By far the most generous and major provider of the Republicans was the Soviet Union, which had strong political ties to the leftist government in Spain. In September 1936, the supply of weapons from Soviet arsenals began to Spain. First, they sent what was left after the First World War, when the Russian army, desperate for small arms, bought almost everything that could be bought, begging around the world. Therefore, Japanese, English, French and Italian rifles were sent to the Spaniards, which was convenient, because no one could tell that they were being sent from Moscow. However, it was obvious to Stalin that the Republicans would need not only this old rubbish, but also modern and high-quality weapons. Therefore, at least 80,000 rifles were sent to Spain, of which more than 77,000 were upgraded M1891 / 30 rifles. Many of the M1891 / 30s were sent to Spain straight from the assembly line of the Tula and Izhevsk arms factories.
Anarchists from Barcelona. And also women, and also Mauser …
It is interesting that the American brigade of Abraham Lincoln, which is part of the Republican International Brigades, was armed with our rifles - apparently, both 1891 and 1891/30 models. According to one veteran, the "legend" that accompanied them was that they were sourced from Mexico. Therefore, the Republican soldiers called these rifles "Mexicanskiye" and this name remained with them.
"I found someone to look at with such a smile!"
“How nice, I shot and kissed! Shoot again - kissed again. And everyone looks and envies!"
It is interesting that among these rifles there were even samples of the 1916 release, that is, today these "Mexican-Russian" rifles are a real museum rarity, since in the USSR all rifles of the tsarist era were subsequently converted to the M1891 / 30 model.
Well, finally, a photo with a "mosinka". 15th International Brigade. Positions of the McKeny-Pappino battalion near Serigo de Los Vanos, February 1938.
And here is also a rare photo - a Chinese internationalist, and even with a "mosinka".
"Women on the Other Side" - the defenders of the Alcazar fortress in Toledo are firing from Mauser at the Republicans!
Now let's look at the actual Spanish rifles that entered service with the Republicans and nationalists, as well as that were in service with the Spanish army in different years. First of all, this is the M1893 Mauser. By the way, a total of 17651 rifles became American trophies, which then entered the Springfield Arsenal. His documents contain a record (dated March 1899) that 2,578 rifles were repaired and cleaned here at a cost of $ 2.73 each. It also says that it was often necessary to assemble one of two rifles, which significantly reduced their stocks. Nevertheless, the arsenal sold to commercial dealers more than 15 thousand Spanish Mauser, the sale of which began in the same 1899 and ended in 1903!
"Spanish Mauser" М1916.
The Americans in Cuba seized 676 carbines of 1895, of which the Springfield Arsenal sold 478 through arms dealers. By the way, the only constructive difference between a carbine and a rifle, besides the shorter length and front sight guard, was the bolt handle - a straight rifle, but bent down at the carbine. True, in 1898, the bolt was improved in an infantry rifle. Another locking protrusion was added to it, the third in a row, right in front of the reloading handle. By the way, the production of carbines in 1895 at the plant in Oviedo lasted from 1897 to 1927, and the total number that was produced there is 90,000 copies. From 1916 to 1936, another 290,000 M1916 rifles were produced there. This "short rifle" had a characteristic tangential sight with a rising sight and a fixed digital bar, and a reloading handle bent down. The barrel and receiver are blued, but the bolt is chrome-plated. This rifle is known in two versions - the first model and the second. The second had a different sight - Langevizier, which just raised and lowered the bar with divisions.
Langevizier sight.
Ernst Hemingway learns how to shoot a Mosin rifle near Teruel.
This same M1916 rifle became a specific weapon for the Civil Guard. All the difference lies in the caliber, which on the "guards rifles" is equal to 7.62-mm CETME and … the stamp on the chamber, which depicts a crossed sword and a Roman fascia. White leather belt and ammunition.
We made so many El Tigre carbines, and there are photos with it, of course, but not enough!
Another weapon of the Civil Guard was the El Tigre carbines, which were a Spanish replica of the Winchester carbine with an under-barrel magazine, model 1892, which was launched in Eibar between 1915 and 1938. At one time, Oliver Winchester visited Spain, after which 230 of his M1873 carbines (with 22-inch barrels, metric sights, and a full set of accessories) were sold to the Spanish military for use by the royal bodyguards.
The emblem of the arsenal in Oviedo.
More than 2,500 were then later produced under license at the Spanish arsenal in Oviedo in the 1890s in order to retain staff until the modern equipment needed to manufacture the M1893 Mauser arrived. In fact, it was "Winchester" М1876, but with a chamber chambered for 0, 44-40. The carbine entered service with the 14th Civil Guard regiment. After 1893, an unknown number of carbines were obtained from firms based in Eibar, but they were of inferior quality than the models produced in Oviedo.
Two more beauties with Mausers. The one on the left is especially good … Lightly dressed, that's just, but in the South of Spain it can be very hot!
And where it is cold in Spain, "girls with Mauser" dressed like this!
Then, in 1915, the production of these carbines began at the Garait and Anitua enterprise, but then, apparently, was interrupted by the war. During the First World War, this company supplied the Allies with revolvers based on the designs of Smith and Wesson and 7, 65 mm Browning pistols, but then in 1923 the company began commercial sales of the El Tigre rifle.
Winchester cartridge.44-40 (known in Spain as.44 Largo).
The sight was installed in a military style, similar to the sight of the M1893 rifle, designed for a range of 1000 meters.
And again the anarchists! Well, where in Spain at that time without them? Nowhere! "Anarchy is the mother of order!"
In total, more than one million of these carbines were produced in Spain! It was used mainly by hunters, foresters, as well as police, prison or private guards who needed a compact but powerful weapon for use in confined spaces. So, for example, these carbines were armed with railway units of the Civil Guard. Many carbines were then sold to Latin American police agencies or prisons, leading to a widespread misconception that El Tigre was manufactured in Mexico or elsewhere in Latin America.
As always and everywhere, women in Spain were jack of all trades. They repaired motorcycles and rode them …
They took part in street battles, and the one below went to fight with a double-barreled gun …
Protected public order. And all with Mauser!
From the 1940s onwards in the 1950s and 1960s, large quantities of these carbines were even exported as surplus to the United States. By the way, El Tigre carbines often appear in photographs from the period of the Spanish Civil War, but, as a rule, in the hands of the police, police or logistic forces.
Recruited into the militia on the Rambla in Barcelona.
As for the M1993 rifle, it was later re-barrel chambered for 7, 62 × 51 mm and again got into the Civil Guard under the designation “Spanish Model 1916’s” and served in the 50s of the twentieth century. In total, about 350 thousand of these rifles were manufactured.
The emblem of the M43 rifle from La Coruña.
Carbine "Destroyer".
The bolt and magazine of the Destroyer carbine.
Factory brand.
Finally, we note that another rifle based on the Mauser was also produced in Spain: created on the basis of the German 98k and produced by La Coruña, starting in 1944 by the army and navy under the designation M43. Especially for the Air Force, the same rifle was produced, but designated as the M44. Both rifles were equipped with a removable bayonet in a scabbard. In total, more than 976 thousand such rifles of the traditional German caliber - 7, 92 mm were produced. Weight - the smallest among all other Spanish samples - 3, 7 kg; magazine capacity - 5 rounds 7, 92x57 mm; muzzle velocity - 880 m / s; rate of fire - 15 rounds per minute; sighting range - 2 km.
Rifle FR7.
And the Spaniards became famous for having created one of the few "fake" rifles FR7 and FR8. At first glance at this weapon it seems that these are automatic rifles with exhaust gases from the barrel into the underbarrel tube, that is, rifles designed according to the Browning and Garand scheme. But actually it is not!
Mount the bayonet on the FR-8 rifle.
It's just that the FR-7 and FR-8 rifles were created in the late 1950s and early 1960s by reworking the old Spanish magazine rifles M1916 (based on the M1893) and M1943 (based on the M1898), respectively. And this alteration was caused by the fact that during the transition to the new CETME automatic rifles of 7.62-mm caliber chambered for NATO, a significant number of old magazine rifles stored in warehouses were simply out of work. So they were converted into FR-7 and FR-8 for the initial military training and armament of units of the same "Guard Civil". The rifles were re-barreled, new sights were installed, and the stocks were shortened. Structurally, it was the same Mauser, but with a muzzle brake-flash suppressor at the end of the barrel, which could be used as a guide for launching rifle grenades. But the barrel was by no means a gas outlet mechanism, but just a removable tube that served as the basis for attaching a bayonet-knife. Moreover, a set of cleaning accessories is stored inside it. The sights consist of a front sight with a front sight and a rotating disc-shaped rear sight with a V-slot for shooting at 100 meters and round holes for shooting at 200, 300 and 400 meters. All parts of the rifle are "gray" anodized, and some are blued.
Details of the shutter and receiver. The rack with a rotating sight disc is clearly visible.
