Hello all, newby with a question. Aquired an old astra model 1916 25 auto, can anyone tell me a little about it, or what it might be worth.
Gun is solid and shoots just fine.barrell is a little pitted in a few places, exterior looks pretty good, maybe 60 to 70 percent.
Looks old, but I wasn't sure if the model number reflected the year it was manufactured or not. Any info would be great. Thanks.
You have the Astra version of the "Eibar" pistol of WWI. The Eibar was first produced by another Spanish firm, and offered to the French. France liked it so much that they put in an order that was too big for the other firm, so Astra made the model, too, and the French bought it. As to value, they were quickly and easily made, so it would depend, don't buy that vacation home just yet. TJ
Astra made the best (or at least the better) of a not so hot lot. My sources say the Model 15/16 was in .32 ACP, the Model 11 in .25 ACP, but Spanish model designations are just a bit chaotic. Value is actually respectable, running up to $300+ for a nice one. The problem is that buyers tend to lump them with the more common junk Spanish pistols of the same and later decades, so it is hard to get a fair price.
If it works reliably, it would be as good as most .25 auto pistols and probably better than some more recent American products.
The French called these pistols, the "Ruby." I used to see them at gun shows, topping off at $200 for .32. I was tempted, but passed on with no regrets. TJ
The French didn't call those pistols "Ruby", the Spanish did. "Ruby" was a tradename used by Gabilondo y Urresti for a .32 pistol. During WWI, the French and Italians, desperate for handguns, contracted with Gabilondo to produce the gun for them. Gabilondo could not make enough pistols to fill the orders, so they engaged other makers in the effort, acting as a middleman for those guns. Gabilondo-made guns had the name Ruby and that became a general name for the type (guns by other makers had no name or had other names).
.25 pistols were made to the same general design, but scaled down. The French apparently bought some, but the terms "Ruby" and "Ruby type" are generally applied to .32 caliber pistols.
Well, I think I was mostly correct . The .32 version is the one I'm most familiar with, and I know that Gabilondo wasn't able to keep up with production requirements, thus the ASTRA MOD. 1916. So, I guess I came closer to right than wrong . Good enough, eh? TJ
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