EL TIGRE .44 SADDLE RING CARBINE

SERIAL 25722. BARREL 22". CALIBER 44-40. The Tigre rifle was a Spanish copy of the Winchester Model 1892 made by Garate, Anitua y Cia., an Eibar based arms manufacturer between 1915 and 1938. The El Tigre rifles were chambered for the Winchester .44-40 cartridge (known in Spain as the .44 Largo) and had a 22-inch round barrel marked with the makers name, calibre, and the trademark image of a Tiger on the left side of frame. The stock was of Spanish walnut with a crescent (carbine) shaped metal butt plate with a trapdoor fitted for storage of a jointed cleaning rod in the butt. A drift-adjusted blade front sight was fitted. A military tangent leaf rear sight was fitted which was similar to those on the Mauser 1893 rifle and sighted to 1000 meters. The El Tigre was made for both Civilian and Police use but apart from its emergency use during the Spanish Civil War it was never issued as a military weapon. (WIKI) This example is standard in all respects with blue finish, sling swivel in butt & rear band, case color lever with saddle ring and stud on left side. Someone has beautifully carved a Spanish style bird on both sides of the stock. There is a small stress crack on right fore-arm. Traces of color remain on lever. The barrel retains about 90% blue finish with tube a nice mix of blue and patina. The frame still shows about 75% original blue with some scattered age freckling. Bore is strong and clean and the action is crisp as new. C&R