|
That is good information, and correct about the Spanish rifles. But the pictured crest is Portuguese. The story is as interesting, though. During WWII Germany was trying to court Portugal in the (vain) hope that it would become an ally. So the German government allowed Mauser to complete a Portuguese contract for their M937 (1937) rifles. When production shifted over to the K.98k, the contract rifles were made on the K.98k production line, and inspected by the German Waffenamt inspector "655". They were then given a commercial polished-blue finish and marked with the Portuguese seal. Many were delivered, but some were left in Germany until 1944, when they were taken over by the Wehrmacht.
Jim
|