History of the Mauser Rifle in Chile

Book excerpt: As part of its rise as a regional South American power, Chile chose to emulate the highly successful Prussian military system in the last decades of the 19th century. Prior conflicts and the prospect of war with Argentina, which came to a head in the early 1890s, can be seen as the pretext for Chile's purchase of "Prussian" military equipment, including Mauser rifles and Krupp cannons. This book summarizes important regional events, while also offering a general historical overview of Mauser developments. It will then proceed to expose the particulars of Chile's Mausers, purchases that resulted in the Model 1895, 1912, and 1935. Also detailed are the technical specifics of each of these three models and the historical events surrounding their acquisition. The result is the first comprehensive attempt at documenting these important artifacts and events, which will, it is hoped, initiate further research into this fascinating topic.