CETME Modelo 58

The CETME Modelo 58 is the weapon that proved the roller-delayed blowback system could work in mass production. When West Germany was looking for a new service rifle in the late 1950s, it was this design they licensed from Spain - ironic given that the mechanism was invented by a German engineer who had fled there after the war. The resulting Heckler & Koch G3 became one of the most successful battle rifles in history, adopted by over 40 nations, while the CETME that inspired it remained relatively obscure outside Spain.

The CETME Modelo 58 and Model C are related but distinct variants. The Modelo 58 (Model B) was the first mass-production CETME, while the Model C was its successor with significant improvements. Our existing cetme-model-c.json file already lists the Model B (Modelo 58) as an earlier production variant, so this file uses variant_of pointing to cetme-model-c. Weight is 4.5 kg per Military Factory (9.92 lbs = 4.50 kg); Modern Firearms lists 4.4 kg. The higher figure is used as it aligns with the bipod-equipped configuration. Muzzle velocity of 786 m/s (2,580 fps) is from Military Factory, consistent with the reduced-power CETME ammunition. Rate of fire varies by source: Military Factory states 600 rpm, Modern Firearms states 550-600 rpm. The Modelo 58 was originally designed for a reduced-power 7.62x51mm cartridge with lighter bullet loads, but could fire standard NATO ammunition - this capability was formalized in the Model C.