If what has been presented here is accurate then I've learned a lot in this post that I simply didn't realize.
My 1997 New England Arms Arrieta 557 has had zero functional issues (other than me falling on it and cracking the stock, which took quite a bit to fix) and moreover, the many AyAs and Grullas we sold at MW Reynolds, starting in the early 2000s (& running for another ~20-years) never failed to due to unhardened metal that I know of. All I can remember as reported problems were some "fit" issues (as in the gun not fitting the ultimate user) and a few safeties that would come on after use (in the 453 AyAs, never any problem with the Grullas), but that was about it.
I do like the look and perhaps "feel" of English guns a little better, but that's as much art and history as anything. I'd certainly buy another Spanish gun if I found one that I could justify, and FWIW...being able to use 2 3/4-shells in a "modern" firearm is a nice convenience.
Edit to add: when I think of all the nigging little (& even bigger) issues we had to deal with from much-older English (& American) guns over-the-years, the Spanish guns were pretty trouble free by comparison...
Last edited by Lloyd3; 12/13/25 05:05 PM.
