Jo-Lo-Ar
Hijos de Calixto Arrizabalaga · Pistol · Discontinued · 1924
Also known as: JO.LO.AR., JoLoAr, Jo-Lo-Ar Sharpshooter
Overview
The Jo-Lo-Ar is a Spanish single-action, blowback-operated semi-automatic pistol designed by Jose de Lopez Arnaiz, from whose initials the name derives. Manufactured by Hijos de Calixto Arrizabalaga from the mid-1920s into the early 1930s, it was a development of the earlier Sharpshooter pistol and was offered in several chamberings up to .45 ACP. Its most distinctive feature is the patented palanca, a large cocking lever mounted on the right side of the slide that lets the shooter rack and cock the action entirely with one hand. The frame omits a conventional trigger guard, allowing the pistol to be fired even while wearing heavy gloves. The Peruvian Mounted Police were the largest single purchaser of the type, and the pistol saw use in Spain during the period leading up to and through the Spanish Civil War.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 950 g (33.5 oz) |
| Overall Length | 215 mm (8.46") |
| Barrel Length | 130 mm (5.12") |
| Height | 140 mm (5.51") |
| Width | 32 mm (1.26") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Single Action |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 8 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 260 m/s (853 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 477 J (352 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 50 m (55 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Carbon Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .45 ACP · primary — also known as .45 Auto, 45 ACP, 11.43x23mm
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Features: Palanca Cocking Lever, One Handed Cocking, Tip Up Barrel, No Trigger Guard, Fixed Sights
Service history
Operators
- Peruvian Mounted Police
Conflicts
- Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)
Production
Estimated total produced: 30,000 · Production years: 1924-1933
Approximately 30,000 produced across all chamberings (.25 ACP, .32 ACP, .380 ACP, 9mm Largo, and .45 ACP).
Origin
Country of origin: Spain
Designer: Jose de Lopez Arnaiz
Discontinued: 1933
Notes
The design lacked a half-cock notch, manual safety, and hammer block, so it was intended to be carried with a loaded magazine and an empty chamber. The palanca lever and absent trigger guard are its defining identifiers.
Background
The pistol takes its name from the initials of its designer, Jose de Lopez Arnaiz, and the one-handed palanca cocking lever made it famous as a horseman's pistol, which is why the Peruvian Mounted Police became its largest buyer.