Cristobal Model 3
| Cristobal Model 3 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Battle rifle |
| Place of origin |
 Dominican Republic |
| Service history | |
| In service | Mid-1950's to late-1960's |
| Used by | Many Central and South American countries |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Pal Kiraly |
| Manufacturer | Armeria San Cristóbal |
| Produced | 1961-62 |
| Number built | 200,000 (estimated) |
| Variants |
Fixed Stock Swivel Stock |
| Specifications | |
| Cartridge | 7.62x51mm NATO |
| Caliber | 7.62mm |
| Action | Gas-operated |
| Feed system | 20 round FN FAL magazines and 30 round Dominican made Boxes |
| Sights | Iron with no tactical rail |
The Cristobal Model 3 (Pistola Ametralladora Cristóbal Modelo 3) was a battle rifle designed by Pál Király and manufactured in the Dominican Republic by the Armeria San Cristóbal. The weapon was chambered in the 7.62x51mm NATO round and fed from FN FAL magazines. Model 3 in 1961 as a competitor with the Belgian FN-FAL, an assault rifle using the more powerful 7.62X51mm NATO ammo. By 1961 service showed that the Modelo 2 overheated in automatic fire. The improved Modelo 3 (or 'Mk 3') discarded the original wooden hand guard for a perforated sheetmetal fore-end and the gun could accept an FN export-pattern knife bayonet. A number of guns were also made with a tubular folding butt. This rifle had the M14 type gas tube and regulator underneath the barrel. The ammunition box was vertical, not inclined like the carbine. After Trujillo's death (assassination), the new Dominican government was not interested in Dominican weapon manufacturing and the M3 was not adopted by the Dominican Armed Forces.[1]