Armas de las Islas Filipinas

Spanish Smith & Wesson M1884 ONÁ Revolver .44

Also known as the Spanish S&W Model 7
Manufacture: Orbea Hermanos in Spain
Action: Double Action
Capacity: 6 round cylinder top break design
Barrel Length: 5½"
Weight: 2lbs
Cartridge Caliber: .44 Russian (11mm)
Spanish Military Service: 1884 - 1903

In 1884 the Spanish S&W ONÁ revolver became the recommended service sidearm of the Spanish army. Like the Model 3, Spanish officers and soldiers had the option to purchase and carry. These revolvers were manufactured in Spain, unlike the original Model 3's manufactured at the S&W factory in the United States. The updated Spanish version would be named Model 7 ONÁ, which had few aesthetic differences, equipped with double action, and a shorter barrel. Once the 1896 Revolution broke out, Spanish soldiers from Spain were shipped off to the islands. Many of these S&W revolvers were captured by Filipino revolutionaries. And after the Span-Am War, many Spanish soldiers joined the Philippine revolutionary government against the United States; taking along with them stock piles of Spanish weapons. The S&W revolver would be one of the many handguns scattered through out the Philippine Islands.

The Spanish copied Smith and Wesson revolver became very popular even after the turn of the century. This same exact model revolver would be contracted out to the British Military during World War I. They would continue manufacturing other S&W firearms up to the Second World War.

Spanish Merwin, Hulbert & Co. Revolver .44

Manufacture: Anitúa y Charola, in Eibar Espana
Action: Double Action
Capacity: 6 round cylinder
Barrel Length: 5"
Cartridge Caliber: .44 Russian (11mm)
Spanish Military Service: 1887 - 1903

In 1887 the Spanish Merwin Hulbert Revolver became another pistol out of several recommended as a service sidearm for Spanish army soldiers and police officers. The Merwin, Hulbert & Co. was an American based firearms manufacture and at one time was the 4th largest gun supplier in America. But their name is now long forgotten due to bankruptcy during the early 1890s. The company went out of business, and their firearms went along with it. Many of these firearm companys of the era lived and died by military contracts. Merwin, Hulbert & Co. designs were considered far advanced for it's time, but through bad dealings, it became short-lived and unsuccessful. Their major contract coming from Russia. Nearly all the major companies were greatly successful during the 1870-1880s. But by the late 1800s many countries began to establish their own factories. There they would purchase the patents and licensing from firearms companies based in the United States to reproduce their firearms. This drastically killed the sales for most US firearm companies. Many would tank because of these outside manufactures. Even Smith & Wesson would come close to being run to the ground. Anitúa y Charola, in Eibar Spain became one of those outside companies to produce well made copied US revolvers. Their version of the Merwin, Hulbert revolver were then allowed to be used by military and police officers of Spain. As with the Spanish S&W, the Spanish Merwin Hulbert Revolver would find their way in to Spanish colonies. Like all other firearms of the Spanish military, many would eventually end up in the hands of a Filipino fighting in the revolution.

The entire history of the Merwin, Hulbert & Co. is very vague. Due to the bankruptcy their entire records were lost. Their subsidiary company, Hopkins & Allen, also burnt down in the 1900, taking along with it much of the records with Merwin, Hulbert & Co. As well as the manufacturing of the Merwin Hulbert revolver in Spain, records and documents are also scarce. Finding a photograph of the Spanish Merwin Hulbert revolver used by their military was also a tedious task(which is why the photo above is not a great shot of one). Many do not even know that this particular revolver even existed in Spain.

Winchester Model 1897 12ga Shotgun

OAL Rifle Length: 51"
Barrel length: 32" and 20"
Capacity: 5 round magazine tube.
Cartridge Caliber: 12 gauge
Weight: 8.5 lbs
Service: 1897-1945

The 1897 Winchester shotgun has been issued to the US military since 1897, but began to see real action during the Pulajane Campaign and Moro Rebellion (1902-1913). The shotgun proved the be more lethal at dropping an assailant aside from the .45 Colt revolvers. On many accounts the Krag rifles also fell short of stopping charging combatants, Philippine Constabulary officers would pair off officers and scouts during expeditions; one would be equipped with a Krag and the other a shotgun. The early Philippine shotgun models are distinctive by their very long 32" barrel, and they are the predecessor to the WWI M1897 shotgun which would gain fame and notoriety as the "Trench Shotgun". The 1897 Winchester shotgun had an extensive military service life, serving all the way til the end of WWII 1945.