Ruby Pistol
Gabilondo y Urresti · Pistol · Out Of Production · 1914
Also known as: Pistolet Automatique de 7 millimetre 65 genre Ruby, Eibar-type pistol, Ruby M/19
Overview
The Ruby Pistol is a Spanish blowback semi-automatic pocket pistol in .32 ACP, originated by Gabilondo y Urresti of Eibar in 1914 and based closely on the FN/Browning Model 1903. Adopted by France as a wartime substitute sidearm in 1915, it is a simple fixed-barrel, hammer-fired, single-action design distinguished by its nine-round magazine, a frame-mounted manual safety above the trigger, a shrouded hammer, and a lanyard ring. Overwhelming French demand led dozens of small Eibar workshops to produce near-identical 'Eibar-type' copies of widely varying quality.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 850 g (30.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 170 mm (6.69") |
| Barrel Length | 87 mm (3.43") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 9 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 282 m/s (925 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 190 J (140 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 25 m (27 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .32 ACP · primary — also known as 7.65mm Browning, 7.65x17mm Browning SR, .32 Auto
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Fixed Barrel, Shrouded Hammer, Lanyard Ring, Heel Magazine Release
Service history
Operators
- French Army · adopted 1915 · as Pistolet Automatique de 7 millimetre 65 genre Ruby
- Royal Italian Army
- Finnish Defence Forces · adopted 1919 · as Ruby M/19
Conflicts
- World War I (1914-1918)
- Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Estimated total produced: 1,000,000 · Production years: 1914-1925
France accepted an estimated 700,000-900,000 during WWI; total Ruby/Eibar-type production in Spain approached one million through the 1920s, across many makers.
Origin
Country of origin: Spain
Discontinued: 1925
Notes
Not a single standardized firearm: Gabilondo subcontracted four additional Eibar firms to meet the French contract, and around 45 producers supplied France, with 100+ Spanish makers building Ruby/Eibar-type pistols overall. Hand-fitted parts meant magazines were often not interchangeable between individual guns.
Background
The French contract escalated explosively - opening in May 1915 at 10,000 pistols a month, then raised to 50,000 a month within months. Because each Eibar shop hand-fitted its parts, magazines were not interchangeable between guns, so the French stamped matching letter codes on each pistol's frame and magazine to keep them paired.