Star RU-35
Star Bonifacio Echeverria · Submachine Gun · Discontinued · 1935
Also known as: Star RU35, Star Model RU-35
Overview
The Star RU-35 is a Spanish submachine gun developed in the mid-1930s by Bonifacio Echeverria SA (trading as Star) and chambered for the 9x23mm Largo cartridge. It is the slow-firing member of the Star -35 series (alongside the SI-35 and TN-35), cycling at roughly 300 rounds per minute. The weapon uses an unusual and complicated delayed-blowback action built around a two-part bolt with a special locking piece, controlled by two multi-position levers on the left side of the receiver, and feeds from 10-, 30- or 40-round detachable box magazines. It has a full wooden stock, a slotted barrel jacket with muzzle brake and bayonet lug, and a tangent rear sight graduated from 50 to 1000 metres.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3740 g (131.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 900 mm (35.43") |
| Barrel Length | 269 mm (10.59") |
| Action Type | Blowback |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 30 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 365 m/s (1198 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 535 J (395 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 150 m (164 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 1000 m (1094 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 300 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Slide Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 9x23mm Largo (Bergmann-Bayard) · primary — also known as 9mm Largo, 9mm Bergmann, 9mm Bergmann-Bayard, 9x23mm Bergmann
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety
- Features: Delayed Blowback Two Part Bolt, Full Wooden Stock, Slotted Barrel Jacket, Muzzle Brake, Bayonet Lug, Tangent Rear Sight, Selectable Rate Of Fire Lever
Service history
Operators
- Guardia Civil
- Spanish Armed Forces
Conflicts
- Spanish Civil War (1936-1939)
- World War II (1939-1945)
Production
Production years: 1935-1942
Produced in limited numbers; complexity and cost restricted adoption beyond Spanish service
Origin
Country of origin: Spain
Designer: Bonifacio Echeverria SA
Discontinued: 1942
Notes
The RU-35 differs from its siblings chiefly in rate of fire: the RU-35 fires slow (~300 rpm), the TN-35 fast (~700 rpm), and the SI-35 offers a selectable dual rate. The design's mechanical complexity and high cost limited its success. A version was trialed in the USA and UK during WWII under the name 'Atlantic' but was rejected for complexity and excessive cost.
Background
All three Star -35 submachine guns shared the same complicated delayed-blowback action and a control layout of two multi-position levers; a transatlantic trial submission under the name 'Atlantic' was rejected by Allied evaluators as too complex and too expensive to manufacture.