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

What's optimal in weight is very much a personal thing, and also connected to the purposes for which the gun is intended. I shoot the Lancaster about as well at sporting clays, using 7/8 and light 1 oz loads, as I've ever shot anything. Doubt that would be true with a Brit 2" 12ga, weighing closer to 5# than 6#, but it might make a dandy ruffed grouse/woodcock gun.

Part of the reason for weight in today's guns is to accommodate today's loads. Specifically, in the case of the Spanish and Spanish guns intended for the American market, American loads. Those require a heavier proof than similar guns shot with traditional European loads, where 1 1/8 oz is on the heavy end for a 12ga game gun. Most of the time lighter. Recent British guns, IF subjected to the Superior proof (old magnum proof), are also likely to be heavier.

I think the numbers that your quoting from "Spanish Best" are abit outdated; more so since the 2009 economic downturn, with the exception of maybe Arrieta.

From my understanding as of 2011, Arrieta was still producing approx. 450 guns per year, AyA was producing approx. 350 guns per year (Shooting Sportsman article, 2011 Nov/Dec issue), Grulla was producing approx. 100 guns per year, and Ugartechea was producing approx. 250 guns per year.

In that year, it appears Arrieta was still leading the pack of Spanish gunmakers as far as production numbers go. It's a shame that they have decided to drop their two entry level models. I think that creeping up their entry level price point to $8000 will surely slow down their sales. Maybe by buying out and acquiring the name Arrizabalaga, Arrieta hopes to gain more name recognition for marketing. But then again, they aren't Westley Richards. Maybe it's all about rebranding their name and selling more production to the likes of Churchill, and William Powell in the UK.

As I said previously, the reality of the 2011 AyA production numbers doesn't reflect a market for only selling the high end guns. The same is true for Ugartechea; last year I was talking with the Canadian Distributor for Grulla, Arrieta, AyA, and Ugartechea and he said his price point for gun sales of the finer Italian, and Spanish shotguns was more in the $2000-$5000 range. Anything under or over those price point limits was very slow to move. He said for Ugartechea what really sells is the mod. 40 boxlock, model 75, 257, and 110 sidelocks. I asked about the mod. 2000 at the high end of low mid grade range(approx. $5000 mark), and was told Ugartechea only makes maybe a dozen of those a year. So if that's the case, how many true higher end "Best Grade" guns is Ugartechea producing per year, maybe another dozen? Grulla certainly doesn't seem to be producing more since they are asking $10000-$12000+ as a starting point per gun. In my opinion, if their prices do go up another 20% plus any increase to the value of the Euro, I think they will be finished.

It's just too bad. I only discovered the Spanish handmade guns in 2010, and haven't seen anything since to equal them for artisan beauty and value in a new gun.

Tim