I've heard that some of the early Spanish SXS guns were found to have parts "soft as chocolate."
Does anybody have experience with early (1950s) AYA guns, and to whether this was a problem with them, and even their sidelocks?
Ed: thanks, but this link doesn't address AYAs produced in the 1950's.
50s guns should be OK.....through mid 60s ........;...
On this side of the pond AYA's in the fifties where not that common the Spanish gun flood started in the sixties though I will say that AYA guns where far better mechanically than the rest of the other makes mechanisms that where made of toffee. Though I will say that the in letting in the stocks head AYA at the time did remove a lot of wood internally for some reason. I will say at that time AYA where the best of the bunch that I worked on, the rest went into the scrap bin over the preceding years well they where so cheap that it did not hurt anyone much in the pocket.
Charles Askins was a big fan of AyA when he was stationed in Spain after WWII.
If AyA was no good, he would have said so.
A lot.
TOP Spanish Pigeon (competition) shooters of that era (50's) carried over into my first forays there (70's) and they ALL used "Foreign" Guns, primarily Italian, some Belgian, and English.... many top shots ( the incomparable Conde de Teba) shot a Purdey.
Holland did a brisk business in Spain amongst those Spaniards well heeled enough to buy BEST guns. More H&H pigeon guns in Spain than anywhere in my extensive travels.
Spanish pigeon shooters first began shooting home grown guns in a limited fashion in the 90's. Early Spanish guns were then and now still held in low repute among Spain's shooting sportsmen and their gunsmiths as well.