Description:

Gabilondo made fewer than 1000 of these guns before switching to a version more closely modeled after the Colt 1911. This very early gun, circa 1924, with the lowest recorded serial number, has a fixed front and a drift adjustable rear sight. Single action, locked breech with a dropping barrel. The left side of the slide marked “PATENT ‘RUBY’ CAL 45”. Belgian type proofs on the right side of the barrel, slide and frame. Disassembly shows all major components matched to assembly number “76”. It is not known what the separated numbers reflect on the left side of the frame. Magazine base is numbered 302. Fitted with finely checkered borderless grips. Bottom magazine release, the magazine having 7 indicator holes and an enclosed floorplate. Lanyard ring present. THIS EXACT PISTOL WAS PICTURED IN THE BOOK “ASTRA FIREARMS AND SELECTED COMPETITORS” by Antaris, pg 36.

Synopsis:

Rare and innovative Gabilondo y Cia Llama Spanish pistol, marked RUBY, cal. .45ACP, with several features that were later “borrowed” by FN and Radom, including the fixed barrel lug as used in the FN HP; the Radom VIS-35 incorporating the fixed lug AND the captive recoil spring!

Condition:

Good with considerable fading as photographed. Very crisp markings. Bright bore with sharp rifling. Perfect manual mechanics. An extremely impressive pistol, many of whose milestone features were liberally borrowed by several major manufacturers.