FR-7 / FR-8 🇪🇸 The last of a rifle legend

Santa Barbara "Fusil Reformado" FR-7 / FR-8 bolt action rifle

The FR-7 and FR-8 rifles were developed during late 1950s in Spain during their transition from military bolt action rifles to new, select-fire CETME Mod.58 assault rifles, chambered for then-new 7.62×51 NATO ammunition. The FR letters stand for “Fusil Refromando”, and both FR-7 and FR-8 rifles are conversions of the earlier Mauser type bolt action rifles, which were in abundance at the time because of adoption of new, more effective guns. The FR-7 rifles were converted from Spanish Model 1916 rifles, which are based on Model 1893 Mauser rifles, also known as “Small ring” Mausers. The FR-8 rifles were converted from Spanish Model 1943 rifles, which are based on Model 1898 Mauser action, also known as “Large ring” Mauser action. Conversions included new barrels, inserted spacers in magazines (to accommodate shorter rounds), shortened forends and new iron sights. The FR-7 and FR-8 rifles were issued to Guarda Civil units and also used for military training, as their sighting arrangements and ballistics were intentionally made similar to that of the CETME assault rifle. These rifles were used in Spain until about 1980, when Spanish armed forces began transition to the 5.56mm weapons, and many FR-7 and FR-8 rifles were then sold as surplus.

The FR-8 rifle is a manually operated bolt action rifle. It employs Mauser type rotary bolt with two frontal locking lugs and single rear lug (FR-7 bolt has no rear safety lug), and Mauser-type extractor which provides controlled feed. Cartridges are fed from integral box magazine with 5-round capacity, which can be loaded using stripper clips or loose rounds. Barrel is equipped with muzzle brake / flash hider, which also can be used to launch NATO-standard rifle grenades. The short tube, located below the barrel, has mostly cosmetic purpose, as it serves to provide bayonet mount interface. Its inner space also can be used to store front sight adjustment tool or small cleaning kit. The iron sights consist of adjustable, hooded front sight and combination aperture/V-notch rear sight, which is made in the form of rotating disc. The rear sight disc has V-notch for 100 meters range and three apertures for 200, 300 and 400 meters range. Standard accessories also include rifle slink and a knife-bayonet, similar to that used with CETME Mod.58 assault rifles.