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In 1904 the Portuguese adopted the M1904 Mauser Vergueiro. They did this to modernize there armed forces who were mainly using the old black powder designed 1886 Kropatschek rifles. The Mauser Vergueiro is a mix of primarily M98 Mauser features like a internal 5rd stripper clip fed magazine and a bolt designed by a Portuguese officer Jose Vergueiro. The bolt is more reminiscent to a M1888 Commission rifle than anything else, however it is a exceptionally smooth bolt. They did this mainly because even though the Portuguese wanted a rifle like the Mannlicher Schoenauer, they couldn't afford something like that, so the Mauser Vergueiro was more a effective compromise than anything else.
In 1939 the Portuguese decided to update the M1904s that were in stock and serving around there empire. Basically the M1904s that were serving in Portugal were updated to M1904/39 standards well those in the colonies were generally left in M1904 configuration. The M1904/39 standards were to more closely match the new M1937 M98 Mausers they had just bought.
Changes included shortening the barrel and rechambering/boring the barrel to 8mm Mauser, bluing the bolt, adding a reinforcing bolt to the stock, drilling a gas vent hole in the chamber, grinding down the rear sight ramp to match the ballistic profile of 8mm Mauser, adding front sight protector wings to the front sight, and adding capture screws to the magazine screws.
The M1904 which is shown here was at one point part of the Mozambique arsenal (DGMLM Direçao General Militar de Lorenço Marques number 196 of the arsenal). In 1914 this particular rifle is one of the 20,000 that were given to the South Africans to go fight the Germans in East Africa (who rightfully prized these rifles when they captured them). The M1904/39 here was converted to the M1904/39 standard and was likely left in the grease until I received it a couple years ago, as the bore in mint.
- Stock: 1
- Model: PORTUGUESE MODEL DWM 1904 6.5 MAUSER VERGUEIRO RIFLE ACTION
- Weight: 2.00kg