"Linneyl" is absolutely correct.
Fired Guedes cases are generally dated 1896, and are sometimes found in Natal, in the same places as Boer Mauser cases, so at least at that stage of the war I think they were firing smokeless ammunition.
Guedes are interesting rifles, and fun to shoot, but they're definitely obsolete compared to the Boer Mauser. They did have a reputation for accuracy at long ranges, but (a) this was when they were being compared to the Martini Henry and (b) when a sub-standard consignment of Guedes ammunition arrived, which was loaded with under-sized 7.7mm projectiles, their reputation was tarnished.
One of the reasons these relatively rare rifles are still regularly encountered today, usually in quite good condition, is that they were not carried "to the bitter end".
If any forummers are looking for non-deactivated arms which can be held in the UK without a firearms licence, the Martini Henrys and the Guedes are in this category of "obsolete calibre" and can be owned and displayed without papers in the UK. I will make an effort to alert forummers to sales where they appear, just as is usually done for medal sales.
