Spanish Miquelet Pistol

Hello all.
I recently aquired this very cool little pistol. A small belt pistol, almost boot size. :haha: For a commercially manufactured pistol it is very nice quality. At least equal to Pedersoli or a bit better.
It appears to copy a Ripoll style pistol from the early 1800's. But it has a "rifled" .45 caliber barrel only 4" long, and a belt hook. These little pistols were very popular in Spain for personal protection.
Anyway, these pistols were made in Spain, and obviously marketed by CVA. But I don't know what decade? I've never seen these come up second hand for sale, till now. This one is in unfired condition and almost perfect. So it's just sat around for some many years.
Does anyone know when these were made? Thanks.
Rick

I'm pretty sure it would have been the first half of the 70's. CVA had quite a diverse offering back then which we tend to overlook and focus on the 2 piece stock Kentucky and the Mountain Rifle.

I like the little pistol and you found a nice one. Actually I wouldn't mind having both in the ad.

I like the serial # too! :thumbsup:

He looks a sturdy little chap, Rick!

Very strong looking lock. Does it spark well?

Richard. (P-B)

Hi Hawkeye

OK. Could be the 1970's. I sure don't remember these being offered back then. But I do remember the Hawken craze. LOL This little pistol is sure made better than anything that I remember coming out of Spain back then. It must have been a short run of these pistols as I've never seen one come up for sale.

Rick

Hi Richard

The flint is way too dull. I'll put another in it and try it out. The lock actually functions better than I would expect. Sure is a cute little thing. :haha:

Rick

the catalog page with the pictures, is from the very first (1971) CVA catalog. Those pistols were not in the 1974 catalog. CVA started out trying to be like Dixe Gun works selling all kinds of stuff even made by others by 1974, they had pretty much cut back to selling just items made in the Jukar factory in Spain. By 1979 they were switching over to production at the Ardessa factory.

About the same time as your pistol was made some higher end Miquelet pistols were being imported. They are very rare in the US, although Dixie sold the rough made locks from Spain back then for about $25.00 each. Folks then were celebrating the US bicentenniel. Spanish made repros of historical Spanish guns were not in high demand in the US.

Rick,

Some interesting toradar stuff somewhere...

don`t know what you paid for it but a miquelete would be hard to pass by for me. I like it

It’s charming, I like it a lot. A great little find. :thumbsup:





William Alexander

How you say, "forget the Alamo" in Spanish. Probably actually earlier than that perhaps early 1700's for style.

That is a really neat little toy !! Great find, something a little different !!

Oh, yes; it certainly is "cute" and appears very well made.

Hi Zimmer

Thanks so much for the information. So this pistol was probably made somewhere between 1971 and 1973/4.
That's about a decade earlier than I thought.
Should be fun to play with at the 7 yard range. But with the rifled barrel, will give it a try at the 15 yard also. LOL
Thanks again for the history.

Rick

Rick, that's a really nice find. You can see the quality -- in a different league from the Jukar stuff. Can't wait to hear your range report.

HI Bill

Thanks. Yes, they seem to be quite rare. Only one I've ever seen.

Rick

ricky:
Very nice, I have never seen one before. Now I am on the hunt!
Thanks
Nit Wit