These makers were not unlike most Spanish makers in the very early years of being "discovered" by gun writers in the U.S. and through them by gun buyers in the U. S. Most of the small Spanish makers built their goods to a price point for export to the "big market over the water." In those early years, most Spanish guns had problems with such things as heat treating of sears and firing pins, and breaking of springs. You will see very early AyA models that had such problems, and don't even think hard about buying one of the early Spanish guns with a single trigger, they wore very quickly and gave trouble very quickly. Not so in the past decade or more. Spanish guns today represent some of the better buys on the double gun market, particularly the better known brands. They have made their reputation world-wide by correcting those early "soft steel" or "improper hardening" problems. Currently produced, or recently produced Spanish guns just do not have such problems. Those that say they will never have another Spanish gun because "so and so" had one that the single trigger doubled on every shot simply have not thoroughly vetted out a modern one. As in anything else, let's be careful not to paint with too broad a brush. The better grades of Spanish guns from generally the 1970's forward (I hate to be too specific with a date, but that's close) are very well worth the money. I have several, including a Victor Sarasqueta Model 7e 16 gauge sidelock that is one of my favorites, an AyA Model 53e in 20 gauge (with a fine single selective trigger) that everybody who shoots it wants, and a pair of Ugartechea Over/Under sidelock guns in 12 and 20 gauge that are clones of the Merkel 303 gun and better put together than an original Merkel 303. I have a few other Victor Sarasqueta lower end boxlock guns that are very good knock-about guns, just rather plain-jane looking, but very reliable. Those last VS boxlock guns are for sale, BTW, if anyone needs a good inexpensive back-up gun. My safe runneth over. I understand the top selling new guns in the UK for some time have been the various AyA sidelock models. My Victor Sarasqueta 7e, AyA 53e, and my pair of Ugartechea O/U sidelock guns aren't going anywhere.
