Echave y Arizmendi Echasa
Echave y Arizmendi S.A. · Pistol · Discontinued · 1959
Also known as: Echasa, Fast, Basque, Dickson Special Agent
Overview
The Echave y Arizmendi Echasa is a Spanish blowback-operated, single-action semi-automatic pocket pistol produced in Eibar between 1959 and 1969. Patterned closely on the Walther PP but built with a single-action trigger and an anodized zamak (zinc-aluminum) frame, it was offered in .22 LR, .25 ACP, .32 ACP and .380 ACP and marketed under the Echasa, Fast, Basque and Dickson Special Agent trade names, largely for export to the United States.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 680 g (24.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 170 mm (6.69") |
| Barrel Length | 99 mm (3.90") |
| Height | 109 mm (4.29") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 8 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 300 m/s (984 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 200 J (148 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 25 m (27 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Aluminum |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .32 ACP · primary — also known as .32 Automatic, 7.65x17mm Browning SR, 7.65mm Browning
- .380 ACP — also known as .380 Auto, 9x17mm, 9mm Kurz, 9mm Short
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Magazine Disconnect
- Features: Fixed Barrel, Walther Pp Pattern, Anodized Zamak Frame, Single Action Trigger
Variants
- Echasa Fast - Trade Name
- Basque - Trade Name
- Dickson Special Agent - Trade Name
Service history
Operators
- Civilian market (primarily United States)
Production
Production years: 1959-1969
Pistol production resumed in 1959 after a bicycle-manufacturing interlude; the firm closed in 1969.
Origin
Country of origin: Spain
Discontinued: 1969
Notes
Manufacture ended in 1969 when the U.S. Gun Control Act of 1968 blocked importation of these inexpensive pistols, eliminating the firm's primary market and forcing the factory to close.
Background
After the Spanish Civil War, Echave y Arizmendi abandoned firearms for nearly two decades to build bicycles and metal furniture, then returned to pistol-making in 1959 with a single-action clone of the Walther PP aimed squarely at the American export market.