CETME Modelo 58 / Modelo B (Assault Rifle Modelo 58 / Modelo B)

History

The CETME Type 58 originated from the StG 45(M) prototype assault rifle during World War II. This automatic weapon was in development during the final months of the war, and was completed in extremely limited quantities - perhaps only 30 examples - in circulation before the end of the war in Europe in May 1945. The design of this weapon is credited to William Staller, who began work of this type in 1944 under the direction of the legendary Mauser concern. The system fires the 7.92x33mm Kurtz (short) intermediate cartridge and, most uniquely, attempts the firing action of the "roller delayed recoil" assembly, which was first tested in the experimental MG 42 machine gun. This process mainly involves two locking rollers located on either side of the firing pin near the bottom of the cartridge, which engage the sides of the receiver during firing and slow down the movement of the bolt head - the barrel remains in place.

The StG 45 adopts this principle as a cost-effective alternative to the proposed pneumatic roller shutter system.

After the war, many German engineers left the German mainland, and some Mauser engineers ended up in Spain and worked for the government-run Centro de Estudios Tecnicos de Materiales Especiales ("Special Materials Technology Studio") - or better known Known in its acronym "CETME". This delayed recoil system continued to be developed until it was perfected enough to prove feasible in a rifle frame.

Like the original Mauser design, the new automatic weapon is armed with a 7.92mm cartridge.

The technology was supplied by the Dutch to the West German army with the intention of selling the design to interested parties. However, Germany was eager to find a logistically friendly service rifle that matched the NATO standard 7.62x51mm cartridge. The CETME group continued to work on their design attempts and produced an automatic rifle for the 7.62mm reduced charge cartridge (7.62x51mm CETME) sold to the Spanish Army.

The final product was then offered and officially adopted by the Spanish Army in 1958, under the designation "Assault Rifle Modelo 58". This is the first recorded use of a service rifle using the delayed recoil principle.

The West German Army evaluated various competing designs and finally focused on the CETME rifle - although it was slightly redesigned to use the full power 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge. Licensed production began in West Germany as the Heckler & Koch G3 and entered service in 1959, and has been used extensively in countless conflicts around the world.

However, the Type 58 will not repeat this global success.

From the looks of it, the design of the CETME certainly follows the lines of the German HK G3, ??but it is a downright Spanish weapon. It has a sturdy butt attached to a well-contoured receiver that contains all the relevant inner working components.

The pistol grip slopes towards the rear of the receiver for a firm, ergonomic hold, while the curved trigger assembly is set in the elongated trigger ring. The magazine is located in front of the trigger group and uses a curved detachable box magazine with 20 rounds. The barrel protrudes from the front of the receiver and is covered with a flash suppressor.

Internally, the CETME corresponds to the HK G3, ??including its unique delayed backflush operation. A folding bipod was standard on the original production model and was mounted on the barrel behind the muzzle. When folded, the bipod acts as a forward gripping area so the operator doesn't hit the hot barrel. Protection in this sense was eventually refined in later production models to reduce the risk of exposure to the heat generated.

The rifle is aimed through the front and rear devices.

The overall length of the CETME 58 is approximately 40 inches, and the system is based on a 17.7 inch barrel. Weighs close to 9 pounds. The stated rate of fire is 550 to 650 rounds per minute, with a muzzle velocity of almost 2,580 feet per second.

The CETME Type 58 series underwent a significant change in 1974 when the Spanish Army officially switched to the full power standard 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge. This decision forced the CETME Type 58 to be internally modified to accept a more powerful round. In honor of this change, the modified rifle shape was named the CETME "Type C". The CETME C-Type was subsequently offered as the "L-Type" in 5.56x45mm form, which in turn became the origin of the "LC-Type" carbine - both variants were released in 1988.

There is another, more compact form, with many ledges removed, issued to vehicle crews to shoot from their tight spaces.

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Changes