IMBEL Mosquefal Mq M968
- Category
- Rifle
- Barrel
- 610 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.92 kg
- Introduced
- 1968
About
What it is, and why it matters
The IMBEL Mosquefal (Mq M968) is a Brazilian bolt-action rifle produced by IMBEL's Fábrica de Itajubá. It was created from 1967 onward by converting roughly 10,000 older Mauser-pattern mosquetões chambered in .30-06 to fire the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge, standardizing ammunition with the FN FAL then in service. The conversion retained the original Mauser 98 bolt and firing mechanism (the .30-06 and 7.62 NATO share a common base diameter) while fitting a new FAL-pattern barrel, an adapted NATO chamber, a peep-aperture rear sight, a taller front post, and a grenade-launching muzzle brake. Its name is a portmanteau of 'mosquetão' and 'FAL'. It remains in use with the Brazilian Army and Military Police, chiefly in marksmanship and reservist training programs.
The Mosquefal's name mashes together 'mosquetão' (the Brazilian Mauser carbine) and 'FAL' — because the frugal conversion rebarreled thousands of old .30-06 Mausers to shoot the FN FAL's 7.62 NATO round, letting a bolt-action antique share a cartridge with Brazil's modern battle rifle.
Model number 968 reflects the 1968 introduction; development began in 1967. Weight of 3.92 kg is quoted without bayonet.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Industria de Material Belico do Brasil
- Category
- Rifle
- Country
- Brazil
- Status
- In service
- Produced
- 1968
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 610 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.92 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Bolt action
- Firing mechanism
- Striker fired
- Trigger
- Two stage
- Capacity
- 5
- Magazine
- Internal
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Wood
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 860 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 3524 J
- Effective range
- 600 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Mauser 98 action
Fal pattern barrel
Peep rear sight
Grenade muzzle brake
Stripper clip loading
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 1,612 rifles | 3.92 kg | 3.50 kg | Heavier than about 70% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 1,659 rifles | 610 mm | 584 mm | Longer than about 60% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 1,611 rifles | 5 | 5 | Holds more rounds than about 60% |
Answers
Questions about the IMBEL Mosquefal Mq M968
How much does the IMBEL Mosquefal Mq M968 weigh?
The IMBEL Mosquefal Mq M968 weighs 3.92 kg (8.64 lb) empty.
What caliber is the IMBEL Mosquefal Mq M968?
The IMBEL Mosquefal Mq M968 is chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO.
How many rounds does the IMBEL Mosquefal Mq M968 hold?
The IMBEL Mosquefal Mq M968 holds 5 rounds, fed from an internal magazine.
How long is the IMBEL Mosquefal Mq M968?
The IMBEL Mosquefal Mq M968 has a 610 mm (24.0 in) barrel.
Who makes the IMBEL Mosquefal Mq M968?
The IMBEL Mosquefal Mq M968 is made by Industria de Material Belico do Brasil (Brazil).
When was the IMBEL Mosquefal Mq M968 introduced?
The IMBEL Mosquefal Mq M968 was introduced in 1968.
How does the IMBEL Mosquefal Mq M968 operate?
The IMBEL Mosquefal Mq M968 uses a bolt action, and its firing mechanism is striker fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- Brazilian Army
- 1968
- Tiro de Guerra (Brazilian Army reservist training)
- Brazil
Provenance
Confidence in this record
68%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/imbel-model-968-mosquefal' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "imbel-model-968-mosquefal", "name": "IMBEL Mosquefal Mq M968", "manufacturer": { "id": "imbel", "name": "Industria de Material Belico do Brasil", "countryCode": "BR", "foundedYear": 1811, "website": "https://www.imbel.gov.br", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:45", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:45", "version": "abd830829db0a0869f83782ce7bd8fbb8e86959a21412dd0f411dd4237334163" }, "category": { "id": "rifle", "name": "Rifle", "description": "Long-barreled firearms designed for accurate shooting" }, "country_of_origin": "BR", "year_introduced": 1968, "barrel_length_mm": 610, "weight_empty_g": 3920, "action_type": "bolt_action"}