OK. Some further thoughts on this gun.......
TRIGGER GUARD: This appears to be an obvious later addition. With the very slight traces of later red rust and the use of 20th Century flat wood screws to attach it to the stock. Also, the inletting to the wood was crudely done. Also the head of the barrel tang screw entering the bottom of the stock (normal) is too close to the inside of the trigger guard to be removed without removing the guard itself. Further evidence that the guard itself was an after-thought.
I'm confident this gun was originally made without a trigger guard, which would be the norm for Algerian long guns (as well as others). But I have seen this before where some collector/hobbyist/etc., not familiar with these guns, thinks the trigger guard is missing, and adds one from another old gun.
STOCK: Notice the hole in the middle of the wrist area for a sling/ring type attachment. (Also on the stock that Norman posted above). This hole, at this location on the rear of the stock shows up on every Algerian long gun I have seen. A small, but possibly significant styling cue.
While the forend of the stock "looks" like it was cut back from the muzzle end, there is no evidence of this. This so called 3/4 length stock shows up on every Algerian long gun I have seen. (See photo below). And the exposed portion of the barrel towards the muzzle has the exact same patina around the entire circumference of the barrel. There is no evidence there was ever a portion of wood on the bottom of the barrel in this area.
Although less pronounced, the small fishtail at the end of the butt stock is there. The only real difference with this gun compared to others is the more downward curve of the butt stock versus straight as on most Algerian guns.
BARREL: This octagon barrel with it's fast taper all the way to the muzzle is exactly the same as on most every other Algerian long gun I have seen (two I remember had octagon-to-round barrels).
I guess the point I'm trying to make is that this gun has more features that point to an Algerian origin, than not. Of course, additional comments most welcomed. And thanks for your viewing. The gun certainly has that "tribal" look to me. LOL
Rick
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