Labora Fontbernat M-1938
Industries de Guerra de Catalunya (Fábrica Nº15) · Submachine Gun · Out Of Production · 1938
Also known as: Labora, Fontbernat, Labora M1938
Overview
The Labora Fontbernat M-1938 was a Spanish (Catalan) submachine gun produced by the Republican government's arms industry during the Spanish Civil War. Machined from solid steel at Factory Nº15 in Catalonia, it was chambered in the 9x23mm Largo cartridge and fed from a 36-round box magazine. Despite being a well-made, robust weapon, only a limited number were produced before Catalonia fell to Nationalist forces, and it saw little combat use.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4380 g (154.5 oz) |
| Overall Length | 806 mm (31.73") |
| Barrel Length | 262 mm (10.31") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 36 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 396 m/s (1299 fps) |
| Effective Range | 100 m (109 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 750 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 9x23mm Largo · primary — also known as 9mm Largo, 9mm Bergmann-Bayard, 9x23mm Bergmann-Bayard
Features
- Firing modes: Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Machined Steel Construction, Wooden Rifle Stock, Perforated Barrel Jacket
Service history
Operators
- Second Spanish Republic · adopted 1938
Conflicts
- Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)
Production
Estimated total produced: 1,500 · Production years: 1938-1939
Estimates range from roughly 1,000 to 2,000 units; production halted by the Nationalist capture of Catalonia
Origin
Country of origin: Spain
Discontinued: 1939
Notes
Sometimes simply called the 'Labora' or 'Fontbernat'. Production is generally estimated at between 1,000 and 2,000 units before manufacture ceased with the Nationalist victory in Catalonia in early 1939.
Background
The Labora was born from the improvised war industry of Republican Catalonia, hand-machined in small workshops while the front lines closed in. Production ended not because the design failed, but because the factories were overrun.