Skip to main content

Arms of the Dominican Republic

Arms of the Dominican Republic

It's a peaceful tourist destination now, but like a lot of Caribbean countries, it has an often-violent past that includes some interesting and unusual arms. See Paul Scarlata's report on Dominican ammo in the September 1 SGN.

Dominican security forces during the disturbances of 1965 were armed with a motley collection of arms, including a Cristobal M2 carbine, a Lanchester SMG and a couple of Lewis guns.


The Cristobal M2 combined Beretta-style double triggers with the U.S. .30 M1 Carbine cartridge to make a powerful, if somewhat old-fashioned, wood-stocked submachine gun.

Here are a couple guns any Title II collector would love to own; a Cristobal SMG and an AR-10. The Dominican intervention was a sideshow at the start of the Vietnam War.


The Cristobal was not a bad idea, combining features of the Beretta M38 SMG with .30 Carbine ammo. But the wood stock made it look old-fashioned by the 1960s.




Here's a typical Third World combination: surplus German steel helmets and FN FALs. The Dominican Republic was one of the many nations large and small that adopted the FAL.

Recommended


The coal scuttle helmets look a little more appropriate with the M1953 Mauser and bayonet. These were M1908 Mausers bought from Brazil and reconditioned at San Cristobal.

An M16A1-armed U.S. trooper patrols the streets of Santo Domingo in 1965. U.S. troops were fairly quickly withdrawn, to be replaced by a largely Brazilian peacekeeping force.

GET THE NEWSLETTER Join the List and Never Miss a Thing.

Recommended Articles

Recent Videos

James Tarr gets to talk to Steve Wilson of Rock River Arms about their RBG.
Gear

The Latest from Black Hills Ammunition

James Tarr gets to talk to Steve Wilson of Rock River Arms about their RBG.
Gear

Headrest Safe – a new way to secure your firearm.

James Tarr gets to talk to Steve Wilson of Rock River Arms about their RBG.
Guns

Having Fun with the HK MP7 PDW

James Tarr gets to talk to Steve Wilson of Rock River Arms about their RBG.
Guns

SIG Sauer MPX

James Tarr gets to talk to Steve Wilson of Rock River Arms about their RBG.
Guns

Springfield Armory Hellcat Pro CCW Pistol Review

James Tarr gets to talk to Steve Wilson of Rock River Arms about their RBG.
Learn

The Famous Guns of Kelly's Heroes

James Tarr gets to talk to Steve Wilson of Rock River Arms about their RBG.
Guns

Radom Pistol

James Tarr gets to talk to Steve Wilson of Rock River Arms about their RBG.
Gear

Winchester 350 Legend Cartridge

James Tarr gets to talk to Steve Wilson of Rock River Arms about their RBG.
Guns

Walther Pro SD

James Tarr gets to talk to Steve Wilson of Rock River Arms about their RBG.
Gear

Silencer Central - Who and What

James Tarr gets to talk to Steve Wilson of Rock River Arms about their RBG.
Guns

Ruger SFAR

James Tarr gets to talk to Steve Wilson of Rock River Arms about their RBG.
Guns

Rock River Arms RBG-1S Rifle

Firearms News Magazine Covers Print and Tablet Versions

GET THE MAGAZINE Subscribe & Save

Digital Now Included!

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Give a Gift   |   Subscriber Services

PREVIEW OUR CURRENT ISSUE

Buy Digital Single Issues

Magazine App Logo

Don't miss an issue.
Buy single digital issue for your phone or tablet.

Buy Single Digital Issue on the Firearms News App

Other Magazines

See All Other Magazines

Special Interest Magazines

See All Special Interest Magazines

Phone Icon

Get Digital Access.

All Firearms News subscribers now have digital access to their magazine content. This means you have the option to read your magazine on most popular phones and tablets.

To get started, click the link below to visit mymagnow.com and learn how to access your digital magazine.

Get Digital Access

Not a Subscriber?
Subscribe Now

Enjoying What You're Reading?

Get a Full Year
of Guns & Ammo
& Digital Access.

Offer only for new subscribers.

Subscribe Now