doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Looking for Info on a Dakin (G. Arizaga)

I recently picked up a 28" 12 ga. Dakin made by G. Arizaga with a silvered receiver, pistol grip and blued barrels that I reduced to 22" for Cowboy Action Shooting. Used it in a match over the weekend shooting a black powder sub (APP) with 50 gr. BP eq. 1-1/8 oz. loads. This is the nicest handling SXS I've ever used. The stock is a delight. It also has a perfect weight (6 lbs. 10 ozs.) for the load. I normally shoot a Win. 97 with smokeless 7/8 oz. loads, which is an easy to use setup. When I shoot black powder (a special CAS Frontier Cartridge Category), I've mainly been using a 20" Stoger Coach Gun. Compared to the Dakin, the Stoger is like using a 2X4 for a baseball bat. For what it's worth, I also have a Win 24, Daly/Miroku 500, and mint Stevens 311 that I've left in their original lengths and occasionally are used with BP for CAS.

Anyhow, I'm wondering if anyone can provide some info on the G. Arizaga? I'd kind of like to get another with a straight stock.

Arizaga's been out of business for over 20 years. Not sure whether any were imported except under the Dakin name, but I've seen several other Dakin Arizagas. Jack O'Connor had generally good things to say about Arizagas, although at least one contributor here bought one based on Jack's evaluation and was not too pleased with his purchase. But you're certainly going to get a lot better handling than with a Stoeger!

I have an Arizaga in .410. Beavertail forend and brass PG cap and Butt plate, almost full coverage on the receiver. Seems like a well made gun. Unfortunately, you'd have to ask my wife how it shoots. She claimed it as her "squirrel gun" and it is off-limits to anyone else in the house. My 3 boys had all been eye-ballin it in the safe for quite a while - till Mama made it hers. Last season she shot 6 squirrels on 7 shots. Rates very high on her performance scale.

I never have found much info on the manufacturer or the importer (Eagle Arms) on mine - I mean ours - errr I mean HERs.