I.N.A. .38 Special Tiger (Brazil) Any details on mfgr, gun? - The Firearms Forum

mjp28 · 12-17-2011, 10:21 PM

I.N.A. .38 Special Tiger (Brazil)

I bought this gun in the early 1970s from a friend for $50 including leather belt holster, cleaning brushes, about 6 boxes of .38 ammo including .38 SP police wadcutters and a few others.

He had about 10 kids and was always adopting more, wanted to get rid of the gun. I think a son or two were cops, may have come from them?

MY QUESTIONS, is I.N.A. (INC NAC DE ARA on grip buttons) still in business? Can you look anything up about the gun with the serial numbers like mfgr date, etc. anywhere?
.38 Special on barrel, tiger image on frame, about 2 3/4" bbl, 5 shot revolver.

I've only test fired it a few times, felt pretty good on target about 15 feet. I just have it as another house gun. Is it a good gun? Any idea on today's value, it's looks good, pretty fair condition.

This is my 1st post here! Your comments please, thank you, mjp.

mjp28 · 12-17-2011, 10:24 PM

Looks like this....

RJay · 12-17-2011, 11:39 PM

INA, Industria Nacional De Armas, Now known as IMBEL. A somewhat copy of the J frame S&W, but not a clone. Some parts will fit if you are handy with a file. My understand is that they are not thought of very highly in Brazil, one of our Brazilian posters referred to it as a " South American Saturday Night Special ". Never having owned one that is about all I can post other than they were imported in the 1960s. I don't think your friend over charged you.

mjp28 · 12-18-2011, 12:05 AM

Thanks, I will say this is one heck of a Saturday Night special.

It looks and feels pretty good but I can't find anything in writing on it or know anyone who's owned one.

I've heard they made a .32 Tiger but I'm not sure if they're comprable.

mjp28 · 12-21-2011, 11:27 PM

I found some youtube videos on the INA .38 Special Tiger.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHFlJ3x1X_c

I agree with most of what they have to say about the gun including the S&W comparisons.

I still would like to find a site that you can plug your gun S/N into it to get the details like when it was made, etc....if it even exists!

RJay · 12-22-2011, 10:18 AM

There are no record data bases for your hand gun.

mjp28 · 12-22-2011, 06:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RJay

There are no record data bases for your hand gun.

Yeah I'm just about sure now of that, I've owned the gun for over 30 years, always wondered about it's origin.

Thanks anyway..... mjp

mjp28 · 01-07-2013, 11:54 PM

OMG! I was googling around for some info on .38s and ran into my 1st post here in 2011. How cool is that.

12-17-2011, 10:21 PM	#1
mjp28 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: anytown, OHIO Contributor Posts: 3,046	I.N.A. .38 Special Tiger (Brazil) Any details on mfgr, gun? I.N.A. .38 Special Tiger (Brazil) I bought this gun in the early 1970s from a friend for $50 including leather belt holster, cleaning brushes, about 6 boxes of .38 ammo including .38 SP police wadcutters and a few others. He had about 10 kids and was always adopting more, wanted to get rid of the gun. I think a son or two were cops, may have come from them? MY QUESTIONS, is I.N.A. (INC NAC DE ARA on grip buttons) still in business? Can you look anything up about the gun with the serial numbers like mfgr date, etc. anywhere? .38 Special on barrel, tiger image on frame, about 2 3/4" bbl, 5 shot revolver. I've only test fired it a few times, felt pretty good on target about 15 feet. I just have it as another house gun. Is it a good gun? Any idea on today's value, it's looks good, pretty fair condition. This is my 1st post here! Your comments please, thank you, mjp. -->

12-17-2011, 10:24 PM	#2
mjp28 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: anytown, OHIO Contributor Posts: 3,046	Re: I.N.A. .38 Special Tiger (Brazil) Any details on mfgr, gun? Looks like this....

12-17-2011, 11:39 PM	#3
RJay Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arizona Posts: 3,485	Re: I.N.A. .38 Special Tiger (Brazil) Any details on mfgr, gun? INA, Industria Nacional De Armas, Now known as IMBEL. A somewhat copy of the J frame S&W, but not a clone. Some parts will fit if you are handy with a file. My understand is that they are not thought of very highly in Brazil, one of our Brazilian posters referred to it as a " South American Saturday Night Special ". Never having owned one that is about all I can post other than they were imported in the 1960s. I don't think your friend over charged you. __________________ RonJames Last edited by RJay; 12-17-2011 at 11:41 PM..

12-18-2011, 12:05 AM	#4
mjp28 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: anytown, OHIO Contributor Posts: 3,046	Re: I.N.A. .38 Special Tiger (Brazil) Any details on mfgr, gun? Thanks, I will say this is one heck of a Saturday Night special. It looks and feels pretty good but I can't find anything in writing on it or know anyone who's owned one. I've heard they made a .32 Tiger but I'm not sure if they're comprable.

12-21-2011, 11:27 PM	#5
mjp28 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: anytown, OHIO Contributor Posts: 3,046	Re: I.N.A. .38 Special Tiger (Brazil) Any details on mfgr, gun? I found some youtube videos on the INA .38 Special Tiger. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHFlJ3x1X_c I agree with most of what they have to say about the gun including the S&W comparisons. I still would like to find a site that you can plug your gun S/N into it to get the details like when it was made, etc....if it even exists! Last edited by mjp28; 12-25-2011 at 04:11 PM..

12-22-2011, 10:18 AM	#6
RJay Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Arizona Posts: 3,485	Re: I.N.A. .38 Special Tiger (Brazil) Any details on mfgr, gun? There are no record data bases for your hand gun. __________________ RonJames

01-07-2013, 11:54 PM	#8
mjp28 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: anytown, OHIO Contributor Posts: 3,046	Re: I.N.A. .38 Special Tiger (Brazil) Any details on mfgr, gun? OMG! I was googling around for some info on .38s and ran into my 1st post here in 2011. How cool is that.