I have been thinking a bit about a Spanish sidelock 16 gauge SXS.
Garbi's, Grulla's, AYA's and Arietta's as well as Arriziblaga's.
I am curious if there is really any appreciable difference between them for a game gun. I am not intending on pounding away at the range.
I realize there are different grades but recently I have found a 871 Arietta and Garbi 103 that have got my attention. Both are round action guns which I prefer. Both have been made within the past 5 years.
Is there a real difference between these offerings?

EZ

I've had several AYA's and Ariettas in sevearl gauges --both fine manufacturers.

But, I have used a plain Eibar guild 20ga ( or should I say abused) for 40+ years-- .

Undoubtedly there will be people whose experience is along the lines of "crummy,broken, Spanish junk"-- it is just not mine.


I think any of the "name brand" guns are fine for your intended level of use.

eezridr,

The Arriettas are my favourites out of these guns. I just like the way they handle. I have not handled a 16, but I have in 28g and .410.

However it might also be worth looking at an English gun for the same or less money? I'm not rubbishing them at all, in fact I though I would get an Arrietta .410 this year but there are some good deals to be had out there on English guns if you look in the right place. As such I'm pickingup an English 410 now for around the money of the Arrietta.

Rgds,
K

This was 16 ga Spanish made SXS pair. I was on a rail hunt and this gentleman had them custom made in Spain to his dimensions. It was a retirement present to him by him

Sweet sweet pair....the workmanship was as good as any fine Italian gun and the Spanish engraving was absolutely fantastic.

Buy a spanish gun. You will never regret. I am spanish And just love them. I have got 3 Ayas and 2 Arrietas. I also have a Holland & Holland 16gauge with exterior hammers more than 90 years old that my wife gave me as a birthday present, but that is another story. If you really want a spanish gun come to Madrid I will take you to 3 or 4 gunshops And you can see tons of shotguns and rifles due to the crisis. also if you come from mid october onwards I will take you hunting for partridge on my wereabouts. If this helps you just tell me

I sort of suspected they are fine guns. The H&H crowd will poo poo them but for 10X the price the english gun should be better.
I have an acquaintance who has had a Turkish made Kimber Vallier for years and people really trash talked that shotgun but I would like to see any of them go in a field with the owner of this Kimber and out shoot him. 95% would be humbled "badly".
This guys has literally 1000's of rounds through his gun without a hitch.
I am looking for a bird gun, not a range gun so I am going to investigate this a bit further.

Spanish guns. They are good enough for the King of Spain and I doubt he'd use "junk" just out of national pride.

But. There are bad Spanish guns and there are good Spanish guns. The difference IMHO is the quality of the metal not the amount of work.

The good makes are good and the poor makes look good but get "tired" very quickly.

My advice? Check out a few Spanish guns that are at least ten years old and you'll see what I mean.

That will then tell you what to buy new today to a greater or lesser extent.

A fine gun is a fine gun no mater what country it is built in. You can find the best anywhere if you are selective.

I am a great fan of Spanish SxSs. I own a XXV Pedro Arrizabalaga SL that is truly amazing. It was imported into England by Roberts who still are a major player there. The AyA #2 SxS is the largest selling SxS in Britain. I have the #2 20 ga and it moves like a conductor's baton. After thousands of rounds it needed a new firing pin.

I also own a Victor Sarasqueta 12 ga SLNE that is remarkable. In addition, several lesser Spanish sidelocks and a couple of boxlocks.

If you buy a quality Spanish gun you will not be disappointed. Even very cheap (under $600 - used, not new) guns can be nice - I bought a couple derelict-looking sidelocks, refinished the wood and cleaned up and checked the locks and gave them to my nephews who are enjoying them mightily.

About 2 months ago I looked at a Merkel 1620 EL that was absolutely superb in handling. I almost bought it on the spot but compared it to several 16ga AyA sidelock #2s.

I was surprised that the Merkel handled markedly better (to me) than the AyAs. The Merkel 1620 is built on a 20 ga frame and is lighter and has a curious combination of nimbleness added to the stolidness characteristic of Merkel.

I bought the Merkel 1620EL even tho it, a boxlock, was more expensive than the AyA and my purchase was based entirely on its handling dynamics, not on a lack of quality on the part of the AyA.

I am not sorry after several hundred rounds thru it.

Anyway, Spanish guns are superb and well thought of in England. I just returned from a trip to London where I talked guns with the usual suspects and they do not knock the Spanish item.

You can basically buy the equivalent of a new London "best" at 1/5 the price if you go Arrizabalaga.

I have no personal experience with Arrieta so the absence of comments should not be construed as a negative.

AYA no. 2.