2

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

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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 Databankorganised primarily by gun-name. This begins on page 327.

PART ONE:

INTRODUCTION Preface 7

Glossary 8

Bibliography 12

PART TWO: THE

DIRECTORY

Abadie 13

Abilene 13

Acha 13

Action 14

Adams 14

Adler 14 Adolph 15

Aetna 15

African 15

Agner 15

Aguirre 15

Aguro 16

Alamo 16

Alamo Ranger 16

Alaska 16

Aldazabal 16

Alert 1874 16 Alfa 17

Alkar 17

Allen & Wheelock 17

Allies 18

America 18

American Arms 18

American Arms &

Ammunition

Company 18

American Boy 18

American Bulldog 19 American Eagle 19

American Firearms

Company 19

American Gun

Company 19

American Standard

Tool Company 19

Americus 19

Ames 20

AMT 20

Ancion-Marx 20

Anschutz 21 Apaolozo 21

Ariola Hermanos 27

Aristocrat 21

Arizaga 21

Arizmendi 22

Arizmendi, Zulaica 24

Armas de Fuego 24

Armero

Especialistas 24

Armi Jager 24

Arminius 25 Armscor 26

Arostegui 26

Arrizabalaga 27

Arva 28

Ascaso 28

ASP 28

Astra 28

ATCSA 33

[A.J.] Aubrey 33

Aurora 34 Auto Mag 34

Auto Ordnance 36

Autogarde 34

Automatic Pistol 35

Automatique

Francaise 35

Azanza y

Arrizabalaga 36

Azpiri 36

Azul 36

Baby 37 Baby Bulldog 37

Baby Hammerless 37

Baby Russian 37

Bacon 37

Ballester Molina 38

Bang-Up 38

Bar 38

Barrenechea y

Gallastegui 39

Bascaran 39

Basculant 40 Bauer 40

Bayard 40

Bayonne 41

Beattie 42

Beaumont 43

Beholla 43

Beistegui 43

Benelli 44

Benemerita 44

Bengal No. 144

Beretta 45 Bergeron 51

Bergmann 51

Bergmann-Bayard 53

Bern 54

Bernadon-Martin 55

Bernardelli 55

Bernedo 57

Bersa 57

Bertrand 58

Bicycle 58

Big Bonanza 58

Big Horn 58 Bijou 58

Bison 58

Bittner 59

Bland 59

Bloodhound 59

Blue Jacket 59

Blue Whistler 59

Bodeo 60

Bolumburu 60

Bonanza 61

Borchardt 61 Boston Bulldog 62

Boy's Choice 62

Braendlin 62

Brigadier 62

Britarms 63

British Bulldog 63

Brixia 63

Bronco 63

Brong Petit 64

Bron-Grand 64 Bron-Sport 64

Browning 64

Browreduit 69

Brutus 69

BSA 69

BSW 69

Buchel 70

Budischowsky 70

Buescu 70

Buffalo Bill 70

Buhag 70

Bull Dozer 70 Bullfighter 70

Bulls Eye 70

Burgham Superior 70

Campo-Giro 71

Ca-Si 71

Casull 72

CDM 72

Centennial 1876 72

Century 72

Cesar 72 Challenge 72

Chamelot-Delvigne 73

Chanticler 73

Charola y Anitua 74

Charter Arms 74

Chicago Arms

Company 75

Chicago Cub 75

Chicago Ledger 75

Chicago Protector 75

Chieftain 76 Chinese State

Factories 76

Chipmunk 77

Chobert 77

Chuchu 77

Chylewski 77

Clair 78

Clement 79

Clement-Fulgor 79

Clerke 79

Clock 146

CMC 146 Cobolt 79

Cody 79

Colt 80

Columbian 95

Columbian

Automatic 96

Company 18

Company 19

Company 19

Company 223

Company 223 Competition 96

Conquerer 96

Constabulary 96

Continental 96

Coonan 97

Cooperativa Obrera 97

Copeland 98

Cow Boy 98

Crescent 98

Crown City 98 Crucelegui 98

CZ 98

Czar 102

Daisy 103

Dakota 103

Dan Wesson 321

Dardick 103

Davis 104

Decker 104

Defender 104

Defense 104 Dek-Du 105

Delu 105

Demon 105

Deringer 105

Destructor 105

Detonics 106

Deutsche-Werke 106

Diane 106

Dickinson 106

Dickson Bulldog 107

Dickson Special Agent 107

Dictator 107

Dimancea 107

Diplomat 107

Dolne 107

Domino 108

Dornaus & Dixon 108

Dornheim 108

Douglas 109

Dreyse 109

Drulov 110 Duan 110

Duo 110

Duplex 110

Dusek 111

DWM 111

Eagle 113

Earthquake 113

Eastern Arms 113

E.B.A.C. 113

Echave y Arizmendi

113 Ecia 114

Eclipse 115

EIG 115

El Cano 115

El Cid 115

Eles 115

Eley 115

Em-Ge 115

Empire 116

Encore 116

Enfield 116 Enforcer 117

Enterprise 117

Envall 118

Erika 118

Erma 118

Errasti 120

Escodin 120

Escort 120

Esprin 120

Etna 121 Eureka 121

Excelsior 121

Express 121

Fabrication

Francaise 122

Fabrique Francaise 122

F.A.G. 122

Fagnus 122

Falcon 123

FAMAE 123

Favorite 123 Federal Arms

Company 123

FEG 123

Fegyver 124

Femaru 124

Fiala 125

F.I.E. 125

Fiel 125

F.M.G. 126

Foehl & Weeks 126

Forehand & Wadsworth 126

Franchi 127

Francotte 127

Freedom Arms 128

French State

Factories 128

Frommer 130

Frontier 131

Fyrberg 132

GAC 133 Gabilondo 133

Galand 137

Galef 138

Galesi 138

Gallia 139

Gallus 139

Gamba 139

Garantizada 140

Garate 140

Garate, Anitua

y Cia 141

Gasser 142 Gaulois 143

Gavage 143

Gaztanaga 143

Gecado 144

Geco 144

G.H. 144

Glisenti 145

Governor 146

Grande Precision 147

Grant Hammond 148

Great Western 148 Green 148

Grusonwerke 149

GSM 149

Guardian 149

Guisasola 149

Gustloff 149

Gyrojet 150

6

Haenel 151

Hafdasa 151

Hamada 152

Hamal 152

Hamilton 155

Hammerli 153 Hard Pan 155

Harrington &

Richardson 155

Hartford 159

Hawes 159

HDH 160

Heckler & Koch 161

Hege 163

Heim 163

Hei-Mo 163

Helfricht 163

Helwan 164 He-Mo 164

Herman 164

Hero 164

Herter 165

Heym 165

[J.C.] Higgins 165

High Standard 165

Hijo 168

Hijo Quick-Break 168

Hino-Komuro 169

Hood 169 Hopkins & Allen 169

H.V. 172

Hy Hunter 172

Illinois Arms

Company 173

Imperato 173

Imperial 173

I.N.A. 173

Inagaki 174

Indian 174

Infallible 174 Interarms 175

Ariola 175

Iroquois 175

Israel Military

Industries 175

ITM 176

Iver Johnson 177

Ibarra 179

Ashes Arms Factory

179

Jaga 180

Jager 180

Japanese State

Factories 180

Jennings 181

J.G.A. 181

Joha 181

Jupiter 181

Kaba 182

Kapitain 182 Kessler 182

Kimball 182

Kind 183

Kirrikale 183

Klesesewski 183

KNIL 183

Kobenhavn and

Kronborg Factories 184

Kobold 184

Kobra 185

Kohout 185

Kolb 185

Kolibri 185

Kommer 186 Kongsberg 186

Korriphila 187

Korth 187

Krieghoff 188

Krnka 188

Kynoch 188

L.A.'s Deputy 189

La Basque 189

La Fury 189

La Industrial 191

Lahti 189 Lampo 191

Lancaster 191

Landstadt 191

Langenhan 192

Le Martiny 193

Le Monobloc 193

Leader 193

Lee 193

Lefaucheux 193

Leonhardt 194

Le Page 194 Lercker 194

L.E.S. 195

Leston 195

Liberator 195

Liberty 195

Liegeoise 196

Lignose 196

Lincoln 196

Lion 197

Little All Right 197

Little Giant 197

Little Joker 197 Little Tom 197

Loewe 198

Luciano 198

Lusitania 198

Lynx 198

Magmatic 199

Makarov 199

Maltby 199

Mamba 199

Mann 200 Mannlicher 200

Manufrance 202

Manurhin 204

Marga 205

Margolin 205

Marlin 205

Mars 206

Martin 206

Martz 206

Mateba 207

Mauser 207 Maxim 213

Mayor 214

Mendoza 214

Menz 214

Mercury 215

Meriden 215

Merke 216

Merkuria 216

Merrill 216

Merveilleux 216

Merwin & Hulbert 216

Metropolitan

Police 216

Mieg 217 Mikkenger 217

Milady 217

Miroku 217

Mitchell 217

MMM-Mondial 217

M.O.A. 218

Modesto Santos 218

Mohegan 218

Monarch 218

Morain 218

Morini 218

Mossberg 218 Mosser 218

Muller 218

Nagant 219

Nambu 221

Napoleon 222

National Arms 223

New Nambu 223

New York Pistol

Company 223

Nordheim 223 North American Arms

Company 223

North Korean

Factories 224

Norwich Arms 224

Obregon 225

Oculto 225

Ojanguren

y Marcaido 225

Ojanguren

y Vidosa 226 Omega 227

Orbea 227

Ortgies 228

O.W.A. 228

Oyez 228

P.A.F. 229

Pages 229

Pantax 229

Parabellum 229

Paramount 232 Pardini 232

Parker Hale 232

Passler & Seidl 233

Pathfinder 233

Patro 233

Pavlicek 233

Perla 233

Peters-Stahl 233

Phelps 233

Phoenix 224

P.I.C. 234 Pieper 234

Pilsen 235

Pindad 235

Powermaster 235

Praga 235

Precision 236

Protector 236

Pryse 236

Puma 236

Puppy 236

Pyrenees 237

Radom 239

Raven 240 R.E. 240

Reck 240

Reform 240

Regent 241

Regnum 241

Reichsrevolver 241

Reising 242

Remington 242

Republic 244

Retolaza 244

Reunies 245

Reynoso 246 Rheinmetall 246

Rieger 246

Robar 247

Rocky Mountain Arms

248

Rohm 248

Ronge 250

Rossi 250

Roth 251

RPM 253

Rubi 253 Ruby 253

Ruger 253

Rupertus 256

R.W.M. 256

Ryan 256

S&A 257

Sako 257

Salaverria 257

Salso 257

Salvator-Dormus 257

San Paolo 258 Sauer 258

Savage 258

Schlegelmilch 260

Schmidt 261

Schonberger 263

Schouboe 261

Schulhof 262

Schulz & Larsen 262

Schwarzlose 262

Scott 264

S.E.A.M. 264 Secret Service

Special 265

Security Industries 265

Seecamp 265

SE-MAS 265

Semmerling 265

Sharps 265

Shattuck 266

Sheridan 266

SIG 266

Simplex 267 Simson 268

Smith & Wesson 269

Smith 268

Sokolovsky 281

Sosso 281

Spitfire 281

Springfield

Armory 281

Squibman 282

Star 282

Star Vest Pocket 286

Steel City 286

Stenda 286

Sterling 286 Stern 287

Stetchkin 287

Stevens 287

Steyr 288

Stock 290

Stoeger 290

Super Six 290

Tala 291

Tanfoglio 291

Tarn 292

Taurus 293 Texas Longhorn 293

Thalmann 293

Thames 293

Thayer 294

Thieme & Edeler 294

Thomas 294

Thompson/Center 294

Tipping & Lawden 294

Tokarev 295

TOZ 295

Tranter 296 Trejo 296

Trocaola,

Aranzabal 296

Ttibar 297

Turbiaux 297

U.A.E. 298

Uberti 298

Unceta 298

Union 299

Union Arms 299

Urrejola 299 U.S. Arms Company

299

Vega 300

Venus 300

Verney-Carron 300

Victory Arms 300

Volkspistole 301

Walther 303

Warnant 310 Webley 311

Wegria-Charlier 321

White-Merrill 322

Whitney 322

Wichita 323

Wildey 323

Zaragoza 324

Zastava 324

Zehna 325

Zulaica 325 Zwylacka 326

PART THREE:

APPENDICES

Databank 327

Ammunition 350

7

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 Databankeven 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 automaticor 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 1991long 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 conclusionsinvariably 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

8

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 acceptse.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 thatas the action is workeda 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 weaponfiring, 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 ammunitioni.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.

9

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.

10

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 endor, 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 cartridgesapart 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 firearmsincluding the pistol familiarly known as the Lugerand 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.

11

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 765mm 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 weaponor incorporated in its constructionwhereby 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 pistolparticularly 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 targetthus 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.

12

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 FastfeuerwaffenArmes 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.

13

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

overall: 858in/218mm. Weight, unladen: 265oz/752gm. Barrel:

445in/113mm, rifled. Magazine: six-chamber cylinder.

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 4625 to 75in.

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 designeither as a sole proprietor or as a company ('Domingo Acha y Cia')until the early 1930s.

Acha: This was a 765mm ACP blowback automatic of Eibar type, made c.1916-22. It has no distinguishing mechanical features, but is marked F DE ACHA HRS C 765 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: 765mm Auto. Length overall: 610in/155mm. Weight, unladen: 201oz/570gm. Barrel: 335in/85mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-

round detachable box.

Atlas: This 635mm ACP automatic, loosely based on the 1906 Browning design, was made by Domingo Acha. Generally found with slides marked PISTOLET AUTOMATIQUE 635 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: 635mm Auto. Length, overall: 453in/115mm. Weight, unladen: 131oz/372gm. Barrel: 228in/58mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

Looking Glass: Another 635mm 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 trademarka 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 765mm 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 635mm 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 635MM ACTION, and an 'MS' monogram was moulded into the grips.

Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 635mm Auto. Length overall: 433in/110mm. Weight, unladen: 104oz/295gm. Barrel: 197in/50mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

Abadie: The characteristic hinged loading gate is shown here on a 450 Warnant-type revolver, made by Scott of Birmingham and

marked "Thornton's Patent". The gun is believed to have been one

of six tested by the British Army in 1877.

Acha 635mm Looking Glass.

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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 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: 1043in/265mm. Weight, unladen: 370oz/1,050gm. Barrel: 600in/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 Blasiipurely 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 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: 819in/208mm. Weight, unladen: 242oz/685gm. Barrel: 335in/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 2375in 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: 650in/165mm. Weight, unladen: about 71oz/200gm. Barrel: 300in/76mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-chamber cylinder.

Adams 450 Mk II revolver.

Adler: 7mm Adler.

15

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: 949in/241mm. Weight, unladen: 384oz/1,090gm. Barrel:

591in/150mm, rifled. Magazine: five-round detachable box.

AGUIRRE (SPAIN)

The connection between Aguirre y Cia and Aguirre, Zamacolas y Cia of Eibaroperating c.1920-33is not entirely clear; nor is it helped by the existence of Aguirre y Aranzabal, which specialises in shotguns.

Basculant: A 635mm 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: 635mm Auto. Length overall: 453in/115mm. Weight, unladen: 109oz/308gm. Barrel: 217in/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 635 AUTOMATIC PISTOL LE DRAGON and the grips display a stylised dragon.

AGURO (SPAIN)

A 765mm 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: 1047in/266mm. Weight, unladen: 291oz/825gm. Barrel:

535in/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 765mm 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 765mm 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: 765mm Auto. Length overall: 610in/155mm. Weight, unladen: 208oz/590gm. Barrel: 346in/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 225in round barrel and a bird's-head grip. The five-groove rifling had a left-hand twist.

Agner: 22 M80.

16

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 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 madee.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 635mm 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: 635mm Auto. Length overall: 441in/112mm. Weight, unladen: 106oz/300gm. Barrel: 217in/55mm, rifled. Magazine: seven-round detachable box.

Alkar Model 1914: Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 765mm Auto. Length overall: 630in/160mm. Weight, unladen: 206oz/583gm. Barrel: 327in/83mm, rifled. Magazine: nine-round detachable box.

Alfa: A typical 38 revolver.

17

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 rimfireall 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

octagonal barrels, square butts and sheathed triggers.

Allen & Wheelock: Type: solid-frame revolver. Calibre: 38. Length

overall: 1154in/293mm. Weight, unladen: 358oz/1,015gm. Barrel: 600in/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 765mm 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 635mm 'Model 1924', smaller but otherwise identical, subsequently appeared. Then came two vest pocket models, one in 765mm and the other in 635mm; 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: 635mm Auto. Length overall: 441in/112mm. Weight, unladen: 108oz/305gm. Barrel:

217in/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: 709in/180mm. Weight, unladen: not known. Barrel: 300in/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: 748in/190mm. Weight, unladen: unknown. Barrel: 323in/82mm,

rifled. Magazine: five-chamber cylinder.

2: A modern American Arms, located in Garden Grove, California, manufactures the American Eagle 380a 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.

Allies: 765mm.

Allen & Wheelock: A typical 38 rimfire

revolver.

18

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. 728in/l85mm.

Weight, unladen; unknown. Barrel: 300in/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.

19

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 65,

8 and l0in barrels which may be of regular tapered or heavy bull type. The Bullseye variant uses a 65in 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: 425in/108mm. Weight, unladen: 180oz/510gm. Barrel: 252in/64mm, rifled. Magazine: five-round detachable box.

Auto Mag II: Type: automatic pistol (delayed blowback). Chambering: 22 WMRF. Length overall: 933in/237mm. Weight, unladen: 230oz/652gm. Barrel: 600in/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

55mm or 635mm 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 between 1927 and 1939. Although built to a standard basic design, they

were invariably highly customised and nominally identical models often

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: 1622in/4l2mm. Weight, unladen: 458oz/1,300gm. Barrel: 1063in/270mm, rifled. Magazine: none.

Udo Anschutz: The Rekord' target pistol, from

a Waffen-Glaser catalogue dating from c.1933.

20

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 635mm 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 635mm and 765mm calibre, and only

the trademark distinguishes the Apaolozo product.

Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 635mm Auto. Length overall: 441in/112mm. Weight, unladen: 138oz/390gm. Barrel: 209in/53mm, rifled. Magazine: six-round detachable box.

Triomphe: This 635mm 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 765mm pistol of Eibar type, marked GASPAR ARIZAGA EIBAR CAL 765 on the slide.

Mondial: A 635mm 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,

surmounted by MONDIAL.

Type: automatic pistol (blowback). Chambering: 635mm 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 635mm copy of the Browning 1906