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Apr 29th, 2024
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 58
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OP
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 58 |
I bought this gun just the other day and was wondering if anyone here might have any info on the maker and perhaps be able to determine the model.
Boxlock, 27.5" bbl, 2.75" chambers, DT.
Receiver: blued with approx 60-70% scroll, third fastener is a rectangular extension extending out from between the barrels (3/8" below the top of rib) that engages a bolt within a recess in the breech face.
Barrels: raised rib. Top of bbls--rt "Gaspar Arizaga, Eibar - Made in Spain - M&F" left "R Dakin & Company, San Francisco 4 - U> S> Distributor". Bottom f bbls-- rt "choke 15.1 15.5" Left "choke 14.6 15,5".
BBl flats: Both sides: A shield with and X on it and a knights helmet over it. Crossed long guns with a "2" stamped in the middle. Shield bearing the ltrs "BP" over a horiuzontal oval.
Right side of flats: "20-65" in long oval, "FN", "850 KGS"
Left side of flats: "Bl" or "B1" with an asterisk (*) above and between them.
Stock: modest figure, chkrg 20-22 lpi with fairly deep margins (fair number fo runovers and voids), SPG, plastic grip cap, BVTL forend with push rod style release.
Chokes measure IC and mod using brass cone despite the M and F indications.
Any help in this maker, distributor, anything else worth mentioning will be very much appreciated.
Thanks,
Granby
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 58
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OP
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 58 |
By the way, the purchase price was $415 and by all appearances this is a low-end or, at best, mid-range double, so I'm not anticipating that someone here is going to tell me I got a great deal on a Spanish best gun. It's actually in pretty good shape but I bought it as a rainy day upland shooter.
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 135
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 135 |
The B1 on the flats is the date of manufacture---1956.
The F N is the mark of Arizaga.
20-65 indicates 20ga chambered for 65mm shells. From your measurements sounds like its chamber got increased at some point to 70mm (2 3/4 in). I would be surprised to see short chambers on a gun made for import to the US.
A friend has a 12ga sidelock Arizaga. Seems to be of medium quality. I think Arizaga didn't survive the DIARM fiasco of the early 80's.
Jeff
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,307
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 2,307 |
The two I have taken in trades and later resold were definitely lower end guns. Plenty of fairly coarse work, comic style bird engraving, maybe stout, but not pretty in any way. I would prefer a better made gun even for a "rainy day upland" gun. There are lots of Spanish guns about for a few pesos more that are better put together, have better triggers and ejectors, and a pound or more lighter and more lively to hand. Victor Sarasqueta boxlocks in particular seem cheap at the moment, and are at least a cut above the Gaspar Arizaga stuff I have seen, maybe a couple "cuts" above in quality. If they can "take a licking and keep on ticking" in rainy and cold weather, that's a plus. Not sure the Arizaga stuff will do that, hope yours holds up for you.
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 58
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OP
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 58 |
Thanks a lot to both of you guys.
Jeff, glad to know the date of manufacture; it's actually held up pretty well for a gun that old. Top lvr still a tad to the right, all screw heads aligned, blueing ~93%, stock in good shape with no oil infiltration at the head and W to M fit pretty decent actually. The chambers have indeed been lengthened and you're right, it would seem really unusual for an importer to bring in a 2.5" twenty gauge low end gun during that time when the only shells available to the average hunter were 2.75" or 3".
ChiefShotguns, You're correct re: this being toward the low end but it doesn't seem quite as crude as you've described. It weighed in at just over 6 lbs and has a fairly lightly built frame and barrels. In fact, I was surprised to find the chamber walls to be as thin as they are. The bbls have a few minor file marks remaining at the breech end but lots of them under the forearm. Surprisingly the blueing and engraving on the rcvr is fairly good--engraving is very similar in pattern and quality to a Brwng BSS. And the trigger pulls are passable. So the quality might be a bit better than the ones you've mentioned but it it still isn't going to be showing up at the Vintagers.
But for whatever reason, I can actually shoot this gun pretty well on the skeet fld, by my middling standards at least.
Anyway, I really appreciate the help, fellas. Thanks a lot!
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