Spanish Orbea y cia eibar

[LeatherNuts]

Had a friend of mine walk into work today with a revolver that was found in a box that hasn't been opened for 40 years. He's being told that his grandfather brought it back from Italy after WWII. It's marked Orbea y CIA EIBAR on the barrel with matching serial numbers all the way around. I've found some history on the company (spanish made possibly sold to french military for WWI), but can't find anything for the gun itself. It appears to be .22 cal six shot in great condition. If anyone has any info or somewhere I should be looking please let me know. I'll post some photos when I get home. Thank you gents.

[Alan Block]

I had a different and older Eibar revolver

Kinda like a breaktop S&W it was in .455 webley and it blew up on me. Made Saturday night specials look like quality. I do not think they have much value.

[LeatherNuts]

It not the breaktop, that's why I'm having a hard time finding anything. Cylinder ejects out of the left side and it looks to be chambered for .22 cal.

[LeatherNuts]

BTT photos up.

[Grumpyoldretiredcop]

I have one made by Trocaola, Aranzabal y Compania (T.A.C.) in .32-20. It came as a freebie in a trade, I wouldn't have paid money for it. Yours would have been made after 1905 (as it is a copy of the 1905 S&W Hand Ejector) and prior to the end of the 1920's, when Orbea y Cia became a bicycle manufacturer. Their material quality is generally considered to be poor, and I wouldn't care to fire any of their larger caliber revolvers. I don't think this particular revolver was sold to any military. The military contract pistols were chambered in 8MM Lebel for French service.

I don't think I've ever seen one chambered in .22 caliber, though. I believe that their collector value is nil. You would be very wise to have your pistol carefully examined by a qualified gunsmith before firing it. I had to fire mine, just because, but found that it sent almost as much bullet sideways out of the barrel-cylinder gap as it did down the bore. Not an uncommon occurrence with these Spanish knockoffs.

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