086-F01-494 6.5x58mm Portuguese Mauser Model 1904 “Vergeiro” Rifle

Breech with the crowned “CI” conjoined initials indicating King Carlos the 1st. 29″ (736.6mm) round barrel with regulation sights. No doubt a souvenir of the German Southwest African 1915 campaign. The Portuguese gifted 20 000 M1904 rifles to the UDF for use in this campaign because they were wary of the threat posed by the Germans on their Angolan and Mozambican borders. Portugal later converted all of their M1904 rifles to 7.92mm calibre and a shorter K98 configuration so the original 6.5mm M1904 are now particularly scarce. Expected wear to bore, good overall condition.