The Mondragón rifle, a Mexican battle rifle…

The Mondragón rifle, a Mexican battle rifle and the world's first automatic rifle, designed by Mexican general Manuel Mondragón, is the first fully automatic firearm able to be operated by a single rifleman.

Mondragón had begun his work in 1882 and patents the weapon in 1887.

It is gas-operated with a cylinder and piston arrangement, now very familiar but unusual at the time, and rotating bolt, locked by lugs in helical grooves in the receiver; it is also possible to operate it as a simple straight-pull bolt action.

The caliber is seven milllimeters (.284 in) Mauser and the rifle is available with either an eight-round or twenty-round box magazine.