Paul, Still on the Portuguese subject we have an unknown Mauser carbine in a special configuration and caliber .303 British.
In the 1929-32 period Mauser firm was going through a tough financial period during the 1929-32 World crisis. After heavy investments on 2 pending contracts for Chile and Paraguay for Standard Modells, these 2 contracts fell apart due to political events in both lands. Portugal asked Mauser to make up some special carbines in caliber .303 British. These carbines had full length stocks with Nose ends looking similar to those on some British Enfield rifles. The rifles had special magazine boxes with push button release floor plate. 2500 of these were made for Portugal in 1932. To date no carbine like this has ever surfaced.
1. Target data with title, date etc.
2. Right / Left view of special Carbine
These images come from Lockhoven Mauser files. In other docs for the specail carbine there was interest shown to make this carbine with a new type of Rotary magazine .We have parts listing that indicate this Rotary magazine. Mauser mysteries never stop comming along. Jon
Hello
I just joined this forum and would like to say Hello to all members.
I am a Portuguese collector and target shooter and interested in Portuguese ordnance weapons. Inter alia I have a Steyr Mannlicher 1896 cavalry carbine in 6,5x53R, serial number 553, and a Mauser “Vergueiro” 1904 originally in 6,5x58, serial number J 5900 later converted in the Portuguese Arsenal of “Braço de Prata” to 7,92x57 (8mm Mauser) on 1939.
Lee Enfield are also common in Portuguese collections namely due to the fact that the Portuguese expeditionary army in France during the IWW was equipped, in 1917, with some 40.000, No.3 MKI, M/1917 e M/1917-A. The reason for this shift from Mauser Vergueiro – the usual rifle of the Portuguese army since 1904, but using 6,5x58 ammo – was that the Portuguese army was integrated in the English army fighting in France and therefore was much easier to supply .303 ammo to all the troops involved.
After the disaster of La Lys where thousands of weapons were lost, apparently only about 15.000 Lee Enfield’s rifles returned to Portugal after the War and served in Portugal and the colonies, mainly in Africa, where they were popular given the English colonies neighborhood.
In a Report from the Army Inspection on 1931 the Lee Enfield’s were declared to be in bad condition, needing general repair, or substitution.
However they were never popular being the Mauser the favorite rifle, using the 6,5x58 cartridge until 1937 when new Mauser K98K were purchased from Germany. More Mauser rifles were purchased on 1941, in such a way that at the time Portugal had about 190.000 fully working Mausers in 8x57.
In the meantime about 40.000 Vergueiros 1904 were converted to 7,92x57 IS Mauser, an operation involving the modification of the action, re-chambering, re-rifling, and shortening the original barrel, new from sight protection iron “ears” and some modification to the rear sights to adapt to the new caliber.
This is the basic history of purchases and modifications in the Portuguese army since 1904 – I have never ever heard about a 1932 order of Mausers chambered to .303, either for precision shooting or otherwise. The .303 cartridge was not the normal ordnance cartridge in Portugal and an order of 2.500 Mauser rifles chambered for this cartridge is a big surprise to me.
In addition I am sure that such rifles never surfaced in Portugal, and therefore the sole possibility I can imagine is an order advanced as intermediary for any other country… I simply cannot imagine which at that time!
But is it confirmed that those rifles were effectively produced and paid?
Could it have been a simple study and a couple of prototypes only, without further consequences?
Sorry for the long post but this was really something new to me!