Hijos de Calixto Arrizabalaga
Sharp Sooter (or Shooter) M1919 Model
Arrizabalaga is owner of the "Sharp Shooter" and JO.LO.AR commercial brands.
This pistol, called "Sharp Sooter", is a very special one in that sense that the slide cannot be pulled back by hand. Pivoting the safety level backwards unlocks the barrel, which can be tipped up for direct loading of a cartridge. The hammer is cocked manually. After the first shot has been fired, the pistol will work like any other semi-auto pistol!
It has been marked "Sharp Sooter", which is a wrong spelling, until 1923. Pistols made after that date are marked "Sharp Shooter".
The JO. LO.AR brand was registered in 1923 by Jose Lopez Arnaiz. It is formed by utilizing the first two letters of each of his three names.
Arnaiz has offered his system to several other armsmakers, but only the "Hijos de Calixto Arrizabalaga" company showed interest and adapted the system to its "Sharp Shooter" pistol.
Proofmarks
Crown over P in oval
This stamp is the maker's official logo, used to distinguish his weapons. Like many other registered trade marks, this one resembles a proofstamp.
Prior to 1924, proof was not obligatory in Spain. However, lookalike marks on a gun gave the buyer a feeling of quality as did the weapons inmported from countries where the proof was obligatory.
Note: the royal proofstamp "crown over P" is not in an oval. It was introduced before 1865 and refers to the Placencia de las Armas. Calixto Arrizabalaga's son seems to have registered the P-stamp in oval as his own mark. By the time he did so the mark was already obsolete, but it was still a proof mark...
Belgian stamps
The weapon has evidently been officially imported in Belgium and presented to the Liège Proofhouse.
Rampant lion over PV: nitro-proof stamp, in use from 1898 to 1968
Star over accolated AR: post-1877 controller's initial mark
L in lighted grenade: stamp for weapons made in a foreign country where the proof rules do not match the Liège ones. In use from 1924 on.
Robert and Alain
With particular thanks to Robert and his friends, who provided precious information’s regarding this weapon.
Mark of Arrizabalaga
