Need info on old pistol

Gailamir

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A friend of mine is looking for info on an old pistol in his possion.
Age, any history, value...etc.
Markings on slide are:

"BONIFACIO ECHEVERRIA(ESPANA)EIBAR"
"PISTOLA AUTOMATICA"
"IZARRA" Cal 7.65"

All numbers seem to match except the mag.
Doesn't appear to have any Nazzi markings.
SN. 13###

Any info would be greatly appreciated.

100_4815.jpg
 
Found this link in a quick browse. Looks like the above pictured.

http://www.jaegerplatoon.net/PISTOLS3.htm

Calibre:

7,65 mm x 17 (.32 ACP)


Length:

160 mm (typically, varies from one pistol to another)


Barrel length:

81 - 94 mm


Weight:

About 850 g


Magazine:

9, removable


Official abbreviations:

"7,65 pist/19" and "765 PIST 19"


Country of origin:

Spain



Finnish use: About 10,000 bought from France in 1919. The first pistol model acquired for Finnish Army. Mainly used in Finnish home front during World War 2, few frontline units got these pistols also.

During World War 1 both French and Italian armed forces had shortage of pistols and were buying this quite heavy 7,65 mm blow-back pistol manufactured around Eibar in Spain. Demand was so large that a large number of small companies in Eibar and Guernica started making their own versions of this pistol during World War 1. This pistol unofficially called "Ruby" was produced in large numbers, but as practically all manufacturers did it with slight variations parts of different weapons were not interchangeable and getting exactly right kind of spare-parts was close to zero. When 7,65 mm x 17 ammunition used was also quite weak it was no surprise that both Italian and French Armies were eager to get rid of them as soon as possible after World War 1. Serbia had received 5,000 of these pistols, and for some reason Yugoslavia bought more of them between 1931 - 1933 and named them "Pistolj 7,65 mm/VTZ 1933".

At 1919 Finland was shopping new weapons for its newly born Army in France. Finnish Ministry of War was foolish enough to be tempted by these cheap pistols and bought 10,000 pistols worth of these maintenance nightmares. Pistols were shipped to Finland in July of 1919 and were distributed to Finnish military units. It didn't take long for those military units and weapons depots to find out just how problematic pistols M/19 were. As Finnish Armed Forces had a serious shortage of pistols these caricatures of pistols had to be kept in use for decades. During WW2 even some unfortunate battle-units got issued with these dubious pistols, even if intention was not to issue them to non-home-front units.

Year 1943 some 4,500 pistols M/19 remained, but by 1951 number had dropped to 2,581. After World War 2 these pistols were kept warehoused until most of them were sold to military personnel and collectors between 1965 - 1971.
 
goto www.reenactor.net/units/151ri/weps/ruby_pistol.html or http://star-firearms.com/firearms/guns/izarra/index.shtml They were called RUBY or ruby styled guns worth about $50 to $150 depending on lots of different stuff. ONE BIG THING IS THEY WERE MADE BY MANY DIFFERENT MAKERS AND THERE IS NO PARTS INTERCHANGEABILITY, SO IF YOURS DOESN'T WORK OR IS MISSING A PART ,YOU HAVE A BIG PROBLEM, MOST OF THE MAGS DON'T EVEN INTERCHANGE. . Some of the companies that made them were not very good and others made a pretty good product but not a high quality product. For more info do a www.dogpile search of " RUBY PISTOLS" or " SPANISH PISTOLS"
 
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So unless your friend has 12(6) and the gun was registered before, tell him to remove the barrel and turn it in or have it deactivated. Or tell him about cosmoline and PVC pipes and how they can preserve metal objects.
 
Echeverria is a long established gunmaker. Their tradename "Izarra" is Basque for "Star". These pistols were made in large numbers and were widely distributed.
As has been pointed out it qualifies for prohibited status.
There have been a wide variety of Star firearms made over the years. The Star Model B 9mm pistol may be the best known. More recently they have made some excellent smgs.
 
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MasterPython said:
So unless your friend has 12(6) and the gun was registered before, tell him to remove the barrel and turn it in or have it deactivated. Or tell him about cosmoline and PVC pipes and how they can preserve metal objects.


He has 12(6) and has owned the pistol for some time (Registered). I think it was his Grandfathers. Maby a bring back from Europe, I'm not sure.
 
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