What is "garrucha"

Garrucha is a municipality of Almería province, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Garrucha is a seaport of south-eastern Spain on the Mediterranean Sea and the right bank of the river Antas. In 1998 the town had a population of 5000. The harbor of Garrucha, which is defended by an eighteenth-century castle, affords shelter to large ships, and is the natural outlet for the commerce of a once thriving agricultural and mining district. Garrucha had, at the beginning of the twentieth century a considerable trade in lead, silver, copper, iron, esparto grass and fruit, but now the only export from its harbour is gypsum mined in Sorbas, with a million metric tonnes being exported annually . Besides cargo ships, the port is home to a small fishing fleet and has approximately 300 moorings for leisure boats.

The garrucha is a small pistol, similar to a derringer, common in southern Brazil and Argentina in the early 20th Century. It is usually double-barreled, though with the barrels side-by-side rather than vertical as is common in American derringers, and the bores can be rifled or smooth.

In Brazil, the most popular chamberings were for the .320 and .380 centrefire cartridges, similar to the .32 S&W and .38 S&W in appearance, but conical. They were also chambered for the .22 Short, .22 Long, .22 Long Rifle, and the .32, 8mm, and 9mm Flobert cartridges, among others.

These types of pistols were popular from 1730-1960 due to their low cost and small size, and were associated with the gauchos (cowboys) of the South American pampas.

In Brazil, Garruchas were produced by Castelo, Rossi, and Lerap.