All:

This is a first post for me, and I'm looking to buy a first double rifle here soon. I've been crawling through the forum reading about Heym, Merkel, and Chapuis and wishing I could handle them all side by side. But that ain't happening soon!

To further complicate matters, I've now had an Arrieta DR in 8X57 offered to me quite cheap. The gun has true removable side locks and full engraving. The wood is good, but not fantastic. It is a straight grip stock, and that is the first time I haven't seen a pistol grip on a DR.

The downside is I know nothing about Arrieta and their rifles. Does anyone here have experience with them or other spanish makers. Any words of wisdom for a first time buyer? Anything I should look for if I drive ~3hrs one way to see the gun?

Would love to know y'all's thoughts before the weekend.

Thanks,
Robert

Take it to the range and try it out, see if it fits you well and shoots pretty good.
Is this a SXS or O/U? Single trigger or twins?

mertingRK,Welcome to AR.
On the Aiertta it is a company that makes mostly shotguns and I have never seen a double rifle built by them. That doesn't mean they dont, just that I have never seen one.

I would say this is either a rare offering, or a rifle made from a shotgun. That is not a bad thing in the chambering you are looking at, if done propperly.

Let us know what you find out about this rifle,nobody here is too old to learn!

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Welcome to AR Robert. I don't know about that rifle. Let us know what you find out. Try to get some pictures as well if you can.

Again, welcome.

Todd

Mike,

I think I will take it to the range. Fit is key. The gun is a side by side. The gun is described as follows:

This Arrieta double rifle has it all. Removable sidelocks, ejectors and is chambered in the readily available 8x57JRS. Full game scene engraving, rolled trigger guard, straight grip with a beautiful walnut stock, checkered grip and forend, articulated front trigger, automatic safety, Anson forend release, checkered butt. 23.5" barrels. Fixed V rear sight.

The rifle balances exactly on the hinge pin and shoots fantastic. It shoots snake eyes with handloaded 150gr, 170gr bullets as well as with 196gr factory ammo. The rear V sight has a slight stoning mark on the right side of the V.

Length of pull- 14.5"

Weight - 6lb 10oz

MacD,

Thank you! I had not given thought to the possibility of a shotgun convert. That would greatly reduce price. However, the engraving on the sidelocks include wild boars and red stag, both fitting for a european rifle. Also, see this link for new double rifles, but not much detail. http://www.doublegunshop.com/arrieta5.htm

Todd,

I'll tell you what I discover. See the link above for some generic photos. For now I'm holding my sources close to the chest!

All,

Arrieta does have a high reputation and Michael McIntosh regards them as one of four Spanish firms making "Best" guns in the style of the English greats. I wonder how this holds for their double rifles. Anyone out there seen or shot one of these fine guns?

Look for the makers name on the pipes. Conversions won't show this.

I bet that they used a SG action as the basis for this rifle. That doesn't lessen the value. They would have machined less metal out of it and heat treated it for rifle usage (probably).

Is it set up for a scope? It sounds like a dandy!

Arrieta makes a very fine line of DRs...all sidelocks and starting at over $20K. They are called the R1 thru R4 if I remember, with calibers ranging from 8x57JRS thru 500 NE. Terry Wieland mentions them in his book.

quote:

Originally posted by MertingRK:
MacD,

Thank you! I had not given thought to the possibility of a shotgun convert. That would greatly reduce price. However, the engraving on the sidelocks include wild boars and red stag, both fitting for a european rifle. Also, see this link for new double rifles, but not much detail. [url=http://www.doublegunshop.com/arrieta5.htm]http://www.doublegunshop.com/arrieta5.htm[/url

The fact that the engraving includs large animals would indicate this being an origenal rifle to me as well. Let us know more when you find out!

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Arrieta makes one of the best Spanish double rifles available; this is an example. You mentioned that it is selling at a very reasonable price, so I suggest that you shoot it to see if it shoots as well as you explained. If it does shoot well, and a close examination shows no issues with rifle, I would buy it without hesitation. Since it is chambered for the 8 x 57JRS, it shoots bullets of .323" diameter, so don't shoot the .318" dia. bullets by mistake (.318" dia. bullets are for 8x57J and 8x57 JR,) as they won't be nearly as accurate in this rifle. By the way, the "J" designation in this caliber, was really an "i," for infantry rifle caliber, but following WWII, we Americans mistook the German "i" thinking it to be a "J," so we are stuck with the incorrect "J" designation. "S" is designation for later .323" dia. bullet.

I have handled but not owned AYA, Arrieta & Sarasqueta sidelock rifles. While not up to English or Italian standards, they offer good value. If considering a new rifle, I prefer the VC for similar money.

The gun is priced under 6K. If it is truly north of 20 new then it is a hell of a price break. I contacted the dealer, but was told that Arrieta does not import rifles. So no price list from there.

Terry Weiland speaks highly of the spanish guns and Arrieta in his books, and Micheal McIntosh considered them a spanish "Best".

Looks like schedules won't work out for another three weeks, so if it really is a bargain, I'll expect it to be gone.

Thanks for all the information!

My guess is with the engraving and claiber it is an Arrieta built rifle. If it fits you and shoots well buy it. Under 6K, buy it now.

Dave

Quality Arms in Houston used to import them - don't know if they still do.
Might be worth contacting them to see what information they have on the Marque.

If you got up early and was on the dealers door step at 8am you gould be back at your schedule after lunch.

On Spanish double rifles the barrels are usually made in Belgium. At the price you mention and if you can take it to the range and it regulates, it is a bargain !, best

I assume it is double triggers ? If single I´d pass, best

I,m thinking driven boar.

Dave

On the Www.arrietAshotguns.com website they show a double rifle with a straight stock. Certainly arrieta and aya make very good long lived shotguns.