The Mondragon was the first semiautomatic rifle formally adopted by a national military. It was designed by Mexican Manuel Mondragon, manufactured by SIG in Switzerland, and used by the Mexican military beginning in 1911. When World War I began in 1914, the production rifles were sent to Germany, which tested them but lost interest.

The gun was gas operated with a rotating bolt, but was subject to many malfunctions and part breakages.