169mm. Weight, unladen: 21·2oz/600gm. Barrel: 3·50in/89mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

REPUBLIC (SOUTH AFRICA, SPAIN)

1: The Republic Arms Pty of Johannesburg made a few five-shot double-action ·38 Special revolvers, with a solid frame and a side-opening
cylinder on Smith & Wesson lines. Extensively advertised in South Africa in 1979, to be available with 2in or 3in barrels, little was heard of it
thereafter. Series production probably never began.
2: The name was also applied to an unidentified 7·65mm Eibar-type automatic, comparisons suggesting it to have been produced by Arrizabalaga
in the late 1920s.

RETOLAZA HERMANOS (SPAIN)

The Retolaza brothers began work in the 1890s, making the inevitable Velo-Dog pocket revolvers, and circumstantial evidence suggests that they
were among the pioneers of automatic pistol production in Eibar. They joined the 1915 gold rush, precipitated by the French army contracts, and
continued producing cheap automatics until the Civil War ended activities.
Brompetier: This was a pseudo-hammerless pocket revolver of Velo Dog type, available in 6·35mm and 7·65mm calibres. Made in 1905-15, it
displayed its name on the round barrel.
Gallus: This 6·35mm Eibar-pattern Browning-1906 type blowback automatic dates from the early 1920s. Lacking the grip safety, it carries no
identification other than the slide marking PISTOLET AUTOMATIQUE 6,35 GALLUS and grips bearing an encircled CAL 6,35.
Gallus: Maker: Retolaza Hermanos, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·53in/115mm. Weight, unladen: 12·5oz/355gm. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Liberty: The first gun of this name was a 7·65mm Eibar model with an eight-round
magazine and a lanyard ring on the butt. It bore 7,65 1914 AUTOMATIC PISTOL
LIBERTY PATENT on the slide, with LIBERTY across the grips. It was doubtless
produced for the wartime market and, in its class, was among the better products. The
name was perpetuated after the First World War on a 6·35mm version of the same
pattern; though shorter in the slide and grip than the 7·65mm version, it was still large
for a 6·35mm pistol and took a nine-round magazine. The slide was marked CAL ·25
AUTOMATIC PISTOL EIBAR LIBERTY; the grips carried LIBERTY together with a
lion's head badge.
Liberty: Maker: Retolaza Hermanos, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Retolaza: 7·65mm
Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·91in/150mm. Weight, unladen: Paramount.
26·5oz/750gm. Barrel: 3·23in/82mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.
Military: This was a sales name for the 6·35mm Liberty, with the MILITARY replacing
'Liberty' on slide and grips.
Military: Maker: Retolaza Hermanos, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback).
Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·92in/125mm. Weight, unladen: 13·1oz/370gm. Barrel: 2·44in/62mm, rifled. Magazine: six-
round detachable box.

177
Paramount: This was an alternative sales name for the 7·65mm Liberty pistol, PARAMOUNT replacing 'Liberty' in the markings. The name also
appears on two otherwise unidentifiable 6·35mm Eibar-type guns, one identical to the Gallus (q.v.) and the other differing slightly in the shape
of the slide and butt.
Puppy: Like most other Spanish-made pistols of the name, this was a pseudo-hammerless
folding-trigger ·22 Short rimfire revolver with a solid frame, rod ejection and a five-
chamber cylinder. It has a rounded butt, a safety catch on the frame, and PUPPY on the
barrel.
Retolaza: Another sales name for the 7·65mm Liberty.
Retolaza M1914: Maker: Retolaza Hermanos, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol
(blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·91in/150mm. Weight,
unladen: 26·5oz/750gm. Barrel: 3·23in/82mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round
detachable box.
Stosel: Based on the name, this may have been Retolaza's first automatic. 'Stosel' admits
only one conclusion—the name of the Russian commander at Port Arthur in 1904. This Retolaza: 7·65mm
argues production sufficiently quickly for Stosel's name to be topical, which suggests no Retolaza.
later than 1906-7. The gun was derived from the 1906-pattern Browning blowback, the
earliest dated model being marked 6·35 MODEL AUTOMATIC PISTOL 1912 STOSEL
PATENT, with a crown and STOSEL on the grip. Another model, identical but for
curved finger-grip grooves on the slide, may be earlier. It offers poorer quality and is
marked PISTOLA AUTOMATICA CAL. 6.35 STOSEL NO. 1 PATENT. Use of the Stosel name continued—or was revived—during the First
World War: 6·35mm guns exist dated 1914 and a 7·65mm model, identical with the Liberty, is marked 1914 STOSEL NO. 1 PATENT.
Stosel: Maker: Retolaza Hermanos, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall.
4·57in/116mm. Weight, unladen: 13·1oz/370gm. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Titan: A 6·35mm gun identical to the Gallus.
Titanic: Another example of Retolaza's talent for topical names, this appeared in 1913—the
year after the sinking of the liner Titanic. A customary Browning 1906 derivation, differing
from the Gallus only in having a recessed rib on top of the rear portion of the slide, it was
followed by a 7·65mm enlargement. (NB: there was another 6·35mm Titanic pistol of Eibar
pattern, marked only with a shield enclosing 'FA' and suggesting manufacture by Francisco
Arizmendi).
Velo-Brom: This solid-frame revolver was identical to the Brompetier (above), excepting that
it had an octagonal barrel and chambered 5·5mm Velo-Dog or 8mm Lebel cartridges. The
cylinder is longer than usual to accept these cartridges and has a peculiar relief between Retolaza: 7·65mm Titanic
the chambers, each division being marked by one and a half flutes. 1914.
Velo-Mith: Like other Velo-Mith models, this was a hammerless hinged-frame folding-
trigger revolver masquerading as an automatic, with a reinforced barrel resembling the
front of a 1900-type Browning automatic pistol. It can be found in 6·35mm and 7·65mm
calibres.

REUNIES (BELGIUM)
Societe Anonyme Fabrique d'Armes Reunies of Liege was formed in 1909 to produce the Dictator pistol; this was patented in the company's name,
hiding the identity of the inventor. Work on this gun ceased in 1914, whereupon the company ceased trading. Reorganised as Fabrique d'Armes
Unies in 1918, it made a Western-style revolver before being liquidated in 1931.
Centaure: A sales name for the Dictator.
Cowboy Ranger: Another name for the Texas Ranger.
Dictator: Patented in 1909, this most unusual automatic was made until the Germans invaded Belgium
in 1914. The frame and tubular receiver are made in one piece. The barrel is attached to the front of
the receiver by a screwed block, while the rear end of the barrel fits into a circular bush on the
inside of a tubular bolt. The rear of the bolt—the unique feature of the design—forms a solid
breech block, carrying the striker, and terminates in a ribbed cocking piece. The hollowed
remainder completely encloses the barrel when forward, reaching to the rear of the receiver muzzle
bush. It is held in alignment by a screwed collar, which surrounds the barrel and retains the
concentric recoil spring. The rear of the spring is retained by the breech- end bush. An ejection port
and a feed slot are cut in the hollow section of the bolt. An ejection port also lies in the receiver, but
the two do not align until the bolt has recoiled.
This configuration is all the more interesting as it undoubtedly qualifies as the first application of
Reunies: 6·35mm
the telescoping, wrap-around or overhung bolt, hailed as a great leap forward in firearms design when applied
Dictator.
to submachine-guns in the 1940s. It is used in submachine-guns to produce a bolt of the requisite mass but
with a short reloading stroke; the goal of the Dictator mechanism is less certain, but probably owed much to avoidance of patent litigation.
A conventional six-round magazine is contained in the butt. A small catch beneath the muzzle bush locked the receiver bushing in place,
preventing bullet torque unscrewing it. Another odd feature is the appearance of the safety catch on the right side of the frame. The receiver
bears the company name, while the grips carry an oval badge depicting the statue of a mounted man with DICTATOR on the plinth.
Dictator: Maker: Fabrique d'Armes Reunies, Liege. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering; 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·72in/120mm. Weight, unladen: 14·3oz/405gm. Barrel: 2·24in/57mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Texas Ranger: This and the Cowboy Ranger were ·38 Special revolvers copied from the Colt Single Action Army of 1873; they appeared in the
early 1920s, thirty years in advance of the 1950s-vintage 'single action revival'. Barrels were marked TEXAS RANGER FOR ·38 S&W
SPECIAL CTDGES on the left and FAB D'ARMES UNIES LIEGE BELGIUM on the right. The guns offered mediocre quality.

178
REYNOSO (ARGENTINA)
A. Garcia Reynoso, an officer in the Argentine Army, developed a gas-seal revolver with automatic ejection in the 1890s. Like most automatic
ejector systems, it relied on the hammer for its motive power; this reduced the hammer blow and increased unreliability. The Reynoso revolver was
not made in quantity, though the 1904 DWM cartridge catalogue listed the 'Reynoso Pistol' cartridge in two calibres—5mm (DWM 420) and 7·8mm
(DWM 423).

RHEINMETALL (GERMANY)
Rheinische Metallwaaren- und Maschinenfabrik was founded in Sommerda in 1889 as a general engineering company. The assets of moribund
Waffenfabrik von Dreyse were purchased in 1901, the name being perpetuated in the Dreyse (q.v.) pistol of 1907-15. Becoming involved in the
production of artillery during the First World War, Rheinmetall allied with Solothurn AG of Switzerland and Steyr of Austria in the 1920s,
operating design bureaux in the Netherlands and Russia. Continued expansion led to an amalgamation with Borsig AG in 1936, the resulting
Rheinmetall-Borsig combine becoming one of Germany's leading manufacturers of heavy artillery. Dismantled and reorganised after the end of the
Second World War, Rheinmetall GmbH is now a major German weapon manufacturer once again.
Rheinmetall: A 7·65mm pistol, developed in 1920-1, was marketed from 1922 onward. Although basically a copy of the 1910 pattern Browning, it
had an unusual dismantling system in which the slide was pulled back and locked. The rear section, with the finger grips, could then be
unscrewed from the rest of the slide. This allowed the front portion of the slide to be taken forward off the frame and made a screwed muzzle
bush unnecessary. Held in a ring-seat in the frame, the barrel could be removed backward after turning it until a tab below the chamber came
clear of a recess. The grips were wood, and the tail of the striker protruded from the rear of the slide as a cocking indicator.
Early catalogue illustrations of the Rheinmetall pistol show prominent back sights and a matted rib on top of the slide, but production models
had a plain sighting groove. The markings vary; early models had RHEINMETALL ABT. SOMMERDA on the left of the slide, with a tiny
encircled diamond trademark at each end of the inscription. Later models display simply RHEINMETALL 7,65 and lack the trademark.
Production continued until 1927; although the pistol offered excellent quality, the depressed state of the German economy meant that sales were
poor. In addition, Rheinmetall was increasingly involved with heavier weapons.
Rheinmetall: Maker: Rheinmetall AG, Sommerda. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
6·50in/165mm. Weight, unladen: 23·6oz/670gm. Barrel: 3·66in/93mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

RIEGER (AUSTRIA-HUNGARY)
Erwin Rieger of Vienna was one of many inventors, mostly
Austro-Hungarian, involved with the mechanical repeating
pistol in the late 1880s. The principal claim to novelty in the
Rieger pistol concerned the magazine; his British Patent,
sought in 1889, notes that it related '...to magazine pistols
and consists in certain improvements in the magazine and
method of arranging and operating the same...and in a
locking device more especially applicable to pistols in which
the breech is closed by a longitudinally moving bolt'. The
remainder of the gun is dismissed as 'described in detail in Rieger: 7·7mm repeating
the specification...of Messrs. Franz Passler and Ferdinand pistol with bolt retracted
Seidl' (q.v.). The Rieger pistol, therefore, is characterised by and magazine cover open.
an unusual rotary magazine and a transverse locking catch
under the back of the bolt. One survivor appears to be
chambered for the 7·7mm Bittner cartridge. Like all
mechanical repeaters, Riegers are extremely uncommon,
partly because their appearance coincided with the first
automatic pistols and partly because they only operated effectually when meticulously cleaned and oiled.
Rieger: Data taken from a representative specimen dating from c.1893. Maker: by or for Erwm Rieger, Vienna. Type: repeating pistol.
Calibre: 7·7mm. Length overall: Weight, unladen: Barrel: rifled. Magazine: six-round internal spool.

ROBAR (BELGIUM)
Manufacture Liegeoise d'Armes a Feu Robar et Cie of Liege began life as Robar et de
Kerkhove and, after several changes of name, was liquidated as Society Anonyme Robar
et Cie. Robar et de Kerkhove began making cheap pocket revolvers around the turn of
the century and then turned to automatic pistols c.1910. Work resumed after the end of
the First World War, continuing, interrupted only by the Second World War, until the
early 1950s. The pistols were well made, widely exported and are fairly common.
Jieffeco (1): Designed by H. Rosier c.1907, the relevant patent was assigned to Jannsen
fils et Cie. Janssen then contracted with Robar to produce the pistol. Janssen's
involvement in the patent ownership led to the somewhat contrived name—'J.F. Co.'
The 7·65mm Jieffeco of 1911 was joined by a similar 6·35mm gun in 1912. Both Robar: 7·65mm old-
were marked PISTOLET AUTOMATIQUE JIEFFECO DEPOSE above BREVETE pattern Jieffeco.
S.G.D.G PATENT 24875.08. The number refers to the British patent, while the
disclaimer 'S.G.D.G.', Sans Garantie du Gouvernement ('without government
guarantee') is often found on French and particularly Belgian products.
Despite grandiose claims in the patent, the Jieffeco was a conventional 7·65mm blowback automatic influenced by the 1900-model Browning.
What appears to be the slide is largely a fixed barrel shroud; only the rear part moves, attached to a rod and spring lying above the fixed barrel.
An ejection port is cut in the right side of the frame. Some of the earliest guns have what appear to be finger grips at the front of the barrel
section; these are helpful when dismantling, but apparently perform no other function.
Jieffeco (1): Maker: Manufacture Liegeoise d'Armes a Feu Robar et Cie, Liege. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm
Auto. Length overall: 6·30in/160mm. Weight, unladen: 22·9oz/650gm. Barrel: 3·54in/90mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable
box.

179
Jieffeco (2): Production of the Rosier-designed pistol ended in 1914; a post-1921 gun was actually the New Model Melior, described below, with a
slide-mark reading AUTOMATIC PISTOL JIEFFECO MADE IN LIEGE BELGIUM BREVETS 259178-265491 DAVIS-WARNER ARMS
CORPORATION NEW YORK—apparently an export model of the Melior, handled only by Davis-Warner and named to take advantage of the
goodwill created by pre-war sales of the original Jieffeco pistol in the USA. Davis-Warner fell dormant in the 1920s, the second Jieffeco being
withdrawn from sale.
Liege, Liegeoise: These were sales name for the New Model Melior, complicated by the
existence of Spanish Liegeoise (q.v.) pistols.
Liegeoise: Maker: Manufacture Liegeoise d Armes a Feu Robar et Cie, Liege.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·53in/115mm. Weight, unladen: 12·7oz/360gm. Barrel: 2·36in/60mm, rifled.
Magazine, six-round detachable box.
Lincoln: Robar produced revolvers under this name in 1895-1905, most being solid-frame
rod-ejecting double action Bulldogs, in ·320 and other calibres; a folding-trigger pseudo-
hammerless pocket model was also produced. The Lincolns were apparently abandoned Robar: 7·65mm New
when work began on the Jieffeco automatic. Model Melior.
Melior: The Jieffeco pistol was marketed under the licence of Janssen fils. However, the
first Robar Melior pistol is simply a Jieffeco under another name; either the licence
negotiated with Janssen allowed this, or Robar simply waited until it lapsed. As the
6·35mm or 7·65mm Melior appeared contemporaneously with the Jieffeco, the indications are that they were marketed in differing territories at
the same time; the Melior simply went where the Jieffeco did not. The only change lay in the slide marking MELIOR BREVETE S.G.D.G.
PATENT 24875.08 and MELIOR on the grips.
New Model Melior: Introduced in 1920, this new design replaced the Rosier pattern which,
retrospectively, became the 'Old Model'. The earliest guns were made in 6·5mm and 7·65mm
calibres, but ·22 LR and 9mm Short versions were added in later years on the basis of the 7·65mm
frame.
The New Model resembled the 1910-type Browning in general appearance, but differed in
construction. Its breech block is made separately and inserted into the slide from the rear, a
dovetailed locking plate passing across the top of the slide and engaging a groove in the block. The
plate is retained by a spring catch; releasing the catch and driving out the plate separates the
slide and breech block, allowing the slide to be removed forwards over the barrel. This Robar: 6·35mm New
leaves the breech block behind. Model Melior.
A grip safety ran the full depth of the butt backstrap until replaced by a half-length pattern
after about fifty thousand 7·65mm pistols had been made. The change was made on the 6·35mm New Model Melior at about no. 100,000, but the
grip mechanism was abandoned after only about ten thousand more guns had been made.
The New Model Melior was a good-quality product and appears to have sold steadily until the 1950s. The normal slide marking read MELIOR
above BREVETS-2591 78-265491-LIEGE-BELGIUM, but some have been seen marked MFR LIEGEOISE D'ARMES A FEU, perhaps for sale
in areas where the Melior trademark could not be used.
An unusual variant, bearing the Melior name and patent numbers, was made with distinct constructional changes. This 6·35mm gun retained the
removable breech block, but had an open-top slide. It appears to have been made in very small numbers in the 1920s to see if there was anything
to be gained by changing the design, but was quickly dropped.
Melior [New Model]: Maker: Manufacture Liegeoise d Armes a Feu Robar et Cie, Liege. Type: automatic pistol (blowback).
Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·91in/150mm. Weight, unladen: 22·4oz/635gm. Barrel: 3·54in/90mm, rifled. Magazine:
seven-round detachable box.
Mercury: This renamed ·22 LR New Model Melior was imported into the USA by Tradewinds, Inc., of Tacoma, Washington; MERCURY MADE
IN BELGIUM appeared on the slide.
Mercury Model 222: Maker. Manufacture Liegeoise d'Armes a Feu Robar et Cie, Liege. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering;
·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: 5·91in/150mm. Weight, unladen: 22·4oz/635gm. Barrel: 3·54in/90mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round
detachable box.

ROCKY MOUNTAIN ARMS (USA)

Trading in Salt Lake City, Utah, Rocky Mountain Arms Corporation made the original Mini-Revolver from 1972 to 1974, whereupon work passed
to the North American Arms Company (q.v.).

ROHM (GERMANY)
Rohm GmbH of Sontheim/Brenz has made pistols under its own name and a dozen others. Most of the names apply to a range of inexpensive
revolvers, being applied to guns sold in the USA in the days before passage of the 1968 Gun Control Act—with manifold restrictions on handgun
dimensions—severely curtailed importation.
REVOLVERS
Burgo: This was an RG-10 sold by K Burgsmiller of Kreiensen, Germany.
EIG: This mark will be found on various Rohm revolvers—usually RG-10 or RG-12—sold in the USA by the Eig Corporation.
Hy-Score: The Hy Score Model 108, an RG-10 with an additional safety catch, was distributed in the USA by the Hy-Score Arms Company of
Brooklyn.
Hy-Score Model 108:Maker: Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz, for Hy-Score, Brooklyn. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering:
·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: 5·91in/150mm. Weight, unladen: 12·3oz/350gm. Barrel: 2·36in/60mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber
cylinder.
Liberty: An RG 12 sold in the USA by an unidentified distributor.
Rohm: The range of Rohm revolvers is identifiable by a round medallion in the grip carrying 'RG' and the model number. This medallion
sometimes carries the sales name—'Hy-Score', 'EIG'—and there may be other markings on the barrel. As a rule, true Rohm models have only the
serial number and calibre on the barrel.

180
 The guns fall into three basic groups; first, cheap solid-frame models with loading gates; secondly, inexpensive solid-frame models with swing-
out cylinders; and, lastly, better quality solid-frame models with swing-out cylinders. In addition, Rohm makes a profusion of starting, gas and
alarm pistols; these are numbered similarly to the firearms, which explains many of the designations missing from the following list.
RG-7: Made only in ·22 Short with a 1·25in barrel, this solid frame non-ejecting gun has a gate-loading feature.
RG-10: By far the most common model, this chambers ·22 LR rimfire and has a 2·36in barrel. Finish, butt size, hammer spur and other features are
subject to great variety.
RG-10: Maker: Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall:
5·91in/150mm. Weight, unladen: 11·5oz/325gm. Barrel: 2·36in/60mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
RG-10S: A variant of the preceding RG-10, this has a rounded trigger guard—instead of the usual squared shape—and a much larger butt than
normal.
RG-11: Offered in ·22 LR with a 3·63in barrel,
this solid frame non-ejector has front strap of
the butt formed into finger grips.
RG-12: Essentially similar to the RG-11, this
gun has a loading gate and an ejector rod.
RG-14: Chambered for ·22 LR rimfire and offered with a
l·75in barrel, this six-shot revolver has a swing-out cylinder retained by a spring catch on
the crane.
RG-20: A version of the RG-14 in ·22 Short, this is usually found with a three-inch barrel.
RG-23: Little more than a minor variant of the RG-14, this offers a 1·5in barrel.
RG-24: An RG-23 with 3·5in barrel.
RG-31: Chambered for ·38 Special, this five-shot revolver has a two-inch barrel and a swing-out
cylinder retained by a crane catch.
RG-34: Offered only in ·22 Short, this best-quality Rohm has a ribbed barrel and a swing-out Rohm: ·22 LR RG-34T.
cylinder locked by thumb catch on the left side of the frame ahead of the hammer. Models
34A and 34T both have an adjustable back sight and broadened hammer spur, the 34T also featuring a ramped front sight,
a heavy barrel, a broad trigger and wooden anatomical grips.
RG-34: Maker: Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire.
Length overall: 10·75in/273mm. Weight, unladen: 34·6oz/980gm. Barrel: 5·91in/150mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-
chamber cylinder.
RG-35: This is simply an RG-34 in ·22 LR.
RG-36: Another variant of the RG-34, this accepts ·32 S&W Long ammunition.
RG-36T:. Chambering ·22 WMRF, this is a minor adaption of the RG-34T described above.
RG-38: Otherwise identical with the Rohm RG-34, this accepts the ·38 Special cartridge. The RG-38S has an adjustable back sight and a broad
hammer spur; RG-38T has an additional barrel ventilated rib.
RG-40: The swinging cylinder of this ·38 Special gun is retained by a thumb catch. A two-inch barrel is standard.
RG-57: A strengthened version of the high-quality Rohm six-shot swinging cylinder revolver, this is available in ·38 Special, ·357 Magnum, ·41
Magnum, ·44 Special, ·44 Magnum or ·45 Colt. Four- or six-inch barrels are standard. The otherwise identical RG-57T has adjustable sights.
RG-63: This Western-style single-action solid frame design, based on the Colt Single Action Army, may be obtained in ·22, ·32, ·38, and ·38
Special chamberings.
RG-63: Maker: Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall:
10·24in/260mm. Weight, unladen: 34·0oz/965gm. Barrel: 5·00in/127mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-chamber cylinder.
RG-66: Similar to the RG-63, this has an adjustable back
sight and interchangeable cylinders for ·22 LR and
·22 WMRF combinations. Barrels measure 4·75in or
6in. The RG-66T is a target version with adjustable
sights and an adjustable trigger stop.
RG-86: Basically a strengthened RG-66, this offers the same
interchangeability of cylinders.
RG-88: A very good quality ·38 Special/·357 Magnum six-shot revolver, this offers a ventilated
rib and fixed sights; the RG-88T has adjustable sights. A six-inch barrel is standard on both
models, shorter lengths being supplied to order.
Romo: An RG-10 sold by an unknown US dealer.
Thalco: This was an RG-10 sold in the USA as the 'Thalco Plinker' by the Thalson Import Company.
Valor: Another RG-10 variant, this was sold with an additional safety catch identical with that Rohm: ·22 LR RG-66.
of the Hy-Score. It has yet to be identified with a particular distributor.
Vestpocket: Sold by the otherwise anonymous Rosco Arms Company, this was a standard RG-10.
Western Style: Applied to a modified RG-10 with a rod ejector beneath the barrel, this gun bears no resemblance to truly Western-style RG-63.
Zephyr: Yet another name for an RG-10 of unknown sponsorship.
AUTOMATIC PISTOLS
The first of these appeared in the 1970s, based on Rohm's existing range of starting pistols.
RG-26: This is a simple 6·35mm striker-fired automatic with an alloy frame, a steel slide, and a six round magazine.
RG-26: Maker: Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
Weight, unladen: 12·0oz/340gm. Barrel: 2·13in/54mm, rifled. Magazine; six-round detachable box.
RG-27: A much more advanced design than the RG-26, with elements of the Walther TPH in it, this offers a double-action lock, an exposed
hammer and a safety catch on the slide.

181
RONGE (BELGIUM)
Known for a series of revolvers produced in Liege in the 1880-1900 period, J.B. Ronge" et fils concentrated on cheap ·320, ·380 and ·450 Bulldogs,
as well as a ·32 or ·38 swing cylinder gun inspired by patents granted to Warnant and Mercennier. Pulling the trigger guard downward and to the
right unlatches the cylinder before swinging it out of the frame; pulling the guard farther forward then ejects spent cartridges.
The company also made larger military-style weapons. These included the ·41 solid-frame, six-shot Frontier model, with a double-action lock, a
loading gate and a rod ejector. Possibly the best-known Ronge-made military handgun is the M1891 officers' revolver, six hundred of which were
supplied to the Danish navy. This hinged-frame six-shot pattern has a safety lever on the right side of the frame beneath the hammer and a
distinctive chequered-spur locking catch above the standing breech.
Ronge appears to have been a 'trade house', supplying revolvers throughout Europe. As gunsmiths applied their own names, so many oddly-named
revolvers prove to be Ronge products. Most will display an inconspicuous 'RF' mark on the frame.
M1891 navy revolver: Maker: J.B Ronge fils, Liege. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Calibre: 9mm. Length overall: 10·3in/262mm.
Weight, unladen: 32·3oz/915gm. Barrel: 5·31in/135mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

ROSSI (BRAZIL)
Amadeo Rossi SA, Metalurgica e Municoes, of Sao Leopoldo was founded in 1881 by an immigrant Italian gunsmith and is currently the largest
independent gunmaker in South America. The company makes all types of sporting arms, from rifles and shotguns to pistols and revolvers. The
revolvers are generally based on solid frame swing-cylinder Smith & Wesson's, their cylinders being retained by a thumb-catch on the frame ahead
of the hammer and a lug under the barrel. The earliest guns, dating from the 1950s, offered either a l·5in barrel ·38 Special model or a ·22 LR pattern
with a five-inch barrel. Cylinder-cranes were retained by a spring sleeve around the ejector rod.
Later production—imported into the USA by the Garcia Corporation
of Teaneck, New Jersey—comprised a three-inch barrel blue or
nickelled pattern in ·22 LR, ·22 WMRF, ·32 S&W Long or ·38
Special, and a ·22 LR target revolver with a six-inch barrel.
Excepting the five-shot ·38, the guns all had six-chamber cylinders;
sights were almost always adjustable.
Most revolvers display AMADEO ROSSI S/A above SAO LEOPOLDO
R.S. on the left side of the barrel, a calibre mark on the right side of the barrel, the
company trademark on the right side of the frame and ROSSI on the grip medallion. The
marks of the principal US distributor -Interarms of Alexandria, Virgina may also be present.
Princess series: The current version of the early model in which the cylinder is locked by a
sleeve on the ejector rod, the ·22 LR six-shot Model 13 has a 75mm barrel, an alloy frame,
and (usually) nickel finish. The Model 25, dating from 1965, is a 40mm-barrelled version of
the Model 13. Rossi: ·22 Model 13
Princess M13: Maker: Amadeo Rossi SA, Sao Leopoldo-RS. Type: solid-frame Princess.
revolver. Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: Weight, unladen:
11·6oz/330gm. Barrel: 3·00in/76mm, rifled. Magazine; seven-chamber cylinder.
Ranger series: Introduced in 1964, the Model 20 is a ·32 six-shot revolver with a 75mm barrel and an improved trigger mechanism. The cylinder is
locked by a thumb-catch and barrel lug. The Model 28 is simply a smaller ·32 calibre six shot version of the Model 27 Pioneer.
Pioneer series: Made only in ·38 calibre, the five-shot Model 27 appeared in 1966. Derived from the Model 20 Ranger, it is generally found with a
100mm barrel. The Model 31 of 1967 is a ·38 Model 27
with a 100mm barrel. Introduced simultaneously with the
Model 31, the Model 32 is simply a Model 27 with a
150mm barrel while the Model 33 has a 75mm barrel.
The ·38 Special Model 87 Pioneer, dating from 1981, derived
from the Model 27, has a one-piece hammer instead of having a separate
firing pin retained by a cross-pin. It is made of stainless steel. The Model 88 is
similar, but has a 150mm barrel and an adjustable back sight.
Pioneer M27: Maker: Amadeo Rossi SA, Sao Leopoldo-RS. Type: solid-frame
revolver. Chambering: ·38 Special. Length overall: 6·30in/160mm. Weight, unladen:
20·1oz/570gm. Barrel: 1·97in/50mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.
Champion series: Developed from the Model 27, the Model 38 features a 100mm barrel and an
adjustable back sight. The similar ·32 Model 39 offers six cylinder chambers instead of five.
Rossi: Model 511.
Announced in 1969, the Model 40 is a strengthened Model 38 with a heavier 150mm barrel.
Model 41 is simply a Model 39 with a 150mm barrel.
Senator series: Introduced in 1970, the ·22 LR six-shot Model 42 has a 50mm barrel and fixed sights. Model 43 is essentially
similar, but has a 75mm barrel.
Senator M42: Maker: Amadeo Rossi SA, Sao Leopoldo-RS. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall:
6·30in/160mm. Weight, unladen: 20·5oz/580gm. Barrel: 1·97in/50mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Sportsman series: Another adaption of the Model 42, the Model 47 features an adjustable back sight and a 47mm barrel. The otherwise similar
Model 48 has a 75mm barrel; Model 49 has a 100mm barrel and generally heavier lines; Model 50 is a Model 49 with a 125mm barrel, while the
Model 51 barrel measures 150mm.
Champion II series: The first of these guns, the Model 68, appeared in 1973. It is based on the Pioneer (q.v.) but has an adjustable back sight and a
ramped front sight. The five-shot ·38 Special Model 68 has a 75mm barrel. Model 69 is a six-shot ·32 version and the Model 70 is a ·22 LR
rimfire.
Champion II M68: Maker: Amadeo Rossi SA, Sao Leopoldo-RS. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38 Special. Length overall:
7·32in/186mm. Weight, unladen: 21·2oz/600gm. Barrel: 2·95in/75mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

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ROTH (AUSTRIA-HUNGARY)
Georg Roth was primarily an ammunition engineer, eventually operating two factories in Vienna and Pressburg (now Bratislava), but he was also
interested in firearms. In 1898 he employed Karel Krnka (q.v.) to manage one of his factories; since Krnka was already an experienced gun
designer, the two men soon began to collaborate. Most of the work was apparently done by Krnka, Roth merely contributing ideas and—most
importantly—suitable ammunition. Roth's name attaches to several pistol designs by virtue of his status as Krnka's employer. The designs were
invariably due to Roth and Krnka (and possibly also Rudolf Frommer), but they were licensed to gunmakers as Roth had no manufacturing
capability.
Roth-Sauer: Patented by Roth and Krnka in 1900 and manufactured by J.P. Sauer &
Sohn (q.v.), this, like so many of Krnka's designs, used an unnecessarily
complicated long recoil action. The barrel and bolt recoiled together, locked by a
lug on the bolt engaging a recess in the breech. The bolt struck a cam at the end of
the recoil stroke, rotating it through 20° to unlock, and was then held while the
barrel ran forward alone. A spent case was extracted and ejected during this
phase; the barrel tripped the bolt as it stopped, allowing the bolt to come forward
to chamber a fresh round. The bolt was rotated back to its locked position as it
entered the breech, whereupon the entire locked assembly ran forward to the
firing position.
The Roth-Sauer was fired by a partially self-cocking striker mechanism; as the Roth: Roth-Sauer.
bolt closed, the sear held the striker with its spring under partial compression.
Pulling the trigger completed compression of this spring and then released the
striker. The mechanism was not fully self-cocking, however; once the striker had
been released, it could only be re-cocked by manually re-cycling the bolt.
All this complication seems unnecessary in relation to the special 7·65mm cartridge designed by Roth for the Roth-Sauer, but somewhat weaker
than the normal 7·65mm Auto round. Additional features of interest include use of the cocking knob as a safety, locking the action when rotated,
and an integral butt magazine which required charger- loading through the open bolt-way. Pistols are marked PATENT ROTH on top of the
frame, while Sauer's savage-hunter trademark appears in an oval on the grips.
Roth-Sauer: Maker: J.P. Sauer & Sohn. Suhl. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
6·69in/170mm. Weight, unladen: 23·1oz/655gm. Barrel: 3·94in/100mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Roth-Steyr: Georg Roth's association with the Steyr factory
began in the early 1900s, and the prototype Roth-Steyr pistol
appeared in 1904. Development continued until the finalised
design was adopted for the Austro-Hungarian cavalry in
1907.
The pistol chambered a unique 8mm rimless cartridge. Its
mechanism is also unique, as well as one of the few Roth-
Krnka designs using something other than long recoil. The
most remarkable feature is the bolt extending for the full
length of the receiver. The hollow front of the bolt
completely surrounds the barrel, the rear portion being solid
except for the striker tunnel. This bolt fits inside the tubular
receiver, forged and machined as part of the pistol frame. Roth: Austro-Hungarian
Two lugs on the barrel-breech engage with cam grooves in M1907 Roth-Steyr.
the inner surface of the hollowed bolt, while two lugs on the
outer surface of the muzzle fit grooves in the muzzle bush.
Bolt and barrel recoil for about 12mm on firing, locked
together by the engagement of the rear barrel cams in the bolt
grooves; simultaneously, the muzzle cams move backward in
the helical grooves in the muzzle bush. The grooves in the bolt rotate the barrel lugs through 90° during this early recoil phase. When the barrel
has been rotated, the muzzle lugs reach the end of the grooves in the muzzle bush and stop the barrel. However, the lugs in the breech align with
a straight section of the grooves inside the bolt. This releases the bolt to run back alone, extracting and ejecting the spent case. The top round in
the integral butt magazine then rises through a slot in the bolt, to be pushed forward into the chamber as the bolt returns. Counter-rotation of
grooves and lugs then rotates the barrel back to its locked position as the return spring pushes the entire bolt/barrel mechanism forward again.
The Roth-Steyr also has an unusual striker mechanism. As the bolt goes forward, the striker is held by the sear with minimal compression of the
striker spring. Pulling the trigger forces the striker back, compressing the striker spring, until it is released by the sear to fire the cartridge. This
mechanism, very similar to the Roth-Sauer pattern, is said to have been demanded by the cavalry; demanding a conscious effort to fire, it guards
against a skittish horse jolting a conventional cocked hammer out of engagement with the sear.
The Roth-Steyr was never marketed commercially. It was made by Osterreichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft in Steyr for Austrian contingents
of the Austro Hungarian army, and by Femaru Fegyver es Gegyvergyar in Budapest for the Hungarians. The period of manufacture seem to have
been 1908-13 and 1911-14 respectively, totals amounting to a little over 50,000 and 30,000 respectively. The place of manufacture will be found
marked on top of the barrel. Most Roth-Steyrs (including those made in Hungary) carry a military 'W-n' military proof mark, applied by the
Austrian government arsenal in Wiener-Neustadt, together with the Hapsburg eagle; a brass disc in the right grip may display unit identification
marks. No Austro-Hungarian guns have been encountered dated later than 1914, though a few were assembled after the end of the First World
War. Some guns, obtained as war reparations in 1919, were still used by the Italian Army as late as 1941.
Roth-Steyr: Maker: Osterreichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft, Steyr; Femaru Fegyver es Gepgyar, Budapest. Type: automatic pistol
(recoil operated). Calibre: 8mm. Length overall: 9·17in/233mm. Weight, unladen: 36·3oz/1,030gm. Barrel: 5·16in/131mm, rifled.
Magazine: ten-round charger-loaded integral box

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RPM (USA)
Formed in Brea, California, R&R Sporting Arms, Inc., makes the RPM XL target pistol for long range silhouette shooting. The hammer-fired
single-shot gun has a hinged barrel and can be fitted with a variety of barrel lengths ranging from 8in to 14in, in chamberings from ·22 LR to ·454
Casull.
RPM XL: Maker: R&R Industries, Inc., Brea, California. Type: single-shot pistol. Chambering: ·225 Winchester. Length overall: Weight,
unladen: Barrel: 8·00in/203mm, rifled. Magazine: none.

RUBI (ARGENTINA)
Made by Galesi (q.v.) in Italy, this 6·35mm blowback automatic was sold by Establecimientos Venturini in the 1950s.

RUBY (SPAIN)
This trade name was used by Gabilondo y Urresti (later Gabilondo y Cia) on automatic
pistols made for the French army in 1915-18. The name was also licensed to sub-
contractors involved with these pistols, and retained on commercial production after the
war. The name of the fictitious 'Ruby Arms Company' of Elgoeibar or Guernica
(depending on period) will be found on 6·35mm and 7·65mm Eibar-pattern automatics;
the guns were made by Gabilondo.
Ruby M1915: Maker: Gabilondo y Urresti, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol
(blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·10in/155mm.
Weight, unladen: 23·3oz/660gm. Barrel: 3·46in/88mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-
round detachable box.
Gabilondo: 7·65mm
RUGER (USA) Ruby.
Sturm, Ruger & Company of Southport, Connecticut, began producing a ·22 blowback
automatic designed by William B. Ruger in 1949. The pistol was an immediate success,
owing to a combination of simplicity, reliability, accuracy and reasonable price. Ruger
then realised that the ambition of a vast army of enthusiasts for a Single Action Colt was
thwarted because Colt had discontinued it. Sturm, Ruger began production of single-
action revolvers in the early 1950s, so successfully that Colt reconsidered its decision and innumerable other makers began producing 'near-Colts'.
The Ruger designs, however, are far from mere reproductions; they are well-engineered revolvers showing evidence of original thought, and have
been periodically improved to incorporate all the latest innovations in safety and technology. More recently, the company has introduced double-
action revolvers for police and home defence, plus a modern cap-lock, a locked-breech automatic pistol, rifles and carbines.
AUTOMATIC PISTOLS
Standard: Bedrock of the Ruger line, this ·22 blowback automatic was introduced in 1949. It allies an exposed fixed barrel with a tubular receiver
containing a reciprocating cylindrical bolt. The bolt can be retracted by serrated wings protruding at the rear of the receiver. An ejection port is
cut into the right side of the receiver and a nine-round box magazine lies in the butt. The internal hammer mechanism was designed to give a
short lock time; the back sight could be adjusted laterally in its dovetail; and barrels measuring 4·75in or 6in were standard. The success of the
Ruger pistol was undoubtedly helped by Bill Ruger's successful efforts to duplicate the shape and balance—and thus capitalise on the
mystique—of the Parabellum ('Luger') pistol.
Mark 1: The instantaneous success of the Standard model created a
demand for a target-shooting model, answered with the Mark 1
in 1951. The frame and receiver were retained, but fitted with a
5·25in heavy barrel and fully adjustable sights. As some
prospective purchasers disliked the new barrel, the range was
refined to give a Mark 1 Target with a 6·88in tapered pattern
and the Mark 1 Bull Barrel with the 5·5in cylindrical
heavyweight type.
Mark 1 Target: Maker: Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport,
Connecticut. Type: automatic pistol (blowback).
Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: Ruger: 22 Mark 2.
10·87in/276mm. Weight, unladen: 42·0oz/1,190gm.
Barrel: 6·89in/175mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round
detachable box.
Mark 2: Introduced in 1982 to replace the Mark 1 series, this
perpetuated the differing models—Mark 2 Target and Mark 2 Bull
Barrel—but incorporated a new magazine catch, an improved
magazine, a new hold-open catch, a modified trigger and a refined
safety catch. The new Mark 2 Government Target was simply a Bull
Barrel model with a special 6·9in heavy barrel.
Mark 2 Standard: Maker: Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport,
Connecticut. Type; automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering:
·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: 8·82in/224mm. Weight,
unladen: 36·0oz/1,020gm. Barrel: 4·80in/122mm, rifled.
Magazine: ten-round detachable box.
P-85: Ruger's first double-action locked-breech automatic pistol appeared
in 1987, incorporating the familiar Browning swinging-link lock. The Ruger: 9mm P-85.
barrel-top lugs of the original Brownings are replaced by a squared
chamber block, which locks into an enlarged ejection port extending
across the top of the slide. The lightweight alloy frame is hardened to
resist wear, slide and barrel being steel. There is an external hammer,

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 and the ambidextrous safety catch on the slide locks the firing pin, blocks the hammer and disconnects the trigger. Chambered for the 9mm
Parabellum cartridge, the P-85 is a sound no-nonsense combat pistol capable of excellent accuracy.
P-85: Maker: Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport, Connecticut. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum.
Length overall: 7·88in/200mm. Weight, unladen: 32·0oz/905gm. Barrel: 4·50in/114mm, rifled. Magazine: fifteen-round detachable box.
REVOLVERS
Single Six: Introduced in 1953, the first
Ruger revolver was based on the
Colt M1873, a solid-frame six-shot
single action pattern with a loading
gate and a rod ejector. Though
sensibly adhering to the general
appearance of the original gun, Ruger replaced leaf
springs with coil springs—making the action more robust—and fitting a
floating firing-pin into the standing breech. The Single Six was originally offered in
·22 LR, but this was subsequently joined by a ·22 WMRF version. Barrel lengths of
4·63in, 5·5in, 6·5in and 9·5in were available.
The US Gun Control Act of 1968 laid down stringent safety requirements for handguns. No
single-action revolver based on the original Colt trigger mechanism could possibly pass
government tests, forcing existing manufacturers either to revise their guns or abandon
them. Thanks to the floating firing pin, the Ruger Single Six needed only minor Ruger: Single Six.
adaption to meet the safety standards. The lockwork was modified so that the hammer
struck the standing breech instead of the firing pin, and a transfer bar was added to transmit the blow from the hammer
to the firing pin only when the trigger was pressed. When the trigger was released, the transfer bar was withdrawn until
not even the heaviest blow on the hammer could possibly fire the gun.
Traditional half- and quarter-cock notches were removed at this time, leaving the hammer with only two possible positions—cocked or down.
As the loading gate was originally linked with the half-cock notch, more revision was needed so that the transfer bar and cylinder lock were
withdrawn when the loading gate was opened, allowing the cylinder to turn freely. These innovations were introduced in 1973 on the New
Model or Super Single Six.
Single Six: Maker: Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport, Connecticut. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length
overall: 11·80in/300mm. Weight, unladen: 34·6oz/980gm. Barrel: 6·50in/165mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Super Six Convertible: This variant of the standard revolver was supplied with an extra cylinder; the regular ·22 LR cylinder could be replaced
with a ·22 WMRF accessory. Only revolvers specified as 'Convertible' could be adapted effectually; other Single Sixes were rifled to a differing
specification.
Bearcat: A budget-price ·22 LR revolver, similar to the Single Six but with fixed sights, this was made with a four-inch barrel. Frames were alloy or
steel frame, trigger guards were brass and the cylinder surface had rolled-in decoration. The Bearcat was upgraded to Super standards in 1973,
but discontinued in 1974.
Hawkeye: The development of high-velocity small-calibre revolver loads fascinated many US experimenters in the early 1960s, fuelled by the
introduction in 1961 of the Smith & Wesson Model 53 revolver (chambering the ·22 Remington Jet cartridge) and the subsequent introduction of
a bottle-necked ·256 Winchester Magnum cartridge claiming a muzzle velocity of 2,400 ft/sec. These rounds brought problems of their own,
cases setting back in the chambers and jamming cylinder rotation. Ruger solved this problem by producing the single shot Hawkeye pistol on the
basis of the Blackhawk (q.v.). What appeared to be the cylinder was a breech block with a loading trough for a single cartridge. The cylinder
block was rotated to align the trough with the barrel, allowing the cartridge to be pushed forward into the chamber formed in the barrel. Counter-
rotating the cylinder block backed the cartridge with a solid steel block containing a floating firing pin. When the cylinder block was opened, an
extractor unseated the empty case. Although an elegant engineering solution to a thorny problem, the excellent Hawkeye never gained great
popularity and was discontinued in 1967.
Hawkeye: Maker: Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport, Connecticut. Type: single-shot pistol. Chambering: ·256 Winchester Magnum. Length
overall: 14·10in/358mm. Weight, unladen: 44·8oz/1,270gm. Barrel: 8·50in/216mm, rifled. Magazine: none.
Blackhawk: Introduced in 1955, answering requests
for a large-calibre Single Six, this was very
similar but chambered the ·357 Magnum
cartridge. Barrels measuring 4·63in, 6·5in or l0in
were available, and the back sight was micro-
adjustable. No sooner had the Blackhawk
appeared that the ·44 Magnum cartridge was
unveiled, a suitably chambered revolver being
made in 1956. The Ruger ·44 Magnum was
something of a handful, being replaced in 1960 by
the Super Blackhawk ·44 Magnum, with a large Ruger: ·357 Magnum
frame, a square-backed trigger guard, a stronger Blackhawk.
top strap and a plain-surface cylinder.
The ·44 Magnum remained too potent for many
people, and so the ·41 Magnum cartridge
appeared in 1964. The Blackhawk was soon made
available in this calibre, together with a near-
contemporaneous variant chambered for the ·30
M1 Carbine cartridge.
In 1973, the entire Blackhawk range was subjected to the transfer-bar safety improvements outlined above and were thereafter known as the
New Model. The legendary ·45 Colt chambering was added in this period.
Blackhawk: Maker: Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport, Connecticut. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·357 Magnum. Length
overall: 12·25in/311mm. Weight, unladen: 42·0oz/1,190gm. Barrel: 6·50in/165mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

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Security Six: Announced in late 1968, this was Ruger's first modern double-action revolver. It is a solid-frame model with a side-opening cylinder
operated by a thumb-catch on the frame. The ejector rod is secured in a shroud, forged integrally with the ribbed barrel, and the lockwork
includes the Ruger transfer bar. Offered in ·357 Magnum or ·38 Special chambering, it comes with standard or heavyweight 2·75in, 4in or 6in
barrels, fixed or adjustable sights, and walnut grips.
Speed Six: Identical with the Security Six, excepting for its round butt
and 2·75in or 4in barrels, this can be obtained without the hammer
spur to enhance concealment.
Speed Six: Maker: Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport,
Connecticut. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·357
Magnum. Length overall: 7·75in/197mm. Weight, unladen:
34·5oz/980gm. Barrel: 2·75in/70mm, rifled. Magazine: five-
chamber cylinder.
Police Service Six: The Security Six was originally produced with fixed
or adjustable sights, but the options were eventually separated. The
post-1974 Security Six had an adjustable back sight, while the fixed
sight model became the 'Police Service Six'. The contour of the butt
was slightly changed to facilitate concealment, and the six-inch barrel
option was abandoned. A version in 9mm Parabellum calibre was
designated as the 'Model 209'. Ruger: Speed Six.
Redhawk: Introduced in 1979, this heavy stainless-steel hunting
revolver is chambered for ·44 Remington Magnum and available only
with a 7·5in barrel.
Super Redhawk: The frame of this greatly strengthened Redhawk, introduced in 1987, extends forward around the barrel. The wide top strap
incorporates telescope-sight mounts, and the Ruger Cushioned Grip system features grip panels of Goncalo Alves wood set into a rubber shock-
absorber. The Super Redhawk chambers ·44 Magnum and has a 7·5in or 9·5in barrel.
Super Redhawk: Maker: Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport, Connecticut. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·44 Magnum. Length
overall: 13·00in/330mm. Weight, unladen: 52·9oz/1,500gm. Barrel: 7·50in/191mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
GP-l00: Another 1987-vintage introduction, this revolver
has replaced the Security Six. Features include a stronger
frame, a double-latch cylinder lock, the Cushioned Grip
system, and a completely new method of locking the
cylinder during firing. Available in blue or stainless
steel, GP-100 barrels include a four-inch full shroud
pattern, or a six-inch version with a full or half shroud. A
Fixed Sight Model has a 3in or 4in barrel. All GP-l00s
chamber ·357 Magnum or ·38 Special.
GP-100: Maker: Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport,
Connecticut. Type: solid-frame revolver.
Chambering: ·357 Magnum. Length overall:
9·40in/239mm. Weight, unladen: Ruger: ·357 GP-100.
41·0oz/1,160gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled.
Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
SP-101: Introduced in 1988 as the standard Ruger 'small
frame revolver', this five-shot ·38 Special gun is intended
for police service and home defence. Although the frame
is smaller than that of the GP-100, it is nevertheless wider in several places to give the greatest strength. The pistol, made of stainless steel, is
available with 2·25in or 3in barrels.

RUPERTUS (USA)
The Rupertus Pistol Mfg. Co. of Philadelphia, owned by Jacob Rupertus, made pepperbox revolvers and single-shot pistols in the 1860s. Production
of archetypal Suicide Special revolvers began in 1871, the seven-shot ·22 rimfire pattern featuring a solid frame and a bird's head butt. These were
sold under Empire and possibly other names until the late 1880s when business failed in the face of increasing competition from more modern
designs.

R.W.M. (GERMANY)
Nothing is known about the affairs of Rheinische Waffen- und Munitionsfabrik of Cologne— which may have been a German wholesaler or,
perhaps equally plausibly, invented by Francisco Arizmendi of Eibar. All these pistols carry German proof marks, however, which was prerequisite
for sale there.
Continental (1): This inexpensive Eibar-pattern 6·35mm blowback, based on the 1906-pattern Browning 1906, had an internal hammer but lacked a
grip safety. The metal is soft and the finish poor, though an efficient safety catch locks both hammer and trigger. For a description of the slide
marking, and an opinion of origin, see 'Continental'.
Continental (2): This is a copy of the Webley & Scott Police Model automatic in 7·65mm calibre. The slide is marked CONTINENTAL
AUTOMATIC PISTOL SYSTEM CASTENHOLZ, but no details of this system have yet been traced. The right side of the slide carries the
company name and address, though the city-name takes its modern form of 'Koln'.
Continental [Webley type]: Maker: Rheinische Waffen- und Munitionsfabrik, Koln (?). Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering:
7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 6·69in/170mm. Weight, unladen: 22·2oz/630gm. Barrel: 3·94in/100mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round
box
Walman: This is a 6·35mm Walman automatic, made and sold by Arizmendi y Goenaga. The grip marks duplicate those of Arizmendi examples,
though the slide bears the RWM name and address.

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Waldman: Excepting its name, this is identical to the 7·65mm Arizmendi Walman. The slide is marked 1913 MODEL AUTOMATIC PISTOL,
while WALDMAN appear on the grips in similar style to 'Walman'. German proof marks are always found on these guns, suggesting that the
name was chosen for its connections: 'Wald' is German for 'forest'.

RYAN (USA)
A pistol maker of substance, Thomas E. Ryan Mfg Co. of New Haven, Connecticut, employed about 45 employees in its New Haven factory and
maintained a sales outlet—the 'Ryan Pistol Mfg Co.'—in New York. Seven-shot ·22 and five shot ·32 solid frame non-ejecting Suicide Specials
were made in the 1870s, operations ceasing on Ryan's death in 1891.

S
S&A (SPAIN)
An insignificant gunmaker of whom nothing is known, Suinaga y Aramperri of Eibar manufactured a ·38 revolver based on the Smith & Wesson
Military & Police model in the 1920s. The guns are distinguished by the 'S&A' trademark.
S&A: Maker: Suinaga y Aramperri. Eibar. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre ·38. Length overall: 9·25in/235mm. Weight, unladen:
28·9oz/820gm. Barrel: 4·25in/108mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

SAKO (FINLAND)
Sako's name is an acronym of the Finnish words for 'Civil
Guard Arms & Engineering Workshop' formed in 1921 and,
after various manoeuvres, became a commercial company
based in Jyvaskyla. It has done much military work in the
past but is now principally concerned with sporting rifles.
Model 22-32: Developed in the late 1970s, this competition
pistol—as the name suggests—is convertible between
·22 Short, ·22 LR, and ·32 S&W, the three major ISU
competition-shooting cartridges. The pistol is a simple
blowback with a separate bolt moving inside the slide,
supplied as a package containing a butt/frame unit and
slide/barrel units in each of the three chamberings. Sako: ·22/ 32 Triace.
Various sight and grip options are available.
Triace: The 22-32 was supplemented in 1978 by the
improved Triace version, with a cast-alloy frame, fully
adjustable grips and sights, and an improved adjustable trigger mechanism.
Triace: Maker: Oy Sako Ab, Riihimaki. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: unknown.
Weight, unladen: 44·3oz/1,255gm. Barrel: 5·91in/150mm, rifled. Magazine: five-round detachable box.

SALAVERRIA (SPAIN)
Operating from a small workshop in Eibar, Iraola Salaverria y Cia made the 7·65mm Ruby blowback automatic under contract to Gabilondo (q.v.)
during the First World War. The company's activities may not have continued after about 1921.

SALSO (SPAIN, BELGIUM)

This sales name was applied to the Echeverria 6·35mm Victoria pistol for sale through Belgian dealers.

SALVATOR-DORMUS (AUSTRIA-HUNGARY)
Archduke Karl von Salvator and Georg, Ritter von Dormus, both resident
in Vienna, were distinguished army officers. Working in collusion, they
invented the Skoda machine-gun and an assortment of rifles. The Salvator-
Dormus pistol appeared in 1894; von Salvator had died in 1892, but von
Dormus always insisted that his development work be commemorated in
the name.
The pistol was one of the first blowbacks, chambered for a special 8mm cartridge. The fixed
barrel was surrounded by the recoil spring and a barrel jacket. Beneath the barrel lay a cocking handle
attached to an operating arm whose rear end, passing into the receiver, and was connected to the bolt. The
pistol had an external hammer and was loaded by placing a five-round clip into the integral butt
magazine through the open action. A follower forced the rounds into the bolt-way from the clip Salvator Dormus:
and, after the last round had been chambered, the empty clip fell through a slot in the bottom of Experimental 8mm.
the butt.
A few Salvator Dormus pistols were made, probably in the Skoda factory tool room. Unfortunately, the military authorities
of the time were demanding large-calibre locked breech guns; the Salvator-Dormus could not compete.

SAN PAOLO (ITALY)

Armi San Paolo of Concesio, Brescia, took over production of the S&W-style revolvers developed by J.P. Sauer & Sohn (q.v.) when the German
company became involved with the SIG-Sauer automatic pistols in the late 1970s. It also makes Western-style cap-lock revolvers based on Colt and
Remington prototypes.
Service Special: Maker: Armi San Paolo, Concesio, Brescia. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38 Special. Length overall:
9·06in/230mm. Weight, unladen: 31·7oz/900gm. Barrel: 3·94in/100mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

187
SAUER (GERMANY)
Founded in Suhl in 1751, J.P. Sauer & Sohn had gained a reputation for first-quality rifles and
sporting guns by the end of the nineteenth century. The company's earliest involvement with
series-made handguns came with the Reichsrevolver (q.v.). The first commercial pistol was the
Bar (q.v.), introduced about 1900, followed by the Roth-Sauer (see 'Roth'). This attracted
sufficient interest to persuade Sauer to produce a pistol design of its own in 1913. More than
twenty years design work culminated in the Model 38H, one of the best designs of the 1930s.
After 1945 the company 'voted with its feet' and was eventually re-established in West
Germany, making the Western Six Shooter, a single-action revolver broadly based on the Colt
M1873, from the mid 1950s onward. This was followed by similar guns intended for export to
the USA at the time of the fast draw craze; most were sold through Hawes (q.v.). Sauer then Sauer: 1913-pattern
produced two Smith & Wesson-style solid-frame revolvers, the TR-6 being a six-shot personal 7·65mm.
defence weapon, while the SR-3 was a target gun with a heavy barrel, a ventilated rib,
adjustable sights and an adjustable trigger. Guns were also made for others, in particular for
Sterling Armament Co. (q.v.).
In the late 1970s, Sauer entered into an agreement to produce SIG (q.v.) designs in Germany under the name 'SIG Sauer'. This allowed SIG a greater
firearms-export market than would be permitted by restrictive Swiss laws. Commitment to SIG designs gradually weakened Sauer's commitment to
revolvers until rights were sold to Armi San Paolo and Sterling Armament Co.
Sauer: The first Sauer pistol, introduced in 1913, was a 7·65mm blowback automatic of novel construction. The fixed barrel had a concentric recoil
spring, the separate breech block being held in the light tubular-steel slide by a screwed end cap locked by a spring catch. A seven-shot
magazine went into the butt; a striker mechanism was fitted; and the safety catch on the left side of the frame, which locked the sear,
automatically disengaged the trigger when applied.
The design was repeated in 6·35mm calibre in the early 1920s, but was soon replaced by the WTM (below) though new guns were available
until 1929. Production of the 7·65mm model, which had resumed after the war, and ended in 1930 after about 175,000 had been made.
M1913: Maker: J.P Sauer & Sohn, Suhl. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·67in/144mm.
Weight, unladen: 20·1oz/570gm. Barrel: 2·95in/75mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Model 1930: A new 7·65mm Sauer was introduced in 1930, retaining the basic design of the 1913 model
but incorporating small detail improvements. The grip was better shaped; the recoil spring had a sleeve
at the rear end; a loaded-chamber indicator was fitted; and a small catch on the trigger acted as a
security lock. The trigger could only move if the catch was pressed by the finger, preventing
inadvertent discharge if a loaded gun was dropped.
Often called the Behorden-Modell ('officials model'), apparently coined by the maker to recommend it
to Police and military users, the M1930 was purchased by German police and paramilitary forces.
Other were purchased by army officers before production ceased in 1937.
M1930 'Behorden Modell': Maker: J.P Sauer & Sohn, Suhl. Type: automatic pistol (blowback).
Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·75in/146mm. Weight, unladen: 21·9oz/620gm. Barrel:
3·03in/77mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box. Sauer: 6·35mm 1925
WTM.
WTM: A simplified 6·35mm line began in 1925 with the Westen-Taschen-Pistole ('shirt-pocket pistol'), a fixed-
barrel blowback with a large ejection port in the slide. The separate breech block was held in the slide by a spring catch; the striker protruded
from the rear of the slide to indicate when the pistol was cocked; and the slide had vertical cocking grips at both ends.
A modified WTM was introduced in 1928, with refined contours and the breech block forged integrally with the slide. The slide had obliquely
cut finger-grips at the rear end only. The revised WTM was produced for no more than four years before another change was made. The slide
was made even smoother and the ejection port moved to the right side; in this form, the WTM remained in production until 1939.
WTM [1924type]: Maker: J.P. Sauer & Sohn, Suhl. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·21in/l07mm. Weight, unladen: 11·3oz/320gm. Barrel: 2·17in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
WTM [1928 type]: Maker: J.P. Sauer & Sohn, Suhl. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·00in/102mm. Weight, unladen: 10·6oz/300gm. Barrel: 1·97in/50mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Model 38-H: Work on the 7·65mm series recommenced with this completely new
design. But for the war, the 38-H would certainly have left its mark on the
commercial market; however, virtually all went to the German armed forces.
The Model 38-H ('H' for Hahn, 'hammer', to distinguish it from the preceding
striker-fired Sauers) was a fixed-barrel blowback with the recoil spring around the
barrel. A separate breech block was pinned into the slide, and the internal hammer
was connected to a de-cocking lever partially concealed by the grip on the left
side of the frame. The lever allowed a cocked hammer to be released under
control, or an uncocked hammer to be brought to full cock by thumb action. The
double-action lockwork included a safety catch at the rear of the slide, which
locked the hammer. A magazine safety system and a loaded-chamber signal pin Sauer: 7·65mm Model 38-H.
were included in the original design, though the slide-mounted safety catch was
omitted from the earliest guns as well as those made towards the end of the
Second World War.
Sauer pistols were all made to the highest standards from first-class material; it
seems strange that the company never resumed production of the 38-H in the 1950s, as it was at least the equal of the Walther PP and Mauser
HSc.
Model 38-H: Maker: J.P. Sauer & Sohn, Suhl. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
6·73in/171mm. Weight, unladen: 25·4oz/720gm. Barrel: 3·27in/83mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

188
SAVAGE (USA)
The Savage Repeating Arms Company was formed in 1894 by Arthur W. Savage to build his lever-action sporting rifle, becoming the Savage Arms
Company in 1897. Savage was bought by the Driggs-Seabury Ordnance Company in 1915 and, in 1919, reorganised to form the Savage Arms
Corporation. After regaining its independence, Savage subsequently absorbed the J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co. and Davis-Warner—among others—
and eventually became one of America's leading firearms manufacturers.
The company is best known in the handgun field for the automatic pistols of 1907-28. The relevant patent was taken out by Major Elbert H. Searle
in 1905 and assigned to William Condit, who may well have been the financier. It is suspected that Condit, lacking manufacturing facilities, then
contracted with Savage.
The pistol-breech was locked by rotating the barrel, which was surrounded by a recoil spring and the slide. A square lug beneath the chamber
anchored the barrel in the frame so that it could rotate; the curved upper cam-lug engaged a track in the slide. A removable breech-block unit in the
rear of the slide carried the striker and its spring.
Reaction on the base of the cartridge case tried to force the slide
backward on firing. Owing to the interaction of the upper cam
and the track, however, the initial movement was resisted until
the barrel had been turned through about 5° anti-clockwise. The
cam-track then straightened and the slide could move backward.
Resistance to rotary motion of the barrel was provided by the
torque of the bullet engaging the rifling, delaying the opening of
the slide until the projectile had left the muzzle.
This was the substance of Searle's patent claim, but has since
been disputed. There is no doubt that the breech was locked at
the time of firing, but the 'bullet torque' theory is dubious. Spark
photographs made in Germany in the late 1920s showed that the Savage: ·45 pistol made
breech of the Savage actually opened faster than that of a for US Army trials in
6·35mm Baby Browning. The general opinion seems to be that 1908-10.
Searle, whatever he had intended, produced a delayed blowback
action.
·45 US Army trials gun: The Savage Arms Company was
preparing a ·32 pistol when, late in 1906, the US Army
announced forthcoming trials for a serviceable ·45 automatic. Savage immediately set to work producing a suitable military prototype; it
survived the trials, and so two hundred were ordered for troop trials in competition with the ·45 Colt-Browning. Savage finally delivered 200
guns in March 1909, but the army decided on the Colt after a final endurance trial in the Spring of 1911. The Savages were sold at auction in
1912. Total production is believed to have been 275-300, including a selection of prototype and test guns, but military rejection brought
development to an end.
Military Model: Maker: Savage Arms Co., Utica, New York. Type: automatic pistol delayed (blowback). Chambering: ·45 M1906.
Length overall: 9·02in/229mm. Weight, unladen: 35·4oz/1,005gm. Barrel: 5·24in/133mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Model 1907: The ·32 Savage was introduced in August 1907. A serrated 'hammer' at
the rear of the slide—actually the top surface of the cocking piece—allowed it to
be thumb-cocked. This serves to identify the 1907 pattern, together with the
unusual sheet-steel grips that snapped into place on the butt frame. A ·380 (9mm
Short) model, introduced in 1913, was the same as the 1907-type Savage except
for calibre.
M1907: Maker: Savage Arms Co., Utica, New York. Type: automatic
pistol (delayed blowback). Chambering: ·32 ACP. Length overall:
6·61in/168mm. Weight, unladen: 22·0oz/625gm. Barrel: 3·74in/95mm, Savage: 7·65mm M1915.
rifled. Magazine: ten-round detachable box.
Model 1915: This major redesign substituted a concealed cocking-piece for the
earlier exposed pattern; a grip safety was added; and a hold-open catch inside the
trigger guard could lock the slide open after the last round in the magazine had
been fired. Production of the 1907 model continued alongside the new 'hammerless' gun, though the cocking grips at the rear of the slide
changed from nine wide to 28 narrow grooves. Production of the M1907 finally ceased in 1916.
Model 1917: The 1915-pattern Savage was poorly received, being replaced in 1917 by a fresh design. The grip safety was removed and the visible
cocking spur was restored, offering a prominent narrow spur which had gained approval when tried on the last of the M1907 pistols. The grip
was changed to a wedge-like shape, the grip plates being held by screws. Produced in both ·32 ACP and ·380 ACP, the M1917 remained in
production until 1926 (·32) and 1928 (·380).
M1917: Maker: Savage Arms Co., Utica, New York. Type: automatic pistol (delayed blowback). Chambering: ·32 ACP. Length overall:
7·01in/178mm. Weight, unladen: 24·2oz/685gm. Barrel: 4·21in/107mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round detachable box.
Model 101: With the demise of the M1917 automatic, Savage left the handgun business for forty years before returning in 1960 with the single-shot
·22 pistol Model 101. Although styled to look like a Colt Single Action Army revolver, the cylinder and barrel formed a single unit. This could
be swung out of the frame to allow a single cartridge to be loaded into the chamber. The gun was made for about ten years, disappearing in the
early 1970s.

SCHLEGELMILCH (GERMANY)
Louis Schlegelmilch was the chief engineer at the Spandau arsenal near Berlin, where, in 1890-1, he developed a mechanical repeating pistol.
According to contemporary reports this pistol fired a 'high-powered bottle-necked smokeless powder rifle cartridge' carried in a magazine ahead of
the trigger-guard. The pistol relied on thumb-cocking the external hammer to unlock and draw back the bolt; when the bolt had been retracted far
enough, it was automatically released to run forward and chamber a cartridge. The Schlegelmilch pistol was a considerable advance on the ring-
lever type of mechanical repeater, but tests had hardly been completed when the advent of the automatic pistol swept it away. Only a handful of
prototypes had been made for military trials.

189
SCHMIDT (GERMANY)
Herbert Schmidt of Ostheim an der Rhon has used a
formidable list of trade names in Europe and the USA:
Deputy Marshal, EIG E8, PIC Models 21 and 121, Geroco,
Madison, Bison, Omega, RG, AMCO, Spesco, Valor,
Liberty, LA's Deputy, Liberty Scout, Deputy Magnum, Deputy Adjuster,
NATO, Western, Burgo Mod 21, Gecado Model 21, Indian Scout, VOL, Eusta, Cheyenne Scout,
Texas Scout, and Buffalo Scout.
Despite their profusion, these will be found on a handful of gun-patterns. The Model 11 was a six-shot
double- action solid frame revolver, with a swing-out cylinder and a 2·5in barrel. It was sold in the USA
as, among others, the Liberty 11 and EIG E8. A target-shooting version with 5·5in barrel was also
produced. Schmidt: R-12 22 LR
Schmidt's other principal product has been a Western-style ·22 revolver, made either with a rod rimfire.
ejector beneath the barrel or as an ejectorless pattern with a removable cylinder arbor. These guns
attracted the Deputy and Scout names. All Schmidt revolvers have the maker's name stamped into the lower edge of the butt
grip frame, visible when the grips are removed.
HS-38: Maker: Herbert Schmidt GmbH, Ostheim an der Rhon. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38 Special. Length overall:
8·00in/203mm. Weight, unladen: 31·2oz/885gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

SCHOUBOE (DENMARK)
Jens Torring Schouboe, a Danish army officer, became chief engineer of
Dansk Rekylriffel Syndikat (DRS) of Copenhagen. He is best known as
the inventor of the DRS-made Madsen machine-gun, but also patented an
automatic pistol in 1903. This conventional 7·65mm blowback apparently
sold poorly, being taken off the market after about a thousand had been made.
Undeterred, Schouboe set about making a heavy-calibre military pistol. He decided on a 11·35mm
calibre, which was large enough to impress military authorities, but remained wedded to the
blowback system. Consequently, Schouboe adopted some peculiar stratagems to get the performance
he wanted. The most important was a very light bullet, no more than a cupro-nickel jacket containing a
wooden core and an aluminium base plug. This developed a velocity of 1,625 ft/sec, yet,
owing to its light weight, developed less recoil than conventional bullets; it moved Schouboe: 11·35mm
1907.
quickly enough to leave the barrel before the breech had begun to open.
The M1907 Schouboe pistol was a fixed-barrel blowback with a short slide/breechblock section at the rear, and had
no unusual features. It was tested by several governments, British and American among them, but was never adopted.
The principal complaints were the light bullet, blowback action, and poor accuracy arising from the light bullet and a
poorly-chosen rifling twist.
Schouboe tinkered with his design for some years, producing a selection of improved guns based on the M1907. However, less than five hundred
were made before the inventor retired in 1917. DRS donated many of them as graduation prizes and marksmanship awards for Danish army cadets,
or presented them to high-ranking dignitaries to promote the Madsen machine-gun. Schouboe pistols are extremely uncommon today.
Schouboe M1907: Maker: Dansk Rekylriffel Syndikat AS 'Madsen', Copenhagen. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Calibre: 11·35mm.
Length overall: 8·00in/203mm. Weight, unladen: 24·3oz/690gm. Barrel: 5·12in/130mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

SCHULHOF (AUSTRIA-HUNGARY)
Josef Schulhof, best known for his work on rifle magazines, was another of the many Austro-Hungarian inventors to tinker with mechanical
repeating pistols. Patented in 1884, the Schulhof gun relied on the usual reciprocating bolt driven by a ring trigger; small numbers were made in
8mm and 10·6mm calibres, mostly in Liege. The existence of a version chambering the ·320 revolver cartridge has also been reported.

SCHULZ & LARSEN (DENMARK)

Best known as a maker of target rifles and rifled barrels, Schulz & Larsen of Otterup produced the Model 51 bolt-action ·22 LR Free Pistol, with the
usual options of grips and sights, in 1951-6.
Model 51: Maker: Schulz & Larsen, Otterup. Type: single-shot pistol (bolt action). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall:
14·96in/380mm. Weight, unladen: 45·0oz/1,275gm. Barrel:. 11·02in/280mm rifled. Magazine: none.

SCHWARZLOSE (GERMANY)
Andreas Wilhelm Schwarzlose served as a armourer in the Austro-Hungarian army before receiving practical gunmaking experience in Suhl. He
began designing automatic pistols in the 1890s, but had his greatest success with a blowback machine-gun which was adopted by the Austro-
Hungarian Army and remained in use until 1945. Schwarzlose opened an arms factory in Berlin, but this was closed down by the Allied
disarmament commission in 1919. The inventor subsequently acted as a consultant for other firearms firms until his death in 1936.
Model 1892: This was a remarkable design; the only comparable mechanism is the Remington rolling-block breech, but the Schwarzlose type
operates automatically. The frame carried a hammer and a breech block pivoted on the same axis. The barrel rode on top of the frame above a
magazine containing seven rimmed cartridges carried nose-down. The barrel recoiled a short distance on firing, driving the hammer and breech
block backward. An arm extending from the breech block lifted a cartridge from the magazine as the breech rotated downward, aligning it with
the breech. Spring pressure closed the breech block, chambering the round and depressing the cartridge-lifter as it did so. The hammer was held
at full-cock until released by the trigger. According to Wilson, the only known gun of this type was in the Musee d'Armes, Liege, prior to 1939
but has since disappeared.
Model 1895: The next design was a long recoil weapon of considerable ingenuity, using a rotating bolt. Although mechanically simple it never
entered production.
Model 1898: By 1897, Schwarzlose had developed an effectual design, production of what became known as the 'Standard' in Britain beginning in
1898. Chambered for the 7·63mm Mauser cartridge, the 1898-type Schwarzlose had a rotating bolt with four lugs. The bolt and barrel move

190
 backward on firing until the barrel is stopped by the compressed return spring. A stud in the frame, working in a cam track in the underside of
the bolt, turns the bolt far enough to disengage the locking lugs by the time the barrel stops. This allows the bolt to run back against a spring,
then return to load a new round and cock the striker. The lugs enter the chamber, the barrel is freed, and the barrel/bolt assembly runs forward
while rotating the bolt until the lugs engage.
The Schwarzlose Standard was a simple well-made design which should have done better. However, it had been pre-empted by the Mauser and
does not seem to have been as reliable. It remained on the market until the early 1900s, but sales were uninspiring. It has been claimed that
Schwarzlose sold all the remaining guns to Russia during the Russo-Japanese War.
Model 1898: Maker: A.W. Schwarzlose GmbH, Berlin. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 7·63mm Mauser. Length
overall: 10·75in/273mm. Weight, unladen: 33·2oz/940gm. Barrel: 6·42in/163mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Model 1900: Schwarzlose's next design saw
another complete change of direction,
featuring a toggle which was completely
folded when the breech was closed and
unfolded as the bolt recoiled. Its delayed-blowback action
was more successful in the machine-gun, the pistol being still-born.
Model 1908: Several years passed before Andreas Schwarzlose designed another pistol, the
intervening period being occupied by work on the machine-gun. The new pistol was
another novelty, becoming the only blow-forward pattern to encounter commercial
success.
The breech formed part of the frame, the barrel being free to slide forward against a return
spring. To load the M1908, the barrel was pulled forward and allowed to fly back,
cocking the internal hammer, collecting a cartridge from the butt magazine and Schwarzlose: 7·63mm
forcing it against the breech face. The barrel flew forward on firing, pulling the Standard pistol, no.93.
chamber away from the empty cartridge case. The case was held against the standing
breech until knocked clear by a mechanical ejector. A spring returned the barrel, reloading and cocking the action
for the next shot, while a grip safety let into the front of the butt could be locked in the 'fire' position by a push-button.
M1908 pistols were made in Berlin in 1908-11, many being imported into the USA by the Warner Arms Corporation of Brooklyn (see
'Infallible'); these bear the Warner name in addition to that of Schwarzlose. Sales of the quirky blow-forward pistol in Europe were never enough
to justify production in Berlin, so the remaining stock— sometimes said to have included the 'tools and dies'—was sold to Warner about 1912.
However, whether production was truly ever undertaken in the USA is debatable. There is a school of thought that suspects Warner to have done
nothing but assemble and finish German-made parts.
The blow-forward model of 1908 was the last Schwarzlose pistol; having tried five different operating systems, he abandoned work on handguns
to concentrate on his machine-gun design.
Model 1908: Maker: A.W. Schwarzlose GmbH, Berlin. Type: automatic pistol (blow forward). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length
overall: 5·50in/140mm. Weight, unladen: 18·3oz/520gm. Barrel: 4·13in/105mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

SCHONBERGER (AUSTRIA-HUNGARY)
This gun is generally accepted as being the first
practicable automatic pistol design, though whether it
was the first to be offered commercially is still hotly
contested. The mechanism is based on patents protecting
a bolt action ring-lever mechanical repeater, granted to Josef Laumann
in 1890-1. By the time of British Patent 18,823/92, noting that the first application
for protection had been made in France in March 1892, the novelty lay 'principally
in improved methods of and means for utilising the force of the explosion, and
which will have the effect of rendering the said type [the mechanical repeater]
automatic...'
Where the Schonberger name comes from is not clear; Wilson suggested he might have been the manager
of the Osterreichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft factory in Steyr, where the pistols were made,
Schonberger: 8mm-
while another suggestion (possibly more plausible) is that he was Laumann's financial backer.
calibre Steyr-made gun,
The Schonberger is extremely rare; it is doubtful if half-a-dozen specimens exist, and the ammunition probably dating from the
vanished over eighty years ago. The pistol was once believed to have had a locked breech operated mid 1890s
by primer set-back, an opinion originating with R.K. Wilson and not critically tested for many years.
This appears to be based on the loose description in the British official 'Abridgements of Patents' which, in turn, was based on
Laumann's Provisional Specification. The Final Specification leaves no doubt that the Schonberger pistol was a delayed
blowback.
A swivel link on the bolt is pressed into a recess in the receiver by the forward movement of the firing pin; recoil forces the firing-pin backward,
then forces the link from its recess to engage with a forked spring-loaded arm pivoted in the receiver wall. Movement of the bolt is thus restrained
until the link lifts free of its recess, and is then controlled by the movement of the forked arm against its spring. The leverage supplied by the arm is
carefully arranged to give the greatest resistance during the initial opening of the bolt, and, conversely, the greatest pressure as the round is being
chambered and the bolt closed.
An external cocking lever opened the bolt to allow a clip to be dropped into the magazine ahead of the trigger guard. According to Wilson, who was
reduced to making a sulphur cast of the chamber in the absence of ammunition, the Schonberger fired an 8mm bottle-necked round with a bullet of
about 110 grains and a possible velocity of 1,400-1,500 ft/sec. Manufacture took place at Steyr in 1892-3 and it is doubtful if as many as fifty were
made.
Schonberger: Maker: Osterreichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft, Steyr. Type: automatic pistol (delayed blowback) Calibre 8mm.
Length overall: 10·63in/270mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 5·00in/127mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round internal box

191
SCOTT (USA)
The name of the 'Scott Arms Company' appears on an American ·32 rimfire non-ejecting five-shot revolver, with a solid frame and a sheath trigger,
dating from the 1875-85 period; it was probably a sales name used by an established manufacturer, but has defied interpretation.

S.E.A.M. (SPAIN)
Fabrica de Armas de Sociedad Espanol de Armas y Municiones of Eibar was a sales organisation
rather than a manufactory; most of its wares appear to have come from Tomas de Urizar (q.v.), while
others are identical to the products of Fabrique d'Armes de Grande Precision (q.v.).
S.E.A.M. [Walther type]: Maker: Sociedad Espanol de Armas y Municiones, Eibar. Type:
automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·61in/117mm.
Weight, unladen: 12·7oz/360gm. Barrel: 2·20in/56mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round
detachable box.
Praga: A 7·65mm Eibar-type pistol, this bears the simple inscription PRAGA CAL 7,65 on the slide; it
is identifiable as a S.E.A.M. product by the grip design, comprising a floral band with a crown in
the centre. The name was probably adopted to profit from the reputation of the Czech Praga (q.v.)
pistol, but appears to be the same as the Trust sold by Grande Precision.
S.E.A.M.: Several differing 6·35mm pistols of this type exist. The first seems to have been an Eibar pattern S.E.A.M.: 6·35mm Pocket
with thirteen finger grooves on the slide and S.E.A.M. moulded into the grips. It was then made with a Model.
better finish, given eleven finger grooves, and a grip medallion with 'FL' and crossed swords. Finally came
a good-quality model with ten grooves and a S.E.A.M. medallion. The slides are all marked FABRICA DE ARMAS S.E.A.M.
Copied from the Walther Model 9, with a few manufacturing short-cuts, the next 6·35mm was totally different from its predecessors. The slide
was smooth, the finger grips broad and deep, and the safety catch lay at the rear of the frame. The slide was marked S.E.A.M. PATENT 11627
POCKET MODEL CAL 6,35 and the S.E.A.M. medallion appeared on the grips.
Silesia: This was a 7·65mm Eibar-type gun of below-average quality, marked AUTOMATIC PISTOL CAL 7,65 SILESIA with the S.E.A.M.
medallion in the grips.
Silesia: Maker: Sociedad Espanol de Armas y Municiones, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length
overall: 5·31in/135mm. Weight, unladen: 22·9oz/650gm. Barrel: 2·68in/68mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Sivispacem: The first gun to bear this name was a poor-quality 6·35mm Eibar pattern bearing the Urizar club-wielding savage trademark on the
grip; the second, of identical calibre, offered rather better quality, plain grips, and the butt lengthened to take a nine-round magazine.
Sivispacem: Maker: Sociedad Espanol de Armas y Municiones, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto.
Length overall: 4·53in/115mm. Weight, unladen: 20·1oz/570gm. Barrel: 2·13in/54mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Waco: This is exactly the same as the Sivispacem, but is marked WACO CAL 6,35 and has the Urizar trademark on the grips.

SECRET SERVICE SPECIAL (USA)

This sales name was used by Chicago gun-dealer Fred Biffard in c.1890-1910 on a revolver made by Iver Johnson and another by the Meriden
Firearms Company. Details will be found in the relevant entries.
Secret Service Special: Maker: Iver Johnson's Arms & Cycle Works, Fitchburg, Massachusetts, for F. Biffard & Co., Chicago. Illinois.
Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·32. Length overall: 7·25in/184mm. Weight, unladen: 13·9oz/395gm. Barrel: 3·00in/76mm,rifled.
Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

SECURITY INDUSTRIES (USA)

Short-lived Security Industries of America, trading in Little Ferry, New Jersey, introduced five-shot ·38 Special and five-shot ·357 Magnum
revolvers in 1976, both being made of stainless steel and sharing the dimensions of the S&W Model 60.
Security Magnum: Maker: Security Industries of America, Little Ferry, New Jersey. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·357
Magnum. Length overall: 6·10in/155mm. Weight, unladen: 18·0oz/510gm. Barrel: 2·00in/51mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber
cylinder.

SEECAMP (USA)
Based in New Haven, Connecticut, L.W. Seecamp Co., Inc., began making a small ·25 or ·32 blowback automatic in 1980. Identical but for calibre,
the guns were made of stainless steel and had an unusual hammer- fired action. The hammer follows the slide home after each shot and the self-
cocking trigger action raises the hammer at each trigger pull. Particular attention has been paid to smoothing the exterior, as a result of which the ·32
model has been favoured by law officers as a concealed weapon.
LS-25: Maker: L.W. Seecamp Co., Inc., New Haven, Connecticut. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·25 ACP. Length
overall: 4·25in/108mm. Weight, unladen: 12·0oz/340gm. Barrel: 2·00in/51mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

SE-MAS (FRANCE)
Developed for trials with the French army, the SE-MAS series originated in the early 1920s in the
Manufacture d'Armes de Saint-Etienne. Work culminated in the odd-looking 7·65mm SE-MAS No.4
blowback of 1926, with the recoil spring around the barrel and a curious suspended hammer mechanism
in the rear of the slide. Ultimately, however, the SE-MAS was rejected in favour of the SACM-Petter.
(See 'French State Factories'.)
Semmerling
SEMMERLING (USA) LM-4.
The Semmerling Corporation of Newton, Massachusetts, introduced the LM-4 pistol in the middle
1970s. The inmost recent revival of the blow-forward principle, it chambered for the mighty ·45 ACP
cartridge; the blow-forward system, the manufacturer claimed, helped to keep the recoil sensation within reasonable bounds. The pistol was
prepared by inserting a magazine in the butt, then pulling the slide fully forward and releasing it. The self-cocking striker mechanism was fired by a
long pull-through on the trigger. Designed as a self-defence weapon, the LM-4 achieved limited success before being discontinued in the mid 1980s.
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SHARPS (USA)
Christian Sharps of Philadelphia is best known for his block-action rifles, but also patented a unique pistol in which a barrel block can be slid
forward on the frame for loading. A revolving firing pin on the hammer fires the four barrels in succession. Originating in a design patented in 1859,
these pistols were made in ·22, ·30 and ·32 rimfire by Sharps & Hankins and its successors until Christian Sharps died in 1874. They were also made
under licence by Tipping & Lawden (q.v.) during this period.
Several of Sharps' patents are concerned with improvements in revolver design, but few were exploited. However, 'Un Officer Superieur', writing in
1894, refers to the state army of Saxony being equipped with a 'Sharps Model 1873' revolver. The gun was actually a large-calibre Liege-made copy
of the original hinged-frame Smith & Wesson. There is no evidence that it embodied any Sharps-patent features.

SHATTUCK (USA)
Better known for the 'Shattuck Unique' (see Mossberg), C.S. Shattuck Arms Co. of Hatfield, Massachusetts, manufactured an 1879-patent revolver
prior to 1887. Seemingly a conventional solid-frame pattern of the day, with a sheath trigger and a bird's head butt, it carried the cylinder-arbor pin
vertically in an extension to the frame. The cylinder could thus be swung sideways out of the frame for reloading. No extractor mechanism was
provided, cases being poked or shaken out.
Shattuck: Maker. C.S. Shattuck Arms Co., Hatfield, Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·32. Length overall:
6·50in/165mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 2·50in/63mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

SHERIDAN (USA)
Renowned for its air- and gas-guns, Sheridan Products, Inc., of Racine in Wisconsin made the single-shot ·22 LR Knocabout pistol in 1953-62.
Hammer fired, and built to resemble an automatic pistol, the Knocabout was made largely of steel pressings and plastic. The name was
appropriate—it was good for little other than plinking.
Knocabout: Maker: Sheridan Products, Inc., Racine, Wisconsin. Type: single-shot pistol. Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall:
6·75in/171mm. Weight, unladen: 24·0oz/680gm. Barrel: 5·00in/127mm, rifled. Magazine: none.

SIG (SWITZERLAND)
Established in 1853, Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft of
Neuhausen/Rheinfalls has an enviable record for excellence in firearms
design and production. Now a broadly-based engineering group, SIG has
specialised in weapons for the Swiss Army; a series of automatic pistols
ranking with the best in the world has been made since the 1940s. SIG
allied with the German Sauer (q.v.) company in the 1970s, largely to
overcome restrictions placed on the exportation of weapons by Swiss law.
The SIG-Sauer pistols are SIG designs assembled in Germany.
When the Swiss army hinted that a replacement for the Parabellum pistol
might be worthwhile, SIG responded by acquiring rights to the patents of
Charles Petter in 1937; Petter had been responsible for the effectual SACM SIG: 9mm P-210.
pistol adopted by the French in 1935. Experimental models were made in
the Neuhausen factory in 1937-40; these were little more than near-copies
of the French Mle 1935 but, after experience, the basic design was
improved. A few Neuhausen 44/16 (so-called from the year and the
sixteen-round magazine) and Neuhausen 44/8 pistols were submitted in
1944 to trials against the Browning-type pistol submitted by the Bern (q.v.) arsenal. Results were inconclusive, so SIG made more changes.
Satisfied with the state of development by 1948, the modified SIG-Petter was placed on the commercial market as the SIG SP47/8.
SP 44/16: Maker: Schweizerische Industrie-Gesellschaft, Neuhausen. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm
Parabellum. Length overall: 8·46in/215mm. Weight, unladen: 38·4oz/1,090gm. Barrel: 4·72in/120mm, rifled. Magazine: sixteen-round
detachable box.
SP 47/8 or P-210: Chambered for 9mm Parabellum, this could be adapted to chamber 7·65mm Parabellum or (later) ·22 LR cartridges with suitable
conversion kits. The SP47/8 was locked by the familiar shaped cam beneath the breech, which tipped the barrel out of engagement with the
slide. The hammer, sear, and other lock components were carried in a removable module. Most unusually, the slide ran on rails formed inside the
frame instead of the normal outside rails; these were more expensive to machine, but gave the slide greater support and stability. This in turn
improved accuracy and extended the life of the pistol.
Shortly after the commercial introduction, the Swiss army adopted the SP 47/8 as the 9mm Ordonnanzpistole 49. It was subsequently purchased
in quantity by the West German border police and the Danish army, but its high price discouraged most other armed forces.
The SP 47/8 was renamed P-210 in 1957, conforming with a change in company nomenclature policy. The P-210-1 was the standard military
pattern, with blued finish and wood grips; P-210-2 has sand-blasted finish and plastic grips; P-210-4 was a special model for the West German
border police; P-210-5 was a target-shooting version with a 150mm barrel protruding from the slide; and P-210-6, another target gun, had a
standard 120mm barrel. Undoubtedly the finest automatic pistol currently available, the P-210 now retails in the USA for $1900.
P-220: Well aware that the expense of the P-210 discouraged prospective large-scale purchasers, SIG began developing a simpler version in the
1960s. Introduced in 1974, the P-220 was immediately adopted by the Swiss army as the 9mm Pistole 75. This was the first SIG-Sauer, its de-
cocking lever and lock mechanism bearing some resemblance to the pre-war Sauer 38-H mechanism. The double-action P-220 retains the barrel-
depressor cam, but the squared chamber area simply rises into the enlarged ejection port to lock the slide. This simple idea has since been widely
copied.
The P-220 was eventually produced in 9mm and 7·65mm Parabellum, ·38 Super and ·45 ACP, the only significant difference being that the ·45
version had a push-button magazine catch behind the trigger instead of the standard butt-heel catch. This was largely due to national preferences,
as the ·45 was primarily intended for sale in North America.
SIG-Sauer P-220: Maker: SIG Neuhausen; J.P. Sauer & Sohn GmbH, Eckenforde. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering:
9mm Parabellum. Length overall: 7·80in/198mm. Weight, unladen: 29·3oz/830gm. Barrel: 4·41in/112mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round
detachable box.

193
P-230: Introduced soon after the P-220, this simple blowback chambered ·22 LR,
6·35mm, 7·65mm or 9mm Short cartridges and had an automatic firing-pin lock.
There was no manual safety catch but, unless the trigger was properly pulled
through in double- or single-action mode, the firing pin could not be driven
forward by the hammer.
SIG-Sauer P-230: Maker: SIG Neuhausen; J.P. Sauer & Sohn GmbH,
Eckenforde. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 9mm Short.
Length overall: 6·61in/168mm. Weight, unladen: 16·2oz/460gm. Barrel:
3·62in/92mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
P-225: Smaller and lighter than the P-220, with one round less in the magazine, this
military-style locked-breech pistol featured the automatic firing-pin safety at the
expense of manual devices. SIG: SIG-Sauer P-230.
P-226: This gun was developed from the P-225 in the early 1980s to satisfy the
demands of the US Army during its search for a new pistol. The principal
differences from the P-225 are increased size; an ambidextrous magazine catch;
and a fifteen-round magazine instead of the previous eight-round pattern. The P-
226 was almost selected for US service, being beaten in the 'best and final price' phase by Beretta. A few guns were purchased by the British
Special Air Service in 1991.
P-228: Introduced in 1988, this compact weapon is really a refined P-225 with a
thirteen-round magazine. It should be noted that most components of the P-
225, P-226 and P-228 are interchangeable, as are most of the accessories.

SIMPLEX (GERMANY)
The Simplex has an unmistakably Bergmann outline, with a box magazine ahead
of the trigger guard, a revolver-type lock and butt, and a lightweight bolt
reciprocating in the solid frame. It was designed in 1902 by Bergmann (or
perhaps Louis Schmeisser) as a cheap blowback version of the Mars pistol, and a
small number appears to have been made in Suhl in 1902-4—possibly by V. Chr.
Schilling. The pistol was still listed in Bergmann factory catalogues in 1906. It
chambered an 8mm cartridge, unique to the Simplex, which lost its Bergmann SIG: 9mm SIG-Sauer P-
title in due course. Total production was a little over 3,000, with only minor 228.
design changes noted. The Bergmann-Simplex was marketed in Britain by the
Wilkinson Sword Company.
Simplex: Maker: probably made in Suhl and Liege for Theodor
Bergmann. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Calibre 8mm. Length overall: 8·00in/203mm. Weight, unladen: 21·2oz/600gm. Barrel:
2·75in/70mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

SIMSON (GERMANY)
Simson & Co. of Suhl specialised in military and sporting rifles, as well as shotguns, but obtained a ten-year contract to supply the German services
with Parabellum pistols c.1921. Simson obtained much of the production machinery from Erfurt arsenal, with the acquiescence of the Allied
disarmament commission, though most of the work was simply refurbishing wartime pistols. Others were assembled from parts left over from the
First World War, though small quantities were actually made in the Simson plant. The pistols can be recognised by SIMSON & CO. over SUHL on
the front toggle-link.
Model 1922: Work on the Parabellum must have stimulated interest in handguns, as Simson produced its
own 6·35mm blowback in 1922. The pistol offered good quality, but somewhat unusual appearance.
The slide was distinctly rounded, rather than the usual slab-sided type, though the frame was flattened
above the grips. The barrel was held in the frame by a lug under the breech, into which the recoil spring
guide rod fitted, and the slide was held on the frame by a spring catch in the front edge of the trigger
guard. Striker fired, the Model 1922 had a six-round magazine and a 55mm barrel.
Model 1927: A modified version of the M1922 appeared in 1927; the frame was now flat for its length,
though the slide was still rounded, and Simson's three-triangle trademark was added on the left side of
the frame.
Both pistols offered good quality, but Simson was sequestered by the state in 1934 and became part of
Gustloff-Werke. The Parabellum machinery was sold to Krieghoff in c.1935 and production of the Simson Simson: 6·35mm WTP
pistol ceased. The company name (but nothing else) was revived by the nationalised German Democratic 1927.
Republic firearms industry after 1945 and is still applied to shotguns.
WTP M1927: Maker: Simson & Co., Suhl. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·49in/114mm. Weight, unladen: 13·1oz/370gm. Barrel: 2·20in/56mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

SMITH (USA)
Otis A. Smith of Rock Fall, Connecticut, patented various revolver mechanisms in 1873-81 and made the usual rimfire non-ejecting Suicide Special
in ·22, ·32, ·38 and ·41 calibres. The guns, which had solid frames and sheath triggers, bore Smith's name and an 1873 patent date; what appears to
be an oversized cylinder arbor pin is, in fact, a patented quick-release for removing the cylinder for reloading.
New Model: This five-shot ·32 rimfire gun had a ribbed barrel, a sheath trigger, and a push-button on the left of the frame to release the cylinder.
Model 83 Shell Ejector: Patented in 1881, the Shell Ejector was a hinged-frame revolver with the customary cam-operated self-ejecting
mechanism. A single-action five-shot ·32 centre-fire pattern, it retained the ribbed barrel and must have been one of the last revolvers to feature a
sheath trigger. It was well made, but the ribbed barrel and lack of a trigger guard gave it an oddly muzzle-heavy appearance.
Model 83 Shell Ejector: Maker: Otis Smith. Rock Fall, Connecticut. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Calibre: ·32. Length overall:
6·88in/175mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 3·25tn/83mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

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Hammerless Model 92: Next came a solid-frame pseudo-hammerless five-shot ·38 revolver with a conventional trigger and guard befitting its
double-action lock. Loaded through a swinging gate on the right side of the frame, it also had an unusual cylinder-stop catch in the top of the
standing breech. This catch could be pressed with the thumb, releasing the cylinder to rotate freely for loading. This revolver also appeared
under the Maltby, Henley name, and as the 'Spencer Safety Hammerless' or 'Parker Safety Hammerless'.
After 1898, the Smith company disappears in a haze of reported amalgamation, liquidation and re-organisation. The ultimate fate is not known.
Hammerless Model 92: Maker: Otis Smith, Rock Fall, Connecticut. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·38. Length overall:
7·25in/184mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 3·00in/76mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

SMITH & WESSON (USA)

Horace Smith and Daniel B. Wesson began their partnership in 1854, intending to make repeating pistols, but sold the unprofitable operations to the
Volcanic rifle company in 1856. By this time, the partners had obtained rights to a patent granted to Rollin White, which claimed novelty in a
bored-through cylinder. Consequently, when Colt's master patent expired in 1857, Smith & Wesson immediately began production of the first
metallic cartridge breech-loading revolvers.
These early models were all small and comparatively fragile 'tip-up' types, but gave the partners much useful experience. The calibre was only ·22,
owing to the inability of contemporary ammunition makers to anneal a copper cartridge case to withstand much pressure, but the Smith & Wesson
No. 1 was an immediate success. Some rivals made guns under licence, but most simply copied the Smith & Wesson design and lost the resulting
lawsuits. Litigation was conducted not at the expense of Smith & Wesson but instead of Rollin White, resulting from an ingenious contract which
left him to bear the cost of defending his patent.
One successful lawsuit allowed Smith & Wesson to absorb the business of Lucius W. Pond, who had developed a satisfactory ·44 rimfire cartridge;
when the first ·44 S&W revolver appeared in 1869, much may have been owed to Pond as the ·44 S&W became one of the world's most famous
cartridges—rivalling ·45 Colt for many years.
Though the company's products were generally excellent, Smith & Wesson never achieved the sales in the West that might have been expected; this
was simply because, as the American West was being exploited, S&W were deeply committed to foreign contracts and surrendered the home
market to Colt. Once the lucrative Russian contracts ended, Smith & Wesson had to struggle for many years to regain a fair share of the domestic
market; by 1918, however, the position was secure and the company thereafter went from strength to strength. In 1987, Smith & Wesson, in
financial difficulties, were purchased by a British engineering consortium.
Attempting to catalogue 130 years of Smith & Wesson handguns in chronological order is too confusing; consequently, they have been listed in
ascending order of calibre, excepting occasions where it is more logical to follow the development of a particular model to its conclusion. Magnum
revolvers and the automatic pistols are listed in separate sections.
·22 REVOLVERS AND SINGLE-SHOT PISTOLS
·22 Single Shot: (First
Model, 1893-1905.)
This was created by
simply attaching a
hinged single-shot
barrel to the standard 1891 -pattern ·38 revolver
frame. The barrel locked at the top strap and had an ejector beneath the
breech. The result was a useful target pistol, soon joined by a ·32 version and
given over-sized grips. Target shooters then successfully demanded a ·22 model.
Replacement barrel units enabled ·22 pistols to be converted to ·38. Over 3,000 of these dual-
purpose pistols were sold.
·22 Single Shot: (Second Model, 1905-9.) Smith & Wesson finally decided that the dual-purpose
pistol was too good a bargain, reverting to making only the single-barrel pattern; target sights
S & W: ·38-calibre First
were fitted as standard.
Model Single-Shot.
·22 Single Shot: (Third or 'Perfected' Model, 1909-23.) Though no external changes were made to
the Second Model, this gun had improved lockwork and a quicker hammer-fall. The standard barrel measured ten inches
but others could be supplied to order. The perfected Model was a great success, being used by American Olympic team in
1912.
·22 Single Shot [Third Model]: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: single-shot pistol. Chambering: ·22 LR
rimfire. Length overall: 13·50in/343mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 10·00in/254mm, rifled. Magazine: none.
·22 Straight Line Single Shot: (1925-36.) Introduced to succeed the Perfected Model, this was unsuccessful largely because the hammer fall and
trigger pull were never consistent from shot to shot. The sliding-plunger hammer and sear tended to stick, and were eventually superseded by a
conventional rebounding hammer. However, the changes came too late to save the guns' reputation and less than two thousand were made.
·22 Straight Line Single Shot: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: single-shot pistol. Chambering: ·22 LR
rimfire. Length overall: 11·00in/279mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 10·00in/254mm, rifled. Magazine: none.
·22/·32 Hand Ejector: (Bekeart Model, 1912-53.) Gun dealer Philip Bekeart of San Francisco had been urging production of a heavy frame target
revolver on the basis of the ·32 Hand Ejector frame, but Smith & Wesson doubted its sales potential. Bekeart promptly ordered a thousand;
S&W saw the force of his argument and put the ·22/·32 into production in the Spring of 1912. Many changes and improvements were made to
the original design over the years, but the basis was always the Hand Ejector model fitted with a six-inch ·22 LR barrel. Sights were elaborate
and special grips fitted over the standard butt frame.
·22/·32 Target (Model 35): (1953-73.) This was the last of the series, its role being taken over by the Masterpiece patterns. Sights were improved, a
flat-topped cylinder release catch was fitted, and extended chequered grips were used.
·22 Ladysmith: (First Model, 1902-6.) This small seven-shot personal defence revolver was specifically intended for women, its butt being too
small for a man to hold comfortably and shoot accurately. The standard gun weighed only about 9·5oz, though various barrel-lengths were
available. Ladysmith's were all hand ejectors, this original pattern relying solely on a rear cylinder lock operated by a thumb-stud on the frame.
Over 4,500 were made.
·22 Ladysmith [First Model]: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·22 LR
rimfire. Length overall: 6·50in/165mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 3·00in/76mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-chamber cylinder.
·22 Ladysmith: (Second Model, 1906-10.) An additional cylinder lock was soon added to the front of the Ladysmith. The thumb button was
abandoned, the cylinder being released by pulling forward a lug under-the barrel. Only 3in and 3·5in barrels were available.
195
·22 Ladysmith: (Third Model, 1910-21.) A rebounding hammer and 2·5in or 6in barrel options were added in this variant. The butt was squared off,
becoming easier to hold, and about 12,000 guns were sold before work on the series ended. (NB: the Ladysmith name was revived in 1990, as
detailed below.)
K-22 Hand Ejector: (First Model or Outdoorsman, 1930^0.) This K·22 was a fresh approach to a heavy-frame ·22 revolver, being based on the
fourth-change ·38 Model 1905. Improvements included a floating firing pin in the breech and a flat-faced hammer.
K-22 Hand Ejector: (Second Model or Masterpiece, 1940-2.) This version introduced an anti-backlash trigger and the speed-lock action. Only
1,600 were made before war stopped work.
K-22 Masterpiece (Model 17): (1946 to
date.) This differed from its predecessors
in having a ribbed barrel and special grips.
K-22 Masterpiece [Model 17]:
Maker: Smith & Wesson,
Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame
revolver. Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall:
11·25in/286mm. Weight, unladen: 38·5oz/1,090gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm,
rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
K-22 Masterpiece WRF (Model 48): (1959 to date.) The Model 48 is a variant of the Model
17, chambering the ·22 WMRF cartridge; just to confuse things, the cylinder can be replaced
with the ·22 LR Model 17 pattern.
·22 Combat Masterpiece (Model 18): (1950-72.) Distinguished by a four-inch barrel and S & W: K·22 Masterpiece
ramped front sight, this was otherwise a Model 17. or Model 17.
·22 Jet Magnum: (1961-73.) Designed to fire the ·22 Remington Jet high-velocity centre-fire
cartridge, which used a long, bottle-necked case, this revolver developed a muzzle velocity of 2,200 ft/sec. The otherwise
conventional revolver was specially strengthened to withstand the pressure, using chamber inserts to fire ·22 LR rimfire
cartridges. The hammer could be set to strike either of the floating firing pins to suit rim- or centre-fire ammunition. Ultimately, the ·22 Jet
proved too much of a good thing, setting back and jamming cylinders, and the revolver was eventually discontinued.
Jet Magnum: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·22 Remington Jet. Length
overall: 11·25in/286mm. Weight, unladen: 40·0oz/1,135gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
·32 REVOLVERS
·32 SA Revolver: (1877-92.) Colt had introduced the ·32 cartridge in
1875, but Smith & Wesson waited to ensure it was successful before
producing a suitable revolver. The ·32 five-shot S&W had a bird's head
grip and a sheath trigger; as the hammer lacked a half-cock position, it
was advisable to keep an empty chamber under the hammer. The
standard barrel measured 3·3in, but a 6in pattern was also provided.
About 97,450 of these guns sold before production ended.
·32 SA Pocket Rifle: (1880-5.) This idea was not successful; the Pocket S & W: ·32 Model No.2.
Rifle was designed to meet a need for small-calibre repeating rifles for
small game hunting and was simply an extra-long barrelled revolver
with a shoulder stock. The idea had been tried previously in ·22 and ·25
rimfire, but ·32 was a more effectual hunting round. The Pocket Rifle, based on an improved Russian-model frame, chambered a new cartridge
which eventually became the ·32 S&W Long. Barrels of 16in, 18in or 20in were available, all fitted with a vulcanite fore-end, and the butt was
slotted for a shoulder stock.
Although the Pocket Rifle shot quite well, the flash from the barrel/cylinder joint tended to burn the firer's wrist; it was never popular, less than a
thousand being made.
32 Safety Revolver: (First Model, 1888-1902; Second Model, 1902-9; Third Model,
1909-37.) Little more than a smaller version of the ·38 Safety Model; the variants
duplicated improvements made in the larger gun, detailed below. The ·32 was
popular, more than 350,000 being made.
·32 Safety Revolver [First Model]: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield,
Massachusetts. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Chambering: ·32 S&W. Length
overall: 6·50in/165mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 3·00in/76mm,
rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.
·32 Hand Ejector: (First Model, 1896-1903.) The first S&W to use a swing-out cylinder,
this had a simple frame following the established clean lines. A central pin fitting into
a hole in the standing breech locked the five-chamber cylinder into the frame. S & W: ·32 Safety or
Unlatching the cylinder was undertaken merely by pulling forward on the ejector rod. 'Safety Hammerless'.
The cylinder stop was actuated by the hammer, stop notches being lined with hardened shims to
reduce wear. The barrel was ribbed and available in various lengths. Popular despite its unambitious design, more than 20,000 ·32 Hand Ejectors
were sold.
·32 Hand Ejector [First Model]: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·32 S&W
Long. Length overall: 8·50in/216mm. Weight, unladen: 18·0oz/510gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

196
·32 Hand Ejector: (Model of 1903 or Second Model, 1903-17.) The
modifications made to the ·32 First Model created virtually a new gun.
The cylinder stop was moved to the bottom frame; the cylinder was
locked at front and rear, using a solid lug beneath the barrel; and a
push-type thumb latch was installed on the left of the frame. The barrel
rib was abandoned and the barrel slightly tapered. The resulting
revolver soon proved popular. A 'First Change' appeared in 1904, with
a new cylinder stop and alterations in the trigger mechanism; the
'Second Change' of 1906 introduced a rebound slide and additional
changes in the trigger; 1909 brought the 'Third Change', with more
S & W: ·32 Second
improvements in the mechanism and a hammer with a longer fall. The
Model Hand Ejector, or
'Fourth Change' of 1910 predictably changed the lockwork components
M1903.
yet again, while the 'Fifth Change' used some completely new
components. By this time, however, the Third Model (below) was
selling well enough for production of the M1903 to be halted.
·32 Hand Ejector: (Third Model, 1911-42.) Though beginning life as a routine change to the M1903, this soon contained so many improvements
that it became a separate model entirely. A hammer block was fitted, preventing the hammer striking a cartridge unless the trigger was pulled,
and several minor improvements to the trigger mechanism were made. A Regulation Police version was introduced in 1917, differing only in the
use of a squared instead of rounded butt. Production of the Third Model ended in 1942, the Regulation Police pattern continuing as the standard
·32 revolver.
·32 Regulation Police (Model 31): The current version of the Third Model ·32 Hand Ejector, this differs in having a ramp front sight and a flat
cylinder-release catch. Originally built on the S&W I-frame, it has used the standardised J-frame since 1960.
·32 Regulation Police [Model 31]: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·32
S&W Long. Length overall: 8·50in/216mm. Weight, unladen: 18·9oz/535gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber
cylinder.
·32-20 Hand Ejector: (1899-1940.) This chambered the ·32-20 Winchester cartridge, but was otherwise identical with the ·32 Hand Ejector M1903
and its assorted improvements. Just over 144,000 were made before work stopped.
K-32 Hand Ejector (Model 16): (First Model or Masterpiece, 1938-41.) The ·32-20 target-shooting revolver was clearly out of date by the 1930s,
so Smith & Wesson developed a modernised replacement. The K-32 used the K-frame, but less than a hundred guns were made before war
interrupted. The revolver was reintroduced in 1946, as the Model 16, and made until 1973.
·22/·32 Kit Gun: (1935-53.) The Kit Gun, amalgamating the
standard ·32 target frame and cylinder with a four-inch barrel,
was intended to be carried by campers and outdoorsmen as part
of their camp kit. Its sights were fully adjustable.
·22/·32 Kit Gun (Model 34): (1953 to date.) This replaced the
preceding pattern. Based on the J-frame, it has a ramped front
sight and a click-adjustable back sight.
·22/·32 Kit Gun [Model 34]: Maker: Smith & Wesson,
Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver.
Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: S & W: ·22/ 32 Kit Gun
8·00in/203mm. Weight, unladen: 24·3oz/690gm. Barrel: (Model 34).
4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
·22/·32 Kit Gun Airweight (Model 41): (1955-74.) This is
virtually a lightened Kit Gun with a 3·5in barrel. A variant
chambered the ·22 WMRF cartridge.
·38 AND 9MM REVOLVERS
Once more, Colt had gained a head start over Smith & Wesson with the introduction of a ·38 Short centre-fire cartridge while S&W were involved
with the Russian order. However, Colt's experience allowed Smith & Wesson to develop a far better cartridge based on lessons learned with the ·44
Russian—in particular, making the bullet somewhat over-size to seal effectually in the rifling. The result was more accurate than the Colt design
and soon proved popular.
The revolver built to take this round was virtually a scaled-down ·44 Russian, the general outline being quite recognisable though it had a voguish
sheath trigger. The cylinder held five rounds and the standard barrel length was 3·25in, though 4in or 5in options were available.
·38 Single Action [First Model]: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38
S&W. Length overall: 7·67in/195mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 3·25in/83mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.
·38 Single Action: (Second Model, 1880-91.) The extractor on the First Model was copied from the ·44 Russian pattern, but was heavy and
complicated. The Second Model had a far simpler system and the lug beneath the barrel was removed. Second-model cylinders can be removed
with a straight pull, and other minor improvements were added during the production life. These eventually included a safety device which
released the cylinder to turn freely at half-cock.
·38 Single Action: (Third Model, 1891 -1911.) Introduced shortly after S&W had failed to get an army order for the New Departure (q.v.), this
revolver may have been influenced by the type of tests with which the New Departure had been confronted. A trigger-guard appeared and the
hammer spur was enlarged; the hammer was given a rebounding lock, so that the cylinder could be carried fully loaded, and a six-inch barrel
was fitted.
·38 Double Action: (First Model, 1880.) Smith & Wesson's earliest double-
action revolver was similar to its single- action counterpart apart from the
addition of a trigger guard. Adoption of a rocking-bar cylinder stop,
demanding two rows of notches on the cylinder, was a less obvious change.
The complex trigger mechanism was arranged to give a longer pull and
better leverage in double-action mode. The distinguishing mark was the
side-plate cuts, which ran across the frame.
S & W: ·38 First Model
Double Action.
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 ·38 Double Action [First Model]: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38
S&W. Length overall: 7·50in/191mm. Weight, unladen: 17·8oz/505gm. Barrel: 3·25in/83mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.
·38 Double Action: (Second Model, 1880-4.) This was simply the First Model with an irregularly shaped side plate to strengthen the sidewall.
·38 Double Action: (Third Model, 1884-9.) Similar to the preceding gun, this popular variant had an improved trigger mechanism with a lighter
single-action pull; 203,000 were sold in five years.
·38 Double Action: (Fourth Model, 1889-1909.) This discarded the rocking-bar cylinder stop and the second row of cylinder notches.
·38 Double Action: (Fifth Model, 1909-11.) Incorporating small changes in the front sight and ejector mechanism, only 14,000 fifth-pattern ·38
guns were made before the Perfected Model appeared later in the same year.
·38 Double Action: (Perfected Model, 1909-20.) Differing considerably from previous models, this embodied an extra lock for the hinged frame—
released by a thumb-catch on the left side. The lockwork was also changed to include the refinements adopted in the ·32 Third Model.
·38 Safety Revolver: (First Model, 1887-8.) Also known as the Safety Hammerless or New Departure to the factory, this became 'Lemon Squeezer'
to the general public. Although pseudo-hammerless construction was not new (it had been tried on cap-lock revolvers), S&W's was the first
commercially successful design.
An innovative grip safety, protruding from the rear of the butt, ran for most of the length of the butt strap and fitted into the palm of the hand. It
was directly linked to a safety latch blocking the hammer unless the grip was squeezed inward. The flat-faced internal hammer struck a small
firing pin in the standing breech.
Ingeniously designed sear angles produced a perceptible hesitation just before the hammer was released; once familiar with the system, the firer
could draw the hammer strongly to full cock, correcting his aim and giving the lighter final pull when the dwell point was reached. The revolver
was otherwise similar to the ·38 double-action type, with a five-chamber cylinder and barrels of 3·25in, 4in or 5in.
·38 Safety Revolver [First Model]: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38
S&W. Length overall: 7·50in/191mm. Weight, unladen: 18·0oz/510gm. Barrel: 3·25in/83mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.
·38 Safety Revolver: (Second Model, 1888-90.) Featuring a stiffened grip-safety spring and a modified barrel catch, more convenient for the thumb,
this was substantially the same as the preceding pattern.
·38 Safety Revolver: (Third Model, 1890-8.) Another change was made to the barrel catch, to give the thumb a better surface to push against, and a
catch/hammer interlock was added to prevent the hammer falling unless the frame was closed and the barrel securely latched. By this time the
Safety Hammerless was selling well, about 75,000 third-pattern guns being made.
·38 Safety Revolver: (Fourth Model, 1898-1907.) Externally, only a slight change in shape of the barrel catch identifies this revolver though minor
changes were also made in the lockwork. Just why these constant barrel-catch changes were necessary is no longer known, but S&W were
satisfied with this design and retained it until the series ended in 1940.
·38 Safety Revolver: (Fifth Model, 1907-40.) The New Departure revolver had the longest run, probably because all the previous tinkering had
been worthwhile. The differences between the fourth and fifth variants lay principally in manufacturing convenience, though the latter
introduced a two-inch barrel.
·38 Hand Ejector, Military & Police (Model 10): (1899 to
date.) Marketed initially as the Military & Police and
latterly as the Model 10, this revolver has enjoyed an
unbroken production run of almost a century. Modifications
have been made from time to time, but the basic design has
remained unchanged and the present-day Model 10 is visibly the same the 1899-vintage
original. The principal differences lie in the ramped front sight and a wider hammer spur.
The First Model closely resembled the original ·32 Hand Ejector, excepting that it had a
thumb-catch cylinder release. The US Army and Navy each ordered a thousand guns in
1900, stipulating that they be chambered for the ·38 Long Colt cartridge and have a 6·5in barrel
rifled with left-hand twist. The order was not repeated; the Philippine Insurrection showed that
·45 was preferable, but the 2,000 Smith & Wesson's have always been known as the Army-Navy
Model.
S & W: ·38 Model 10.
About 20,000 M&P revolvers were made to the original pattern, replaced in 1902 by the
Second Model. This had an additional cylinder-lock on the front of the frame and improved lockwork. The third
variation- known as the Model of 1905—was subjected to four minor sets of changes, the last appearing in 1915, but its
design then remained static until production stopped in 1942. About 700,000 were made.
A variety of barrel lengths was offered throughout the ranges, only the four-inch pattern being common to all. Alternatives included 5in, 6in and
6·5in, plus a two-inch pocket pattern added with the Third Model. Hard rubber grips on a slightly rounded butt were standard, though target
models had chequered walnut grips on a square butt.
·38 Hand Ejector, Military & Police [Model 10]: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver.
Chambering: ·38 Special. Length overall: 9·25in/235mm. Weight, unladen: 30·5oz/865gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: six-
chamber cylinder.
·38 Military & Police Airweight (Model 12): (1952 to date.) This is a short-barrelled
lightweight Model 10 Military & Police, with an alloy frame, a steel barrel and a
steel cylinder.
·38 Military & Police Stainless (Model 64): (1970 to date.) As the name suggests, this
is simply a Model 10 in stainless steel.
·38/·44 Hand Ejector (Model 20): (1930-41.) Commonly called the 'thirty-eight on a
forty-four frame', this followed the design of the ·44 Hand Ejector but was
chambered for ·38 Special and had a five-inch barrel. A special Hi-Speed cartridge
was developed, offering a muzzle velocity of 1,115 ft/sec, compared with 870 ft/sec
for the standard ·38 Special. Intended mainly for police use, the ·38/·44 Hand Ejector
may be seen as a forerunner of the Magnums. It was revived in 1950 as the Model
20, but was soon discontinued. The target version of the ·38/·44 was always listed S & W: ·38 Model 12.
separately as the Outdoorsman. Made with a 6·5in barrel and an adjustable back
sight, it was revived after 1945. Few were made.
·38/·44 Hand Ejector [Model 20] Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield,
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 Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering. ·38 Special. Length overall: 10·83in/275mm. Weight, unladen: 42·0oz/1,190gm.
Barrel: 5·50in/140mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
·38/·32 Terrier (Model 32): (1936-70.) This two-inch barrel version of the ·38 Regulation Police incorporated minor changes. The M1903 ·32 Hand
Ejector frame was mated with a five-chamber cylinder. Post-war guns had ramp front sights and other minor adjustments, but the basic design
remained unchanged.
·38-200 British Service: (1940-5.) Known to British servicemen as the 'Pistol No. 2, Smith & Wesson', this was simply the standard M&P
chambered for the British ·38 cartridge loaded with a 200-grain bullet. About 1,125,000 were made for British and Commonwealth service with
a variety of finishes and grips. A new safety hammer block was introduced in 1944, but changes were otherwise few. The revolver soon gained a
reputation for misfiring with British ammunition, which had harder caps than American rounds, but the fault was easily cured by adjusting the
main spring tensioning screw on the front strap of the butt. The Smith & Wesson was far more popular than the Enfield revolver in British
service, and remained in use well into the 1950s.
Pistol, Revolver, ·38 No. 2 S&W: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38-
200. Length overall: 10·13in/257mm. Weight, unladen: 31·0oz/880gm. Barrel: 5·00in/127mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
·38 Special Victory Model: (1942-5.) Little
other than a wartime M&P revolver with a
2in or 4in barrel and the plainest finish,
these were issued to US armed forces and
Department of Justice officials. More than
300,000 were made.
K-38 Masterpiece (Model 14): (1946-73.)
The target-shooting version of the Model
10 M&P had a longer barrel and adjustable
sights. Alternative barrel lengths were
offered from 1959 and, in 1961, a single-
action version was produced with a faster
lock-time. The Model 15 variant, with 2in
or 4in barrel, was intended for pocket S & W: ·38 Model 14-SA.
use—though oddly retaining its target
sights.
K-38 Masterpiece [Model 14]:
Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38 Special. Length overall:
11·25in/286mm. Weight, unladen: 38·5oz/1,090gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
·38 Chief's Special (Model 36): (1950 to date.) Offered with barrels of 2in or 3in, this was the first snub-nosed gun to reappear after 1945. Variants
include the alloy-frame Model 37 Airweight and the Model 60 Stainless.
·38 Bodyguard (Model 49): (1955 to date.) The Bodyguard is the post-war revival of the
pseudo-hammerless design, with a vestigial spur showing above the frame sides.
Made of steel, it had a five-chamber cylinder and a two-inch barrel; the otherwise
identical Model 38 has an alloy frame, and the Model 649 is stainless steel.
·38 Bodyguard [Model 49]: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield,
Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38 Special. Length
overall: 6·30in/160mm. Weight, unladen: 20·5oz/580gm. Barrel:
2·13in/54mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.
·38 Centennial (Model 40): (1957-74.) Commemorating Smith & Wesson's centenary,
this was reminiscent of the New Departure—last made in 1940—but had a side-
swinging five-chamber cylinder. The accompanying alloy-framed Model 42 was
abandoned earlier than the steel version, but the basic design was revived in the late S & W: ·38 Bodyguard or
1980s as the two-inch barrelled Model 640 Centennial. Model 49.
·38 Ladysmith (Model 36): The Ladysmith name was revived in 1989 for a new range
of pistols, including automatics (q.v.). Perhaps in keeping with the modern age they are not quite so ladylike as their predecessors, being
chambered for the potent ·38 Special cartridge. Five-shot Model 36 revolvers are available with 2in or heavy 3in barrels, and can have either
rounded butts or shaped Goncalo Alves patterns with finger grips. The otherwise identical Model 60 is made of satin finish stainless steel.
9mm Military & Police (Model 547): (1980-5.) This short-lived experiment was basically a Model 10 chambered for the 9mm Parabellum
cartridge. The Model 547 was intended to satisfy those military and police forces that preferred revolvers, but wished to standardise on the
world's most popular pistol and submachine-gun round. The grip curve was tightened to help the firer control the heavier recoil, but the Model
547 was otherwise a conventional six-shot Smith & Wesson with a 3in or 4in barrel. It did not prove popular and was soon discontinued.
9mm Military & Police [Model 547]: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering:
9mm Parabellum. Length overall: 7·67in/195mm. Weight, unladen: 31·7oz/900gm. Barrel: 3·00in/76mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber
cylinder.
·44 AND ·45 REVOLVERS
·44 American: (First Model, 1870-9.) This was the first revolver to use the Dodge and King patents combining a hinged frame with simultaneous
ejection of the fired cases. Originally bulky and clumsy, the design has since been refined over the years to become standard system for any top-
break revolver. The six-shot ·44 S&W was also the first large-calibre revolver to be designed from the outset for metallic cartridges. It had a
ribbed barrel and was available in blue or nickel finish. The US Army purchased a thousand guns to a contract signed in December 1870.
·44 American [First Model]: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Chambering: ·44 S&W.
Length overall: 13·38in/340mm. Weight, unladen: 40·9oz/1,160gm. Barrel: 8·00in/203mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
·44 Russian Model: (1870-8.) The Russian army decided to equip its cavalry and artillery with a modern revolver, choosing a modified ·44 S&W
American. The first contract for 20,000 guns was signed in May 1871, though production was delayed while changes were made. The perfected
Russian guns had a 'prawl' or slight spur on the back strap of the grip, preventing the grip rolling down in the hand under the recoil force; a
finger-rest appeared below the trigger-guard, and—on the improved or cavalry model—the barrel length was reduced to 6·5in.

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 The most important change lay in the cartridge. The diameter of the original ·44 S&W bullet was slightly less than that of the bore, enabling it to
fit easily into the cartridge-case mouth; the Russians redesigned the round with a larger diameter bullet and requested chambers bored to slightly
greater diameter. Bullet weight was increased, but the overall effect was to increase muzzle velocity from 650 ft/sec to 750 ft/sec and vastly
improve accuracy.
Eventually, Smith & Wesson delivered slightly more than 130,000 revolvers to several differing contracts; these comprised 20,000 of the first
model, 70,000 of the second and 41,138 of the last or cavalry type. Concentrating on these lucrative and prestigious orders virtually forced S&W
to hand the home market to Colt. Colt was not slow to take advantage; once the Russian contracts ended, S&W returned to domestic affairs only
to find that Colt had a substantial lead. Re-establishing business took several years.
·44 Russian Model [New Model]: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Chambering: ·44
S&W Russian. Length overall: 12·00in/305mm. Weight, unladen: 40·0oz/1,135gm. Barrel: 6·50in/165mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber
cylinder.
·44 American: (Second
Model, 1872—4.) This
is something of a
mystery model, since
few survive. It was a
variation on the original
American model, incorporating almost all of the
improvements made by the Russians. Chief among these was a locking
hammer, preventing the barrel being opened unless the hammer was at half
or full-cock. The guns date from the period of the earliest Russian contract.
·44 Single Action New Model: (1878-1912.) After the demise of the Russian
contracts, the last of which was signed in May 1877, S&W experimented with
improvements to the design. The New Model ·44 appeared in 1878 and soon established
itself as a precision weapon. The butt-prawl was much reduced and the grip widened, with a
shallower curve in the English style. The long lug under the barrel was removed, owing to
S & W: Second-pattern
substantial changes in the ejector mechanism, and the finger grip on the trigger guard was
·44 Model No.3 (or
abandoned. The Russian cartridge was retained, to be improved in 1887 by the adoption of
'American').
'inside lubrication'—putting the lubricant in grooves concealed by the case.
·44 RF Turkish Model: (1879-83.) The Turks had ordered 1,000 Smith & Wesson revolvers in 1874, and another 7,000 in
1877 for service in the war with Russia. The 1874-contract was fulfilled with proper ·44 Henry rimfire versions of the
second-pattern Russian revolver, but the later order was filled with a mixture of converted second- and third- pattern Russian-style revolvers.
These were still chambered for ·44 S&W Russian, which caused Henry-type ammunition to split and rupture. A 5,000-gun order placed in 1879
was fulfilled with a ·44 Henry rimfire version of the New Model in blue, with a 6in barrel, and followed by a supplementary 278-gun order in
1883. Total production of rimfire Turkish-type New Model ·44 revolvers amounted to 5,922.
·44 Single Action Frontier Model: (1885-1908) This adaption of the Russian model to compete with Colt's Single Action Army Model was one of
S&W's failures, as the Colt was too strongly entrenched. Sales only reached 2,072 guns. The Frontier Model was a New Model revolver with a
longer cylinder chambering the ·44-40 Winchester rifle cartridge. The top strap and frame also had to be lengthened, which upset the natural
balance of the original design. Sales were so poor that, eventually, the guns remaining in the S&W warehouse were re-chambered for ·44 S&W
cartridge.
·44 Single Action Frontier Model: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Chambering: ·44-
40 WCF. Length overall: 11·88in/302mm. Weight, unladen: 40·0oz/1,135gm. Barrel: 6·50in/165mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber
cylinder.
·32-44 Single Action Target Revolver: (1886-1910.) Designed by the renowned marksman Ira Paine for his own use, this gun was soon seen to
have sales potential. Built on a ·44 frame, with a ·32 barrel and cylinder, it fired a special cartridge (·32-44 S&W Gallery or Target) with the
bullet enclosed in a long cartridge case; the Gallery version gave a muzzle velocity of 575 ft/sec and the Target version attained 740 ft/sec, but
both had a soft recoil in such a heavy weapon and promoted consistent accuracy. Guns were made to order and it is unlikely that production
exceeded 3,000.
·38-44 Single Action Target Revolver: (1887-1910.) The second of Ira Paine's developments, this was based on another long-case enclosed-bullet
cartridge (·38-44 S&W Gallery or Target) similar to the ·32-44 design. However, although it shot well, the revolver never caught the public
imagination; less than 1,500 were made.
·44 Double Action Revolver: (1881-1913.) Closely resembling the Russian models, this was designed to compete with the first double-action Colts.
This it failed to do, despite being more reliable than its comparatively fragile rivals. The Smith & Wesson never achieved the popularity of the
single-action target revolvers and made no impression on the Western states. The lockwork was modelled on the successful ·38 Double Action
(q.v.) and the trigger pull was light for such a large weapon. The frame was slightly shorter than the single-action guns, owing to the shorter
hammer arc, but the two patterns were almost identical in most other respects. Most examples chambered the ·44 S&W Russian cartridge, but
some handled ·44-40 Winchester and, in 1900, a ·38-40 Winchester variant appeared. A very few unsuccessful lightweight 'Western Favorite'
revolvers were distinguished by a rebated cylinder and a sighting groove along the top rib. Altogether, 54,668 ·44 S&W Russian and ·44-40
Winchester guns were made, plus 15,340 of the ·38-40 version.
·44 Double Action: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Chambering: ·44 S&W Russian.
Length overall: 11·25in/286mm. Weight, unladen: 37·7oz/1,070gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
·44 Hand Ejector, New Century Model: (1908-15.) This was the first of the famous S&W Triple Lock revolvers, considered by many to be the
high-water mark of revolver design. The basic design follows the Hand Ejector series, with a side-swinging cylinder, but the cylinder lock
incorporated a central latch (in the front edge of the frame) in addition to the usual breech-face and barrel-lug anchors. The ejector rod was
enclosed in a shroud beneath the barrel, the first use of a feature that is now commonplace.
Extra-precise manufacture was required to create such a rigid and secure weapon. The New Century was so beautifully made that many of a total
production run of about 20,000 survive today; 5,500 more were made in ·455 calibre for the British Army in 1915.
Guns were offered commercially in ·44 S&W Special, ·44-40 Winchester, ·450 Eley and ·45 Colt; the majority was made in ·44 Special and only
a dozen in ·45 Colt.

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 ·44 Hand Ejector, New Century Model: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering:
·44 Special. Length overall: 11·75in/298mm. Weight, unladen: 37·9oz/1,075gm. Barrel: 6·50in/165mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber
cylinder.
·44 Hand Ejector: (Second Model, 1915-37.) A simplified wartime version of the New Century model, this discarded the Triple Lock as too time-
consuming to make at a time when quantity mattered most. The hammer arc increased slightly and the barrel shroud was removed. Just over
12,000 were made, calibre options being identical with the New Century pattern.
·44 Hand Ejector: (Third Model, 1926-50.) The heavy-lug barrel abandoned on the Second Model ·44, was reinstated when, in 1926, Smith &
Wesson received a request for 3,500 guns from Wolf & Klar of Fort Worth, Texas. In essence, the Third Model mated the ejector-shroud barrel
of the New Century with the simplified two-lock action. Three barrel lengths—4·5in, 5in and 6·5in—were available, only the longest being fitted
to target-shooting derivatives. The standard chambering was ·44 Special. Production stopped in 1940, but resumed in 1946 and continued to
1950; by that time, however, Magnum revolvers had surpassed its performance.
·45 Single Action Schofield
Model: (1875-7.) Virtually a
slightly strengthened ·44
American, this had a special
barrel catch invented by
Major George Schofield, an
improved extraction
mechanism, and a barrel
reduced to 7in. The cartridge
was developed by S&W,
using the experience gained S & W: First Model ·45
with the ·44 Russian, but Schofield.
velocity was well below that
of the competing ·45 Colt
even though the Schofield
Model was pleasant to fire.
Unable to unseat the Colt
Single Action Army revolver, despite being particularly useful to cavalrymen, the Schofield Model was abandoned after no more than 9,000 had
been made in two minor variants. About 3,000 had been purchased by the US Army.
·45 Schofield Model: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Chambering: ·45 S&W. Length
overall: 12·40in/315mm. Weight, unladen: 40·2oz/1,140gm. Barrel: 7·00in/178mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
·45 Hand Ejector, US Service M1917:
(1917-46.) As described under the
Colt entry, ·45 ACP handguns were
desperately needed once the USA
had entered the First World War. Colt and
Smith & Wesson modified their standard large-calibre revolvers to
take this cartridge. The S&W was simply the ·44 Second Model Hand
Ejector in ·45 calibre, with a special shorter cylinder to accept the special half-moon
clips and the base of the ·45 ACP cartridges. Smith & Wesson were wiser than
Colt, machining the chambers with a slight step; the ·45 cartridges could be loaded
without the clip to seat on this step. Ejection was another story entirely. The M1917 was
made to US Army contracts until 1919, 153,311 being supplied. Limited commercial sales
continued after the end of the First World War, with a 25,000-gun military contract for
Brazil in 1936. A grand total of 210,320 M1917 revolvers was manufactured. 'Pistol, Revolver, Smith &
·45 Hand Ejector, M1917: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Wesson, ·455 Mk II'. Made for
Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·45 ACP. Length overall: the British Army during the First
10·79in/274mm. Weight, unladen: 36·0oz/1,020gm. Barrel: 5·50in/140mm, World War.
rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
·45 Hand Ejector (Model 25): An adaption of
the M1917 for target use, this was
introduced in 1955. The basis was
provided by the ·44 Magnum; as the ·45
cylinder is shorter than the Magnum
pattern, a sizeable gap remains between the
front of the cylinder and the frame. The ribbed barrel can
be obtained in lengths of 4in, 6in and 8·33in.
·357, ·41 AND ·44 MAGNUM REVOLVERS
The original Magnum loads were developed by Smith & Wesson in collaboration with
Winchester, together with Philip Sharpe, a hand-loading expert. The first Magnum revolvers
were produced to special order only, but within a few years they went into general production.
The 'Magnum philosophy' gathered speed in post-war years and several other calibres duly
appeared, though not all were embraced by Smith & Wesson or any other reputable S & W: ·45 Hand Ejector
manufacturer. Model 25.
·357 Magnum Hand Ejector: (1935-41.) This was little more than the ·38-44 Outdoorsman
in a stronger grade of steel. Made with a full-length top rib to the barrel, the Magnum had recessed chambers to
enclose the cartridge rims and the usual selection of barrel lengths from 3·5in to 8·75in. About 5,500 were made
prior to the Second World War.
·357 Magnum (Model 27): The post-war version of the Hand Ejector, slightly modified and somewhat smarter, has a micro-adjustable back sight,
chequered grips and blue or nickel finish.

201
 ·357 Magnum [Model 27]: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering. ·357 Magnum.
Length overall: 12·13in/308mm. Weight, unladen: 44·1oz/1,250gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
·357 Highway Patrolman (Model 28): (1954 to date.) This utility version of the Model 27, with 4in or 6in barrel, has an adjustable back sight and a
Baughman quick-draw front sight on a ramp.
·357 Combat Magnum (Model 19): (1955 to date.) Built on the medium K-frame, this has a half-length barrel shroud and bulky grips with a
'Speedloader' cutaway on the left side. The back sight is click-adjustable, but the front sight varies with the barrel length. The Model 66 is the
same pistol in stainless steel.
·357 Military & Police Heavy Barrel (Model 13): (1974 to date.) A strengthened Model 10 with a different barrel, the Model 13 was developed at
the request of the New York State Police in 1974 and later placed on open sale.
·357 Military & Police HB Stainless (Model 65): (1974 to date.) This is no more than a stainless version of the Model 13, originally developed at
the request of the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and then sold commercially.
·41 Magnum (Model 57): (1963 to date.) Virtually an enlarged Model 10, the Model 57 chambers the ·41 Magnum cartridge. This round was
developed principally for police forces and those who required more than the ·357 Magnum had to offer.
·41 Military & Police Magnum (Model 58): (1965 to date.) This economy version of the Model 57, developed principally for police use, is
adapted from the ·44 Hand Ejector—only the chambering being different. It was discontinued in the early 1970s.
·41 Magnum, Military & Police [Model 58]: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver.
Chambering: ·41 Magnum. Length overall: 9·25in/235mm. Weight, unladen: 40·9oz/1,160gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine:
six-chamber cylinder.
·41 Magnum Stainless (Model 657): (1985 to date.) Renewed popularity in the ·41 Magnum in the early 1980s led to this gun, originally made with
4in, 6in or 8·4in barrels. The four-inch option was soon dropped.
·44 Magnum (Model 29): (1955 to date.) Remington developed the ·44 Magnum load in 1954, the Model 29 being developed to fire it. Excepting
some limited-production automatics, this is the most powerful handgun in the world; it is also among the heaviest, which is just as well as recoil
is considerable. The Model 629 is identical, but in satin-chrome finish.
·44 Magnum [Model 29]: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·44 Magnum.
Length overall: 11·88in/302mm. Weight, unladen: 47·0oz/1,330gm. Barrel: 6·50in/165mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
·44 Magnum Target Stainless (Model 624): (1985 to date.) The Model 624 is simply a large-calibre stainless steel version of the Model 27.
AUTOMATIC PISTOLS
During the second half of the nineteenth century, Smith & Wesson successfully developed special cartridges and revolvers to handle them. Many of
the cartridges gained international acceptance. When the same policy was applied to an automatic pistol, it was a near disaster; this seems to have
concentrated the company's efforts on revolvers for many years afterwards. Not until the 1950s did Smith & Wesson dip a toe back into the water,
and it was the 1970s before concerted efforts were made to move into the automatic pistol business. By 1990 the company had a range of automatics
every bit as good as its revolvers.
·35 Automatic Pistol: (1913-21.) As the first automatic pistols began to erode the pocket-revolver market, Smith & Wesson was forced to develop a
gun of their own. Instead of developing something entirely new, a licence to the Clement (q.v.) patents was acquired. The principal feature of
this simple-but-unusual blowback was a separate bolt reciprocating in the receiver and exposed on both sides. The barrel and top strap, formed
as a single unit, hinged up about a pin in the top rear of the frame above the bolt. The recoil spring lay above the barrel and a grip safety
appeared beneath the trigger guard. The pistol chambered a special ·35 rimless round, loaded with an curious jacketed-nose lead-skirt bullet to
avoid feed problems. Ammunition was expensive, and owners soon found that ·32 ACP cartridges would fit almost as well (though accuracy
suffered). That ·32 ACP was more powerful than ·35 S&W did nothing for sales. When production ended in 1921, just over 8,000 guns had been
made.
S&W Automatic Pistol: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·35
S&W. Length overall: 6·50in/165mm. Weight, unladen: 22·0oz/625gm. Barrel: 3·50in/89mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable
box.
·32 Automatic Pistol: (1924-36.) Undismayed by the poor reception of the ·35 model, S&W tried again by adopting the standard ·32 ACP
chambering. Unfortunately, the pistol was still expensive to make, the retail price being some 30 per cent greater than its immediate rivals. In
conjunction with the US firearms laws of 1926 and the onset of the Depression, this was enough to ruin its chances. Less than 1,000 were sold.
·22 Model 41: (1951 to date.) S&W returned to the
pistol field in 1951 with a blowback target pistol
offering good quality and exemplary accuracy. A
detachable muzzle brake doubles as a
compensator to reduce muzzle climb, a 5·5in
barrel was introduced n 1958, and a ·22 Short
version appeared in 1961. In 1965 the Model 41
Heavy Barrel was introduced. The Model 46 was
a cheaper pattern, lacking the special features of the Model
41 and finished in dull blue.
Model 41: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: automatic
pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: 12·00in/305mm.
Weight, unladen: 43·6oz/1,235gm. Barrel: 7·36in/187mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round
detachable box.
·22 Model 422: (1987 to date.) The Model 41 breech block moved in a slotted S & W: ·22 Model 41-
slide and was attached to the recoil spring by Mannlicher-type arms extending HB.
forward beneath the barrel. The Model 422 barrel lies in the bottom of the barrel-block so that the thrust lies as
low in the firer's hand as possible, and a half-slide with an integral breech block lies behind the chamber. The grip
is slender and more upright than the Model 41 type, while the recurved trigger guard is designed for a two-hand
grip. The M422 is available with 4·5in or 6in barrel, and fixed or adjustable sights. The otherwise identical Model
622 has an alloy frame and a stainless steel barrel, while the Model 2206 is stainless steel throughout.

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9mm Model 39: (1954-80.) S&W entered the large-calibre automatic market with
a double-action weapon of impeccable credentials. Relying on Browning
principles, the M39 used a shaped cam beneath the chamber to tip the breech
down until the single locking lug disengaged the slide. A Walther-style safety
catch on the rear of the slide locked the firing pin and lowered the hammer
when applied. The pistol was accurate and reliable enough to encourage
purchases by the US Navy and Special Forces.
Model 39: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type:
automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum.
Length overall: 7·40in/188mm. Weight, unladen: 26·5oz/750gm.
Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
9mm Model 59: (1970-80.) An enlarged Model 39, the M59 differing principally S & W: 9mm Model 39.
in having a fourteen-round magazine and a straight back strap instead of the
earlier curved type.
9mm Models 439 and 459: (1980-9.) Improved versions of the Models 39 and 59
respectively, these had new sights, a new trigger-actuated firing-pin lock, and
an improved extractor.
9mm Model 469: (1983-9) This specially shortened Model 459 was developed to
meet a US Air Force specification. It had a shortened 459-type frame with a
curved back strap and a recurved trigger guard. A spurless hammer was fitted and
the entire gun—alloy frame and steel slide—was sandblasted. The butt had
roughened plastic grip plates and a spur on the bottom of the magazine acted as a
finger rest.
Model 469: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type:
automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length
overall: 6·89in/175mm. Weight, unladen: 26·0oz/735gm. Barrel:
3·50in/89mm, rifled. Magazine: twelve-round detachable box.
·38 Model 52: (1961 to date.) Although looking like a combat weapon, this target S & W: 9mm Model 469.
pistol is basically the Model 39 chambered for the ·38 S&W Special Mid-Range
cartridge. It has micro-adjustable target sights and an adjustable trigger stop. The
barrel is bushed in a special manner to avoid wear, and much care is taken in
assembly. The original guns retained the M39-type double-action lockwork,
limited to single action by a set-screw, but those made since 1963 have a purpose-
built single-action trigger mechanism.
Model 52: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: ·38 Special
Wadcutter. Length overall: 8·66in/220mm. Weight, unladen: 40·9oz/1,160gm. Barrel: 5·00in/127mm, rifled. Magazine: five-round
detachable box.
·38 Model 645: (1985-90.) This was based on the design of the Model 439, but is heavier and has a longer barrel. The muzzle was carried in a fixed
barrel bushing, giving better accuracy and simplifying field stripping. The magazine well was bevelled to facilitate quick loading, and numbers
on the magazine body indicated the ammunition remaining. There were three safety systems: a slide-mounted safety catch, which locked the
firing pin and dropped the hammer; an automatic safety to hold the firing pin except when the trigger was about to release the hammer; and a
magazine safety to lock both trigger and hammer when the magazine was removed.
THIRD GENERATION AUTOMATIC PISTOLS
Smith & Wesson announced these guns in 1989, replacing all previous centre-fire models except the Model 52. Features incorporated in the new
pistols include a fixed barrel bushing, greatly improved trigger pulls, three-dot sights, improved wrap-around grips, bevelled magazine apertures,
and the triple safety system described above.
9mm Model 5900: This series consists of the Model 5903, with an alloy frame and a stainless steel slide; the Model 5904, with an alloy frame, a
carbon steel slide, and a stainless steel barrel; and the Model 5906, made entirely of stainless steel. Sights may be fixed or adjustable.
9mm Model 3900: These are lighter and slimmer 'compact' versions of the Models 5903 and 5904 respectively. The M3913 has an alloy frame and
a stainless slide, while M3914 has an alloy frame and a carbon steel slide. They can be recognised by their straight back straps and rounded
trigger guards.
9mm Model 6900: The 6900 series contains reduced-scale versions of the 5900/3900 pattern, smaller than either and with twelve-round magazines.
The Model 6904 has an alloy frame, a steel slide and a stainless steel barrel, while the Model 6906 is made entirely of stainless steel.
·40 Model 4006: This 1990-vintage variant of the 5900 series chambers the new 10mm Smith & Wesson automatic cartridge, evolved to compete
with 10mm Auto. The S&W is shorter than 10mm Auto, with the considerable advantage that it requires no modification to magazine wells
originally designed for 9mm Parabellum. Excepting calibre, therefore, the Model 4006 is virtually identical with the M5906. Made of stainless
steel, it has an eleven-round magazine.
·45 Model 4500: Introduced in 1989, this follows the same pattern as the rest of the Third Generation but fires ·45 ACP ammunition and is
proportionately larger and heavier. The Model 4506 is made of stainless steel throughout and may have fixed or adjustable sights. The M4516 is
a compact stainless steel version with fixed sights; M4566 is similar to M4506 but has a longer barrel.
10mm Model 1000: Announced in 1990, this resembles the 5900 series but is chambered for the 10mm Auto cartridge. The Model 1006 is the
standard model in stainless steel; Model 1066 has a shorter barrel; and Model 1076, designed especially for the FBI, has a de-cocking lever on
the frame instead of the slide-mounted safety catch.
Model 1066: Maker: Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Massachusetts. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Calibre: 10mm. Length
overall: 8·50in/216mm. Weight, unladen: 42·0oz/1,190gm. Barrel: 5·00in/127mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.

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SOKOLOVSKY (USA)
The Sokolovsky Corporation of Sunnyvale, California, makes limited numbers of a prestige handgun for those who simply have to have the biggest
and best; advertised as the 'Rolls-Royce of automatic pistols', the ·45 Automaster is a large ·45 ACP pattern relying on the usual Browning method
of locking. There is a considerable overhang behind the grip, but every external excrescence has been removed—no pins, screws, slide stops or
safety catches protrude from the sides. A finger-operated 'safety blade' lies to the right of the trigger, a slide decelerator is fitted, and there is a
ready-to-fire indicator. The Automaster currently retails at more than $4,500, making it by far the most expensive pistol in the world.
Automaster: Maker: Sokolovsky Corporation, Sunnyvale, California. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: ·45 ACP.
Length overall: 9·50in/241mm. Weight, unladen: 57·5oz/1,630gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

SOSSO (ITALY)
Guilio Sosso of Turin patented a remarkable automatic pistol in 1934-7, a few being made by Fabbrica Nationale d'Armi Brescia prior to 1941. The
action was a form of delayed blowback, the barrel recoiling to drive a rack-and-pinion mechanism to thrust the slide away from the breech. An
endless-chain magazine was driven by the recoiling slide, moving a round in the butt to feed into the chamber as the slide returned. Model 1 had a
21-shot magazine; Model 2 had a twenty-shot magazine, as did the Sosso-FNA. Models 1 and 2 are believed to have been prototypes, with the
Sosso-FNA as the production version. All chambered the 9mm Glisenti cartridge.

SPITFIRE (BRITAIN)
Developed by JSL Ltd of Hereford in 1987-90, and due to enter production in 1991, this 9mm locked-breech pistol is derived from the CZ75. The
entire gun is made from stainless steel and tolerances have been tightened to 5 microns by the use of computer-controlled machines. The sights are
fully adjustable, the action is designed to allow either double action or single action at will, and the pistol may be safely carried 'cocked and locked'.
Though designed as a combat pistol, the Spitfire is sufficiently accurate to be used for target work.

SPRINGFIELD ARMORY (USA)

Springfield Armory of Geneseo, Illinois, has nothing to do with the US government arsenal of the same name (closed in 1975).
M1911A1: This is simply the standard ·45 Colt-Browning with some minor improvements to the ejection port and barrel throat. There are a number
of variant models: the Defender has a bevelled magazine aperture, an extended safety catch and shorter hammer spur; the Combat Commander is
a shortened model; and the National Match is an accurised version with target sights.
9mm P-9: This is a copy of the CZ75, with minor differences in the sights and a ring hammer instead of a spur type. The basic pistol is chambered
for 9mm Parabellum, but ·38 Super Auto and ·45 ACP can be obtained together with a P9C Compact model.
P-9 Compact: Maker: Springfield Armory, Inc., Geneseo, Illinois. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm
Parabellum. Length overall: 7·25in/184mm. Weight, unladen: 32·1oz/910gm. Barrel: 3·66in/93mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round
detachable box.
10mm Delta: Though based on the M1911A1, this uses a Browning cam to drop the barrel and the squared breech locks into the ejection aperture in
SIG style. It chambers the 10mm Auto cartridge, though variants in ·45 ACP and ·38 Super are available.

SQUIBMAN (PHILIPPINES)
Squires, Bingham Mfg. Co. (now known as Armscor, q.v.) of Luzon in the Philippines began importing firearms in the 1930s. Production of
sporting rifles and then revolvers began in the mid 1950s, though the products have never been seen in quantity in Europe.
Model 100DA: A ·38 Special six-shot general-purpose double-action revolver based on Colt practice, this had a side-opening cylinder operated by
retracting a thumb catch. The barrel had a ventilated rib and the back sight was adjustable.
Model 100: This was simply a cheaper version of the Model 100DA with a plain tapered barrel.
Model 100DC: This was a mid-price derivation of the basic 100-series, with a ramped front sight on a cylindrical barrel.
Squibman M100D: Maker: Squires, Bingham Mfg Co., Luzon. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·38 Special. Length overall:
unknown. Weight, unladen: 24·5oz/695gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Thunderchief: Developed from the Model 100DA, this offered a heavier barrel with a ventilated rib, a full-length ejector shroud, and fully
adjustable sights. It was normally found in ·38 Special, but ·22 and ·32 versions could be supplied on request.

STAR (SPAIN)
Bonifacio Echeverria SA of Eibar began work c.1908, making an automatic pistol attributed to Juan Echeverria; unfortunately, like so many Spanish
firearms makers, little is known about its early history. The guns made under the Star trade name were inspired by the 1901-type Mannlicher,
though far from the Mannlicher copies they are sometimes claimed to be.
Although the Star name was used from the start of production, it was not registered as a trademark until 1919. By this time Bonifacio Echeverria
had become the company proprietor as well as principal designer. The original Star pistol, with open-topped slide, was augmented after 1920 by a
new full-slide model based on the Colt M1911; this was made in many patterns, including selective-fire versions. The factory was extensively
damaged during the Spanish Civil War and the company records were destroyed by fire.
Echeverria y Cia was one of the four handgun manufacturers permitted to continue after the Civil War; its current products, which have a good
reputation, include the latest Spanish service pistol.
Many guns have been produced under the Star name. The earliest were given year designations but, in the 1920s, a letter designation was adopted.
This was complicated by letter suffixes, indicating variations, and a few patterns were given distinctive names. Finally, a new series of numbered
models was introduced in the 1980s. The 'year' models are listed here first, followed by the 'letter' models in alphabetical order to end with the new
numbered models. The named guns have been placed where appropriate.
Model 1908: The first Star appeared late in 1907, but was not advertised until 1908. It was a fixed-barrel pistol with an open-topped slide—giving
rise to the 'Mannlicher copy' claim—and a breech block with ribbed finger grips. The breech block section of the slide consisted of two raised
wings with a depression carrying a top-mounted extractor. A hinged- block safety catch was attached to the rear of the breech block, an external
hammer completing the perceived resemblance to the Mannlicher. Below the slide, however, there was no similarity; instead of the graceful butt
and elegant trigger guard of the Austrian pistol, the Star had a thick rectangular butt with a squared trigger guard. The Spanish gun accepted a
conventional box magazine, instead of the integral clip-loaded Mannlicher pattern. Chambered for 6·35mm Auto, with an eight-round magazine,
the first Star was simply marked AUTOMATIC PISTOL STAR PATENT on the slide and had plain chequered hard rubber grips.

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 Star M1908: Maker: Bonifacio Echeverria, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·53in/115mm. Weight, unladen: 15·7oz/445gm. Barrel: 2·64in/67mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Model 1914: Made in both 6·35mm and 7·65mm calibres, this showed only small changes from its predecessor. A flat-topped breech block replaced
the stepped pattern, two prominent bosses being formed as finger grips; some guns will be found with stepped-top blocks and round finger-grips,
and are assumed to be transitional. The Star trademark, an enrayed six pointed star, made its first appearance on the 1914-pattern pistols.
Star M1914: Maker: Bonifacio Echeverria, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
6·89in/175mm. Weight, unladen: 30·0oz/850gm. Barrel: 4·41in/112mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Model 1919: (Model 1) These guns dismantled differently; a serrated stud behind the trigger of the earlier Stars permitted the slide to be removed,
but the 1919 system relied on a catch in the frame ahead of the trigger guard. They were chambered for 6·35mm Auto, 7·65mm Auto or 9mm
Short cartridges, came in a variety of barrel lengths and, for the first time, displayed BONIFACIO ECHEVERRIA EIBAR (ESPANA) on the
slide. Differing slide markings may be found, but the Star trademark always appears ahead of a calibre mark.
Modelo Militar: Dating from 1920, this uncommon pistol represents a transitional stage between the guns inspired by Mannlicher and those derived
from the Colt-Browning. The Modelo Militar is broadly based on the Colt ·45 M1911, using the same swinging-link lock, but there is no grip
safety. In addition, the rear of the slide is built up to form a flat-topped breech-block section with the extractor on the right side. The safety catch
fits into the boss on the left side, where it rotates a bar to prevent the hammer reaching the firing pin. The pistol was chambered for the 9mm
Largo (Bergmann Bayard) cartridge and was probably intended to compete for a Spanish Army contract; however, the army chose the Astra.
Star promptly offered the Modelo Militar commercially, adding ·38 Super and ·45 ACP variants.
Star Modelo Militar: Maker: Bonifacio Echeverria, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Largo. Length
overall: 7·87in/200mm. Weight, unladen: 38·8oz/1,100gm. Barrel: 4·80in/122mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Model A: Dating from 1921, this was a modification of the Modelo Militar with a more
conventional Colt-type slide design. Vertical finger grip serrations appeared; the back sight,
doubling as a firing pin retainer, was mounted in a circular key-way; and the hammer had a
small hole as well as a spur. The safety catch was moved to the rear left side of the frame,
behind the grip, in Colt fashion. Originally known as the Model 1921, the Model A was
available in 7·63mm Mauser, 9mm Largo and ·45 ACP. Some guns had the butt slotted to
take a shoulder stock. The earliest guns were made without grip safety, but later versions had
a full-length grip safety in the back strap. They were very popular with the Spanish
paramilitary Civil Guard, the perfected grip-safety gun being adopted in October 1922 as the
'Pistola Star de 9mm, Modelo 1922, paratropa de la Guardia Civil'. Their slides are marked Star: 9mm Short 'New
BONIFACIO ECHEVERRIA above EIBAR (ESPANA) ahead of the star-burst trademark, Model 1922'.
"STAR" and CAL. 9M/M. They also display a Guardia Civil property mark in the form of a
crowned 'GC' monogram; the first guns had chequered wooden grips, but later examples had
moulded plastic patterns bearing the company trademark.
Model B: Really little more than a Model A with the back strap humped
in the manner of the Colt M1911A1— indicating introduction after
1926—this chambered the 9mm Parabellum cartridge. The hammer
had a good-sized spur, the vestigial hole vanishing for good. The
Model B had a long run; production was resumed after the Civil War
and over 35,000 were purchased by the German army in 1941-4.
Manufacture did not end until 1984.
Star Model B: Maker: Bonifacio Echeverria, Eibar. Type:
automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm
Parabellum. Length overall: 8·46in/215mm. Weight, unladen:
Star: 9mm Model B.
38·3oz/1,085gm. Barrel: 4·80in/122mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-
round detachable box.
Model Super B: Introduced in 1946, featuring an improved dismantling
system with a take-down lever on the right side of the frame, this
abandoned the swinging-link lock for the Browning solid cam system.
A loaded-chamber indicator was fitted and white dots were added to
the sights. Production ended in 1983. The 'Super' construction was subsequently shared by the Models A, B, M and F, designations of which
were all upgraded (e.g., Model Super A). The Super B was adopted by the Spanish army in 1946.
Model BKS: Probably the smallest major-calibre locked-breech pistol available at the time of its introduction, in the early 1970s, this 9mm
Parabellum weapon weighed only 20oz with a 4·25in barrel and an eight-round magazine. It retained the Colt configuration, but lacked the grip
safety. Most of the weight-saving was due to an alloy frame. The BKS pattern was superseded by the Model BKM, differing largely in finish;
and the only easily recognisable external change is oblique finger grooving on the BKM slide instead of vertical cuts on the BKS.
Star BKS: Maker: Star-Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length
overall: 7·17in/182mm. Weight, unladen: 26·1oz/740gm. Barrel: 4·25in/108mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Model BM: This was simply a Model BKS with a steel frame.
Model C: Another of the 1920s designs, this was a Model B chambered for the
9mm Browning Long cartridge.
Model CO: This 6·35mm Auto model reverted to the original open-topped slide
configuration, but showed changes which were obviously inspired by A, B
and C models. The rear of the slide was straight and had vertical finger
grooves; the forward stripping catch vanished; and the new one-piece slide
rode on top of the frame, dismantling merely requiring the slide to be pulled
back and lifted. The safety catch was under the left butt plate, and a spurred
hammer was used. The Model CO appeared about 1930 and remained in
production until 1937. Star: 9mm Model BM.

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Model CU: This 1937-vintage gun replaced the Model CO, which it closely resembled. However, it
had an alloy frame and the safety catch was moved to the rear of the frame behind the grip.
Star CU [Starlet]: Maker: Star-Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol
(blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·80in/122mm. Weight, unladen:
14·8oz/420gm. Barrel: 2·36in/60mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Model D: Introduced in 1930, this chambered the 9mm Short cartridge and followed the general Colt
shape. The back sight retained the firing pin in the fashion of Modelo Militar, and a CO-type safety
catch protruded from beneath the grip plate. The Model D was adopted by Spanish police forces
and became known as the 'Police & Pocket' model. Production ended in 1941.
Model DKL: Announced in 1958, this was a modified Model D with a light alloy frame. The butt is
shaped to fit the hand, the safety catch lies behind the butt on the left rear of the frame, and the
back sight no longer holds the firing pin.
Star: Starlet or Model CU
Star DKL: Maker: Star-Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback).
Chambering: 9mm Short. Length overall: 5·71in/145mm. Weight, unladen: 14·8oz/420gm. Barrel: 3·15in/80mm, rifled. Magazine: six-
round detachable box.
Model E: Introduced in the early 1930s and made until 1941, this was a vest-pocket 6·35mm blowback, comparable with the Walther Model 9 in
size. Walther influence could also be seen in its fixed barrel and open topped slide construction, but there was a prominent comb and an external
hammer. The safety catch lay behind the trigger.
Model F: This, and its variants, was the principal ·22
rimfire Star pistol. The series began with the
Model FTB, which allied the open-topped slide
and external hammer with a 190mm barrel. This
gun appeared in the 1930s, work probably ceasing when several models were
discontinued in 1941.
The rimfire Star was revived after the end of the Second World War as the Model F, with a 110mm
barrel and fixed sights. Then came the Model F Target and the Model F Sport, with fixed sights and
barrels measuring 180mm and 150mm respectively. The Model F Olympic had the 180mm barrel, an
adjustable back sight, a muzzle brake and barrel weights. The FR pattern was simply
an 'F' with the addition of a slide stop and hold-open catch on the left of the frame, let Star: ·22 LR Model FR
into the top of the grip. Model FRS was the FR type with a 150mm barrel. Target.
The newest variant, the Model FM of 1973, is a Model F with a solid metal frame-
web in front of the trigger guard. All rimfire F-type Stars chamber ·22 LR cartridges and have ten-round
detachable box. magazines.
Model H: Another of the guns introduced in the mid 1930s, this was an enlarged Model CO in 7·65mm calibre. It was made until 1941.
Model HF: This is virtually a ·22 Short Model CO, a scale-down version of the Model H which could be described almost as a Model F with a
65mm barrel. Very few appear to have been made.
Star HF: Maker: Star-Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall:
5·39in/137mm. Weight, unladen: 20·1oz/570gm. Barrel: 2·76in/70mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.
Model HN: Simply a Model H chambered for 9mm Short ammunition, this co-existed with the H-type Star and expired at the same time. Barrel-
length was 100mm.
Model I: A version of the Model HN with a 120mm barrel and a better-shaped grip, this 7·65mm gun was introduced as a police pistol; the calibre
was probably too small and the barrel may have been too long, as the Model I was soon augmented by the HN type. Work stopped in 1941 but
resumed after the end of the Second World War. An improved Model IR replaced the original pattern in the 1950s, thumb-rest grip and slab-
sided barrel indicating post-war design.
Model M: This was simply a Model B in ·38 Super Auto chambering.
Model MD: A fearsome device, this was a Model B with a selective-fire capability. The Model MD appeared c.1930 in 7·63mm Mauser, 9mm
Largo, ·38 Super Auto and ·45 ACP. All but the ·45 version could be supplied with extended magazines holding sixteen or 32 rounds; a large-
capacity ·45 magazine is known, but its origins remain in doubt.
Extended magazines were accompanied by shoulder stocks, allowing a modicum of control when the pistol was being used as submachine-gun.
The Star MD was officially adopted by the Nicaraguan government, but otherwise found little favour.
Star MD: Maker: Bonifacio Echeverria, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated, selective fire). Chambering: 9mm Largo. Length
overall: 8·46in/215mm. Weight, unladen: 24·5oz/695gm. Barrel: 4·80in/122mm, rifled. Magazine: 8,16 or 25-round detachable box.
Model P: This was a post-war replacement for the ·45 ACP Model B.
Model PD: Announced in 1975, this tiny ·45 ACP pistol measures only 7·5in overall. Offered with a 3·75in barrel, it nevertheless takes a six-round
magazine—plus a seventh in the chamber—and was one of the first truly concealable pistols in this calibre. The reduction in size forced some
mechanical changes: the barrel has only one locking lug on top; the recoil spring and guide are assembled as a unit; the grip safety is omitted;
and an alloy frame is used. The back sight is adjustable..
Star PD: Maker: Star-Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: ·45 ACP. Length overall:
7·09in/180mm. Weight, unladen: 25·0oz/710gm. Barrel: 3·94in/100mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Model S: This was a 9mm Short version of the Model B.
Model SI: A Model S chambering the 7·65mm Parabellum cartridge, this does not appear to have been popular and was discontinued c.1956.
Model Super SM: One of the improved post-war models, this was a 9mm Short version of the Super M with moulded thumb-rest grips and the butt
lengthened to accept a ten-round magazine.
Firestar: Unusual in being named from the outset, this small 1990-vintage 9mm Parabellum model has a cam-dropped breech and three lugs on the
barrel. The muzzle has a conical exterior designed to lock with the slide each time the action closes, rendering a muzzle bush redundant and
improving accuracy. The single-action Firestar pistol has an ambidextrous safety catch and an automatic firing-pin safety.
Lancer: This was the ·22 LR rimfire Model CU, renamed for the American market.
Starlight, Starfire, Starlet: These were American sales name for the Models BKS and BKM; Model DK; and Model CU respectively.

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Model 28: Star's first modern-style double-action 9mm Parabellum
automatic appeared in the early 1980s. The slide runs on internal frame
rails and the safety catch on the slide is ambidextrous, withdrawing and
locking the firing pin when applied. The trigger and hammer are not
connected with the safety catch. Consequently, the trigger may be
pulled to drop the hammer after the safety has been applied or for dry-
firing practice. A magazine safety is fitted, but can easily be removed
by the owner. The Model 28 DA was rejected after trials with the
Spanish army, but was then advertised commercially. The Model 28P
DA is about 12mm shorter than the standard model, though otherwise
identical; the Model 28PK DA amalgamates the shorter slide with a
light alloy frame.
Model 30: This improved Model 28 has an ambidextrous safety which Star: 9mm Model 30M.
locks the firing pin, though the free trigger feature is still in use. The
Model 30M is made entirely of steel, while the Model 30PK has a light
alloy frame. Both have fifteen-round magazines, loaded-chamber
indicators, and adjustable back sights. The Model 30M was adopted by
the Spanish army in 1989.
Star Model 30 PK: Maker: Star-Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum.
Length overall: 7·60in/193mm. Weight, unladen: 30·3oz/860gm. Barrel: 3·86in/98mm, rifled. Magazine: fifteen-round detachable box.

STAR VEST POCKET (USA)

This sales name was found on a series of ·22 and ·32 rimfire revolvers made by Johnson, Bye & Co. in 1875-85. They were the usual solid-frame
non-ejectors with sheath triggers.

STEEL CITY (USA)

Steel City Arms of Pittsburgh has made a small blowback automatic for some years. Originally known as the Double Deuce (·22) or Two-Bit
Special (·25), both have been marketed under the 'Double Deuce' name in recent years. They are essentially modified copies of the Walther TPH,
made of stainless steel and fitted with various grips of exotic hardwoods. The War Eagle pistol was announced in 1986, though production did not
begin until 1990. This is a double-action exposed hammer 9mm Parabellum pistol with an unusual near-cylindrical slide, an ambidextrous safety on
the rear of the slide, adjustable sights, and 4in or 6in barrels.
Double Deuce: Maker: Steel City Arms, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire.
Length overall: 5·51in/140mm. Weight, unladen: 18·0oz/510gm. Barrel: 2·52in/64mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

STENDA (GERMANY)
Stenda-Werke GmbH of Suhl took over production of the Beholla (q.v.) pistol in early 1919; many guns were assembled from parts made by Becker
& Hollander and may have apparently conflicting markings—e.g., the Stenda-Werke on the slide, but Becker & Hollander's marks on the grips. The
worst feature of the Beholla design lay in attaching the barrel by a pin, necessitating holes in the slide and tools to dismantle the pistol. Stenda
patented a system in a dovetailed lump beneath the barrel chamber slid into a slot in the frame from the left side. A sliding catch locked the barrel
and also retained the slide. The Stenda slide was removed before the barrel, instead of the Beholla method of barrel and then slide. Genuine Stenda
pistols can be identified by a catch above the trigger and the lack of holes in the slide. Production continued until about 1926, about 25,000 being
made.
Stenda: Maker: Stenda-Werke, Suhl. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·71in/145mm.
Weight, unladen: 22·8oz/645gm. Barrel: 3·00in/76mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-
round detachable box.

STERLING (USA)
Sterling Arms Corporation of Gasport and later Lockport, New York, began producing
inexpensive blowback automatics in the 1950s. The line began with two fixed-barrel ·22 LR
sporting pistols, Trapper and Husky, with half-slide similar to the Colt Woodsman type. As
the differences were largely matters of finish, the Husky was soon dropped. Design of the
Trapper then settled down with a 4·5 or 6in barrel, an external hammer, a ten-round
magazine and simple sights.
Trapper: Maker: Sterling Arms Corporation, Gasport, New York. Type: Sterling (USA): ·25
automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: Model 300.
8·98in/228mm. Weight, unladen: 36·0oz/1,020gm. Barrel: 4·53in/115mm, rifled.
Magazine: ten-round detachable box.
Models 300/302 and 400/402 were then made for home defence. The 300
was a ·25 fixed-barrel model with full slide, amalgamating Browning and
Walther features. The 302 was the same pistol in ·22 LR. Introduced in
1973, the Model 400 was a double-action external hammer model in 9mm
Short; it was accompanied by the otherwise identical ·22 LR Model 402.
The Model 400 Mark 2 of 1979 had a slimmer appearance, being followed
by the Model 400S Mark 2 in stainless steel. The Model 402 was similar,
but in ·22 LR; however, the Model 402 Mark 2 chambered the ·32 ACP
round to improve its utility as a self-defence weapon. The 402S pattern was
made of stainless steel.
Sterling's X-Caliber single-shot hinged-barrel sporting pistol was available Sterling (USA): ·32 ACP
in chamberings from ·22 LR to ·44 Magnum. The calibre could be changed Model 402 Mark 2.
simply by replacing the barrel. X-Caliber pistols had adjustable back sights
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and were tapped for telescope sight mounts. Standard barrels measured 8in and l0in, and there were various grip options.
X-Caliber: Maker: Sterling Arms Corporation, Lockport, New York. Type: single-shot pistol. Chambering: ·22 WMRF. Length overall:
15·00in/381mm. Weight, unladen: 62·0oz/1,760gm. Barrel: 10·00in/254mm, rifled. Magazine: none.
Work on the Model 45DA double-action police and military automatic began in the late 1970s, but Sterling got into financial difficulties before the
gun could be perfected and went out of business in 1986.

STERLING (BRITAIN)
Based in Dagenham, Essex, the Sterling Armament Company was best-
known for the British Army submachine- gun. In 1983, Sterling's
management, seeking an entry into the police-pistol market, announced
that the Smith & Wesson-style revolvers previously made by J.P. Sauer
(q.v.) would be made in Britain. Unfortunately, Sterling got into financial
difficulties before teething troubles could be resolved and was acquired by
an Anglo-Canadian consortium in 1986. The business was then sold to
Royal Ordnance plc in 1988 and production—including work on the
submachine- guns—ceased immediately.
Three ·38 Special revolvers had been proposed: the Compact had a short
barrel, fixed sights and a small round butt; the Target had a six inch barrel,
a square butt and adjustable sights; and the Service had a four-inch barrel, Sterling (Britain): ·357
a square butt and fixed sights. The Sterling Para Pistol was simply a Magnum.
shortened semi-automatic version of the submachine-gun.

STERN (GERMANY)
Albin Wahl of Zella Mehlis made the Stern ('star') pistol in the 1920s, though his operations had ceased by 1930. Two differing patterns of the well-
made 6·35mm blowback are known; one has conventional front and back sights, the other merely has an aiming groove in the top of the slide. The
properly sighted model also has a small aperture set into the upper angle of the left side of the slide opposite the ejection port. Its purpose is not
clear; it may merely have allowed the contents of the chamber to be seen without tipping the pistol to one side. Both patterns have the maker's name
on the slide and STERN PISTOLE A.W.Z. moulded into the grips.
Stern: Maker: Albin Wahl, Zella-Mehlis. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering. 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·88in/124mm.
Weight, unladen: 15·5oz/440gm. Barrel: 2·44in/62mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.

STETCHKIN (USSR)
This Soviet military pistol first became known in the West in the
early 1960s. An enlarged but highly modified copy of the Walther
PP, it chambers the 9mm Makarov cartridge. The Walther double-
action lock has been replaced by a simple single-action type, and
the slide mounted safety catch has three positions—safe, single
shots and automatic fire. With the catch in the third position and a
wooden holster-stock clipped to the butt, the Stetchkin can be used
as a miniature submachine-gun. The magazine is a twenty-round
detachable box. and the cyclic rate of fire is about 750 rounds per
minute.
Like all such modifications, the Stetchkin is neither fowl, flesh nor
good red herring. It is far too big for the cartridge it fires, judged as
a pistol, while it is far too light as a submachine-gun to be readily Stetchkin: 9mm APS.
controllable; even the official Soviet manual recommended firing
from the prone position and using a rest when possible. The
Stechkin was withdrawn in the mid-1970s; a few found their way to
sympathetic countries, but most were simply scrapped.
Stetchkin [APS]: Maker: state factories. Type: automatic
pistol (blowback, selective fire). Chambering: 9mm Makarov. Length overall: 8·86in/225mm. Weight, unladen: 36·3oz/1,030gm. Barrel:
5·00in/127mm, rifled. Magazine: twenty-round detachable box.

STEVENS (USA)
Trading in Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts, Joshua Stevens began his operations in 1864. The company was incorporated as the J. Stevens Arms &
Tool Co. in 1888. Purchased by Savage in 1920, it eventually merged with its parent in 1936. However, Savage has since made use of the Stevens
name.
Vest-Pocket and Pocket Models: Production of these began in 1864 and continued into the 1870s. The Vest-pocket model was a ·22 Short or ·30
Short rimfire single-shot, built on an iron frame with a sheath trigger and an octagonal barrel which hinged down to load. The slightly larger
Pocket model, chambering the same rimfire cartridges, had a silver- or nickel-plated brass frame and blued barrel. It retained the sheath trigger
and the spring-loaded barrel popped open when a release button was pressed. The barrel-tipping spring was abandoned in favour of manual
operation in 1888, experience showing that it tended to wear out.
Gem: Introduced in 1872, this was another ·22 rimfire single-shot pattern. The barrel swung sideways on a vertical pivot to open the breech, the
only Stevens design to do so. Production continued until 1890.
Gallery: models Stevens began making ·22 rifles in the early 1870s, sales being extremely good; in 1887, the company took a momentous step in
small arms history by creating the ·22 Long Rifle cartridge from the established ·22 Long case and a 40-grain bullet. The first of a series of target
pistols had been introduced in 1880 in ·22 Long, and was adapted for the new ·22 LR cartridge to produce a gun offering—for its day and
price—marvellous accuracy. These gallery pistols were produced in several patterns: the Lord with a heavy ten-inch barrel; Conlin, with a
finger-rest grip; Gould, with a lighter version of the Lord; and Diamond, even lighter. All used tip-down barrels and were fitted with Paine-type

208
 front sights (a bead on a post), the back sight being adjustable for elevation by a wedge. The hammer had to be half-cocked before the barrel
could open and, despite the small calibre, they were a respectable size with hand-filling grips—features which endeared them to target shooters.
Stevens gallery guns can be found in many chamberings, including ·22 Short, ·22 Long, ·22 Long Rifle, ·25 and ·32 rimfire, ·32, ·32-44,
·38 and ·38-44 centre-fire. They were made until their popularity waned in the early 1900s, though the smaller pocket models remained
available until 1916.
Target Model No. 10: War-
work kept Stevens occupied
until the beginning of 1919,
but the Target Model No 10
was announced in 1920.
Though still a tip-down barrel single-shot Stevens: ·22 Target
design, the No. 10 had an exposed barrel and a Model 10.
rectangular receiver deliberately modelled on an
automatic pistol. A barrel-release catch on the left side of the receiver was designed on
a cam principle, drawing the barrel towards the standing breech as the action closed and
automatically compensating for wear in the hinge bolt. A cocking plunger attached to the internal
hammer protruded from the rear of the receiver. The No. 10 was made until 1933.
Target No. 10: Maker: J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co., Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts. Type: single-shot
pistol. Chambering. ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: 12·87in/327mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel:
8·00in/203mm, rifled. Magazine: none.
Off-Hand Model: 1923 brought the final Stevens pistol,
also known as the Model 35, which was virtually a
reversion to the gallery models of the 1880s. Made with
an external hammer, a trigger guard, and an octagonal
tip-down barrel, it was normally chambered for the ·22 LR Stevens: ·22 Off-Hand.
cartridge. The Autoshot 35 of 1929-34 had an 8in or 12·5in
smooth-bore barrel taking ·410 shotgun cartridges. The Off-Hand Model was made until
1942 when military orders once again took priority. Seeing the rise in popularity of target
automatic pistols, Savage decided against reviving single-shot Stevens designs after the end of the
Second World War and has since confined use of the Stevens name to rifles and shotguns.
Off-Hand No. 35: Maker: J. Stevens Arms & Tool Co., Chicopee Falls, Massachusetts. Type: single-
shot pistol. Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: 9·45in/240mm. Weight, unladen:
27·5oz/780gm. Barrel: 8·00in/203mm, rifled. Magazine: none.

STEYR (AUSTRIA)
Osterreichische Waffenfabrik Gesellschaft of Steyr was formed in 1863 by Josef Werndl, to convert muzzle- loading rifle-muskets into breech-
loaders. Established as a joint-stock company in 1869, it became Steyr-Werke AG after the end of the First World War and diversified into vehicles
and general engineering. Absorbing the Austro-Daimler and Puch companies in 1934, Steyr-Werke became Steyr-Daimler-Puch.
Steyr-Daimler-Puch became part of the Rheinmetall-Solothurn axis, making weapons designed by Rheinmetall and engineered by Solothurn; a sales
organisation, Steyr-Solothurn AG, was set up in Zurich to market military arms produced by the consortium. Rheinmetall reportedly owned a
substantial part of Steyr-Daimler-Puch and, when Austria was occupied in 1938, the company became part of Reichswerke Hermann Goring.
Farm machinery and bicycles were made in the aftermath of the Second World War, manufacture of firearms being resumed in the early 1950s.
Steyr's involvement with handguns appears to have begun with experimental weapons made for Krnka, Roth and others in 1885-95 period. These
were followed by Schonberger, Mannlicher and Roth-Steyr pistols (qq.v.) before production of an improved gun began under the Steyr name.
Steyr Model 1911: This well-known pistol seems to have been
designed by Karel Krnka on the basis of the Roth-Steyr. A
conventional full-slide contains the barrel, the components being
locked together by two lugs on top of the barrel engaging
recesses in the slide. The barrel is held in the frame by a helical
lug beneath the breech, which engages a groove in the frame. Slide
and barrel move back together for a short distance after the gun fires,
drawing the helical lug through the groove in the frame to rotate the Steyr: M1911.
barrel through about 20°. This disengages the top lugs from the slide and, as they do so, a fourth lug
under the barrel strikes a transom in the frame and brings the barrel to a stop. The slide continues
moving back, extracting the empty case and cocking the external hammer, then returns to chamber a fresh
cartridge from the magazine. Barrel and slide then move forward and the helical lug rotates the barrel back into
engagement with the slide.
The magazine, integral in the butt, is loaded by pulling back the slide to open the action, inserting a charger and
forcing the cartridges downward. A quick-release catch allows the contents to be ejected through the open action.
The pistol chambered a powerful 9mm round specially developed for it, which has since become known as '9mm
Steyr'; it was loaded with a 115-grain bullet to give a muzzle velocity of 1,115 ft/sec. The dimensions almost duplicate
the Bergmann-Bayard, but the Steyr round usually has a steel-jacketed bullet with a sharper point than other 9mm types.
The Model 1911 was developed for military adoption, but was initially ignored by the Austro-Hungarian army; regular units had the Roth-Steyr
and the 1898-pattern revolver, while the Hungarians were considering the Frommer 'Stop' for their reserve forces. It seems as though small
numbers of the commercial version of the Steyr pistol (known as the M1911) were purchased by army officers, but that the Osterreichische
Waffenfabrik relied on substantial exports to Chile in 1912 and Romania in 1913 to keep the production line in operation. It has been said that
the Steyr pistol was adopted by the Landwehr—the Austrian reserve units—but it is clear that the story has not yet been told.
When the First World War began, the Austro-Hungarian authorities predictably found themselves short of handguns. As series production of the
Roth-Steyr had finished, work on the Steyr pistol, which may already have been adopted (by the Landwehr?) as the 'Repetierpistole M 12', was
immediately redoubled; by the end of the war, approximately 250,000 guns had been made. Ten thousand had even been ordered by the
Bavarian army in 1916, with a similar contract in 1918 to offset shortages of Parabellums.
209
 The Steyr pistol was extremely reliable and robust, deserving greater recognition than it received. Many were held in store after the end of the
First World War; after the German annexation of Austria in 1938, about 60,000 pistols were taken from the Austrian army and police to be re-
barrelled for the standard 9mm Parabellum cartridge. These excellent pistols raise the question of how successful the Model 1911 might have
been had it been chambered for 9mm Parabellum ammunition from the outset.
The standard Austrian military guns simply bear STEYR 1915 on the left side of the slide above the grip. The date may vary between 1914 and
1918, though a few pistols were made after the Armistice. An inspector's mark—e.g., 'Wn.' for Wiener-Neustadt, a Habsburg eagle and a two-
digit date—will be found on the frame recess immediately above the trigger-guard. Chilean guns have the national coat of arms on the front left
side of the slide, ahead of STEYR 1912 AND MOD. 1911; in addition, EJERCITO DE CHILE will be found on the right side of the slide above
the grip. Romanian examples, in a serial-number sequence of their own, have a large crown above 'Md.1912'.
Steyr-Hahn M1911: Maker: Osterreichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft, Steyr. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering:
9mm Steyr. Length overall: 8·50in/216mm. Weight, unladen: 40·2oz/1,020gm. Barrel: 5·04in/128mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round
charger-loaded internal box.
Model 1909: Intended purely for commercial sale, this was built to the patents of Nicolas
Pieper (q.v.) of Liege. Blowback 6·35mm and 7·65mm automatics with tip-down
barrels, the Steyr guns differed from the Pieper patterns in purely minor respects.
Manufacture was suspended in 1914, resumed in 1921, and continued until 1939.
Steyr M1909 [Pieper type]: Maker: Osterreichische Waffenfabriks-
Gesellschaft, Steyr. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm
Auto. Length overall: 6·38in/162mm. Weight, unladen: 22·2oz/630gm. Barrel:
3·62in/92mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Model SP: After the end of the Second World War, Steyr-Daimler-Puch confined its
attention to motorcycles and mechanical engineering, returning to firearms only in Steyr: 7·65mm M1909.
the early 1950s. This modern-looking self-cocking 7·65mm blowback dates from the
mid 1950s. Fitted with a concentric return spring, the barrel was fixed to the frame
and secured in the slide by a knurled collar around the muzzle. There was no safety
catch. The SP sold so poorly that work ceased in 1965.
Steyr SP: Maker: Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
6·30in/160mm. Weight, unladen: 21·9oz/620gm. Barrel: 3·46in/88mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
Pi-18: Announced in 1974, this pistol used a gas delay system to slow the opening of the breech. The barrel, fixed to the frame, was shaped
externally into a form of piston. The slide was shaped internally to leave an narrow annular space around the barrel-piston unit. Propellant gas
was directed into this space from just ahead of the chamber as the gun was fired, directing high pressure against the front of the slide long
enough to delay the opening of the breech. The pressure began to drop only after the bullet had left the bore.
The Pi-18 had an external hammer and a slide-mounted safety catch. Its magazine held eighteen rounds in a double column, though the butt was
not exceptionally thick. A selective-fire version had a third position on the safety catch to give automatic fire, a 36-shot magazine and a shoulder
stock being optional accessories.
Prototypes were made in the Steyr factory, but it is believed that the automatic feature and Austrian law raised problems over export. Steyr
licensed production to L.E.S. of Morton Grove, Illinois, which subsequently made the standard semi-automatic version as the P-18. Quality
control was very poor, gaining the pistol a reputation for unreliability, so Steyr terminated the agreement and revised the design.
Model GB: The mechanism of this improved Pi-18 works in exactly the same way, but the detail design was improved and the selective-fire option
was abandoned to allow export from Austria. The Steyr-made GB proved to be an excellent pistol, the gas delay soaking up sufficient recoil to
enable the gun to be returned to the point of aim with little fuss. It was comfortable to hold, in spite of the large magazine, and proved to be most
reliable. Unfortunately, it was expensive; the Austrian army's preference for the Glock in 1985 was the final straw. Manufacture ceased in 1988.
Steyr still makes a '9mm Tactical Machine Pistol', but this is really a miniature submachine-gun.
Steyr GB: Maker: Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr. Type: automatic pistol (gas operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall:
8·50in/216mm. Weight, unladen: 29·8oz/845gm. Barrel: 5·35in/136mm, rifled. Magazine: eighteen-round detachable box.

STOCK (GERMANY)
Franz Stock Maschinenbau und Werkzeugfabrik of Berlin made pistols patented by Walter Decker in 1915-18. Production lasted from 1923 to the
early 1930s. The guns were well made, in ·22 LR, 6·35mm Auto and 7·65mm Auto chambering?, the patented features being the assembly of the
breech block and the magazine safety. The Stock was a fixed-barrel blowback with an enveloping slide and a concentric recoil spring; the centre of
the slide was open-topped, the separate breech block being held by a hook on the rear end of the extractor engaging in a lip on the underside of the
slide. A screwed cap in the end of the block, protruding through the rear of the slide, retained the firing pin and spring.
Pistols could be stripped for cleaning simply by lifting the front of the extractor and pressing in the screwed cap; the breech block came loose and
could be lifted through the top of the slide.
Stock: Maker: Franz Stock Maschinenbau & Werkzeugfabrik, Berlin. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto.
Length overall: 6·81in/173mm. Weight, unladen: 23·6oz/670gm. Barrel: 3·62in/92mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

STOEGER (USA)
Adolf F. Stoeger formed his sporting-goods dealership in New York in the early 1920s. The company specialised in ±k importing European-made
guns, including the Parabellum. Stoeger astutely noticed that although known in Germany as Parabellum, the pistol was the 'Luger' in English-
speaking countries. After registering the word as a trademark, in 1923, Stoeger arranged with DWM (then BKIW) to mark his imports with A.F.
STOEGER INC. NEW YORK LUGER REGISTERED U.S. PATENT OFFICE on the right side of the frame. This continued until DWM ceased
manufacturing the Parabellum.
Stoeger-Luger: In more recent times the Stoeger Arms Company, re-located in South Hackensack, New Jersey, revived the name. A ·22 LR
chambered blowback 'Lugerlike', with a greatly simplified toggle lock, appeared in 1976. The guns were made for Stoeger by Replica Arms, a
subsidiary of Navy Arms; when Stoeger abandoned the project in 1986, Navy Arms continued marketing the 'Navy Arms Luger'. The frame was
an aluminium forging with the barrel inserted from the front and pinned in place. Steel inserts supported the breech block bolt, movement being
controlled by a toggle.
Two basic models were made: the standard gun and a Target Luger with an extended frame mounting an adjustable back sight. Both were
available with 4·5in or 5·5in barrels, and were marked LUGER in a decorative floral scroll on the right side of the frame.
210
SUPER SIX (USA)
Based in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, Super Six Ltd makes the Golden Bison revolver, this is modelled on the Colt Single Action Army revolver, but
chambers the ·45-70 Government cartridge—a rifle round necessitating a sizeable handgun The Golden Bison is fifteen inches long, has an eight-
inch barrel, and is built on a manganese bronze frame; regarded as a luxury product, it is accompanied by a fitted wooden case and a lifetime
guarantee.
Golden Bison: Maker: Super Six Ltd, Elkhorn, Wisconsin. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·45-70 Government. Length overall:
13·00in/330mm. Weight, unladen: 92·0oz/2.610gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

T
TALA (ARGENTINA)
Talleres Armas Livianas Argentinas of Punta Alta manufactured two ·22 LR
automatic pistols in the post-1945 period. They resembled the Colt Woodsman,
with half slides behind fixed barrels and a well-raked butt. The standard model
had an 85mm barrel and fixed sights; the Super E Model had a 130mm barrel and
an adjustable back sight. The left side of the slide is usually marked PISTOLA
AUTOMATICA CAL22-T.A.L.A. over the full company name and INDUSTRIA
ARGENTINA. In addition, T.A.L.A. over MARCA REGISTRADA and a
trademark in the form of a skeletal tree will be found on the barrel block.
Tala: Maker: Talleres Armas Livianas Argentinas, Punta Alta. Type: Tala: ·22.
automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length
overall: 7·28in/185mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel:
3·35in/85mm, rifled. Magazine, ten-round detachable box.

TANFOGLIO (ITALY)
Formed as G. Tanfoglio & Sabotti, trading in Gardone Val Trompia in 1949-58, this company has a confusing history. It is now run by the founder's
sons as Fabbrica d'Armi Giuseppe Tanfoglio (a name used since 1958), in conjunction with Fabbrica d'Armi Fratelli Tanfoglio SpA (dating from
1980). Giuseppe Tanfoglio marks appear on commercial pistols; Fratelli Tanfoglio makes the military weapons while acting as the sales agency for
both ranges.
Sata: One of the original designs, this appeared in ·22 LR and 6·35mm versions, differing slightly in
construction. Both were fixed-barrel striker-fired blowbacks with concentric recoil springs. The
slide of the ·22 model was retained by an abutment at the rear, which engaged recesses in both slide
and frame; the abutment anchored the striker spring in the slide, and was retained in the frame by a
clip. The 6·35mm model was similar; however, the abutment formed the tip of an arm pivoted in
the butt frame to form the top of the back strap. The arm could be released by rotating the safety
catch through 180° from the fire position.
Sata: Maker: G. Tanfoglio & Sabotti, Gardone Val Trompia. Type: automatic pistol
(blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·53in/115mm. Weight, Tanfoglio: 6·35mm Titan.
unladen: 14·6oz/415gm. Barrel: 2·36in/60mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable
box.
Titan: This 6·35mm blowback automatic had a fixed barrel, an open-top slide and an external hammer. It was widely sold in the USA by the Eig
Corporation prior to the 1968 Gun Control Act, and has also been advertised as the Targa GT Model. A modernised version—the Titan II— is
currently being made in the USA by F.I.E. (q.v.).
Buffalo Scout: Made in several versions, this ·22 LR single-action solid-frame Western-style revolver was extensively marketed in the USA in
1965-75. Most of the variations concerned the finish—e.g., chrome, blue, or with a brass back strap—but some were available under the brand
name Tanarmi. The current version of the Buffalo Scout is known as the TA-76M, a six-shot revolver in ·22 LR or ·22 WMRF.
GT-22: This ·22 LR blowback automatic has a fixed barrel, an open-top slide, an external hammer, and a spurred finger rest on the magazine to
afford a better grip. The GT22T is the target version with a 150mm barrel and an adjustable back sight.
GT-27: Essentially similar to the GT-22, but smaller, this 6·35mm automatic lacks the finger-rest on the magazine.
GT-32: Chambered for the 7·65mm Auto cartridge and
made to the same general plan as the GT-22, if
somewhat larger, this can be supplied in 9mm Short (as
the TA-380) for export only. The GT-32/2 is a variant
with a twelve-round magazine instead of the standard
seven-round pattern. Similarly, the TA-38/2 is the 9mm
Short version with an eleven-round magazine.
Targa GT-32: Maker: Fabbrica d'Armi G.
Tanfoglio, Gardone Val Trompia. Type:
automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering:
7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 7·36in/187mm.
Weight, unladen: 25·0oz/735gm. Barrel:
4·88in/124mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round
detachable box. Tanfoglio: 9mm TA-90.
Targa GT-32: Maker: Fabbrica d'Armi Fratelli
Tanfoglio SpA, Gardone Val Trompia. Type:
automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering:
9mm Parabellum. Length overall: 8·00in/203mm.
Weight, unladen: 35·1oz/995gm. Barrel:
4·72in/120mm, rifled. Magazine: fifteen-round
detachable box.
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TA-90: This is a 9mm Parabellum military-style pistol of high quality, copied from the CZ75. Offered with a fifteen- round magazine, its breech is
locked by a conventional Browning cam system. A double-action trigger is standard, and a manual safety on the slide locks the firing pin,
hammer, sear and trigger. The TA-90 Baby is the compact version of the TA-90, 27mm shorter than normal and offered with a twelve-round
magazine.
GT-30 and TA-18: These variations of the TA-90 chamber 7·65mm Parabellum and 9 x 18mm Police respectively.
GT-21: Essentially the same as the TA-90, this chambers the 9 x 21mm IMI cartridge. The trigger guard has a deeper curve on the bottom surface,
while the contours of the butt have been refined to improve grip. The GT-21 Standard model is the same size as the TA-90 and has a fifteen-
round magazine; the GT-21 Combat model duplicates the Standard, but the safety is mounted on the frame and slide-stop catch does not
protrude as far. The GT-21 Baby shares the GT-21 construction, but is appreciably smaller and has a thirteen-round magazine; and the Baby
Combat has the frame-mounted safety and modified slide-stop lever.
TA-90S: Intended for target shooting, this gun has a 150mm barrel, a muzzle weight, a muzzle compensator, and an adjustable back sight. For the
domestic market—Italy regards 9mm Short and 9mm Parabellum as military calibres, confined by law to the armed forces—it is partnered by
the GT-21S in 9 x 21mm.
TA-90K Pitbull: This is 'combat' version of the TA-90, with the safety moved to the frame and the smaller slide-stop lever. Normally chambered
for 9mm Parabellum, it may be obtained in ·41 AE; conversion is simply a matter of changing the barrel. The domestic equivalent is the GT-41K
with the choice of 9 x 21mm or ·41 AE chamberings.
Ultra: This, in effect, is a ·41 AE version of the TA-90 with an alloy frame, a frame-mounted safety, and a very high standard of finish. The slide is
marked I.P.S.C. APPROVED and it is probably the most powerful pistol currently available on the Italian commercial market.

TARN (BRITAIN)
The Swift Rifle Company of London, a maker of shooting-training devices, manufactured this automatic pistol in 1944 in the hope of interesting the
British Army. The pistol was designed by a Polish exile named Bakanowski, but was a simple 9mm Parabellum blowback. Conventional in
appearance, not unlike an enlarged 1910-pattern Browning, the Tarn had a full slide and a fixed barrel with a concentric recoil spring. A large
wedge across the top of the separate breech block held it in the slide. Tests by the Ordnance Board in 1945 revealed the Tarn to be made of poor
material. The very strong spring and heavy construction demanded to keep the breech closed until the bullet had cleared the muzzle did nothing for
the Tarn's handling quantities; its action was violent, and accuracy was poor. The Board rejected the pistol and nothing more was heard. Four guns
were submitted for the trials, but it is unlikely that more than ten were ever made.
Tarn: Maker: Swift Rifle Company, London. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall.
9·88in/280mm. Weight, unladen: 34·7oz/985gm. Barrel: 5·00in/127mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

TAURUS (BRAZIL)
Little is known of the history of Forjas Taurus SA of Porto
Alegre, founded in 1889. Taurus has been making sporting
guns since the 1920s, more recently receiving licences from
Beretta to make the Beretta Model 92 pistol (as the 'Taurus
PT-99') and other Beretta weapons. Taurus revolvers are
solid-frame swing-out cylinder patterns, with double-action
lockwork, based on Smith & Wesson practice. Models 70,
90 and 96 are in ·22 LR; Model 66 in ·357 Magnum; and
Models 80, 82, 83 and 86 chamber ·38 Special. The different
models vary in barrel length, sights, grips and finish, but all
follow the same basic pattern. The automatic pistols
currently available are the double-action PT-99, mentioned
previously, and the similar but single-action PT-92. The TA-
57, resembling the PT-99 externally, is a locally-designed Taurus: Model 66.
fixed-barrel blowback chambering the 7·65mm Auto
cartridge.
Taurus Model 66 [S&W type]: Maker: Forjas
Taurus SA, Porto Alegre. Type: solid-frame
revolver. Chambering: ·357 Magnum. Length overall: 8·46in/215mm. Weight, unladen: 32·5oz/920gm. Barrel: 3·00in/76mm, rifled.
Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Taurus PT-92 [Beretta type]: Maker: Forjas Taurus SA, Porto Alegre. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm
Parabellum. Length overall: 8·54in/217mm. Weight, unladen: 34·0oz/965gm. Barrel: 4·92in/125mm, rifled. Magazine: fifteen-round
detachable box.

TEXAS LONGHORN (USA)

Based in Richmond, Texas, Texas Longhorn Arms makes a series of Western-style revolvers based on the Colt Single Action Army Model of 1873.
These have been marketed as the South Texas Army Model; Texas Sesquicentennial; Texas Border Special; and West Texas Flat-top. An unusual
detail is that the loading gate and ejector rod lie on the left side of the gun, which can be reloaded without relinquishing the grip. The guns are all
hand-made; the South Texas Army is the standard model, the Texas Sesquicentennial and Texas Border Special are suitably engraved and cased
commemoratives. The Flat-top is based on the original Colt target revolver. Introduced in 1986, the Jezebel is a hinged-barrel single-shot ·22 rimfire
target pistol made entirely of stainless steel.

THALMANN (GERMANY)
V.E.B. Fahrzeug- und Jagdwaffenfabrik 'Ernst Thalmann' of Suhl, the original East German state-controlled firearms consortium, was formed about
1950 by amalgamating all the independent gunmakers in and around Thuringia. The organisation supervised production of hunting rifles and
shotguns, together with at least two target pistols. These are rarely seen in the West and their future in a unified Germany is questionable.
Zentrum: This was a ·22 LR falling-block single-shot target pistol based on the pre-war Tell and Luna designs made by Ernst Friedrich Buchel
(q.v.).

212
Ziegenhahn IV: Outwardly similar to the French Unique DES/69, this was a ·22 Short rimfire competition automatic with an exposed hammer.
Vents bored into the barrel could be plugged to balance the muzzle-lift encountered with differing brands of ammunition.
Ziegenhahn IV: Maker: VEB Fahrzeug- und Jagdwaffenfabrik 'Ernst Thalmann', Suhl. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering:
·22 Short rimfire. Length overall: 11·81in/300mm. Weight, unladen: 35·3oz/1,000gm. Barrel: 5·91in/150mm, rifled. Magazine: five-
round detachable box.

THAMES (USA)
One of many small revolver makers flourishing in Connecticut in 1870-1900, Thames Arms Company of Norwich made conventional hinged-frame
five-shot ·32 guns with ribbed barrels and double-action locks. These were sold as the Automatic, referring merely to their 'automatic' self-ejecting
action. These revolvers carry a variety of patent dates, principally 1886, and have some detail similarity with Hopkins & Allen products. As there is
also considerable similarity with the guns made by the Meriden company , it can only be assumed that the Norwich firms of the day sub-contracted
work to each other.

THAYER (USA)
The name of Thayer, Robertson & Carey of Norwich, Connecticut, appears on a ·38 hinged-frame five-shot revolver identical to the Thames pattern
(see above). It is assumed that the Thayer name was either fictitious, used for sales purposes, or hid an obscure dealer.
Thayer: Maker: Thayer, Robertson & Carey, Norwich, Connecticut. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·38. Length overall:
10·63in/270mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

THIEME & EDELER (SPAIN)

Herr Thieme first appears in Berlin in 1897, as a partner in Nimrod-Gewehrfabrik Thieme & Schlegelmilch. Makers -or perhaps simply
distributors—of shotguns, this partnership had disappeared by about 1910. Shortly thereafter, the DWM ammunition catalogue listed 'Cartridge
No.547, 7·65mm Pistol, Thieme & Edeler, Eibar' suggesting that Thieme had taken a new partner and moved to Spain. The listing does not indicate
whether this cartridge was a special design or merely the normal 7·65mm Auto round made under contract to T&E.
The only known pistol bearing the Thieme & Edeler name is a typical 7·65mm Eibar-pattern blowback automatic marked simply 'TE' on the frame,
with a 'TE' monogram on the butt. This monogram has also been seen on pistols bearing the Urizar name, suggesting links with SEAM and Grande
Precision.
Thieme & Edeler: Maker: Thieme y Edeler, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
5·79in/147mm. Weight, unladen: 21·3oz/605gm. Barrel: 3·23in/82mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

THOMAS (BRITAIN, USA)

1: A British revolver manufactured by
Tipping & Lawden (q.v.).
2: Alexander James Ordnance, Inc. of
Covina, California, made the ·45 ACP
Thomas delayed-blowback pistol in 1975-
8; approximately 600 are said to have been
made. The gun was relatively small, with a
3·5in barrel, and obtained the necessary
delay by a stirrup pressing against notches
in the lower edge of the slide. The action
was controlled by the pressure of the firer's
grip on the back strap of the butt; the Thomas: ·450 revolver,
tighter he gripped, the better the delay. made by Tipping &
Even so, the effect must have been Lawden.
marginal. There was a double-action
trigger mechanism, but nothing other than
a magazine safety.

THOMPSON/CENTER (USA)
Founded in 1966 by Kenneth Thompson—owner of
the K.W. Thompson Tool Company—and designer
Warren Center, Thompson/Center Arms of Rochester,
New Hampshire, makes the Contender pistol. This is
a single-shot pattern of the highest quality, with a tip-
up barrel an external hammer. Barrels measure from
10in to 14in, and are easily interchanged; a dual firing
pin can be adjusted to handle rim- or centre-fire
ammunition at will. Since its inception, the Contender Thompson/Center:
has been made available in virtually every worthwhile Contender.
chambering from ·17 Ackley Bee to ·45 Winchester
Magnum. The Contender Alloy II is similar to the
basic gun, but has an alloy frame; the list of
chamberings is equally diverse.
Contender: Maker: Thompson/Center
Arms, Rochester, New Hampshire. Type: single-shot pistol. Chambering: ·222 Remington. Length overall: 13·50in/343mm. Weight,
unladen: 43·0oz/1,220gm. Barrel: 10·00in/254mm, rifled. Magazine: none.

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TIPPING & LAWDEN (BRITAIN)
Caleb & Thomas Tipping Lawden of Birmingham, trading as 'Tipping & Lawden', set their store as pistol makers in 1837 and were content to
produce handguns licensed by a selection of patentees. The partnership was most active in the cap-lock era, making revolvers developed by Adams,
Lang and others. Tipping & Lawden appears to have made only two handguns after 1870: the four-barrelled Sharps (q.v.) pistol in ·22, 6mm, ·30,
7mm and 9mm rimfire, and a revolver patented by John Thomas of Birmingham in 1869.
Thomas's solid-frame five shot gun had an unusual extraction system. A knob beneath the barrel could be used to turn the barrel to the left;
simultaneously, a helical groove in the barrel, riding across a stud in the frame, moved the barrel and cylinder forward. As the cylinder moved in the
elongated frame, spent cases were stripped from the chambers by the static ejector plate. Loading was performed through a conventional hinged gate
on the right side.
Thomas revolvers were made for about seven years, the estimated output being 1,200 in various calibres—·320, ·380 and ·450 being most popular.
The Lawden brothers retired in 1877, selling the company to P. Webley & Son, whereupon production of Sharps and Thomas handguns ceased.
Thomas: Maker: Tipping & Lawden, Birmingham. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·380. Length overall; 9·80in/249mm. Weight,
unladen; 24·7oz/700gm. Barrel: 4·96in/126mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

TOKAREV (USSR)
Most examples of this locked-breech pistol, a standard Russian service
weapon for many years, were made in the Tula arms factory (Tulskii
Oruzheinyi Zavod). Credited to Feodor V. Tokarev, the outcome of a
series of competitive trials held in the late 1920s, the gun was approved for
service in 1930 as the Pistolet Tula-Tokarev or TT-30. A Browning
swinging-link lock was used, minor changes being made to simplify
manufacture and facilitate maintenance.
The principal changes from the ·45 M1911 Colt-Browning were the
packaging of the hammer and lockwork in a removable module...and the
absence of any safety device other than a half-cock notch on the hammer!
A smaller but innovative feature was the forming of the magazine lips in
the frame, leaving the magazine with a simple constricted mouth; this
Tokarev: 7·62mm TT-33.
ensured that the feed lips—the most vulnerable part of the average pistol—
were entirely protected against accidental damage.
1933 brought minor changes as a result of experience; the twin locking
ribs were taken entirely around the 1933-type barrel, instead of machined
on the upper surface. This allowed the lugs to be formed during the
shaping of the barrel, simplifying manufacture by eliminating the need to mill lugs separately. The back strap was forged integrally with the frame
after 1933, instead of being a separate component.
The revised TT-33 completely replaced the TT-30, specimens of which are rare. Production of the TT-30 began in 1930; precise figures are not
available, but it has been suggested that 93,000 were made before the advent of the TT-33. Manufacture of the latter began in the USSR in 1934 and
continued until the middle 1950s. Total production is unknown, though the few accessible figures for pre-war and wartime production support an
estimate of 1·74 million.
The Tokarev has been made in many pro-Soviet countries: in China as the Type 51; in Yugoslavia as the M-57; and in the Polish Radom factory for
Czech, Polish and East German forces. Two rare variants of the Tokarev are said to exist, though none are known in Western collections; the TT-R-
3 training pistol was chambered for the ·22 LR cartridge, while the TT-R-4 had an extended barrel and adjustable sights for target shooting.
TT-33 [Tokarev]: Maker, state factories. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 7·62mm Russian. Length overall:
7·72in/196mm. Weight, unladen: 35·8oz/910gm. Barrel: 4·53in/115mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

TOZ (USSR)
Made by Tulskii Oruzheinyi Zavod of Tula, and also known as the TK for Tulskii-Korovin, this
6·35mm gun was designed by Sergei Korovin. Made in 1926-35, its fixed-barrel blowback action
was loosely based on the Mauser of 1910. The barrel is anchored in the frame by the safety catch
and can be easily removed for cleaning.
The pistol appears to have been made under both names, the TK version with plain grips and the
TOZ pattern having the initials moulded into the grip. It is possible that one version was intended
for military and paramilitary use, and the other for commercial sale; however, no confirmation has
been found.
The target-shooting TOZ-36, modelled on the old 1895-pattern Russian service revolver, was made
by the Tula factory in the 1960s. This retained the gas-seal feature and chambered the same TOZ: 6·35mm.
7·62mm Nagant revolver cartridge.
TOZ: Maker: state factories. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm
Auto. Length overall: 5·00in/127mm. Weight, unladen: 13·9oz/395gm. Barrel: 2·68in/68mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable
box.

TREJO (MEXICO)
Armas Trejo SA of Zacatlan produced three interesting pistols in 1955-65. The
appearance of the ·22 LR rimfire Tipo Rafaga Model 1 and Model 2 was based on the
M1911 Colt-Browning, though they were simple fixed-barrel blowbacks. A selector
lever on the right side of the frame, behind the trigger, allowed semi- or fully- automatic
fire. The Model 1 was quite plain, while the Model 2 had a ventilated rib above the slide
and an adjustable back sight. Trejo also produced a Model 3, chambering the ·380 Auto
(9mm Short) cartridge, but sensibly abandoned the selective-fire feature in favour of
straightforward semi-automatic operation.
Trejo: ·22 Tipo Rafaga
214 Modelo 1.
 Tipo Rafaga Model 1: Maker: Armas Trejo SA, Zacatlan. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated, selective fire). Chambering: ·22 LR
rimfire. Length overall: 6·30in/160mm. Weight, unladen: 21·9oz/620gm. Barrel: 2·95in/75mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round detachable
box.

TRANTER (BRITAIN)
William Tranter's Gun & Pistol Factory
was founded by a Birmingham gunmaker
of considerable repute and an active
inventor in several disciplines. His
greatest period of activity was during the
cap-lock era, and most of his work seems
to have been the production of revolvers
for others rather than for sale by his own
Tranter: ·450 Mark I
company. Many revolvers sold in the
British service revolver of
second half of the nineteenth century by
1878.
English country gunmakers were made by
Tranter and are invariably marked
TRANTER'S PATENT on the frame.
It also appears likely that Tranter offered
revolvers of other patterns to firms
without manufacturing facilities. Just to
make identification more difficult, a few
companies made presentable imitations of
Tranter revolvers under licence and
marked them with TRANTER'S PATENT where appropriate. The patents protected trigger mechanisms, lockwork, extracting systems and methods
of construction; and it requires careful examination to determine to which particular patent marks on each particular revolver allude.
The most important revolver made between 1870 and Tranter's retirement in 1885 was the British Army's 'Pistol, Revolver, Breech Loading,
Tranter, Interchangeable' introduced in July 1878. The official approval gave the following details: '(1) the cylinder is short and has six flutes... (2)
the ejector rod has a direct action, and (3) the base of the cylinder is completely guarded.... Length of barrel 6 inches, Calibre ·433.' A solid-frame
pattern with a hinged loading gate and an ejector rod, the gun was based on Tranter's previous cap-locks. It remained in military service until
superseded by the Webley in 1887.
Revolvers offered commercially were made to a similar specification, though cylinders are more often smooth than fluted. An interesting ·32 rimfire
seven-shot sheath-trigger pocket model used the cylinder arbor pin as an ejector rod, commonly encountered in Tranter's commercial designs. Its
single-action lock was unusual; most Tranters were double- action.
Tranter: Data from a representative specimen. Maker: William Tranter, Aston Cross, Birmingham. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre:
·450. Length overall: 11·75in/298mm. Weight, unladen: 37·9oz/1,075gm. Barrel: 5·75in/146mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

TROCAOLA, ARANZABAL Y CIA (SPAIN)

This Eibar-based gunmaking partnership
specialised in revolvers, operating from the
early 1900s until the Spanish Civil War. The
guns were all copies of contemporary Smith &
Wesson or Colt designs, in ·32, ·38 and ·44
calibres. The earliest are ribbed barrel hinged-
frame models, both hammer and pseudo-
hammerless; after the end of the First World
War, however, Trocaola, Aranzabal y Cia
progressed to copies of the Military & Police-
type Smith & Wesson and the Police Positive
Colt. Quality varies; pre-1914 pistols appear to
be well made from sound material, a Trocaola, Aranzabal:
judgement implicit in a share (with Garate, 'Pistol, Revolver, O.P.,
Anitua) of a 1915-vintage British Army ·455 Mk I No.2' was made
contract. These ·455 revolvers entered British for the British Army
service as the 'Pistol, O.P., with 5 inch barrel, during the First World
No.2 Mark 1'. A typical example displays FA. War.
DE TROCAOLA, ARANZABAL EIBAR on
the frame. The pattern was declared obsolete
in 1921.
Guns produced after 1921 varied widely in
quality, though the good-quality ·44 Special Modelo Militar used the Smith & Wesson Triple Lock system—the only known copy of this
mechanism. Trocaola revolvers are identifiable by an encircled 'TAC' monogram (deliberately similar to the S&W type) on the left side of the
frame.
T.A.C. [Colt type]: Maker: Trocaola y Aranzabal, Eibar. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·38. Length overall: 9·45in/240mm.
Weight, unladen: 28·2oz/800gm. Barrel: 4·53in/115mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Pistol, Revolver, OP No.2 Mk 1: Maker: Trocaola y Aranzabal, Eibar. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Chambering: ·455 British. Length
overall: 11·02in/280mm. Weight, unladen: 24·0oz/680gm. Barrel: 5·12in/130mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

215
TTIBAR (ARGENTINA)
Apparently dating from the 1950s, this ·22 LR automatic pistol was made by the otherwise anonymous Industrias S.R.L. of Buenos Aires. The
Ttibar broadly followed the lines of the Colt Woodsman, but had a rectangular receiver containing a reciprocating bolt instead of a half-slide behind
a fixed barrel. The bolt and the return spring were retained by a large knurled cap at the rear of the receiver. A cocking lever appears beneath the
barrel; when drawn back, it presses the bolt back to cock and load. An adjustable back sight was fitted, the overall impression being a beginner's
target pistol.
Ttibar: Maker: Industrias S.R.L., Buenos Aires. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering; ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall:
9·96in/253mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 5·51in/140mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round detachable box.

TURBIAUX (FRANCE)
Jacques Edmond Turbiaux of Paris invented what is probably the best-known and most commonly encountered of all palm squeezer pistols: the
1882-patent Protector. The gun took the form of a disc—two inches across and half an inch thick—with a barrel protruding forward and a lever
mechanism to the rear. The disc contained a revolving block with seven 8mm or ten 6mm chambers accepting rimfire cartridges. The Protector was
held in the palm of the hand with the first and second fingers, between which the barrel protruded, resting against horns on the casing. The lever lay
against the heel of the palm. Clenching the fist forced the lever inwards to rotate the block, align a cartridge with the barrel, lock the block, then
cock and finally release the firing pin. A spring forced the lever out when the firer relaxed his grip, preparing for the next shot. A cap on the left side
of the casing could be rotated until the disc could be removed for reloading.
The Protector fired 6mm Protector or 8mm Gaulois, with extremely short cases and little power. Turbiaux promoted his gun successfully; 'Le
Protecteur' enjoyed a great deal of popularity, especially in France. Turbiaux-made specimens are marked LE PROTECTEUR SYSTEME E.
TURBIAUX around the central cap. Sales appear to have been sustained well into the 1890s, and production had been licensed to the Minneapolis
Firearms Company in the USA. There the Protector was made in ·32 Short rimfire by J. Duckworth of Springfield, Massachusetts; these bore the
Minneapolis company name and the date of Turbiaux's US patent.
The Minneapolis company soon ran into trouble, apparently owing to poor quality control, and the patents were bought by P.H. Finnegan late in
1892. Said to have been the Minneapolis Firearms Company's sales agent, Finnegan then approached the Ames Sword Company to have the weapon
manufactured for his new Chicago Firearms Company. In conjunction with an Ames engineer, Finnegan redesigned the pistol, adding a form of grip
safety above the barrel; this resembled a trigger and had to be kept pressed to permit firing. Other small changes were made, covered by an 1893
patent, until Finnegan was sufficiently satisfied to contract with Ames to make 25,000 'Chicago Protectors'. All he ever got was 1,500; and even
they were late. Finnegan sued Ames; Ames counter-sued; other interested parties joined in, until, finally, the unfortunate Ames Sword Company
became the possessor of guns it did not want. Unsuccessful efforts to market the Protector continued for a few years, but were eventually
abandoned. The Finnegan weapon is marked CHICAGO FIREARMS CO. CHICAGO ILL. and are easily recognised by the grip safety.

U
U.A.E. (SPAIN)
Very little is known of Union Armera Eibaressa, apparently a co-operative of small gunmakers formed in Eibar before 1914. The only known
product was a 6·35mm Eibar-pattern blowback, based on the Browning of 1906, which was made c.1910-14. The pistol is marked U.A.E., but gives
no other indication of its origin.
U.A.E.: Maker: Union Armera Eibaressa, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·41in/112mm. Weight, unladen: 12·9oz/365gm. Barrel: 1·97in/50mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

UBERTI (ITALY)
Founded in 1959, Aldo Uberti of Gardone Val Trompia began by making
numbers of reproduction Colt, Remington and Confederate-type cap-lock
revolvers. Uberti then began producing Western style cartridge revolvers
and, in recent years, has progressed to a more modern personal-defence
revolver.
The first Colt Single Action Army-type gun was sold in the USA as the
Cattleman, by L.A. Distributors of New York in addition to Iver Johnson
and others. The gun was available in ·357 Magnum, ·44 Special and ·45
Colt. Next came the Buckhorn, similar to the Cattleman but strengthened
to take ·44 Magnum loadings and often supplied with an adjustable back
sight; the Trailblazer in ·44 was a variant of the Buckhorn, and an
inevitable Buntline has been offered with an eighteen-inch barrel.
Uberti: ·38 Inspector.
Cattleman: Maker: Aldo Uberti e Cia SS. Type: solid-frame
revolver. Chambering: ·357 Magnum. Length overall:
13·00in/330mm. Weight, unladen: 40·9oz/1,160gm. Barrel:
7·48in/190mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
The six-shot ·38 Special Uberti Inspector is the most modern of the company's design, its solid frame and side-opening cylinder based on Colt
practice. Various barrel lengths are available, together with a variant chambering the ·32 S&W cartridge.

UNCETA (SPAIN)
Esperanza y Unceta began trading in Eibar in 1908 as Pedro Unceta y Juan Esperanza, the first product being the Victoria automatic pistol. A move
to Guernica occurred in 1913, whereupon the company changed its name to Unceta y Cia; production of the Campo Giro (q.v.) pistol was
undertaken for the Spanish army alongside work on the Victoria. The trade name Astra was adopted in 1914, subsequently appearing on most of the
guns; these have been covered in the Astra-Unceta section (q.v.), but production of cheap Eibar-type automatics, considered below, continued
throughout the 1920s.
Brunswig: This was a 7·65mm Eibar-type blowback, little more than the wartime Astra Model 1915 made for commercial sale. Like most
Esperanza products of the period, the word 'Hope' (esperanza in Spanish) was engraved on the barrel to be visible through the ejection port.
Brunswig: Maker: Unceta y Cia. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·71in/145mm. Weight,
unladen: 21·2oz/600gm. Barrel: 3·23in/82mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.
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Colt Junior: Colt contracted with Astra-Unceta in the mid 1950s to supply a 6·35mm automatic for sale in the USA. This arose from a desire to
take advantage of demand for a pocket pistol without having to tool for a fresh design.
Astra-Unceta supplied a version of the Astra 200 (q.v.) marked JUNIOR COLT CAL ·25 on the left of the slide and COLT'S PAT FA MFG CO
USA on the right, together with MADE IN SPAIN FOR COLT'S on the frame. The grips were inset with a medallion carrying the Colt
trademark. About 67,000 guns were supplied to Colt in 1957-68. a conversion unit for ·22 Short rimfire ammunition was also available.
Fortuna: Identical with the Brunswig, this was available in 6·35mm or 7·65mm calibre.
Fortuna: Maker: Unceta y Cia. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 4·57in/116mm. Weight,
unladen: unknown. Barrel: 2·13in/54mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Leston: Another name for the Brunswig (or Fortuna), this generally displays THE AUTOMATIC LESTON 7·65MM SPAIN on the slide.
Museum: This name was associated with 6·35mm Victoria pistols sold in Belgium, probably through the Thieme & Edeler agency there.
Salso: Reputedly also intended for guns sold in Belgium, this was another name for the Brunswig series.
Union: This graced a range of cheap 6·35mm and 7·65mm Eibar style automatics, reputedly made for Esperanza y Unceta by an unknown
contractor in 1924-31. Four variants were made, each marked AUTOMATIC PISTOL UNION...; 6·35mm Models I and II, and 7·65mm III and
IV. They differed only in dimensions and magazine capacity. Examination suggests that more than one maker was involved; one typical Model I
is identical with the 6·35mm pistol made by SEAM (q.v.), but another shows sufficient differences in machining to have been made elsewhere.
Union: Maker: Unceta y Cia. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall: 5·71in/145mm. Weight,
unladen: 24·7oz/700gm. Barrel: 2·95in/75mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Victoria: Adopted by Esperanza y Unceta in 1908, this brand name applied to 6·35mm
and 7·65mm pistols, both being the customary Eibar derivation of the 1906-pattern
Browning. Slides are marked AUTOMATIC PISTOL VICTORIA PATENT and the
grips have VICTORIA above an 'EyC' monogram. The Victoria brand was used until
1914, when the Astra (q.v.) name was substituted; a grip safety was added in 1916.
The first guns were made in Eibar, allegedly with an external hammer; however no
example is known other than the original gun—serial number 1—still owned by
Unceta. Production was moved to Guernica after fifty thousand had been made,
continuing until 1918 and a total production of about 300,000. The 7·65mm version
was supplied to France and Italy in 1915-16, and was also made under an assortment Unceta: 7·65mm Victoria
of names (see above). Many other Victoria-type pistols have been attributed to M1911.
Esperanza, but, as the Victoria was the archetypal Eibar pattern, they are usually
impossible to verify.

UNION (FRANCE)
A gunmaker of Saint-Etienne, M. Seytres is something of a mystery. He marked 6·35mm and 7·65mm blowback automatics with the trade name
'Union' in 1920-39, but these are all very obviously Eibar-type—even to the distinctive safety catch—and it is likely that they were simply imported
for sale in France.
Some features suggest that the pistols may have been the work of Esperanza y Unceta, but this is by no means certain. All display UNION on the
grip; some pistols have American Indian-head trademark; most have PISTOLET AUTOMATIQUE FRANCAISE FABRIQUE A ST ETIENNE
CAL... on the slide.
Union: Maker: M. Seytres, Saint-Etienne. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·69in/119mm.
Weight, unladen: 10·8oz/305gm. Barrel: 2·36in/60mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

UNION ARMS (USA)

The Union Arms Company of Toledo, Ohio, made sporting guns in the early years of the twentieth century. The first of the company's two unusual
pistols was patented by J.J. Reifgraber in 1903-7 and made in small numbers prior to c.1910. Relying on an unusual combination of short recoil and
gas operation, the Reifgraber bolt was carried inside the barrel extension. The barrel extension lay within a casing, into which gas bled through
barrel ports to boost recoil. A rocking arm in the barrel extension locked the bolt, until it was disengaged by a lug in the frame after a short recoil
movement.
Once unlocked, the bolt ran back to cock the hammer. Instead of the normal return stroke, however, the hammer held the bolt open until a grip-
safety type lever in the butt back-strap was pressed. This released the bolt to run forward to its locked position, chambering a fresh round, while the
hammer fell until arrested by the sear. The Reifgraber pistol chambered standard rimmed ·32 or ·38 revolver cartridges, but it is believed that no
more than one hundred was made.
The Union revolver was patented by Charles A. Lefever in 1909, probably inspired by the Webley-Fosbery (q.v.). Supported on the butt-frame, the
cylinder/barrel unit could recoil freely. Helical grooves on the cylinder surface engaged a pin on the frame so that, when fired, recoil rotated the
cylinder to align the next cartridge. Lefever's cylinder completed its movement during the recoil stroke, remaining static during run-out; Fosbery's
turned half the distance on each stroke.
The five-shot Union revolver chambered ·32 S&W cartridges, but was little more successful than the Reifgraber automatic. Few were made; when
production ceased, probably about 1912, the Union Firearms Company left the pistol business.

URREJOLA (SPAIN)
One of many small Eibar gunmaking firms which received sub-contract work from the Ruby pistol orders in 1915-18 (see Gabilondo), Urrejola y
Cia continued to make the same 7·65mm pistol until the early 1920s. Quality was poor and competition considerable, apparently forcing the
company out of business before 1925.
Urrejola [Eibar type]: Maker: Urrejola y Cia, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
6·30in/160mm. Weight, unladen: 22·8oz/645gm. Barrel: 3·54in/90mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

U.S. ARMS COMPANY (USA)

Another of the many small manufacturers of solid frame sheath-trigger non-ejecting revolvers, the U.S. Arms Company of New York confined its
operations to 1870-80. Confusion arises from the later use of a 'U.S. Arms Co.' brand name by Iver Johnson (q.v.).

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 V
VEGA (USA)
This was a stainless-steel copy of the Colt M1911A1, marketed with fixed or adjustable sights by Pacific International Marketing Company of
Sacramento, California, in the late 1970s. The actual manufacturer has never been identified, and the gun did not last long.

VENUS (GERMANY)
Owned by Oscar Will of Zella St Blasii (Zella-Mehlis after 1919), the Venuswaffenwerk is best known for sporting 'rifles and airguns. Prior to
1914, Will made a single-shot hinged-barrel ·22 target pistol which was held in good repute by target shooters of the period. He then made the
Venus pistol, introduced c.1912, which is rarely seen today. a fixed-barrel blowback built on Browning lines, it had a rounded-top frame supporting
the barrel and the lower portion of the slide. The recoil spring lay above the barrel. The raised breech section of the slide had prominent finger-grip
ribs; an internal hammer was used; and a safety catch lay on the rear of the frame. The slide was marked ORIGINAL VENUS PATENT and the
grips bore an 'OW' monogram. Contemporaneous reports suggest that it was produced for 6·35mm, 7·65mm or 9mm Short cartridges, and attained
above-average accuracy. Production stopped in 1914. Will resumed work after the end of the First World War, but sold the Venuswaffenwerk to
Wilhelm Foss about 1923; though the company traded until 1945, the pistol was never revived.
Venus-Pistole: Maker: Oscar Will, Zella St Blasii. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·72in/120mm. Weight, unladen: 11·6oz/330gm. Barrel: 1·97in/50mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
In addition to the 7·65mm VENUS German pistol described above, Spanish Eibar-type 'Venus' guns will be seen with the marks of Tomas de
Urizar.

VERNEY-CARRON (FRANCE)
With a long and distinguished history, Manufacture d'Armes Verney-Carron of Saint-Etienne still makes shotguns. The company's name also graces
two uncommon pistols. One is simply the 1912-pattern 6·35mm Star (q.v.)—resembling a small Mannlicher—while the other was a typical 6·35mm
Eibar-type blowback, based on the 1906-model Browning though lacking the grip safety. This gun could have been made by almost any Spanish
gunmaker active in the 1920s; no design quirks mark it as the product of a particular factory, though quality and finish are above average for the
class. Verney-Carron pistols will be marked MANUFACTURE D'ARMES VERNEY-CARRON, with EIBAR, and 'VerCar' on the grips.
Verney-Carron: Maker: made by Echeverria y Cia (?), Eibar, for Verney-Carron of Saint-Etienne. Type: automatic pistol (blowback).
Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·69in/119mm. Weight, unladen: 15·9oz/450gm. Barrel: 2·36in/60mm, rifled. Magazine:
seven-round detachable box.

VICTORY ARMS (BRITAIN)

Announced in 1988 by the Victory Arms Company of Brixworth,
the Victory MC-5 Multi-Calibre Pistol was a fixed Darrel locked-
breech automatic with an open-top slide and an external hammer. A
pivoting block beneath the slide locked the action, and the standard
9mm Parabellum barrel could be easily substituted by ·38 Super
Auto, 10mm Auto, ·41 Action Express or ·45 ACP patterns.
The magazine well was large enough to accommodate the differing
magazines, and the design of the breech face was claimed to cope
with the assortment of cartridge-rim diameters. The standard barrel
measured 111mm, lengths of 149mm and 191mm being optional. A
de-cocking lever dropped the hammer of the double-action trigger
mechanism onto a locked firing pin.
The left side of the frame was cluttered by a stripping latch, a slide-
release latch and the de-cocking lever; the MC5 was large—216mm Victory Arms: MC-5.
overall, with the smallest barrel—and had a bulky seventeen-round
magazine. Publicity failed to generate attention, forcing the
promoter to close down in 1989. The project is currently believed
to be in the USA.
MC-5: Maker. Victory Arms Company, Brixworth.
Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall: 8·50in/216mm. Weight, unladen:
45·0oz/1,275gm. Barrel: 4·37in/111mm, rifled. Magazine: seventeen-round detachable box.

VOLKSPISTOLE (GERMANY)
The Volkspistole project instituted by the
German government in 1944-5 was analogous
to similar emergency [programmes (e.g., the
Volksgewehr) intended to arm the Volkssturm
as quickly as possible. A cheap mass-produced
9mm Parabellum pistol was requested;
however, even in an emergency, there was
little enthusiasm for a blowback design in this
calibre.
Several prototype Volkspistolen have been
identified, common features being extensive Volkspistole: 9mm single-action
use of stamped sheet-metal in the construction prototype made by Mauser as part of
and standardisation on the Walther P.38 the V.7082 project late in 1944.
magazine (for which, presumably, ample
production capacity existed).
After experimenting with a selection of

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locked-breech designs, including a simplified P.38, Walther of Zella-Mehlis produced a sturdy double-action blowback. This was tested against the
Mauser V.7082 Volkspistole in November 1944, but was rejected on the grounds—among others—that it was too sophisticated to be mass
produced. It was replaced by a pressed-metal double-action blowback and, ultimately, by a single-action version of the same gun. None of the
Walther Volkspistolen is known to have had a breech-lock.
Mauser-Werke of Oberndorf had developed a stamped-sheet
locked breech pistol as early as 1943. Known as the Gerat 40
or M.7057, this had a modified Browning-cam lock and an
adaption of the double-action HSc lockwork. It was
eventually abandoned in the face of official disinterest.
Gerat 40 was followed by the true Mauser Volkspistole,
V.7082, which was originally a double-action striker fired
blowback; tested against a similar Walther design in
November 1944, it was returned to Oberndorf for
modification. Trials in December led to the rejection of
double-action lockwork and a request from the authorities
for a breech lock. A single-action blowback came next,
though factory trials with fluted chambers and gas-delay Volkspistole: 9mm single-action
systems showed promise. Walther pistol, probably dating
One gun embodying a gas-bleed system to retard the slide from the autumn of 1944.
was successfully fired on the Oberndorf proving range in
January 1945. Propellant gas was tapped from just in front
of the chamber and directed into the interior of the slide,
which was formed to fit tightly around the barrel. As the gas
filled the intervening space, it pressed against the front of the slide to slow the usual opening motion. The same idea, developed at greater length and
better engineered, has been used on the Steyr (q.v.) Pi-18 and GB pistols.
Little is known about the pistols developed by Gustloff-Werke of Suhl excepting that at least one Volkspistole was submitted in December 1944;
however, what was once thought to be a surviving gun is now more often credited to Mauser. It seems likely that the Gustloff gun also embodied a
gas delay system; probably designed by Barnetske, this may have tapped gas from the bottom of the barrel to expand behind an obliquely sliding
block in the underside of the frame. The resistance offered by this block to the slide was overcome only as the gas pressure declined, slowing the
opening stroke.
In addition to the pistols, simplified revolvers were submitted by Mauser, Deutsche-Werke of Erfurt, and Bohmische Waffenfabrik (the former CZ
factory in occupied Czechoslovakia). The Mauser gun was apparently based on the British Enfield (Webley) hinged frame pattern, Deutsche-
Werke's was a stamped-metal swing-cylinder revolver of Smith & Wesson type, and Bohmische Waffenfabrik's attempt was an original design.
Volkspistole: Maker: Mauser-Werke AG, Oberndorf. Type: automatic pistol (delayed blowback). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length
overall: 11·26in/286mm. Weight, unladen: 33·9oz/960gm. Barrel: 5·12in/130mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

W
WALTHER (GERMANY)
Founded in Zella St Blasii in 1886, Carl Walther Waffenfabrik made sporting guns until the early 1900s. Though not important enough to rate a
mention in the official German business directories produced in 1900, Walther's operations grew steadily. The first pocket automatic was introduced
commercially in time for the 1911 season; though dates as early as 1908 have been claimed, this was a later Walther ploy to discredit Mauser. This
first Walther pistol was a success enough to lay the basis for a business that grew until, by the middle 1930s, it was among the world's premier pistol
makers. Though sporting and target rifles had been made, Walther had gradually come to specialise in a series of excellent pistols.
The Walther Heeres-Pistole was chosen as the German service pistol to replace the Parabellum, though official adoption was delayed until April
1940. Throughout the Second World War, the Zella-Mehlis factory made pistols, automatic rifles and other military weapons identified first by the
codes '480', 'ac' or 'qve'.
Zella-Mehlis and its environs were occupied by the US Army in 1945; part of the factory was wrecked by rampaging displaced persons and former
inmates of the nearby Buchenwald concentration camp. Much of the priceless collection of weapons in the Walther factory museum was looted by
men of the US Third Army. In June 1945, however, Thuringia became part of the Soviet occupation zone—later to become the German Democratic
Republic. Surviving records were burned, usable machinery was sent back to Russia, and the factory buildings were dynamited.
By the early 1950s, Carl Walther Sportwaffenfabrik (as the company had been reconstituted) was ensconced in Ulm, where improvements on the
company's pre-war calculating machines and some newly designed airguns were being made. Production of the Olympia-Pistole and the Polizei-
Pistolen had been licensed to Hammerli and Manurhin respectively. Mindful of the rise of the GDR, the Allied authorities allowed production of
firearms to begin in Ulm, culminating, in 1957, in the return to production of the P.38. By the 1960s, Walther had once again reached the forefront
of handgun design by combining the best of its pre-war designs with new ideas.
POCKET PISTOLS
Model 1: The design that began Walther's pistol business, this was introduced towards the end of
1910; its design is claimed (perhaps too optimistically) to have commenced in 1908—but the
relevant patent was granted in 1911. Unlike many contemporaries, Fritz Walther did not simply
copy the 1906-type Browning. His pistol was a 6·35mm striker-fired blowback with a fixed barrel
and an open-topped slide, and there were two versions; the older has a stripping catch inside the
front of the trigger-guard bow while the later, which dates from 1912, has a larger catch on the
right side of the frame.
Model 1: Maker: Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella St Blasii. Type: automatic pistol
(blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·49in/114mm. Weight, unladen:
13·1oz/370gm. Barrel: 2·05in/52mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Model 2: Developed at the beginning of 1913, though only marketed in very small numbers before the
First World War began, this 6·35mm blowback was a simplification of the Model 1. A conventional full- Walther: 6·35mm Model 1.
length slide appeared, with an ejection port on the right side with ejection slot on the right, and the recoil
spring—concentric with the barrel—was retained by a screwed muzzle bush. An internal hammer was developed, and the back sight leaf

219
 doubled as loaded- chamber indicator. This 1913-patent sight-leaf normally lay flush with the slide, but rose when there was a round in the
chamber. The Model 2 was superseded by the Model 5 in 1915.
Model 2: Maker. Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella St Blasii. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length
overall: 4·29in/109mm. Weight, unladen: 9·9oz/280gm. Barrel: 2·13in/54mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
Model 3: Little more than an enlarged Model 2 to suit the 7·65mm cartridge, this appeared late in 1913. The ejection port was moved to the upper
left of the slide; this aberration, which persisted for several years in Walther designs, caused the ejected case to sail disconcertingly across the
firer's line of sight.
The screwed bush holding the recoil spring in the Model 2 slide was replaced by a bayonet-jointed pattern, locking into studs inside the slide. A
small spring catch beneath the muzzle retained the bush. The Model 3 is among the rarest of pre 1918 Walthers, production amounting to a mere
3,500.
Model 4: Despite an optimistic introduction date of 1910, which Walther has always itself
perpetuated, this actually dates from 1915. One of the first guns to be made in the newly-
extended Walther factory, the 7·65mm Model 4—larger than its predecessors—seems to
have been developed for police. It was little more than a Model 3 with the butt extended to
take an eight-round magazine instead of the previous six-round type, and the barrel was
lengthened from 67mm to 85mm. The slide was based on the Model 3; indeed, the earliest
Model 4 guns had left-over Model 3 slides complete with the pop-up back sight/loaded-
chamber indicator. The slide was lengthened by an extension piece, held by the same type Walther: 7·65mm Model 4.
of bayonet catch and stud-lock as the Model 3, though the spring-lock under the muzzle
was abandoned.
The Model 4 was purchased in large numbers by German army authorities during the First
World War, an apparently open-ended contract being agreed in 1915. Exactly how many
guns were made to this is unknown, but the total may well have exceeded 100,000. They
had a simplified slide with a fixed V-notch back sight and a modified dismantling system. Production of the Model 4 continued after the end of
the war, their slide marks changing from Zella St Blasii to Zella-Mehlis after 1919. Work ceased about 1923.
Model 4: Maker: Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella St Blasii. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length
overall: 6·00in/152mm. Weight, unladen: 19·4oz/550gm. Barrel: 3·35in/85mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Model 5: Another of the 1915-vintage Walthers, introduced contemporaneously with the Model 4, this
was an improved Model 2 made to somewhat better standards. Apart from the rifling, which
changed to four grooves from six, it can be distinguished from the Model 2 by the substitution of a
fixed-notch back sight for the earlier back sight/loaded- chamber indicator combination.
Model 6: Virtually an enlarged Model 4 chambering the 9mm Parabellum cartridge, with the ejection
port moved back to the right side of the slide, this 1916-vintage gun attempted to satisfy military
demands. The simple blowback action was stressed to its limit by the powerful cartridge; the
authorities were unhappy with the Model 6, acquiring little more than a few hundred for trials.
Total production seems to have exceeded a thousand, but few examples survive. Model 7 A smaller
6·35mm-calibre version of the Model 4, this had a Model 5-type slide with an extension shroud,

rightward ejection, and a 77mm barrel. Pistols were sold commercially, being favoured by military Walther: 6·35mm Model 5.
officials and staff officers; tens of thousands were made before work ceased in November 1918. A few
guns assembled after 1919 bear the Zella-Mehlis name on the slide instead of Zella St Blasii.
Model 6: Maker: Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella St Blasii. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length
overall: 8·27in/210mm. Weight, unladen: 33·9oz/960gm. Barrel: 4·72in/120mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Model 8: Walther's first post-war pistol broke new ground. The slide extension was replaced by a full-length ribbed-top slide, tapering at the
muzzle. Patented in 1920, the trigger guard doubled as a stripping catch. The guard pivoted on the butt and ran up through a slot in the frame to
stop rearward movement of the slide. On all but the earliest guns, which had a thumb-catch in the trigger-guard web, it was necessary only to
pull the guard down and spring it aside. The slide could then be removed by pulling it back, up, and off the frame.
The 6·35mm Walther Model 8 was large enough to allow a good grip and was extremely well finished. It remained in production until the early
1940s, total output amounting to about 250,000 guns. No changes had been made in the basic design, apart from a simplification of the extractor
and firing-pin assembly in the early 1930s.
Model 8: Maker: Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella-Mehlis. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length
overall: 5·12in/130mm. Weight, unladen: 13·1oz/370gm. Barrel: 2·83in/72mm, rifled. Magazine:
eight-round detachable box.
Model 9: One of the smallest and neatest vest-pocket pistols, this 6·35mm-calibre Walther was patented in
1921. A fixed-barrel blowback with an open-top slide, it is virtually an updated Model 1 with a slide held
by an insert with a cross-section resembling an eight. Retained by a spring catch, this '8'-block is pushed
into both frame and slide at the rear, anchoring the striker spring. The striker-tail runs back through the
block when the action is cocked, acting as a cocking indicator.
The only inherent drawback is that the Model 9 striker spring, being somewhat small, loses its elasticity
over a period of years and can delivers weak strikes.
The Model 9 was the last of the numbered Walther pistols, though only models 8 and 9 included the number Walther: 6·35mm Model 9.
in their slide inscriptions. Model names were used after 1929-30, and are always included in the slide
markings.
Model 9: Maker: Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella-Mehlis. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length
overall: 4·00in/102mm. Weight, unladen: 9·2oz/260gm. Barrel: 2·00in/51mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

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PP: This could be regarded as a logical progression from the Model 8, enlarged to
chamber the 7·65mm Auto cartridge, with double-action lock and an external
hammer, but the design was refined until it rendered every other pocket pistol
obsolete overnight. A signal pin indicated a loaded chamber; the magazine catch
lay in the grip frame behind the trigger, instead of on the butt-heel; and the safety
catch on the slide could be applied to release the hammer and lock the firing pin.
'TP' stood for Polizei Pistole, revealing Walther's intention: a standard police
holster pistol. In this role it was outstandingly successful, attracting several export
orders in addition to serving throughout Germany by 1939. The PP sold
extensively to the German paramilitary formations and was purchased in quantity
for the armed forces during the Second World War. Its small size commended it Walther: 9mm Short
particularly to army tank crewmen and Luftwaffe pilots. Finish deteriorated as the Polizei Pistole.
war ran its course, and the signal pin was omitted from 1944 onward. Excepting a
group of 'ac'-code guns made in 1944-5, Polizei-Pistolen all bear the Walther
name and address, the banner trademark, and the model designation.
Walther licensed production of the Polizei-Pistole to Manurhin in the early 1950s but, as the design was too attractive to be ignored, copies
appeared in many countries. Despite the availability of cheaper versions, the Polizei- Pistole never lost its popularity; Walther recommenced
production in the mid 1960s and has continued ever since.
Although the original Polizei-Pistole was offered only in 7·65mm Auto and 9mm Short, variants chambering 6·35mm and ·22 LR rimfire soon
appeared; 6·35mm is the rarest calibre, as only a few hundred guns were made. Post-war production has been confined to ·22 LR, 7·65mm Auto
and 9mm Short versions.
Polizei-Pistole [PP]: Maker: Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella-Mehlis. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto.
Length overall. 6·68in/170mm. Weight, unladen: 24·5oz/695gm. Barrel: 3·86in/98mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
PPK: The success of the Polizei-Pistole as a holster pistol was followed by the introduction of a compact mode, allegedly developed for use in
shoulder holsters at the request of the Prussian state police. This was the 'PPK' or Kriminalpolizei- Pistole, named for its appeal to investigative
plain-clothes policemen.
The PPK was a smaller version of the PP, identical in every mechanical respect except for a significant change in the construction of the butt.
Instead of being forged with a steel back strap and separate grip plates, the PPK had a simple rectangular grip-frame without a back strap and a
moulded one-piece plastic grip. An optional finger-rest on the magazine base—also available with the Polizei-Pistole—could improve grip if
required.
Production of the PPK began in 7·65mm Auto and 9mm Short chamberings, and then extended to 6·35mm Auto and ·22 LR rimfire. The
6·35mm PPK, like the equivalent PP, was very rare; it was discontinued in 1935 after only a few hundred had been made. Production resumed in
the 1960s in ·22, 7·65mm and 9mm only.
PPK: Maker: Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella-Mehlis. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
6·06in/154mm. Weight, unladen: 20·5oz/580gm. Barrel: 3·31in/84mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
KPK: This appears to have been an experimental wartime adaption of the PPK, possibly intended for one of the paramilitary organisations. Few
were made and fewer survive. The design was basically a 7·65mm PPK with a light alloy frame and the slide lengthened to almost completely
conceal the hammer. The slide was marked 'KPK' with the Walther banner trademark, the one-piece plastic grips bearing the swastika-clutching
Reichsadler. The pistol never entered series production; the few remaining specimens are probably part of the Zella Mehlis loot.
PPK/S: Dimensional restrictions introduced by the US Gun Control Act of 1968 demanded that pistols must have a minimum depth of four inches;
the PPK measured 3·9in from slide-top to magazine bottom, and could not be imported. As it had been selling well in North America, Walther,
reluctant to lose such a valuable market, devised the PPK/S ('S' for 'Special') in 1969. This was simply a PP frame carrying the barrel and slide of
the PPK, increasing overall depth to 4·1in and allowing importation to continue. Ultimately, the problem was solved by licensing production of
the PP and PPK to Interarms (q.v.), avoiding the problem altogether.
PP Super: Introduced in 1973, chambered for the fashionable 9mm Police cartridge, this modernised PP incorporates the improved safety system of
the P-5 (see below) with the firing-pin head inside a recess in the hammer face except when the trigger is being deliberately fired. A squared
trigger guard facilitated the fashionable two-handed grip, but does little for appearance.
PP Super: Maker: Carl Walther Sportwaffenfabrik, Ulm/Donau. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 9mm Police. Length
overall: 6·93in/176mm. Weight, unladen: 26·8oz/760gm. Barrel: 3·62in/92mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
TP: Offered in 6·35mm Auto or ·22 LR chamberings, this was a 1961 -vintage improvement of the old Model 9. Construction was similar, though
the TP was about 25mm longer and its butt was a better shape. Placing the safety catch on the slide provided the one major mechanical change;
operating the catch disconnected the sear and locked the striker. One of Walther's less successful designs, the TP was discontinued in 1971 in
favour of the TPH.
TPH: Production of this scaled-down PP—with a full slide, a double-action lock and an exposed hammer—began in 1968 to replace the uninspiring
TP. Introduced after the US Gun Control Act of 1968 had been passed, the tiny TPH could not be imported into the USA; the depth from slide-
top to the base of the magazine failed to meet the Gun Control Act's 'Four Inch Minimum' criterion by 7mm. Ultimately, however, the problem
was solved by licensing manufacture to Interarms (q.v.). MILITARY PISTOLS
TPH: Maker: Carl Walther Sportwaffenfabrik, Ulm/Donau. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering. 6·35mm Auto. Length
overall: 5·31in/135mm. Weight, unladen: 11·5oz/325gm. Barrel: 2·80in/71mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.
MP: Dating from 1934, this was an enlarged Polizei-Pistole chambering the 9mm Parabellum service cartridge. Intended as a replacement for the
P.08—hence the designation Militarische Pistole—it was a logical design progression. Whether Walther ever expected it to be accepted is
debatable, and the gun may simply have kept the authorities busy while something better was developed. Mechanically the same as the Polizei-
Pistole but much larger (8in overall with a five-inch barrel), the gun was soon abandoned. Its designation was subsequently applied to locked-
breech prototypes.
AP: The Armee-Pistole of 1936-7 was Walther's first locked-breech design capable of satisfying military requirements. It was a completely novel
design, owing nothing to previous Walther or other pistols. The barrel and slide of the recoil operated AP rode on the frame, the top of the slide
being cut away to expose the breech end of the barrel. The upper surface of a locking wedge in the frame, beneath the barrel, is supported by a
ramp and a spring stud to engage a recess under the barrel; simultaneously, side wings engage recesses in the slide.
Barrel and slide move back together as the gun fires; the barrel lug carrying the spring stud strikes a transom in the frame, forcing the tip of the
stud to force the locking wedge down to disengage the slide. The slide is then freed to reciprocate and complete the loading cycle.

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 The Armee-Pistole had an internal hammer, with the double-action
lock and slide-mounted safety catch of the PP. Recoil springs on
each side of the frame bear against the lower edge of the slide,
while a slide lock and a stripping catch lay on the left side of the
frame. Perhaps a hundred Armee-Pistolen was made but, after tests,
the army expressed a preference for an external hammer.
Armee Pistole (AP): Maker: Carl Walther Waffenfabrik,
Zella-Mehlis. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated).
Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length overall:
8·46in/215mm. Weight, unladen: 27·9oz/790gm. Barrel:
4·72in/120mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable
box. Walther: 9mm Armee
Pistole.
HP: The Heeres Pistole of 1937 was an Armee-Pistole with a modified
slide and an external hammer, improvements which required no
really drastic revisions. The HP was submitted to military trials,
simultaneously being offered commercially. It chambered 7·65mm
or 9mm Parabellum cartridges, the former being much scarcer.
Guns were also advertised in ·38 Super Auto and ·45 ACP, but the production status of these is unknown.
The hammer and lockwork were basically those of the Polizei-Pistolen. The loaded-chamber signal pin was also incorporated, grips being finely
chequered walnut or plastic. Pressing the safety catch of some of the earliest pistols—still semi-experimental—retracted the head of the firing
pin into the breech-block section of the slide, locked the pin in place, and then dropped the cocked hammer to strike the body of the slide.
The army authorities regarded the Heeres-Pistole as acceptable, requesting purely minor changes to facilitate mass-production; these were
agreed by Walther and the modified gun was approved for issue in April 1940 as the 9mm Pistole 38 (or P.38). However, Heeres-Pistolen with
commercial markings were made until the middle of 1944; these are mechanically identical with the military P.38.
P.38: The principal mechanical difference between the prototype
Heeres-Pistolen and the P.38 lay in a slight simplification of the
safety system; applying the safety catch simply locked the firing pin
without withdrawing it from the path of the hammer. When the
hammer was finally released by the safety, it struck the rear of the
pin. Movement was prevented only by the engagement of the
safety-catch shaft with the pin body—safe enough in guns made to
peacetime standards, but not so secure in those made right at the
end of the war when standards of metallurgy had declined.
The extractors of the first 1,500 P.38 were concealed within the
slide, and a simplified cylindrical-headed firing pin replaced the
original rectangular pattern after about 4,500 guns had been made. Walther: P.38.
Production of the P.38 began in Walther's Zella-Mehlis factory in
1939. Marks on the left side of the slide included the Walther name
in the familiar scroll, 'P.38' and a zero-prefix serial number; 13,000
had been made by the late summer of 1940, when the army
authorities introduced a coding system to identify each maker's
products. Walther's Zella Mehlis factory was allotted '480', which replaced the company's banner trademark on the slide. Later in 1940 the
system changed again, Walther's marking becoming the familiar 'ac' and remaining so until the end of the war. The most important of the P.38
contractors, Walther made about 475,000 P.38 in 1940-5.
Towards the end of 1941, in response to a request received some months previously, the Mauser factory in Oberndorf tooled for the P.38.
Production of the P.08 gradually ceased in favour of the Walther design, the first Mauser-made examples of which were delivered in the autumn
of 1942. The guns were coded 'byf' until the final stages of the war, when 'svw' appeared instead. A little over 300,000 Mauser-Pistolen 38 had
been made.
The P.38 was also made by Spreewerke GmbH, the first guns being delivered in May 1942. Spreewerke products are coded 'cyq', those marked
'cvq' (often hailed as a separate variant) simply being marked with a broken die. It has been suggested that these guns were assembled in a
subsidiary factory in Kratzau (Hradkou) in northern Czechoslovakia, but the case is not conclusively proven. Total production amounted to
about 275,000.
Three prime contractors and several major sub-contractors mean that Pistolen 38 will be found with a wide variety of military markings. In
addition, a few thousand well-finished guns were made in 1943 for commercial sale, bearing the standard banner markings and slide legend.
The Heeres-Pistole had been adopted by the Swedish Army as the Pistol M/39, 1,500 commercial-type guns being shipped to Sweden just before
the Second World War began. War ended the contract, and forced the Swedes to adopt the Lahti (q.v.).
When the German Federal Republic reconstituted its army in the 1950s, the Bundeswehr requested the P.38 as its standard handgun, production
began in the Ulm factory in 1957. Renamed 'Pistole 1' (P-1) in 1963, the new P.38 is identical with the wartime version, except for a light alloy
frame and modifications in the safety catch and firing pin. It incorporates an automatic firing-pin safety device (as well as the existing manual
safety) which is only unlocked as the hammer is about to fall. Commercial production also recommenced, guns being made in ·22 LR rimfire,
7·65mm Parabellum and 9mm Parabellum. The rimfire version, however, is a greatly simplified blowback. In 1939, A.F. Stoeger Co. of New
York sold the 'Model HP' for $75. When the P.38 returned to the USA in 1960 the price was $96; in 1990, the standard alloy-frame 9mm gun
cost $995 and the steel-frame version retailed for $1,400.
Pistole 38 [P.38]: Maker: Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella-Mehlis. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm
Parabellum. Length overall: 8·46in/215mm. Weight, unladen: 33·7oz/955gm. Barrel: 4·95in/126mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round
detachable box.
P.38k: This is simply the standard pistol with the barrel reduced to 70mm and the front sight mounted on the tip of the slide instead of the barrel.
Production was not great; the basic P.38 was simply too large for concealment, and the P.38k was simply an interim solution while the P-5 (q.v.)
was being developed.

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P-4: A modified P.38, dating from 1974, this had a shorter barrel and a
recessed hammer face. When the hammer is in its rest position, the
firing pin enters the recess; as the weight of the hammer is taken on the
rear face of the slide, the firing pin cannot be struck. When the trigger
is pressed, an auxiliary arm in the lockwork lifts the firing pin until it
can be struck by the solid face of the hammer.
P-4: Maker. Carl Walther Sportwaffenfabrik, Ulm/Donau. Type:
automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm
Parabellum. Length overall: 7·87in/200mm. Weight, unladen:
28·2oz/800gm. Barrel: 4·33tn/110mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-
round detachable box.
P-5: A progression from the P.38, produced in 1975 in response to
requests made by the West German police for a standard pistol, this Walther: 9mm P-4.
amalgamated the P.38 lock work with a shortened barrel and an all-
enveloping slide. The firing pin and recessed-hammer safety system of
the P-4 were retained, but the slide-mounted safety catch was replaced
by a de-cocking lever on the left side of the frame. The ejection port
lies on top of the slide, spent cases travelling towards the left—an
interesting reversion to early Walther designs. The goal of the redesign was to eliminate the manual safety device, often an encumbrance when
the pistol is needed, but ensure perfect safety at all other times.
P-5 Compact: This 1988-vintage pistol is simply a shorter and lighter P-5, intended
for use where concealability is paramount. It has a light alloy frame, wooden
grips, and the rounded tip of the hammer is less likely to catch in clothing.
P-5 Compact: Maker: Carl Walther Sportwaffenfabrik, Ulm/Donau. Type:
automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length
overall: 6·61in/168mm. Weight, unladen: 27·5oz/780gm. Barrel:
3·11in/79mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
P-88: Announced in 1988, this is the first locked-breech Walther to abandon the
well-tried locking wedge. It utilises the SIG variation of the Browning-cam
system, in which the squared top of the barrel-block rises into an enlarged
ejection port on the slide. The P-5 double-action trigger and safety system are
retained, while the magazine release and the de-cocking lever are duplicated on Walther: 9mm P-5.
both sides of the frame.
P-88: Maker: Carl Walther Sportwaffenfabrik, Ulm/Donau. Type:
automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum. Length
overall: 7·36in/187mm. Weight, unladen: 31·7oz/900gm. Barrel:
4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: fifteen-round detachable box.
P-1A1: Dating from 1989, this improved P-5 has an additional cross-bolt
safety catch in the slide. When applied, the catch forces the firing pin
down to align with the recess in the hammer face. The basic system is thus
unchanged, but is positively reinforced by a manual catch.
P-1A1: Maker: Carl Walther Sportwaffenfabrik, Ulm/Donau. Type:
automatic pistol (recoil operated). Chambering: 9mm Parabellum.
Length overall: 7·05in/179mm. Weight, unladen: 28·6oz/810gm.
Barrel: 3·54in/90mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
TARGET PISTOLS
Sport-Pistole: This ·22-calibre blowback was introduced in Germany in 1926,
selling steadily but unspectacularly for some years. In 1932, a German
marksman firing one of these guns unexpectedly took a silver medal at the
Los Angeles Olympic Games and pistols were soon being misleadingly Walther: P-88.
sold in the USA as 'Model 1932'. The Walther was a similar to some of the
company's earlier guns, with a fixed barrel and open-top slide. It had an
internal hammer, the safety catch lay on the frame, and the barrel
originally measured either 150mm or 230mm. After the Olympic Games, a
190mm barrel was added to the options. A few guns were fitted with alloy
slides and chambered the ·22 Short cartridge for use in rapid-fire competitions.

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Olympia-Modell: This, an
improved Sport-Pistole, was
produced specifically to meet
the needs of the German team
being selected for the Berlin
Olympic Games of 1936. The
basic design was similar to the
earlier gun, but more streamlined
and better balanced; its frame
contours obviously owed much to the
Polizei-Pistolen. Pre-production guns, developed in 1934,
had exposed hammers; fault was found, however, and an enclosed-
hammer lock with a very rapid hammer fall was substituted. Production began
late in 1935.
The standard commercial Olympia chambered ·22 rimfire cartridges, but most
competition guns were made in ·22 Short with alloy slides. A large and well-fitting
wooden grip was used, extending well below the bottom of the butt frame, and
the magazine had a wooden block extension on the bottom plate to match. The Walther: Olympia-Pistole.
basic or Standard Model (·22 LR) had a 190mm barrel; the Jagermodell (·22 LR)
for German national championships had a 120mm barrel; the Funfkampfmodell (·22 LR), used in the Modern
Pentathlon, had a 240mm barrel; the Schnellfeuermodell (·22 Short), for rapid-fire competitions, had a 190mm barrel; and the Sportmodell had a
100mm barrel. Magazines all contained ten rounds, excepting the six-round Funfkampf pattern. Various sights, grip and balance-weight options
were available to tailor pistols to the requirements of individual marksmen.
The Olympia-Modell was first-class, living up to Walther's expectations; German marksmen took the gold and silver medals in the rapid-fire
competition in 1936. The basic design was licensed to Hammerli (q.v.) in the early 1950s.
Olympia-Modell: Data for Funfkampfmodell, without auxiliary weights. Maker: Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella-Mehlis. Type:
automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: 12·99in/330mm. Weight, unladen: 35·6oz/1,010gm. Barrel:
9·65in/245mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round detachable box.
Model SC: Apparently dating from 1956, this Manurhin-made ·22 LR derivation of the Polizei-Pistole was made with a 150mm or 210mm barrel, a
ten-round magazine, target-style grips, an adjustable back sight, and an extended hammer spur. The objective was a target pistol of adequate
quality, but stopping short of the refinements demanded by ISU and Olympic-class shooters. A variant model in ·22 Short appeared about the
same time. Neither gun lasted much beyond 1963.
OSP: Introduced in 1962, the Olympia
Schnellfeuer-Pistole is a far cry from
the Olympia-Modell; gone are the
graceful curves, as severely functional
OSP is merely a machine for delivering
bullets accurately. For all its graceless
shape, it balances well and feels good
in the hand; and accuracy is beyond
reproach. The OSP is still a fixed-barrel
blowback, but a bolt, cocked by wings
on each side, reciprocates in the
rectangular receiver. The grip is a
massive anatomical pattern; the
detachable box. magazine fits into a Walther: ·22 Short OSP.
housing in front of the trigger guard,
and a stripping catch appears on the
right side of the frame. The back sight
is fully adjustable, the trigger may be
set to differing release pressures, and the 115mm barrel is chambered for the ·22 Short cartridge. A change from eight- to six-groove rifling was
made shortly after production began, and four vents were bored into the barrel top surface from 1964 onward. Pistols made before 1971 had
rounded barrel contours and a near-circular trigger aperture; later guns share the slab-sided barrel of the GSP.
OSP: Data for 1980s version. Maker: Carl Walther Sportwaffenfabrik, Ulm/Donau. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22
Short rimfire. Length overall: 11·50in/292mm. Weight, unladen: 39·5oz/1,120gm. Barrel: 4·25in/108mm, rifled. Magazine: five-round
detachable box.
GSP: The Gebrauchs und Standard
Pistole of 1968, the current Walther
Standard Pistol, was a modification
of the highly successful OSP. It
introduced the modern slab-side
barrel, and has a noticeably oval
trigger aperture. It chambers ·22 LR rimfire
ammunition and has a shorter sight radius than its companion.
GSP: Maker: Carl Walther Sportwaffenfabrik, Ulm/Donau.
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire.
Length overall: 11·50in/292mm. Weight, unladen: 41·6oz/1,180gm.
Barrel: 4·53in/115mm, rifled. Magazine: five-round detachable box.
GSP-C: This 1968-vintage centre-fire GSP chambers the ·32 S&W Long
Wadcutter cartridge. A conversion unit (comprising bolt, barrel and magazine) can
transform it to ·22 LR if required. Walther: ·22 LR GSP.

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FP: Entirely different from the other Walther target pistols, this 1979-vintage introduction is a single-shot Free Pistol with a Martini-type dropping
block operated by a lever on the right side of the frame. The firing circuit is electronic; a solenoid firing pin is actuated by a trigger switch and a
9-volt battery. Opening the breech breaks the firing circuit; closing the breech restores the circuit and charges a capacitor to power the solenoid.
A 'ready light' indicates when the system is ready to fire.
FP: Maker: Carl Walther Sportwaffenfabrik, Ulm/Donau. Type: single-shot pistol. Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall:
17·32in/440mm. Weight, unladen: 47·6oz/1,350gm. Barrel: 11·81in/300mm, rifled. Magazine: none.
THE ULTRA PISTOLS
In the 1930s, Walther began questioning the utility of the standard pocket-pistol cartridges—6·35mm Auto, 7·65mm Auto, 9mm Short—and, in
conjunction with the Gustav Genschow Patronenfabrik of Durlach, began development of the Ultra series.
The 6·45mm, 8mm and 9mm-calibre Ultra rounds were designed to extract maximum performance without demanding the complexity of a locked
breech. Special models of the PP and PPK pistols were chambered to suit, and the designs were finalised in 1938. Ultimately, however, no-one was
keen to gamble on the new calibres when the international situation held so little promise for commercial exploitation. The project was shelved, and
the war effectively killed it. It is said that 20,000 rounds were made in each calibre, most being used in test-firing. The special pistols were probably
also tested virtually to destruction. Any that remained were probably dispersed in 1945; ammunition is similarly scarce.
The project was not entirely forgotten, as it is generally accepted that 9 x 18mm Makarov and 9 x 18mm Police cartridges were both inspired by
knowledge of the Ultra programme.

WARNANT (BELGIUM)
Established in the mid nineteenth century as jobbing gunmakers, L. & J. Warnant Freres of Hognee made
all the usual types of sporting gun. Jean Warnant then became interested in revolvers, eventually patenting
a double- action lock which was widely adopted by others. The Warnant brothers produced many
revolvers between 1870 and 1890, all offering hinged frames adapted from contemporaneous Smith &
Wesson practice. Most of them had cylindrical barrels, folding triggers, and relied on a pierced plate
behind the cylinder to eject spent cases automatically. They are commonly found in ·320, ·380 and ·450. A
version with a conventional trigger guard and arms on the standing breech to lock the top-strap to the
frame, relying on the same plate-type ejector, was generally more robust—though made in the same three
standard calibres.
The Warnant brothers took to the pistol in the 1890s with a confusion of patents and designs, none of
which achieved much success. Their first attempt to break away from the revolver came with the Warnant-
Creon mechanical repeater, with a hinged Martini-type breech block and a tubular magazine, but the gun never
progressed farther than the prototype stage. The next patent protected a hinged-barrel automatic which became the Warnant: 6·35mm.
Pieper (q.v.) pistol. Warnant also held a secondary patent in which the fixed barrel unit was pinned to the frame; when Pieper licensed the hinged-
frame design, Warnant decided to exploit the alternative pattern.
The resulting 6·35mm Warnant pistol had the barrel forged integrally with the frame and a sheet metal receiver containing the bolt. The bolt
consisted of a tubular section which passed over the barrel and a rectangular breech block which lay behind the chamber. The recoil spring lay
inside the tubular section of the bolt, which could be cocked with serrated wings exposed at the rear of the receiver. A six round magazine went into
the butt.
The Warnant pistol appeared in 1908, but less than two thousand were made before the design was modified. The new receiver was milled from
steel and could be removed (complete with bolt and recoil spring) by drawing it back, lifting at the rear, and sliding the whole assembly forward
over the short barrel.
In 1912, Warnant introduced a 7·65mm pistol of entirely different design. Based on the familiar 1903-model Browning, it had a separate breech
block. The block was inserted in a wide slot in the rear of the slide, and held by a heavy cross-bolt. This construction avoided infringing patents and
simplified stripping; by removing the bolt, the breech block could be removed from the rear and the slide taken forward over the fixed barrel.
Once again, the Warnant brothers were foiled by fate; before this pistol—which was an effectual design—could become established, war broke out
in 1914, the Germans invaded Belgium, and the Warnant enterprise closed down.
Warnant: Maker: Warnant Freres, Hognee-lez-Liege. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·380. Length overall: 11·22in/285mm. Weight,
unladen: unknown. Barrel: 5·91in/150mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Warnant: Maker: Warnant Freres, Hognee-lez-Liege. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall:
4·33in/110mm. Weight, unladen: 10·4oz/295gm. Barrel: 1·69in/43mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

WEBLEY (BRITAIN)
Philip Webley served his apprenticeship as a gun-lock filer before entering a partnership with his brother. In 1838 he married the daughter of
William Davis, a gun implement and bullet maker; Davis had died some years earlier, so Webley inherited his business. Cap-lock revolvers, bullet
moulds and associated equipment were made while Webley conducted trials of manufacturing systems with a view to mass-producing
interchangeable parts. When Colt closed his London factory in 1857, Webley seized his opportunity; trade began to grow rapidly. The American
Civil War gave the Webley company a useful boost, and a small government contract followed.
Webley was never afraid to try new ideas and always employed the best designers, but, having introduced a sound design, tended to stick with it.
Modifications were subsequently introduced as experienced suggested them, while striving to maintain the character of the basic weapon.
Consequently, unlike the clear-cut categorisation of other manufacturers, Webley handguns exist in a bewildering variety of minor variants. As it is
very difficult to develop an adequate chronology in a few pages, the guns have been split into groups.
ROYAL IRISH CONSTABULARY MODELS
In 1867, Webley launched a compact revolver which was to remain in production for over fifty years. The gun was adopted by the newly-formed
Royal Irish Constabulary in 1868, and immediately became associated with the RIC name. Many variants were made in differing calibres and barrel
lengths, but all offered a solid-frame pattern and of great durability and reliability.
·450 Model 1872: This was the commercial version of the RIC revolver. The iron frame was almost identical to the service version, and the cylinder
was loaded through a gate on the right side; a swivelling ejector rod was carried on the cylinder arbor pin. The barrel was 3·25in long and had a
small rounded front sight. The butt was rounded, with heavily chequered wooden grips, and the notably large trigger guard was oval.

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 A slightly modified gun with a 3·5in barrel (still known as the 'M1872') appeared a few months after the 3·25in barrelled pattern. A few small
changes were made in the shaping of parts; consequently, the loading gate had a square section instead of rounded, the contours of the butt were
different, a lanyard ring appeared on the butt cap, and the top strap had a hump at the rear end. The calibre remained ·450.
RIC M1872: Maker: P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre ·450. Length overall: 8·00in/203mm. Weight,
unladen: 24·7oz/700gm. Barrel: 3·23in/82mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
·442 Model 1872: This snub-nose revolver was the forerunner of the whole
range of short 2·5in-barrelled Webleys. Although part of the RIC family,
it has specific differences from the two different ·450 patterns and may
have been adapted from an earlier ·577 gun. The front of the frame was
much more rounded, an ejector rod was lacking even though a loading
gate was fitted, and the front sight was a small solid bead.
RIC, Metropolitan & County Police Model: Dating from 1880, this was
much the same as the second ·450 RIC pattern; large numbers were made
for police use in the 1880s. The barrel was 2·5in long.
RIC, Metropolitan & County Model: Maker: P. Webley & Sons,
Birmingham. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·450. Length
overall: 6·25in/159mm. Weight, unladen: 25·9oz/735gm. Barrel:
2·50in/64mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
·430 James Hill Model: Also dating from 1880, this is virtually identical to Webley: ·450
the preceding pattern, Webley made the guns for James Hill, a London Metropolitan Police.
gunsmith, chambering them—as requested—for the ·430 Eley cartridge.
The initials 'W.J.H.' are stamped into the frame.
James Hill Model: Maker: P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·430. Length overall: 7·00in/178mm.
Weight, unladen: 25·0oz/710gm. Barrel: 2·50in/64mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
RIC No. 1 New Model: Introduced in 1883, this was the last RIC model to be made in quantity. The ·455 New Model had a 4·5in barrel and a
partially fluted cylinder. Designed to fire as many different types of ammunition as possible, the guns could fire at least seven different
cartridges—ranging from ·44 Winchester to ·476 Enfield—at the time of their introduction.
RIC No.1 New Model: Maker: P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·455. Length overall:
9·00in/229mm. Weight, unladen: 30·2oz/855gm. Barrel: 4·50in/114mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Short Barrelled New Model: Introduced at the same
time as the New Model, described above, this 2·5in-
barrelled ·450 version was intended as a police
weapon. It was immediately adopted by London's
Metropolitan Police, then exported to Australia and
other colonies. Police models bore Webley's handcuff
trademark and the letters 'MP'.
Naval Service RIC Model: Dating from 1884, this
differs in several respects from normal RIC practice;
the 2·63in barrel was octagonal; the frame was made
of brass; and the steel barrel, cylinder and associated
parts were chemically blackened to protect against Webley: ·450 solid-frame
corrosion. with Silver & Fletcher's
Silver & Fletcher's Patent Model: The 1884-patent automatic extractor.
Silver & Fletcher combined safety and ejector
appeared on several types of revolver in the 1880s.
These included a few RIC-type Webleys, all
apparently in ·450 calibre. In common with most
devices of its type, Silver & Fletcher's relied on a
lever driven by the falling hammer to flick the
cartridge case out of the chamber opposite the loading gate; and, like most such devices, interfered with the free fall of the hammer and
promoted misfires if the cartridge caps were harder than normal.
The mechanism was an extra expense, and was not a success. Guns so fitted were marked SILVER & FLETCHER'S PATENT "THE EXPERT";
the Webley name did not appear.
THE BRITISH BULLDOGS
These were one of Webley's most successful designs. Made in varying forms from 1878
to 1914, they were intended purely for commercial sale and were mostly exported
throughout the Empire; at least one mounted infantry regiment in South Africa was
equipped with Bulldogs. The basic short-barrelled five-shot large calibre solid-frame
revolver had a distinctive curved butt. It was widely copied, finding especial favour with
Belgian gunmakers.
First Model: Introduced in 1878, a ·442 centre-fire gun was soon followed by a ·450 and
then by a ·44 rimfire. All three versions had smooth-surfaced cylinders; the only
other similar Bulldog was a ·320 pattern introduced in 1880.
Bulldog (First Model): Maker: P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham. Type: solid-
frame revolver. Calibre: ·442. Length overall: 6·25in/159mm. Weight,
unladen: 16·0oz/455gm. Barrel: 2·50in/64mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber Webley: ·450 Bulldog.
cylinder.
Second Model: This 1883-vintage pattern had a fluted cylinder, saving a little weight,
and a longer butt allowing a firmer hold—necessary in ·450 calibre.

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The Pug: Produced concurrently with the first-pattern Bulldog, this was a five-shot ·410 rimfire revolver with a stubby 2·38in barrel providing
inspiration for the name. Built on a solid frame, the Pug had a hinged loading gate on the right side of the frame; empty cases were ejected by
unscrewing the knob of a short rod carried in the butt. As the Pug was intended as a pocket pistol, its frame was smoothed to avoid snagging
clothing. A few ·450-calibre guns were also made.
The Pug: Maker: P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·41 rimfire. Length overall: 6·13in/156mm.
Weight, unladen: 15·9oz/450gm. Barrel: 2·38in/66mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.
Tower Bulldog: This differs little from the
general run of Bulldogs, though the frame
is more angular and has a prawl above the
grip to give a better hold. The hammer
spur flares upward more than on other
Bulldogs. The guns are usually marked
LONDON TOWER on the frame ahead of
the cylinder, together with a representation
of the Tower of London.
Army Express Models: Dating from 1878,
these were powerful weapons designed for
service use. They were preceded by a six- Webley: ·455 No.5 Army
shot ·455/476 revolver representing an Express.
advance on anything Webley had
produced. This is generally known as the
'Army Express Revolver', but was short-
lived. It had a hinged frame, and a six-inch
barrel with a spring-loaded ejector rod on
the right side aligned with the loading gate.
The gate locked the hammer at half-cock
when opened; when the hammer was
cocked, it locked the gate shut. The one-piece walnut butt had a lanyard ring.
While the Army Express Revolver was still being sold, "Webley's New Model Army Express" appeared; this gun was much the same as its
predecessor, but had a bird's head butt and two separate grips. It was chambered for the regulation ·455 cartridge or ·476 Enfield. Some guns
were sold in southern Africa in the 1880s, subsequently appearing in the hands of South African Republic troops during the Second South
African (Boer) War; a few had been fitted with Silver & Fletcher safety hammers and extractors before leaving England.
A ·476-calibre single-action New Model Army Express was issued to the Cape Mounted Rifles in Cape Colony; it had been made especially for
the regiment and appears to have been the only single-action revolver ever made in the solid-frame series.
Army Express No.5: Maker: P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham. Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: ·450. Length overall: 11·00in/279mm.
Weight, unladen: 34·0oz/965gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
SINGLE-ACTION HINGED-FRAME REVOLVERS
Pryse Models: Webley began production of a
new type of self-extracting hinged-frame
revolver in 1877, incorporating patents
granted Charles Pryse a year previously.
The two principal features were the
rebounding hammer and the cylinder lock.
The hammer was arranged so that the main spring lifted the hammer
to half-cock when the trigger was released after firing. The hammer was then
held in that position and could not be driven forward accidentally; since the late 1870s,
very few revolvers of repute have ignored the rebounding hammer, even though few move
back as far as half-cock.
The cylinder lock was a stud or arm actuated by the trigger, which locked into a ring of special
slots in the cylinder. This aligned a chamber with the barrel, freeing the cylinder only when the
trigger was pulled. Pressing the trigger withdrew the lock and revolved the cylinder to align the
next chamber; when this had been completed, an auxiliary spring-loaded stud engaged a slot to Webley: ·455 hinged-
lock the cylinder once more. Pryse-type guns also had a double-bolt latch locking into the top frame Webley-Pryse.
strap of the frame through the standing breech. The latch was controlled by arms on each side
of the breech.
Pryse patents were licensed to gunmakers other than Webley, but the Webley-Pryse range was probably the widest. Guns
were made in all the major calibres from ·320 to ·577, all of the same basic design, with barrels of 3in to 5·69in.
Webley-Pryse: Maker: P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Calibre: ·320. Length overall: 7·00in/178mm.
Weight, unladen: 19·0oz/540gm. Barrel: 3·00in/76mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Webley-Wilkinson-Pryse: Concurrently with the Pryse models, Webley also made a special series of similar revolvers for the London sword
makers Henry Wilkinson & Son. Wilkinson supplied swords to officers and reasoned that when an officer bought a sword, it would be good
business to sell him a revolver. These 'Wilkinson' revolvers differed from standard Webleys only in finish.
The Wilkinson No. 1 Model was made in Belgium in ·476; it differed from the Webley guns in the cylinder stops, to the rear of the cylinder, and
in the design of the cylinder release. The 6·5in barrel was rifled with five grooves. This model was introduced in 1878; a later 1880 pattern was
in ·450.
Subsequent Wilkinson models were made exclusively by Webley, the tops of most barrel ribs being engraved WILKINSON & SON, PALL
MALL, LONDON. Wilkinson's 'HW' and six-pointed star trademark lay either under the trigger guard or on the bottom of the butt, together with
his own serial number. Made of German silver, the front sight was a simple blade; the back sight comprised a silver triangle set into a steel
notch.
In the 1892-model Wilkinson, Pryse influence declined and the revolver was virtually pure Webley—particularly notable in the stirrup-type
barrel latch and the cylinder assembly. Another Wilkinson appeared in 1905, adding a few Wilkinson-inspired refinements to the
227
 contemporaneous Webley Mark 4. The 1911 -model Wilkinson was largely unchanged; by this time, there was little pretence that they were
anything other than selected Webley revolvers even though they still carried the additional Wilkinson serial number. Target versions were also
offered, generally with longer barrels; carefully honed triggers; and chequering on butt, trigger and back strap. The usual target barrel was 7·5in
long.
Webley-Wilkinson-Pryse: Maker:
P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham,
for the Wilkinson Sword Co Ltd,
London. Type: hinged-frame
revolver. Calibre: ·450. Length
overall: 11·00in/279mm. Weight, unladen:
38·5oz/1,090gm. Barrel: 6·50in/165mm, rifled. Magazine: six-
chamber cylinder.
DOUBLE ACTION HINGED-FRAME MODELS
Webley-Kaufmann: Employed by Webley in 1878-81, Michael Kaufmann was a talented
designer who developed some useful mechanical arrangements for revolvers. These included a
new hinged-frame latch and a new lock mechanism.
The frame bolt consisted of two short movable rods in the standing frame and a third in the top
strap. The left hand frame rod, retained by a pin in a short longitudinal slot, had a push-
button head. The right-hand rod was retained by a leaf-spring attached to the outside of the Webley: ·455 Webley-
frame; the short rod in the top strap was held by a small screw engaging a transverse groove. Wilkinson.
When the action was closed, the spring pressed all three rods to the left until their noses
passed across the joints between the standing frame and the top strap. This locked the action shut. When the push-button
was pressed inward, it moved the rods to the right until their noses aligned with the gaps between the frame and top strap.
The top strap could then be swung upward, by pushing down on the muzzle. The noses of the movable rods were chamfered
so that the action could be snapped shut.
Kaufmann's trigger and hammer mechanism contained only five parts, which resulted in a light but crisp action greatly appreciated by
experienced firers.
The first Webley-Kaufmann patterns were six-shot double-action ·450 revolvers with 5·25in barrels. These were soon followed by an improved
model, the most important change being the replacement of the push-button with the familiar pivoted arm; this could be pressed with the thumb
of the firing hand—much more conveniently than its predecessor—and gave an additional camming action to the locking-bolt assembly. This
had been patented by Henry Webley in 1883. The cylinder lock was modified, and an additional lock prevented the cylinder opening while the
hammer was cocked.
Most of these guns were made in ·455, though a few chambered the ·476 Enfield cartridge. All the Kaufmann revolvers displayed 'MK' and a
number on the right of the frame, inside a triangle, in recognition of the original patent.
Webley-Kaufmann: Maker: P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Calibre: ·476. Length overall:
11·00in/279mm. Weight, unladen: 40·0oz/1,135gm. Barrel: 5·75in/146mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Webley-Green Model 1882: This
important range was always known as
the 'W.G.'; the differing models ran in
sequence from 1882 to 1896,
manufacture continuing until the first
years of the twentieth century. Edwinson Green (q.v.) of
Cheltenham originated the 'Webley' stirrup barrel-lock, but controversy
still surrounds these revolvers as a result of attempts by both Webley & Scott
and modern Webley enthusiasts to promote the alternative term 'Webley
Government'.
Webley-Green revolvers were a pleasing combination of all the best Webley. The
Kaufmann-inspired lockwork was joined by a Webley-Pryse cylinder-release system, with
inspiration from the Webley-Wilkinson and the government Enfield revolver. The bird's head
butt was retained, and the cylinder flutes had angular instead of semicircular ends. The 1882
pattern, in ·455/476 calibre, had a six-inch barrel.
Webley-Green M1882: Maker: P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham. Type: hinged-frame Webley: ·476 Webley-
revolver. Calibre: ·455. Length overall: 11·25in/286mm. Weight, unladen: Green Army Model 1889.
40·0oz/1,135gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Webley-Green Model 1885: The Pryse-type cylinder release was replaced in 1885 by a large slotted screw that could be
turned by a coin. Minor changes were also made to the extractor, which became an original Webley design rather than an
amalgam of others. The calibre and barrel-length remained unchanged.
Webley-Green Model 1889: A significant change on this pattern was the abandonment of the bird's head butt for one with a wide flared base with
the usual flattened lanyard ring. This gave a much improved grip and shooters began to find the Webley-Green a good target revolver—
consequently, special 7·5in-barrelled examples were made with improved sights. All the 1889 W-G models were stamped "W.G." MODEL
1889, whereas the previous models had been marked WEBLEY PATENTS; 1889 also marked the introduction of year-dates on Webley
revolvers.
Webley-Green Model 1892: For 1892, the calibre was reduced to ·450; the popular flared butt was retained. Changes were made to the lockwork,
the ejector and the cylinder release, the principles of which were then retained in all subsequent Webley revolvers.
The cylinder release, patented by William Whiting in 1891, releases the cylinder when the action is open but automatically locks it in place
when the action is closed. The cam and lever for operating this system are screwed to the left side of the barrel lug and, with slight variations,
have provided a Webley recognition feature ever since.
Webley-Green Army Model 1892: Made only in small numbers, this rarely encountered revolver can be regarded as the first of the 'W.G.' Army
series. An updated 1882 model in many ways, it used the same six-inch ·450, ·455 or ·476 barrel, bird's head butt and fixed sights, but
incorporated the improved cylinder release and action of the standard Model 1892.

228
 Webley-Green Army M1892: Maker: P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Calibre: ·455. Length overall:
11·50in/292mm. Weight, unladen: 40·2oz/1,140gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Webley-Green Target Model 1893: Only a single mechanical change had been
made from the previous year's design: adoption of a flat-faced hammer and a
floating firing-pin set in the standing breech. The reason for this change is
not known, and it did not survive for long. Stamping the year of issue,
introduced in 1889, was abandoned after only four years. The M1893 was
the last Webley revolver with angular-ended cylinder fluting; subsequent
models reverted to semicircular ends.
Webley-Green Target M1893: Maker: P. Webley & Sons,
Birmingham. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Calibre: ·450. Length
overall: 13·25in/337mm. Weight, unladen: 44·1 oz/1,250gm. Barrel:
6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Webley: ·320 Pocket
Webley-Green Target Model 1896: Design of these guns had been all but Hammerless Model with
stabilised on the 1892/3 patterns, with very minor amendments. Visible safety catch.
differences were the adoption of the round-end flutes on the cylinder and a
return to a conventional hammer with an integral firing pin.
Pocket Hammerless Model: In 1898, Webley produced a small hinged-frame ·320
pocket revolver with a concealed hammer, a six-chamber cylinder, a three-inch
barrel and a sharply-curved butt. A sliding safety catch appeared above the hammer
shroud, and the frame was locked by a simplified barrel latch carrying the back-
sight notch. Pocket Hammerless guns remained available until 1934.
Pocket Hammerless [1898 pattern]: Maker. Webley & Scott Revolver &
Arms Co. Ltd, Birmingham. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Calibre: ·320.
Length overall: 7·00in/178mm. Weight, unladen: 18·0oz/510gm. Barrel:
3·00in/76mm,rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Pocket Hammer Model: Introduced in 1901, this reverted to an exposed
hammer. The barrel latch was simplified by discarding the thumb lever; the Webley: ·320 Pocket
Model.
latch-top was serrated so that it could be drawn back with the thumb.
Production continued until 1934.
Double-Barrel Pistol: This 1890-vintage 'under-and-over' is an oddity among Webleys. The company had made a similar weapon in the 1870s in a
variety of calibres, but the guns were never particularly successful; a revival twenty years later is perplexing. The ·450-calibre pistol had a pair
of three-inch barrels which could be rotated about a central pin. They were turned by hand and locked by a small spring-loaded lug. Survivors
are so rare that the double-barrel Webley could not have been a commercial success.
Webley Double-Barrel Pistol: Maker: P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham. Type: two-shot pistol. Calibre: ·450. Length overall:
6·00in/152mm. Weight, unladen: 15·9oz/450gm. Barrel: 3·00in/76mm,rifled. Magazine: none.
BRITISH GOVERNMENT MODELS
Webley had always realised that the best basis for the
business would be government contracts, spending a great
deal of effort developing carefully-made weapons with
completely interchangeable parts. The British authorities
adopted the Enfield (q.v.) revolver in 1880, but this was so
unsatisfactory that the search for an acceptable design
continued. By 1886 the choice had narrowed to the hinged-
frame Smith & Wesson or a new Webley; after extensive
trials, the latter was approved in July 1887.
Webley Mk I: Similar to contemporaneous Webley
commercial revolvers, this 1887-vintage hinged-frame
·442 six-shot pattern had a four-inch barrel and a bird's
head butt. The lock mechanism was refined to only five
components, dispensing with at least five minor parts Webley: 'Pistol, Revolver,
and thus improving reliability. Only a single spring was Webley, ·455 Mark V of
necessary. 1913.
The butt grips were a departure from tradition, being
made from black Vulcanite instead of wood. A later
innovation—made after production had begun—was the
addition of a separate recoil shield in the standing breech, dovetailed in place and held by a screw to combat erosion of the firing-pin hole. If the
pin hole enlarged too far, the recoil shield could be replaced. The change was considered sufficiently important to advance the designation to
Mark I*.
Webley Mark I: Maker: P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Calibre: ·442. Length overall: 9·25in/235mm.
Weight, unladen: 34·7oz/985gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Webley Mark II: Sufficient small modifications had been made to the Mark I design by 1894 to justify sealing a new 'Mark II' pattern. The separate
recoil shield of the Mark I* was retained, the hammer spur was enlarged, the barrel latch was modified, and the contours of the butt were
refined.
However, production of the various marks of Webley revolver frequently overlapped. Existing contracts were often completed even though a
new pattern had been approved and a revised manufacturing contract issued—e.g., Mark II revolvers were still being assembled in 1900, three
years after the Mark III had been introduced.
Webley Mark III: Approved in October 1897, this was basically a Mark II with a barrel unit and cylinder assembly adapted from the Webley-
Green of 1892. This gave a better cylinder release and less friction during rotation. Small changes were also made to the recoil shield and
extractor lever, though components could still be interchanged with those of earlier Marks. Production of the Mark III continued for some time
after the Mark IV was introduced, and certainly extended throughout the Second South African War.
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Webley Mark IV: Approved in 1899, this was the first service revolver to be produced solely in ·455 calibre; earlier Marks were available in ·442,
·455 and ·476 as required but, by 1899, the ·455 round had been standardised and earlier ammunition was considered obsolescent. This Webley
is often called the 'Boer War Model', partly because approval coincided with the start of hostilities and partly because many volunteer units sent
to southern Africa were armed with it.
Apart from the standardisation of calibre, few changes had been made to the Mark III; the specification for the frame and barrel unit was
changed to a higher grade of steel, and some components were case-hardened to resist wear. The hammer spur and the cylinder locking slots
were widened. The alterations were concerned with improving reliability without affecting operation.
Webley Mark V: Dating from 1913, this was
little more than a Mark IV with a slightly
larger cylinder and corresponding
adjustments to the frame; the changes had
been made to give the additional strength
necessary to handle smokeless cartridges.
The approved pattern had a four-inch barrel but a 'Land Service
Only' pattern with six-inch barrel was approved in 1915. A few guns were made with
7·5in barrels.
Webley Mark VI: This 1915-vintage revolver can be considered as the perfected or definitive
Webley, remaining in service until the end of the Second World War even though nominally
replaced by a ·38 weapon in 1932. Changes from the Mark V were not great; the barrel length
was still six inches, but the shape of the butt changed from bird's head to squared-off.
The Mark VI was host to some eccentric inventions. The Pritchard-Greener Bayonet, for
example, was made by embedding old French bayonet blades in a cast-brass hilt. This located Webley: ·38 Mark III
on the barrel lug, holster guides and front sight block to provide a last-ditch defence. It did commercial-pattern.
not interfere with the operation of the revolver, and was touted (without conspicuous success)
for its value in hand-to-hand trench fighting. A shoulder stock was also developed, but saw little use. Webley
continued to make Mk VI revolvers until the end of the First World War; in 1921, however, work was transferred to
the Royal Small Arms Factory at Enfield Lock and continued at a very slow rate. Government-made guns are
identical with the Webley models, excepting for slimmer grips and a crowned ENFIELD mark. Production ended with the introduction of the
Enfield (q.v.) ·38 revolver.
Webley Mark VI: Maker: Webley & Scott Revolver & Arms Co. Ltd, Birmingham. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Calibre: ·455. Length
overall: 11·25in/286mm. Weight, unladen: 37·9oz/1,075gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
·22 RF Mark VI: This rimfire revolver was approved in 1918 to facilitate practice and encourage shooting on indoor ranges. The cylinder and
barrel were changed, but the rest was standard Mark VI to give realistic handling qualities. A notable gap lay between the face of the cylinder
and the front of the frame aperture, requiring the special round barrel to be extended backward to abut the chamber-mouth, and the front sight
was raised to bring it into line with the back sight.
Webley·22 Mark VI: Maker: Webley & Scott Revolver & Arms Co. Ltd and Parker-Hale & Co. Ltd. Birmingham. Type; hinged-frame
revolver. Calibre: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: 11·75in/298mm. Weight, unladen: 43·9oz/1,245gm. Barrel: 7·00in/178mm, rifled.
Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
COMMERCIAL-TYPE GOVERNMENT REVOLVERS
Throughout the production life of the Webley government-pattern revolver, work continued in parallel for police and commercial markets. Though
these were in ·38 (and sometimes also ·32), they followed the pattern of the service weapons.
Marks II and III: Introduced in 1896-7, these six-shot ·38-calibre revolvers had four-inch barrels and bird's head butts with a prawl behind the
hammer to protect the thumb. Some were made with conventional hammers; others had flat-faced hammers and floating firing pins. The Mark
III adopted a short square-ended butt which probably gave a better grip that the rounded type. Some police models had a safety catch on the left
side of the frame.
W.S. Army and Bisley Target Models: In
1904 Webley & Scott introduced a ·455
target revolver marked either W.S. ARMY
MODEL or W.S. TARGET MODEL on
the top strap. The guns were essentially
similar and known collectively as 'Bisley Target
Revolvers'. Foreshadowing the appearance of the future Mark VI,
though built from Mark IV components, they had barrels of 4in, 6in or 7·5in and the
usual target sights.
·38 Mark IV: When the British Army decided to develop a ·38 revolver in 1927, the
forty-year connection with Webley ended. The company introduced the Mark IV ·38
revolver in 1929, concentrating on the commercial and export markets in the absence of
official orders. The ·38 Mark IV was little different from the government-made Enfield—
which had been based on Webley principles—though its lockwork was pure Webley. The Webley: ·455 Webley
Enfield mechanism had been modified by Royal Small Arms Factory technicians. Service ('W.S.') Army
The Webley Mark IV was produced with barrels of 4in and 5in, and sold widely to police Model.
forces throughout the Empire. When the Second World War began, the War Office ordered
more than 100,000 .38 Mark IV revolvers in 1940-5; they were issued alongside the essentially similar Enfield,
remaining in service until 1956.
·38 Mark IV: Maker: Webley & Scott Revolver & Arms Co. Ltd, Birmingham. Type: hinged-frame revolver. Calibre ·38. Length overall:
10·13in/257mm. Weight, unladen: 26·0oz/735gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
·38 Mark IV Target Models: Target versions of the standard ·38 revolver were made from the start of the series in 1929 until the mid 1950s,
differing in the careful selection during manufacture and the fitting of laterally-adjustable back sights. Post-1945 guns had six inch barrels.
·22 Mark IV Target Model: A successful rimfire adaption of the ·38 revolver also appeared in 1929, sharing the cylinder and barrel dimensions of
the centre-fire guns. This allowed realistic practice with cheaper ammunition, and was popular with police forces.

230
·32 Mark IV: This was a standard Mark IV, dimensions
being otherwise unaltered excepting calibre.
·32 Mark IV [Pocket]: Maker: Webley &
Scott Revolver & Arms Co, Ltd,
Birmingham. Type: hinged-frame revolver.
Calibre: ·32. Length overall: 7·00in/178mm.
Weight, unladen: 22·0oz/625gm. Barrel.
3·00in/76mm.rifled. Magazine: six-chamber
cylinder.
Mark IV Pocket Models: These were little different
from the earlier Mark III Pocket revolvers, though
they had modified lockwork and holster guides on
the barrel ahead of the cylinder. All had three-inch Webley: ·22 Webley
barrels and chambered either ·32 or ·38 cartridges. A Mark IV. Note the
small number was also made in ·22 LR. stepped cylinder.
AUTOMATIC PISTOLS AND REVOLVERS
Webley-Fosbery Automatic Revolver: The arrival of
the automatic pistol in the 1890s inspired heated
arguments about the relative merits of revolvers and automatics, some of which persist to this day. Colonel George Fosbery VC invented an
automatic revolver which he claimed combined the virtues of both types of weapon.
Fosbery's ideas impressed Webley sufficiently for
production to begin. The Fosbery revolver
comprised two basic units; the frame and the
barrel/cylinder assembly. Recoil caused the
barrel/cylinder unit to slide backward on the
frame as the gun fired, cocking the hammer; at the same
time, a stud in the frame engaging zig-zag grooves in the cylinder- surface
turned the cylinder one-twelfth of a revolution. The barrel unit was then pushed forward
again by a recoil spring, leaving the hammer cocked, and gave the cylinder another one-
twelfth turn. As the barrel came to rest, therefore, a new chamber had been aligned with the
bore.
The two-part construction inevitably increased the size of the weapon, and the Webley-Fosbery—
6oz heavier than comparable conventional Webleys—was no pocket revolver. Yet it was very
pleasant to shoot, owing to the recoil absorbing action of the moving parts, and so became
very popular with target shooters; after 1918, it was excluded from 'Service Pistol'
Webley: ·455 Webley-
competitions on the grounds that it gave firers an unfair advantage! Though the Webley-
Fosbery.
Fosbery had never been approved for universal issue, many had been bought privately by
British officers prior to 1918.
Despite many virtues, the automatic revolver was never marketed in large numbers; it was expensive to make, vulnerable
to dirt and grit, and was useless if the slide jammed. Manufacture ended early in 1915, the Webley-Fosbery being crowded out
by war-contracts for conventional revolvers.
·455 Model 1901: The first production model used as many parts of the existing Mark IV as possible, including the six-inch barrel, sights, hammer
and cylinder arbor. A safety catch on the left side locked the two moving units and the hammer, regardless of position. A Target Model with a
7·5in barrel was also made, fitted with special adjustable sights.
Webley-Fosbery M1901: Maker: Webley & Scott Revolver & Arms Co. Ltd, Birmingham. Type: hinged-frame auto-revolver. Calibre:
·455. Length overall: 10·50in/267mm. Weight, unladen: 40·8oz/1,155gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
·38 Model 1901: Made concurrently with the ·455-calibre Webley-Fosbery, this had a specially-bored cylinder sharing the external dimensions of
the ·455 pattern; consequently, it had eight chambers instead of six. The reduced diameter of the front section of the cylinder provides a most
distinctive feature; in addition, the pattern of the zig-zag grooves had to be modified. The chambering was ·38 Automatic, rather than any of the
existing ·38 revolver cartridges; the semi-rim ·38 extracted normally and gave better ballistics than the revolver rounds. These ·38-calibre models
were renowned for their accuracy, making many competition records, but few were made.
·455 Model 1902: Some minor changes were soon made to the 1901 pattern Webley-Fosbery, most notably by moving the cylinder flutes from the
back of the cylinder to the front. Some were produced with the Pryse-type flat topped barrel, and some target shooters preferred to remove the
safety catch.
Webley-Fosbery M1902: Maker: Webley & Scott Revolver & Arms Co. Ltd, Birmingham. Type: hinged-frame auto-revolver. Calibre:
·38 Auto. Length overall: 10·50in/267mm. Weight, unladen: 37·6oz/1,065gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-chamber
cylinder.
·38 Model 1902: Similar changes were made to the ·38 Model 1901, aimed at simplifying manufacture. They made little or no difference to
operation.
·455 Model 1914: This was simply a refinement of the 1902 model, incorporating no significant changes. The Target version was made with a 7·5in
barrel, and a very few guns were made with four-inch barrels—possibly to special order.
·38 and ·455 Webley-Whiting: During a brief, unsuccessful and doubtless educational flirtation with the Mars (q.v.) pistol at the turn of the
century, Webley & Scott began development of their own design. The first experimental model appeared in 1903. Designed by William Whiting,
the works manager, it chambered the ·38 round; a modified pistol, for ·38 or a new ·455 rimless cartridge appeared in 1904. Neither pattern was
made in quantity. They were followed by the 1906-pattern ·455, the first in which the familiar diagonally-sliding block was employed to secure
the barrel and slide at the instant of firing.
The Webley automatics are immediately recognisable by their upright and square appearance, the graceful lines of the revolvers being
completely lost. They were never very popular, even though they shoot quite well once the firer is familiar with them.

231
·32 and ·380 Model 1906: This blowback pistol was the first Webley & Scott automatic
offered for sale. Made until 1939, it was adopted by the Metropolitan Police in 1911.
The ·32 model underwent continual changes during its production life, some of which
were fundamental, to simplify manufacture or improve operation.
The most obvious modification affected the safety catch. The earliest guns had a
catch on the left side of the external hammer. By pressing this down when the
hammer was at half-cock, the action was locked and the gun could be carried safely
even if loaded. Later versions, however, had the catch on the frame above the left
grip. The barrel was 3·5in long and the magazine held eight rounds; the Model 1906
was available in either ·32 ACP (7·65mm Auto) or ·380 ACP (9mm Short). Webley: ·32 M1906
Model 1906: Maker: Webley & Scott Revolver & Arms Co. Ltd. Birmingham. pistol-pattern, with a
Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·32 ACP. Length overall: safety catch on the
6·25in/159mm. Weight, unladen: 20·0oz/565gm. Barrel: 3·50in/89mm, rifled. hammer.
Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
·25 External Hammer Model 1906: This was a scaled-down version of the ·32 M1906 blowback, with the mechanism simplified to the extreme.
An ugly weapon, it was too small to hold satisfactorily—but remained in production until 1939.
·25 Hammerless Model 1909: A refinement of the 1906 pattern, and even lighter, this was the smallest
Webley pistol ever made. Like most guns in its class, the hammer was simply concealed within the slide.
Harrington & Richardson (q.v.) made this Webley under licence in the USA.
·25 Hammerless M1909: Maker: Webley & Scott Revolver & Arms Co. Ltd, Birmingham. Type:
automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·25 ACP. Length overall: 4·25in/108mm. Weight,
unladen: 10·2oz/290gm. Barrel: 2·13in/54mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable
box.
Webley: ·25 Hammerless
9mm Model 1909: This was developed to satisfy enquiries from Europe which demanded a 1909.
powerful calibre, but not as large as ·455. The breech lock relied on a lug above the breech
locking into a recess in the front end of the short slide. The barrel and slide moved back as the gun fired,
securely locked together, until two sloping ribs on the sides of the breech dropped the barrel and disengaged the lug from its slide recess. The
slide ran back alone to cock the hammer, chambering a fresh round on the return stroke. The 1909-pattern Webley chambered the 9mm
Browning Long cartridge and had a grip safety in the butt back strap.
9mm South African Model: The 9mm Webley of 1909 failed to elicit official orders, though it sold reasonably well commercially. In 1920,
however, the South African police adopted a variant with a manual safety catch on the slide instead of the grip safety; sometimes known as the
'Model 1909 Second version', this was offered for sale until 1930.
·38 High Velocity Hammerless Models: Dating from 1910 and 1913,
though never commercially successful, these represent a progression
in the Webley design. Both were intended for military use and
adopted the ·38 round. They were identical in shape and operation to
the ·455 pistol of 1912 (below) but weighed rather less. A concealed
hammer mechanism was used, the principal difference being that the Webley: ·38 High
1910 model used only a grip safety while the 1913 gun had a manual Velocity 1910 pattern
safety catch on the frame. with grip safety.
·38 HV Hammerless: Maker: Webley & Scott Revolver &
Arms Co. Ltd, Birmingham. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·38 Auto. Length overall:
8·00in/203mm. Weight, unladen: 33·5oz/950gm. Barrel: 5·00in/127mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round
detachable box.
·455 Pistol, Self Loading, Mark I: Perfected in 1912, this is also called the Navy Model, as it was adopted by the Royal
Navy in 1913 and retained until 1945. The gun chambered the ·455 Webley & Scott rimless cartridge, had an
external hammer and grip safety, and accepted a seven-round magazine. The breech-locking system was the proven
diagonally-sliding block.
·455 Pistol Self Loading, Mark I No.2: Approved in April 1915 for issue to the Royal Flying Corps, this gun was also
issued in small numbers to Royal Horse Artillerymen. The butt could be fitted with a shoulder stock and an additional safety held the hammer at
full cock; these features were supposed to allow aviators to fire the pistol at their enemies single-handed, a special back sight being fitted as an
additional aid. Needless to say, the use of handguns in aerial combat was minimal and, in mid 1916, the Webleys were relegated to ground
service. Many survived in the Royal Air Force for many years afterwards.
The use of these pistols in Royal Horse Artillery was equally short-lived, as the mechanism was easily jammed by the mud and dirt of the
battlefield.
·455 Mk I No.2: Maker: Webley & Scott Revolver & Arms Co. Ltd. Birmingham. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated). Calibre: ·455.
Length overall: 8·50in/216mm. Weight, unladen: 39·2oz/1,110gm. Barrel: 5·00in/127mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.
·22 Single-shot Target
Pistol: Two
variants of the
1906-type ·32
automatic pistol were introduced in 1911 as Webley: ·22 single-shot.
potential training pistols. Although resembling the
automatic, they had no recoil spring and the slide had to be unlocked and cycled manually
for every shot. Variants with 4·5in or 9in barrels were offered, the shorter model being
adopted for training by the Metropolitan Police. An improved version—differing in grips
and finish, and very popular on the shooting range—was marketed until the 1950s.
·22 Target Pistol: Maker: Webley & Scott Ltd. Birmingham. Type: single-shot pistol. Chambering:
·22 LR rimfire. Length overall: 13·75in/349mm. Weight, unladen: 37·0oz/1,050gm. Barrel:
10·00in/254mm, rifled. Magazine: none.

232
SUB-CALIBRE ADAPTORS
The Morris Tube was patented in 1881 and widely adopted by the British Army as a sub-calibre training device; a barrel insert for Lee-Metford and
Lee-Enfield rifles, for example, fired a special -297 cartridge. The Morris patents also protected a ·22 rimfire adaptor and, as rimfire ammunition
became increasingly widely distributed in Britain, this eventually replaced the .297 versions.
Webley adapted the Morris Tube system to revolvers, using a barrel insert carrying its own chamber; the cylinder was simply removed and the
insert was slipped into the barrel. Some versions incorporated an extractor, forced out by the cam of the revolver to eject the spent case as the action
was opened. Later examples used a replacement cylinder, chambered for the ·22 cartridges, so that the revolver would fire six shots in the normal
manner.

WEGRIA-CHARLIER (BELGIUM)
Apparently made by Charlier of Hognee, little is known about this odd little 6·35mm blowback. It has
no trigger; the empty 'trigger guard' is simply there to locate a finger. Firing is done by squeezing the
hand around the grip, pressing in on what appears to be a grip safety in the butt back strap, until the
sear is released to fire the pistol. The barrel is fixed and the slide, unusual for its day, runs on rails
inside the frame. Patented in 1908 and presumably made until 1914, the pistol is uncommon; Charlier
vanished during the war, and the gun was never revived.

DAN WESSON (USA)

Dan Wesson Arms of Monson, Massachusetts, was founded in 1968 by a descendant of the co-founder
of Smith & 'Wesson. The Dan Wesson company has exploited an ingenious revolver with rapidly
exchangeable barrels and grips, allowing the owner to select a combination to suit a particular set of
circumstances. The eminently practical revolvers may be bought in a single configuration or in a
'Pistol-Pac' providing four barrel lengths, two sets of grips, and a walnut blank to allow the owner to carve grips
to his own preference. Wegria Charlier: 6·35mm.
Guns offered in Series 8 and 9 are chambered for .38 Special; Series 14 and 15 are in ·357 Magnum; Series 22
is in ·22 LR rimfire; Series 32 accepts ·32 S&W Long; Series 40 chambers ·357 Maximum; Series 41 guns take ·41 Magnum cartridges; Series 44 is
in ·44 Magnum; and Series 45 comes in ·45 Colt.
The Dan Wesson revolver is a solid-frame double action pattern with a swing-out cylinder. Models 8 and 14 have fixed back sights, chequered
grips, barrels of 2·5in, 4in, 6in or 8in, and blued finish. They all incorporate the patented Wesson interchangeable barrel, screwed to the frame in the
usual way and enclosed in a shroud incorporating the ejector-rod housing and the front sight. This shroud butts against the frame, holding the barrel
under tension by a threaded barrel-retaining nut. The shroud is automatically aligned with the front sight precisely vertical, the sight adjustment
being maintained when barrels are interchanged. Spare barrels are supplied with feeler gauges to ensure the correct cylinder-to-barrel clearance
when an alternative barrel is fitted.
Models 9 and 15 are similar mechanically, but have adjustable back sights. The Model 22 has an adjustable back sight and is also available in ·22
WMRF. The remaining series—32 to 45—are all provided with adjustable sights.
Model 14: Maker: Dan Wesson Arms. Inc., Monson, Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·357 Magnum. Length
overall: 9·25in/235mm. Weight, unladen: 34·0oz/965gm. Barrel: 4·00in/102mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Model 40: Maker: Dan Wesson Arms, Inc., Monson, Massachusetts. Type: solid-frame revolver. Chambering: ·357 Maximum. Length
overall: 14·38in/365mm. Weight, unladen: 64·0oz/1,815gm. Barrel: 8·00in/203mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

WHITE-MERRILL (USA)
The White-Merrill Arms Company of Boston, Massachusetts, made one of the most interesting pistols tested by the US Army in the trials of 1907
(eventually leading to approval of the M1911 Colt-Browning). Designed by Joseph White, the first of a series of pistols was patented in January
1903. This was a delayed blowback, relying on the resistance of the hammer to delay the opening of the breech by differential leverage. The US
trials gun, eventually patented in 1908, had a Browning-like locking system with three ribs on top of the barrel rising into the half-length slide. An
unusual finger-lever beneath the trigger-guard could be squeezed to retract the slide, allowing the weapon to be cocked with one hand.
This feature is said to have been provided for the benefit of the cavalrymen, who could retain control of their horse while cocking the pistol. The test
specimen, however, was 'still in a primitive state of development' and rejected after a cursory functioning trial. No additional development occurred,
and the White-Merill passed into history.
White-Merrill M1907: Maker: by or for White-Merrill Arms Company, Boston. Massachusetts. Type: automatic pistol (recoil operated).
Chambering: ·45 M1906. Length overall: 8·46in/215mm. Weight, unladen: 38·3oz/1,085gm. Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine:
ten-round detachable box.

WHITNEY (USA)
1: The Whitney Arms Company of Whitneyville, Connecticut, was founded by Eli Whitney
early in the nineteenth century. A pioneer in machine-tool operation and mass-production,
Whitney's status as a firearms maker had declined by the 1870s; the only relevant products
were a collection of cheap Suicide Special revolvers. These followed the usual solid frame
non-ejecting pattern, with sheath triggers appearing as seven-shot ·22 with a 3·5in barrel or
a five-shot ·32 with a three-inch barrel. They may be found marked WHITNEYVILLE
ARMORY or with the sales names Defender, Eagle or Monitor.
Whitney: Maker: Whitney Arms Company, Whitneyville, Connecticut. Type: solid-
frame revolver. Chambering: ·32 Short rimfire. Length overall: 6·30in/160mm.
Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 2·50in/64mm, rifled. Magazine: five-chamber Whitney: ·32 solid-frame
cylinder.

233
2: Whitney Firearms, Inc., of North Haven, Connecticut, unconnected with the Whitney Arms Company, made a novel ·22 blowback automatic
in 1955-63. The pistol was among the most handsome ever made. Indeed, aesthetics may have been its principal fault; it looked too 'space age'
to be taken seriously.
The design was rather complex. A light alloy frame carried
a well-raked butt and a tubular receiver containing a
cylindrical 'slide'. The breech block was pinned into the
rear end of the slide and ended in a cocking grip. The front
portion of the slide contained the barrel, secured to the
receiver at the muzzle by a screwed collar. An enlargement
of the breech allowed the barrel to ride centrally inside the
slide and compress the recoil spring against the front inner
slide-face.
The breech block and slide recoiled when the gun was
fired, compressing the recoil spring. Cut-outs in the slide
allowed the spent case to be ejected and admitted a fresh
Whitney: ·22 Wolverine.
cartridge from the butt magazine. A striker and spring were
carried in the breech block.
Earliest sales literature christened the pistol 'Lightning', but
the guns bore WHITNEY on the left of the receiver and
WOLVERINE WHITNEY FIREARMS INC. on the right.
The Wolverine name was dropped in the region of serial no.24000, after the Lyman Sight Company drew attention to previous use on a Lyman
telescope sight. The left-side inscription then became CALIBER ·22 PATENT PENDING THE WHITNEY FIREARMS CO. HARTFORD
CONN. USA. It was then sold simply as the Whitney Auto-Loader until production ended in 1963.
Wolverine: Maker: Whitney Firearms, Inc., North Haven, Connecticut. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire.
Length overall: 9·00in/229mm. Weight, unladen: 23·0oz/650gm. Barrel: 4·63in/118mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round detachable box.

WICHITA (USA)
Originally called 'Wichita Engineering & Supply, Inc.', Wichita Arms of Wichita, Kansas, developed the single-shot bolt action Silhouette hunting
pistol in 1978. This was followed by International and Hunter variations. The International and Hunter pistols are made of stainless steel, the latter
lacking iron sights; instead, it is drilled and tapped for a telescope-sight mount. The standard cartridges are ·22-250, 7mm Remington and ·308
Winchester (7·62 x 51mm NATO) for the Silhouette, and ·22 LR, ·22 WMRF, 7mm Remington, ·30-30 and ·357 for the International and Hunter;
however, virtually any suitable calibre can be provided to order.
Silhouette: Maker: Wichita Arms, Inc., Wichita, Kansas. Type: single-shot pistol. Chambering: ·308 Winchester. Length overall:
21·40in/544mm. Weight, unladen: 72·0oz/2.040gm. Barrel: 15·00in/381mm, rifled. Magazine: none.

WILDEY (USA)
Wildey, Inc., of Brookfield, Connecticut,
began operation in the early 1970s with the
unique Wildey gas- ' operated automatic pistol.
This was specifically designed to chamber
large-calibre cartridges, 9mm Winchester
Magnum and ·45 Winchester Magnum being
developed especially for it. The Wildey—designed by
W.J. 'Wildey' Moore has a fixed barrel and a three-
Wildey: ·45 Wildey.
lug rotating bolt. Gas tapped from six ports bored
radially in front of the chamber passes into a chamber around the breech, containing an
annular piston. The piston is driven back by the gas to unlock and then thrust the bolt
back against a recoil spring. This system appears to soften recoil; although designed to
fire powerful loads, the Wildey is not at all unpleasant to fire.
Production history has been chequered, owing to financial problems, but the pistol is currently being made in
9mm WinMag, ·45 WinMag, ·475 Wildey Magnum and ·367 Peterbilt. Exchangeable barrels measuring 8in,
6in, 7in, 8in and 10in are available to order.
WM45: Maker: Wildey, Inc., Brookfield, Connecticut. Type: automatic pistol (gas operated).
Chambering: ·45 Wildey Magnum. Length overall: 11·00in/279mm. Weight, unladen: 51·0oz/1,445gm.
Barrel: 6·00in/152mm, rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.

Z
ZARAGOZA (MEXICO)
Little is known of Fabrica de Armas Zaragoza, manufacturer of pistols in the 1950-60 period. Both types were ·22 LR copies of the Colt M1911A1,
at least externally, though under the skin they were simple fixed-barrel blowback weapons. The Corla Model 1 had the curved back strap and
rebated trigger area of the M1911A1 and measured about six inches overall; the larger Corla Model 2 had the straight M1911-type back strap,
though retaining the rebated trigger area. Both had grip safeties and offered good quality. Only about 65 examples of the Model 1 and four hundred
Model 2 guns were apparently made.
Corla Model 2: Maker: Fabrica de Armas Zaragoza. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: ·22 LR rimfire. Length overall:
7·50in/191mm. Weight, unladen: 24·9oz/705gm. Barrel: 4·53in/115mm, rifled. Magazine: ten-round detachable box.

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ZASTAVA (YUGOSLAVIA)
The Yugoslavian state firearms factory in Kragujevac has been known
variously as Voini Technii Zavod or (later) Zavodi Crvena Zastava. It is
currently selling guns in the West as 'Zastava Arms'. Formed to meet the
needs of Serbia prior to the First World War, with assistance from
Fabrique Nationale, this factory has made firearms ever since.
Yovanovitch: Rarely seen outside its country of origin and listed under an
assortment of names, depending largely on systems of transliteration
(e.g., Jovanovic, Yovanowicz) this was VTZ's first venture into the
handgun field. Introduced in 1931, it had a slender upright butt and a
tapering slide; the pistol had external affinities with the Astra and the
FN-Browning 10/22, the latter being the Yugoslavian service pistol. Zastava: 7·62mm Model 57.
The slide hid the barrel and concentric recoil spring, while a screwed
cap at the rear retained the separate bolt; removing the cap allowed the
slide to be pushed forward after the bolt had been removed.
The standard 9mm Short Yovanovitch was issued to the Yugoslavian
army in small numbers, probably as a propaganda exercise as the
Browning remained the regulation weapon until the Second World
War. A few 7·65mm guns are said to have been used by police and
border guards.
Yovanovitch: Maker: state factory, Kragujevac. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 9mm Short. Length overall:
7·28in/185mm. Weight, unladen: 28·2oz/800gm. Barrel: 4·25in/108mmr rifled. Magazine: eight-round detachable box.
Model 57: After the failure of the Yovanovitch, no handguns were made in
Kraguyevac until the early 1950s when, under communist management, the
M57 pistol appeared. This was simply indigenous terminology for the Soviet
Tokarev TT-33.
9mm Model 70: When military requirements for the Tokarev copy were satisfied,
the design was converted to fire 9mm Parabellum cartridges and touted
commercially as the Model 70. The improved Model 70A has a manual safety
catch on the slide.
7·65mm Model 70: Sharing the general lines of the 9mm Model 70, though with
a curved butt, this is a simple blowback in 7·65mm Auto (·32 ACP). The
Model 70k is similar, but chambers the 9mm Short cartridge.
Magnum Model 83: Introduced in 1983, this ·357 Magnum revolver is based Zastava: 9mm Model
broadly on Smith & Wesson lines, with a solid frame, a double-action lock, 88A.
and a side-opening six-chamber cylinder; 9mm Parabellum rounds can be
used with a suitable adaptor.
Magnum Model 83: Maker: ZCZ, Kragujevac. Type: solid-frame
revolver. Chambering: ·357 Magnum. Length overall: 7·40in/188mm.
Weight, unladen: 31·7oz/900gm. Barrel: 2·50in/64mm, rifled.
Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.
Model 88A: A reduced-scale version of the 9mm M70, this still reflects its
Tokarev ancestry even though contours have been smoothed, a finger-rest
added on the bottom of the magazine, and a safety catch appears on the slide.
ZCZ99: The most recent addition to the Kragujevac pistol-range is a 9mm
double-action locked breech automatic inspired by the SIG P-220. The slide
rides outside the frame and the wood-gripped butt is curved instead of straight,
but the remainder of the outline shows the SIG influence and a Sauer-type de-
cocking lever beneath the left grip.

ZEHNA (GERMANY)
Made by Emil Zehna Waffenfabrik of Suhl in 1921-6, the Zehna pistol was a
6·35mm blowback automatic. Although looking much like the Zastava: 9mm ZCZ99.
Haenel/Schmeisser, it is very different internally. The barrel is located in the
frame by a cylindrical peg, beneath the chamber, mating with a hole in the frame.
The recoil-spring guide rod passes through a hole bored longitudinally in the peg
and the surrounding part of the frame to lock barrel and frame together. The guide
rod ends in a plate beneath the muzzle, where a secondary locating peg fits into a small hole in the
frame. The muzzle plate may be pulled out against the pressure of the spring and turned to rest the
secondary peg on the face of the frame; the barrel can then be lifted from the open-top slide.
Equally unusually, the separate back-strap unit can be removed—together with the sear and main
spring—by removing the safety catch, pivoting the strap backward and driving out a cross-pin in the
heel of the butt. Excepting these features the Zehna pistol is quite simple. The earliest guns are marked
Zehna DRPa on the slide and offer mediocre quality. After about no.5000, the slide mark became
Zehna Cal. 6,35 DRPa E. Zehna Suhl Made in Germany and quality improved perceptibly. Total
production is estimated to have been about 20,000.
Zehna: Maker: Emil Zehna, Suhl. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·36mm
Auto. Length overall: 4·72in/120mm. Weight, unladen: 13·2oz/375gm. Barrel: 2·36in/60mm, rifled. Zehna: 6·35mm pocket.
Magazine: six-round detachable box.

235
ZULAICA (SPAIN)
Beginning operations in the early years of the twentieth century with the
customary Velo-Dog revolvers, M. Zulaica y Cia of Eibar patented an unusual
automatic revolver in 1905. Few were made and even fewer survive. The
company then turned out the inevitable Eibar-pattern automatics during the First
World War, continuing production throughout the 1920s. The last venture was a
copy of the Mauser C/96, introduced in 1930.
Royal: Zulaica made four separate pistols bearing this name. The 6·35mm and
7·65mm blowbacks appeared in 1914; though copied from the 1903-model
Browning, they had a few original features. The 6·35mm version had a sliding
safety catch behind the trigger, while the oddly-shaped butt on the 7·65mm
gun swelled out behind the trigger area in an attempt to improve grip. The Zulaica: 7·65mm Royal.
third Royal was a commonplace 7·65mm Eibar-type automatic; and the fourth,
offered commercially in the 1920s, was an over-size 'Eibar' with a 5·5in barrel
and a twelve-round magazine.
A fifth 'Royal'—a copy of the Mauser C/96 in both semi-automatic and
selective fire versions—has also been identified as a Zulaica product, but
recent research has shown that it was made by Beistegui Hermanos (q.v.). Zulaica apparently acted simply as a sales agency.
Vincitor: 6·35mm and 7·65mm guns were made with this name, both based on Browning
designs—the smaller on the Browning of 1906 and the larger on the M1903. They were
apparently introduced in 1914 but did not last long, being supplanted by the wartime
Eibar-type Royal. Some carry the Zulaica name; others have been seen marked SA
ROYAL VINCITOR, presumably a sales name.
Zulaica: This name will be found on Eibar-pattern 7·65mm pistols made for French army
contracts in 1915-16, but also attaches to 1905-patent automatic revolvers made in 1907-
10. This was a solid-frame design with zig-zag grooving on the outer surface of the
cylinder and the frame built up at the rear in the manner of a hammerless revolver.
However, a breech block, carried on rods, lay in the frame behind the uppermost chamber Zulaica: 7·65mm M1914
of the cylinder. Vincitor.
When the gun was fired, the breech block was blown backwards in the manner of a
blowback automatic and pulled the rods back against springs in the frame. The lower rod
carried a stud engaging the zig-zag grooves and rotate the cylinder, on the return stroke,
to align the next loaded chamber. Perhaps the only advantage of this system was that the block extracted and ejected the empty case, just like an
automatic pistol; the empty chamber aligned with a loading gate on the right side of the frame, allowing the chamber to be replenished between
shots.
The revolver was produced in 5·5mm Velo-Dog, but was bulky and clumsy to use compared with the contemporaneous pocket automatics and
failed to prosper.
Zulaica M1914: Maker: Zulaica y Cia, Eibar. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 7·65mm Auto. Length overall:
6·02in/153mm. Weight, unladen: 21·9oz/620gm. Barrel: 3·35in/85mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.

ZWYLACKA (UNKNOWN)
A 6·35mm blowback of unknown origin, this is an unusual design offering first-class quality. It resembles a Baby Browning, though the butt is
deepened behind the trigger area to give a better grip. The slide contains a separate cylindrical breech block fitting into a hole bored into the rear of
the slide and held by a cross-screw with a knurled head at each end. Unmarked but for AUTOMATIC PISTOL and Liege proofmarks, the only
specimen examined had an indecipherable shield moulded into the grips. Attribution is due to Mathews' Firearms Identification.
Zwylacka: Maker: unknown. Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 6·35mm Auto. Length overall: 4·65in/118mm. Weight,
unladen: 13·2oz/375gm. Barrel: 2·05in/52mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

236
 PART THREE: APPENDICES
DATABANK
The following tables, used in conjunction with the individual data panels, contain salient details of most of the guns found in the directory sections
of this book. Type abbreviations are A, automatic pistol; M, mechanical or repeating pistol; R, revolver; and S, single shot pistol. Cal is the calibre
or chambering, abbreviations for which will be found on page 352. Loa is overall length in mm (25·4mm = 1in). Wt is weight in gm (28·35gm = l
oz). Brl is barrel length in mm. Mag refers to magazine capacity. Page notes the major entry in the directory.

Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
A.A. Azanza y Arrizabalaga, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 155 585 87 9 Model 1916 36
A.A.A. A. Aldazabal, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 150 570 88 7 Model 1919 16
Abadie L Soleil, Liege Belgium R 9·1 218 750 113 6 Portuguese M1878 13
Abadie L. Soleil, Liege Belgium R 9·1 249 635 142 6 Portuguese M1886 13
Ace Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA A ·22 LRi 216 1,105 120 10 93
Acha Acha y Cia, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 155 570 85 7 Model 1916 13
Acme Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 160 70 5 Hammerless No. 1 Model 170
Acme Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·38 172 76 5 170
Action Modesto Santos, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 110 295 50 6 Model 1920 14
Action No. 2 Modesto Santos, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 148 565 83 7 Model 1915 14
Adams Adams Patent Small Arms Co., London Britain R ·450 265 1,050 152 6 representative specimen 14
Adler Adlerwaffenwerk Engelbrecht & Wolff, Germany A 7 Adl 208 685 85 8 Haussler patent 14
Zella
Adolph Frederick Adolph, Genoa, NY USA S ·22 LRi special chambering 15
Aetna Aetna Arms Co., New York USA R ·22 rf 165 76 7 Copy of S&W Model No. 1 15
Aetna No.1 Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·32 rf 140 60 5 Copy of S&W Model No. 1 15
Mass.
Aetna No.2 Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·32 rf 170 60 5 Copy of S&W Model No. 1½ 15
Mass.
Agent Colt. Hartford, Ct. USA R ·38 Spl 171 410 54 6 89
Aircrewman Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·38 Spl 171 310 54 6 a variant of the Cobra pattern 89
Aircrew Model Kimball Arms Co., Wayne, Mich. USA A ·30 M1 203 820 89 7 182
Alamo Ranger unknown, Eibar Spain R ·38 266 825 136 6 Model 1929, Colt type 16
Alaska Hood Firearms Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·22 rf 16
Aldazabal Aldazabal, Leturiondo y Cia, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 155 590 88 7 Eibar-type blowback 16
Alert Hood Firearms Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·22 rf 135 385 57 7 Model 1874 16
Alfa A.L. Frank, Hamburg Germany M ·23 4 four superimposed barrels 17
Alfa Armero Especialistas Reunidos, Eibar Spain R ·38 245 810 120 6 Colt Police Positive copy 24
Alfa Armero Especialistas Reunidos, Eibar Spain R ·38 225 605 110 6 S&W Military & Police copy 24
Alfa Armero Especialistas Reunidos, Eibar Spain R ·44 225 825 102 5 S&W hinged-frame type 24
Alkar SA Alkartasuna, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 300 55 7 Model 1914 17
Alkar SA Alkartasuna, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 123 330 53 7 Model 1924 17
Alkar SA Alkartasuna, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 160 585 83 9 Model 1914. Browning M1910 17
copy
Alkartasuna Armas de Fuego, Guernica Spain A 7·65 Ato 150 665 84 7 17
Allies Bersaluze Arieto-Aurtena y Cia, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 305 55 6 Browning M1906 type 18
Allies Bersaluze Arieto-Aurtena y Cia, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 146 605 80 7 Eibar-type blowback 18
America Norwich Falls Pistol Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 180 76 7 18
American Arms Model 1 American Arms Co., Boston, Mass. USA R ·38 178 82 5 hinged-frame pattern 18
American Arms Model 2 American Arms Co., Boston, Mass. USA R ·38 190 82 5 auto-ejector 18
American Arms Model 3 American Arms Co., Boston, Mass. USA R ·44 190 82 5 hinged-frame pattern 18
American Bulldog Johnson, Bye & Co.; Iver Johnson USA R ·22 rf 57 5 various barrel-lengths 19
American Bulldog Johnson, Bye & Co.; Iver Johnson USA R ·32 rf 76 5 various barrel lengths 19
American Bulldog Johnson, Bye & Co.; Iver Johnson USA R ·38 rf 114 5 also in centre-fire; various 19
barrels
American Bulldog Johnson, Bye & Co.; Iver Johnson USA R ·44 102 5 various barrel lengths 19
Anaconda Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·44 Mag 295 1,485 152 6 90
Model AP FEG, Budapest Hungary A 7·65 Ato 175 595 100 8 commercial PA-63; also 9mm 123
Sht
Apache Ojanguren y Vidosa, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 385 54 7 226
Apache Fab. de Armas Garantizada, Eibar Spain R ·38 255 860 125 6 Colt Police Positive copy 140
Apache L. Dolne-Bar, Liege Belgium R 7 pf 203 355 none 5 with knife blade and 107
knuckleduster
Apaolozo Apaolozo Hermanos, Zumorraga Spain R ·38 245 820 120 6 Colt Police Positive copy 21
Arico Anciens Etablissements Pieper, Herstal Belgium A 6·35 Ato 117 375 65 6 1909-model Pieper blowback 234
Arizaga Gaspar Arizaga, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 165 620 95 8 21
Arizmendi Francisco Arizmendi, Eibar Spain R 7·65 Ato 150 605 55 5 folding trigger 22
Arminius Model 1 Friedrich Pickert, Zella Mehlis Germany R ·22 rf 135 50 7 25
Arminius Model 2 Friedrich Pickert, Zella Mehlis Germany R ·22 rf 210 150 7 25
Arminius Model 3 Friedrich Pickert, Zella Mehlis Germany R 6·35 Ato 135 50 5 hammerless 25
Arminius Model 4 Friedrich Pickert, Zella Mehlis Germany R 5·5 VDg 50 5 25
Arminius Model 5·1 Friedrich Pickert, Zella Mehlis Germany R 7·5 Nag 65 5 25
Arminius Model 5·2 Friedrich Pickert, Zella Mehlis Germany R 7·62 Rus 80 5 25

237
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
Arminius Model 7 Friedrich Pickert, Zella Mehlis Germany R ·320 148 400 64 5 folding trigger 25
Arminius Model 8 Friedrich Pickert, Zella Mehlis Germany R ·320 135 400 64 5 hammerless. folding trigger 25
Arminius Model 9 Friedrich Pickert, Zella Mehlis Germany R 7·65 Ato 168 450 76 6 25
Arminius Model 9A Friedrich Pickert, Zella Mehlis Germany R 7·65 Ato 155 420 64 6 25
Arminius Model 10 Friedrich Pickert, Zella Mehlis Germany R 7·65 Ato 145 400 64 5 hammerless 25
Arminius Model 13 Friedrich Pickert, Zella Mehlis Germany R ·38 65 5 25
Arminius Model 13A Friedrich Pickert, Zella Mehlis Germany R ·22 rf 135 8 25
Arminius Model 14 Friedrich Pickert, Zella Mehlis Germany R ·38 65 5 25
Arminius Model HW-3 Hermann Weihrauch KG, Mellrichstadt Germany R ·22 rf 175 680 70 8 variant: cal ·32, wt 695, mag 6 26
Arminius Model HW-5 Hermann Weihrauch KG, Mellrichstadt Germany R ·22 rf 225 720 100 8 variant: cal ·32, wt 710, mag 6 26
Arminius Model HW-7 Hermann Weihrauch KG, Mellrichstadt Germany R ·22 rf 265 915 155 8 HW-7S similar; brl 150 26
Arminius Model HW-9 Hermann Weihrauch KG, Mellrichstadt Germany R ·22 rf 265 1,040 150 6 26
Arminius Model HW-38 Hermann Weihrauch KG, Mellrichstadt Germany R ·38 Spl 225 875 100 6 variants: brl 65 or 150 26
Arminius Model HW-68 Hermann Weihrauch KG, Mellrichstadt Germany R ·22 rf 170 530 65 8 variants: cal ·22 WMRF or ·32 26
S&W
Arminius Model HW-357 Hermann Weihrauch KG, Mellrichstadt Germany R ·357 Mag 230 1,000 100 6 variants: brl 75 or 150 26
Arminius Model TP-1 Friedrich Pickert Zella Germany S ·22 rf 350 900 255 1 generally chambers Extra Long 26
No.7
Arminius Model TP-2 Friedrich Pickert, Zella Germany S ·22 rf 400 950 300 1 fitted with set-trigger 26
Armscor M2000C Arms Corporation, Inc. Philippines R ·38 Spl 187 625 64 6 also ·22 LRi or ·22 WMRF, brl 26
102
Armscor M200P Arms Corporation, Inc. Philippines R ·38 Spl 225 735 102 6 26
Army Special Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·38 245 965 115 6 variant: cal ·32 86
Ariola Ariola Hermanos, Eibar Spain R ·38 264 855 120 6 Colt Police Positive copy 27
Arrizabalaga Hijos de C. Arrizabalaga, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 152 615 88 7 27
Ascaso Republican workshops, Tarassa Spain A 9 B-B 235 880 150 8 copy of Astra Mo 1921 (Astra 28
400)
Asiatic unknown (Eibar?) Spain A 6·35 Ato 114 300 54 6 -
Astra Model 1911 Esperanza y Unceta, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 145 595 81 7 also sold as Victoria 29
Astra Model 1915 Esperanza y Cia, Guernica Spain A 7·65 Ato 145 600 82 9 variant: brl 90 -
Astra Model 1924 Esperanza y Cia, Guernica Spain A 6·35 Ato 110 295 81 6 29
Astra 41 Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain R ·41 Mag 293 1,275 150 6 33
Astra 44 Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain R ·44 Mag 356 1,380 216 6 33
Astra 45 Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain R ·45 Clt 293 1,265 152 6 33
Astra 100 Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 7·65 Ato 160 830 85 8 29
Astra 100 Special Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 7·65 Ato 152 820 85 9 post 1915 model 29
Astra 200 Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 6·35 Ato 110 355 56 6 also called Firecat 29
Astra 250 Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain R 6 33
Astra 300 Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 7·65 Ato 165 560 90 7 variant: cal 9 Sht 29
Astra 357 Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain R ·357 Mag 235 1,100 102 6 various barrel lengths 33
Astra 400 Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 9 B-B 235 880 150 8 Spanish army Mo. 1921 29
Astra 600 Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 9 Pb 205 905 133 8 variant: cal 7·65 Ato 30
Astra 680 Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain R 6 33
Astra 700 Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 7·65 Ato 215 725 150 8 30
Astra 700 Special Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 7·65 Ato 160 825 95 12 30
Astra 800 Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 9 Sht 207 1,000 135 8 also known as Condor 30
Astra 900 Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 7·63 Msr 317 1,390 140 10 Mauser C 96 copy 30
Astra 901 Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 7·63 Msr 317 1,390 140 10 selective-fire Model 900 31
Astra 902 Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 7·63 Msr 362 1,360 190 20 Model 901 with larger magazine 31
Astra 903 Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 7·63 Msr 308 1,275 160 20/30 removable magazine 31
Astra 960 Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain R ·38 Spl 241 1,150 102 6 variant: brl 152 33
Astra 1000 Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 7·65 Ato 200 1,050 130 11 31
Astra 2000 Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 355 57 6 Model 200 with external hammer 31
Astra 3000 Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 7·65 Ato 160 620 101 7 variant: cal 9 Sht, mag 6 32
Astra 4000 Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 7·65 Ato 165 680 98 8 variant: 9 Sht, ·22 LRi rf 32
Astra 5000 Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 7·65 Ato 102 710 89 8 variant: 9 Sht, ·22 LRi rf 32
Astra 7000 Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A ·22 LRi 125 390 59 7 larger version of Model 2000 32
Astra A-50 Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 9 Sht 168 650 89 7 variant: 7·65 Ato. mag 8 32
Astra A-60 Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 9 Sht 168 700 89 13 variant: 7·65 Ato. mag 12 32
Astra A-70 Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 9 Pb 166 840 89 7 -
Astra A-80 Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 9 Pb 180 985 97 15 double-action trigger 32
Astra A-90 Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 9 Pb 180 985 97 15 variant: cal ·45 ACP, mag 8 32
Astra Model F Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 9 B-B 330 1,530 180 10/20 selective fire 31
Astra TS-22 Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A ·22 LRi 235 1,000 150 10 32
ATCSA Armas de Tiro y Casa, Barcelona Spain S 4 Ubu target pistol on revolver frame 33
ATCSA Armas de Tiro y Casa, Barcelona Spain R ·38 250 830 120 6 Colt Police Positive copy 33
Atlas Acha Hermanos y Cia, Ermua Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 370 58 6 13
Aubrey Meriden Arms Co., Meriden, Ct. USA R ·32 5 hinged-frame: variant cal ·38 33
Audax Manufacture d'Armes Pyrenees, Hendaye France A 6·35 Ato 114 290 55 6 also known as Unique Model 11 237
Audax Manufacture d'Armes Pyrenees, Hendaye France A 7·65 Ato 155 570 97 7 also known as Unique Model 19 237
Aurora unknown Spain A 6·35 Ato 110 290 50 6 Browning M1906 copy 34
Autogarde Societe Francaise des Munitions, Paris France R 7·65 Ato 5 folding trigger, shrouded 34

238
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
hammer
Auto-Mag various, see text USA A ·44 Amg 292 1,615 165 7 other calibres; many variations 34
Auto-Mag II AMT Corporation, Covina, Calif. USA A ·22 WMRF 237 650 152 10 variants: brl 84 or 114 34
Auto-Mag III Irwindale Arms USA A ·30 M1 267 1,220 161 8 -
Automaster Sokolovsky Corp., Sunnyvale, Calif. USA A ·45 ACP 241 1,630 152 6 specialised target gun 281
Automatic Deringer unknown Germany M ·22 LRi 2 two superimposed barrels -
Automatique Francaise S.F.A.A., St-Etienne France A 6·35 Ato 120 315 66 6 35
Auto Stand Mre. Francaise d'Armes et Cycles, St- France S ·22 LRi bolt-action target pistol 203
Etienne
Avion Azpiri y Cia, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 114 300 54 6 Eibar-type blowback automatic 36
Azul MM-31 Eulogio Arostegui, Eibar Spain A 7·63 Msr 285 1,245 130 10 selective fire 36
Azul Eulogio Arostegui, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 114 305 52 6 Eibar-type: variant cal 7·65 Ato 36
Azul Eulogio Arostegui, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 120 320 55 7 external hammer: variant cal 36
7·65 Ato
Azul Eulogio Arostegui, Eibar Spain A 7·63 Msr 315 1,230 140 10 Mauser C 96 copy 36

Baby Reck Sportwaffenfabrik KG, Sontheim R ·22 LRi 124 48 6 240

Baby Browning Fabrique Nationale, Herstal Belgium A 6·35 Ato 102 275 50 6 66
Baby Hammerless Henry M. Kolb, Philadelphia, Penn. USA R ·22 rf 128 45 5 1896 pattern 37
Baby Hammerless Henry M. Kolb, Philadelphia, Penn USA R ·22 rf 120 37 5 1910 pattern 37
Baby Hammerless R.F. Sedgley, Philadelphia, Penn. USA R ·22 rf 116 36 5 1918 pattern 37
Baby Hammerless R.F. Sedgley, Philadelphia, Penn. USA R ·22 rf 105 35 5 1921 pattern 37
Baby Hammerless R.F. Sedgley, Philadelphia, Penn. USA R ·22 rf 105 35 5 1924 pattern 37
Back-up AMT, Covina, Calif.; Irwindale Arms USA A 9 Sht 106 510 64 5 20
Bacon Gem Bacon Arms Co., Norwich, Ct USA R ·22 rf 5 c.1878 37
Ballester Molina Hafdasa, Buenos Aires Argentina A ·45 ACP 228 1,140 127 7 copy of Colt M1911A1 38
Bang-Up unknown (Bacon Arms Co.?) USA R ·22 rf 163 67 5 variant: cal ·32 rf 38
Banker's Special Colt, Hartford, Ct USA R ·38 Spl 175 650 54 6 88
Banker's Special Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·22 LRi 175 540 54 6 89
Bar J.P. Sauer & Sohn, Suhl Germany M 7 Bar 150 60 4 two barrels; rotating-block 38
magazine
Barracuda Fabrique Nationale, Herstal Belgium R ·357 Mag 204 1,025 75 6 optional 9 Pb cylinder 68
Barrenechea Barrenechea y Gallastegui, Eibar Spain R ·38 265 810 124 6 S&W Military & Police copy 39
Basculant Aguirre y Cia, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 310 86 7 15
Basque Echave y Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 160 680 81 7 also known as Echasa 113
Bauer Bauer Firearms Corp., Fraear, Mich. USA A ·25 ACP 102 286 54 6 copy of Baby Browning 40
Bayard M1908 Ancient Etablissements Pieper, Herstal Belgium A 6·35 Ato 123 420 5$ 6 40
Bayard M1910 Ancient Etablissements Pieper, Herstal Belgium A 7·65 Ato 125 470 57 5 40
Bayard M1911 Ancient Etablissements Pieper, Herstal Belgium A 9 Sht 126 450 67 5 40
Bayard M1912 Ancient Etablissements Pieper, Herstal Belgium A 6·35 Ato 122 340 56 5 40
Bayard M1923 Ancient Etablissements Pieper, Herstal Belgium A 7·65 Ato 146 566 56 6 variants: 6·35 Ato, 9 Sht 40
Bayard M1930 Ancient Etablissements Pieper, Herstal Belgium A 7·65 Ato 145 340 55 6 variants: 6·35 Ato, 9 Sht 40
B.C. V. Bernedo y Cia, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 114 370 54 6 Eibar-type blowback 57
Bearcat Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport, Ct. USA R ·22 LRi 225 480 102 6 254
Beaumont M1891 F. de Beaumont, Maastricht The Netherlands R ·320 variant 6mm 43
Beholla Becker & Hollander, Suhl Germany A 7·65 Ato 140 640 75 7 43
Beistegui Beistegui Hermanos, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 156 720 89 9 M1914 43
Benelli B-76 Benelli Armi SpA, Urbino Italy A 9 Pb 206 970 106 8 variant cal 7·65 Pb 44
Benemerita D.F. Ortega de Seija, Madrid Spain A 6·35 Ato 114 300 54 6 M1916; made by A Aldazabal? 44
Beretta 20 Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 6·35 Ato 125 310 60 8 47
Beretta 70 Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 7·65 Ato 160 660 85 7 47
Beretta 76 Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A ·22 LRi 230 990 150 10 alto known as Jaguar 47
Beretta 80 Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A ·22 LRi 290 170 10 target model -
Beretta 81 Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 7·65 Ato 172 670 97 12 variant 81 BB, improved model 47
Beretta 82BB Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 7·65 Ato 172 670 97 8 improved M81; smaller 48
magazine
Beretta 84 Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 9 Sht 172 670 97 13 similar to M81, excepting calibre 48
Beretta 84F Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 9 Sht 172 670 97 13 with de-cocking lever 48
Beretta 84BB Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 9 Sht 172 660 97 8 improved M84; smaller 48
magazine
Beretta 85BB Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 9 Sht 172 620 97 8 48
Beretta 85F Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 9 Sht 172 620 97 8 85BB with de-cocking lever 48
Beretta 86 Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 9 Sht 185 660 111 8 tip-up barrel 48
Beretta 87BB Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A ·22 LRi 172 570 97 8 at 84BB excepting calibre 48
Beretta 87BB/LB Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A ·22 LRi 225 660 150 8 long-barrel target version 48
Beretta 89 Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A ·22 LRi 240 1,160 152 8 target pistol 48
Beretta 90 Armi Beretta SpA, Rome Italy A 7·65 Ato 170 910 90 8 double-action trigger 47
Beretta 92 Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 9 Pb 217 950 125 15 double-action trigger 48
Beretta 92S Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 9 Pb 217 980 125 15 modified safety system 48
Beretta 92SB Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 9 Pb 217 980 125 15 ambidextrous controls 48
Beretta 92SB-C Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 9 Pb 197 109 13 compact 92SB 48
Beretta 92SBC Type M Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 9 Pb 197 109 8 small magazine 48

239
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
Beretta 92F Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 9 Pb 217 950 125 15 US Army Pistol 9mm M9 48
Beretta 92FS Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 9 Pb 217 950 125 15 92F with slide-stop safety feature 49
Beretta 92FS Combat Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 9 Pb 260 152 17 with muzzle brake 49
Beretta 92F Compact Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 9 Pb 197 109 13 92SB-C with F-type 49
modifications
Beretta 93R Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 9 Pb 240 1,120 156 15/20 selective fire 49
Beretta 98 Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 7·65 Pb 197 900 109 13 small-calibre SB-C 49
Beretta 98F Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 7·65 Pb 217 950 125 15 as 92-F; variant cal 9 x 21 49
Beretta 98F Target Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 9 IMI 242 1,100 150 15 target model in 9 x21 49
Beretta 99 Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 7·65 Pb 197 900 109 8 small-calibre 92SB-C Type M 49
Beretta 101 Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A ·22 LRi 235 540 150 10 new Jaguar 47
Beretta 318 Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 6·35 Ato 115 425 60 8 Sold in USA as Panther 46
Beretta 418 Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 6·35 Ato 116 285 65 9 also known as Bantam or Puma 46
Beretta 948 Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A ·22 LRi 150 480 84 8 Featherweight 46
Beretta 949 Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A ·22 LRi 318 1,075 222 6 Tipo Olimpionico 46
Beretta 950 Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A ·22 LRi 120 320 60 7 also known as Jetfire or Minx 46
Beretta 951 Armi Beretta SpA Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 9 Pb 203 890 115 8 also known as Brigadier 46
Beretta 951R Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 9 Pb 215 1,350 125 10 selective fire version of M951 46
Beretta M1915 Pietro Beretta, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 7·65 Ato 149 570 85 7 variants: cal 9 Sht, 9 Gli 45
Beretta M1915/19 Pietro Beretta, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 7·65 Ato 145 670 85 7 variants: cal 9 Gli 45
Beretta M1919 Pietro Beretta, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 7·65 Ato 146 685 85 7 45
Beretta M1923 Pietro Beretta, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 9 Gli 150 800 85 8 45
Beretta M1931 Pietro Beretta, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 7·65 Ato 152 700 88 8 45
Beretta M1934 Pietro Beretta, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 9 Sht 150 750 88 7 commercially sold as Cougar 45
Beretta M1935 Pietro Beretta, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 7·65 Ato 148 730 85 8 small-calibre M1935 45
Bergmann M1894 Eisenwerke Gaggenau Germany A 8 Bgm 280 1,030 135 5 semi-experimental 51
Bergmann M1896 No.2 V.C. Schilling, Suhl, for Bergmann Germany A 5 Bgm 175 470 80 5 old pattern with folding trigger 51
Bergmann M1896 No.3 V.C. Schilling, Suhl, for Bergmann Germany A 6·5 Bgm 255 880 112 5 51
Bergmann M1897 No.5 VC. Schilling, Suhl, for Bergmann Germany A 7·8 Bgm 270 1,155 100 5 also known as the Military 52
Model
Bergmann 'Mars' V.C. Schilling, Suhl, for Bergmann Germany A 9 Bgm 252 910 104 5 various calibres 52
Bergmann Model 2 Bergmanns Industriewerke, Suhl Germany A 6·35 Ato 118 375 55 6 53
Bergmann Model 3 Bergmanns Industriewerke, Suhl Germany A 6·35 Ato 120 415 55 9 53
Bergmann-Bayard Anciens Etablissements Pieper, Herstal Belgium A 9 B-B 250 1,015 102 6 M1910 similar; variant, mag 10 53
M1908
Bergmann-Erben Model AG Lignose, Berlin Germany A 7·65 Ato 160 700 85 8 Menz PB Special; variant, cal 9 53
1 Sht
Bergmann-Erben Model AG Lignose, Berlin Germany A 6·35 Ato 124 435 66 7 53
2
Bernadon-Martin M1907 Etablissements Bernadon-Martin, St- France A 7·65 Ato 152 680 90 7 1909 pattern similar; alias 55
Etienne Hermetic
Bernardelli Model 60 V. Bernardelli SpA, Gardone Val Italy A 7·65 Ato 165 685 90 8 improved Pocket Model 56
Trompia
Bernardelli Model 68 V. Bernardelli SpA, Gardone Val Italy A replacement for VP pattern 56
Trompia
Bernardelli Model 69 V. Bernardelli SpA, Gardone Val Italy A ·22 LRi 56
Trompia
Bernardelli VP V. Bernardelli SpA, Gardone Val Italy A 6·35 Ato 105 265 50 5 variant: mag 8 56
Trompia
Bernardelli Pocket V. Bernardelli SpA, Gardone Val Italy A 7·65 Ato 160 720 85 8 various barrel lengths 56
Trompia
Bernardelli Standard V. Bernardelli SpA, Gardone Val Italy A ·22 LRi 160 685 90 8 various barrel lengths 56
Trompia
Bernardelli UB V. Bernardelli SpA, Gardone Val Italy A 9 BLg variant: cal 9 Pb (semi- 56
Trompia experimental)
Bernardelli Model USA V. Bernardelli SpA, Gardone Val Italy A 7·65 Ato 168 690 90 8 M60 with improved safety; alias 56
Trompia M80
Bernardelli P-018 V. Bernardelli SpA, Gardone Val Italy A 9 Pb 213 1,010 122 16? variants: cal 7·65 Pb or 9 B-B 56
Trompia
Bernardelli P-018-9 V. Bernardelli SpA, Gardone Val Italy A 9 Pb 14? also known as P-018 Compact 57
Trompia
Bernardelli P-060-A V. Bernardelli SpA, Gardone Val Italy A 7·65 Ato improved M60; also ·22 LRi or 9 57
Trompia Sht
Bernardelli VB V. Bernardelli SpA, Gardone Val Italy R ·32 S&W 265 565 150 6 Smith & Wesson type 57
Trompia
Bernardelli VB-MR V. Bernardelli SpA, Gardone Val Italy R ·22 LRi 310 620 178 6 adjustable sights; alias Target 57
Trompia Special
Bernardelli VB Pocket V. Bernardelli SpA, Gardone Val Italy R ·32 S&W 135 545 50 6 variant: cal ·22 LRi 57
Trompia
Bernedo V. Bernedo y Cia, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 292 50 7 57
Bernedo V. Bernedo y Cia Spain A 7·65 Ato 155 585 86 7 Eibar-type blowback 57
Bersa Model 85 Fabrica de Armas Bersa, Ramos Meija Argentina A 9 Sht 167 730 89 13 -
Bersa Model 90 Fabrica de Armas Bersa, Ramos Meija Argentina A 9 Pb 200 900 119 13 -
Bersa Model 97 Fabrica de Armas Bersa, Ramos Meija Argentina A 9 Sht enlarged M644 57
Bersa Model 223 Fabrica de Armas Bersa, Ramos Meija Argentina A ·22 LRi 153 635 75 10 variant: brl 100 (M224). 125 57
(M225)
240
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
Bersa Model 383 Fabrica de Armas Bersa, Ramos Meija Argentina A 9 Sht updated Model 97 57
Bersa Model 622 Fabrica de Armas Bersa, Ramos Meija Argentina A ·22 LRi small-calibre long-barrel M644 57
Bersa Model 644 Fabrica de Armas Bersa, Ramos Meija Argentina A ·22 LRi 167 795 89 7 57
B.H. Beistegui Hermanos, Eibar Spain R ·38 270 850 147 6 copy of S&W Military & Police 43
Bijou D. Debouxtay, Liege Belgium R 6·35 Ato 5 Velo-Dog pattern 58
Bijou August Menz, Suhl Germany A 6·35 Ato 104 290 51 6 Alternative name for Liliput 214
Bisley Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·38-40 318 1,150 191 6 many calibres and barrel lengths 82
Bittner Gustav Bittner, Weipert Austria-Hungary M 7·7 Bit 300 855 153 6 representative specimen 59
Blackhawk Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport, Ct USA R ·357 Mag 311 1,190 165 6 255
Bland Thomas Bland & Sons, London Britain R ·577 267 1,390 140 5 representative specimen 59
Bloodhound Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·22 rf 132 56 7 59
Blue Jacket No.1 Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·22 rf 130 56 5 variant, No.2, cal ·32 rf 59
Bodyguard Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·38 160 580 54 5 also known as Model 49 275
Bodyguard Airweight Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·38 160 425 54 5 also known as Model 38 275
Bodyguard Stainless Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·38 Spl 159 565 51 5 also known as Model 649 275
Boix unknown Spain A 7·65 Ato 150 590 85 7 Eibar-type blowback -
Boltun F. Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 130 355 62 6 resembles the Pieper pistol 22
Boltun F. Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 148 580 65 6 resembles the Pieper pistol 22
Bolumburu G. Bolumburu, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 158 975 89 9 Eibar-type blowback 60
Bonanza Bacon Arms Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·22 rf 7 non-ejecting 37
Boot Gun Freedom Arms Co., Freedom, Wy. USA R ·22 WMRF 150 142 76 4 128
Borchardt Ludwig Loewe & Co., and DWM, Berlin Germany A 7·65 Bor 279 1,160 165 8 61
Border Patrol Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·38 225 1,105 101 6 89
Boston Bulldog Iver Johnson, Worcester and Fitchburg, USA R ·22 rf 64 7 variants: cal ·32 rf, ·32 S&W. ·38 62
Mass.
Brigadier Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 9 Pb 203 890 115 8 Model 951 46
Brigadier North American Arms Co., Toronto Canada A ·45 NAA 245 1,895 140 8 special chambering 62
Bristol G. Bolumburu, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 155 610 88 9 Eibar-pattern blowback 60
British Bulldog Forehand & Wadsworth, Worcester, USA R ·32 165 64 7 variants: cal ·38 (mag 6), ·44 63
Mass. (mag 7)
British Bulldog Johnson, Bye & Co., Worcester, Mass. USA R ·38 5 63
British Bulldog unknown Belgium R ·500 146 695 68 5 variants: cal ·44S&W or ·450 63
Brixia M1912 Metallurgica Bresciana gia Temprini, Italy A 9 Gli 195 815 90 7 63
Brescia
Brompetier Retolaza Hermanos, Eibar Spain R 6·35 Ato 105 38 5 Velo-Dog type; variant cal 7·65 244
Ato
Bronco Echave y Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 380 55 6 Model 1918: variant cal 7·65 Ato 113
Broncho A. Errasti, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 140 585 70 6 copy of Browning M1906 120
Bron-Grand F. Ormachea, Eibar Spain R 5 VDg 165 70 5 Velo-Dog; variant cal 6·35 or 64
7·65
Brong Petit Crucelegui Hermanos, Eibar Spain R 6·35 Ato 110 36 5 Velo-Dog type 64
Bron-Sport Crucelegui Hermanos, Eibar Spain R 6·35 Ato 110 42 5 Velo-Dog type 64
Brow Ojanguren y Marcaido, Eibar Spain R 6·35 Ato 120 47 5 Velo-Dog; variant cal 7·65 Ato 225
Brownie O.F. Mossberg & Sons, New Haven, Ct. USA M ·22 LRi 4 four barrels 218
Browning M1900 Fabrique Nationale, Herstal Belgium A 7·65 Ato 170 640 102 7 64
Browning M1903 Fabrique Nationale, Herstal Belgium A 9 BLg 203 910 128 7 65
Browning M1906 Fabrique Nationale, Herstal Belgium A 6·35 Ato 115 350 54 6 65
Browning M1910 Fabrique Nationale, Herstal Belgium A 7·65 Ato 152 600 88 7 variant: cal 9 Sht 65
Browning M1910/22 Fabrique Nationale, Herstal Belgium A 7·65 Ato 178 730 114 9 variant: cal 9 Sht 66
Browning M1935 Fabrique Nationale, Herstal Belgium A 9 Pb 197 920 118 13 alias High-Power, GP-35, etc 66
Browning HP Mk 2 Fabrique Nationale, Herstal Belgium A 9 Pb 200 880 118 13 improved M1935 67
Browning HP Mk 3 Fabrique Nationale, Herstal Belgium A 9 Pb 200 885 118 13 improved HP Mk 2 67
Browning HP Mk 3S Fabrique Nationale, Herstal Belgium A 9 Pb 200 885 118 13 Mk 3 with firing-pin safety 68
Browning 380 Fabrique Nationale, Herstal Belgium A 9 Sht 190 650 112 9 improved M1910/22 -
Browning BDA-9S Fabrique Nationale, Herstal Belgium A 9 Pb 200 835 118 14 standard full-length pattern 68
Browning BDA-9M Fabrique Nationale, Herstal Belgium A 9 Pb 178 745 96 14 medium-size pattern 68
Browning BDA-9C Fabrique Nationale, Herstal Belgium A 9 Pb 178 665 96 7 short pattern 68
Browreduit S. Arostegui, Eibar Spain R 6·35 Ato 135 48 5 Velo-Dog type 69
Brunswig Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 7·65 Ato 145 600 82 9 sales name for early Astra pistols 298
Brutus Hood Firearms Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·22 rf 7 69
Bryco Model 38 Jennings Firearms, Carson City, Nev. USA A ·380 ACP 135 425 71 6 variants; cal ·22 LRi or ·32 ACP -
Bryco Model 48 Jennings Firearms, Carson City, Nev. USA A ·380 ACP 170 538 101 6 variants: cal ·22 LRi or ·32 ACP -
BSA BSA Guns Ltd, Birmingham Britain A ·34 BSA 161 90 7 prototypes; also 31 BSA, 39 69
BSA
BSW Berlin-Suhler-Werke, Suhl Germany A 9 Pb 210 785 125 8 prototypes, possibly also in 9 Sht 69
Buckhorn Aldo Uberti, Gardone Val Trompia Italy R ·357 Mag 285 1,245 146 6 many variations 298
Buck Mark Browning Arms Co., Morgan, Utah USA A ·22 LRi 241 905 140 10 68
Budischowsky TP-70 Korriphila Germany A 6·35 Ato 118 350 66 6 187
Bufalo Gabilondo y Urresti, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 120 390 58 6 Model 1920 133
Bufalo Gabilondo y Urresti, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 171 633 85 7 Browning M1910 copy; also in 9 133
Sht
Buffalo Stand Mre. Francaise d'Armes et Cycles, St- France S ·22 rf 420 1,300 300 1 bolt-action target pistol 203
Etienne

241
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
Buhag Buchsenmacher-Handwerkgen., Suhl Germany A ·22 rf 300 830 200 5 Olympiamodell 70
Bulldog Charter Arms Corp., Stratford, Ct. USA R ·44Spl 190 540 76 5 variant: cal ·357 Mag 75
Bulldog Pug Charter Arms Corp., Stratford, Ct. USA R ·44 Spl 184 540 64 5 75
Bulldog Tracker Charter Arms Corp., Stratford, Ct. USA R ·357 Mag 221 102 5 variant: brl 64 or 152 75
Bull Dozer Norwich Falls Pistol Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·44 rf 178 75 5 also 22 rf (mag7), 38rf, ·41 rf 70
Bullfighter unknown Belgium R 7·62 135 50 5
Bullseye unknown USA R ·22 rf 152 57 7 typical Suicide Special -
Bulwark Beistegui Hermanos, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 300 52 6 Eibar type blowback 44
Bulwark Beistegui Hermanos, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 118 61 6 copy of Star pocket pistol 44
Bulwark Beistegui Hermanos, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 175 835 110 8 44
Bulwark Fab. d'Armes de Grande Precision, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 290 51 6 made by Beistegui Hermanos 147
Buntline Special Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·45 Col 445 1,250 305 6 variants: brl 254, 406 82
Burgham Superior Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 105 365 53 7 Unique M10; other types known 70
Hendaye
Burgham Superior unknown Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 290 51 6 Eibar-type blowback 70
Burgo Karl Burgsmuller Kriensen Germany R ·22 LRi 155 60 6 sales name; gun is a Rohm RG -
10

Cadix Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain R ·22 LRi 227 735 102 8 Model 224 32
Cadix Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain R ·32 227 710 102 6 Model 324 32
Cadix Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain R ·38 227 680 102 5 Model 384 32
Calico M950 American Industries, Cleveland, Ohio USA A ·22 LRi 356 1,000 152 50 helical magazine -
Caminal unknown Spain A 7·65 Ato 140 595 86 7 Eibar-type blowback -
Campeon Hijos de C. Arrizabalaga, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 120 590 63 7 Eibar-type; variant, 6·35 Ato 27
Camper Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A ·22 LRi 115 345 101 6 long barrelled Cub (Astra 2000) 31
Campo Giro Model 1913 Esperanza y Unceta, Eibar Spain A 9 B-B 237 950 165 8 Model 1913 - 16 similar 71
Camp Perry Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA S ·22 rf 355 980 254 1 87
Cantabria Garate Hermanos, Ermua Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 300 52 5 Eibar-type blowback 140
Cantabria Garate Hermanos, Ermua Spain R 7·65 Ato 130 55 5 Velo-Dog type, other calibres 140
known
Capitain Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 104 355 54 7 Unique M10; other types known 237
Hendaye
Captain Jack Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·22 rf 130 56 5 170
Ca-Si unknown (Grande Precision?) Spain A 7·65 Ato 135 585 70 7 Eibar-type blowback 71
Casull Freedom Arms Co., Freedom, Wyoming USA R ·454 Cas 356 1,415 191 5 variants: cal .·45 Col, ·44 Mag 72
Cattleman Aldo Uberti & Co., Gardone Val Trompia Italy R ·357 Mag 330 1,160 190 6 variant: cal ·44 Mag 298
Cebra Arizmendi, Zulaica y Cia, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 155 605 85 9 Eibar type blowback 24
Cebra Arizmendi, Zulaica y Cia, Eibar Spain R ·38 222 575 100 6 Eibar type blowback 24
Celta Tomas de Urizar, Barcelona Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 305 52 7 another name for 'J. Cesar' -
Centaure Fabrique d'Armes Reunies, Liege Belgium A 6·35 Ato 120 405 57 6 another name for Dictator 245
Centennial Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·38 165 540 54 5 Model 40 275
Centennial 1876 Deringer Rifle & Pistol Works, USA R ·22 rf 7 variants: cal ·32 rf, ·38 rf (mag 5) 72
Philadelphia
Centennial Airweight Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·38 165 370 54 5 Model 42 275
Cesar Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 105 360 53 7 Unique M10; other types known 238
Hendaye
J. Cesar Tomas de Urizar, Barcelona Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 305 52 7 Eibar-type blowback 72
C.H. Crucelegui Hermanos, Eibar Spain R ·38 225 580 102 6 Colt Police Positive copy 98
Challenge Norwich Falls Pistol Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 rf 165 70 5 72
Challenger Fabrique Nationale, Herstal Belgium A ·22 LRi 225 905 172 10 -
Champion unknown USA R ·22 rf 170 72 7 variant cal ·32 rf, mag 5 -
Chantecler Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 105 360 53 7 Unique M10; other types known 238
Hendaye
Chanticler Isidor Charola, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 295 50 6 Eibar-type blowback 73
Charola y Anitua see text Spain A 5 CyA 230 570 104 6 variant: cal 7 74
Chicago Cub Reck Sportwaffenfabrik KG, Germany R ·22 LRi 125 48 6 also sold as Recky 75
Lauf/Nurnberg
Chicago Protector Ames Sword Co., Chicopee Falls, Mass. USA M ·32 120 45 7 Turbiaux gun, made in USA 75
Chichester Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·38 rf 370 250 5 170
Chief Marshal Hawes Firearms Co., Los Angeles, Calif. USA R ·44 300 1,250 150 6 made by J.P Sauer & Sohn 159
GmbH
Chieftain Norwich Falls Pistol Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 rf 165 70 5 variant: brl 60 76
Chief's Special Smith & Wesson Springfield, Mass. USA R ·38 165 540 54 5 Model 36 274
Chief's Special Airweight Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·38 165 395 54 5 Model 37 274
Chief's Special Stainless Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·38 Spl 165 540 51 5 Model 60 274
Chimere Renoir Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 105 360 53 7 Unique M10; other types known 238
Hendaye
Chinese Type 51 state factories China (PRC) A 7·62 Tok 195 890 115 8 copy of Soviet TT-33 76
Chinese Type 59 state factories China (PRC) A 9 Mak 162 730 94 8 copy of Soviet Makarov 76
Chinese Type 64 state factories China (PRC) A 7·65 Chi 222 1,810 95 9 silenced: special chambering 76
Chinese Type 67 state factories China (PRC) A 7·65 Chi 225 1,020 89 9 silenced; improved Type 64 76
Chinese Type 77 state factories China (PRC) A 7·65 Chi 148 500 7 revival of Lignose Einhand 77
Chinese Type 80 state factories China (PRC) A 7·62 Tok 300 1,100 10/20 selective fire 77

242
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
Chobert Etablissements L. Chobert, Paris France R 8 5 Velo-Dog type; folding trigger 77
Chuchu unknown Brazil M ·22 rf 4 four barrel block 77
Chylewski Schweizerische Industrie-Ges., Switzerland A 6·35 Ato 117 375 57 6 one-hand cocking mechanism 77
Neuhausen?
Clair Clair Freres, St-Etienne France A 7·7 440 1,300 160 6 c.1893-5 78
Clement Neumann Freres, Liege Belgium R ·38 250 825 120 6 Colt Police Positive copy 79
Clement M1909 Charles Ph. Clement, Liege Belgium A 6·35 Ato 115 380 51 6 Model 1912 similar 79
Clement M1907 Charles Ph. Clement, Liege Belgium A 7·65 Ato 150 585 75 6 79
Clement-Fulgor Neumann Freres, Liege Belgium A 7·65 Ato 180 715 110 7 based on Browning M1903 79
Cloverleaf Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·41 rf 171 410 76 4 83
Cobold Mre. d'Armes HDH, Liege Belgium R 9·4 190 80 5 variant: cal ·450 160
Cobolt L. Ancion Marx, Liege Belgium R ·450 5 variants; cal ·320, ·380 79
Cobra Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·22 LRi 195 480 101 6 89
Cobra Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·38 175 425 54 6 89
Cobra unknown Spain A 7·65 Ato 164 850 85 9 Eibar-type blowback -
Cody Cody Mfg Co., Chicopee Falls, Mass. USA A ·22 LRi 185 62 6 79
Colon Orbea Hermanos, Eibar Spain R ·32 235 437 105 6 M1925; Colt Police Positive 227
copy
Colon Azpiri y Cia, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 375 56 8 Eibar-type blowback 36
Colonial Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 105 360 53 7 Unique M10; other types known 238
Hendaye
Colonial Fab. d'Armes de Grande Precision, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 390 55 6 Eibar-type blowback 147
Colonial Fab. d'Armes de Grande Precision, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 175 605 102 9 copy of Browning M1910 147
Colt-Browning M1900 Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA A ·38 235 1,020 152 7 90
Colt-Browning M1902 Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA A ·38 228 990 152 7 Sporting Model 91
Colt-Browning M1902 Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA A ·38 235 1,050 152 8 Military Model 91
Colt-Browning M1903 Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA A ·38 190 880 115 7 Pocket Model; external hammer 91
Colt-Browning M1905 Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA A ·45 203 940 114 7 92
Colt-Browning M1908 Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA A 9 Sht 172 650 96 7 Pocket Model, hammerless 91
Colt-Browning M1911 Colt, and others, see text USA A ·45 ACP 218 1,105 127 7 US Army pattern 92
Colt-Browning M1911A1 Colt, and others, see text USA A ·45 ACP 218 1,125 127 7 improved M1911 92
Columbia(n) Columbia Armory, Columbia, Tenn. USA R ·32 185 80 5 New Safety Hammerless, 1889 95
Columbian Automatic Foehl & Weeks, Philadelphia, Penn. USA R ·32 180 86 5 top-break pattern, auto ejecting 96
Columbian D.A. New York Arms Co USA R ·38 173 76 5 by Crescent Arms Co., also in 96
·32
Commanche Llama-Gabilondo Spain R ·357 Mag 235 795 102 6 several models, also brl 152 136
Combat Commander Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA A ·45 ACP 203 935 108 7 also (mag 9) ·38 Spr 9 Pb 94
Combat Master Detonics Firearms, Bellevue, Wash. USA A ·45 ACP 197 820 114 6 adaption of Colt M1911A1 106
Combat Master Series II Detonics Industries, Bellevue, Wash. USA A ·45 ACP 172 730 89 6 variants: cal ·38 Spr, 9 Pb 106
Commando Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·38 235 905 102 6 86
Conquerer Bacon Arms Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 rf 158 60 5 variant: ·22 rf, mag 7 96
Constable Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 7·65 Ato 152 710 89 8 variants: cal ·22 LRi and 9 Sht 32
Constabulary L. Ancion Marx, Liege Belgium R 8 165 7/5 variants: 7·5 Swi, ·320, ·380, 20
·450
Contender Thompson/Center Arms, Rochester, NH USA S ·222 Rem 343 1,220 254 1 many chamberings, barrel- 294
lengths
Continental Jules Bertrand, Liege Belgium A 6·35 Ato 116 425 53 7 another name for Le Rapide 58
Continental Rhein Waffen- & Munitionsfabrik, Koln Germany A 6·35 Ato 121 400 53 7 Spanish-made 97
Continental Rhein Waffen- & Munitionsfabrik, Koln Germany A 7·65 Ato 170 630 100 7 Webley & Scott pistol copy 97
Continental Great Western Gun Works, Pittsburgh, USA R ·32 rf 5 variant: cal ·22 rf (mag 7) 97
Pa.
Continental Hood Firearms Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 rf 175 73 5 variant: cal ·22 rf (mag 7) 97
Continental Tomas de Urizar, Barcelona Spain A 6·35 Ato 113 310 51 6 variants; cal 7·65 Ato, 9 Sht 96
Continental Tomas de Urizar, Barcelona Spain A 6·35 Ato 118 315 51 6 external hammer; also 7·65 Ato, 96
9 Sht
Coonan Magnum Coonan Arms, St Paul, Minn. USA A ·357 Mag 211 1,190 127 7 based on Colt M1911A1 97
Corla Model 1 Fabrica de Armas Zaragoza Mexico A ·22 LRi 150 620 97 8 324
Corla Model 2 Fabrica de Armas Zaragoza Mexico A ·22 LRi 168 655 115 8 324
Corrientes Modesto Santos, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 148 585 84 7 Eibar-type blowback 218
Cosmopolite Oscillatory Garate, Anitua y Cia, Eibar Spain R ·38 215 810 105 6 Colt Police Positive copy 141
Courier Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·32 197 380 76 6 89
Courier Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·22 LRi 197 555 76 6 89
Courier Rigarmi di Rino Galesi, Collobeato Italy A 6·35 Ato 115 285 50 6 US brandname 139
Cow Boy unknown Spain A 6·35 Ato 114 290 55 7 French-language markings 98
Cowboy Ranger Fabrique d'Armes Reunies, Liege Belgium R ·38 6 Western-style gun 245
Crescent Norwich Pistol Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 rf 64 5 variant: mag 6 98
Criolla Hafdasa, Buenos Aires Argentina A ·22 LRi 215 1,110 120 10 copy of Colt Ace pistol 152
Crucelegui Crucelegui Hermanos, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 150 600 85 7 Made by Hijos de C. 98
Arrizabalaga
Crucero Ojanguren y Vidosa, Eibar Spain R ·32 235 575 115 5 Colt Police Positive copy 226
Crucero Ojanguren y Vidosa, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 138 590 65 7 Eibar-type blowback 226
CZ Pistol N Ceskoslovenske Zavody Brno Czechoslovakia A 9 Sht 152 620 87 8 also known as vz 22 99
CZ Model (19)22 Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice Czechoslovakia A 6·35 Ato 118 420 54 6 improved Fox 99

243
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
CZ Model 24 Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice Czechoslovakia A 9 Sht 152 680 90 8 100
CZ Model 27 Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice Czechoslovakia A 7·65 Ato 165 710 97 8 variant: cal 9 Sht 100
CZ Model (19)36 Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice Czechoslovakia A 6·35 Ato 128 390 64 7 self-cocking action 99
CZ Model 38 Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice Czechoslovakia A 9 Sht 206 910 118 8 self-cocking action 100
CZ Model (19)45 Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice Czechoslovakia A 6·35 Ato 128 425 64 7 99
CZ Model (19)50 Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice Czechoslovakia A 7·65 Ato 167 700 96 8 101
CZ Model (19)52 Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice Czechoslovakia A 7·62 Cze 209 960 120 8 101
CZ Model (19)70 Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice Czechoslovakia A 7·65 Ato 173 680 97 8 improved Model 50 101
CZ Model 75 Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice Czechoslovakia A 9 Pb 203 980 120 15 101
CZ Model 83 Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice Czechoslovakia A 7·65 Ato 173 650 % 15 variants: (mag 13) 9 Sht, 9 Mak 101
CZ Model 85 Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice Czechoslovakia A 9 Pb 203 985 120 15 improved CZ 75 101
CZ Model 448 Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice Czechoslovakia A ·22 LRi 10 target pistol 99
CZ Model P Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice Czechoslovakia S ·22 LRi 350 250 1 now known as Pav (see p.111) 233
CZ Model Z Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice Czechoslovakia A 6·35 Ato 115 425 55 6 formerly Duo 111
CZ ZKP 524 Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice Czechoslovakia A 7·62 Tok 205 900 55 8 may chamber 7·62 Cze 102
CZ ZKR 551 Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice Czechoslovakia R ·38 300 1,050 155 6 102
Czar Hood Firearms Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·22 rf 190 80 7 variant: ·32 rf, mag 5 102
Czar Hopkins & Alien Norwich, Ct. USA R ·22 rf 190 80 7 102

Dakota Bisley EMF Company, Santa Ana, Calif. USA R ·45 Col 267 1,050 140 6 Colt Bisley copy; other cats 103
Dakota Outlaw EMF Company, Santa Ana, Calif. USA R ·45 Col 343 1,305 190 6 M1875 Remington copy 103
Dakota Police EMF Company, Santa Ana, Calif. USA R ·45 Col 343 1,305 190 6 M1890 Remington copy 103
Dakota Single Action EMF Company, Santa Ana, Calif. USA R ·45 Col 267 1,025 140 6 Colt SAA copy; many variations 103
Danton Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 156 680 86 8 copy of Browning M1910 134
Danton Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 395 53 6 M1925: Eibar-type blowback 134
Danton Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 117 410 54 6 M1929; variant, cal 7·65 Ato 134
Dardick Model 1100 Dardick Corporation, Hamden, Ct. USA R ·38 Dar 152 700 76 11 103
Dardick Model 1500 Dardick Corporation, Hamden, Ct. USA R ·38 Dar 228 965 152 15 103
Davis P-32 Davis Industries, Chino, Calif. USA A ·32 ACP 137 625 71 6 104
Decker Wilhelm Decker, Zella Germany R 6·35 Ato 118 255 50 5 104
Deer Gun unknown USA S 9 Pb 108 55 1 clandestine weapon -
Defender Johnson, Bye & Co., Worcester, Mass. USA R ·32 rf 158 64 6 variant cal ·22 rf, mag 7 104
Defender 89 Iver Johnson, Worcester and Fitchburg USA A ·32 160 64 5 104
Miss
Defender Javier Echaniz, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 146 570 82 8 Eibar-type blowback 104
Defense unknown Spain A 6·35 Ato 111 355 53 6 Eibar-type blowback -
Defiance Norwich Falls Pistol Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·22 rf 135 57 7 224
Dek-Du Tomas de Urizar, Barcelona Spain R 6·35 Ato 120 395 56 12 hammerless: variant cal 5·5 VDg 105
Delu Fabrique d'Armes Data ft Cia, Liege Belgium A 6·35 Ato 117 330 54 7 copy of Browning M1906 105
Deluxe Gregorio Bolumburu, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 150 650 83 7 60
Demon Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 105 355 53 7 Unique M10; other types known 238
Hendaye
Demon Manufacture de Armas 'Demon', Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 150 85 20 maker unknown; also mag 8.9 105
Demon Marine Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 104 360 53 7 Unique M10; other types known 238
Hendaye
Deprez unknown, probably Liege-made Belgium R 11 6 -
Deputy Marshal Hawes Firearms Co., Los Angeles, Calif. USA R ·22 LRi 280 965 140 6 made by J.P. Sauer & Sohn 159
GmbH
Deringer Model 1 Deringer Rifle & Pistol Works, USA R ·22 rf 76 7 octagonal barrel; also ·32 rf 105
Philadelphia.
Deringer Model 2 Deringer Rifle & Pistol Works, USA R ·22 rf 76 7 round barrel; also ·32 rf 105
Philadelphia, Pa.
Der(r)inger First Model Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA S ·41 rf 125 63 1 Second Model similar 80
Der(r)inger Third Model Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA S ·41 rf 124 185 64 1 Thuer pattern 81
Derringer Fourth Model Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA S ·22 LRi 63 1 81
Derringer, Lord & Lady Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA S ·22 LRi 63 1 variant of Fourth Model 81
Destroyer Isidro Gaztanaga, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 310 55 6 M1913 M1918 similar 143
Destroyer Isidro Gaztanaga, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 155 590 84 7 M1919 143
Destructor Iraola Salaverria y Cia, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 130 565 63 7 Eibar-type blowback 257
Detective Special Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·38 171 595 54 6 89
Detective Special Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·32 171 567 54 6 89
Diamondback Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·22 LRi 228 810 102 6 89
Diamondback Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·38 228 810 102 6 89
Diana unknown Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 370 55 6 Eibar-type blowback -
Diane Erquiaga Muguruzu y Cia, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 116 375 40 5 Sales name for Fiel 125
Diane Wilkinson Arms Co., El Monte, Calif. USA A 6·35 Ato 6 108
Dickinson E.L. & J. Dickinson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·32 169 71 5 Ranger No.2 106
Dickson Bulldog Hermann Weihrauch, Mellrichstadt Germany R ·22 LRi 176 680 70 8 US name for Arminius HW-3 107
Dickson Special Agent Echave y Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 160 680 81 7 Also known as Echasa 113
Dictator Fab. d'Armes Reunies, Liege Belgium A 6·35 Ato 120 405 57 6 Also sold as Centaure 246
Dictator Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 175 73 5 107
Dimancea Gatling Arms & Ammunition Co., Britain (Romania) R ·450 285 920 140 5 107
Birmingham
244
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
Diplomat Hawes Firearms Co., Los Angeles, Calif. USA A ·380 ACP 162 665 80 5 of unknown make 159
Dolne Etablissements L. Dolne-Bar, Liege Belgium R 6 203 355 5 Apache-type gun; variant cal 7 pf 107
Domino OP-601 Fabbrica Armi Sportive, Settimo Italy A ·22 Sht 285 1,150 142 5 108
Milanese
Domino SP-602 Fabbrica Armi Sportive, Settimo Italy A ·22 LRi 280 1,250 140 5 108
Milanese
Dbl Action Army & Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·45 Col 250 1,020 121 6 Model 1878 85
Frontier
Double Deuce Steel City Arms, Pittsburgh, Pa. USA A ·25 ACP 140 510 64 6 variant: cal ·22 LRi, mag 7 286
Douglas Lasagabaster Hermanos, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 114 295 52 6 M1914; Eibar-type blowback 109
Dreadnought Antonio Errasti, Eibar Spain R ·32 190 665 82 5 120
Dreyse Rhein, Metallwaaren & Munsfbk, Germany A 6·35 Ato 114 400 52 6 Model 1907 110
Sommerda
Dreyse Rhein, Metallwaaren & Munsfbk, Germany A 7·65 Ato 160 710 93 7 Model 1907 109
Sommerda
Dreyse Rhein, Metallwaaren & Munsfbk, Germany A 9 Pb 206 1,050 126 8 Heeres-Modell 110
Sommerda
Drulov Model 70 Druzstvo 'Lov', Litomysl Czechoslovakia S ·22 LRi 365 1,250 250 1 standard gun 110
Drulov Model 70S Druzstvo 'Lov', Litomysl Czechoslovakia S ·22 LRi 365 1,250 250 1 special set-trigger 110
Drulov Model 75 Druzstvo 'Lov', Litomysl Czechoslovakia S ·22 LRi 365 1,265 250 1 110
Duan F. Ormachea, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 114 425 54 6 111
Duplex Osgood Gun Works, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·22/32 146 65 8+1 ·22 mag 8; single ·32 111
Durabel Warnant Freres, Hognee Belgium A 6·35 Ato 110 285 43 6 310
DWM Model 1922 Deutsche Waffen- & Munitionsfabriken, Germany A 7·65 Ato 152 570 88 7 Browning M10 copy; M1923 112
Berlin similar

E.A. Eulogio Arostegui, Eibar' Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 300 51 6 Eibar-type blowback 26
E.A. Echave y Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 315 52 5 Browning M1906 copy 114
E.A. Echave y Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 140 585 87 7 Eibar-type blowback 114
Eagle Johnson, Bye & Co., Worcester, Mass. USA R ·22 rf 7 variants: (rf, mag 5), ·32, ·38, ·44 113
Eagle I E.F. Phelps Mfg Co., Evansville, Ind. USA R ·444 Mar 495 2,495 305 6 variants cal ·45 Col, ·45-70 233
Earthquake E.L. Dickinson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·32 5 113
Eastern Arms Co. Meriden Firearms Co., Meriden, Ct. USA R ·32 162 82 5 for F. Biffen & Co., Chicago 113
Eastern Arms Co. Meriden Firearms Co., Meriden, Ct. USA R ·38 162 290 82 5 for F. Biffen & Co., Chicago 113
E.B.A.C. Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 105 355 53 7 Unique M10; other types known 113
Hendaye
Echasa Echave y Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A ·22 LRi 158 650 80 9 based on Walther PP 114
Echasa Echave y Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 160 680 81 7 Eibar-type blowback 114
Echeverria Bonifacio Echeverria y Cia, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 148 580 83 9 Eibar-type blowback -
Eclipse Johnson, Bye & Co., Worcester, Mass. USA S ·22 rf 120 62 1 side-opening barrel; also in ·32 115
EIG EIG Corporation USA R ·22 LRi 150 325 60 6 Rohm RG-10; other types known 115
El Cano Arana y Cia, Eibar Spain R ·32 267 150 5 copy of S&W Military & Police 115
El Cid Casimir Santos, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 300 55 6 M1915; Eibar-type blowback 115
Eles unknown Spain A 6·35 Ato 118 300 55 6 Eibar-type blowback 115
Eley unknown Spain A 6·35 Ato 117 360 51 7 Eibar-type blowback 115
Elite Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 104 365 53 7 Unique M10; other types known 113
Hendaye
El Lunar Garate, Anitua y Cia, Eibar Spain R 8 Leb 6 Lebel Rapide model 141
El Perro Lascauren y Olasola, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 116 292 50 6 Eibar-type blowback -
Em-Ge Model 223 Em-Ge Sportgerate, Gerstetten Germany R ·22 LRi 200 770 75 6 115
Em-Ge Model 300 Em-Ge Sportgerate, Gerstetten Germany R ·32 S&W 270 930 150 6 target gun with adj. sights 116
Empire Jacob Rupertus, Philadelphia, Pa. USA R ·22 rf 7 variant: (rf, mag 5) cal ·32, ·41 116
Empire Automatic Meriden Firearms Co., Meriden, Ct. USA R ·32 5 variant: cal ·38 116
Empire Arms Co. Meriden Firearms Co., Meriden, Ct. USA R ·32 5 as above, also cal ·38 116
Empire State Meriden Firearms Co., Meriden, Ct. USA R ·32 162 82 5 hammerless 116
Empire State Meriden Firearms Co., Meriden, Ct. USA R ·38 186 82 5 hammerless 116
Empire State Meriden Firearms Co., Meriden, Ct. USA R ·38 192 82 5 external hammer 116
Encore Johnson, Bye & Co., Worcester, Mass. USA R ·22 rf 7 similar to Favorite 116
Enfield Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield Lock Britain R ·476 291 1,150 149 6 'Pistol, Revolver, B.L. Mk I' 116
Enfield Royal Small Arms Factory, Enfield Lock Britain R ·38 260 780 127 6 'Pistol, Revolver, No.2 Mk 1' 117
Enforcer Safari Arms Co., Tempe, Arizona USA A ·45 ACP 196 1,135 96 6 short version of Matchmaster 117
Enterprise Enterprise Gun Works, Philadelphia, Pa. USA R ·22 rf 5 solid frame, also ·32, ·38 117
Erika Franz Pfannl, Krems Austria-Hungary A 4·25 100 255 42 6 118
Erma KGP-68A Erma-Werke GmbH, Dachau Germany A 7·65 Ato 172 640 89 8 variant: cal 9 Sht 119
Erma KGP-69 Erma-Werke GmbH, Dachau Germany A ·22 LRi 185 830 105 10 119
Erma EP-22 Erma-Werke GmbH, Dachau Germany A ·22 LRi 8 predecessor of KGP-69 119
Erma EP-25 Erma-Werke GmbH, Dachau Germany A 6·35 Ato 135 570 70 7 -
Erma EP-452 Erma-Werke GmbH, Dachau Germany A ·22 LRi 160 610 80 8 blacked steel 119
Erma EP-457 Erma-Werke GmbH, Dachau Germany A 7·65 Ato 160 620 82 8 stainless steel 119
Erma EP-459 Erma-Werke GmbH, Dachau Germany A 9 Sht 160 605 82 7 stainless steel 119
Erma EP-552 Erma-Werke GmbH, Dachau Germany A ·22 LRi 137 410 73 7 119
Erma EP-555 Erma-Werke GmbH, Dachau Germany A 6·35 Ato 137 395 75 7 119
Erma EP-652 Erma-Werke GmbH, Dachau Germany A ·22 LRi 135 390 73 7 119

245
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
Erma EP-655 Erma-Werke GmbH, Dachau Germany A 6·35 Ato 135 380 75 7 119
Erma EP-882 Erma-Werke GmbH, Dachau Germany A ·22 LRi 202 760 125 8 P.38 lookalike -
Erma EP-882S Erma-Werke GmbH, Dachau Germany A ·22 LRi 227 790 150 8 as above: variant brl 200 -
Erma ER-422 Erma-Werke GmbH, Dachau Germany R ·22 LRi 185 600 75 6 ER-423: cal 22 WMRF 119
Erma ER-432 Erma-Werke GmbH, Dachau Germany R ·32 S&W 185 585 75 6 variant: brl 50 119
Erma ER-438 Erma-Werke GmbH, Dachau Germany R ·38 Spl 179 620 75 5 ER-440 is a stainless ER-438 119
Erma ER-777 Erma-Werke GmbH, Dachau Germany R ·357 Mag 241 1,245 100 6 variant: brl 120,150 -
Erma ESP-85A Erma-Werke GmbH, Dachau Germany A ·22 LRi 254 1,160 150 8 variant; ·32 S&W Long -
Wadcutter
Erma Old Model Erfurter Maschinenfabrik B. Geipel, Germany A ·22 LRi 220 990 108 10 rapid-fire target pistol 118
Erfurt
Erma New Model Erfurter Maschinenfabrik B. Geipel, Germany A ·22 LRi 315 1,100 200 10 improved Old Model 118
Erfurt
Errasti Antonio Errasti, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 111 296 53 7 Eibar-type blowback; also 7·65 120
Ato
Errasti Antonio Errasti, Eibar Spain R ·38 245 810 120 6 S&W M&P copy, also cal ·32, 120
·44
Escodin Manuel Escodin, Eibar Spain R ·32 210 785 103 6 M1926; S&W M&P copy 120
Escodin Manuel Escodin, Eibar Spain R ·38 250 830 125 6 M1924; S&W M&P copy 120
Esmit J. Arrizabalaga, Eibar Spain R ·38 228 625 110 6 Colt Police Positive copy -
Especial Hijos de C. Arrizabalaga, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 120 590 63 7 another name for Campeon 27
Estrella Bonifacio Echeverria, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 155 585 85 7 Spanish for 'Star' 282
Etai unknown Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 300 50 6 Eibar-type blowback -
Etna Santiago Salaberrin, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 300 51 6 Eibar-type blowback 121
Eureka Johnson, Bye & Co., Worcester, Mass. USA R ·22 rf 147 57 7 121
Euskaro Esprin Hermanos, Eibar Spain R ·38 200 540 100 5 M1909; S&W New Departure 120
copy
Euskaro Esprin Hermanos, Eibar Spain R ·44 250 710 125 6 Model 1914 120
Excelsior Norwich Pistol Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 rf 57 5 121
Express Bacon Arms Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·22 rf 57 7 121
Express Garate, Anitua y Cia, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 108 350 50 6 Browning M1906 copy 121
Express Tomas de Urizar, Barcelona Spain A 6·35 Ato 117 305 52 8 made to an original design 121
Express Tomas de Urizar, Barcelona Spain A 6·35 Ato 110 290 46 6 Eibar-type blowback 121
Express Tomas de Urizar, Barcelona Spain A 7·65 Ato 152 670 84 7 Eibar-type blowback 121
Express Tomas de Urizar, Barcelona Spain A 7·65 Ato 153 590 86 8 based on Mauser M1910 121
Express Tomas de Urizar, Barcelona Spain A 7·65 Ato 155 600 86 7 Model 31 (Eibar type), c.1912 121
Express Tomas de Urizar, Barcelona Spain A 6·35 Ato 110 350 50 5 Eibar-type; minor variants 121
Express Tomas de Urizar, Barcelona Spain A 6·35 Ato 119 420 56 6 external hammer 121
Express Tomas de Urizar, Barcelona Spain A 7·65 Ato 152 675 83 8 Eibar-type; minor variants 121
Extracteur L. Ancion-Marx, Liege Belgium R 8 Leb 5 also 7·5 Swi, 6·35 Ato, ·320 20

F.A. Arizmendi y Goenaga, Eibar Spain R ·320 5 Velo-Dog type; folding trigger 22
F.A.G. Arizmendi y Goenaga, Eibar Spain R 8 Leb 6 Velo-Dog type; folding trigger 22
F.A.G. Arizmendi y Goenaga, Eibar Spain R 7·62 Rus 230 830 105 7 Nagant M1895 copy; no gas-seal 22
Fagnus A. Fagnus & Cie, Liege Belgium R ·450 268 1,025 143 6 tip up action; patent extractor 122
Falcon Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 7·65 Ato 165 680 98 8 Model 4000; also ·22 LRi,9 Sht 32
Falcon Spesco Corp., Atlanta, Georgia USA A ·25 ACP 115 270 55 5 US name for Gecado (Reck) 123
M11
Famae Fab. Militares del Ejercito, Santiago Chile R ·32 208 575 104 6 Colt Police Positive copy 123
Fast Model 221 Echave y Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A ·22 LRi 155 730 80 10 based on Walther PP 113
Fast Model 633 Echave y Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 155 715 80 9 based on Walther PP 113
Fast Model 761 Echave y Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 155 710 80 8 based on Walther PP 113
Fast Model 901 Echave y Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 9 Sht 155 700 80 7 based on Walther PP 113
Favorit unknown Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 365 52 7 Eibar-type blowback -
Favorite No.1 Johnson, Bye & Co., Worcester, Mass. USA R ·22 rf 7 solid frame, sheath trigger 123
Favorite No.2 Johnson, Bye & Co., Worcester, Mass. USA R ·32 rf 5 solid frame, sheath trigger 123
Favorite No.3 Johnson, Bye & Co., Worcester, Mass. USA R ·38 rf 5 solid frame, sheath trigger 123
Favorite No.4 Johnson, Bye & Co., Worcester, Mass. USA R ·41 rf 5 solid frame, sheath trigger 123
Federal Arms Co. Meriden Firearms Company, Meriden, Ct. USA R ·32 185 80 5 variant: cal ·38 123
Federal Marshal Hawes Firearms Co., Los Angeles, Calif. USA R ·357 Mag 298 1,245 152 6 made by J.P. Sauer & Sohn 159
GmbH
F.I. Firearms International, Inc. USA A 9 Sht 155 560 79 6 US name for Star Model D -
Fiala Fiala Arms & Equipment Co., New USA S ·22 LRi 285 880 190 1 made by Blakeslee Forging Co. 125
Haven, Ct.
Fiel Erquiaga Muguruzu y Cia, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 116 375 40 5 made to an original design 125
Fiel No.1 Erquiaga Muguruzu y Cia, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 110 320 52 6 Eibar-type blowback 125
Fiel No.1 Erquiaga Muguruzu y Cia, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 148 595 84 7 Eibar-type blowback 125
Firecat Astra Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 6·35 Ato 110 355 56 6 also sold as Astra 200 29
F.M.E. Fabrica Militares del Ejercito, Santiago Chile A 6·35 Ato 114 360 54 6 copy of Browning M1906 126
F.M.G. Fabrica Material de Guerra, Santiago Chile R ·32 165 485 65 6 Colt Pocket Positive copy 126
Forehand Forehand & Wadsworth, Worcester, USA R ·32 160 63 5 solid-frame pattern 126
Mass.
Forehand Forehand & Wadsworth, Worcester, Mass USA R ·38 178 68 5 solid-frame pattern 126

246
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
Forehand Forehand & Wadsworth, Worcester, USA R ·38 165 80 5 hinged-frame pattern 126
Mass.
Forehand Pocket Model Forehand & Wadsworth, Worcester, USA R ·32 6 solid-frame pattern 126
Mass.
Forehand Pocket Model Forehand & Wadsworth, Worcester, USA R ·38 178 68 5 solid-frame pattern 126
Mass.
Fortuna Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 7·65 Ato 116 54 6 copy of Victoria; also in 6·35 299
Ato
Forty-Niner Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·22 LRi 264 880 140 9 Model 949 158
Mass.
Fox Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice Czechoslovakia A 6·35 Ato 126 585 65 7 99
Francais Societe Francaise d'Armes Automatiques France A 6·35 Ato 120 66 6 smaller Bernadon- Martin -
Franco Mre. Francaise d'Armes et Cycles, St- France A 6·35 Ato 152 360 85 6 police-model Le Francais 203
Etienne
Francotte August Francotte, Liege Belgium M 8 225 135 7 prototypes only? 127
Francotte August Francotte, Liege Belgium A 6·35 Ato 108 410 55 6 many minor variants 128
Frommer M1901 Femaru Fegyver es Gepgyar, Budapest Austria-Hungary A 8 Rot 180 650 100 10 130
Frommer M1906 Femaru Fegyver es Gepgyar, Budapest Austria-Hungary A 7·65 Rot 185 640 100 9 130
Frommer M1910 Femaru Fegyver es Gepgyar, Budapest Austria-Hungary A 7·65 Ato 186 635 100 8 variant: cal 7·65 Rot 130
Frommer Stop M1912 Femaru Fegyver es Gepgyar, Budapest Austria-Hungary A 7·65 Ato 165 610 100 7 issued to Honved 130
Frommer Baby Femaru Fegyver es Gepgyar, Budapest Austria-Hungary A 7·65 Ato 120 500 55 5 recoil operated 131
Frommer Liliput Femaru Fegyver es Gepgyar, Budapest Austria-Hungary A 6·35 Ato 110 300 55 6 blowback 131
Frommer M1929 Femaru Fegyver es Gepgyar, Budapest Hungary A 9 Sht 172 750 100 7 blowback 131
Frommer M1937 Femaru Fegyver es Gepgyar, Budapest Hungary A 7·65 Ato 182 770 110 7 blowback 131
Frontier J.B. Rongefils, Liege Belgium R ·41 235 1,060 118 6 solid-frame pattern 250
Frontier Army J.B, Rongefils, Liege Belgium R ·44 275 1,105 142 5 solid-frame pattern 250
Frontier Scout Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·22 LRi 237 680 120 6 83
Furia Ojanguren y Vidosa, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 145 605 80 8 usually with French markings 226
Furor Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 105 355 53 7 Unique M10; other types known 238
Hendaye
Fyrberg Andrew Fyrberg & Co., Hopkinton, USA R ·32 160 76 5 also in ·38 made by Iver 132
Mass. Johnson?

Gabilondos Gabilondos y Urresti, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 155 620 90 8 Eibar type blowback 133
GAC Garate, Anitua y Cia, Eibar Spain R ·32 245 825 128 6 Marked GAC Firearms Co 133
Galand Charles Galand, Liege Belgium R 9 202 1,100 95 6 representative specimen 137
Galesi M1914 Industria Armi Galesi, Brescia Italy A 6·35 Ato 139
Galesi M1923 Industria Armi Galesi, Brescia Italy A 6·35 Ato 120 58 7 139
Galesi M1930 Industria Armi Galesi, Brescia Italy A 6·35 Ato 120 61 7 variant: cal 7·65 Ato 139
Galesi M1936 Industria Armi Galesi, Brescia Italy A 9 Sht 139
Galesi Model 5 Industria Armi Galesi, Brescia Italy A 7·65 Ato 160 90 7 139
Galesi Model 6 Industria Armi Galesi, Brescia Italy A 6·35 Ato 118 59 7 variant: cal 7·65 Ato 139
Galesi Model 9 Industria Armi Galesi, Brescia Italy A 7·65 Ato 160 85 7 variant: cal ·22 LRi, 6·35 Ato 139
Galesi Model 53 Rino Galesi, Collobeato Italy A 6·35 Ato 160 85 7 variant: Model 54, ·22 LRi 139
Gallia Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 105 355 53 7 Unique M10: other patterns 238
Hendaye known
Gallus Retolaza Hermanos, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 355 55 6 Eibar-type blowback 139
Garantizada Model 1924 Fab. de Armas Garantizada, Eibar Spain R ·38 236 840 125 6 variant: cal ·32 20WCF 140
Garate Garate Anitua y Cia, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 150 615 80 9 Eibar-type blowback 141
Garate Garate, Anitua y Cia, Eibar Spain R ·455 280 680 130 6 British OP Mk 1 No.1 141
Gasser Model 1870 Leopold Gasser, Vienna Austria-Hungary R 11 320 1,300 185 6 142
Gasser M1870/74 Leopold Gasser, Vienna Austria-Hungary R 11 320 1,350 185 6 improved M1870, steel frame 142
Gasser 'Montenegrin' Leopold Gasser, Vienna Austria-Hungary R 11·75 375 1,450 230 6 representative specimen 142
Gasser-Kropatschek Leopold Gasser, Vienna Austria-Hungary R 9 234 770 116 6 M1876 or officers' model 142
Gasser-Kropatschek Leopold Gasser, Vienna Austria-Hungary R 9 227 800 118 6 commercial version of M1876 142
Gaulois Mre. Francaise d'Armes et Cycles, St- France M 8 131 285 56 5 also known as Mitrailleuse 204
Etienne
Gavage Fab. d'Armes de Haute Precision, Liege Belgium A 7·65 Ato 151 600 75 7 143
Gaztanaga Isidro Gaztanaga, Eibar Spain R ·32 210 530 110 6 S&W M&P copy; also cal ·38 143
G&E Gerstenberger & Eberwein, Gerstetten Germany R ·22 LRi 150 60 6 also known as Omega 115
Gecado Hermann Weihrauch, Mellrichstadt Germany R ·22 LRi 175 680 70 8 Arminius HW-3 26
Gecado G.C. Dornheim, Suhl Germany A 6·35 Ato 116 325 56 6 probably Spanish-made 108
Gecado G.C. Dornheim, Suhl Germany A 6·35 Ato 115 340 60 6 original design, German-made 108
Gecado G.C. Dornheim, Suhl Germany A 7·65 Ato 132 585 66 7 Eibar-type blowback 108
Geco Gustav Genschow AG, Hamburg Germany A 6·35 Ato 118 320 55 7 made by F Arizmendi 144
Geco Gustav Genschow AG, Hamburg Germany R 6·35 Ato 120 44 5 hammerless 144
Geco Gustav Genschow AG, Hamburg Germany R 8 170 62 5 hammerless; variant cal ·32 144
German Bulldog Gustav Genschow AG, Hamburg Germany R ·32 175 690 68 6 variants: cal ·38, ·45 144
G.H. Guisasola Hermanos, Eibar Eibar R ·38 255 520 128 6 S&W M&P copy 144
Gilon Fab. d'Armes Gilon, Liege? Belgium? R 5·5 VDg 165 60 5 typical Velo-Dog pattern -
Giralda Gregorio Bolumburu, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 150 585 85 7 Eibar-type blowback 60
Glisenti Model 1910 Societa Siderugica Glisenti, Brescia Italy A 9 Gli 207 850 102 7 145
Glock 17 Glock GmbH, Deutsch-Wagram Austria A 9 Pb 188 620 114 17 146

247
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
Glock 19 Glock GmbH, Deutsch-Wagram Austria A 9 Pb 177 595 102 15 146
Gloria Gregorio Bolumburu, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 325 55 6 Eibar-type blowback 60
Gloria Gregorio Bolumburu, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 136 560 70 7 M1915: Eibar-type blowback 60
Gold Cup National Match Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA A ·45 ACP 218 1,050 127 7 93
Golden Bison Super Six Ltd, Elkhorn, Wisconsin USA R ·45-70 330 2,610 152 6 variant: brl 203 290
Governor Bacon Arms Co., Norwich, Ct USA R ·22 rf 140 57 7 146
Grand Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice Czechoslovakia R ·357 Mag 230 980 102 6 other barrel-lengths 102
Grande Precision Fab. d'Armes de Grande Precision, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 116 330 56 6 Eibar-type blowback 147
Grant Hammond Grant Hammond Mfg Corp., New Haven, USA A ·45 ACP 286 1,190 171 8 1915 patent, recoil operated 148
Ct.
Green Edwinson Green, Cheltenham, Glos. Britain R ·45 ACP 270 1,005 140 6 representative specimen 148
Grendel P-10 Grendel. Inc., Rockledge, Florida USA A 9 Sht 135 425 76 10 -
Grizzly WinMag L.A.R Mfg. Inc., Jordan, Utah USA A ·45 WnM 266 1,445 137 7 variants: cal, brl -
Guardian Bacon Arms Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 170 70 5 variant: cal ·22 149
Guardsman Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·32 178 665 63 6 Model 732: variant brl 102 157
Mass.
Guerre F. Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 145 590 70 7 Eibar-type blowback 22
Guisasola Guisasola Hermanos, Eibar Spain R ·38 250 810 125 6 Colt Police Positive copy 149
Guisasola Guisasola Hermanos, Eibar Spain R ·38 265 845 140 6 S&W M&P copy 149
Guisasola Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 110 310 54 7 sold by Guisasola Hermanos 149
Gunfighter Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·22 LRi 264 820 140 6 Model 660 157
Mass.
Gustloff Gustloff-Werke, Suhl Germany A 7·65 Ato 168 735 95 8 149
Gyrojet MBAssociates, San Ramon, Calif USA A 12 Gyr 248 450 210 6 rocket launcher; also cal 13 150

H&A Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·22 228 150 7 solid frame, single action 170
H&A Double Action Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 203 100 5 170
No.6
H&A Automatic Model Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 165 76 5 variant: cal ·38 170
H&A Forehand M1891 Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 rf 185 82 5 170
H&A Safety Police Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 196 76 6 170
Hafdasa Hafdasa SA, Buenos Aires Argentina A ·22 LRi 165 60 8 Model A 151
Hafdasa Hafdasa SA, Buenos Aires Argentina A ·22 LRi 216 120 10 Model B, Colt M1911 copy 151
Hamada Japan Gun Co. Ltd, Notobe Japan A 7·65 Ato 159 675 88 9 Type l 152
Hamada Japan Gun Co. Ltd, Notobe Japan A 8 177 750 95 6 Type 2 152
Hammerless Model Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·32 510 101 5.6 variant: cal ·22 156
Mass.
Hammerless Model Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·32 165 325 73 5 156
Mass.
Hammerless Model Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·38 210 480 101 5 156
Mass.
Hammerli Model 106 Hammerli AG, Lenzburg Switzerland S ·22 LRi 425 1,300 287 Martini-type breech 153
Hammerli Model 120 Hammerli AG, Lenzburg Switzerland S ·22 LRi 400 1,230 255 bolt action 153
Hammerli Model 150 Hammerli AG, Lenzburg Switzerland S ·22 LRi 390 1,200 285 many variants 153
Hammerli Model 206 Hammerli AG, Lenzburg Switzerland A ·22 LRi 318 1,100 180 8 many variants 153
Hammerli Model 208 Hammerli AG, Lenzburg Switzerland A ·22 LRi 255 985 150 8 without weights; many variants 154
Hammerli Model 212 Hammerli AG, Lenzburg Switzerland A ·22 LRi 215 880 125 8 154
Hammerli Model 230 Hammerli AG, Lenzburg Switzerland A ·22 LRi 295 1,240 160 6 154
Hammerli Model 240 Hammerli AG, Lenzburg Switzerland A ·38 Spl 267 1,390 150 5 SIG type; also in ·32 S&W Long 154
Hammerli Model 280 Hammerli AG, Lenzburg Switzerland A ·22 LRi 280 1,020 117 6 154
Hammerli Dakota Hammerli AG, Lenzburg Switzerland R ·357 Mag 282 1,135 140 6 155
Hammer Model Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·32 176 305 80 5 156
Mass.
Hamilton J Thorssin & Sons, Alingsas Sweden A 6·5 267 1,225 105 6 experimental only 155
Handy M1917 unknown Spain A 9 Sht 150 670 84 7 Browning 1910 copy -
Hand Elector Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·32 215 510 82 5 three models 271
Hand Elector Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·32-20 210 76 5 271
Hand Ejector Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·22 LRi 280 680 152 6 Bekeart Model or ·22/32 270
Hand Ejector Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·44 298 1,075 165 6 1st or New Century Model 277
Hand Ejector Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·44 298 1,060 165 6 Second Model 277
Hand Ejector Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA R ·44 260 1,075 127 6 Third Model 277
Hand Ejector, Magnum Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·357 Mag 302 1,335 152 6 278
Hand Ejector, Magnum Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·357 Mag 302 1,335 152 6 278
Hard Pan Hood Arms Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 63 5 solid frame: also cal ·22. mag 7 155
Hartford Hartford Arms & Equipment Co., USA A ·22 LRi 280 170 10 became High Standard (q.v.) 159
Hartford, Ct
Hartford Hartford Arms & Equipment Co., USA M ·22 LRi 210 110 10 also made as a single-shot 159
Hartford, Ct
Hartford Arms Co. Norwich Falls Pistol Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 5 a misleading sales name 159
Hawkeye Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport, Ct. USA S ·256 WMg 358 1,270 216 1 255
H&D Henrion & Dassy, Liege Belgium A 6·35 Ato 110 310 65 6 160
HDH Henrion, Dassy & Heuschen, Liege Belgium R 6·35 Ato 175 90 20 160
HDH Henrion, Dassy & Heuschen, Liege Belgium R 7·65 Ato 205 106 16 160

248
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
HDH Henrion, Dassy & Heuschen, Liege Belgium R 8 185 72 5 Velo-Dog pattern, cal various 160
Heavy Duty Police Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·38 Spl 275 1,190 140 6 Model 20: on ·44 frame 274
Hege AP-66 Femaru, Budapest Hungary A 7·65 Ato 180 590 100 8 made for Hebsacker, Germany 124
Heim C.E. Heinzelmann, Plochingen Germany A 6·35 Ato 108 310 55 6 163
Hei-Mo Heinrich Moritz, Zella St Blasii Germany A 7·65 Ato 140 630 75 8 163
Helfricht Model 1 Alfred Krauser, Zella-Mehlis Germany A 6·35 Ato 110 300 50 6 164
Helfricht Model 2 Alfred Krauser, Zella-Mehlis Germany A 6·35 Ato 110 300 50 6 Model 3 similar 164
Helfricht Model 4 Alfred Krauser, Zella-Mehlis Germany A 6·35 Ato 109 340 46 6 164
Helkra Alfred Krauser, Zella-Mehlis Germany A 6·35 Ato 109 340 46 6 sales name for Helfricht Model 4 164
Helvece Fab. d'Armes de Grande Precision, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 118 354 58 6 147
Helwan state factory, Port Said? Egypt A 9 Pb 203 905 114 8 licence-built Beretta M951 164
Heritage E.F. Phelps Mfg Co., Evansville, Indiana USA ·45-70 495 2,495 305 6 variants: cal ·444, brl 203.406 -
Herman unknown Belgium? A 6·35 Ato 125 430 65 6 164
Hermetic Etab. Bernadon-Martin, St-Etienne France A 7·65 Ato 152 680 90 7 55
Heym F.W. Heym, Munnerstadt Germany R ·22 LRi 170 50 6 Detective Model 165
[J.C.] Higgins Model 80 High Standard Mfg Co., Hamden, Ct. USA A ·22 LRi 276 1,160 165 10 modified Duramatic 167
[J.C.] Higgins Model 85 Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A ·22 LRi 183 615 110 10 Unique E 2 sold by Sears, 237
Hendaye Roebuck
[J.C.] Higgins Model 88 High Standard Mfg Co., Hamden, Ct. USA R ·22 LRi 235 650 100 9 modified Sentinel 168
[J.C.] Higgins Model 90 High Standard Mfg Co., Hamden, Ct. USA R ·22 LRi 240 765 114 7 modified Double Nine 168
[J.C.] Higgins Ranger High Standard Mfg Co., Hamden, Ct. USA R ·22 LRi 273 795 140 9 modified Double Nine 168
High Standard Model A High Standard Mfg Co., Hamden, Ct. USA A ·22 LRi 215 910 114 10 Models B, C, similar 165
High Standard Model HA High Standard Mfg Co., Hamden, Ct. USA A ·22 LRi 280 1,020 171 10 Model HB similar 166
High Standard Model D High Standard Mfg Co., Hamden, Ct. USA A ·22 LRi 280 1,135 171 10 HD, HD-M, USA-HD are similar 166
High Standard Model E High Standard Mfg Co., Hamden, Ct. USA A ·22 LRi 280 1,190 171 10 Model HE similar 166
High Standard Model G High Standard Mfg Co., Hamden, Ct. USA A 9 Sht 235 1,135 127 6 166
High Standard Model GB High Standard Mfg Co., Hamden, Ct. USA A ·22 LRi 225 925 114 10 variant: brl 171 166
Highway Patrolman Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·357 Mag 285 1,245 152 6 Model 28 278
Hijo Rino Galesi, Collobeato Italy A 6·35 Ato US sales name 168
Hijo Quick-Break Iver Johnson, Fitchburg, Mass. USA R ·22 LRi 273 815 152 8 sold by Walzer Arms, NYC 168
Hino-Komuro Komuro Gun Factory, Tokyo Japan A 7·65 Ato 256 820 204 8 blow-forward: typical specimen 169
HK-4 Heckler & Koch GmbH, Oberndorf Germany A 6·35 Ato 157 480 85 8 variants: ·22,7·65 Ato, 9 Sht 161
HK P-9S Heckler & Koch GmbH, Oberndorf Germany A 9 Pb 192 795 101 9 variant: cal ·45 ACP 161
HK P-7M13 Heckler & Koch GmbH, Oberndorf Germany A 9 Pb 166 880 105 13 variant: P-7M8, mag 8 162
HK VP-70Z Heckler & Koch GmbH, Oberndorf Germany A 9 Pb 204 820 116 18 162
Hood Hood Firearms Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 140 64 5 smooth-bore 169
Horse Destroyer Isidro Gaztanaga, Eibar Spain R ·38 280 910 152 6 143
Howard Arms Co. Meriden Firearms Co., Meriden, Ct. USA R ·38 186 76 5 variant: cal ·32 215
H&R Model 622 Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·22 266 915 152 6 157
Mass.
H&R Model 632 Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·32 203 535 102 6 157
Mass.
H&R Model 900 Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·22 250 735 152 9 157
Mass.
H&R Model 922 Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·22 266 680 102 9 158
Mass.
H&R Model 923 Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·22 162 64 9 158
Mass.
H&R Model 926 Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·22 880 101 9 158
Mass.
H&R Model 940 Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·22 935 152 9 158
Mass.
H&R Model 1904 Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·32 208 450 114 6 1905,1906 patterns are similar 156
Mass.
H&R Model 1904 Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·38 216 455 114 5 1905,1906 patterns are similar 156
Mass.
H&R Model 1906 Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·22 152 285 51 7 156
Mass.
H&R Self Loading Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA A 7·65 Ato 165 565 85 8 Webley & Scott type 158
Mass.
H&R Self Loading Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA A 6·35 Ato 115 345 54 6 Webley & Scott type 158
Mass.
H&R Special Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·22 rf 260 710 152 9 156
Mass.
H.S. Herbert Schmidt, Ostheim Germany R ·22 LRi 155 65 7 pocket model; alias Liberty' 261
H.S. Herbert Schmidt, Ostheim Germany R ·22 LRi 160 65 7 Model 11, alias EIG M-8 261
Hudson unknown Spain A 6·35 Ato 114 374 55 6 Eibar-type blowback -
Hunter Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·22 LRi 356 254 7 -
Mass.
Huntsman Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA A ·22 LRi 220 835 101 10 95
H.V. Hourat & Vie, Pau France A 6·35 Ato 116 300 52 6 Browning M1906 copy 172
Hy-Score Model 108 Rohm GmbH, Sontheim Germany R ·22 LRi 150 60 6 made for Hy-Score, Brooklyn 248

I.A.G. Industria Armi Galesi, Brescia Italy A 7·65 Ato name for various Galesi models 139

249
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
Ideal F. Dusek, Opocno Czechoslovakia A 6·35 Ato 114 305 54 7 Based on M1906 Browning 112
Illinois Arms Co. Friedrich Pickert, Zella-Mehlis Germany R sales name for Arminius guns 25
Imperato Heckler & Koch GmbH, Oberndorf Germany A 7·65 Ato 157 480 85 8 US sales name for HK-4 161
Imperial Tomas de Urizar, Barcelona Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 315 54 7 Eibar-type blowback 173
Imperial Jose Aldazabal, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 150 600 85 7 Eibar-type blowback 173
Imperial Arms Co. Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·38 185 80 5 hammer and hammerless variants 170
I.N.A. Industria Nacional de Armas, Sao Paulo Brazil R ·32 175 845 55 6 S&W type 173
Indian Isidro Gaztanaga, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 160 604 88 9 Eibar type: similar to Destroyer 144
Infallible Davis-Warner Arms Corp., Assonet, USA A 7·65 Ato 168 700 82 7 174
Mass.
International Hood Firearms Company, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 5 variant: cal ·22, mag 7 169
Invicta Santiago Salaberrin, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 315 55 6 Browning M1906 copy -
Iraola Iraola y Salaverria, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 150 685 86 9 Browning M1906 copy 175
Iroquois E. Remington & Sons, Ilion, NY USA R ·22 rf 150 57 7 Smoot patent 175
Iris Orbea Hermanos, Eibar Spain R ·32-20 240 800 120 6 standard OH revolver 227
Italia Militar Rino Galesi, Collobeato Italy A 7·65 Ato 157 675 90 7 139
Iver Johnson Bulldog Iver Johnson, Fitchburg, Mass USA R ·22 LRi 180 740 64 8 variant: ·38 Spl 177
Iver Johnson Cadet Iver Johnson, Fitchburg, Mass. USA R ·22 LRi 185 680 64 8 Model 55S-A 178
Iver Johnson M1900 Iver Johnson, Fitchburg, Mass. USA R ·38 165 63 5 various barrel lengths 178
Iver Johnson Petite Iver Johnson, Fitchburg, Mass USA R ·22 LRi 105 25 7 178
Iver Johnson Target Iver Johnson, Fitchburg, Mass. USA R ·22 LRi 273 965 152 8 Model 57A 178
Iver Johnson X300 Iver Johnson, Jacksonville, Arkansas USA A 9 Sht 155 565 76 6 also known as Pony 179
Iver Johnson TP-22 Iver Johnson, Jacksonville, Arkansas USA A ·22 LRi 137 410 72 6 variant: cal 6·35 Ato 179
Ixor Mre. d'Armes Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 105 360 54 7 Unique M10; other patterns 238
Hendaye known
Izarra Bonifacio Echeverria, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 155 675 88 9 Eibar-type blowback 179

Jaga F. Dusek, Opocno Czechoslovakia A 6·35 Ato 114 425 54 6 sales name for Duo 180
Jager F. Jager & Co., Suhl Germany A 7·65 Ato 155 640 79 7 180
Japanese 26th Year Tokyo artillery arsenal, Koishikawa Japan R 9 216 880 120 6 alias M1893 181
Japanese Type 94 Chuo Kogyo KK, Kokubunji, Tokyo Japan A 8 180 765 96 6 182
Javelina Irwindale Arms USA A 10 267 1,135 178 8 -
Jetfire Armi Beretta SpA, Gardone Val Trompia Italy A 6·35 Ato 120 320 60 6 As M950, but centre-fire 47
Jewel Hood Firearms Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·22 rf 153 63 7 169
Jieffeco Mre. Liegeoise, Robar & Co., Liege Belgium A 7·65 Ato 160 650 90 8 see also Melior 247
Joha unknown Spain A 6·35 Ato 116 400 56 6 Browning M1906 copy 181
Jo-Lo-Ar Hijos de Calixto Arrizabalaga, Eibar Spain A 9 Sht 217 720 155 8 variants: 6·35 Ato, 7·65 Ato, 9 27
BLg
Jubala Larranaga y Elartza, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 110 350 53 6 Eibar-type blowback -
Junior Pretoria Arms Factory South Africa A 6·35 Ato 115 380 55 6 229
Jupiter Fab. d'Armes de Grande Precision, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 395 58 7 Eibar-type blowback 181
Jupiter Fab. d'Armes de Grande Precision, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 152 615 85 9 Eibar-type blowback 181

Kaba Spezial August Menz, Suhl Germany A 6·35 Ato 116 385 55 6 variant: cal 7·65 Ato 182
Kaba Spezial F. Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 110 375 54 6 variant: cal 7·65 Ato 182
Kappora unknown Spain A 7·65 Ato 145 590 80 7 -
Keith-Bristol unknown USA A ·22 LRi prototypes only -
Kessler F.W. Kessler, Suhl Germany A 7·65 Ato 165 645 95 7 made by Pickert 182
Kimball Kimball Arms Co., Wayne, Michigan USA A ·30 Crb 241 1,135 127 7 variant: cal ·22 Hnt 182
Kimball Kimball Arms Co., Wayne, Michigan USA A ·30 Crb 203 822 89 7 Aircrew Model 182
Kirrikale Kirrikale Tufek Fb Turkey A 7·65 Ato 168 700 95 7 variant: cal 9 Sht 183
Kittemaug unknown USA R ·32 168 70 5 -
Klesesewski unknown Spain A 6·35 Ato 110 325 55 7 resembles Victoria 183
Knoble W.B. Knoble, Tacoma, Washington USA A ·45 prototypes only -
Knocabout Sheridan Products, Racine, Wisconsin USA S ·22 LRi 172 680 127 266
Kobold Raick Freres, Liege Belgium R ·320 125 52 5 Constabulary pattern 184
Kobra unknown Germany A 6·35 Ato 116 365 60 6 185
Kolb H.M. Kolb, Philadelphia, Penn. USA R ·22 rf see Baby Hammerless 185
Kolibri Georg Grabner, Rehberg Austria A 3 Kol 65 220 30 6 also made by Pfannl 185
Kommer Model 1 Theodor Kommer, Zella-Mehlis Germany A 6·35 Ato 108 370 51 7 Models 2 and 3 similar 186
Kommer Model 4 Theodor Kommer, Zella-Mehlis Germany A 7·65 Ato 140 570 76 7 186
Korriphila TP-70 Korriphila- Prazisionsmechanik, Germany A 6·35 Ato 118 350 66 6 sold in USA as Norton TP-70 187
Heidelberg
Korriphila HSP-701 Korriphila-Prazisionsmechanik, Ulm Germany A 9 Pb 182 990 102 9 delayed blowback 187
Krnka unknown Austria-Hungary M 7·7? 6? 1892 type, rotary magazine 188
Krnka Osterreichische Waffenfabriks- Austria-Hungary A 8 265 980 170 10? 1895 pattern 188
Gesellschaft?
Kromar Osterreichische Waffenfabriks- Austria-Hungary A 8 very few made, c.1893-4 -
Gesellschaft?
Kynoch Kynoch Gun Factory, Birmingham Britain R ·450 292 1,375 152 6 many variants; ·380, ·442, etc. 188

La Basque Tomas de Urizar, Barcelona Spain A 7·65 Ato 150 610 82 9 Eibar-type blowback; also Le 189
Basque
250
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
Ladies Escort Detonics Firearms, Bellevue, Washington USA A ·45 ACP 172 730 89 6 106
Ladysmith Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·22 rf 165 76 7 three models 270
Ladysmith Model 36LS Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA R ·38 Special 158 565 51 5 M60 LS (stainless) similar 275
La Industrial Orbea Hermanos Spain A 7·65 Ato 155 625 86 9 Eibar-type blowback 227
Lahti L-35 VKT, Jyvaskyla Finland A 9 Pb 235 1,225 118 8 189
Lahti M/40 Husqvarna Vapenfabrik, Husqvarna Sweden A 9 Pb 242 1,265 120 8 190
La Lira Garate, Anitua y Cia, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 190 670 115 9 based on Mannlicher M1901 141
Lampo Catello Tribuzio, Turin Italy M 8 123 55 5 palm-squeezer 191
Lancaster Charles Lancaster & Co., London Britain M ·450 248 152 2, 4 two or four barrels 191
Landstadt unknown Norway R 7·5 235 1,020 115 7 automatic revolver; very few 191
made
Langenhan Armee- F. Langenhan, Zella St Blasii Germany A 7·65 Ato 168 670 105 8 alias FL Selbstlader 192
Modell
Langenhan Model II F. Langenhan, Zella-Mehlis Germany A 6·35 Ato 146 500 80 8 192
Langenhan Model III F. Langenhan, Zella-Mehlis Germany A 6·35 Ato 121 470 58 5 192
Lawman Mk 3 Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·357 Mag 235 1,020 101 6 other barrel lengths 90
L.E. Larranaga y Elartza, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 310 54 6 Eibar-type blowback -
Leader unknown USA R ·32 162 60 5 variant: cal ·22, mag 7 193
L'Agent Mre. Francaise d'Armes et Cycles, St- France R 8 150 55 5 hammerless 203
Etienne
Le Brong Crucelegui Hermanos, Eibar Spain R 8 155 55 5 Velo-Dog pattern 98
Le Cavalier Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne France A 7·65 Ato 152 650 82 8 sold in USA as Winfield 42
Le Chasseur Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne France A ·22 LRi 185 795 115 9 external hammer; also brl 190 42
Le Colonial Mre. Francaise d'Armes et Cycles, St- France R 8 145 55 5 hammerless 203
Etienne
Le Dragon Aguirre y Cia, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 355 55 7 Eibar-type blowback 16
L'Eclair Garate, Anitua y Cia, Eibar Spain R 5·5 VDg 150 53 6 hammerless, Velo-Dog 141
Lee Lee Arms Co., Wilkes- Barre, Penn. USA R ·22 rf 145 45 5 193
Lefaucheux-Francotte A. Francotte & Co., Liege Belgium R 11 310 1,170 150 6 M1871 Swedish army issue 127
Le Francais Mre. Francaise d'Armes et Cycles, St- France A 6·35 Ato 112 300 60 7 pocket model 203
Etienne
Le Francais Mre. Francaise d'Armes et Cycles, St- France A 7·65 152 630 83 8 203
Etienne
Le Francais Mre. Francaise d'Armes et Cycles, St- France A 9 BLg 203 1,090 127 8 1928 or military model 203
Etienne
Le Gendarme Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne France A 7·65 Ato 180 710 100 9 US sales name for MAB Model 42
D
Legia Anciens Etablissements Pieper, Herstal Belgium A 6·35 Ato 115 350 55 6 234
Le Majestic Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 104 365 55 7 Unique M10: other guns known 238
Hendaye
Le Martiny unknown Belgium or Spain A 6·35 Ato 113 375 55 6 Browning M1906 copy 193
Le Meteore unknown Spain A 6·35 Ato 118 410 54 7 Browning M1906 copy -
Le Militaire Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne France A 9 Pb 195 1,050 120 8 US sales name for MAB Para 42
Le Monobloc J Jacquemart, Liege Belgium A 6·35 Ato 114 390 53 6 193
Le Novo Charles Galand, Liege Belgium R 6·35 Ato 110 30 5 folding butt, open frame 138
Leonhardt H.M. Gering, Arnstadt Germany A 7·65 Ato 140 650 75 7 identical with Beholla 194
Le Page Manufacture d'Armes Le Page, Liege Belgium A 7·65 Ato 162 715 96 8 194
Le Page Manufacture d'Armes Le Page, Liege Belgium A 7·65 Ato 146 665 80 8 194
Le Page Manufacture d'Armes Le Page, Liege Belgium A 6·35 Ato 6 194
Le Page Manufacture d'Armes Le Page, Liege Belgium A 9 Sht 8 194
Le Page Manufacture d'Armes Le Page, Liege Belgium A 9 BLg 12 194
Le Page Manufacture d'Armes Le Page, Liege Belgium R 8 240 115 8 representative, many variants 194
Le Petit Formidable Mre. Francaise d'Armes et Cycles, St- France R 6·35 Ato 122 45 5 203
Etienne
Le Protecteur J.E. Turbiaux, Paris France M 6 120 42 10 palm-squeezer 297
Le Rapide Jules Bertrand, Liege Belgium A 6·35 Ato 120 410 50 6 58
Lercker Lercker, Bologna Italy A 6·35 Ato 184 930 102 20 selective-fire; early 1950s 194
L.E.S. LES Importers, Skokie, Illinois USA A 9 Pb 216 845 136 18 US name for Steyr Pi-18 195
Le Sanspareil Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 105 355 53 7 Unique M10; other guns known 238
Hendaye
Le Secours Tomas de Urizar, Barcelona Spain A 7·65 Ato 135 630 65 7 Eibar-type blowback -
Le Steph L Bergeron, St-Etienne France A 6·35 Ato 110 370 51 6 51
Leston Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 6·35 Ato 110 325 55 7 sales name for Victoria 195
Le Terrible Mre. Francaise d'Armes et Cycles, St- France R 7·65 Ato 16 202
Etienne
Le Tout Acier Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 105 360 55 7 Unique M10; other guns known 238
Hendaye
Liberator Guide Lamp Division, General Motors, USA S ·45 ACP 141 445 101 195
Detroit
Liberty Retolaza Hermanos, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 125 370 62 6 Eibar-type blowback 195
Liberty Model 14 Retolaza Hermanos, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 150 750 82 9 Eibar-type blowback 195
Liberty Hood Firearms Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 165 63 5 variant: cal ·22, smooth-bore 195
Liberty Rohm GmbH, Sontheim Germany R ·22 LRi 210 90 6 sales name for RG-12 196
Liberty 11 Herbert Schmidt, Ostheim Germany R ·22 LRi 155 63 8 196

251
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
Liberty 21 Rohm GmbH, Sontheim? Germany R ·22 LRi 155 50 6 sold in US by Liberty Arms Co. 196
Liberty Chief Miroku Firearms Mfg Co., Kochi Japan R ·38 Spl 190 500 64 6 US name for Miroku M6 196
Libia Beistegui Hermanos, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 109 365 48 6 also sold by Grande Precision 44
Libia Beistegui Hermanos, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 130 720 60 6 as above 44
Liege Mre. Liegeoise, Robar & Co., Liege Belgium A 6·35 Ato 115 360 60 6 New Model Melior 247
Liegeoise Mre. Liegeoise, Robar & Co., Liege Belgium A 6·35 Ato 115 360 60 6 New Model Melior 247
Liegeoise Unceta y Cia, Guernica? Spain A 7·65 Ato Victoria sold by Robar 196
Lightning Echave y Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 380 55 6 Identical with Bronco 114
Lightning Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·38 230 650 115 6 variant: cal ·32 85
Lightning Whitney Firearms, North Haven, Ct. USA A ·22 LRi 228 640 117 10 322
Lignose Model 2 AG Lignose, Berlin (Bergmann) Germany A 6·35 Ato 114 400 53 6 196
Lignose Einhand 2A AG Lignose, Berlin (Bergmann) Germany A 6·35 Ato 121 410 55 6 196
Lignose Model 3 AG Lignose, Berlin (Bergmann) Germany A 6·35 Ato 120 405 54 9 196
Lignose Einhand 3A AG Lignose, Berlin (Bergmann) Germany A 6·35 Ato 119 405 54 9 196
Liliput August Menz, Suhl Germany A 4·25 88 225 44 6 214
Liliput August Menz, Suhl Germany A 6·35 102 290 51 6 214
Lincoln various Belgium R ·320 155 685 55 5 representative specimen 196
Lion Johnson, Bye & Co., Worcester, Mass. USA R ·38 73 5 variants: ·22, ·41, ·44 197
Little All Right Little All Right Firearms Co., Lawrence, USA R ·22 rf 100 45 5 197
Mass
Little Giant Bacon Arms Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·22 rf 125 57 7 197
Little John Hood Firearms Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·22 rf 54 7 169
Little Joker J.M. Marlin, New Haven, Ct. USA R ·22 rf 57 7 197
Little Tom A. Tomiska, Pilsen Czechoslovakia A 6·35 Ato 115 375 60 6 double action 197
Little Tom A. Tomiska, Pilsen Czechoslovakia A 7·65 Ato 150 585 90 8 minor variants 197
Little Tom Wiener Waffenfabrik, Vienna Austria A 7·65 Ato 140 580 80 7 197
Llama Model I Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 160 95 8 134
Llama Model II Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A 9 Sht 134
Llama Model III Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A 9 Sht 160 550 92 7 134
Llama Model IV Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A 9 B-B 134
Llama Model V Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A ·38 Sup 134
Llama Model VI Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A 9 Sht 134
Llama Model VII Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A ·38 Sup 134
Llama Model VIII Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A ·38 Sup 215 1,100 127 9 134
Llama Model IX Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A ·45 ACP 215 1,075 127 7 -
Llama Model IX-A Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A 9 B-B 215 870 127 8 135
Llama Model X Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 155 90 8 135
Llama Model X-A Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 165 650 93 8 135
Llama Model XI Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A 9 Pb 215 1,075 127 8 135
Llama Model XV Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A ·22 LRi 165 595 92 9 135
Llama Model XVI Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A ·22 LRi 165 480 92 9 135
Llama Model XVII Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A ·22 LRi 122 370 60 6 135
Llama Model XVIII Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 120 395 58 6 -
Llama Model XX Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 165 450 93 8 as x A but alloy frame -
Llama Model XXII Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain R ·38 Spl 6 136
Llama Model XXVI Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain R ·38 Spl 235 935 102 6 Martial; also cal ·357 Mag 136
Llama Model XXVII Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain R ·32 55 6 136
Llama Model XXVIII Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain R ·22 LRi target model 136
Llama Especial Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 166 95 8 -
Llama M82 Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A 9 Pb 203 1,105 108 15 135
Llama M87 Competition Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A 9 Pb 241 1,330 152 14 target model 135
Longines Cooperativa Obrera, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 175 605 97 8 Browning M1910 copy 97
Looking Glass Acha Hermanos, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 410 52 6 variant: cal 7·65 Ato 13
Loewe Ludwig Loewe & Co., Berlin Germany R ·44 Rus 305 1,135 165 6 S&W Russian copy 198
Lorcin L-25 Lorcin Engineering Co., Riverside, Calif. USA A 6·35 Ato 120 378 59 6 -
Luciano Luciano Giacosa, Brescia Italy R ·38 165 50 5 sold under EIG name: also ·32 198
Luger Stoeger Industries, South Hackensack, NJ USA A ·22 LRi 230 850 114 11 also with brl 140 290
Luna E.F. Buchel Zella-Mehlis Germany S ·22 rf 465 1,135 305 Martin.-action target pistol 70
Lur-Panzer Echave y Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A ·22 LRi 223 800 105 10 copy of Erma EP·22 114
Lusitania M1915 unknown Spain A 7·65 Ato 150 810 82 9 Eibar-type blowback 198

MAB Model A Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne France A 6·35 Ato 116 370 53 6 41
MAB Model B Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne France A 7·65 Ato 175 270 100 8 41
MAB Model C Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne France A 7·65 Ato 152 650 82 8 41
MAB Model D Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne France A 7·65 Ato 180 710 100 9 sold in USA as Le Gendarme 41
MAB Model E Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne France A 6·35 Ato 158 565 82 9 42
MAB Model F Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne France A ·22 LRi 270 825 152 10 various barrel lengths 42
MAB Model GZ Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne France A 6·35 Ato 158 255 80 8 made by Echave y Arizmendi 42
MAB Model PA-15 Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne France A 9 Pb 245 1,100 152 15 adopted by French army 42
MAB Mle R Longue Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne France A 7·65 Ato 190 750 106 9 42
MAB Mle R Court Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne France A 7·65 Ato 170 745 85 9 42

252
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
MAB Mle R Para Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne France A 9 Pb 195 1,050 120 8 sold in USA as Le Militaire 42
Magnum Model 29 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·44 Mag 302 1,330 165 6 variants: brl 102, 212 278
Magnum Model 57 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·41 Mag 289 1,360 152 6 278
Mahely Industrias Argentinas Mahely, Buenos Argentina R ·22 LRi 160 500 50 8 variant: brl 75 -
Aires
Mahely Canon Corto Industrias Argentinas Mahely, Buenos Argentina A ·22 LRi 130 450 67 9 -
Aires
Mahely Canon Largo Industrias Argentinas Mahely, Buenos Argentina A ·22 LRi 165 570 100 9 -
Aires
Makarov state factories USSR A 9 Mak 160 670 91 8 loosely based on Walther PP 199
Maltby & Henley Norwich Falls Pistol Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 185 83 5 hammer and hammerless models 199
Maltby & Henley Norwich Falls Pistol Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·38 190 76 5 hammerless model 199
Mann Fritz Mann, Suhl Germany A 7·65 Ato 120 360 60 5 200
Mann Fritz Mann, Suhl Germany A 6·35 Ato 105 260 42 5 vest-pocket model 200
Mann Fritz Mann, Suhl Germany A 9 Sht 121 380 60 5 200
Mannlicher M1894 Osterreichische Waffenfabriks-Ges Steyr Austria-Hungary A 7·6 230 1,000 5 variant: cal 6 5 200
Mannlicher M1896 Osterreichische Waffenfabriks-Ges, Steyr Austria-Hungary A 7·6? 225 118 6 blowback pattern 201
Mannlicher M1901 Osterreichische Waffenfabriks-Ges., Austria-Hungary A 7·63 Man 246 910 160 8 201
Steyr
Mannlicher M1903 Osterreichische Waffenfabriks-Ges., Austria-Hungary A 7·65 Man 279 1,020 115 6 202
Steyr
Manurhin MR-73 Mre. de Machines du Haut- Rhin, France R ·357 Mag 195 880 63 6 variants: cal 9 Pb, 9 Sht 204
Mulhouse
Manurhin Remora 5 Mre. de Machines du Haut- Rhin, France R ·38 Spl 163 560 51 5 other barrel lengths -
Mulhouse
Manurhin F-1 Mre. de Machines du Haut- Rhin, France R ·357 Mag 195 910 63 6 variants: cal 9 Pb, ·38 Spl -
Mulhouse
Margolin MTs state factory, Izhevsk? USSR A ·22 LRi 310 1,180 160 6 target pistol 205
Marina Gregorio Bolumburu, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 380 54 6 Eibar-type blowback 60
Marine Corps Model Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·38 279 920 152 6 86
Marke Hijos de Jorge Bascaran, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 114 410 57 6 Eibar-type blowback 40
Marlin XX Standard J.M. Marlin, New Haven, Ct. USA R ·22 rf 165 76 7 tip-up barrel 205
Marlin XXX Standard J.M. Marlin, New Haven, Ct. USA R ·30 rf 175 76 5 tip-up barrel 205
Marlin No.2 Standard J.M. Marlin, New Haven, Ct. USA R ·32 178 76 5 tip-up barrel 205
Marlin Standard 1878 J.M Marlin, New Haven, Ct. USA R ·38 190 80 5 tip-up barrel 205
Marlin No.32 Standard J.M. Marlin, New Haven, Ct. USA R ·32 175 76 5 tip-up, 1875 205
Marquis of Lorne Hood Firearms Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 166 70 5 variant: cal ·22, mag 7 169
Mars Kohout v Spol Kdyne Czechoslovakia A 6·35 Ato 108 375 50 6 based on Browning M1906 185
Mars Kohout v Spol Kdyne Czechoslovakia A 7·65 Ato 165 650 96 7 based on Browning M1910 185
Mars Bergmanns Industriewerk, Suhl Germany A 9 Bgm 254 1,020 102 6 later made in Belgium 52
Mars unknown (Westley Richards?) Britain A 8·5 300 1,390 222 10 many variants 206
Mars unknown (Westley Richards?) Britain A 9 300 1,475 222 10 also known as 36 206
Mars unknown (Westley Richards?) Britain A ·45 292 1,415 214 8 long and short chambering 206
Mars Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 104 355 54 7 Unique M10; other guns known 238
Hendaye
Martial Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·38 235 880 102 6 -
Marte M1920 Urquiaga y Muguruzu, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 114 400 54 6 Eibar-type blowback -
Martian Martin Bascaran, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 105 318 43 6 original design; also 7·65 Ato 39
Martian Martin Bascaran, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 155 625 88 8 Eibar-type blowback 39
Martigny Hijos de Jorge Bascaran, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 113 330 55 6 Eibar-type blowback 40
Martin-Marres-Braendlin Braendlin Armoury Co., Ltd. Britain M ·450 235 130 4 other calibres 62
Birmingham
MAS Mle 1935 Manufacture d'Armes de Saint- Etienne France A 7·65 Lng 188 790 105 8 French service pistol 129
MAS Mle 1950 Manufacture d'Armes de Saint- Etienne France A 9 Pb 195 860 112 9 also MAC 1950, MAT 1950 129
Mateba MTR-8 Macchine termo Ballistiche, Pavia Italy R ·38 Spl 265 1,230 75 8 variant: ·357 Mag (MTR-8M) 207
Mateba MTR-12 Macchine termo Ballistiche, Pavia Italy R ·38 Spl 290 1,450 100 12 variant: ·357 Mag (MTR-12M) 207
Mateba MTR-20 Macchine termo Ballistiche, Pavia Italy R ·22 LRi 275 1,300 100 20 207
Mateba 2006M Macchine termo Ballistiche, Pavia Italy R ·357 Mag 185 1,070 78 6 variants: brl 158,212 207
Mateba 2007S Macchine termo Ballistiche, Pavia Italy R ·38 Spl 212 102 7 variants: brl 185,262 207
Mauser C/1878 Gebruder Mauser & Co., Oberndorf Germany R 9 270 750 136 6 'Zig-Zag'; also 7·6,10 6 208
Mauser C/1886 Waffenfabrik Mauser AG, Oberndorf Germany M 9 prototypes only 208
Mauser C/96 Waffenfabrik Mauser AG, Oberndorf Germany A 7·63 Msr 279 1,130 121 10 many variants 208
Mauser C/06-08 Waffenfabrik Mauser AG, Oberndorf Germany A 9 MsE 295 110 6 experimental 210
Mauser M1910 Waffenfabrik Mauser AG, Oberndorf Germany A 7·65 Ato 160 595 87 9 variant: cal 6·35 Ato 211
Mauser M1914 Waffenfabrik Mauser AG, Oberndorf Germany A 7·65 Ato 153 600 87 8 211
Mauser 712 Mauser-Werke AG, Oberndorf Germany A 7·63 Msr 288 1,285 132 20 selective-fire 210
Mauser M1934 Mauser-Werke AG, Oberndorf Germany A 7·65 Ato 153 600 87 8 212
Mauser HSc Mauser-Werke AG, Oberndorf Germany A 7·65 Ato 162 640 86 8 double-action 212
Mauser WTP1 Mauser-Werke AG, Oberndorf Germany A 6·35 Ato 114 330 61 6 212
Mauser WTP2 Mauser-Werke AG, Oberndorf Germany A 6·35 Ato 102 330 61 6 212
Maxim Vickers, Sons & Maxim, Crayford? Britain A 7·65 Pb various; prototypes only 213
Maxim Rino Galesi, Collobeato Italy A 6·35 Ato 120 395 58 6 US name for Rigarmi M1953 139
Mayor E & F Mayor, Lausanne Switzerland A 6·35 Ato 118 328 55 5 214

253
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
Melior Old Model Mre. Liegeoise, Robar & Co., Liege Belgium A 6·35 Ato 110 400 54 6 replaced Jieffeco 247
Melior Old Model Mre. Liegeoise, Robar & Co., Liege Belgium A 7·65 Ato 162 650 90 8 247
Melior New Model Mre. Liegeoise, Robar & Co., Liege Belgium A 6·35 Ato 115 360 60 6 247
Melior New Model Mre. Liegeoise, Robar & Co., Liege Belgium A 7·65 Ato 150 635 90 7 variant: cal 9 Sht 247
Mendoza K-62 Productos Mendoza SA, Mexico City Mexico S ·22 LRi 205 420 110 214
Menta August Menz, Suhl Germany A 7·65 Ato 140 640 75 7 Beholla copy; also in 6·35 Ato 214
Menz Model I August Menz, Suhl Germany A 6·35 Ato 118 430 60 6 variant: cal 7·65 Ato 214
Menz Model II August Menz, Suhl Germany A 7·65 Ato 130 435 68 7 variant: cal 6·35 Ato 214
Menz Model III August Menz, Suhl Germany A 7·65 Ato 158 705 90 7 also 3A, 4 P&B models 215
Menz PB Spezial August Menz, Suhl Germany A 7·65 Ato 160 700 85 8 convertible to 9 Sht 215
Mercury Model 222 Mre. Liegeoise, Robar & Co., Liege Belgium A ·22 LRi 150 635 90 7 US name for New Model Melior 247
Meriden Meriden Firearms Co., Meriden, Ct. USA R ·32 165 76 5 external hammer 215
Meriden Meriden Firearms Co., Meriden, Ct. USA R ·38 185 83 5 hammerless 215
Merke F. Ormachea, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 114 360 55 6 Eibar-type blowback 216
Merwin & Hulbert Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 163 89 5 variant: cal ·38 216
Merwin & Hulbert Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct USA R ·44 203 1,060 100 6 Pocket Army Model 216
Metropolitan Police Norwich Falls Pistol Co., Norwich, Ct USA R ·32 5 216
Mikros Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 113 350 59 7 based on Walther M9 237
Hendaye
Mikros-58 Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 112 350 57 6 variant: cal ·22 LRi 237
Hendaye
Milady L. Ancion-Marx, Liege Belgium R 6·35 Ato variant: cal 7·65 Ato 217
Military Retolaza Hermanos, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 125 370 62 6 Eibar-type blowback 245
Minerve Fab. d'Armes de Grande Precision, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 365 55 7 Eibar type blowback 147
Mini-Revolver North American Arms Co., Spanish Fork, USA R ·22 LRi 83 25 5 Model NAA22-S 224
Utah.
Miroku Model 6 Miroku Firearms Mfg Co., Kochi Japan R ·38 155 860 50 6 sold in US as Liberty Chief 217
Miroku Special Police Miroku Firearms Mfg Co., Kochi Japan R ·38 195 485 64 5 217
Mitchell Mitchell Arms, Inc., Santa Ana, Calif. USA R ·357 Mag 248 1,035 140 6 variants: brl. ·357 Mag, ·44 Mag 217
Mitrailleuse Mre. Francaise d'Armes et Cycles, St- France M 8 131 285 56 5 alias Gaulois 204
Etienne
MKE Makina ve Kimya Endustrisi Turkey A 9 Sht 170 680 98 7 variant: cal 7·65 Ato 183
Modele d'Ordonnance Manufacture d'Armes de Saint-Etienne France R 8 238 840 114 6 alias M1892 or Lebel 128.
Mohegan Hood Firearms Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 rf 165 67 5 218
Monarch Norwich Falls Pistol Co., Norwich, Ct? USA R ·32 170 70 5 variants; ·22, ·38, ·41 218
Mondial Gaspar Arizaga, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 120 342 62 7 resembles Savage externally 21
Montana Marshal Hawes Firearms Co., Los Angeles, USA R ·357 Mag 298 1,245 152 6 made in Italy 159
California
Morain G. Morain, Paris France R 8 Velo-Dog pattern 218
Mosser unknown Spain A 6·35 Ato 114 365 55 6 Eibar-type blowback 218
Military & Police M10 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·38 235 865 102 6 variant: HB pattern 273
Military & Police M12 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·38 175 510 54 6 Airweight Model 274
Military & Police M58 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA R ·41 Mag 235 1,160 102 6 ·41 M&P Magnum 278
Military & Police M64 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·38 235 865 102 6 Stainless; also brl 50 274
Military & Police M547 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R 9 Pb 195 900 76 6 274
Militar y Policia Ojanguren y Vidosa, Eibar Spain R ·38 255 885 127 6 S&W M&P copy 226
Mountain Eagle Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 70 5 170
M.S. Modesto Santos, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 355 55 6 Eibar-type blowback 218
Mugica Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A sales name for Llama pistols 136
Muller Bernhard Muller, Winterthur Switzerland A 7·65 Pb 237 1,000 140 8? prototype, 1902 218
Mueller Special Walter Decker, Zella St Blasii Germany R 6·35 Ato 118 255 50 5 British sales name 104
Museum Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 6·35 Ato sales name for Victoria 299
Mustang 380 Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA A 9 Sht 140 520 70 5 94
Mustang 380 Plus II Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA A 9 Sht 140 560 70 5 stainless steel 95
Mustang PocketLite Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA Spain A 9 Sht 140 350 70 5 alloy frame 95
Muxi unknown A 6·35 Ato 110 325 56 6 Eibar-type blowback -

Nagant M1878 Fabrique d'Armes E. & L. Nagant, Liege Belgium R 9 270 1,100 140 6 Belgian army issue 219
Nagant M1878/86 Fabrique d'Armes E. & L. Nagant, Liege Belgium R 9 270 940 140 6 Belgian army issue 219
Nagant M1883 Fabrique d'Armes E. & L. Nagant, Liege Belgium R 9 270 950 140 6 Belgian army issue 219
Nagant M1887 Nagant, Liege, and Husqvarna Sweden R 7·5 235 770 114 6 Swedish army issue 219
Vapenfabrik
Nagant M1893 Fabrique d'Armes E & L. Nagant, Liege Norway R 7·5 228 830 112 6 Norwegian army issue 219
Nagant M1895 Nagant, Liege, and Tula arms factory Russia R 7·62 229 820 109 7 gas-seal pattern 220
Nambu Model A Tokyo artillery arsenal (originally) Japan A 8 228 900 120 8 'Papa' pattern 221
Nambu Model B Tokyo artillery arsenal (originally) Japan A 7 171 650 83 7 'Baby' pattern 221
Nambu 14th Year Type Tokyo artillery arsenal (originally) Japan A 8 227 910 120 8 several variants 222
Napoleon Thomas Ryan Pistol Mfg Co., New York USA R ·32 5 variant: cal ·22 rf, mag 7 222
National Match Colt, Hartford, Ct USA A ·40 218 1,105 127 7 93
Navy Model 1889 Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·38 280 680 152 6 variant: ·41 (commercial) 85
Never Miss J.M. Marlin, New Haven, Ct USA S ·32 1 variants: cal ·22, ·41 205
New Army & Navy Colt, Hartford, Ct USA R ·38 292 937 152 6 variant; ·41 (commercial) 86

254
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
New Baby Hammerless H.M. Kolb, Philadelphia, Penn USA R ·22 rf 120 50 6 later made by Sedgely 185
New Century Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA R ·455 298 1,075 165 6 British service, 1915 277
New Defender Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·22 LRi 140 54 9 157
Mass.
New England New England Firearms Co., Worcester, USA R ·22 LRi 178 710 64 9 also ·22 WMRF, ·32 H&R Mag -
Mass
New England Ultra New England Firearms Co., Worcester, USA R ·22 LRi 219 905 102 9 also ·22 WMRF, ·32 H&R Mag -
Mass
New Army Express P. Webley & Son, Birmingham Britain R ·450 267 1,075 140 6 variant: cal ·455 313
New Model House Colt, Hartford, Ct USA R ·38 180 410 57 5 84
New Model House Colt, Hartford, Ct USA R ·41 152 390 57 5 84
New Line (Pocket) Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·22 rf 139 200 57 7 84
New Line (Pocket) Colt, Hartford, Ct USA R ·30 rf 147 190 57 5 84
New Line (Pocket) Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·32 rf 162 295 57 5 84
New Line (Pocket) Colt, Hartford, Ct USA R ·38 rf 160 380 57 5 14
New Line (Pocket) Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·41 rf 152 340 57 5 84
New Nambu Model 60 Shin Chuo Kogyo, Tokyo Japan R ·38 197 680 76 5 S&W type 223
New Nambu Model 57B Shin Chuo Kogyo, Tokyo Japan A 7·65 Ato 160 595 90 8 223
New Nambu Model 57A Shin Chuo Kogyo, Tokyo Japan A 9 Pb 198 800 117 8 223
New Pocket Model Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·32 455 115 6 88
New Police Model Colt, Hartford, Ct USA R ·32 243 480 115 6 variant brl 57 88
New Police Model Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·32 280 540 152 5 Target Model 88
New Police Model Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·38 185 410 57 5 88
New Police Model Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·41 185 400 57 5 88
New Service Model Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·38 240 1,105 115 6 87
New Service Model Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·45 275 1,160 140 6 87
New York Hood Firearms Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·22 rf 180 89 7 223
Niva Kohout v Spol., Kdyne Czechoslovakia A 6·35 Ato 108 375 50 6 185
Nonpareil Norwich Falls Pistol Co., Norwich, Ct USA R ·32 rf 67 5 224
Nordheim G. von Nordheim, Mehlis Germany A 7·65 Ato 156 595 92 7 based on Browning M1910 223
North Korean Type 64 state factories Korea (PRK) A 7·65 Ato 170 650 102 7 Browning M1900 copy 224
North Korean Type 68 state factories Korea (PRK) A 7·62 Rus 185 795 108 8 Tokarev TT-33 copy 224
Norwich Arms Norwich Arms Co., Norwich, Ct USA R ·32 60 5 224
Novelty OF Mossberg & Sons, New Haven, Ct. USA M ·22 Sht 4 Shattuck Unique; multi-barrel 218

Obregon Fabrica de Armas Mexicanos, Mexico Mexico A ·45 ACP 216 1,135 127 7 rotating barrel-lock 225
City
Oculto Orueta Hermanos, Eibar Spain R ·38 190 515 82 6 S&W New Departure copy 225
Officer's Model Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·38 286 950 152 6 86
Officer's Model ACP Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA A ·45 ACP 184 965 89 6 reduced-scale M1911A1 94
Officer's Model Match Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·38 286 1,105 152 6 variant: ·22 LRi, wt 1,220 87
Officer's Model Special Colt, Hartford, Ct USA R ·38 286 1,105 152 6 variant: ·22 LRi, wt 1,220 87
Officer's Model Target Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·22 285 1,075 152 6 87
Official Police Model Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·22 LRi 235 975 102 6 variant: brl 152 86
Official Police Model Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·38 285 1,050 152 6 variants ·32, ·32-20 86
Official Police Mk III Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·38 285 990 152 6 variants: brl 102,127 90
O.H. Orbea Hermanos, Eibar Spain R ·38 248 840 122 6 various calibres 227
Oicet Antonio Errasti, Eibar Spain R ·38 215 605 100 6 Colt Police Positive copy 120
Ojanguren Ojanguren y Vidosa, Eibar Spain R ·32 230 880 100 6 S&W M&P copy 226
Ojanguren Ojanguren y Vidosa, Eibar Spain R ·32 225 860 100 6 Modelo Expulsion a Mano 226
Ojanguren Ojanguren y Vidosa, Eibar Spain R ·38 255 885 127 6 Modelo Military Policia 226
Okzet August Menz, Suhl Germany A 6·35 Ato 102 290 51 6 sales name for Liliput 214
O.M. Ojanguren y Marcaido, Eibar Spain R ·22 LRi 270 152 6 Modelo el Blanco 226
O.M. Ojanguren y Marcaido, Eibar Spain R ·38 280 152 6 Modelo de Tiro 226
O.M. Ojanguren y Marcaido, Eibar Spain R ·38 272 150 6 Modelo Military Policia 226
O.M. Ojanguren y Marcaido, Eibar Spain R ·32 250 152 6 Modelo Cilindro Ladeable 226
Omega Gerstenberger & Eberwein, Gerstetten Germany R ·22 LRi 150 60 6 Em-Ge Model 100 227
Omega Hermann Weihrauch KH, Mellrichstadt Germany R ·32 265 710 100 6 Arminius HW 8 227
Omega Armero Especialistas, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 110 375 53 6 Eibar-type blowback 227
Omega Armero Especialistas, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 125 540 60 6 Eibar-type blowback 227
Omega Springfield Armory, Inc., Geneseo, USA A 10 218 1,215 127 8 also ·38 Sup, ·45 ACP, brl 152 227
Illinois
Onandia Onandia Hermanos, Eibar Spain R ·38 225 855 110 6 -
Open Top Army Model Colt, Hartford, Ct USA R ·44 rf 190 6 Model 1872 81
Open Top Pocket Model Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·22 rf 146 250 61 7 84
Orbea Orbea Hermanos, Eibar Spain R 10·35 248 830 120 6 Italian service, 1915 227
Orbea Orbea y Cia, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 113 386 48 6 original design 227
Ortgies Deutsche-Werke AG, Erfurt Germany A 6·35 Ato 133 400 69 7 228
Ortgies Deutsche-Werke AG, Erfurt Germany A 7·65 Ato 165 640 87 8 228
Ortgies Deutsche-Werke AG, Erfurt Germany A 9 Sht 165 600 87 7 228
Oscillant-Azul Eulogio Arostegui, Eibar Spain R ·38 220 855 100 6 S&W copy 26
Osgood Duplex Osgood Gun Works, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·22/32 146 65 8+1 extra barrel 111

255
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
Outdoorsman Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·22 LRi 273 995 152 6 K·22 Hand Ejector 270
Outlaw Aldo Uberti, Gardone Val Trompia Italy R ·45 317 1,050 140 6 variants: other cal 298
O.W.A. Osterreichische Werke Anstalt, Vienna Austria A 6·35 Ato 120 410 50 6 resembles Pieper 228
Oyez Oyez Arms Co., Liege Belgium A 7·65 Ato 145 620 72 7 original design; also in 6·35 Ato 228
Oyez unknown Spain A 7·65 Ato 142 635 80 7 Eibar-type blowback 223

P-64 state factories Poland A 9 Mak 155 635 84 6 -

PA-63 FEG, Budapest Hungary A 9 Mak 175 595 100 7 also in 7·65 Ato 123
Padre Rino Galesi, Collobeato Italy A 7·65 Ato sales name for various models 139
P.A.F. Junior Pretoria Arms Factory South Africa A 6·35 Ato 115 380 55 6 copy of Baby Browning 229
Pantax E. Worther, Buenos Aires Argentina A ·22 LRi 150 520 72 8 resembles Frommer Baby 229
Parabellum M1900 Deutsche Waffen- & Munitionsfabriken, Germany A 7·65 Pb 238 880 122 8 230
Berlin
Parabellum M1902 Deutsche Waffen- & Munitionsfabriken, Germany A 9 Pb 217 885 102 8 230
Berlin
Parabellum M1904 Deutsche Waffen- & Munitionsfabriken, Germany A 9 Pb 267 1,010 150 8 German navy pattern 230
Berlin
Parabellum M1906 Deutsche Waffen- & Munitionsfabriken, Germany A 7·65 Pb 236 890 122 8 231
Berlin
Parabellum M1908 DWM, Berlin, and Erfurt arsenal Germany A 9 Pb 223 850 102 8 German service pistol 231
Parabellum M1908 Long DWM, Berlin, and Erfurt arsenal Germany A 9 Pb 313 1,060 200 8 so-called artillery model 231
Paramount Beistegui Hermanos, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 114 50 5 232
Paramount unknown Spain A 6·35 Ato 120 55 6 232
Paramount Retolaza Hermanos, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 150 750 82 9 variant: 6·35 Ato 232
Paramount Apaolozo Hermanos, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 53 6 232
Paramount Zumorraga y Cia, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 155 86 8 232
Pardini Fiocchi SpA, Lecco Italy S ·22 LRi 440 1,000 240 1 232
Pardini GC Fiocchi SpA, Lecco Italy A ·32 298 1,100 125 5 Gros Calibre model 232
Pardini S Fiocchi SpA, Lecco Italy A ·22 LRi 298 1,050 125 5 standard model 232
Pardini TO Fiocchi SpA, Lecco Italy A ·22 Sht 312 1,250 100 5 Tipo Olimpionico 232
Pardini VO Fiocchi SpA, Lecco Italy A ·22 Sht 298 1,040 130 5 Vitesse Olympique 232
Parker Columbia Armory USA R ·32 5 Safety Hammerless Model 95
Parker-Hale Parker-Hale Ltd, Birmingham Britain R ·22 LRi 6 converted S&W Victory Model 232
Parole Norwich Falls Pistol Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·22 rf 7 224
Passler & Seidl unknown Austria-Hungary M 7·7 6 1887 pattern; few made 233
Pathfinder Echave y Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 380 55 6 US sales name for Bronco 223
Pathfinder Charter Arms Corp., Stratford, Ct. USA R ·22 LRi 188 525 76 6 75
Patriot Norwich Falls Pistol Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 63 5 224
Pav Frantisek Pavlicek, Litomysl Czechoslovakia S ·22 LRi 250 1 target pistol 233
Peerless Hood Firearms Co., Norwich, Ct USA R ·32 63 5 169
Peerless unknown Spain R ·38 250 115 6 -
Penetrator Norwich Falls Pistol Co., Norwich, Ct USA R ·32 165 67 5 224
Pequano Police Positive Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·32 216 575 102 6 88
Perfect Foehl & Weeks, Philadelphia, Penn USA R ·38 175 80 5 hammerless: also in ·32 126
Perfect Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 116 385 55 6 sold by Mugica 136
Perfect Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 104 355 54 7 Unique M10: other guns known 238
Hendaye
Perfecto Orbea Hermanos, Eibar Spain R ·38 265 120 6 227
Perla F. Dusek, Opocno Czechoslovakia A 6·35 Ato 105 260 52 6 233
Peters PLS PSW-Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH, Aachen Germany A 9 Pb 215 1,100 127 9 variants: cal 10, ·45 ACP 233
Peters PSP-07 PSW-Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH, Aachen Germany A 10 230 1,180 140 9 variants: cal ·45 ACP 233
Peters PSP-2000 PSW-Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH, Aachen Germany A 10 240 1,230 150 20 also ·45 ACP, mag 16 233
Pfannl Miniature Franz Pfannl, Krems Austria A 4·25 100 255 42 6 alias Erika 118
Phoenix Mre. Liegeoise, Robar & Co., Liege Belgium A 6·35 Ato 110 400 55 6 US name for Jieffeco 247
Phoenix Tomas de Urizar, Barcelona Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 330 50 6 alias Victoria Arms Co. -
PIC Karl-Arndt Reck, Lauf bei Nurnberg Germany A ·22 LRi US name for ReckP-8 108
PIC Gerstenberger & Eberwein, Gerstetten Germany R ·22 LRi US name for Em-Ge 22K 115
Pieper Army Model Anciens Etablissements Pieper, Herstal Belgium A 7·65 Ato 595 77 7 alias Model A 234
Pieper Army Model Anciens Etablissements Pieper, Herstal Belgium A 7·65 Ato 550 6 alias Model B 234
Pieper Model C Anciens Etablissements Pieper, Herstal Belgium A 6·35 Ato 126 310 51 6 234
Pieper Model D Anciens Etablissements Pieper, Herstal Belgium A 6·35 Ato 115 330 54 6 234
Pieper Model N Anciens Etablissements Pieper, Herstal Belgium A 7·65 Ato 154 600 81 7 234
Pieper Model O Anciens Etablissements Pieper, Herstal Belgium A 7·65 Ato 145 570 73 6 234
Pieper Model P Anciens Etablissements Pieper, Herstal Belgium A 6·35 Ato 126 310 58 6 234
Pieper Model 1907 Anciens Etablissements Pieper, Herstal Belgium A 6·35 Ato 125 325 57 6 234
Pieper Model 1890 Anciens Etablissements Pieper, Herstal Belgium R 7·62 265 810 118 6 gas seal pattern 234
Pilsen Zbrojovka Plzen, Pilsen Czechoslovakia A 7·65 Ato 150 585 85 7 235
Pinafore Norwich Falls Pistol Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·22 rf 7 224
Pindad Pabrik Sendjata Ringan Pindad Indonesia A 9 Pb 196 880 112 13 licensed copy of GP-35 235
Pinkerton Gaspar Arizaga, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 110 330 47 6 original design 22
Pinkerton Gaspar Arizaga, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 112 375 50 7 Eibar-type: also 6·35 Ato? 22
Pioneer unknown USA R ·32 170 65 5 variant: cal ·38 -

256
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
Pistole M state factories Germany (GDR) A 9 Mak 160 665 91 8 Makarov copy 199
Pit Bull Auto-Ordnance Corp., West Hurley, NY USA A ·45 ACP 184 1,020 89 7 reduced-scale M1911A1 -
Pit Bull Charter Arms Corp., Stratford, Ct. USA R 9 Pb 191 695 64 5 variant: brl 89 -
Plus Ultra Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 170 970 93 20 136
Pocket Positive Model Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·32 215 455 115 6 88
Policeman Mre. Francaise d'Armes et Cycles, St - France A 6·35 Ato 152 360 85 6 203
Etienne
Police Bulldog Charter Arms Corp., Stratford, Ct. USA R ·38 216 580 102 6 75
Police Positive Model Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·32 216 575 102 6 88
Police Positive Model Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·22 267 725 152 6 target model on ·32 frame 88
Police Positive Model Colt, Hartford, Ct USA R ·38 216 565 102 6 88
Police Positive Special Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·32 222 680 102 6 88
Police Positive Special Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·38 222 655 102 6 88
Police Service Six Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport, Ct. USA R ·357 Mag 254 950 102 6 255
Populaire Mre. Francaise d'Armes et Cycles, St- France S ·22 LRi 345 175 1 bolt action 204
Etienne
Powermaster Wamo Mfg Corp., San Gabriel, Calif. USA S ·22 LRi 278 124 1 target pistol 235
Praga A. Novotny, Vrsovice Czechoslovakia A 6·35 Ato 107 345 50 6 folding trigger 235
Praga vz.21 Zbrojovka Praga, Prague Czechoslovakia A 7·65 Ato 166 570 96 7 Czechoslovak service pistol 235
Praga S.E.A.M., Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 158 825 90 9 Eibar-type blowback 235
Precision unknown (for Grande Precision?) Spain A 7·65 Ato 135 585 70 7 identical to Ca Si 236
Precision unknown (for Grande Precision?) Spain A 6·35 Ato 113 305 55 6 different maker to 7·65 gun 236
Prairie King Norwich Falls Pistol Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·22 rf 145 76 7 other barrel lengths 224
Premier Tomas de Urizar, Barcelona Spain A 6·35 Ato 114 338 54 7 Eibar-type; also 7·65 Ato -
Premier Thomas Ryan Pistol Mfg Co., New York USA R ·38 89 6 256
Prima Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 105 360 54 7 Unique M10; other guns known 238
Hendaye
Princeps Tomas de Urizar, Barcelona Spain A 7·65 Ato 120 590 60 6 Eibar-type; also 6·35 Ato, 9 Sht? -
Princess unknown USA R ·22 rf 145 57 7 -
Protector Norwich Falls Pistol Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 160 63 5 variant: cal ·22 Sht 236
Protector Chicago Firearms Co., Chicago, Illinois USA M ·32 120 45 7 licensed Turbiaux 236
Protector Echave y Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 114 295 55 6 Eibar-type blowback 236
Protector Santiago Salaberrin, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 310 54 6 Eibar-type blowback 236
Pryse P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·450 228 895 102 6 313
Pryse P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·320 178 540 76 6 313
Pryse P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·450 273 1,050 140 6 variant: cal ·455 313
Pryse P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·455 270 1,020 147 6 313
PSM state factories USSR A 5·45 160 460 85 8 for security forces -
[The] Pug P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·41 rf 156 450 61 5 313
[The] Pug P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·450 157 455 61 5 313
Puma Tomas de Urizar, Barcelona Spain A 6·35 Ato 116 395 52 6 -
Puppet Ojanguren y Vidosa, Eibar Spain R 6·35 Ato 130 45 5 Velo-Dog type 226
Puppy Crucelegui Hermanos, Eibar Spain R 5·5 VDg 190 65 5 hammerless Veto-Dog 236
Puppy Isidro Gaztanaga, Eibar Spain R ·22 rf 135 40 5 236
Puppy Henrion, Dassy & Heuschen, Liege Belgium R 5·5 VDg 150 52 5 solid frame Velo-Dog 236
Puppy Henrion, Dassy & Heuschen, Liege Belgium R 6·35 Ato 190 82 5 hinged-frame, also ·22 rf 236
Puppy Ojanguren y Marcaido, Eibar Spain R ·22 rf 165 58 5 236
Puppy Retolaza Hermanos, Eibar Spain R ·22 rf 190 60 5 236
Python Colt, Hartford, Ct USA R ·357 Mag 235 1,075 102 6 90
PZK Kohout v Spol, Kdyne Czechoslovakia A 6·35 Ato 108 375 50 6 Browning M1906 pattern 185

Radium Gabilondo y Urresti, Elgoeibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 295 57 6 side-loading magazine 136
Radom Fabryka Broni w Radomu Poland A 9 Pb 211 1,050 115 8 alias Vis-35 239
Ranger E.L. & J. Dickinson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·32 168 71 5 -
Ranger Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct USA R ·22 rf 165 63 7 variant: cal ·32, mag 5 170
Ranger M1911A1 Federal Ordnance Co. USA A ·45 ACP 218 1,075 127 7 M1911A1copy -
Rapid-Maxim Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 104 355 53 7 Unique M10; other guns known 238
Hendaye
Rast & Gasser Rast & Gasser, Vienna Austria-Hungary R 8 225 980 116 8 M1898: also commercial 143
Raven P-25 Raven Arms Industry, California USA A 6·35 Ato 121 425 62 6 240
Rayon unknown Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 290 54 6 Eibar-type blowback -
R.E. unknown Spain A 9 B-B 235 880 150 8 copy of Astra 400 240
Reck P-8 Karl Arndt Reck KG, Lauf bei Nurnberg Germany A 6·35 Ato 116 420 57 7 240
Reck R-12 Karl Arndt Reck KG, Lauf bei Nurnberg Germany R ·22 LRi 282 880 127 6 s a; also ·22 WMRF, brl 152 240
Reck R-15 Karl Arndt Reck KG, Lauf bei Nurnberg Germany R ·38 220 900 100 6 d a: also··22 LRi,··32 240
Reck MR-100 Karl Arndt Reck KG, Lauf bei Nurnberg Germany R ·22 LRi 150 6 Target Model 240
Recky Karl Arndt Reck KG, Lauf bei Nurnberg Germany R ·22 LRi 125 48 6 sold in USA as Chicago Cub 240
Red Cloud unknown USA R ·32 152 45 5 -
Redhawk Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport, Ct USA R ·41 Mag 280 1,475 140 6 also ·44 Mag, brl 190 255
Red Jacket No.1 Lee Arms Company, Wilkes-Barre, Penn. USA R ·22 rf 67 7 various barrel lengths 193
Red Jacket No.2 Lee Arms Company, Wilkes-Barre, Penn. USA R ·32 rf 152 67 5 No 3 and No 4 similar 193
Reform unknown Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 355 50 6 Eibar type blowback -

257
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
Reform August Schuler, Suhl Germany M 6·35 Ato 138 62 4 multi-barrel 240
Regent Gregorio Bolumburu, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 375 55 6 Eibar-type; alias Regento 60
Regent SEAM., Eibar? Spain A 6·35 Ato 120 55 6 several minor variants 241
Regent Karl Burgsmuller Germany R ·22 LRi 265 101 8 241
Regina Gregorio Bolumburu, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 110 300 55 7 Eibar-type blowback 60
Regina Gregorio Bolumburu, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 145 635 82 7 Eibar type blowback 60
Regnum August Menz, Suhl? Germany M 6·35 Ato 4 multi-barrel 241
Reichsrevolver M1879 various Germany R 10·6 310 1,030 183 6 241
Reichsrevolver M1883 various Germany R 10·6 260 920 126 6 241
Reifgraber Union Arms Co., Toledo, Ohio USA A 7·65 Ato 165 76 8 299
Rieger Erwin Rieger, Vienna Austria-Hungary M 7·7 266 880 140 6 representative specimen 246
Reina Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 104 355 55 7 Unique M10; other guns known 238
Hendaye
Reims Azanza y Arrizabalaga, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 110 385 55 6 Eibar-type; also 7·65 Ato 36
Reising Reising Arms Co., Hartford, Ct. USA A ·22 LRi 240 170 10 prototype target pistol 242
Remington M1871 Remington Arms Co., Ilion, NY USA S ·50 292 173 1 Army Model 243
Remington M1875 E. Remington & Sons, Ilion, NY USA R ·44 305 140 6 Army Model 243
Remington New Line E. Remington & Sons, Ilion, NY USA R ·38 203 95 5 No.3;also 30, ·32 243
Remington New Line E. Remington & Sons, Ilion, NY USA R ·38 165 62 5 No.4 243
Remington-Rider E. Remington & Sons, Ilion, NY USA M ·32 145 76 5 243
Remington M1901 Remington Arms Co., Ilion, NY USA S ·22 rf 254 1 242
Remington M51 Remington Arms Co., Ilion, NY USA A 7·65 Ato 168 600 89 8 9 Sht added later 243
Remington XP-100 Remington Arms, Inc., Bridgeport, Ct. USA S ·221 425 1,700 266 1 bolt action 242
Renard Echave y Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 310 54 6 Eibar-type; alias Protector 114
Republic unknown (Arrizabalaga?) Spain A 7·65 Ato 130 605 80 9 244
Resolver AW9 Sites SpA Italy A 9 Pb 165 650 95 8 -
Resolver AW380 Sites SpA Italy A 9 Sht 150 550 85 7 -
Retolaza M1914 Retolaza Hermanos, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 150 750 82 9 Eibar-type blowback 244
Rex Gregorio Bolumburu, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 135 610 80 8 also 6·35 Ato, 9 Sht 61
Rex unknown Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 370 54 6 not by Bolumburu -
Rheinmetall Rheinmetall AG, Sommerda Germany A 7·65 Ato 165 670 93 8 Browning M1910 copy 246
Rigarmi Rino Galesi, Collobeato Italy A ·22 LRi 130 325 70 7 139
Rigarmi M1953 Rino Galesi, Collobeato Italy A 6·35 Ato 120 395 58 7 139
Rigarmi Rino Galesi, Collobeato Italy A 7·65 Ato 160 675 90 7 based on Walther PP 139
Rival M1913 Union Fab. de Armas, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 114 360 52 6 Eibar-type blowback 299
Robin Hood No.1 Hood Firearms Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·22 rf 140 60 7 169
Robin Hood No.2 Hood Firearms Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 rf 165 76 5 No.3 similar 169
Rohm RG-7 Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz Germany R ·22 LRi 120 35 6 249
Rohm RG-10 Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz Germany R ·22 LRi 150 325 60 6 249
Rohm RG-11 Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz Germany R ·22 LRi 200 92 6 249
Rohm RG-12 Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz Germany R ·22 LRi 210 90 6 249
Rohm RG-14 Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz Germany R ·22 LRi 175 460 76 6 249
Rohm RG-20 Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz Germany R ·22 LRi 160 75 6 249
Rohm RG-23 Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz Germany R ·22 LRi 190 480 85 6 249
Rohm RG-24 Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz Germany R ·22 LRi 200 545 90 6 249
Rohm RG-25 Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz Germany A 6·35 Ato 340 54 6 249
Rohm RG-30 Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz Germany R ·32 230 850 100 6 also in ·22 WMRF 249
Rohm RG-34 Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz Germany R ·22 LRi 273 980 150 7 249
Rohm RG-35 Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz Germany R ·22 LRi 249
Rohm RG-38 Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz Germany R ·38 235 965 100 6 also 38Twith target sights 249
Rohm RG-40 Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz Germany R ·38 Spl 54 6 249
Rohm RG-63 Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz Germany R ·22 LRi 260 965 127 8 249
Rohm RG-66 Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz Germany R ·22 WMRF 250 905 120 6 249
Rohm RG-66T Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz Germany R ·22 LRi 282 970 150 6 micrometer sights 249
Rohm RG-88 Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz Germany R ·357 Mag 940 100 6 other barrel lengths 249
Roland Francisco Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 118 285 55 6 several variants 23
Roland Francisco Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 132 605 65 7 Eibar-type blowback 23
Rome Rome Revolver Co USA R ·32 165 67 5 -
Romer Romerwerke, Suhl Germany A ·22 LRi 140 320 64 7 interchangeable brl 165 -
Romo Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz Germany R ·22 LRi 150 325 60 6 sales name for RG-10 249
Ronge M1891 J.B. Rongefils, Liege Denmark R 9 262 915 135 6 Danish navy issue 250
Rossi Model 13 Amadeo Rossi SA, Sao Leopoldo RS Brazil R ·22 LRi 330 76 7 Princess Model 251
Rossi Model 20 Amadeo Rossi SA, Sao Leopoldo RS Brazil R ·32 160 560 50 6 Ranger Model; also brl 76 251
Rossi Model 27 Amadeo Rossi SA, Sao Leopoldo RS Brazil R ·38 Spl 160 570 50 5 Models 31,33 similar 251
Rossi Model 38 Amadeo Rossi SA, Sao Leopoldo RS Brazil R ·22 LRi 260 730 150 6 251
Rossi Model 42 Amadeo Rossi SA, Sao Leopoldo RS Brazil R ·22 LRi 160 580 50 6 Model 43: brl 76 251
Rossi Model 68 Amadeo Rossi SA, Sao Leopoldo RS Brazil R ·38 Spl 186 600 76 5 251
Rossi Model 85 Amadeo Rossi SA, Sao Leopoldo RS Brazil R ·38 Spl 173 750 50 6 251
Rossi Model 87 Amadeo Rossi SA, Sao Leopoldo RS Brazil R ·38 Spl 160 580 50 5 251
Rossi Model 88 Amadeo Rossi SA, Sao Leopoldo RS Brazil R ·38 Spl 186 610 76 5 251
Rossi Model 89 Amadeo Rossi SA, Sao Leopoldo RS Brazil R ·32 186 600 76 6 251

258
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
Rossi Model 94 Amadeo Rossi SA, Sao Leopoldo RS Brazil R ·38 Spl 168 750 50 6 251
Rossi Model 97 Amadeo Rossi SA, Sao Leopoldo RS Brazil R ·38 Spl 173 750 50 6 251
Rossi Model 511 Amadeo Rossi SA, Sao Leopoldo RS Brazil R ·22 LRi 228 850 102 6 251
Rossi Model 951 Amadeo Rossi SA, Sao Leopoldo RS Brazil R ·38 Spl 228 850 102 6 variant: brl 76 251
Rossi Model 971 Amadeo Rossi SA, Sao Leopoldo RS Brazil R ·357 Mag 228 1,020 102 6 heavy barrel 251
Roth-Frommer M1901 Femaru Fegyver es Gepgyar, Budapest Austria-Hungary A 7·65 168 670 10? 251
Roth-Sauer J P. Sauer & Sohn, Suhl Germany A 7·65 170 655 100 7 251
Roth Steyr M1907 OEWG, Steyr, and FGGY, Budapest Austria-Hungary A 8 233 1,030 131 10 252
Royal Zulaica y Cia, Eibar Spain A 7·63 Msr 230 1,245 170 10 selective - fire C 96 copy 325
Royal Zulaica y Cia, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 116 370 55 6 original design; also 7·65 Ato 325
Royal Zulaica y Cia, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 205 605 135 12 Eibar type; several variants 325
Royal unknown USA R ·32 172 57 5 variant: ·22 rf, mag 7 -
Royal unknown Spain R ·38 270 150 6 S&W M&P copy -
Rubi Venturini y Cia Argentina A ·22 LRi 160 85 9 copy of Galesi 253
Ruby Gabilondo y Urresti, Elgoeibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 155 660 88 9 Eibar-type; widely licensed 137
Ruby Gabilondo y Urresti, Elgoeibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 155 665 85 7 Browning M1910 copy 137
Ruby Gabilondo y Urresti, Elgoeibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 114 315 50 6 Eibar-type blowback 137
Ruby Extra Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A ·45 ACP 210 1,070 120 8 137
Ruby Extra Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain R ·22 LRi 150 500 55 6 S&W copy 137
Ruby Extra Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain R ·32 195 510 82 6 S&W copy 137
Ruby Extra Model 12 Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain R ·38 250 815 125 6 various barrel lengths 137
Ruger Standard Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport, Ct. USA A ·22 LRi 222 1,020 120 9 variant brl 152 253
Ruger Mk 1 Target Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport, Ct. USA A ·22 LRi 276 1,190 175 9 254
Ruger Mk 1 Bull Barrel Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport, Ct. USA A ·22 LRi 241 1,190 140 9 254
Ruger Mk 2 Standard Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport, Ct. USA A ·22 LRi 224 1,020 122 10 variant: stainless 254
Ruger Mk 2 Target Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport, Ct. USA A ·22 LRi 275 1,190 175 10 254
Ruger Mk 2 GT Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport, Ct. USA A ·22 LRi 283 1,245 175 10 Government Target 254
Ruger P-85 Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport, Ct. USA A 9 Pb 200 905 114 15 256
Rupertus M1871 Rupertus Pistol Mfg Co., Philadelphia, USA R ·22 rf 70 7 256
Penn.
Rural Fabrica de Armas Garantizada, Eibar Spain R ·32 245 125 6 Colt Police Positive copy 140
Ryan T.J. Ryan Pistol Mfg Co., New York USA R ·32 70 5 variant, ·22 rf, mag 7 256

S.A. Societe d'Armes Francaise, St-Etienne France A 6·35 Ato 112 375 54 6 Browning M1906 copy -
S&A Suinaga y Aramperri, Eibar Spain R ·38 235 820 108 6 S&W copy 257
Sable Baby unknown Belgium R ·22 rf 122 52 6 folding trigger -
Saint-Hubert Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 105 355 55 7 Unique M10; other guns known 238
Hendaye
Salaverria Iraola Salaverria y Cia, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 155 565 85 8 Eibar-type blowback 257
Salso Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 6·35 Ato 110 325 55 7 sales name for Victoria 257
Salvaje Ojanguren y Vidosa, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 305 52 6 Eibar-type blowback 226
Salvator-Dormus Osterreichische Waffenfabriks-Ges., Austria-Hungary A 8 5 prototypes only 257
Steyr
San Paolo Armi San Paolo, Concesio, Brescia Italy R ·38 Spl 173 750 50 6 Compact Model 258
San Paolo Armi San Paolo, Concesio, Brescia Italy R ·38 Spl 183 800 50 6 Service Model: also brl 100 258
San Paolo Armi San Paolo, Concesio, Brescia Italy R ·38 Spl 230 900 100 6 Service Special; also ·22 LRi 258
San Paolo Armi San Paolo, Concesio, Brescia Italy R ·38 Spl 293 1,050 150 6 Competitor; also in ·22 LRi 258
Sata Tanfoglio & Sabotti, Gardone Val Italy A 6·35 Ato 115 415 60 8 291
Trompia
Sata Tanfoglio & Sabotti, Gardone Val Italy A ·22 LRi 118 475 62 8 291
Trompia
Sauer M1921 J P. Sauer & Sohn, Suhl Germany A 6·35 Ato 125 400 65 7 258
Sauer WTM 1925 J.P. Sauer & Sohn, Suhl Germany A 6·35 Ato 107 320 55 6 259
Sauer WTM 1928 J.P. Sauer & Sohn, Suhl Germany A 6·35 Ato 102 300 50 6 259
Sauer Old Model J P Sauer & Sohn, Suhl Germany A 7·65 Ato 144 570 75 7 Model 1913 258
Sauer M1930 J.P. Sauer & Sohn, Suhl Germany A 7·65 Ato 146 620 77 7 Behorden-Modell 258
Sauer 38-H J.P Sauer & Sohn, Suhl Germany A 7·65 Ato 171 720 83 8 double-action 259
Savage Model H Savage Arms Co., Utica, New York USA A ·45 229 1,005 133 8 US trials, 1907 260
Savage Model 1907 Savage Arms Co., Utica, New York USA A 7·65 Ato 168 625 95 10 260
Savage Model 1907 Savage Arms Co., Utica, New York USA A 9 Sht 166 625 96 10 alias M1913' 260
Savage M1915 Savage Arms Co., Utica, New York USA A 9 Sht 167 570 96 10 260
Savage M1917 Savage Arms Co., Utica, New York USA A 7·65 Ato 178 685 107 10 variant: cal 9 Sht 260
Savage Model 101 Savage Arms Co., Westfield, Mass USA S ·22 LRi 228 565 140 1 260
Schall Schall & Co USA? M ·22 rf 237 143 1 -
Schmeisser Model 1 C.G. Haenel, Suhl Germany A 6·35 Ato 120 380 63 6 151
Schmeisser Model 2 C.G. Haenel, Suhl Germany A 6·35 Ato 100 335 52 6 151
Schmidt Model 11 Herbert Schmidt, Ostheim Germany R ·22 LRi 155 63 8 261
Schmidt HS-38 Herbert Schmidt, Ostheim Germany R ·38 Spl 203 885 102 6 variant: brl 76 261
Schofield Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·45 315 1,140 178 6 two models 277
Schonberger Osterreichische Waffenfabriks-Ges., Austria-Hungary A 8 270 127 6 early 1890s; prototypes only 264
Steyr
Schouboe Dansk Rekylriffel Syndikat, Copenhagen Denmark A 7·65 170 550 90 6 1903-10 261

259
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
Schouboe Dansk Rekylriffel Syndikat, Copenhagen Denmark A 11·35 203 690 130 6 1904-17 261
Schulhof unknown Austria-Hungary M 8 variant: cal 10 6 262
Schwarzlose M1898 A.W. Schwarzlose GmbH, Berlin Germany A 7·63 Msr 273 940 163 7 262
Schwarzlose M1908 A.W. Schwarzlose GmbH, Berlin Germany A 7·65 Ato 140 520 105 7 blow-forward 263
Scott Scott Arms Co USA R ·32 63 5 264
Scout Hood Firearms Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 73 5 169
S.E.A.M. Fabrica de Armas SEAM., Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 116 380 56 6 Eibar type; also in 7·65 Ato 264
S.E.A.M. Fabrica de Armas SEAM, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 117 360 56 6 based on Walther Model 1 264
Secret Service Special Iver Johnson, Fitchburg, Mass. USA R ·32 184 395 76 5 sold by Biffard, Chicago 265
Secret Service Special Meriden Firearms Co., Meriden, Ct. USA R ·38 180 395 78 5 sold by Biffard, Chicago 265
Securitas unknown France A 6·35 Ato 120 305 78 5 no trigger; grip-fired -
Security Industries Security Industries, Little Ferry, NJ USA R ·38 Spl 51 5 265
Security Industries Security Industries, Little Ferry, NJ USA R ·357 Mag 155 510 51 5 265
Security Six Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport, Ct USA R ·357 Mag 235 950 102 6 255
Seecamp LS-25 L W Seecamp Co., New Haven, Ct USA A 6·35 Ato 108 340 51 7 alsoLWS·32,7·65 Ato 265
Selecta Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 7·65 Ato 114 360 54 7 Unique M10; other guns known 238
Hendaye
Selecta M1918 Echave y Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 110 51 6 Eibar-type blowback 114
Selecta M1919 Echave y Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 145 605 80 7 Eibar-type blowback 114
Semmerling LM-4 Semmerling Corp., Newton, Mass. USA M ·45 ACP 132 680 92 5 also 9 Pb, mag 7 265
(originally)
Servicemaster Detonics Firearms, Inc , Bellevue, USA A ·45 ACP 200 905 108 7 basedonM1911A1 106
Washington
Sharps Sharps & Hankins, Philadelphia, Penn. USA M ·32 rf 120 61 4 multi-barrel; ·22 rf, ·30 rf 265
Sharpshooter Hijos de Calixto Arrizabalaga, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 165 765 98 7 variants: 6·35 Ato, 9 Sht 27
Shattuck C.S. Shattuck, Hatfield, Mass. USA R ·32 165 63 5 266
Sheriff Armi-Jager, Milan Italy R ·22 LRi 275 850 140 6 variant: brl 100,120 24
Sherry Wilkinson Arms Co., Parma, Indiana USA A ·22 LRi 111 260 54 8 -
Shooting Master Colt, Hartford, Ct USA R ·38 280 1,245 152 6 -
Sidekick Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·22 LRi 215 795 102 9 Model 929 158
Mass
SIG P-210 Schweizerische Industrie-Ges, Neuhausen Switzerland A 9 Pb 215 900 120 8 minor variants 266
SIG-Hammerli P-240 Hammerli AG, Lenzburg Switzerland A ·32 252 1,170 150 5 variant: ·22 LRi, mag 10 154
SIG-Sauer P-220 SIG, Neuhausen, and Sauer, Eckenforde Germany/Switzerland A 9 Pb 198 830 112 9 also 7·65 Pb, ·38 Spr, ·45 ACP 267
SIG-Sauer P-225 SIG, Neuhausen, and Sauer, Eckenforde Germany/Switzerland A 9 Pb 180 740 98 8 267
SIG-Sauer P-226 SIG, Neuhausen, and Sauer, Eckenforde Germany/Switzerland A 9 Pb 196 750 112 15 267
SIG-Sauer P-228 SIG, Neuhausen, and Sauer, Eckenforde Germany/Switzerland A 9 Pb 180 830 98 13 267
SIG-Sauer P-229 SIG, Neuhausen, and Sauer, Eckenforde Germany/Switzerland A 10 180 865 98 12 variant: 9 Pb, mag 13 267
SIG-Sauer P-230 SIG, Neuhausen, and Sauer, Eckenforde Germany/Switzerland A 9 Sht 168 460 92 7 also 7·65 Ato, mag 8 267
Silesia Fabrica de Armas SEAM., Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 135 650 68 7 Eibar-type blowback 264
Silver City Marshal Hawes Firearms Co., Los Angeles, Calif. USA R ·22 LRi 298 1,245 140 6 made in Europe 159
Simplex Bergmanns Industriewerk, Suhl Germany A 8 203 600 70 6 made by Schilling? 267
Simson Simson & Co., Suhl Germany A 6·35 Ato 114 370 56 6 M1922,M1927 268
Singer Francisco Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 370 55 6 Eibar-type blowback 23
Singer Francisco Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 150 700 82 7 Browning M1910 copy 23
Singer Frantisek Dusek, Opocno Czechoslovakia A 6·35 Ato 118 400 57 6 sales name for Duo 112
Single Action Army Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·45 Col 260 1,020 120 6 M1873; many variants 81
Single Action Army Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·45 Col 316 190 6 Bisley; many variants 82
Single Action Army Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·45 Col 445 1,225 305 6 Buntline Special, variants 82
Single Action Army Colt, Hartford, Ct USA R ·45 Col 316 1,120 190 6 Flat-Top Target 82
Single Action Army Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·45 Col 333 1,815 203 6 New Frontier Model 83
Single Action Army Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·45 Col 190 6 post-1945 pattern 83
Single Six Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport, Ct. USA R ·22 LRi 300 980 165 6 other barrel lengths 254
Sivispacem Fabrica de Armas SEAM., Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 570 54 6 Eibar-type; also mag 10 264
Slavia A. Vilimec Czechoslovakia A 6·35 Ato 115 450 54 8 -
S.M. unknown Spain A 6·35 Ato 116 385 56 6 Eibar-type blowback -
S.M. S-M Corporation USA S ·22 LRi 228 115 1 Sporter -
Smith Otis Smith, Rock Fall, Ct. USA R ·32 173 76 5 266
Smith M1883 Otis Smith, Rock Fall, Ct. USA R ·32 175 83 5 266
Smith M1892 Otis Smith, Rock Fall, Ct. USA R ·38 185 76 5 hammerless 266
Smith Otis Smith, Rock Fall, Ct. USA R ·41 175 70 5 patent 266
Smith Americano Antonio Errasti, Eibar Spain R ·38 235 120 5 variants: ·32, ·44 120
S&W American Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA R ·44 340 1,160 203 6 First Model, single action 275
S&W American Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA R ·44 302 1,130 165 6 Second Model, single action 275
S&W Automatic Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA A ·32 165 625 89 7 1913; based on Clement 279
S&W Automatic Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA A ·35 165 625 89 7 279
S&W Double Action Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·32 165 76 5 four models 271
S&W Double Action Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·38 190 505 82 5 five models 272
S&W Double Action Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·38 190 505 82 5 Perfected Model 273
S&W Double Action Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·44 285 1,070 152 6 276
S&W Frontier Model Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·44-40 302 1,130 165 6 276
S&W Model 1½ Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·32 rf 355 89 5 tip-up -

260
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
S&W Model 14 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·38 285 1,090 152 6 K-38 Masterpiece 274
S&W Model 15 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·38 230 965 102 6 Combat Masterpiece -
S&W Model 16 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·32 284 1,090 152 6 K-32 Masterpiece 272
S&W Model 17 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·22 LRi 285 1,090 152 6 K·22 Masterpiece 270
S&W Model 18 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·22 LRi 232 1,035 102 6 -
S&W Model 19 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·357 Mag 190 880 64 6 Combat Magnum 278
S&W Model 21 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA R ·44 298 1,020 165 6 Model 1950 Military -
S&W Model 22 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA R ·45 ACP 273 1,030 140 6 Model 1950 Army -
S&W Model 23 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·38 298 1,185 165 6 Outdoorsman or ·38/44 -
S&W Model 24 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·44 298 1,120 165 6 Target Model -
S&W Model 25 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA R ·44 302 1,275 165 6 Target Model 1955 278
S&W Model 27 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·357 Mag 308 1,250 150 6 variants: brl 89,127,213 278
S&W Model 30 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·32 205 510 102 6 K-32 Hand Ejector 272
S&W Model 31 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·32 216 535 102 6 Regulation Police 271
S&W Model 32 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·38 160 480 54 5 Terrier 274
S&W Model 33 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·38 216 510 102 6 Regulation Police -
S&W Model 34 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·22 LRi 203 690 102 6 Kit Gun or ·22/ 32 272
S&W Model 35 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·22 LRi 266 710 152 6 Target Model 1953 270
S&W Model ·38/200 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·38 257 880 127 6 British service; brl 101,152 274
S&W Model 39 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA A 9 Pb 188 750 101 8 279
S&W Model 41 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA A ·22 LRi 305 1,235 187 10 279
S&W Model 43 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·22 LRi 192 405 90 6 Kit Gun Airweight 274
S&W Model 48 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·22 WMRF 283 1,105 152 6 K·22 Masterpiece MRF 270
S&W Model 52 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA A ·38 220 1,160 127 5 280
S&W Model 59 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA A 9 Pb 189 785 101 14 279
S&W Model 63 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA R ·22 LRi 220 685 102 6 Kit Gun Stainless -
S&W Model 66 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA R ·357 Mag 241 990 102 6 ·357 Magnum Stainless 278
S&W Model 67 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA R ·38 230 965 102 6 stainless Model 15 -
S&W Model 469 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA A 9 Pb 175 735 89 12 280
S&W Model 645 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA A ·45 ACP 219 1,065 127 8 280
S&W Model 650 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA R ·22 WMRF 184 650 76 6 Service Kit Gun Stainless -
S&W Model 651 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·22 WMRF 229 685 102 6 Target Kit Gun Stainless -
S&W Model 1006 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA A 10 216 1,185 127 9 280
S&W Model 1066 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA A 10 197 1,125 108 9 280
S&W M1917 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA R ·45 ACP 274 1,020 140 6 US Army issue 277
S&W Model 3904 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA A 9 Pb 191 725 102 8 variant: 3906, stainless 280
S&W Model 3914 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA A 9 Pb 173 710 89 8 variant: 3913, stainless 280
S&W Model 4006 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA A ·40 S&W 191 1,105 102 11 280
S&W Model 4506 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA A ·45 ACP 216 1,040 127 8 stainless 280
S&W Model 4516 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA A ·45 ACP 181 980 95 7 280
S&W Model 4566 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA A ·45 ACP 197 1,115 108 8 280
S&W Model 5904 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA A 9 Pb 191 735 102 14 variant: 5906, stainless 280
S&W Model 6904 Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA A 9 Pb 175 665 89 12 variant: 6906, stainless 280
S&W New Model Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·44 302 1,130 165 6 ·44 Russian cartridge 276
S&W Russian Model Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA R ·44 305 1,135 165 6 single action 277
S&W Safety Model Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA R ·32 165 76 5 271
S&W Safety Model Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA R ·38 190 510 82 5 five models 273
S&W Single Action Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA R ·38 195 82 5 1st, 2nd Models similar 272
S&W Single Action Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA R ·38 210 102 5 Third Model 272
S&W Single Shot Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA S ·22 rf 242 152 1 First Model, 1893 269
S&W Single Shot Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA S ·22 rf 343 254 1 Second Model, 1905 269
S&W Single Shot Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA S ·22 rf 343 254 1 Perfected Model, 1902 269
S&W Single Shot Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass. USA s ·22 rf 280 254 1 Straightline Model, 1925 269
S&W Turkish Model Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA R ·44 rf 305 1,135 165 6 single action 276
S&W Victory Model Smith & Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA R ·38 215 102 6 274
Smok Fabryka Nakulski Poland A 6·35 Ato 100 260 50 6 Walther M9 copy -
Smoker Johnson, Bye & Co., Worcester, Mass. USA R ·32 63 5 variant: ·22, ·38, ·41 177
Sosso Fabbrica Nazionale d'Armi, Brescia Italy A 9 Gli 20 endless-chain magazine 281
South African Police Webley & Scott Ltd, Birmingham Britain A 9 BLg 203 965 127 8 320
SP-101 Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport, Ct. USA R ·38 765 76 5 variant: brl 57 256
Speed Six Sturm. Ruger & Co., Southport, Ct USA R ·357 Mag 197 980 70 5 various barrel lengths 255
Spencer Columbia Armory USA R ·38 185 76 5 95
Sphinx 3AT ITM, Solothurn Switzerland A 9 Sht 153 82 10 variant: cal 9 Pol 176
Spirlet Spirlet, Liege Belgium R ·380 248 127 5 -
Springfield M1911A1 Springfield Armory, Inc. Geneseo, USA A ·45 ACP 218 1,010 127 7 variant: 9 Pb, mag 8 281
Illinois
Springfield P-9 Springfield Armory, Inc., Geneseo, USA A 9 Pb 206 1,000 120 16 CZ75 copy; also ·38 Spr, ·45 281
Illinois ACP
Springfield P-9C Springfield Armory, Inc., Geneseo, USA A 9 Pb 184 910 93 10 compact P-9 281
Illinois
Sprinter Garate, Anitua y Cia, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 118 425 56 8 141
Spy Norwich Falls Pistol Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·22 rf 7 224

261
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
Squibman M100D Squires, Bingham & Co., Luzon Philippines R ·38 695 102 6 282
Squibman Thunderchief Squires, Bingham & Co., Luzon Philippines R ·38 102 6 282
Stallion J.I. Galef & Co., New York City USA R ·22 rf 290 1,075 165 6 variants: ·357 Mag, ·45 -
Star M1908 Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 445 67 7 282
Star M1914 Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 175 850 112 8 283
Star Modelo Militar Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 9 B-B 200 1,100 122 8 variants: ·38 Spr, ·45 ACP 283
Star Model 1 Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 165 915 98 8 283
Star Model A Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 9 B-B 215 1,065 127 8 also 7·63 Msr, 9 Sht, ·45 ACP 283
Star Model AS Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A ·38 Spr 210 1,075 122 8 -
Star Model B Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 9 Pb 215 1,085 122 9 283
Star Model BKS Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 9 Pb 182 740 108 8 also called Starlight 283
Star Model BM Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 9 Pb 182 965 99 8 steel frame 284
Star Model BKM Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 9 Pb 182 725 99 8 light alloy frame 284
Star Model C Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 9 BLg 105 8 284
Star Model CO Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 120 400 57 8 284
Star Model CU Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 122 420 60 7 Starlet, or Lancer in ·22 284
Star Model D Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 9 Sht 155 565 79 6 Police & Pocket Model 284
Star Model DK Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 9 Sht 145 420 80 7 first Starfire 284
Star Model DKI Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 145 420 80 7 284
Star Model DKL Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 9 Sht 145 420 80 6 light alloy frame 284
Star Model E Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 100 280 50 6 284
Star Model F Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A ·22 LRi 155 850 110 10 several minor variants 284
Star Model FR Sport Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A ·22 LRi 225 845 150 10 284
Star Model H Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 140 580 73 7 284
Star Model HF Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A ·22 LRi 137 570 70 9 284
Star Model HN Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 9 Sht 100 7 284
Star Model I Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 185 690 123 9 variant Model IR 284
Star Model M Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A ·38 Spr 218 695 122 9 285
Star Model MD Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 9 B-B 215 695 122 8.16.25 sel-fire, 7·63 Msr, ·38 Spr, ·45 285
ACP
Star Model P Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A ·45 ACP 215 700 122 7 285
Star Model PD Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A ·45 ACP 180 710 100 6 285
Star Model S Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 9 Sht 160 620 100 8 285
Star Model SI Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 160 620 100 9 285
Star Model Super SM Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 9 Sht 170 625 102 10 285
Star Model 30M Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 9 Pb 205 1,140 110 15 all steel 285
Star Model 30P Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 9 Pb 193 1,100 98 15 all steel 285
Star Model 30PK Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 9 Pb 193 860 98 15 light alloy frame 285
Star Model 30 Match Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 9 Pb 205 1,140 110 15 -
Star M-43 Firestar Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 9 Pb 163 800 86 7 285
Star Model Ten Bonifacio Echeverria SA, Eibar Spain A 10 212 1,225 117 14 -
Stenda Stendawerke GmbH, Suhl Germany A 7·65 Ato 145 645 76 8 improved Beholla 286
Sterling Model 283 Sterling Arms Corp., Gasport, NY USA A ·22 LRi 267 1,150 152 10 Target Model 286
Sterling Model 286 Sterling Arms Corp., Gasport, NY USA A ·22 LRi 228 1,020 115 10 Trapper Model 286
Sterling Model 300 Sterling Arms Corp., Gasport, NY USA A 6·35 Ato 115 370 63 6 286
Sterling Model 302 Sterling Arms Corp., Gasport, NY USA A ·22 LRi 115 370 63 6 286
Sterling Model 400 Sterling Arms Corp., Gasport, NY USA A 9 Sht 165 680 95 6 variant: M402, ·22 LRi 286
Stern Albin Wahl, Zella-Mehlis Germany A 6·35 Ato 124 440 62 9 287
Stetchkin state factories USSR A 9 Mak 225 1,030 127 20 selective fire 287
Stevens Old Model Stevens Arms Co., Chicopee Falls, Mass USA S ·22 rf 228 146 1 288
Stevens Off-Hand Stevens Arms Co., Chicopee Falls, Mass. USA S ·22 rf 240 203 1 variant: brl 152 288
Stevens Model 10 Stevens Arms Co., Chicopee Falls, Mass USA S ·22 rf 327 1,020 203 1 288
Steyr M1897 Osterreichische Waffenfabriks-Ges, Steyr Austria-Hungary R 7 260 1,050 135 7 -
Steyr M1911 Osterreichische Waffenfabriks-Ges,. Austria-Hungary A 9 Str 216 1,020 128 8 Steyr-Hahn 289
Steyr
Steyr M1909 Osterreichische Waffenfabriks-Ges, Steyr Austria-Hungary A 7·65 Ato 162 630 92 7 Pieper patent 290
Steyr SP Steyr Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr Austria A 7·65 Ato 160 620 88 7 double action 290
Steyr Pi-18 Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr Austria A 9 Pb 215 950 140 18 gas-delayed blowback 290
Steyr GB Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr Austria A 9 Pb 216 845 136 18 improved Pi-18 290
Stingray G. C. Dornheim, Suhl Germany A 6·35 Ato 112 322 52 6 108
Stock R Stock Werkzeugfabrik, Berlin Germany A 7·65 Ato 173 670 92 8 also ·22 LRi, 6·35 Ato 290
Stosel Retolaza Hermanos, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 116 370 55 6 Browning M1906 copy 245
Stosel Retolaza Hermanos, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 160 565 88 7 Eibar type; minor variants 245
Sundance A-25 Sundance Industries USA A 6·35 Ato 124 395 51 7 -
Super Blackhawk Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport, Ct. USA R ·44 Mag 340 1,360 190 6 255
Super Destroyer Gaztanaga, Trocaola y Cia, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 145 565 82 8 Walther PP copy 144
Super Redhawk Sturm, Ruger & Co., Southport, Ct. USA R ·44 Mag 330 1,500 190 6 variant: brl 241 255
Surete Isidro Gaztanaga, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 155 600 85 7 Browning M1910 copy 144
Swamp Angel Forehand & Wadsworth, Worcester, Mass USA R ·41 5 variant: mag 6 126
Swift Iver Johnson, Worcester, Mass. USA R ·38 5 hammer and hammerless types 177
Sympathique Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 105 355 54 7 Unique M10; other guns known 238
Hendaye

262
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
Syntech Ram-Line USA A ·22 LRi 250 580 140 15 largely synthetic -

T.A.C. Trocaola y Aranzabal, Eibar Spain R ·32 275 150 6 Colt PP copy; also ·32-20 296
T.A.C. Trocaola y Aranzabal, Eibar Spain R ·38 240 800 115 6 Colt PP copy 296
T.A.C. Trocaola y Aranzabal, Eibar Spain R ·32 227 105 6 S&W M&P copy; also ·38 296
Tala Talleres Armas Livianas Argentinas, Argentina A ·22 LRi 185 85 10 standard or super grades 291
Punta Alta
Tanke Orueta Hermanos, Eibar Spain R ·38 190 90 5 Automatic Model 1 A -
Tanque Ojanguren y Vidosa, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 108 310 45 6 227
Targa GT-22T Fabbrica d'Armi Tanfoglio, Gardone VT Italy A ·22 LRi 228 850 152 12 291
Targa GT-27 Fabbrica d'Armi Tanfoglio, Gardone VT Italy A 6·35 Ato 117 340 62 6 same as Titan 291
Targa GT-32 Fabbrica d'Armi Tanfoglio, Gardone VT Italy A 7·65 Ato 187 735 124 6 291
Targa GT-380 XE Fabbrica d'Armi Tanfoglio, Gardone VT Italy A 9 Sht 187 795 94 11 291
Target Bulldog Charter Arms Corp., Stratford, Ct. USA R ·357 Mag 254 820 140 5 variant: ·44,9 Pb 75
Tarn Swift Rifle Co., London Britain A 9 Pb 280 990 127 8 prototypes only, 1945 292
Tatra unknown Spain A 6·35 Ato 118 380 56 6 Eibar-type blowback -
Tauler Gabilondo y Cia, Elgoeibar Spain A Llamas sold by Tauler 137
Taurus Model 65 Forjas Taurus SA, Porto Alegre Brazil R ·357 Mag 215 910 76 6 other barrel lengths 293
Taurus Model 66 Forjas Taurus SA, Porto Alegre Brazil R ·357 Mag 215 920 76 6 293
Taurus Model 70 Forjas Taurus SA, Porto Alegre Brazil R ·32 219 805 75 6 variant: brl 100 293
Taurus Model 71 Forjas Taurus SA, Porto Alegre Brazil R ·32 215 540 100 6 variants: brl 75,127 293
Taurus Model 73 Forjas Taurus SA, Porto Alegre Brazil R ·32 159 565 50 6 variant: brl 75 293
Taurus Model 76 Forjas Taurus SA, Porto Alegre Brazil R ·32 292 1,100 152 6 target model 293
Taurus Model 80 Forjas Taurus SA, Porto Alegre Brazil R ·38 Spl 235 980 100 6 other barrel lengths 293
Taurus Model 82 Forjas Taurus SA, Porto Alegre Brazil R ·38 Spl 235 935 100 6 variant: brl 75 293
Taurus Model 83 Forjas Taurus SA, Porto Alegre Brazil R ·38 Spl 235 935 100 6 M82 with adjustable trigger 293
Taurus Model 85 Forjas Taurus SA, Porto Alegre Brazil R ·38 Spl 173 780 50 6 293
Taurus Model 86 Forjas Taurus SA, Porto Alegre Brazil R ·38 275 990 150 6 293
Taurus Model 88 Forjas Taurus SA, Porto Alegre Brazil R ·38 Spl 215 950 76 6 variant: brl 102 293
Taurus Model 90 Forjas Taurus SA, Porto Alegre Brazil R ·22 LRi 240 1,020 100 6 293
Taurus Model 94 Forjas Taurus SA, Porto Alegre Brazil R ·22 LRi 190 700 76 9 variant: brl 100 293
Taurus Model 96 Forjas Taurus SA, Porto Alegre Brazil R ·22 LRi 290 1,190 150 6 target model 293
Taurus Model 669 Forjas Taurus SA, Porto Alegre Brazil R ·357 Mag 238 1,200 152 6 M689 has vent-rib brl 293
Taurus PT-51 Forjas Taurus SA, Porto Alegre Brazil A 6·35 Ato 115 280 60 8 licensed Beretta 950 293
Taurus PT-55 Forjas Taurus SA, Porto Alegre Brazil A ·22 LRi 135 350 70 7 licensed Beretta M20 293
Taurus PT-57 Forjas Taurus SA, Porto Alegre Brazil A 7·65 Ato 197 116 15 293
Taurus PT-58 Forjas Taurus SA, Porto Alegre Brazil A 9 Pb 183 940 105 13 293
Taurus PT-91 Forjas Taurus SA, Porto Alegre Brazil A ·41 AE 217 960 127 10 293
Taurus PT-92 Forjas Taurus SA, Porto Alegre Brazil A 9 Pb 217 965 125 15 licensed Beretta 92 293
Taurus PT-99 Forjas Taurus SA, Porto Alegre Brazil A 9 Pb 217 950 125 15 293
Tell E.F. Buchel, Zella-Mehlis Germany S ·22 rf 375 1,135 305 1 Martini-type Free Pistol 70
Terrible Hijos de Calixto Arrizabalaga, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 110 350 53 6 sales name for Campeon 27
Terror Forehand & Wadsworth, Worcester, USA R ·32 5 variant: mag 6 126
Mass.
Teuf-Teuf unknown Belgium A 6·35 Ato -
Teuf-Teuf Arizmendi y Goenaga, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 114 355 53 6 23
Texas Border Special Texas Longhorn Arms, Richmond, Texas USA R ·45 120 6 other calibres to order 293
Texas Marshal Hawes Firearms Co., Los Angeles USA R ·357 Mag 298 1,245 152 6 159
Texas Ranger Fabrique d'Armes Reunies, Liege Belgium R ·38 257 132 6 246
Texas Scout Herbert Schmidt, Ostheim Germany R ·22 LRi 250 122 5 261
Thalco Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz Germany R ·22 LRi US sales name for RG-10 250
Thames Thames Arms Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 176 80 5 293
Thames Thames Arms Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·38 270 153 5 293
Thayer Thayer, Robertson & Carey, Norwich, Ct USA R ·38 270 152 5 identical with Thames 294
Thieme & Edeler Thieme & Edeler Germany? A 7·65 Ato 147 605 82 7 Eibar-type; made in Spain 294
Thomas Tipping & Lawden, Birmingham Britain R ·320 5 patent extraction system 294
Thomas Tipping & Lawden, Birmingham Britain R ·380 249 700 126 5 patent extraction; also ·450 294
Thunder M1919 Martin Bascaran, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 375 50 6 39
Tiger unknown USA R ·32 152 63 5 -
Tigre Garate, Anitua y Cia, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 116 390 57 6 Eibar type blowback 141
Tisan Santiago Salaberrin, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 118 380 55 6 Browning M1906 copy -
Titan Retolaza Hermanos, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 355 55 6 identical with Gallus 245
Titan Tanfoglio & Sabotti, Gardone Val Italy A 6·35 Ato 117 340 62 6 external hammer, also 7·65 Ato 291
Trompia
Titanic Retolaza Hermanos, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 390 54 6 Browning M1906 copy 245
Titanic M1914 Retolaza Hermanos, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 145 610 80 7 Eibar type blowback 245
Tiwa unknown Spain A 6·35 Ato 185 435 125 6 Eibar type; extended barrel -
TK Tula arms factory USSR A 6·35 Ato 123 65 7 295
Tokagypt Femaru, Budapest Hungary A 9 Pb 192 910 115 7 Tokarev for Egypt 124
Tokarev TT-33 state arms factories USSR A 7·62 Rus 196 910 115 7 295
Touriste Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 104 360 55 7 Unique M10; other guns known 238
Hendaye

263
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
Tower Bulldog P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·450 159 510 61 5 313
Tower's Police Safety Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·38 73 5 170
TOZ Tula arms factory USSR A 6·35 Ato 127 395 68 8 similar to TK 295
Trailblazer Aldo Uberti, Gardone Val Trompia Italy R ·22 LRi 280 965 140 6 298
Tramp's Terror Hood Firearms Co., Norwich, Ct USA R ·22 rf 132 63 7 169
Tranter William Tranter, Birmingham Britain R ·450 298 1,075 146 6 representative; many variants 296
Trapper Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·22 LRi 251 625 152 9 Model 722 156
Mass
Trejo Tipo Rafaga Armas Trejo SA, Zacatlan Mexico A ·22 LRi 160 620 75 10 selective fire 296
Trejo R Especial Armas Trejo SA, Zacatlan Mexico A ·22 LRi 195 795 105 15 selective fire 296
Trejo Modelo 3 Armas Trejo SA, Zacatlan Mexico A 9 Sht 168 670 90 8 selective fire 296
Triomphe Apaolozo Hermanos, Zumorraga Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 370 53 6 Browning M1906 copy 21
Triomphe Francaise Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 104 355 54 7 Unique M10; other guns known 238
Hendaye
Triplex Domingo Acha, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 105 390 45 6 Browning M1906 copy 13
Triumph Garate, Anitua y Cia, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 190 675 115 9 same as La Lira 142
Trocaola Trocaola y Aranzabal, Eibar Spain R ·32 S&W pattern; many variants 296
Trocaola Trocaola y Aranzabal, Eibar Spain R ·38 250 125 5 Modelo de Seguridad 296
Trocaola Trocaola y Aranzabal, Eibar Spain R ·45 280 680 130 5 British OP Mk1 No.2 296
Trooper Colt, Hartford, Ct. USA R ·38 235 965 102 6 89
Trooper Mk III Colt, Hartford, Ct USA R ·357 Mag 292 1,190 152 6 90
Trophy Hawes Firearms Co., Los Angeles, Calif. USA R ·38 265 1,090 152 6 variant: ·22 LRi 159
True Blue Norwich Falls Pistol Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 5 224
Trust Fab. d'Armes de Grande Precision, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 116 390 55 6 Eibar-type blowback 148
Trust Fab. d'Armes de Grande Precision, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 156 830 88 9 Eibar-type blowback 148
Trust Supra Fab. d'Armes de Grande Precision, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 385 50 6 Browning M1906 copy 148
Ttibar Industrias SRL, Buenos Aires Argentina A ·22 LRi 253 140 10 target pistol 297
Tue-Tue C.F Galand, Liege Belgium R ·22 rf 5 variant: 6·35 Ato 138
Turbiaux J.E. Turbiaux, Paris France M 6 pf 10 palm-squeezer 297
Turbiaux J.E. Turbiaux, Pans France M 8 cf 7 palm squeezer 297
Tycoon Johnson, Bye & Co., Worcester, Mass. USA R ·22 rf 145 89 7 variant: ·32, or brl 60 177
Tycoon Johnson, Bye & Co., Worcester, Mass USA R ·38 150 89 5 variant: cal ·41 177

U.A.E. Union Armera Eibaressa, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 365 50 6 Eibar-type blowback 298
U.C. Urrejola y Cia, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 150 600 85 7 Ruby made under licence 299
Ulster Bulldog P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·450 152 475 61 5 -
Ultramatic Spowa Austria A 9 Pb 240 1,100 122 19 variant: brl 140 -
U.M.C. Norwich Falls Pistol Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 165 67 5 244
Undercover Charter Arms Corp., Stratford, Ct. USA R ·38 159 455 50 5 variant: brl 76 74
Undercoverette Charter Arms Corp., Stratford, Ct. USA R ·32 159 465 50 6 74
Union Tomas de Urizar, Barcelona Spain A 7·65 Ato 140 670 70 7 -
Union Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 390 55 6 Browning M1906 copy 299
Union Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 7·65 Ato 145 700 75 6 Models 1 -4; variants 299
Union M Seytres, Saint-Etienne France A 6·35 Ato 119 305 60 6 Eibar-type; also mag 10 299
Union M Seytres, Saint-Etienne France A 7·65 Ato 200 585 115 7 Eibar-type 299
Union Union Arms Co., Toledo, Ohio USA R ·32 76 5 Lefever auto-revolver 299
Union Union Arms Co., Toledo, Ohio USA A ·38 S&W 160 570 90 8 Webley & Scott type 299
Ato
Union Jack Hood Firearms Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 5 variant: ·22 rf, mag 7 169
Unique Shattuck and Mossberg USA M ·32 4 multi-barrel; also ·22, 30 266
Unique Model 10 Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 104 370 53 6 237
Hendaye
Unique Model 11 Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 104 360 53 6 237
Hendaye
Unique Model 12 Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 104 360 53 6 237
Hendaye
Unique Model 13 Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 104 385 53 7 237
Hendaye
Unique Model 14 Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 112 400 54 9 237
Hendaye
Unique Model 15 Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 7·65 Ato 126 570 66 6 238
Hendaye
Unique Model 16 Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 7·65 Ato 126 610 66 7 238
Hendaye
Unique Model 17 Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 7·65 Ato 155 785 85 9 238
Hendaye
Unique Model 18 Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 7·65 Ato 145 600 50 6 238
Hendaye
Unique Model 19 Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 7·65 Ato 145 615 80 7 238
Hendaye
Unique Model 20 Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 7·65 Ato 145 650 88 9 238
Hendaye
Unique Model 21 Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 9 Sht 145 615 88 6 238
Hendaye

264
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
Unique Model 52 Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A ·22 LRi 145 80 8 238
Hendaye
Unique Model Bcf-66 Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 7·65 Ato 168 730 100 8 variant: cal 9 Sht 238
Hendaye
Unique Model C Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 7·65 Ato 145 650 80 9 238
Hendaye
Unique Model D Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A ·22 LRi 154 645 78 10 many variants 238
Hendaye
Unique Model E Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A ·22 Sht 154 610 78 6 238
Hendaye
Unique Model F Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 9 Sht 145 650 80 8 238
Hendaye
Unique Model L Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 7·65 Ato 150 645 85 7 variants: ·22 LRi, 9 Sht 238
Hendaye
Unique Model Rd Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A ·22 LRi 254 185 9 Ranger model 238
Hendaye
Unique Model Rr-51 Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 7·65 Ato 145 735 80 9 Police model 238
Hendaye
Unis Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 7·65 Ato sales name for Uniques 238
Hendaye
Unis Santiago Salaberrin, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 114 365 55 6 Browning M1906 copy -
Universal Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 6 170
Urrejola Urrejola y Cia, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 160 645 90 7 Eibar type blowback 299
U.S. Arms Co. US Arms Company, New York USA R ·32 165 450 63 6 variant ·22 rf, mag 7 299
U.S. Arms Co. US Arms Company, New York USA R ·41 145 525 63 5 variant: ·38 299
U.S. Revolver Iver Johnson, Fitchburg, Mass. USA R ·22 rf 135 370 54 7 179
U.S. Revolver Iver Johnson, Fitchburg, Mass. USA R ·32 rf 165 465 76 5 hammer or hammerless 179
U.S. Revolver Iver Johnson, Fitchburg, Mass USA R ·38 rf 191 495 82 5 hammer or hammerless 179
Uzi Israel Military Industries, Ramat ha- Israel A 9 Pb 240 1,650 115 20 scaled-down smg 175
Sharon

Vainquer Mendiola, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 375 54 6 Browning M1906 copy -
Valor Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz Germany R ·32 150 60 5 sales name for RG-10 250
Van der Haeghen unknown Belgium R recoil-operated experimental -
Velo-Brom Retolaza Hermanos, Eibar Spain R 6 5 hammerless: also cal 8 245
Velo-Dog C.F. Galand, Liege Belgium R 5·5 VDg 125 47 5 innumerable copies exist 138
Velo-Mith various Spain R 6·35 Ato 5, 6 many variants 245
Velosmith unknown Spain R 6·35 Ato 200 105 10 hammerless; not Velo Dog -
Velostark Garate Hermanos, Eibar Spain R 6·35 Ato 140 50 5 hammerless, folding trigger 141
Vencedor C. Santos, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 155 640 85 9 Eibar-type; also 6·35 Ato -
Venus Tomas de Urizar, Barcelona Spain A 7·65 Ato 145 575 81 6 Eibar; poss also 6·35 Ato 300
Venus Oscar Will, Zella St Blasii Germany A 6·35 Ato 120 330 50 7 variants: 7·65 Ato, 9 Sht 300
Verney-Carron Mre. d Arms Verney-Carron, Saint- France A 6·35 Ato 119 450 60 7 Echeverria Star, 1912 300
Etienne
Verney-Carron Mre. d'Armes Verney-Carron, Saint- France R ·32 130 47 6 pocket model Belgian? 300
Etienne
Vesta Bonifacio Echeverria y Cia, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 118 335 55 7 Eibar type; also 9 Sht mag 9 -
Vestpocket Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz Germany R ·22 LRi sales name for RG-10 250
Veto unknown USA R ·32 160 63 5 -
Vici unknown Belgium A 6·35 Ato 116 390 54 7 -
Victor Francisco Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 118 265 53 6 later renamed Singer 23
Victor Francisco Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 150 530 80 7 later renamed Singer 23
Victor Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·22 rf 127 49 7 156
Mass
Victor Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·32 210 275 114 6 156
Mass.
Victor No.1 Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·32 rf 208 115 5 156
Mass.
Victor No.2 Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·32 rf 216 115 6 156
Mass
Victor J.M. Marlin, New Haven, Ct USA S ·38 1 205
Victoria Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 6·35 Ato 110 325 55 7 Eibar; several variants 299
Victoria Unceta y Cia, Guernica Spain A 7·65 Ato 145 605 82 6 for French, Italian contracts 299
Victory MC-5 Victory Arms Company Britain A 9 Pb 216 1,275 111 17 multi-calibre 300
Victory Zulaica y Cia, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 380 52 6 Browning M1906 copy 326
Vilar unknown Spain A 7·65 Ato 145 600 80 7 Eibar-type blowback -
Vincitor M1914 Zulaica y Cia, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 310 54 6 325
Vincitor M1914 No.2 Zulaica y Cia, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 152 670 85 7 325
Vindex Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A 6·35 Ato 104 360 54 6 Unique M10; other guns known 238
Hendaye
Virginian Hammerli AG, Lenzburg Switzerland R ·357 Mag 280 1,135 140 6 also ·45, various brl 155
Vite M1913 Echave y Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 118 405 55 6 Browning M1906 copy -
Vite M1912 Echave y Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 385 54 8 Eibar-type blowback -
Vite M1915 Echave y Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 153 800 84 9 Eibar-type blowback -
Volkspistole Mauser-Werke AG, Oberndorf Germany A 9 Pb 286 960 130 8 delayed blowback prototype 301

265
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
Volontaire Zuloga y Cia, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 150 580 85 7 Eibar-type -
Vulcain unknown Spain A 6·35 Ato 115 305 50 6 Browning M1906 type -

Waco Fabrica de Armas SEAM , Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 300 52 6 made for Urizar 264
Walam Femaru, Budapest Hungary A 9 Shi 175 725 100 8 variant cal 7·65 Ato 124
Walman Arizmendi y Goenaga, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 152 570 88 8 variant: cal 6·35 Ato 23
Walman Arizmendi y Goenaga, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 112 325 55 6 several variants 23
Walman Arizmendi y Goenaga, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 155 565 83 7 23
Walman Arizmendi y Goenaga, Eibar Spain A 9 Sht 150 620 88 7 Browning M1910 copy 23
Walther Model 1 Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella St Germany A 6·35 Ato 114 370 52 6 303
Blasii
Walther Model 2 Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella St Germany A 6·35 Ato 109 280 54 6 304
Blasii
Walther Model 3 Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella St Germany A 7·65 Ato 127 470 67 6 304
Blasii
Walther Model 4 Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella St Germany A 7·65 Ato 152 550 85 8 304
Blasii
Walther Model 5 Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella St Germany A 6·35 Ato 109 280 54 6 304
Blasii
Walther Model 6 Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella St Germany A 9 Pb 210 960 120 8 304
Blasii
Walther Model 7 Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella St Germany A 6·35 Ato 133 340 77 8 304
Blasii
Walther Model 8 Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella-Mehlis Germany A 6·35 Ato 130 370 72 8 304
Walther Model 9 Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella-Mehlis Germany A 6·35 Ato 102 260 51 6 305
Walther Model AP Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella-Mehlis Germany A 9 Pb 215 790 120 8 306
Walther GSP Carl Walther GmbH, Ulm Germany A ·22 LRi 300 1,270 115 5 variant: GSP-C, ·32 310
Walther Model FP Carl Walther GmbH, Ulm Germany S ·22 LRi 440 1,350 300 1 dropping-block action 310
Walther Model HP Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella-Mehlis Germany A 9 Pb 215 790 120 8 307
Walther Model MP Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella-Mehlis Germany A 9 Pb 220 1,110 127 8 306
Walther Model PP Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella-Mehlis Germany A 7·65 Ato 170 695 98 8 also ·22 LRi, 6·35 Ato, 9 Sht 305
Walther Model PPK Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella-Mehlis Germany A 7·65 Ato 148 580 80 7 also ·22 LRi, 6·35 Ato, 9 Sht 305
Walther PP Sport [SC] Carl Walther GmbH, Ulm Germany A ·22 LRi 220 680 150 10 variant: brl 195 309
Walther PP Super Carl Walther GmbH, Ulm Germany A 9 Pol 176 760 92 7 306
Walther PPK/S Carl Walther GmbH, Ulm Germany A 7·65 Ato 155 650 83 7 also ·22 LRi, 9 Sht 306
Walther P-1 Carl Walther GmbH, Ulm Germany A 9 Pb 218 770 124 8 post-war P38 308
Walther P-1A1 Carl Walther GmbH, Ulm Germany A 9 Pb 179 810 90 8 improved P-5 309
Walther P-4 Carl Walther GmbH, Ulm Germany A 9 Pb 8 modified P 38 308
Walther P-5 Carl Walther GmbH, Ulm Germany A 9 Pb 180 795 90 8 308
Walther P-5 Compact Carl Walther GmbH, Ulm Germany A 9 Pb 168 780 79 8 308
Walther P.38 Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella-Mehlis Germany A 9 Pb 215 955 126 8 also by Mauser or Spreewerke 307
Walther P-38k Carl Walther GmbH, Ulm Germany A 9 Pb 156 70 8 shortened P 38 308
Walther P-88 Carl Walther GmbH, Ulm Germany A 9 Pb 187 900 102 15 308
Walther P-88 Compact Carl Walther GmbH, Ulm Germany A 9 Pb 181 820 99 14 308
Walther TP Carl Walther GmbH, Ulm Germany A 6·35 Ato 135 310 66 6 variant cal ·22 LRi 306
Walther TPH Carl Walther GmbH, Ulm Germany A 6·35 Ato 135 325 71 6 variant cal ·22 LRi 306
Walther Olympia-Pistole Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella-Mehlis Germany A ·22 LRi 200 765 120 10 several variants 309
Walther Sportmodell Carl Walther Waffenfabrik, Zella-Mehlis Germany A ·22 LRi 290 880 190 10 309
War Eagle Steel City Arms, Pittsburgh, Penn. USA A 9 Pb 102 15 286
Warnant L & J Warnant Freres, Hognee Belgium A 6·35 Ato 110 295 43 6 310
Warnant L & J Warnant Freres, Hognee Belgium R ·32 230 100 5 hinged-frame, folding trigger 310
Warnant L & J Warnant Freres, Hognee Belgium R ·38 285 150 6 hinged frame 310
Warner Warner Arms Co., Brooklyn, NY USA A 7·65 Ato 140 520 105 7 Schwarzlose M1908 174
Warwinck Gaspar Arizaga, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 155 685 94 7 similar to Pinkerton 22
Webley Army Express P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·450 279 965 152 6 also in ·455 313
Webley Army Target Webley & Scott, Birmingham Britain R ·455 343 1,105 190 6 318
Webley Bisley Target Webley & Scott, Birmingham Britain R ·450 343 1,105 190 6 318
Webley DA Bulldog P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·442 159 455 64 5 First Model 313
Webley DA Bulldog P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·44 rf 156 475 64 5 First Model 313
Webley DA Bulldog P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·320 137 310 64 5 Second Model 313
Webley DA Bulldog P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·450 159 515 64 5 Third Model 313
Webley DA RIC Model P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·450 190 645 82 6 311
Webley DA RIC M1872 P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·450 203 700 82 6 311
Webley DA RIC M1872 P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·442 190 745 89 6 311
Webley DA RIC New P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·455 228 855 114 6 312
Model
Webley James Hill P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·430 178 710 64 6 312
Model
Webley Mk IV Webley & Scott, Birmingham Britain R ·38 257 730 102 6 318
Webley Mk IV Webley & Scott, Birmingham Britain R ·32 229 820 102 6 318
Webley Mk IV Target Webley & Scott, Birmingham Britain R ·38 235 745 102 6 318
Webley Mk IV Target Webley & Scott, Birmingham Britain R ·22 LRi 267 945 152 6 318
Webley Mk IV Pocket Webley & Scott, Birmingham Britain R ·32 178 625 76 6 variant cal ·38 318

266
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
Webley Naval Service P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·450 575 66 6 312
RIC
Webley Pocket Hammer P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·320 178 485 76 6 1901 pattern 316
Webley Pocket P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·320 178 510 76 6 1898 pattern 316
Hammerless
Webley Mk II P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·380 203 545 102 6 Police & Civilian Model 317
Webley Mk III P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·380 210 570 102 6 Police & Civilian Model 317
Webley RIC M&C P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·450 159 735 64 6 Metropolitan & County 312
Webley SA Express P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·476 270 1,005 140 6 -
Webley Service Mk I P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·442 235 985 102 6 variants: ·455, ·476 316
Webley Service Mk II P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·455 235 995 102 6 variant: ·476 316
Webley Service Mk III P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·455 241 1,050 102 6 316
Webley Service Mk IV P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·455 235 1,020 102 6 317
Webley Service Mk V Webley & Scott, Birmingham Britain R ·455 235 1,005 102 6 317
Webley Service Mk VI Webley & Scott, Birmingham Britain R ·455 286 1,075 152 6 317
Webley Mk VI P-H Parker-Hale Ltd, Birmingham Britain R ·22 LRi 298 1,245 178 6 P-H 22 insert barrel 317
Webley RIC P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·450 178 760 64 6 Short Barrel Model 312
Webley Target Webley & Scott, Birmingham Britain S ·22 rf 350 1,050 250 1 several variants 320
Webley Over/Under P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain S ·450 152 450 76 2 double-barrelled 316
Webley Fosbery P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·455 267 1,155 152 6 1901 pattern 319
Webley Fosbery P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·455 305 1,185 190 6 1901 target pattern 319
Webley Fosbery P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R 267 1,105 152 8 1901 pattern 319
Webley Fosbery P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·455 267 1,260 152 6 1902 pattern 319
Webley Fosbery P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R 267 1,065 152 8 1902 pattern 319
Webley Fosbery Webley & Scott, Birmingham Britain R ·455 267 1,075 152 6 1914 pattern 319
Webley Fosbery Webley & Scott, Birmingham Britain R ·455 305 1,135 190 6 1914 target pattern 319
Webley-Green P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·455 286 1,135 152 6 First Model 315
Webley-Green P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·455 286 1,140 152 6 Second Model 315
Webley-Green P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·455 336 1,185 190 6 1892 pattern 315
Webley-Green P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·476 292 1,140 152 6 1892 Army pattern 315
Webley-Green P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·450 337 1,250 152 6 1893 target pattern 315
Webley-Green P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·455 337 1,170 152 6 1896 target pattern 315
Webley-Kaufmann P. Webley & Sons, Birmingham Britain R ·450 279 1,135 146 6 variants ·455, ·476 314
Webley M1906 Webley & Scott, Birmingham Britain A 6·35 Ato 120 335 54 6 external hammer 319
Webley M1909 Webley & Scott, Birmingham Britain A 6·35 Ato 108 290 54 6 hammerless 319
Webley Hammerless Webley & Scott, Birmingham Britain A 9 BLg 203 950 127 8 High Velocity Model 319
Webley M1906 Webley & Scott, Birmingham Britain A 7·65 Ato 159 565 90 8 319
Webley SL Mk I Webley & Scott, Birmingham Britain A ·455 216 1,105 127 7 Royal Navy issue 320
Webley SL Mk I No.2 Webley & Scott, Birmingham Britain A ·455 216 1,110 127 7 RFC and RHA issue 320
Wegria-Charlier unknown Belgium A 6·35 Ato no trigger, grip fired 321
Welrod unknown Britain A 7·65 Ato 310 110 6 integral silencer -
Wesson Franklin Wesson, Springfield, Mass USA S ·31 124 1 1870 pattern -
Wesson Model 14 Dan Wesson Arms, Inc., Monson, Mass USA R ·357 Mag 235 965 102 6 other barrel lengths 321
Wesson Model 15 Dan Wesson Arms, Inc., Monson, Mass USA R ·357 Mag 235 1,020 102 6 variant: cal ·38 Spl 321
Wesson Model 40 Dan Wesson Arms Inc., Monson, Mass USA R ·357 Max 363 1,815 203 6 321
Wesson & Harrington Wesson & Harrington, Worcester, Mass USA R ·32 rf 175 70 5 -
Western Field Mre. d'Armes de Pyrenees Francaises, France A ·22 LRi sales name for Unique 237
Hendaye
Western Marshal Hawes Firearms Co., Los Angeles, Calif. USA R ·357 Mag 298 1,245 152 6 159
Western Style Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz Germany R ·22 LRi sales name for RG-10 250
West Texas Flat-top Texas Longhorn Arms Co., Richmond, USA R ·45 190 6 other calibres, barrels 293
Texas
White-Merrill White-Merrill Arms Co., Boston, Mass. USA A ·45 215 1,085 152 10 prototypes, 1906 7 322
White Star unknown USA R ·32 167 62 5 -
Whitney Whitney Arms Co., Whitneyville, Ct. USA R ·32 160 63 7 322
Whitneyville Whitney Arms Co., Whitneyville, Ct. USA R ·38 138 58 5 322
Wichita Mk 40 Wichita Arms, Wichita, Kansas USA S ·308 493 2,040 330 1 bolt action 323
Wichita Classic Wichita Arms, Wichita, Kansas USA S ·308 2,265 286 1 bolt action 323
Wichita Silhouette Wichita Arms, Wichita, Kansas USA S ·308 544 2,040 378 1 bolt action: also cal 7 323
Wide Awake Hood Firearms Co., Norwich, Ct USA R ·32 70 5 169
Wildey WM45 Wildey, Inc., Brookfield, Ct. USA A ·45 WMg 280 1,445 152 8 gas operated; also 9 WMg 323
Winfield Arms Norwich Falls Pistol Co., Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 125 66 5 224
Wolverine Whitney Firearms, Inc., North Haven, Ct USA A ·22 LRi 228 650 117 10 322
Woodsman Colt, Hartford, Ct USA A ·22 LRi 315 795 165 10 95
Woodsman Colt, Hartford, Ct USA A ·22 LRi 266 735 114 10 95
Woodsman Match Target Colt, Hartford, Ct USA A ·22 LRi 305 1,105 152 10 95

XL No.1 Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·22 rf 7 172

XL No.2 Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 145 60 5 172
XL No.2½ Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 148 60 5 172
XL No.3 Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 165 64 5 172
XL No.3 DA Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·32 155 64 5 172

267
 Name Manufacturer reference Country Type Cal Loa Wt Brl Mag Remarks Page
XL No.4 Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·38 62 5 172
XL No.5 Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·38 225 152 5 172
XL No.6 Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct USA R ·41 150 76 5 172
XL No.7 Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·41 63 5 172
XL Bulldog Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct. USA R ·38 80 5 172
XL Police Hopkins & Allen, Norwich, Ct USA R ·38 63 5 172

Ydeal Francisco Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 6·35 Ato 104 290 48 6 23

Ydeal Francisco Arizmendi, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 150 610 80 7 variant cal 9 Sht 23
You Bet unknown USA R ·22 rf 138 60 7 -
Young America Harrington & Richardson, Worcester, USA R ·32 203 270 114 5 variant: cal ·22 rf 156
Mass
Yovanovitch Voini Techniki Zavod, Kraguyevac Yugoslavia A 9 Sht 185 800 108 8 1931: also 7·65 Ato 324

Z Ceska Zbrojovka, Strakonice Czechoslovakia A 6·35 Ato 114 425 54 6 alias Duo 99
Zaragoza Fabrica de Armas Zaragoza Mexico A ·22 LRi 191 705 115 10 Colt M1911A1 shape 324
Zastava M57 Zavodi Crvena Zastava, Kragujevac Yugoslavia A 7·62 Tok 200 900 116 8 Tokarev TT 33 copy 324
Zastava M70 Zavodi Crvena Zastava, Kragujevac Yugoslavia A 9 Pb 200 885 116 8 modified Tokarev TT 33 324
Zastava M70 Zavodi Crvena Zastava, Kragujevac Yugoslavia A 7·65 Ato 165 740 94 8 variant, cal 9 Sht 324
Zastava Magnum M83 Zavodi Crvena Zastava, Kragujevac Yugoslavia R ·357 Mag 188 900 64 6 variant cal 9 Pb 324
Zastava M99 Zavodi Crvena Zastava, Kragujevac Yugoslavia A 9 Pb 188 845 108 15 inspired by SIG Sauer 325
Zehna E. Zehner Waffenfabrik, Suhl Germany A 6·35 Ato 120 375 60 6 325
Zentrum Ernst Thalmann, Suhl Germany (DDR) S ·22 LRi 1 target pistol 293
Zephyr Rohm GmbH, Sontheim an der Brenz Germany R ·22 LRi sales name for RG-10 250
Ziegenhahn Model IV Ernst Thalmann, Suhl Germany (DDR) A ·22 LRi 300 1,000 150 5 target pistol 293
Zoli Tanfoglio & Sabotti, Gardone Val Italy A 6·35 Ato 115 415 60 8 Sata for A Zoli? 292
Trompia
Zonda Hafdasa, Buenos Aires Argentina A ·22 LRi 216 120 10 sales name for Hafdasa 152
Zulaica M1914 Zulaica y Cia, Eibar Spain A 7·65 Ato 153 620 85 9 Eibar-type blowback 326
Zwylacka unknown Spain A 6·35 Ato 118 375 52 6 Browning M1906 copy 326

AMMUNITION
Many of the calibres have been given in the 'Cal' column of the Databank in general terms-e.g., '·32' or '·44'-and it may be necessary to seek
additional information in the directory section or, in some cases, from the individual data panels accompanying the text. Difficulty is very often
encountered in determining whether (for instance) an obscure revolver of the 1870s chambers ·32 Short or ·32 Long rimfire, or whether a gun listed
as '·41' is rim or centre fire. No data has been given, interested readers being directed to the books by Ian Hogg and Frank C. Barnes listed in the
Bibliography on page 12.
Additional information about the precise chambering will be found where appropriate:

ACP: 'Automatic Colt Pistol', used with ·25 ACP (6·35 Auto), ·32 ACP (7·05 Auto), ·38 Super ACP and ·45 ACP.
A.E.: ·41 Action Express.
Ato: 'Automatic Pistol'. Associated with two Browning designed cartridges 6·35 and 7·65 Auto. These are known in most English speaking markets
as ·25 ACP and ·32 ACP respectively, as they were introduced with Automatic Colt Pistols.
Bar: 7mm cartridge for the Bar Pistole.
B-B; 'Bergmann Bayard', confined to a 9mm centrefire cartridge. Also known as 9mm Largo.
Bgm: any of a number of Bergmann rounds—5, 6·5, 7·8. 8 and 9mm.
BLg: the 9mm Browning Long cartridge, introduced with the FN Browning pistol of 1903.
Bor: 7·65mm Borchardt cartridge.
BSA: rarely seen belted cartridges in -31, -34 and -39.
Cas: ·454 Casull. generally confined to ultra sturdy revolvers.
cf: used generically for centre fire ammunition.
Chi: special Chinese 7·65mm silenced ammunition.
Col, Clt: Colt revolver cartridges, including ·32, ·38 and ·45.
Crb: ·30 M1 Carbine cartridge, powerful by handgun standards and, therefore, rarely encountered.
CyA: 5mm and (ultra rare) 7mm ammunition for the Charola y Anitua pistol. Also used in the Belgian Clement.
Cze: a special Czechoslovakian loading of 7·62 Russian (Tokarev) pistol cartridge.
Dar: ·38 Dardick Trounds, comprising a standard ·38 Special cartridge in a plastic carrier.
Gli: Italian 9mm Glisenti cartridges, dimensionally identical with 9mm Parabellum but less powerful.
Gyr: Gyrojet rocket ammunition, in 12 and 13mm calibre.
IMI: 9mm Israel Military Industries cartridge, or 9 x 21.
Kol: the 3mm Kolibri cartridge was the smallest centre fire type ever offered commercially.
Leb: the French rimmed 8mm 'Leber (Mle 921 revolver cartridge.
Lng: 7·65mm longue pistol cartridges, unique to France.
LRi: ·22 Long Rifle rimfire cartridges, known in Germany as 'LfB' or 'Lang fur Buchse'.
Mag: 'Magnum', associated with a range of ·357, ·41 and ·44 rounds originating with Smith & Wesson.
Mak: Soviet 9mm Makarov ammunition.

268
Man: 6·5, 7·6, 7·63 and 7·65mm Mannlicher cartridges.
Mar: 'Marlin', the ·444 Marlin cartridge chambering in a few large scale revolvers.
Max: ·357 Maximum cartridge.
MsE: 9mm Mauser Export ammunition.
Msr: '7·63mm Mauser', particularly popular in Europe and the Far East.
Nag: 7·5 and 8mm Nagant cartridges.
NAA: confined to the ·45 NAA cartridge chambered in the abortive North American Arms Co. Brigadier pistol.
Pb: 'Parabellum', associated with the widely encountered bottle neck 7·65 or straight case 9mm cartridges.
pf: used generically for pinfire ammunition.
Pol: specifically the 9mm Police cartridge, or 9 x 18.
rf: used generally for rimfire ammunition.
Rem: 'Remington', applied to the ·221 Fireball and ·222 cartridges. The latter-a rifle round —is encountered only in bolt action target pistols.
Rot: any of the proprietary Austro Hungarian Roth cartridges.
Rus: the ·44 S&W Russian or 7·62mm Nagant gas seal cartridges.
Sht: associated with ·22 Short rimfire and 9mm Short cartridges, the latter being known in most English speaking markets as ·380 ACP.
Spl: 'Special'-specifically used for the two Smith & Wesson inspired cartridges, ·38 |S&W| Special and ·44 |S&W| Special.
Sup: the ·38 Super ACP cartridge.
S&W: any of the proprietary Smith & Wesson rounds (e.g., ·32S&W, ·38S&W Special, ·40S&W Auto, ·44S&W Special, etc.).
Tok: the 7·62mm Russian pistol cartridge.
Ubu: confined to the 4mm Ubungspatrone practice cartridge.
VDg: confined to the 5·5mm Velo Dog round.
WMg: ·256, 9mm and ·45 Winchester or Wildey Magnum cartridges.
WMRF: '·22 Winchester Magnum Rim Fire'.

269