I have a DWM 1904 Mauser in its original caliber, 6.5 x 58. It carries ownership marks that show it was once in South Africa, can anyone tell me what the U.D.F stands for please.
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I have a DWM 1904 Mauser in its original caliber, 6.5 x 58. It carries ownership marks that show it was once in South Africa, can anyone tell me what the U.D.F stands for please.
Union Defence Force. It is a Vergueiro, developed in Portugal and manufactured by Mauser. There should be some threads on the forum and lots of information on the web.
Portugal donated about 10 000 of these rifles to South Africa in WWI when SA didn't have any firearms really. Used in German South West Africa, possibly East Africa. Rifles were stored haphazard and it is extremely rare to find a UDF one with matching numbers. Known as the 'pencil Mauser' for the long cartridge. Interesting to research the history of these UDF rifles and the Vergueiro in general.
Thankyou very much Daan, I take your point about non matching numbers, this rifle has two serial numbers on the action, another on the bolt and different again for the trigger guard and magazine floor plate. It has been sanded and refinished at some point but at least it has survived.