This is a representative example of a modified Swiss Model 1908 Mondragon semi-automatic rifle chambered in the 7 mm Mondragon cartridge. Col. Manuel Mondragon was an officer and later general in the Mexican army who designed several weapons that were some of the most technically advanced in the world in the early 1900s. These Model 1908 Mondragon rifles were all made in Switzerland due to the fact that only the SIG factory had the capability to manufacturing weapons of this type with such close tolerances as required by Mondragon. It is estimated that only 400 of this model were ever delivered to Mexico before the Mexican Revolution broke out, with the remaining rifles all being sold to Germany prior to WWI. Any example is considered very rare with very few ever being seen in the US. The Mondragon employs an early gas-impingement system that drives an operating rod on the right side of the receiver to cycle the bolt. The rifle has a rotating bolt with four front locking lugs, which is very similar to the Swiss 1891 Schmidt-Rubin and K31 rifles. It is fitted with a military style ladder rear sight marked from "4-2000" (400-2000 meters) with an inverted "V" front sight and a bayonet lug on the underside of the barrel. The rifle action is unmarked except for the serial number (1853) which is stamped on the left side of the action, top of the bolt, cocking handle and on the trigger guard housing directly behind the box magazine. Neither the magazine box, nor the buttstock are serial numbered (due to modification). The stock and hand guard are both made from a light colored straight grained walnut and it is fitted with a modified flat steel buttplate.

Fine with 90% plus of the original blue finish with edge and high spot wear overall with the front exposed area of the barrel showing a mixed brown patina on the underside. The complete bolt assembly, cocking handle/operating rod, and follower are still in the original, "in the white" factory finish. The rear receiver cap is an aluminum replacement that lacks any finish. The modified stock and handguards are in very good condition with the front 3/4th of the stock and handguard being original factory finish just showing some minor handling marks. The modified rear buttstock area has had a piece of walnut spliced on to the full length top of the comb with the sides of the buttstock area having been completely sanded. Unfortunately quite heavily when the repair was performed, thinning on the sides, with the steel buttplate was ground down to meet the sides of the stock. Still a very scarce representative example of a Swiss Model 1908 Mondragon semi-automatic rifle.