EIG and Firearms Import & Export Corp (FIE)
The EIG and FIE Connection
Many of the percussion revolver reproduction manufacturers and importers/distributors have such a wide range of relationships with other companies, it is sometimes hard to track down who imported what and who made what and when. EIG and Firearms Import & Export Corp., better known as FIE are two such interconnected companies and have quite a storied history.
The name EIG comes from Saul Eig, whose business was known as EIG Cutlery, for he originally imported and sold knives in Miami, FL. Eig expanded into firearms in the 1950s, specializing in cheap guns—often derringers, revolvers or pocket semi-autos from Italy and Japan. When the replica revolver demand escalated in the late 1950's EIG was already in place to capitalize on the demand.
When the Gun Control Act of 1968 banned the import of many cheap, foreign handguns, Eig converted a church complex next to his Miami warehouse into a gun factory. He shipped in the parts of the semi-automatic guns he formerly imported and then assembled them in the U.S. Eig’s guns were among the infamous “Saturday Night Specials” you used to hear so much about.
The importation of percussion black powder guns were not as effected by the 1968 Act, and EIG continued to import them into the early 1970's. EIG went through several changes in the operation of their company and eventually became known as F.I.E, standing for Firearms Import and Export Corporation around 1971, when EIG was sold to FIE.
In 1971 EIG Cutlery transferred the firearms business location to a new company called Firearms Import and Export Corp., commonly called FIE. During that transition period, some of the guns were still marked with the EIG logo. After the transition was complete the FIE logo appeared on most revolvers. The maker of the revolvers imported by EIG and FIE were typically GLG and then PR.
Luciano Giacosa, GLB, founded EUROMANUARMS in the early 1960's and made revolvers imported by EUROMANUARMS and EIG. Euromanuarms was created by Giacosa Luciano in Brescia, and distributed antique weapon reproductions he made and eventually distributed them into in the USA under the brand name, Euromanuarms. The marking on his manufactured weapons was the same stylized GLB punch as on the EIG imports. Euromanuarms eventually shut down and no longer exists.
Most EIG imported revolvers were made by Giacosa Luciano, the GLB mark, and Luciano continued to supply EIG's successor, FIE (Firearms Import & Export), until 1971, then gave way to Esterina Riva, the PR log used by Fabbrica d'Armi Esterina Riva . So, as the GLB maker mark began to disappear, the PR mark became the mark seen on FIE imported black powder replicas.
Certain revolvers marked F.I.E. may be mistaken for Rohm- or RG-pattern guns, as they are overtly very similar in appearance. Some Hermann Weihrauch (Germany)- sourced revolvers were imported by F.I.E., as well as black powder single-action revolvers from Tangfolio, Riva Esterina, and Luciano Giacosa of Italy, and shotguns by Maroccini. Other shotguns have been sourced from Brazilian makers Companhia Brasileira Cartuchos (CBC) and ER Amantino & Cia. Spanish sources included shotguns from Aguirre y Aranzabal (AYA) and Unceta y Cia, which was formerly known as Esperanza y Unceta but is perhaps better known as Astra, located in Eibar, Spain.
FIE was more well known for it's Titan .25 caliber semi-automatic. Although not a percussion revolver, it is still an important link int the history of FIE. Eventually, by 1990, FIE was forced into bankruptcy by lawsuits. When FIE closed finally down in 1991, another entity, Excam, Inc., in Hialeah, FL picked up the Titan line and sold the Titan parts assembled onto US made ZAMAK frames, under the model name GT27. Later still QFI, Quality Firearms, Inc. emerged and sold the Titan as the model SA25. QFI later went out of business and emerged as none other than Heritage Manufacturing Inc. Heritage sold the Titan as the model H25S. Heritage is still in business today and is known for their "Rough Rider" revolver in .22 caliber, a Colt clone many of us are very familiar with, but has since dropped the Titan model.
However, after FIE stopped operations and the importation of black powder replica revolvers, another entity, EMF (Early And Modern Firearms Co.), founded in 1956 to distribute and later manufacture Great Western revolvers, picked up the import lines of the FIE black powder replica revolvers. As of this date, EMF continues to import and distribute firearms made by Fabrica Armi Fratelli Pietta, better known as F.LLI Pietta, or just plain Pietta. Pietta is now the majority stockholder of EMF.
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