Llama Firearms, officially known as Llama-Gabilondo y Cia SA, was a Spanish arms company founded in 1904 under the name Gabilondo and Urresti. Its headquarters were in Eibar in the Basque Country, Spain, but they also had workshops during different times in Elgoibar and Vitoria. The company manufactured moderate-priced revolvers and self-chambering pistols in a wide variety of models. These were popular mainly in the European and Latin American export market, as well as domestically in Spain.
First models Gabilondo and Urresti was founded in 1904, but did not appear in the industrial census of Eibar until 1907 where it is listed as having four gunsmiths at work. In the period from 1908 to 1914, this doubled to eight. In 1912, the company was not among those Eibar manufacturers involved in legal action against Fabrique Nationale so it can be assumed that they had not yet begun to sell self-loading pistols based on Browning patents. Gabilondo and Urresti initially made copies of Nagant revolvers in 7.62mm Nagant and 8mm Lebel (these lacked the "gas seal" feature of the originals); as well as Colt New Service, and Vélodog-style revolvers under their own brand. The firm also produced parts for other companies.
The "Vélodog" revolvers are small pocket pistols intended for the protection of cyclists and hikers against savage dogs, typically firing five or six shots, and fitted with a short barrel and folding trigger. They were initially chambered in 5.5 mm Vélodog or .22 long rifle, but later examples are found in 6.35mm Browning/.25 ACP and 7.65mm Browning/.32 ACP calibres.
In 1913, the company manufactured the Radium, a small six-shot self-loading pistol in 6.35 mm/.25 ACP with a unique magazine design patented by Guillermo Echeverria and Valentin Vallejo. The magazine was fixed, and was reloaded by sliding one of the grip panels down to expose the mechanism. Rounds could then be inserted one by one until the magazine was fully loaded and the panel closed again. However ingenious, the pistol was difficult to make and not revived after the conclusion of the First World War.
Ruby pistol
In 1914, just before the start of the First World War, Gabilondo created a sturdy self-loading pistol based on the Browning Model 1903 and chambered for the 7.65mm Browning/.32 ACP cartridge. Unusually 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 was designed with military and police sales in mind. Other Spanish manufacturers had copied the Browning since around 1905. These copies were less sophisticated than the original, but one was very similar to the eventual Ruby design, the "Victoria" made by Esperanza y Unceta. This was a six-shot model incorporating improvements patented by Pedro Careaga in 1911, and Esperanza y Unceta in 1912. These are believed to have covered the frame-mounted safety (instead of a grip safety on the original Browning), and the substitution of an internal striker for a hammer.
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, Type 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 (under the brand name Lusitania) 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. 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 the French became more desperate, the procurement process spiraled 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.
Estimates of Gabilondo Ruby production are between 250,000 and 300,000 pistols in total. While most Gabilondo produced pistols were of good quality, others were less well made. 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. Many Ruby-types were plagued by poor finish and incorrectly hardened steel parts which after a short period of use wore so badly that pistols fired on full-auto. On other pistols, the safety mechanism wore out. The good quality Rubies were reliable and accurate, 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. 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.
Bufalo and Danton In 1919, Gabilondo introduced the Bufalo, a pistol inspired by the Browning designed FN model 1910. While resembling the 1910 closely externally, the mechanism had some features carried over from the Browning model 1903. The striker was replaced with a concealed hammer, and in those models fitted with a grip safety, the Browning design was replaced with a native design patented in Spain. The Bufalo was manufactured in 7.65 mm/.32 ACP, and 9 mm corto/.380 ACP with seven-, nine-, and twelve-round removable magazines.
For the first time a Spanish product appears to have inspired copies by foreign makers, in the form of the FN Model 1910/22 supplied to the Yugoslavian military, to replace worn out, nine shot Ruby-types supplied during the war.
The Danton, introduced in 1925 to replace the Bufalo, was very similar but also available in 6.35 mm/.25 ACP calibre. Despite being marked "War Model" and being fitted with a lanyard ring, these pistols attracted no official military sales, but were popular private-purchase and police weapons. Both guns were a great success, with one exporter alone shipping 100 pistols a day to the US. Production of the Danton was stopped in 1933.
Ruby Plus Ultra The Ruby Plus Ultra (named for the Spanish national motto) was made between 1928 and 1933. It was an improved version of the earlier Ruby but had a 22-round double-stack magazine. Models with an extended 140 mm barrel, but standard length slide were available, as were models with selective fire capability. These features were most popular in the Asian market, and sales to both Chinese warlords and Japanese pilots are recorded. Many of these arms were used during the Second World War. These were not purchased officially by the Japanese forces, but as private purchase weapons through the Japanese equivalent of the Army and Navy Stores. During the Spanish Civil War volunteers in the International Brigade also favoured these early high-capacity weapons.Spanish Blue Steel : Llama
Ruby "Colt" transitional models Around 1931 Gabilondo began to make copies of the Colt 1905 in .45 ACP and 9 mm Largo without a grip safety and with a nine-shot magazine. These were simply marked with the Ruby trademark and the calibre. Some Gabilondo 1905's were reportedly marked with the trademark "Iñaki" as well.
Llama
The LlamaSpanish for "flame" trademark was registered in 1932 and pistols started to appear in 1933. There seems to have been a desire by Gabilondo for a clean break with the Ruby brand, given the adverse reputation that wartime Ruby-type pistols acquired (the majority of which, ironically, were not even manufactured by Gabilondo). These were based on the Colt M1911 and later the improved Colt Model 1911A1 model of 1924, but without the grip safety. Very early models were advertised in .45 ACP, 9mm Largo and 7.63mm Mauser. The Llama IV was the first model to appear, but was not numbered until a later date. The Llama V was chambered for 9mm Largo, .38 ACP, .38 Super, and 9mm Parabellum for sale in the US. The Llama VII was chambered for 9mm Largo, .38 ACP, .38 super, 9mm Parabellum and came it two different versions, a regular 5" length barrel and the Extra with a 5 1/2" barrel. There are reports that 12,000 were purchased by the British SOE at Gibraltar and stored for use in Spain if Germany had invaded, a Llama being bought by the British in 1944 for use by the S.O.E. but which gun cannot be confirmed if it actually happened. Concurrent with the release of these large models, Gabilondo replaced the Danton with the Llama I and Llama II. The Llama I was manufactured from 1933 to 1954 and resembled a miniature copy of Colt 1911 in 7.65 mm/.32 ACP. As a locked breach was unnecessary for a pistol in this calibre, it was eliminated, as was the grip safety. Similar to previous Gabilondo models it had a nine-round magazine. The Llama II was manufactured from 1933 to 1954, The Llama II was chambered in 9 mm Corto/.380 ACP with an eight-round magazine and without grip safety. The Llama III was introduced with a grip safety, locked breech and continued to be made until 1954. It was made in the same calibre and magazine capacity. Refer to http://www.carbinesforcollectors.com/llamapage.html for accurate pictures of the guns. Llama never made a Stainless Steel gun as some report them to be, they are all chrome plated either bright or satin.
Tauler and Mugica brands In the 1930s, Gabilondo manufactured its pistols under the brand names "Tauler" and "Mugica" for worldwide export, mainly to the Americas and Asia.
Tauler was a famous Spanish target shooter and Olympic medalist who became a gunsmith, opening a shop in Madrid and he eventually began exporting weapons. He had the full range of Llama pistols manufactured bearing his trademark and name, with a variety of minor improvements of his own design. Markings on the pistols were in English, suggesting he had the British Commonwealth and North American markets in mind, although in the past other firms had also used these in an attempt to mislead semi-literate customers that they were buying American made weapons. He was also an agent of the Spanish secret service, and used his connections to encourage sales to his fellow agents, government departments and police authorities. Tauler pistols were only manufactured between 1933 and 1936.
Tauler and Llama pistol comparison Tauler model Llama equivalent Description I I 7.65 mm/.32 ACP compact pistol without grip safety II II 9 mm Corto/.380 ACP, compact pistol without grip safety III III 9 mm Corto/.380 ACP, compact pistol with grip safety IV IV 9 mm Largo large service pistol without grip safety V VII 9mm Largo large service pistol with grip safety P VIII .38 Super large service pistol with grip safety