Based on the Mauser Gewehr 1898, the Vergueiro (also known as the Portuguese Mauser) is a bolt-action rifle designed between 1898 and 1903 by Portuguese army officer Captain Alberto José Vergueiro. The Vergueiro rifle was selected as the upgrade and large scale replacement for the former Portuguese army standard issue rifle – the 1886 / 91 Kropatschek, a bolt-action 8 mm Austrian rifle. The selection process started in 1898 with specialized evaluation commission that short-listed the Italian Passavicino-Carcano, the Norwegian Krag-Jørgensen, the French Daudeteau, the Austrian Steyr Mannlicher-Schönauer and the German Mauser. The final contenders were the Austrian and the German rifles. The German Mauser was ultimately selected but with Captain Vergueiro’s re-designed bolt-action.

Arsenal do Exercito (Arsenal of the Army)

Two OPM versions

Loading for a local client by Ken Stewart

Box courtesy Will Reuter