doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Arrieta 2" 12 ga game Gun

Someone on this planet or the next one must have wrote something about getting an Arrieta 2" game gun built. I normally get about 1 or 2 inquires a year on this and now have had 2 in the last 10 days. Forget about it!

There is no savings of weight, which I think some folks expect. Go for the 2 1/2" instead. You have more choices of ammo and you can still use the 2" if thats whats burning a hole in your panties.

Many years ago I built a 12 ga for a friend. He wanted it to come in at 6 lbs. it did. So look toward the 2 1/2" if you just want a short chambered gun. (Or get a 2 3/4" and shim it!)


Best to all

John Boyd
Quality Arms

John,

Thanks for the info, and you are right - there is an article in the current Shooting Sportsman that talks about 2" guns: "Manufacturas Arrieta" on page 57. It mentions a gun that weighs 5 lbs 15 oz.

Not requesting an order, but just out of curiosity - could you get a 2 3/4" 12 or 16 ga gun at that weight? 2 3/4" just makes so much more sense, with ammo availability being what it is, and, as you say, you could still shoot the 2" or 2 1/2" if that's what floats your boat.

As I mentioned, we did a 6 lbs. 12 ga 2 3/4" Thats close enought to 5 lb. 15 oz in my book


Best

John

Well John, I hate to disagree with you but I still think a good case can be made for the Arrieta 2" gun and here's why. First off let me say that my Wingshooter's Light Game Gun with 27" barrels weighed exactly 5 lbs. 13 ozs. on a dead accurate scale. It's action was smaller than a standard 12, I think it was built on a 16 frame. It was proofed for standard CIP pressures so obviously it could have been made with 2 1/2" chambers but that wouldn't be a good idea because then you have a gun that some fool can stuff 2 3/4" shells into. That's one of the unknowns when you buy a used 2 1/2' chambered gun, has some fool fired a few hundred rounds of SAMI 2 3/4" shells thru it? Most of the time of course, no problem, but with a lightly made gun like the Arrieta two incher it would be a problem. I sold mine several years ago in a moment of silliness but would love to get another and with 25" barrels, Churchill rib and a 14" stock believe that the weight could be held to five and three quarter lbs.
Nial

You won't find a Spanish 2" approaching the weight of some of the Brit 2" guns--some of which are also proofed to the 2 1/2" CIP standard. Of course that can be a curse as easily as a blessing. A lot of people have discovered that they do not shoot a 5 1/4# gun all that well--whether it's a Brit 2" or a very light 28ga.

i see little use for light game gun but my 8&3/4lb magnum will see plenty of action this november.

PJ, have you ever hunted ruffed grouse in dense tangles of briars? Have you ever hunted bobwhite quail? I'd love to watch you lug your magnum around all day in hilly, rock strewn brambles.
Nial

John is spot on!
I'm a 2" 12 fan and would have liked a 2" Arrieta but everyone I actually weighed or asked to have weighed was over 6#'s. With the era of digital scales, there is no more "I think it weighs".
The Brit boxlock 2" is a thing of the past as no one makes one and in my research, even Weisman's who own the Skimin & Wood name and whatever else was left over from the 'Blitz' cannot make you one. Now maybe Purdey or Holland will make you a sidelock but the cost, well you the know the old adage.
My J&W Tolley branded Abercrombie and Fitch weighs 5# 7oz, was proofed in 1939 and sold by Abercrombies in 1943(Letter and copy of sales record from G&H).
The action was probably made by Skimin & Wood and other parts by various Birmingham makes and assembled by Tolley as that's how those guns were made. G&H sales records show a number of small batches of these guns were made for A&F over the years and sold, so there are more out there. So if you want a true 2" 12 bore and are not willing to spend a small fortune, start looking or for a very nice 2&1/2" 12 bore(Arrieta makes fine guns, I don't know why I don't own one?), purchase an Arrieta from John!. -Dick

Two 2 inch guns in the current Holt's listing for the sale of 23Sep2010. One a lovely Alex Henry in fine condition weighing all of 5 lbs. 5 oz. Wonderful rough shooting gun.

The only known existing rifle previously owned by C. Selous up for sale as well.

Best Regards;

A two inch chambered twelve gauge is not the only, the easiest or the most sensible option for a gun to use, in lieu of a heavy duck gun, for bobwhite quail. It makes little sense to me either, unless someone just wants to have something different from most everyone else. A 20 or 28 is a much more economical and reasonable way to have a lightweight game gun, which will be used with 3/4 or 7/8 oz. loads, than a two inch chambered twelve.

I've seen a lot of different guns and loads used for quail in my lifetime of chasing them, but never saw a two inch twelve. The overwhelming majority of quail hunters would think it is an answer to a problem that never existed. Me included.