[forindooruseonly]

Here is a question that a friend who is an author posed to me the other day, and I honestly don't have a clue so I turn to you guys.

What sidearms has Fidel Castro used? He clearly used whatever he could get a hold of at the time, so its a pretty wide selection prior to his years of Soviet supply. I've seen pictures of him with a wide range of rifles, from scoped bolt actions to M-1s and an FAL. I have seen pictures of him with a holster, but they are always with a flap and the sidearm itself is not visible.

Anybody have a reasonable guess what his sidearm would have been? Thanks.

[WardenWolf]

Flapped holsters typically mean Tokarevs, Makarovs, and Nagant revolvers. To one familiar with these guns, it's pretty obvious which is which based on size and shape.

[forindooruseonly]

Here is a pic pulled from http://militaria.vicmart.com, where this autographed pic is for sale. It is definitely the holster I'm thinking of, but I'm not familiar with those guns at all.

http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a263/Forindooruseonly/1Castro.jpg

Thanks again

[WardenWolf]

That looks like a Tokarev holster, all right, and it would be correct for period since Tokarevs were surplus by then and thus exported freely to Soviet allies.

[Sebastian the Ibis]

I never thought I'd say this but: Too bad Castro didn't put his foot down harder on the right.

[forindooruseonly]

Cool. Thanks WardenWolf. Wouldn't have figured that out on my own.

[Ron James]

Most sources I've read state that Castro carried a 1911 during the so called revolution. The holster he is wearing looks like a 1911 holster and the weapons used by the rebels were US military stolen from the Batista forces. We supplied support including military weapons for Batista government. As far as I know, during the revolution ( Castro took power in 1959 ) there were no Soviet small arms supplied to the Cuban Rebels

[SharpsDressedMan]

We could call him and ask; he's still around. Anyone habla espanol?

[9mmepiphany]

Most sources I've read state that Castro carried a 1911

That seems to be my recollection also. I remember seeing pictures in my youth...I'm well into my 50s...of him holding a 1911 in magazines

[M-Cameron]

that holster in the photo is without question a 1911 holster.......


as to what gun was inside i cannot say....but it stands to reason that it to would also be a 1911

[EOD Guy]

Most sources I've read state that Castro carried a 1911 during the so called revolution. The holster he is wearing looks like a 1911 holster and the weapons used by the rebels were US military stolen from the Batista forces. We supplied support including military weapons for Batista government. As far as I know, during the revolution ( Castro took power in 1959 ) there were no Soviet small arms supplied to the Cuban Rebels

That's a Soviet RPG-7 launcher, with the round inserted, at Castro's feet.

[Ron James]

:)Perhaps that is also what is in the 1911 holster:). What age is the picture" He took power in 59 at that time all US aid was cut off. Is the picture 1961-62-63??:) During the revolution the rebels used captured US weapons and any old left over weapons they could find. Soviet aid did start until the US cut off all diplomatic recognition. Can't tell what is in the holster but during the revolution he was always pictured with a 1911.

[Flynt]

IIRC, photos of the Fidelistas in the mountains, during the revolution, show WWII era U.S. issue weapons -- M1 Garands & carbines, Thompsons, greaseguns, and 1911's. That would make sense because the normal way guerillas get weapons if from capturing them from the enemy -- who in this case was equipped by the U.S.

[cleardiddion]

The picture looks like a 1911 holster to me.
The tell tale sign (in my mind) that it's not a tokarev is the fact that it doesn't have a magazine pouch on the holster as far as I can tell.

[M-Cameron]

The picture looks like a 1911 holster to me.
The tell tale sign (in my mind) that it's not a tokarev is the fact that it doesn't have a magazine pouch on the holster as far as I can tell.

that and the fact that the flap on the tokarev holster is much shorter than the flap on a 1911.....and the latch on the flap is different.....the tokarev uses a "buckle" like closure as opposed to the "hole and button" type on the 1911

[forindooruseonly]

1911 then. I knew many of his revolutionary weapons were U.S., so that makes sense. But I didn't know if later he would reject such a decadent capitalist weapon in favor of a people's Torkarev for communist credibility... I jest. Hey, thanks for the information. I'll relay it to my friend.

[Kleanbore]

IIRC, photos of the Fidelistas in the mountains, during the revolution, show WWII era U.S. issue weapons -- M1 Garands & carbines, Thompsons, greaseguns, and 1911's. That would make sense because the normal way guerillas get weapons if from capturing them from the enemy -- who in this case was equipped by the U.S.Plus some scoped hunting rifles. I've seen a picture of Fidel with a Remington 742 Woodsmaster.

[WardenWolf]

Actually the Tokarev holster uses a hole and button (I have 2 of them), and while it usually does have a magazine pouch, it is possible we just can't see it due to how the flap is positioned. He is carrying an AK-47, so a Tokarev would make a lot of sense. And, in truth, there's no real drawback to a Tokarev compared to a 1911.

[cl4de6]

I finished an oral biography of Fidel Castro a few months ago. He was quite the firearms aficionado. He went into the process of zeroing rifles, compensating for bullet drop and he discussed small-unit gorilla tactics.

The book can be found here: http://www.amazon.com/Fidel-Castro-Life-Spoken-Autobiography/dp/1416553282 although I listened to the audiobook version

It's not a bad read, although there are some wince-able moments where he twists history. He conveniently leaves out the mass executions of Cuban Army prisoners from the Batista regime.

From what I remember, after he assumed power, Castro preferred the Browning Hi-Power as his sidearm.

[LeonCarr]

I read somewhere that when he was a guerilla in the mountains his favorite rifle was a Winchester Model 70 .30-06, with scope.

[InkEd]

Castro liked the 1911 he even gave this one Chairman Mao of China.

http://m.flickr.com/#/photos/mrleigh/420989963/

[DoubleTapDrew]

Well if it's a 1911 I'm sure he got it at a gun show in the U.S. :neener:

[c919]

that holster in the photo is without question a 1911 holster.......

Without question...? No, that looks just like my Tokarev holster...

that and the fact that the flap on the tokarev holster is much shorter than the flap on a 1911.....and the latch on the flap is different.....the tokarev uses a "buckle" like closure as opposed to the "hole and button" type on the 1911

... which uses the "hole and button" closure.

Not to hate on you man, but that could very easily be a Tokarev.

[swiftak]

That looks like the same 1911 holster we had in the Army.

[Dr.Rob]

Swear that's the first pic I've seen of Fidel with a Soviet arm. Every gun toting pic of Fidel and Che DURING the revolution they were carrying US made arms, namely Garands and Carbines.

After the revolution? He's a head of state. Imagine he's been handed a number of 'presentation grade' pistols.

That pic is certainly post-revolution as he's poster-boying fresh Soviet arms and a growing beer belly he never had on the march.

[Sniper X]

I have seen a pic where ha has a 1911 in hand and a M1 or M2 carbine on a sling over the back, that photo above seems to support that he carried both. In fact, i have never seen a pic where he didn't have M1 carbine if he had a gun!

[M-Cameron]

Without question...? No, that looks just like my Tokarev holster...

alright.....here is the picture of the holster, i simply enlarged and cleaned it up a bit

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii196/TMSNPR/Holster.jpg?t=1288894733


now look at these points here:
http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii196/TMSNPR/holsterpoint.jpg?t=1288894762


note the distinctive curve in the holster flap and the stitching done on the muzzle end of the holster....

now compare those to 1911 holsters
http://www.hallowellco.com/1911-holsters-front.jpg
http://www.hallowellco.com/colt_1911_holsters.htm


now compared to a tokarev holster
http://www.deactivated-guns.co.uk/images/bigpics/tokarev/IMG_1157.jpg
http://www.deactivated-guns.co.uk/images/bigpics/tokarev/IMG_1157.jpg


not only is the stitching different, but the flap on the tokarev holster is MUCH shorter than the 1911 holsters.......they are also missing the distinctive curve in the flap.....

also note....theres is no magazine holster visible in the picture of castro......but every tokarev holster i have seen, the magazine holster is clearly visible.....


....so im pretty safe in saying that is a 1911 holster on Castro's hip......unless i am missing something.

[SharpsDressedMan]

That's a Bianchi Model 16L. A flap holster (currently out of production) made for most guns on order. Before that, H.H. Heiser used to make a similar flap holster, also to order. :)

[Onmilo]

I have no photos but it is my understanding that Castro favored a 1911A1 during the revolution and a Browning/FN Hi-Power during his tenure as El Presidente.

[MikeNice]

Somebody could write Lawrence Block and ask him. He wrote a fictional book about a group of Americans sent to knock off Castro. He tends to research his stuff pretty well. He might have the answer.