The Portuguese Mauser
A Portuguese machine-gun post on the shores of the Rovuma River, the border between Portuguese and German East-Africa. 1916
Among several interesting details visible in this scene stands out the rifle held by the soldier on the left.
It is a Mauser 98 with an improved bolt system based on the Mannlicher rifle modified by Portuguese Infantry Captain Jose Alberto Vergueiro (1851-1908).
In 1898 an army commission was formed to choose a new rifle for the army that would replace the Kropastchek rifles acquired in 1886. During the following year, several trials were conducted on diverse rifles, including among others, the Swiss Veterli-Vitali, two models of the Danish Krag-Jörgensen, the Austrian Mannlicher, and two Mauser 98, the Spanish model, and the German one.
In 1900 the commission had reached an impasse. Two rifles had stood out for different reasons: the Mannlicher-Schönauer and the German Mauser 98. Both weapons filled the requisites imposed by the Army’s commission and both weapons showed an excellent ballistic performance. It all came down to the different bolt systems.
The Mannlicher bolt system was simpler and smoother but had some safety issues. The Mauser system was more robust but was more complex and rougher, and more complicated to disassemble and assemble.
It was then that Infantry Captain José Alberto Vergueiro came forward and submitted to the commission a new model of bolt system based on the Mannlicher m/96 system to which some improvements had been made.
The improvements were: a new safety system, constant strength conservation on the firing pin spring, the inclusion of a removable extractor that allowed replacing or cleaning it without having to resort to tools or a workshop, a new breech head that was impossible to install incorrectly, the introduction of a gas escape system to avoid injuries to the user in case of misfire, and the reduction of the number of pieces, mainly springs, thus allowing a simpler assembly and disassembly.
Having been accepted by the commission, it was decided that the new bolt system would be used on the German Mauser 98. On December 21, 1903, the Deutsch Waffen und Munitzionfabrik (DWM) was hired to manufacture 100,000 rifles Mauser-Vergueiro and corresponding bayonet. Captain Vergueiro in partnership with DWM’s technical director further optimized the Mauser with the new bolt system. In 1904 the new weapon was finished and four examples were manufactured of which two were sent to Portugal for approval. The new weapon became known by the official designation Mauser-Vergueiro 6,65mm m/904 or simply Mauser-Vergueiro. Abroad it was known as the Portuguese Mauser.
During the Great War, the Mauser-Vergueiro served mainly in the African Theatre, first of all with the South African Army to whom 25,000 rifles were supplied in 1915. Portuguese Metropolitan troops such as the ones in this picture were also equipped with the Mauser -Vergueiro. Many examples, together with significant amounts of 6,65 mm ammo were later captured by von Lettow’s Schutztruppe during their campaign in Portuguese East Africa and put to good use.
Due to its unique characteristics and caliber, the Portuguese Mauser presented a serious logistical problem to the Portuguese Expeditionary Corps (CEP) sent to France in 1917, given that ammo and spare parts had to be sent from Portugal by ship over very dangerous waters. The problem was solved by arming the CEP with British Enfield rifles instead. Thus the Mauser Vergueiro never saw service on the Western Front.
Main Source: Jaime Regalado (2010);‘Os Militares e as Inovações do Armamento Ligeiro na Regeneração, 1851-1905. Três Casos Notáveis’; III Jornadas de Memória Militar – Os Militares, a Ciência e as Artes.
Photo’s original source: Arquivo Histórico Ultramarino