doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com ARMAS ERBI. S.C.

I was going to post pictures but this gun is like the one I own.
Jim

Jim--It appears that your gun has the same graceful stock as mine. When I put it to my shoulder it seems odd not grabbing something like an old wooden fence post. Mine is chambered for 3" 12. I haven't shot 3" in it because of the slim grip as I don't want it to crack. I also wonder if the internals on these Spanish guns are similar or even the same between brands in case one should need parts.

JRB:
The screws on mine are untouched apparently since to gun was built so I've never inspected the internals. It comes up "lively" which is the best term I can think of to describe it as the gun is well balanced.
It does has one horrid cosmetic feature: THE SPESCO CORP. ATLANTA,GEORGA(The importer) is stamped in large letters on the bottom of the frame.
Curiously enough it came in a Winchester 23 case which it fits perfectly.
Jim

Lively is exactly the way I would describe my F.S. Mine has one horrid feature too. On the left barrel next to Eibar is stamped Eig. Well, I did some research on Eig and I find out it is the name of my guns importer--Saul Eig. Maybe Tony's fancy welding technique would cover our blemishes.

Mine fits a Weatherby case perfectly. I don't know which model of Weatherby was intended for this case but the Weatherby name is either coming off or covered over with a silk screen.

My shotgun weighs exactly 6 pounds 15 ounces. I think a little light for a 3" mag 12. It's fun enough though with 2 3/4 shells.

Yes sir, it is:

http://www.kemenarmas.es/

That's a perceptive question.

When it comes to Spanish shotguns we are generally looking at hand built guns, and each gun is composed of parts that are hand fitted. Attempting to swap parts between guns can be a nightmare; even between guns made by the same maker in the same month of the same year.

Hand built guns are a delight, until something breaks. Then it's big bucks having a good gunsmith make and fit a replacement part. Here's an one-point story.

I bought a used Zabala Hermanos SLE from CAI, and found the firing pins and rusted to the bushings. I sent an e-mail to ZH, pleading for bushings and pins for my gunsmith to use to fix the gun. I included the gun SN and a description in my e-mail. Two weeks later I received a dozen or so different style bushing blanks and about as many different styles of firing pins. My gunsmith made it work, and I'm still shooting the gun � purely due to the kindness of ZH.

Easily done :-)

Armas ERBI, like most Spanish shotgun makers, produced shotguns to any price point for which they had an order. We typically see only lower price point box lock guns here in the US, imported in the pre-DIARM days by gun shops, hardware stores, and the like. High price point ERBI guns exist, but are mostly only seen in Spain.

Many of the very finely made DIARM model 'Derby' SLE guns marked ' Sarriugarte' on the top of the barrels are composed of parts made by ERBI (as can be seen by ERBI's maker mark on the water table and barrel flats) and given to DIARM when ERBI joined DIARM.

I've seen a lot of plain Jane ERBI shotguns, but I've never seen a poorly made ERBI shotgun. Some of their guns handle so well it's almost like the gun wants to go hunting all by itself :-)

You have yourself a very fine shotgun.

On clay targets I think of it more like a "magic wand".

There is a potential problem I should mention; Spanish Steel Disease (SSD). It goes like this.

First we buy a little Spanish 20 gauge box lock because it pretty and can be had for under $400. Then we discover how well the damn thing handles, see another, similar Spanish box lock in 12 gauge, also for under $400, and buy it. Now we're having so much fun we decide to see if we can find a Spanish 16 gauge box lock.

Next step is when we discover a Spanish side lock for under a grand. And snap it up. Pretty soon we have a full safe, and are looking at guns like this:

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=263174611

That's SSD � the inability to stop buying Spanish shotguns.

I'm sure this topic has been discussed As Nauseum, but here goes - I have always heard that there was a period in Spanish mass markiet gun making that suffered from poorly heat treated parts and resulting soft components. If true, when did that occur?