Brazil - Forgotten Weapons

Madsens in the Favelas: The LMG Still Going Strong With Rio’s Military Police

November 8, 2023 Ian McCollum 2

The Madsen LMG was first introduced in 1902, and it is still in use with police forces in Brazil today. The Madsen was not very popular with major European armies, but it sold extensively in […]

Brazilian 1883 Nagant Revolver: The .44 Henry Rides Again!

September 23, 2020 Ian McCollum 10

In 1883, the Brazilian government decided to purchase 3,000 new revolvers, and they chose the Mauser Model 1878 “Zigzag” to procure. The officer charged with making the purchase in Europe, however, appears to have done […]

Brazil’s .30-06 Copy of the G43: The Mosquetão Semi-Automático M954

April 10, 2020 Ian McCollum 16

Sold for $5,750 with four other rifles at the February 2020 RIA Sporting & Collectors auction. In the aftermath of World War Two, Brazil decided to adopt a semiautomatic rifle for its military, in .30-06 […]

Springfield’s SAR-4800 FAL…in 5.56mm

November 20, 2019 Ian McCollum 11

In the early 1990s, the Brazilian Imbel factory made a small run of FAL rifles converted to 5.56mm using AR magazines. They used standard FAL receivers and bolt carriers, with a boltface cut for 5.56x45mm […]

The Brazilian Uru SMG: A Study in Simplicity

April 26, 2017 Ian McCollum 39

The Uru, named for a tropical bird, is a Brazilian 9mm submachine gun made from 1977 until 1985 and used by Brazilian military and police forces. What makes it interesting is the designer’s focus on […]

Vintage Saturday: Pipe-Smoking Snakes

October 4, 2014 Ian McCollum 27

Troops from the BEF (Força Expedicionária Brasileira) posing for the camera, with 1908 Mauser rifles and a Hotchkiss 1922 LMG both in 7mm Mauser.

Semiauto Madsen LMG Video

June 24, 2013 Ian McCollum 50

The Madsen light machine gun is note-worthy for several reasons – it was the first military-issue light machine gun developed and it was successful enough to remain in production into the 1950s (long after every […]

Brazilian LAPA FA Modelo 03

June 7, 2013 Ian McCollum 32

Today we have another article by Ronaldo Olive, reprinted with his permission. This was originally published in Jane’s Defense Weekly in 1984, when the LAPA FA-03 was still more or less in prototype phase – […]

Vintage Saturday: Parade Gear

April 20, 2013 Ian McCollum 2

Motorcycle of the Guanabara Police Department, sporting a Hotchkiss 1914 heavy machine gun. Rio de Janeiro, 1960. Thanks to Ronaldo Olive for the photo!

Brazil’s Uru SMG

November 23, 2012 Ian McCollum 10

Rough, Rugged, Reliable! by Ronaldo Olive (originally published in Harris Publications’ FULL AUTO magazine) Think of a World War II military Jeep for a moment. Okay? Now,, what have you got in your mind?I can […]