M1886 Steyr Kropatschek, 1886/89 Kropatschek-Mauser

ALL ANTIQUE RIFLES SOLD AS-IS. NEVER ATTEMPT TO FIRE AN ANTIQUE WEAPON WITHOUT CONSULTING A GUNSMITH. SEE PICTURES FOR CONDITION AND DETAILS. These are sold as collectible antiques.

The M1886 Kropatschek was possibly one of the most influential military rifles of all time, and may be a contender for one of the longest-serving military rifles in history.

In 1885 Portugal thought of adopting the Guedes-Castro rifle, but quickly realized that single-shot rifles were not the future when Mauser unveiled the 1871/84 upgrade to their single shot rifle. They did, however, recognize the value of the then cutting-edge "small caliber" 8mm cartridge - the first of its type - which would influence every "full power" rifle cartridge of the next few decades.

By 1886 the Portugese were ready to unveil the Espingarda de Infantaria 8 mm , or 1886, 8 mm Infantry Rifle, with a slightly improved version of the 8X60r Guedes cartridge. The rifles were built by OE.W.G (Österreichische Waffenfabriks-Gesellschaft) Steyr for Portugal, and immediately became such a hit that France and Austria-Hungary soon adopted them. France was so enamoured with the rifle that the venerable Lebel owed much of its DNA to the Kropatschek.

Likewise, the two rifles were so similar, that when France unveiled the Lebel with a new smokeless cartridge, Portugal began testing, to great success, smokless cartridges for the Kropatchek.

Though these rifles were only produced from 1886 to 1898, they were used extensively in WWI, used by Portugese colonies in WWII, and all the way to the Annexation of Goa in 1961. They are still being used in conflicts throughout Africa, especially Ethiopia.

This particular Kropatchek rifle was updated in 1889 to Mauser-Kropatschek pattern with the addition of a top handguard, ostensibly for colonial issue. The bore is well-used but good, and overall condition is very nice. As is standard for Portugese Kropatschek rifles, all numbers match EXCEPT for the bolt. In the original 8x56 Kropatschek.
For further details, see pictures.

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