• Visit by Phases
• Visit by Rooms
  • ROOM 01 The first arms 16th - 18th centuries
  • ROOM 02 Flintlock Weaponry.19th century.
  • ROOM 03 Percussion Arms. 19th Century.
  • ROOM 04 New Systems. 19th Century.
  • ROOM 05 Pepperboxes and revolvers. 19th and 20th Centuries.
  • ROOM 06 Decorative Techniques
  • ROOM 07 Modern and Contemporary arms. 20th Century.

ROOM 07 Modern and Contemporary arms. 20th Century.

Eibar, a factory-town

Well into the second half of the 19th century emerge breech-loading weapons, which were a consequence of advances in technology, the discovery of smokeless gunpowder and the resulting developments in cartridge-making. This will precipitate new advances in different ignition systems giving birth to the first repeating weapons and semiautomatic pistols.

At the outset of the 20th century the Basque arms industry reflected the preponderance that small arms wielded on the market. Since the end of the last Carlist War the State had looked elsewhere to supply its armies. Barred from this market, production of military arms by Eibar companies was gradually substituted by that of commercial weapons, i.e., hunting pieces and revolvers and pistols for self defence, some of which are on display in this room together with documents, drawings and a description of improvements made to the cartridge ejector system for shotguns.

Companies from Eibar developed models of foreign arms, adapting and improving many of them. Proof of this are some of the arms on display in this room, such as the Victoria, the first Eibar-type pistol, a simple arm based on the first models manufactured by FN with the Browning patent. Another example of this strategy can be seen in the Mauser semiautomatic pistol, which, after undergoing improvements to its mechanism, was converted into a fully automatic weapon.

It is in this last section that we can also find the recreation of a work bench showing the manufacturing process of a shotgun.

At the end of the tour, the Reading Room will allow visitors the chance to browse through publications related to the arms industry. There will also be an interactive programme enabling visitors to access a database with further information.