I’ve always wondered why the excellent Aguirre y Aranzabal (AyA) gunmakers get no love from American shotgunners — love that would be richly deserved, I think. And here, Jonny Carter talks about them with a boffin from Holts. As one commenter notes, it’s always a pleasure to listen to knowledgeable people talk about guns.
Take 20 minutes out of your day, and enjoy.
I would own an AyA shotgun any day of the week. Take some time now and browse their offerings at their website.
That may take you longer than 20 minutes, though.
Growing up in a small S. American country, and having uncles from Spain in country, I can testify that AyA also made working man’s shottys. Both uncles had them and I learned to hunt prairie dogs (known as tuku-tuku) with a .410. Darned accurate little gun with proper kick for an 11 year old. Times long gone, as we would hunt them in local fields not more than a kilometer from the house and no one nearby would complain, the critters were considered vermin and their holes led to many a horse breaking a leg which was very expensive back then as the horses were working animals for most farmers. Yeah, I am older than Kim, so there.
Over/under, side by side, box lock, side lock, exposed hammers…
My knowledge of shotguns is less than rudimentary.
Where can I go to learn?
Ye gods… someone who knows LESS than I do about shotguns?
Future post coming up.
I was stationed in Rota, Spain back in the Long Ago. Back then, the Navy used to sponsor a Captain’s Cup competition for almost anything you could get a team up for and some enterprising Master Chief’s created a shooting competition that only vaguely resembled a skeet shoot. They put together a trip to AyA for a “personal fitting” and a number of us unsuspecting junior officers signed up, not realizing it was a 15-hour bus ride from the base. Somewhere along the way, one of the bright, shining stars amongst the JO’s (me) had the brilliant idea that we should also get an official military sword from the fine military sword makers in Toledo, Spain.
Basket leave papers signed and in the CO’s In Box, we headed off on a Thursday, intending to be back on Sunday.
Due to some logistical challenges created by the MWR bus breaking down (that was the official story, anyway), we were delayed a solid 3 days in various spots and wound up getting back the following Thursday. I was $4500 poorer, but had a new shotgun and a new sword to show for it and plenty of great stories to tell about the XO (should the need arise).
I sold that shotgun years ago for about 3X what I paid for it, but I shouldn’t have. The sword I gave away to a junior officer after I retired. Nothing left but the memories…