There is some weight between the hands – albeit not as much as in a sidelock – and the muzzles are not noticeably heavy. The proportions are pleasing and the gun weighs only 6lbs even with its longish 15” stock. There are double triggers, disc set strikers – as on all AyA side by sides – and a classic concave ‘game’ rib. The stock wis traditionally oil finished, finely hand-chequered, and has a gold oval for the owners initials. The action is silver polished and scalloped to the rear where it meets the well figured walnut stock. It is fully engraved by hand (not to be taken for granted today) with fairly tight scroll. Their boxlocks are copies of the Westley Richards Anson and Deeley.įirst impressions of the test gun were very good. The former are, in essence copies of the Holland & Holland side lock. 2 sidelocks remain, as well as the No.4 boxlock in various forms.
They used to have a much wider range, from the budget priced ‘Yeoman’ non-ejector to copies of Purdey’s as well as a Merkel style, cross-bolt, over and under. Although AyA still make some some plainish boxlocks, for example, the No.4/53, the firm’s tends to concentrate now on higher grade guns. The company is not as large as it once was, having been subjected to reorganisation, but, at least, they survived which is more than many Spanish gunmakers have done. Based at Eibar in the Basque region of Spain, they have been making sporting shotguns for almost 100 years (since 1917 to be precise). In fact in the UK, this test gun is actually known as the AyA Best Quality Boxlock.ĪyA - Aguirre y Aranzabal – are the best known Spanish gunmaker in Britain. It might also be said that it is the boxlock equivalent of the AyA Nº 1 sidelock. Best quality boxlocks are still made by a few firms including AyA and Westley Richards (and the test gun is in essence a copy of a Westley without the idiosyncratic toplever of the famous Birmingham firm). It is AyA’s most upmarket model known in Spain as the “No.4 Deluxe” and is what used to be called a ‘best quality boxlock’ in these isles - something of a rarity these days. This test concerns an unusual and interesting gun, one of AyA’s finest 20 bore guns with 28” barrels and extra finish.
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