Policia de Qualidad Alta

This is a really neat photo. This is a Brazilian police officer with what is known as a PASAM machine pistol. Basically it was a Mauser C96 Schnellfeuer select-fire pistol modified with a fore grip and a fixed shoulder stock. They served from the 1960s all the way to the 1980s when they were replaced by Brazilian-made .45cal Madsen SMGs.

I find it interesting how South America has always used rather high quality guns. You have the Argentine and Chilean Mausers which are known world-wide for their high quality (manufactured in Germany of course) and then you have things like this. It's equally interesting that most of the combat down there has been fighting guerrillas. It's sad that such a beautiful place is so dangerous.