Royal M.M.31

[Douglas Jr.]

Hi friends,

This is a Mauser Broomhandle spanish copy made by the Beistegui Hermanos factory. It was called "M.M.31" for ?Modelo Militar 1931? (?31 Military Model) and was issued with a fire select lever, which alloed it to work as a machine gun.

Chambered to fire the then-popular 7,63 mm Mauser (.30 Mauser) cartridge, it was a very close copy of the Mauser C96 pistol with mechanical improvements. Beistegui Hermanos started to built copies of the Broomhandle in 1927 behind the trade mark "ROYAL" especially for the chinese market in a time when Versailles treaty prevented Waffenfabrik Mauser from manufacture such guns. In spite of a poor quality, these guns were a commercial success in China, especially when an automatic version was created.

[Douglas Jr.]

In 1929, Beistegui Hermanos had got a great experience in the Broomhandle manufacture and decided to built a new version which production started in 1930. This pistol, the M.M.31 was mechanically different from the Royal and very close to the real Mauser. The quality was high high, with first class imported B?hler Austrian steel. It had the usual 10 shot fixed front magazine feed with stripper clips and the select fire lever in the left of the frame as the pictures show. Approximately 10000 M.M.31 were manufactured before a new version with detachable magazine replaced it. The serial numbers run from the end of the Royal production, near 23000 to 33000.

With the Astra 900, it is the more common broomhandle copy that saw action during the Spanish civil war (1936-1939). This version has less common markings as "Royal" is stamped in the right side of the frame. Majority of the production bears a "M.M.31" marking in an oval but some specimens keeped the old mark "Royal" when they were sold in countries where the older models of the firm where famed and appreciated.

[Douglas Jr.]

With the Astra 900, the M.M.31 is the more common broomhandle copy that saw action during the Spanish civil war (1936-1939). This version has less common markings as "Royal" is stamped in the right side of the frame. Majority of the production bears a "M.M.31" marking in an oval but some specimens keeped the old mark "Royal" when they were sold in countries where the older models of the firm where famed and appreciated.

This particular pistol has been manufactured in 1931 as the "D" letter on the left side of the frame shows. Concerning the use of the M.M.31, it was extensively used in China and in both parts of the Spanish Civil War but production had ceased near 1934 due to political restrictions in the guns laws in Spain.

Edited April 15, 2006 by Douglas Jr.

[Douglas Jr.]

Unlike his competitors, the Astra broomhandle pistols, the M.M.31 had never been bought by the germans during WWII. On the other hand, numerous M.M.31 were confiscated by French military police when the defeated Spanish republican army entered in France in 1939. Those guns were stocked in all the Gendarmerie centers of the border remaining there during German occupation till 1942. At that date a lot were stolen and used in the resistance maquis.

Hope you enjoy this presentation.

Wishes,

Douglas.

Edited April 15, 2006 by Douglas Jr.

[David Gregory]

Douglas,

Thanks for a nice presentation of a piece many collectors will never be able to own. Do you shoot it?

David

[Douglas Jr.]

Douglas,

Thanks for a nice presentation of a piece many collectors will never be able to own. Do you shoot it?

David

David,

Thanks for your comments. In regard of your question, I do not fire this "machine-pistol", as it is a pretty tough gun to find and the only ammo that I have available is the one made in the 30s (which is corrosive). So it is a collectable gun only - but a nice one!

Wishes,

Douglas.