Labora Fontbernat Model 1938 Submachine Gun (SMG)

Specifications

Year: 1939
Manufacturer(s): Industrio de Geurra do Cataluna - Spain
Roles: Close Quarters Battle (CQB)/Personal Security;

Action: Blowback; Automatic
Caliber(s): 9x23mm Largo
Sights: Iron
Overall Length: 806 mm (31.73 in)
Barrel Length: 262 mm (10.31 in)
Weight (Unloaded): 9.66 lb (4.38 kg)

Muzzle Velocity: 1,300 feet-per-second (396 meters-per-second)
Rate-of-Fire: 750 rounds-per-minute
Effective Range: 250 ft (76 m; 83 yd)

Operators: Spain

The Labora Fontbernat Model 1938 was one of the few firearms to emerge out of war-torn Spain during the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939). It served with both the Spanish State (Nationalist forces) and the Spanish Republic (Republicans). Of traditional blowback operation, the submachine gun was chambered for the powerful 9x23mm "Largo" cartridge and fed from a 36-round detachable box magazine. Its characteristics were consistent with other submachine gun designs of the period: wooden shoulder stock, cylindrical receiver, straight magazine, etc...

The Larbora's design was initiated as early as 1936 but it was not made available in the numbers required until the last few months of the Spanish conflict. At its core the weapon was a "clean-sheet" design not copied from any existing submachine gun - which made it unique for a 1930s weapon. Its construction was also of particularly high quality in which machining was heavily used though this also added to cost-per-unit. The end of the war in 1939 (a Nationalist victory) forced an end to production of the Labora.

Production stemmed from Industrio de Guerra do Cataluna.

Performance-wise, the submachine gun managed a rate-of-fire of 750 rounds-per-minute with a muzzle velocity of 1,300 feet-per-second.

Variants / Models

• Labora Fontbernat Model 1938 - Base Series Designation