Retolaza Paramount
Retolaza Hermanos · Pistol · Discontinued · 1920
Also known as: Paramount VP, Paramount 6.35
Overview
The Retolaza Paramount is a Spanish .25 ACP vest-pocket semi-automatic pistol produced by Retolaza Hermanos of Eibar during the interwar period. Like most Eibar-type pocket pistols, it is a close copy of the FN/Browning Model 1906 blowback design, chambered for the diminutive 6.35mm Browning cartridge. Small, flat and easily concealed, it was built for the civilian self-defense export market, with many examples shipped to the United States in the 1920s.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 345 g (12.2 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 375 g (13.2 oz) |
| Overall Length | 114 mm (4.49") |
| Barrel Length | 54 mm (2.13") |
| Height | 78 mm (3.07") |
| Width | 22 mm (0.87") |
| Sight Radius | 90 mm (3.54") |
| 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) |
| Maximum Range | 100 m (109 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .25 ACP · primary — also known as 6.35x16mm Browning, 6.35mm Browning, .25 Auto
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Magazine Disconnect
- Features: Fixed Sights, Vest Pocket Size
Production
Production years: 1920-1936
Made until the Spanish Civil War disrupted the Eibar arms trade; exact production figures were never recorded.
Origin
Country of origin: Spain
Discontinued: 1936
Notes
Retolaza Hermanos applied the Paramount trade name to several small blowback pistols; the name was used across both .25 ACP and .32 ACP models. Some U.S.-market examples were marked for distributors such as the Paramount Trading Co. of New York.
Background
During the interwar years the Basque town of Eibar produced a flood of inexpensive Browning-pattern pocket pistols under a bewildering array of brand names; Retolaza Hermanos alone marketed models as Liberty, Military, Paramount, Stosel and Retolaza.