Curious Relics #075: A Dime a Dozen – The Spanish Ruby Pistol
Sam.S 10.18.23
Welcome, if you are a newcomer to this fun bi-weekly segment of AllOutdoor.com! The last time around I covered the history of the Spanish Ruby Pistol, a necessary and affordable evil for the French military in 1915. In that article, we looked at how this pistol came to be. This time around we are describing differences from pistol to pistol. Let’s dive down the rabbit hole!
Curious Relics on AllOutdoor
- Curious Relics #070: In The Hall with The Revolver – H&R 733 Guardsman
- Curious Relics #071: H&R 733 Guardsman – A Trusty Sidekick
- Curious Relics #072: The H&R 733 Guardsman Part III
- Curious Relics #073: The H&R 733 Guardsman Part IV
- Curious Relics #074: A Historic Gem – The Spanish Ruby
Welcome to our recurring series of “Curious Relics.” Here, we want to share all of our experiences, knowledge, misadventures, and passion for older firearms that one might categorize as a Curio & Relic – any firearm that is at least 50 years old according to the ATF. Hopefully along the way you can garner a greater appreciation for older firearms like we do, and simultaneously you can teach us things as well through sharing your own expertise and thoughts in the Comments. Understanding the firearms of old, their importance, and their development which lead to many of the arms we now cherish today is incredibly fascinating and we hope you enjoy what we have to share, too!
Variations: Spanish Ruby Pistol
As we covered in the first Ruby pistol article, these guys were made by not one, not two, but dozens and dozens of shops throughout the Eibar region of Spain. There was only ever one Ruby pistol. There are slight exceptions which I will mention below but the real differences come in from different folks churning them out. Not totally different firearms or improvements.
The Victoria Pistol
Spanish manufacturers had already been making a slightly more refined Colt 1903 lookalike for a couple of years prior to the outbreak of World War One. They look very similar to Ruby Pistols but typically had a better fit and finish. At the very least their bluing was a richer and deeper one.
The 1915 Ruby Pistol
Our pistol today under contract with the French military to make thousands to supply troops in this new war of attrition. It takes design queues from the earlier Victoria pistol which in turn took queues from guns like the Colt 1903 and Browning Vest Pocket. Gabilondo (the main manufacturing force of Ruby Pistols) ceased Ruby production in 1919 to focus on more modern pistol designs. Other companies continued making clone Rubys into the 1920s until the Great Depression crippled arms manufacturing. Surplus Rubys saw action in colonial conflicts and World War II, used by French, Spanish, and resistance forces.
The “Rivet” Ruby Pistol
Possibly the only true “variation” of the Ruby Pistol, the rivet Rubys popped up when reports came back of a consistent safety issue. These issues were mainly reports of negligent discharges, the safety being engaged when it was needed or even disengaged when holstered. The Large rivet on the side protruded just enough that the wall of a holster would not mess with the safety switch. Large-scale production of rivet Ruby pistols never happened. The ones that were produced did not pop up until late in the war.
Extended Ruby Pistols
There is such a thing as “extended” Ruby pistols. These pistols popped up after World War One when manufacturing could be more flexible. the grips themselves would normally be extended or exaggerated in order to hold a larger round count. There is not any data on years or manufacturers but it is easy to see from photos that these are in fact a stretched Ruby pistol.
The Union Pistol
This guy is more of an honorable mention. The Union pistols were made by both the French and Spanish after World War One. The French pistols were notably better quality and were at their core a nicer updated Ruby pistols. The French even made an automatic Ruby that used a horseshoe magazine but these are extremely rare.
End of Part II: Spanish Ruby Pistol
That wraps up our exploration of the Spanish Ruby pistol and its variations! From the early Victoria models to the rare rivet Rubys, this pistol design saw several tweaks and evolutions during its mass production in World War I. I hope you enjoyed this glimpse into the rapid evolution of firearms manufacturing to meet wartime demands.
In closing, I hope our Curious Relics segment informed as well as entertained. This all was written in hopes of continued firearm appreciation and preservation. We did not just realize how guns were supposed to look and function. It was a long and tedious process that has shaped the world we live in. So, I put it to you! Is there a firearm out there that you feel does not get much notoriety? What should our next Curious Relics topic cover? As always, let us know all of your thoughts in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.
