Mauser Model 1889

When the modernizing Belgian Army required a new service rifle all their own, they turned to the existing and proven German designs, bypassing any lengthy, and untimely costly, indigenous initiative in the process. The German design served as the basic framework for the Belgian offering which was slightly modified to suit Belgian military requirements. It was this rifle that turned out to be the very first successful firearm to be produced in number by Fabrique Nationale.[6]

The system proved impressive at the 1884 Bavarian Arms Trials. Both firearms were a success, but decision-makers were not convinced that the stripper feed was superior to the en-block system employed by Mannlicher. In response, Mauser started small-scale production of the design in an effort to interest foreign nations, but failed to convince any of the European major powers. The Belgian attache, however, urged his government to contact Mauser, hoping the design might give them a chance to found a domestic arms industry. To compete for Belgian trials, several Belgian arms manufacturers funded the Fabrique Nationale d'Armes de Guerre, now known as FN Herstal. Since the heavy-barreled Mauser with the barrel shroud was deemed superior to the competing FN design and other foreign rifles, FN was received a license to produce the Mauser rifle.[6]

FN's factory was overrun during World War I, so they outsourced production to a facility in Birmingham, England originally set up by the well known gunmaking firm, W. W. Greener and subsequently handed over to the Belgian Government later in the war, and Hopkins & Allen in the United States.[6] Many Belgian Model 1889 rifles were captured by the Imperial German Army and some were modified to fire the 7.92×57mm Mauser cartridge.[7] Paraguay purchased 7,000 Belgian Model 1889s in 1930.[8]

Rifles captured by Nazi Germany after 1940 were designated Gewehr 261 (b) (Mle 1889 rifle), Karabiner 451 (b) (Mle 1889 carbines), Karabiner 453 (b) (Mle 1916 carbine) and Gewehr 263 (b) (Mle 1889/36).[9] Models 1889/36 were used by German second-line troops or pro-German organisations such as the Vlaamse Wacht.[10] Some Model 1889/36 rifles were still in service in Belgian Congo at the time of the independence of the Republic of the Congo-Léopoldville in 1960 and were used during the Congo Crisis.[11]

Soldier of the Force Publique in Congo with Model 1889/36 rifles.[11]

• Model 1889 Carbine with bayonet - with a standard bayonet[12][13]
• Model 1889 Carbine with Yatagan - with a yatagan-like bayonet, used by the Foot Gendarmerie and fortress artillery[13]
• Model 1889 Carbine with bayonet - shorter variant, reconditioned during World War I, using the Gras bayonet[14][13]
• Model 1889 Carbine with bayonet - shorter variant, with a long bayonet and an heavier stock, used by the Mounted Gendarmerie[14][15]
• Model 1916 Carbine - slightly modified Mle 1889 with Yatagan, to replace all the earlier models of carbines[16]
• Model 1889/36 Short Rifle or Model 1936, a modernized Model 1889 or Turkish Model 1890 with the barrel of the Mauser Model 1935[10][17]

An Ottoman soldier with a M1890 rifle.

The Belgians talks with Mauser prompted the Ottoman Empire, whose contract for Model 1887 rifles included an "escape clause" allowing them to alter their order to account for any new advancements the Mauser brothers made, to consider the design. In the end they ordered 280,000 pieces of an improved version of the 89 Mauser known as the Turkish Model 1890 rifle.[18] It used a slightly modified 7.65 round.[19] A Model 1890 carbine was also supplied in smaller numbers.[20] These rifles saw service during the First Balkan War[21] and World War I. Large numbers of these rifles were captured by the British Army during World War I and sent to supply the Belgian Army.[14] Mauser 1890 rifles were fielded by both Nationalist[22] and Sultanate armies during the Turkish War of Independence.[23] Some of these rifles were captured by Kurdish[24] and Circassian rebels.[25] In the 1950s, these rifles were still kept in reserve[26] but many of them were rebuilt and rechambered in 7.92×57mm during the 1930s.[27] During the Cyprus crisis of 1963–64, old Mauser 1890 rifles were used by Turkish Cypriots.[28]

The Royal Yugoslav Army received Turkish Mausers as war reparation. Some were used unmodified as Puska M90 T and others shortened as Puska M 03 T.[29] Some of these rifles were captured by the Nazi Germany and designated Gewehr 297 (j).[30]

Argentine Mauser 1891 carbine

While this was taking place, the Argentine Small Arms Commission contacted Mauser in 1886 to replace their Remington Rolling Block rifles. 180,000 rifles and 30,000 carbines, all chambered in 7.65×53mm Mauser, were ordered. As with other early Mausers, the arms, designated Mauser Modelo 1891, were made by the Ludwig Loewe company and the Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken.[31] M1891 carbines were still in service with the Argentine Police in the 1960s.[32]

Bolivia bought 15,000 Argentine-made Modelo 1891s during the late 1890s and designated them Modelo 1895 (not to be confused with the Mauser Model 1895).[33] They saw combat during the Chaco War.[34] Argentine-made M1891s were also purchased by Colombia[35] and Ecuador.[36]

Peru bought an identical rifle from Ludwig Loewe & Co factory, the Peruvian Model 1891.[37] Several thousands were bought.[38]

Spain bought some 1,200 Mauser 1891 rifles and carbines in 7.65×53mm Mauser for trials. Eventually, the Kingdom adopted the Mauser Model 1893, firing the 7×57mm Mauser cartridge.[39] In 1893, Spain bought several thousands of Modelo 1891 rifles and carbines from Argentina to quell the Melilla revolt in the Moroccan Rif. Latter shipped to Cuba, the guns were captured in 1898 by the American forces at the end of the Spanish–American War.[40]