Retolaza Titan
Retolaza Hermanos · Pistol · Discontinued · 1915
Also known as: Retolaza Titan 1915, Titan Eibar
Overview
The Retolaza Titan is a Spanish blowback-operated semi-automatic pistol chambered in .32 ACP, produced by Retolaza Hermanos of Eibar. The Titan was one of several trade names under which Retolaza marketed its 'Ruby'-pattern Eibar pistol, a close copy of John Browning's FN/Colt Model 1903. Like the rest of the Spanish 'Ruby' family, it was a simple, inexpensive sidearm built in large numbers during World War I to help meet France's urgent demand for handguns.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 794 g (28.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 152 mm (5.98") |
| Barrel Length | 83 mm (3.27") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 9 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 282 m/s (925 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 188 J (139 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 25 m (27 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .32 ACP · primary — also known as .32 Auto, 7.65x17mm Browning, 7.65mm Browning
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Fixed Sights, Browning 1903 Pattern
Service history
Operators
- French Army · adopted 1915
Conflicts
- World War I (1914-1918)
Production
Production years: 1915-1918
Produced as part of the broader Spanish 'Ruby'-type pistol output supplied to the French Army during WWI
Origin
Country of origin: Spain
Designer: Retolaza Hermanos
Discontinued: 1936
Notes
Titan was one of numerous trade names (alongside Liberty, Paramount, Gallus, Military, Vilar, and Titanic) applied to essentially the same Retolaza Eibar-type pistol. Build quality across these Ruby-type pistols was generally considered modest, with inconsistent magazine interchangeability between makers.
Background
When France faced a critical sidearm shortage in WWI, it contracted dozens of small Eibar workshops in Spain's Basque Country for cheap .32 ACP blowback pistols based on Browning's 1903 design. Retolaza Hermanos answered with near-identical pistols sold under a rotating cast of grandiose trade names, of which the Titan was one.