The Rubypistol was a semi-automatic pistol of .32 ACP calibre made by Gabilondo y Urresti and other Spanish companies. It saw use in both World Wars as the service weapon of the French Army under the name Pistolet Automatique de 7 millim.65 genre "Ruby".
In 1914, just before the start of the First World War, Gabilondo started manufacture of a sturdy self-loading pistol based on the Browning Model 1903 and chambered for the 7.65mm Browning/.32 ACP cartridge. Unusual for the time, the magazine capacity was nine shots instead of the usual six or seven. The pistol was intended for export to the Americas, and despite the small calibre it was designed with military and police sales in mind. Other Spanish manufacturers had copied the Browning since around 1905. The Ruby, apart from the extended magazine appears to be a direct copy of a pistol called the "Victoria" made by Esperanza and Unceta. This pistol used features patented by Pedro Careaga in 1911, and by the Esperanza and Unceta company in 1912. These patents may have covered the frame-mounted safety (instead of a grip safety), and an internal striker (instead of a hammer).[2]
In 1915 Gabilondo sent examples of the pistols to the French government, who were hard-pressed for all sorts of small-arms, even in this early stage of the war. After testing was completed in May 1915, the French decided to accept the Ruby as the "Pistolet Automatique de 7 millimètre 65 genre "Ruby" and contracted Gabilondo to produce 10,000 pistols a month. By August the target had been raised to 30,000 and later still an incredible 50,000 a month. Despite its size, the company could barely cope with the initial contract and arranged for four partners to manufacture the Ruby for them:
Armeria Elgoibaressa y Cia
Echealaza y Vincinai y Cia
Hijos de Angel Echeverria y Cia
Iraola Salaverria y Cia
The contract stipulated that each company would produce a minimum of 5,000 pistols per month. Gabilondo would produce 10,000 guns, carry out overall quality control and arrange delivery to the French authorities in Bayonne. As the number of pistols required increased the company agreed to purchase any pistols in excess of the agreed number at the same contracted price. As demand increased Gabilondo recruited another three partners to help manufacture the Ruby. Estimates of Gabilondo Ruby production are between 250,000 and 300,000 pistols in total. While most Gabilondo contract pistols were of good quality, others were less well made.[2]
Ruby-type pistols by other makers
Pistol for sale in the USA, ad from 1923.
As the French became more desperate, the procurement process spiralled out of control. Eventually Gabilondo contracted with another three companies and at least 45 other companies contracted with the French directly to produce Ruby-type pistols in a variety of calibres, barrel lengths and magazine capacities.[3]
French officials quickly became aware that few of the Spanish Ruby-types had interchangeable magazines, and insisted the manufacturers mark the base of all magazines. This was to prevent the possibly fatal consequence at the front line of either not being able to insert a new magazine, or having a loaded magazine detach from the gun in action.[4]
Many Ruby-type pistols were plagued by poor finish and incorrectly hardened steel parts which, after a short period of use, could become so badly worn that a very dangerous situation known as a "runaway gun" could result. Another danger characteristic to poorly manufactured Ruby pistols were faulty safety mechanisms - due to improper fitting or the use of inappropriate materials for critical safety components. Despite the existence of faulty and/or dangerous Ruby-type pistols produced by the more unscrupulous sub-contractors, the basic Ruby showed itself to be a well thought out design that, when properly manufactured of appropriate quality components, resulted in a pistol highly regarded for its reliability and accuracy,
[5] although some users were disconcerted by the lack of a visible hammer. About 710,000 Ruby-types were accepted by the French from all sources and by 1920, about 580,000 were still serviceable and in French army stores. Many other allied nations, and some of the new nations created after the War such as Finland and Yugoslavia also used Ruby-type pistols.[2]
Gabilondo ceased production in 1919 and switched to more advanced models, but other firms continued to produce the Ruby-type until the Great Depression wiped out many arms producers. Ruby-types continued to be used until the end of World War II, particularly by Spanish and French Maquis, as well as their Vichy opponents.[2]
Advantages and disadvantages
The Ruby-type pistol is very intuitive to operate, even for novices. The slide stop doubles as a safety and field stripping is remarkably simple. The small size and large magazine capacity was an advantage, making it a popular "backup" weapon for troops involved in trench warfare, as well as the standard issue weapons for telephonists, stretcher bearers, machine-gun, machine-rifle, tank, and mortar crews, and rear-echelon personnel of all descriptions.[6] The comparatively weak cartridges these pistols were chambered in gave little recoil, making them easier for novices to use effectively.
[5]
The primary disadvantage of these pistols (apart from quality control issues) is the relatively weak cartridges they were chambered in, reducing the pistol's stopping power.
The reliance on only one type of safety, and the lack of a visible hammer make these pistols very dangerous to carry "cocked and locked". Early models could come off safety when holstered in a tight-fitting holster and a large protruding stud was added to the slide in order to prevent this.
In later years, Ruby-types became notorious for the lack of standardization of parts between different manufacturers, resulting in a widespread incompatibility of spare parts that made the Ruby-types difficult to maintain. Some of this is due to the persistent confusion over exactly who made which Ruby-type pistol.
Influence of the Ruby
The Ruby directly influenced the design of the FN Model 1910/22, which was a nine-shot version of the M1910 developed for Yugoslavia (who had previously been issued Ruby-type pistols). Finland, Netherlands, Greece, Turkey, Romania, France, Denmark, and Germany also adopted this pistol at various times. Several commercially made French pistols by M.A.B and Unique factory [fr] were heavily influenced by the Ruby.[citation needed]
Gabilondo y Urresti - French Military code stamp GU
Alkartasuma (under the brandnames Alkar, Kapitan and Panama)- French Military code stamp AK
Armeria Elgoibaressa y Cia (under the brand name Lusitania) - French Military code stamp AE
Beistegui Hermanos (under the brandname 1914 Model) - French Military code stamp BH
Echealaza y Vincinai y Cia - French Military code stamp unknown
Erquiaga y Cia (under the brandname Fiel) - French Military code unknown, possibly EC
Hijos de Angel Echeverria y Cia - French Military code stamp HE
Iraola Salaverria y Cia - French Military code stamp IS
Ruby copies under direct contract to the Allies
Acha Hermanos y Cia - French Military code stamp AH
José Aldazabal (under the brandname Imperial)- French Military code stamp unknown
Aldabazal, Leturiondo y Cia (under the brand name Leturiondo) French Military code stamp AL
Arizaga - French Military code stamp A
Francisco Arizmendi/ Arizmendi y Goenaga - French Military code stamp AG
Arizmendi, Zulaica y Cia (sometimes marked Cebra, some may be overstamped with "Beistegui Hermanos")- French Military code stamp AZ
Arrizabalaga (under the brandname Republic) - French Military code stamp unknown
Arrostegui - French Military code stamp unknown
Azanza y Arrizabalaga (under the brandnames Reims and Modelo 1916)- French Military code stamp AA
Martin Bascaran (under the brandname Martian) - French Military code stamp MB
Fabrica de Berasaluce, Arietio, Aurteña y Cia (under the brandname Allies) - French Military code stamp BA
Victor Bernedo sometimes marked Vincenzo Bernedo)French Military code stamp VB
Gregorio Bolomburu (under the brandname Regent, Regina, Gloria) French Military code stamp GB [15]
Javier Echaniz–(under the brandname Defender) - French Military code stamp JE
Echave y Arizmendi (under the brandname Model 1916) French Military code stamp unknown
Echealaza, Vincinai y Cia French Military code stamp unknown, possibly EC
Bonifacio Echeverria (under the brand name Izarra but not to be confused with their own Star designed Model 1914 pistol, based on Mannlicher designs) - French Military code stamp I [16]
Antonio Errasti - French Military code stamp unknown
Esperanza y Unceta (under the brand names Model 1914, Model 1915, Model 1916, Astra, Brunswig, and Victoria)-French Military code stamp EU
Fabrica De Armas, Durango (under the brandname Vencedor ) - French Military code stamp VD
Fabrique d'Armes de Guerre de Grande Précision (under the brand names Jupiter and Precision) - French Military code stamp unknown [17]
Garate, Anitua y Cia (under the brandname Express)- French Military code stamp GN
Isidro Gaztañaga (under the brand names Destroyer and Indian) - French Military code stamp IG
Hijos de Calixto Arrizabalaga French Military code stamp unknown (HCA)
La Industrial Orbea - French Military code stamp IO
Laplana y Capdevila—French Military code stamp LC
Lasangabaster Hermanos, Eibar (Possibly under the brandname Douglas) - French Military code stamp LH
Modesto Santos (Sometimes marked Les Ouvriers Réunis )[18] - French Military code stamp unknown
Retolaza Hermanos (under the brand names Liberty, Military, Paramount, Stosel, and Retolaza) French Military code stamp RH
San Martin y Cia (under the brand name Vencedor) - French Military code stamp unknown
Sociedad Española de Armas y Municiones or S.E.A.M. (under the brand name Silesia) - French Military code stamp unknown
Unknown manufacturer (under the brand name Bristol ) - French Military code stamp unknown
Unknown manufacturer (under the brand name Cobra model) - French Military code stamp unknown
Unknown manufacturer (under the brand name Doc ) - French Military code stamp unknown
F. Arizmendi y Goenaga Eibar (under the brand name Ideal ) - French Military code stamp AG
Unknown manufacturer (under the brand name Lepco Model) - French Military code stamp unknown
Unknown manufacturer (under the brand name Lobo Model)
Unknown manufacturer (under the brand name Marina ) - French Military code stamp unknown
Unknown manufacturer (under the brand name Mitrailleuse Model)
Unknown manufacturer (under the brand name Militar) - French Military code stamp unknown
Unknown manufacturer (under the brand name Oyez Model ) - French Military code stamp unknown
Unknown manufacturer (under the brand name Pocket Model) - French Military code stamp unknown
Unknown manufacturer (under the brand name Rex ) - French Military code stamp unknown
Unknown manufacturer (under the brand name Torpille) - French Military code stamp unknown
Unknown manufacturer (under the brand name Vilar Model )[19] - French Military code stamp unknown
Unknown manufacturer (under the brand name Wolf Model ) - French Military code stamp unknown
Urrejola y Cia - French Military code UC
Tomás de Urizar (under the brand name Trust) - French Military code stamp unknown
M. Zulaica y Cia (under the brand name 1914 Model, Royal, and Vincitor; marketed by the agency of Royal Vincitor S.A)- French Military code stamp ZC
^Shih, Bin (9 September 2021). China's Small Arms of the 2nd Sino-Japanese War (1937-1945) (2021 ed.). pp. 67–68. ISBN979-8473557848.
^McCollum, Ian (2021). "Other Chinese Copies". Pistols of the Warlords: Chinese Domestic Handguns, 1911 - 1949. Headstamp Publishing. pp. 516–517. ISBN9781733424639.
^Derby, Harry (2003). Japanese military cartridge handguns, 1893-1945 = [Nihon Teikoku no kenjū] (Rev. & Expanded of The Hand Cannons of Imperial Japan ed.). Atglen, PA: Schiffer Military History. ISBN0764317806.
^Dates of manufacture not confirmed but identical design and standard to other wartime manufacture.
^Most of the military code stampings in this section are drawn from this source.
"Star Firearms pre-1920 pistols". Star-Firearms.com. 1995. Retrieved 1 July 2009.
^The reason for this French name is not known - it may have been an attempt to inspire confidence in the end users.
^French for "The Workers United", apparently an agency or co-operative in France formed to supply Ruby-types to the French authorities.
^Possibly made by Retolaza Hermanos as it is almost identical to the Liberty.
