doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Quick- Uggy model 30 experiences.

I had a new Lion Country 16, light, thin ic/m barrels and it was pretty much death on everything within 40 yds. Sold it to get a Lefever, otherwise, a fantastic gun for the money, even at $1400.

Keith, look on the barrel flats for the date code. This chart only goes to 1980 then they started again with A.2=1981, B.2=82, etc. But I think Aspen didn't start importing until the 90s and in 95, I think, all the Spanish makers went to the last two numbers of the serial number as the year of proof. So after that the letter and number date code would be gone.

http://personales.jet.es/rafa/b_punzones_eibar_fecha.html

Aspens custom version of the Grade I is called AOC/SG

http://www.aspenoutfitting.com/shotgunsales.htm

Uggie M-30s? Yea, they kill birds real well.

According to the Aspen Outfitting website, they began importing their tweaked and upgraded Uggi, the AOC/SG model in 1999. I have a 16 bore which I really like for the grouse woods.

NB

I believe Aspen sold Bernardellis before they stopped making them.

The Parker Hale Uggies were marketed in this country as Models 640 and 645, with either an A or E suffix: A for American (PG and, I think, BT), E for English (straight/splinter). There was also a Churchill model, 25" barrels with the Churchill rib. The first Bill Hanus Birdguns were also Uggies, much like the Parker Hales of that era, with a few modifications.

I had one of the 645E-XXV's in 28ga. Probably the lightest sxs I've ever owned. Fun to carry in the grouse woods. Birds liked it too, because I couldn't hit with it!

Larry,

I had one of those too. Another example of "Great Minds run in the Same Track??

I bot mine in an effert to achive "The Ultimate Woodcock Gun". It carried more like a walking stick but did help with "QWM" ie. Quality Woodcock Management. If any kind of crossing shot was offered, it was 95% certain that 'cock would fly away unscathed, grouse too.

It was but one of a series of expensive lessons that I need a gun with longer barrels and more weight up front to hit anything in the grouse woods.

Rod

We learned the same lesson, Rod. And apparently had the same gun as a training aid!

My first Ugartechea was a 12 ga. Model 30 with a straight grip. It was very similar in size and weight to my Pedersoli 12 ga. muzzleloader. I considered the Uggie to be good practice for my (then) competitive ML shooting without all the work. It seemed to help. I used it for a few years and sold it for about twice what I had paid for it. No problems, other than the aforementioned soft firing pins. They are easy to make, Kasenit and replace. Mine lasted longer than the originals, by far. Using Kasenit on the originals works well, too, it they are not already bent or mushroomed.

So, the hot tip is to search out an older Uggy, say, one of the Falcons, and get a hidden, Purdey style third fastener that isn't included with the newer guns?
For my imagined need here, a 3" gun with longish tubes, say 28", 12 gauge, a pistolé grip, the usual MOD/Full chokes, plainish wood that I won't feel bad about cutting to put a recoil pad on and shortening up so I can use it when I wear a parka, and double triggers to pursue ditch parrots in winter conditions and to use for a trap/sporting clays type double gun, and very, very occasional waterfowling with big non-toxic numbers. I won't care if it gets wet.
I'm on it. Will let you know what I find.


Best,
Ted

The Gardner, Mass. Excel-imported guns will probably be the least expensive. They have the top fastener in the breech face.

jack