Spanish Mauser Types

In the early 1890s, the government of Spain announced trials to select a new standard issue rifle for the Spanish military. Among those invited to submit designs was legendary German firearms innovator Paul Mauser. In 1893, Mauser's design for the model 93 Spanish Mauser won the Madrid trials. The 1893 Spanish Mauser spawned a variant 23 years later in the Model 1916, and another in the 1950s with the FR-7. During World War II, Spain also produced a variant of the German 1898 Mauser known as the M1943 Spanish Mauser.

  1. 1893 Mauser

    • When the 1893 Mauser was adopted, the government of Spain immediately ordered 70,000 units of the bolt-action, 7 mm rifle. Initially, Spanish Mausers were produced by German contractors. Eventually, most came from the government armory at Ovideo. The 1893 Mauser was the principal rifle used in the Spanish American war, and American troops had extensive exposure to it during battles in Cuba. It was widely considered to be a superior firearm to the Krag-Jorgensen rifle carried by American troops. The 1893 Spanish Mauser carried five rounds in an internal magazine. Its muzzle velocity was 2,203 feet per second and it had a useful range of 2,160 yards.

    1916 Short Mauser

    • Beginning in 1916, the Spanish government converted large numbers of 1893 Mausers to 1916 Guarda Civil (Civil Defense) rifles at the Ovideo arsenal. The conversion entailed shortening the barrel from 29 inches to 21 inches. A turned-down bolt replaced the protruding straight bolt handle. The 1916 Short Mauser conversions continued until 1951.

    1943 Mauser

    • The 1943 Spanish Mauser is a Spanish re-make of the German 1898 Mauser. Produced at the La Coruna arsenal during the Franco regime, the M1943 fired 8 mm ammunition. It is distinguished by the characteristic long action of the 1898 German Mauser and the protruding straight bolt handle.

    FR7/FR8 Mauser

    • In the late 1950s, Spain was making the transition to the modern CETME 7.62 mm assault rifle. To fill the gap until the CETME could be developed and produced in sufficient numbers, another Mauser conversion program was launched. The FR7 Spanish Mauser is a 7 mm 1916 Short Mauser converted to fire 7.62 mm NATO ammunition. The FR8 Spanish Mauser is an 8 mm 1943 Mauser converted to fire 7.62 mm NATO ammunition. The conversion entailed new barrels, spacers in magazines to accommodate shorter rounds, shortened forends and new sights. The FR7 and FR8 Mausers were used for training and were issued to Guarda Civil units. They were phased out around 1980.