The Portuguese Army purchased 5,000 7.65mm Luger pistols in 1908, and the Navy followed suit the next year – but the Navy opted for 9mm ones, with 100mm barrels. A contract for 350 was placed in November 1909, with the guns delivered in 1910. These were in a standalone serial number range starting at 1, and they had a crown over anchor crest on the chambers in recognition of King Manuel II. Manuel was overthrown in 1910, however, and the followup order for an additional 300 guns were delivered with “RP” over anchor crests, for the Republic of Portugal (the final delivery was August 1912). These pistol were ordered with holsters, lanyards, double magazine pouches, and three magazines with each gun.
Select-fire Rifles
South African R2 and its Special Furniture
In South African military service, the R1 was the FN FAL and was the preferred infantry combat rifle until the adoption of the Galil as the R4 rifle. So what were the guns in between? […]
Light MGs
HK21 or Portuguese m/968: The H&K G3 Grows into a Light Machine Gun
When Heckler & Koch produced the iconic G3 rifle, it was intended to be a parts of a complete small arms package. The G3 was the infantry rifle, and it was paired with the MP% […]
Bolt Action Rifles
Winchester Model D: The WW1 Origin of the Famous Model 70
Just as World War One broke out in Europe, TC Johnson was working on a new Mauser-based sporting rifle design for the Winchester company. With the war, Johnson added options for military configurations (handguard, bayonet […]
Few people know that it was Portugal, not Russia, that was the first nation-state to become a socialist republic by armed revolution. Their revolution in 1910 predated the October Revolution by nearly eight years.
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