Fellas:

I stopped at a pawn shop today, just to nose around and came across two Spanish 12 ga SxS, double triggers, English stock. One was engraved, both color case hardened. Probably full and modified chokes. Both sidelocks, IIRC. Very small wrists, both locked up tight. Slim, almost splinter forends, nice checkering, the engraved one had a small diamond inlay of silver (pewter?) in the foreend. No, I can't remember the name, dammit, but something like Augustusxxx. They were both cheap (under $375). I know you probably can't tell me anything about them specifically, but what about Spanish doubles in general? I suppose like everything else, there's really good and really bad...

MKane160

There's spanish guns and there's spanish guns. Makers like Grulla, Arrieta, AyA, Garbi, Arrizbalaga, & Ugartechea are household names. Kemen guns have a good reputation among target shooters. After those it is mostly on a gun by gun basis. You can get a great one or a dud. I would say if all seems well I'd get it if it passed the test from a gunsmith I trusted. You want to make sure the gun is on face and that the ribs aren't about to come loose. Spanish guns from the makers I listed have risen sharply in price in the last few years but other makes are by far the best value out there if you want something other than a mass produced shotgun.

SH

Thanks, SH. The rib is tight, but..."on face"? I don't know what that means...educate me.

MKane160

On face means that the breech end of the barrels come up tight to the face of the "standing breech" which is the fixed part of the receiver that houses the firing pins. The usual test is to take a thin piece of paper and place it against the standing breech and close the gun, good and tight will not let the lever snap back to its normal closed position. The lever is also an indication of wear, it should be to the right of center on a lightly used gun, as the gun wears the lever will work its way closer to center, if it is left of center, forget it. Remove the foreend, leaving the gun closed and one hand on the barrels and one on the stock, try twisting the barrels while checking for any side to side or up and down movement, there should be none. These are simplistic generalizations, but are close enough to get an idea of the condition of the gun.

lee440:

Your suggestions should be invaluable to people trying to gauge whether a used DB is worth negotiating a purchase price. (The perils are similar to walking on to a used car lot to buy) Your suggestions are not "simplistic generalizations", either. They are useful sign posts. ( I confess this old retired shotgunner never tried the "paper" test -but always tried twisting of the barrels. Also I always looked to see if the firing pins fell beyond the face of the breech if I only slanted the stock and breech downwards. I suspect that this was a test only needed in old shotguns of the period when I was haggling over DBs!)

Thanks, Lee440. Very helpful. I learned something new today...

MKane160

Another thing that can give you an idea of the tightness of the rib and the soldering of the barrels is to give it a ring test. Remove the barrels from action and hang them from a small piece of string by the lump. Tap them with a pen or something else light and solid. If the barrels ring rather than go 'thump' then everything is, for the moment at least, tight.

Gerry and Ruperts advice are also spot on and I should have mentioned them. I'm no double expert but I would like to be if I had more dollars!!!!!

You can sure pick up a used Ugartechea for about double that amount, and would definitely be a good buy. The Ug will handle like the top ones and I really like them for a hunting gun, especially my 5-lb. 28 ga.