doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Arrieta Shotguns. Big Changes to Come

They are going the way some other makers have done in the past. To make the other models that are more profitable. As far as the comment that you can buy an an Engish gun for the price of a high grade Spanish gun, cannot agree on that. Where can you find a new made to measure bespoke 28 ga sidelock for $15,000. Can this even be done in an english boxlock? Maybe.


John

I don't think anyone was saying you could buy a new English one. Be that as it may, most, here, would take the used English sidelock at 15 large before a Spanish sidelock that was new, at the same price.
I might be wrong on that, but, I doubt it. I'm not up for either, but, can say I wouldn't consider anything English or Spanish with a single trigger.
At any price.

Best,
Ted

Comparing Brit to Spanish, no question the Spaniards look good with new gun prices, even if they drop their less expensive models. That being said, the Scott 700 series boxlocks don't seem to have suffered a significant amount of price inflation, even in the smaller bores. And while they're not new, if you look around, you can find 20's and even 28's that have seen very little use. One problem with a 28, however--given today's preference for longer barrels on smallbores--is that I believe all the Scott 28's had 26" barrels.

A common dilemma these days; either new Spanish or old English? There is something to be said for both, so of course, I own both. My 12 is a modern Spanish sidelock, made for a lefty. It fits as though it were an extention of my body and I shoot it better than anything I've ever owned. It shoots 2 3/4 inch shells and will digest almost anything I would want to put in it. It's not as light or as pretty as I would like but I use it fearlessly, which is the way it should be. The English guns I've owned and used were all either 100-years old or very close to that, and each one was long, light, and very lovely (in both damascus and fluid steel). Ammo was and is always a consideration, as was the age. They were and are only used on bluebird days and in fairly controllable situations. I know fully-well that weather in the British Isles is very seldom described as being "bluebird" and that each of these guns had seen plenty of weather. But no matter. I'm extra careful with them, and probably because of where I fit into the financial food-chain.

Interesting thread.

Does anyone out there know what % of Arrieta's annual gun production the 557, 570, and 578 has occupied? It couldn't have been all that small.

According to AyA, as of 2011, AyA was producing approx. 350 guns per year of which 95% were versions of the No. 4 boxock, and No. 2 side lock. So if you do the math they weren't producing that many higher end guns, maybe 20-30 a year.

How many guns per year was Arrizabalaga producung as of late?

I don't know, the reality of AyA'S numbers doesn't seem to reflect a market for producing only higher end guns. I guess only time will tell if Arrieta survives.

The 557, 570 and 578 have been my best sellers because of the price point.When you can get a made to measure gun for less that $7K, built the way you want, its hard to beat. In small guages, it can not be beat

A couple of years ago Arrizabalaga made less that 15 guns. While the Spanish makers are tight lipped on the production figures, I an pretty sure I have a very close idea on Arrieta.

John

Will the changes @ Arrieta have any immediate effect on the market for pre-owned 871's and 578's ? ( over the next year or so ? )

According to the lists of serial numbers in Wieland's "Spanish Best" Arrieta were making about 4-500 guns/yr. In 2000 they made 589 guns. AyA made 758 and Arrizabalaga 49 guns in 1993 (Wieland's last entry)

Might I suggest a 1936 Model 21 in absolute mint condition. Ejectors, Straight Grip, Beautiful Wood and Checkered Butt for $5200. I own several nice Spanish guns but when they started costing more than what had made them primarily attractive in the first place, I quit buying them and bought the Model 21 above. Since then [3 years] my 21 has increased 50% in value the Spanish guns, while purchased at good prices, have increased nowhere near that. At 6lbs. 7ozs. the Model 21 is a dream to shoot, as are some of the "Spanish Best" but when it comes to the $8000+ you are describing for Spanish Guns, I will continue to selectively "Buy American". I still like Spanish guns, they're just not the good buy they used to be. JMHO

Model 21s are great old guns, but most of the ones I run across are fairly heavy. At 6lbs7, yours is one of the lightest 21s I've ever heard of. Is it a 20 bore?