Mendoza C-1934 (M1934)

History

When considering the design and development of indigenous firearms, one does not think of Mexico. However, engineer Raphael Mendoza and his company Productos Mendoza began work on automatic light machine gun weapons in 1928 and continued until 1933. The weapon is intended to be used as a standard class light machine gun of the Mexican Army. Essentially, the weapon functions the same as the rival U.S. M1918 BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle), adding high-capacity, repeatable firepower to the standard infantry squad.

The production of the new weapon "C-1934" (or "Mendoza Type B" in 1933) was ordered in 1933, and the series officially entered service in 1934 (hence the name). Although the weapon borrowed heavily from the British Lewis and French Hotchkiss machine guns, the C-1934 was itself an evolutionary design - lighter and less expensive to manufacture than its contemporaries, and just as effective and robust in the field.

Like the US BAR, the Mexican C-1934 has a rifle-like appearance, with a solid wood stock forming the frame, front end, and integral shoulder rest. The pistol grip is fixed under the rear of the receiver. The internal working parts are all wrapped in metal and embedded in the wooden body. The "quick change" barrel is attached to the receiver at its bottom, the barrel protrudes forward and is covered by the muzzle brake. A foldable bipod attaches to the end of the front end for stability while shooting.

The gun is fed from a 20-round magazine using the 7x57 Spanish Mauser cartridge, which is loaded into the top of the receiver. Due to the nature of the magazine mount, the supplied iron rear and front sights have been offset to allow some aiming around the magazine mount.

The overall length is 1,170mm and the barrel is 630mm long. Internal action is gas operation from the open breech. The rate of fire is about 450 rounds per minute - a rather limited rate of fire that controls the barrel overheating. The muzzle velocity is 2,640 feet per second and the effective range is up to 600 yards.

The total weight is close to 8.4kg. Unlike other light machine guns of the time, the C-1934 actually had a selective fire function, enabling safe, single-shot and fully automatic modes via a selector switch on the left side of the receiver. The charging handle is placed on the right side.

In practice, the C-1934 was remembered as a cheap alternative to the more expensive products of the time. However, this budgeting approach does not detract from the quality structure and functionality inherent in the collection. Infantrymen appreciated the weapon's considerable convenience and portability, and their comrades took solace in its ability to fire repeatedly.

The weapon can be disassembled in the field in a relatively short period of time and can be used for repairs, general maintenance and post-use clean-up. The weapon is designed with a stock/rear receiver that folds down for easy removal of the bolt and gas piston system.

The C-1934 remained in service until 1945.

The C-1934 was later modified in 1945 to accommodate the obsolete 7x57mm Spanish Mauser cartridge used by the off-the-shelf Americans. 30-06 (30 caliber M1906) cartridge. This became the improved Mendoza Model 45, which introduced a refined receiver, a new muzzle brake design, and a shorter barrel.

During the last years and subsequent months of World War II, Mendoza released another modification of the C-1934, the Mendoza "RM-2", also for . 45 30-06 cartridge used in the model. The weapon was developed in response to the U.S. military's war-fighting need for more automatic weapons. However, in the war that ended in 1945, the RM-2 did not have the expected market impact on Mendoza, canceling all contracts for purchases from the United States. Subsequent attempts by Mendoza to market it to the Mexican military also failed, and Mexico's restrictive export laws prevented overseas sales.

At least 50 evaluation models of this variant are known to have been produced.

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Changes