What a terrible problem to have. One AYA is the safe and another on the way. LOL. The AYA's are gorgeous guns. Please share a few pictures when you have them together.
this should get interesting
- Thread starter brybenn
- Start date
What a terrible problem to have. One AYA is the safe and another on the way. LOL. The AYA's are gorgeous guns. Please share a few pictures when you have them together.
Hopefully I will have the 28 gauge later this month. I need to shoot it at skeet and sporting clays before the NAVHDA trials in August, as I have been recruited as a designated shooter for the trials.
- Location
- Lloydminster, Alberta
Very cool. I've gunned at a couple trials with my 20ga Ugartechea. Don't miss! And don't look at the dog during the retrieve!
Now back to the topic under discussion...the OP didn't ask what your dream gun is guys. If that was the question at hand, I would pick a Grulla or Arietta round action side lock all day long. The question is value. Although I agree 100% the deals are in lightly used guns, my Uggy grade 4 has chopper lump barrels, 7 pin side locks, rolled trigger guard, articulated front trigger, Southgate ejectors and checkered butt. 6.2 lbs with balance on the hinge pin. All the features of the others for a few thousand less than the others. Not as nice, but darn good value. IMO
Yup. The Spanish filled in after WWII but once the Italians got back up and running they steadily declined.
Production numbers need to be seen in context. Ugartechea and AyA are each still making multiple times more guns than Garbi, Grulla or Arrieta and have more varied product lines.
Nice! I have a VJP coming up in a couple weeks....first time with a DD.
- Location
- Lloydminster, Alberta
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The numbers that I have seen for AyA in recent years have ranged from 350 upwards towards 750 guns per year. The higher end Eibar gunmakers production, as I understand it, is in the range of 40 to several hundred guns a year.
AyA production since 1945 is over 600,000 guns with the prolific years being the 1960s and early 1970s. The consolidation in the 80s into DIARM was a debacle, but demand had already fallen dramatically and the shrinkage in companies through bankruptcy was already well underway.
I have always liked AyA guns but the price is creeping out of the reach of 99% shotgun buyers.
And yes, Grulla makes beautiful guns, even less affordable.
AyA production since 1945 is over 600,000 guns with the prolific years being the 1960s and early 1970s. The consolidation in the 80s into DIARM was a debacle, but demand had already fallen dramatically and the shrinkage in companies through bankruptcy was already well underway.
I have always liked AyA guns but the price is creeping out of the reach of 99% shotgun buyers.
And yes, Grulla makes beautiful guns, even less affordable.
Good to know. The rifles I've handled had Ferlach Austria on them. I'd love a sxs with a rimfire barrel hidden in the rib
- Location
- Lloydminster, Alberta
Anybody looking to get a 'Grulla' cheap; the owner on this one just dropped from 7500.00 to 2800.00
Its frm before they adopted the Grulla name:
http://store.prophetriver.com/consign-grulla-12ga-m210e-union-sbs-open-to-offers/
Its frm before they adopted the Grulla name:
http://store.prophetriver.com/consign-grulla-12ga-m210e-union-sbs-open-to-offers/
- Location
- Ft. Mac. Alberta
Fantstic guns in ec price pont.
I went 24 and a clean round with my 28 gauge Dea on wobble trap using both the IC and MOD barrels.
it was perfect, ad the finish was great.
However being a box lock with a single trigger wit a POW grip it lost out to the Ugartechea which is a side lock with double triggers and a straight grip.
Cat
Yes, the Ugartechea seems to be among the best in terms of features for the price. I'd love to buy one right now, and in fact I'm trying to do so, but it is proving to be far more difficult than I thought it would be. Bilozir has informed me that Ugartechea are no longer taking orders for some reason. They may have some remaining stock for sale. Still waiting to find out what. Communication with Bilozir is inexplicably slow and difficult. It takes multiple emails and phone calls to elicit a single response, and responses seem to take well over a week to arrive. Frustrating way to have a conversation. At this rate it will take months to even get to the point of making an order. And I'm becoming increasingly hesitant to give them any money given my experiences so far. So, I am starting to look to other makers. Some good info in this thread so far on possible options, please keep them coming.
If you think that communications with Bilozir are difficult now, I can tell you from actual experience that they get much more difficult if you give him money to purchase a shotgun from him, and the gun that you receive is not what you ordered. Been there, done that, never again. On the other hand, dealing with Prophet River has always been smooth and painless. If there is a problem, Clay will take care of it.
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So it looks like the red flags I am seeing now are indeed a sign of what's to come if I continue down this path. A real shame that what seems like a small family business can't put together better customer service. Even more of a shame since they seem to be the exclusive gatekeeper for Ugartechea in Canada. I see Prophet deals in some of the higher end Spanish makers. Are there any options from Aya, etc that are in the $5-6k range for a new gun? The ones PR currently stocks are beautiful, but are closer to $9-10k and up.
- Location
- Lloydminster, Alberta
Everything in AYA currently in stock is a No2 or a No2 deluxe. They make many 'lower' grades too. Send us your mailing address and we will send out a beautiful AYA catolgue! This goes for all CGNers , of course, we have a decent supply of them currently.
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fishslinger
CGN Regular
- Location
- southern ontario
Only way to deal with Bilozir is, if he has the gun you want in stock and you are there to actually check the gun in person to make sure its the one you want. You buy it in person and walk out with the exact gun you want in hand. Other wise ordering one from him will take forever and there is a good chance you wont end up with what you wanted, LOP, wood quality,barrel length, etc.
What is there is an issue with the gun and warranty is required?
fishslinger
CGN Regular
- Location
- southern ontario
Yes, that's something to think about as well.
