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.