EIG Model E-16 .22 Rimfire Four-Barrel Derringer, 2.5 in Cluster, Bright Plated, Made in Italy (1964 Pre-1968 Import)
This Italian-made EIG Model E-16 is a four-barrel .22 rimfire derringer imported prior to the 1968 GCA small-handgun restrictions. It features a 2x2 fixed barrel cluster of approximately 2.5 inches, a bright plated finish, and light-cream molded grips with EIG medallions. Italian proof marks, the Gardone date code "XX" for 1964, and EIG-in-target logo markings underscore its mid-1960s origin and import history.
Condition
Overall Condition: Good condition, showing some signs of prior use and handling.
Bore Condition: Good - Clean, well-maintained, minor wear marks.
Bore Rifling: Good Rifling - Intact, well-defined lands and grooves.
Specific Condition Notes: This firearm is in solid shape with various cosmetic imperfections, surface scratches, scattered blemishes, and areas of finish loss consistent with prior handling and use.
What’s Included
- Bonus hard case
Built around a compact four-barrel 2x2 cluster, the Model E-16 delivers four shots of .22 rimfire from a single frame. It operates single-action with an exposed hammer and an internal rotating firing pin that indexes each barrel in sequence.
The barrel cluster tips up for loading via a right-side sliding latch, and cases are manually extracted. The barrels are marked "USE STANDARD VELOCITY CAL. 22 SHORT, LONG OR LONG RIFLE CARTRIDGES," reflecting its rimfire versatility.
Sighting is minimal and fixed, with an integral small front blade/bead and a shallow top-groove rear. The bright plated metal finish pairs with light-cream molded plastic grips that have checkering and EIG medallions.
Marked and provenanced for the mid-1960s, it carries Italian proof marks, "ITALY" on the barrel flat, and the Gardone "XX" date code for 1964. Commonly nicknamed the "Italian Brownie," this example represents EIG’s pre-1968 import era and is made in Italy.