Destroyer carbine
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Destroyer Carbine is a small bolt action carbine (usually) chambered for the 9 x 23 mm Bergman-Bayard cartridge, more commonly known as 9 x 23 mm Largo, and used by the Spanish Guardia Civil from the mid 1930s until the late 1960s.
Essentially a scaled down Model 1893 Mauser with two rear-mounted locking lugs and a mauser-style two-position flip safety, the Destroyer Carbine fired the same ammunition as the standard-issue police handgun and took the same magazines, however the longer rifle barrel resulted in much greater velocity and accuracy, and subsequently range.
While no longer in government service, the Destroyer Carbine is highly prized as a collectors item due to its rarity, as well as a desirable target rifle due to favorable shooting characteristics such as minimal recoil and relatively inexpensive ammunition.
SAFETY WARNING: While all rimless 9 mm diameter pistol cartridges will chamber in a Destroyer Carbine, and consequently will fire, it is EXTREMELY UNSAFE to use ammunition other than 9 x 23 mm Largo due to the dangers of excessive pressure. Some late-production experimental Destroyer Carbines were produced in other calibers such as .38 Special or 9 mm Parabellum and are even more highly sought after.
