Melior Model 1911
Robar & Cie · Pistol · Discontinued · 1911
Also known as: Melior 1911, Jieffeco
Overview
The Melior Model 1911 is a Belgian blowback-operated, striker-fired semi-automatic vest-pocket pistol made by Robar & Cie of Liege and marketed under the Melior and Jieffeco trade names. Chambered principally in .25 ACP (6.35mm Browning) - and also offered in .32 ACP - it was a compact concealed-carry pistol whose external lines echoed the FN Browning pocket models while using a mechanically distinct design that avoided Browning's patents. The 1911 model refined the earlier Melior pattern with a serrated muzzle collar allowing tool-free field-stripping, and it retained a grip safety alongside a side-lever manual safety.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 383 g (13.5 oz) |
| Overall Length | 109 mm (4.29") |
| Barrel Length | 54 mm (2.13") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 6 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 230 m/s (755 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 86 J (63 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 15 m (16 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Hard Rubber |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .25 ACP · primary — also known as 6.35x16mm Browning, 6.35mm Browning, .25 Auto
- .32 ACP — also known as .32 Automatic, 7.65x17mm Browning SR, 7.65mm Browning
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Grip Safety, Manual Safety
- Features: Concealed Hammer, Fixed Sights, Removable Breechblock, Serrated Muzzle For Takedown
Production
Production years: 1911-1914
Pre-WWI production; exact figures unknown. Pistols were also branded Jieffeco for export.
Origin
Country of origin: Belgium
Designer: H. Rosier
Discontinued: 1914
Notes
Based on Henri (H.) Rosier's patents. The Melior line was produced by Robar & de Kerckhove and also sold under the Jieffeco brand of distributor Janssen Fils & Cie. Production of the pre-war Melior models ended with the German invasion of Belgium in 1914; the line was revived and modernized after the war as the Melior New Model / Model 1920.
Background
Robar sold nearly identical pistols under two names at once - 'Melior' for its own trade and 'Jieffeco' (from Janssen Fils & Cie) for distributors - a common practice in the crowded early-20th-century Liege pocket-pistol trade.