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Page AR-15 » AR-15 / M-16 Retro Forum
AR Sponsor: bravocompany
Posted: 9/7/2012 1:36:29 AM EDT
THE UNKNOWN WAR: PORTUGUESE PARATROOPERS IN AFRICA














...the weapons were so well liked that when the portuguese began running out of spare parts the Air Force manufactured its own...

http://www.operacional.pt/the-unknown-war-portuguese-paratroopers-in-africa/
Link Posted: 9/7/2012 2:06:17 AM EDT
[#2]
Wow.
Thanks
Link Posted: 9/7/2012 2:17:18 AM EDT
[#3]
Thanks OP.  A forgotten war indeed.  Once again, a policy of imposing hypocrisy on others.

ka
Link Posted: 9/7/2012 2:44:34 AM EDT
[#4]
Interesting. Thanks for posting this.
Link Posted: 9/7/2012 2:48:09 AM EDT
[#5]
Nice read, thanks.
Link Posted: 9/7/2012 11:47:20 AM EDT
[#6]
Thanks for posting this - great read.
Link Posted: 9/8/2012 5:46:08 AM EDT
[#7]
OMG that last pic of the guy with the AR10 is incredible. I would like to piece together that exact weapon - including the bipod -
Link Posted: 9/8/2012 5:49:11 AM EDT
[#8]
anyone shed light on that handguard and bipod setup in that last picture? link to more detail maybe? also, is that pistol grip a "standard" ar10? (dont know a lot about ar10's - but want to learn)...
Link Posted: 9/8/2012 6:01:25 AM EDT
[#9]
Quoted:
anyone shed light on that handguard and bipod setup in that last picture? link to more detail maybe? also, is that pistol grip a "standard" ar10? (dont know a lot about ar10's - but want to learn)...


Portuguese AR-10's were the final iteration of the original AR-10's built under license.

The final Artillerie Inrichtingen design is known as the Portuguese model AR-10. This final version incorporated all that had been learned to date about the AR-10, including infantry service rifle and field test reports. In addition to a heavier barrel with chrome-lined chamber, optional bipod, and the removable plastic/metal handguards of the Transitional model, the Portuguese variant had wider bolt lugs, a stronger extractor, a new simplified three-position gas regulator, and a cocking handle featuring a forward bolt assist.[33] It is believed that approximately 4-5,000 Portuguese variants were produced; nearly all of them were sold to the Portuguese National Defense Ministry by the Brussels-based arms dealer SIDEM International in 1960.[25] The AR-10 was officially adopted by Portuguese Hunter paratroop (Caçadores páraquedista) battalions, and the rifle saw considerable combat service in Portugal's counter-insurgency campaigns in Angola and Mozambique.[34

Link Posted: 9/8/2012 7:41:48 AM EDT
[#10]
[not my rifle] This is a good example of a complete Portoguese AR10 sniper rifle, complete with bipod and scope.  In this photo the rifle wears a replacement wooden buttstock which has since been swapped out with an original polycarbonate buttstock.  There were no more than about 100 scoped Porto sniper rifles made.  However, many more were produced with the bipod and no provision for a scope.  Unfortunately, e-v-e-r-y-b-o-d-y would like a bipod and you will not easily find one.  Forget about a scope - do not even dream.  A Porto scope was listed several weeks ago for $2800 on Sturm (twice!) and the listing was pulled immediately because no photos were shown.  Even then there was a long line of responders who wanted the scope at that price and with no photos.  I was second in line and got squat.

Link Posted: 9/8/2012 7:41:40 PM EDT
[#11]
Quoted:
anyone shed light on that handguard and bipod setup in that last picture? link to more detail maybe? also, is that pistol grip a "standard" ar10? (dont know a lot about ar10's - but want to learn)...


Some of the pics in this thread show the bipod and handguards.
These old rifles are a blast to shoot!  
Link Posted: 9/9/2012 6:32:09 AM EDT
[#12]
Very interesting reading. Books on the Portuguese bush wars are few and most are printed in Portuguese. The AR10 was proven in battle with the Paras.
 
Page AR-15 » AR-15 / M-16 Retro Forum
AR Sponsor: bravocompany
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