Bryco Arms/Jennings Firearms/Jimenez Arms

Bryco Arms was an American firearm manufacturing company based at various times in Carson City, Nevada, Irvine, California, and Costa Mesa, California. The company's most famous product was the Bryco Arms Model 38 semi-automatic pistol, available in both 32 ACP and 380 ACP calibers (also known as the P-38). The company was owned by Bruce Jennings.

Jennings Firearms was another brand name for the company's products, having been started in 1978 by Bruce Jennings as an earlier incarnation of what became Bryco Arms, but which also remained a recognizable brand name for Bryco Arms for many years even while Bryco Arms used its own brand name for firearms. Possibly most known for producing the both popular and yet infamous Jennings J-22 pistol in .22LR caliber.

Jimenez Arms (also known as "J.A." was started in August of 2004 by Paul Jimenez, the former plant manager of Bryco Arms. He purchased the molds and machinery from Bryco Arms in June of 2004 and is currently making four models of the firearms. They are now operating in Henderson, Nevada.

History

Bryco Arms and Jennings Firearms

Bryco Arms was one of the Ring of Fire manufacturers of so-called Saturday night special firearms that operated in and around Los Angeles, California, all of which were descendants in some way from George Jennings' Raven Arms. It produced firearms variously branded as Jennings Firearms at its Irvine, California facility, as well as under the brand name of Bryco Arms at its former Carson City, Nevada facility, and at its Costa Mesa, California facility.

Bryco Arms declared bankruptcy in 2003 as a result of losing a lawsuit filed in Oakland, California and which resulted in a jury award of a record $24 million judgment against Bryco Arms. The lawsuit stemmed from an injury to a then 7-year old boy named Brandon Maxfield received from a 12-year old who was attempting to unload the 380 ACP version of the Bryco Arms Model 38. The 12 year old pulled the trigger with a round still in the gun while it was pointed at Maxfield. The ensuing negligent discharge paralyzed Brandon Maxfield from the neck down. ^[1]

Jimenez Arms

Bryco's former foreman, Paul Jimenez, bought the bankrupt Bryco Arms for $510,000 in August 2004, and renamed the company Jimenez Arms. The former Model 380 (the 380 ACP version of the Model 38) was renamed the JA-380, and production of the same semi-automatic pistol design was resumed.

The soon-to-be-named Jimenez Arms (JA) was purchased by Paul Jimenez and resumed operation in Costa Mesa, California and resumed manufacturing operations. The weapons were re-engineered to improve their safety. The JA-NINE, the former Bryco Arms Model 380 (renamed the JA-380), the former Jennings J-22 (renamed the JA-22 LR), and the Jennings J-25 (renamed the JA-25 Auto) quickly became the only firearms currently manufactured by the company.

The company has since moved to Nevada. A business license was granted on August 30, 2006 for Jimenez Arms to commence operation in Henderson, Nevada, and production has resumed there. [1]

Products

• Bryco Model 38 (32 ACP, 380 ACP), also known as Jimenez Arms JA-380, and as Bryco Arms P-38

• Bryco Arms "Jennings Nine" (9x19mm)

• Jennings Model J-22 (.22LR), also known as the Jimenez Arms JA-22

• Jennings Model J-25 Auto (.25 ACP), also known as the Jimenez Arms JA-25 Auto

• Jimenez Arms Model JA-NINE (9x19mm), also known as the JA-9 (although the gun is marked JA-NINE)

See also

• Semi-automatic pistol

References

• Kythri Net Archives
• About.com: Jimenez Arms JA-9
• Las Vegas Sun: Jimenez Wants to Setup Shop in Nevada
• Brandon's Arms - Official website of the organization associated with Brandon Maxfield

External links

• Shining Star Investments, LLC, distributor for Jimenez Arms products
• Taming the Jimenez JA-380 handgun Step-by-step with photos.
• PBS History of the companies