Dear Friends!

I have the chance to buy a Portugiese 1904 rifle. It may well be a 1904/ 39. Its in fine shape and the sights are great!

Its declared as "8 mm" Caliber, and it sure looks so!

Is this the 8 x 57IS, the elder 8 x 57I ( same bore, but different bullets and different throat dimensions ) or do the Portugese have a proprietary 8 mm case ( I know they do have a proprietary 6.5, the "Vergueiro" ( sp? ))

What 8 mm cartridges did the Portugese use from 1904 on???

Thanks in advance, Hermann

The "original" 1904's were chambered for the 6.5x58 Portuguese Vergueiro round. In 1937 the German Kar 98 was adopted as the Rifle 7.92mm M/937. A lot of the earlier 1904's were converted to the "standard" 8x57JS (.323" bullet) during the 1930's. If you have any doubt regarding the bore diameter, have it slugged.

If the bore is good and stock is solid, buy it. They are fun to shoot. It's a unique rifle and is very, very smooth. I paid $300 for mine and it was money well spent. Price range at the gun shows I go to seem to run from $250-$375.

Thanks!

I will bid on it, but I will not pay ANY price. I´ll let you know.

There is a BEAUTIFUL Lahti ( Swedish ) with an excellent trigger there, also!

So many fine guns, so few money ...

Hermann

This is my 8x57 Portuguese Vergueiro. I scraped off the military finish and found some very nice wood underneith. A nice hand rifle. Just don't try to pull the bolt apart unless you know what your doing. It can shoot bits all over the room and is a bitch to put back together. (speaking from experience)

I have one of these rifles that was converted
to the 8x57 round. I really like it. Very smooth
operation, good sights, sweet shooting.