A Spanish 38 Long Clone

[EricR]

Greetings,

A dear lifelong friend has forwarded me pictures of a friend's revolver he wanted me to assess for him. I was expecting an old 38 but what the pictures show is a strange looking "S&W" emblem on the stocks and frame. Likewise, there is a stamp on metal "SPAIN". Sooo, is this a copy/clone?

I'll be happy to post pictures when I can but didn't know if that would be breaking forum rules. And I have a huge list of honey-do's in the house for the next two days.

Save me.

Imgur: The magic of the Internet
Imgur: The magic of the Internet
Imgur: The magic of the Internet
thanks,
Eric

 

[glowe]

First, anything stamped SPAIN is not a S&W. Can you verify the caliber, since 38 Long was a rimfire caliber from the mid-1800s? Could it be a 38 Colt, or Long Colt as some state? Lastly, pictures would be a great help. Sounds like one of hundreds of Spanish copies of American model guns.

 

[EricR]

Thanks Gary. It's been a few years since I've posted pics. Wasn't able to do it the way I wanted, but I think I did provide three working links. Pics added to original post. I've got more if needed but I do believe you have answered my question!

And yes, current owner has pulled of the original stocks in favor of some modern ones..

 

[DWalt]

In the period roughly between WWI and WWII, there were numerous small gun manufacturers active in Spain, mostly in the Basque region. They made mostly revolvers for export to the US, Mexico, and various South American nations. Those revolvers were usually copycats of Colt and S&W revolvers, some having mechanical features of both. Workmanship and metallurgy was all over the map, some being pretty good. Generally they have low monetary value today, but there are some collectors of those Spanish revolvers out there. I am unable to see your pictures. You can save them as .IMG files and drop them directly into your posting using IMGUR.

 

[desi2358]

Spanish look alike of a S&W. 38 Long Ctg is a common marking on these. All I have examined would chamber the 38 Special round though some sources indicate they were originally intended for the 38 Long Colt or it's European equivalent.

 

[DWalt]

Not too long ago there was a discussion here of the so-called .38 S&W CF Long "mystery cartridge" having a case length between the .38 LC and the .38 Special. Several European ammunition companies are known to have made it long ago. No good information is available regarding why it was made and for what Revolver. 38 S&W Long Cartridge

 

[gunbarrel]

S.A. was the logo used by "Alkartasuna Armas de Fuego" (Alkartasuna Firearms), in Guernica--a Basque town in Spain (Eibar is a city and municipality within the province of Gipuzkoa, also in the Basque Country of Spain).

As far as the caliber ".38 Long," most Spanish collectors believe that it is the .38 Long Colt (used during the Spanish American War in the US Model 1892 -Colt- revolver), but I have seen some argue that it is the Spanish moniker for .38 S&W Special. Whatever it is, I would be reluctant to fire it.

 

[EricR]

Thank you all very much for generously sharing this information.

Eric

 

[lucasklaus]

S.A. was the logo used by "Alkartasuna Armas de Fuego" (Alkartasuna Firearms), in Guernica--a Basque town in Spain (Eibar is a city and municipality within the province of Gipuzkoa, also in the Basque Country of Spain).

As far as the caliber ".38 Long," most Spanish collectors believe that it is the .38 Long Colt (used during the Spanish American War in the US Model 1892 -Colt- revolver), but I have seen some argue that it is the Spanish moniker for .38 S&W Special. Whatever it is, I would be reluctant to fire it.

"S.A." present in Alkar's name is just a comercial designation, which is "Sociedade Anonima". In english it would be the term for "joint-stock company", "stock corporation", "public limited company".

The symbol in question is one of the variants of Suinaga y Aramberri, great gunsmiths from the Basque region of Spain, widely known for S&W copies.

Cheers!

 

[Tex1001]

My grandfather took this S-A revolver off of a Rio Grande
smuggler around 1922.
I fitted a K frame firing pin when I inherited it.. It does
work, but I haven't shot it W/38SPCL in decades.
The lock work is modified S&W/Colt. Caliber on barrel
is "38 S&W Long".
It WILL chamber a 357 magnum.
Mine is suitable to be a wall hanger.