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“ From beginning to end …”<br />
A true work of art does not simply appear out of nowhere. It begins as an idea<br />
in the mind of its creator, who then turns that idea into a tangible form through his<br />
skill and artistry. For the final creation to be genuine, this process must remain<br />
uninterrupted from conception to completion.<br />
This philosophy has been central to the making of <strong>AYA</strong> shotguns since 1917.
<strong>AYA</strong> in 1943
Spanish Treasure<br />
by Terry Wieland<br />
Spanish Treasure<br />
Introduction by Michael McIntosh ................................................................. 5<br />
The Basque Country and the Ancient Art of Gunmaking ................................... 7<br />
<strong>Aguirre</strong> y <strong>Aranzabal</strong> from 19<strong>15</strong> to 1938 ........................................................... 8<br />
The Complete Gunmaker, 1938 to now.......................................................... 10<br />
– 3 –<br />
<strong>AYA</strong> guns today<br />
Table of Contents<br />
Boxlock Side-by-Side Shotguns<br />
Model Nº 4/53 ............................................................................................. 18<br />
Model Nº 4 “de Luxe” .................................................................................. 20<br />
Model Nº XXV/BL ........................................................................................ 22<br />
Sidelock Side-by-Side Shotguns<br />
Model Nº 2 and Nº 2 - Round action ........................................................... 24<br />
Model Nº XXV/SL ........................................................................................ 26<br />
Model Nº 53 ................................................................................................ 28<br />
Model Nº 1 and Nº 1 - Round action ........................................................... 30<br />
Model Nº 1 “de Luxe” .................................................................................. 32<br />
Model Nº 56 ................................................................................................ 34<br />
Model “Imperial” ......................................................................................... 36<br />
Over-and-Under Shotguns<br />
Model Nº 37 ................................................................................................ 38<br />
Model Augusta ............................................................................................. 40<br />
Special Shotguns .......................................................................................... 42<br />
Our Secret ................................................................................................... 47<br />
Making an <strong>AYA</strong> ............................................................................................ 48<br />
Why an <strong>AYA</strong>? ............................................................................................... 50<br />
Wood ........................................................................................................... 52<br />
Optional extras ............................................................................................ 54<br />
Serial numbers and historical data ............................................................... 56<br />
Gun Cases .................................................................................................... 58<br />
Accessories .................................................................................................. 60
<strong>AYA</strong> Nª1 and <strong>AYA</strong> Nº2
A fondness for <strong>AYA</strong><br />
by Michael McIntosh<br />
W<br />
hen I was a young man I lusted, among other things, for a<br />
Matador model gun by <strong>Aguirre</strong> y <strong>Aranzabal</strong>. It was a<br />
handsome piece, perhaps not quite as lissome as a London-style<br />
sidelock (or as some of the other things I was lusting after at the<br />
time), but it was well-made and well-finished—and it was a sideby-side,<br />
a form that fascinated me beyond words.<br />
I eventually owned one and liked it immensely. But that was in<br />
the days when I was determined to own at least one specimen of<br />
every gun ever built, operating on a budget that demanded the<br />
frequent exchange of hardware and minimal amounts of cash, so it<br />
finally went away in trade for something else. Even so, the memory<br />
of a good Spanish gun remained.<br />
In the early 1990s, after Terry Wieland let the rest of us know how good<br />
Spanish guns really were, I had <strong>Aguirre</strong> y <strong>Aranzabal</strong> build a gun to my specifications,<br />
a Nº 2 sidelock ejector made in the image of an English gun I owned at the time. As<br />
my reasoning went, the <strong>AYA</strong> would serve as a traveling version of the London gun<br />
that I could in no way afford to replace. Now, almost fifteen years later, there aren’t<br />
many London guns you could offer to trade even-up that would tempt me to part<br />
with my <strong>AYA</strong> Nº 2.<br />
– 5 –<br />
Spanish Treasure<br />
It has accompanied me on at least 14 shooting trips to Europe, five<br />
or six to South America, traveled with me from Alaska to Mexico,<br />
and from Minnesota to the pinewoods of the South, and has digested<br />
about 80,000 cartridges. All with a single hiccup: A striker broke<br />
while I was shooting doves in Argentina. A striker can break in<br />
any gun. I had a new one made along with a set of spares, just in<br />
case. Now I don’t have a clue where the spare ones are, because I<br />
see no indication that I’ll ever need them.<br />
What I do see, and feel, each time I pick up my <strong>AYA</strong> is the most<br />
faithful, reliable, and by now familiar gun I’ve ever owned. I’d know<br />
it blindfolded or in the dark. It is an extension of my hands and my<br />
will to shoot—not to mention that sweet old yearning to own an <strong>AYA</strong>,<br />
which in the end proved to be one of the few young lusts that could truly<br />
stand the test of time. ✦<br />
Michael McIntosh
The Land of <strong>AYA</strong>
The Basque Country<br />
And the Ancient Art of Gunmaking<br />
T<br />
he Basque Country consists of three provinces in northeastern Spain, with the<br />
Pyrenees to the east and the Bay of Biscay to the north. It is a land of steep green<br />
mountains, hidden valleys, and rugged coastlines.<br />
The Basque Country — El Pais Vasco — is an ancient land, and its inhabitants have dwelt<br />
in its mountains since the dawn of mankind. The Basques are believed to be the last of<br />
the original Europeans, with their own language and unique culture. They are seafarers<br />
and fishermen. Fishing villages dot the coast like pearls, and great navigators have sailed<br />
from Basque ports to explore every corner of the earth.<br />
With a wealth of water power and substantial iron deposits, however, the Basque Country<br />
is also an ancient industrial centre. Steelmaking and manufacturing have been mainstays<br />
of the Basque economy for centuries.<br />
From the beginning, the Basques were great arms makers. They began with swords, spears<br />
and shields, and graduated naturally to gunmaking when gunpowder was discovered<br />
and the technology swept through Europe in the late 1200s. The center of Basque<br />
gunmaking is the town of Eibar, situated in a narrow mountain valley cut by the Ego<br />
River.<br />
For centuries, gunmaking has been the raison d’être for Eibar’s 28,000 inhabitants. It is<br />
home to the Escuela de Armeria — the gunmakers’ school — as well as the government<br />
proof house (Banco de Pruebas) which proof-tests every shotgun made in Spain.<br />
– 7 –<br />
Spanish Treasure<br />
The era of fine gunmaking in the English tradition began in the Basque Country during<br />
the Peninsular War, when Napoleon’s troops were driven out of Spain by Spanish guerrillas<br />
and British forces under the Duke of Wellington. Wellington’s officers took home gun<br />
barrels of Spanish steel (Spanish steel was renowned for its strength) and had them made<br />
into fowling pieces by London gunmakers such as the Manton brothers.<br />
This gave birth to a strong bond between London, the commercial capital of the world,<br />
and Bilbao, the Basque port and center of banking, shipping, and iron mining.<br />
The Basques shipped iron ore to Britain, and sailed home with cargos of British coal. The<br />
close commercial ties between London and Bilbao throughout the 1800s naturally led<br />
to exchanges of technology and technique; as the English perfected the game gun in the<br />
late 1800s, the passion for fine guns crossed the Bay of Biscay and established itself in<br />
the Basque Country.<br />
If John Manton was the father of English gunmaking — making artists out of blacksmiths,<br />
as James Purdey described it — then Victor Sarasqueta was the father of the Basque finegun<br />
trade. Sarasqueta established his company in 1881, and for the next hundred years<br />
set a high standard for Spanish “best” guns. Although Sarasqueta was the oldest, however,<br />
his company was not the largest, nor was it the most famous.<br />
That honour belongs to a firm founded in 19<strong>15</strong> by Miguel <strong>Aguirre</strong> and Nicolas <strong>Aranzabal</strong><br />
— <strong>Aguirre</strong> y <strong>Aranzabal</strong>, known around the world as <strong>AYA</strong>. ✦
<strong>Aguirre</strong> y <strong>Aranzabal</strong><br />
From 19<strong>15</strong> to 1938<br />
A<br />
lthough the centre of the Spanish firearms industry has always been the Basque<br />
Country, another small gunmaking center existed for many years in <strong>Cat</strong>alonia,<br />
near Barcelona.<br />
One of the most famous of the Barcelona gunmakers was a transplanted German, Eduardo<br />
Schilling. Word of Schilling’s skill spread to the Basque Country, and two young Basque<br />
gunmakers, Miguel <strong>Aguirre</strong> and Nicolas <strong>Aranzabal</strong>, left their home in the Basque province<br />
of Guipuzcoa to work with Schilling and perfect their skills. In 19<strong>15</strong>, they returned home<br />
and went into business together as <strong>Aguirre</strong> y <strong>Aranzabal</strong> — <strong>AYA</strong>.<br />
The Basque gunmaking industry traditionally has consisted of hundreds of small shops,<br />
ranging in size from two craftsmen to two dozen. Each has its own speciality — making<br />
locks or lock blanks; soldering barrels or finishing bores; fashioning stocks or applying<br />
oil finishes.<br />
In this respect, the Basque industry closely resembles that of England’s second city of<br />
gunmaking, Birmingham. In the 1800s, Birmingham’s gunmaking quarter was a maze<br />
of streets lined with shops producing all manner of guns and gun parts. During working<br />
hours, the streets were filled with apprentices dashing from one shop to another, carrying<br />
bits of guns in various states of production. Today, in London, many guns with old<br />
established names are made “in the trade” — that is, by subcontracting them to outworkers<br />
— rather than in a full-time factory staffed with craftsmen.<br />
Similarly, Eibar has shops that produce locks, or barrels, or frames. Individual craftsmen<br />
either produce these bits, or are employed as outworkers, handling the overflow from<br />
larger shops.<br />
– 8 –<br />
<strong>AYA</strong> began as a small shop producing components for established companies. At that<br />
time, Victor Sarasqueta was the dominant producer of long guns, but there were dozens<br />
of others, large and small, producing every manner of firearm from handguns, rifles, and<br />
military hardware, to trade guns and top quality side-by-side shotguns.<br />
<strong>AYA</strong>’s first shop was in Eibar, close to Carmelitas Church. As the company grew, it expanded<br />
and moved, first to Calle Julian Etxebarria in the center of town, and later to a large, new<br />
factory in the Vista Alegre. Each move brought larger quarters and more craftsmen, and<br />
the company’s reputation for high-quality work grew along with it.
The first half of the 20th century was a period of turmoil in Spain. From the 1880s<br />
onward, Spain was a constitutional monarchy, and its king was Alfonso XIII. Alfonso was<br />
a charming man whose great joy in life was shooting — both driven birds on the plains<br />
of Castile and the estates of England, and also live-pigeon competition. Alfonso’s tastes<br />
dictated the fashions of the day, and shooting of all kinds became a Spanish passion.<br />
For the gunmakers of Eibar, this was a great benefit. Victor Sarasqueta, for example, was<br />
appointed “Gunmaker to the King,” and included Alfonso’s royal warrant in its catalogs<br />
for many years.<br />
Unfortunately, the Spanish king’s skill with a gun (which was prodigious) was not matched<br />
by his skill at politics, and his reign was marred by a succession of upheavals. In 1923,<br />
General Primo de Rivera established a military dictatorship that lasted until 1930. After<br />
a brief restoration, the monarchy was replaced by a republic, but Spain’s political situation<br />
deteriorated. In July, 1936, General Francisco Franco incited the Spanish Army to revolt,<br />
and the Civil War began.<br />
The Basque Country was, by general inclination, democratic and pro-republican. The<br />
arms-making industries of the Basque Country were a great prize, and Franco made it a<br />
priority to conquer the Basques. His forces rolled up the river valleys of the Cantabrian<br />
Mountains, taking one town after another — Elgoibar, Eibar, Ermua, Guernica. The<br />
carpetbombing of the market-town of Guernica on April 26, 1937, was a watershed in<br />
twentieth century warfare — the first mass-bombing of an undefended civilian populace.<br />
In June, Bilbao fell to Franco’s army, and, for the Basques, the war was over.<br />
The gunmakers were put to work making guns and parts for Franco’s army. Those who<br />
had fled Eibar as the Nationalists approached (including <strong>AYA</strong>), gradually made their way<br />
back home and went back into business. After the war ended, Franco maintained a harsh<br />
hold on the Basque Country. He wanted to ensure that Basque aspirations of independence<br />
– 9 –<br />
Spanish Treasure<br />
would never again threaten the Spanish state. The Basque language, Euskera, was banned<br />
from public use. It was the beginning of a long period of economic and social hardship<br />
for the Basques.<br />
For Miguel <strong>Aguirre</strong> and Nicolas <strong>Aranzabal</strong>, however, it was the beginning of their company’s<br />
rise to become the largest and bestknown Spanish maker of fine guns.<br />
In 1938, as the war ended, they decided to move on from making components for other<br />
companies, and began making complete guns themselves with the <strong>AYA</strong> name engraved<br />
on the barrels. ✦
The Complete Gunmaker,<br />
1938 to now<br />
T<br />
he second world war had little direct impact on <strong>AYA</strong>, since Spain was officially<br />
neutral. Afterward, it even had a beneficial effect, since Spain in 1945 had one of<br />
the few functioning civilian arms-making industries left in the world. The British and<br />
American industries had been converted to war production, while those in Italy, Belgium,<br />
Germany, and Austria had been devastated by war, looting, and occupation. Returning<br />
servicemen, especially in America, were anxious to take up hunting and sport-shooting<br />
once again, and needed rifles and shotguns with which to do it.<br />
This market represented a great opportunity for Spanish gunmakers of all types.<br />
Unfortunately, Spain was still subject to shortages of vital commodities, and rationing of<br />
essential materials such as steel. During this period, there was intense competition among<br />
Spanish gunmakers to export to the United States, and the majority of guns exported<br />
were low-priced, and low-quality.<br />
At this time, <strong>AYA</strong> was producing a basic range of standard shotguns — mostly side-byside<br />
double guns, in both boxlock and sidelock configuration, as well as single-shots.<br />
While their products were well-made and dependable, they were not yet “best” guns.<br />
They were low- to mid-range products that sold for prices competitive with established<br />
Spanish makers.<br />
This was the situation as it stood in the mid-1950s, when an event occurred which was<br />
to change the course of <strong>AYA</strong>’s history: Two English brothers arrived in Spain on holiday,<br />
and visited some gunshops in Barcelona. What they saw gave them an idea, and that idea<br />
changed the face of both <strong>AYA</strong>, and of the Basque fine-gun trade.<br />
– 10 –<br />
The brothers were Andrew and Peter King. In the Barcelona gunshops, they saw some<br />
of the products of the Eibar gun trade as it was then — almost all side-by-sides, with a<br />
few over/unders, varying in quality from utility grade to quite fine. What the Spanish<br />
guns all had in common, however, was their low price: They sold for a fraction of what<br />
a comparable gun would command in England.<br />
At the time, the English gun trade was in a sad state. Those companies that had survived<br />
the war were having even greater difficulty surviving the peace, rife as it was with trade<br />
unions, Labour politicians, and the demise of many of the old-money landowners who
were the trade’s major customers. In that Spanish gunshop, the King brothers saw an<br />
opportunity, and when they returned home they called on the Spanish chamber of<br />
commerce in London.<br />
A short while later, armed with a list of gunmaking companies in the Basque Country,<br />
Andrew and Peter King returned to Spain and began making calls. They visited a number<br />
of gunmakers, and in all but one instance, they found a “take it or leave it” attitude: Here’s<br />
what we make. How many do you want? The lone exception was <strong>AYA</strong>.<br />
<strong>AYA</strong> not only had the largest factory in Eibar, but its managing director, Agustín <strong>Aranzabal</strong>,<br />
was warm, welcoming, and open to any suggestion the King brothers might have about<br />
how the company could crack the market in the United Kingdom. The British market<br />
was then (and still is) the toughest in the world. Every gun sold there, regardless of price,<br />
is compared with guns from Purdey and Holland & Holland. No Spanish company had<br />
ever made inroads. This was a chance to do so.<br />
– 11 –<br />
Spanish Treasure<br />
The King brothers agreed to help <strong>AYA</strong> produce an “English range” of guns specifically<br />
for the UK market. In that meeting was born a partnership that helped transform the<br />
Spanish fine-gun business, and catapulted <strong>AYA</strong> from being a regional company known<br />
mostly in Spain, into one of the great names in shotguns around the world.<br />
Until 1958, <strong>AYA</strong>’s line of shotguns consisted of a wide range of models, from the most<br />
basic single-shot up to a rather exotic over-and-under, the Model Nº 37, patterned on<br />
the famous German Merkel. There were both sidelock and boxlock doubles, and the<br />
Model 53B, with sideclips and a heavy frame, was widely admired by live-pigeon<br />
competitors. The American writer, Colonel Charles Askins, who served as U.S. military<br />
attaché in Madrid in the early 1950s, spent a good deal of time in Eibar studying the<br />
Spanish armaments industry. He and Agustín <strong>Aranzabal</strong> were good friends, Askins owned<br />
several of their guns, and wrote glowingly about the Model Nº 37, which he called “the<br />
best over/under made in Europe.”<br />
In overall styling, however, the <strong>AYA</strong> guns owed more to continental European than to<br />
English taste. If <strong>AYA</strong> was to make an impact in London, it would have to produce guns<br />
with the severe, classic elegance of the London gunmakers.<br />
The King brothers returned to Spain with two guns for <strong>AYA</strong> to use as patterns. The<br />
sidelock was a Holland & Holland. The boxlock was a Westley Richards with the standard<br />
Anson & Deeley action. These two guns provided the basis for four famous models —<br />
the Nº 1, the Nº 2, the Nº 4, and the Nº 4 de Luxe. These became the heart of the <strong>AYA</strong><br />
line.<br />
At home in England, the Kings established Anglo Spanish Imports (ASI) to distribute the<br />
<strong>AYA</strong> guns. They hired English craftsmen and sent them to Spain to teach English techniques<br />
to the <strong>AYA</strong> gunmakers. These included riblaying, best blacking, and stock finishing.
In the early 1960s, Andrew King moved to Spain with his family in order to work more<br />
closely with <strong>AYA</strong>, to oversee production of guns destined for ASI, and to check every<br />
order before it was shipped. Andrew’s son, Edward, spent much of his boyhood in San<br />
Sebastian, and became fluent in Spanish. It established a bond between London and Eibar<br />
which continues to this day.<br />
One gun that deserves a special mention is <strong>AYA</strong>’s Model Senior, a self-opener built on the<br />
famous Beesley action employed by James Purdey & Son. <strong>AYA</strong> copied a Purdey gun down<br />
to the smallest detail. The Senior was a rare and beautiful gun. Only about 40 were made<br />
altogether, and almost all were 12-bore. A current director of ASI has the only Senior<br />
built in 16-bore, and Edward King owns a 12-bore Senior which he describes as “an<br />
absolute gem.” “The engraving in particular is better than on any Purdey I have seen,”<br />
King said, “Light, yet beautifully crisp. When we showed the first one to the English<br />
Model Senior<br />
– 12 –<br />
trade, one dealer took us aside and asked, ‘How much did it cost you to get a Purdey<br />
action out of the Purdey factory?’ That’s how good it was — and still is.”<br />
During the 1950s, <strong>AYA</strong> made its first efforts to export guns to the United States. While<br />
many thousand <strong>AYA</strong>’s made their way to North America, imported by companies such<br />
as Sears Roebuck, and marketed under various trademarks, they had little lasting impact.<br />
An exception was the Matador, a massive boxlock made in both 12 and 10-gauge, that<br />
was sold in the United States for many years. It left many Americans with the impression<br />
that <strong>AYA</strong> made only utility guns selling for economy prices.<br />
Yet in the United Kingdom, especially, as well as in continental Europe and on the great<br />
driven-partridge shoots of Spain, the best <strong>AYA</strong> guns were keeping company with the<br />
finest names in gunmaking — Holland & Holland, Churchill, Boss, and Westley Richards.<br />
With ASI and the King brothers backing them, <strong>AYA</strong> guns quickly established a reputation<br />
in Britain for solid quality at an impossibly low price. They put a nicely balanced and<br />
finished double gun within reach of the average British game shooter, and helped keep<br />
shooting alive through a period of economic and social upheaval.<br />
Unfortunately, for <strong>AYA</strong> and every other finegun maker in the world, tastes were changing,<br />
and the 1960s and 1970s saw a general decline in demand for double shotguns. Prices<br />
were climbing because of inflation; fewer people were coming into a trade that was widely<br />
seen as dying; there was increasing competition from cheaper, machine-made repeating<br />
shotguns.<br />
The Basque gunmaking industry was based firmly on the side-by-side double, with a<br />
scattering of over/unders and single-shots. Most companies consisted of a handful of<br />
craftsmen housed in a small shop. <strong>AYA</strong> was one exception, with its large factory, 500<br />
employees, and annual production of up to 20,000 guns.
As the rest of the Basque firearms industry was hit by declining demand, one company<br />
after another closed its doors. Various solutions were suggested, the most common being<br />
some kind of amalgamation of small shops into one large company that would be globally<br />
competitive, with the most modern production methods and centralized marketing. In<br />
the early 1980s, <strong>AYA</strong> and about 20 other companies combined into one, called Diarm<br />
S.A. A new factory was built in the town of Itziar. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons,<br />
the new enterprise did not last. After a couple of years, Diarm closed down.<br />
Imanol <strong>Aranzabal</strong>, a descendant of the founder and a former executive of both <strong>AYA</strong> and<br />
Diarm, assembled the best gunmakers from the Diarm shop and resurrected the <strong>AYA</strong><br />
name. They repurchased the remaining stock of <strong>AYA</strong> parts, and set up shop on the second<br />
floor of a building on the Bidebarrieta in Eibar. With Imanol running the company and<br />
a dozen top craftsmen working in the shop, the new <strong>AYA</strong> reissued the last catalog of the<br />
old <strong>AYA</strong>, and by 1989 the company was back in the business of making fine double guns.<br />
At first, the new <strong>AYA</strong> concentrated on only the best-selling models — the Nº 1 and<br />
Nº 2 sidelocks, and the Nº 4 boxlock. Gradually, they added other great models from<br />
previous years — the Model 37 over-and-under and the even more elaborate Model<br />
Augusta, the XXV guns (similar to Churchills, with 25 inch barrels), the competition<br />
side-by sides (Model Nº 53 and Model Nº 56), and a range of more elaborate boxlock<br />
guns.<br />
Sadly, the Senior was not among the offerings, and probably never will be. The basic<br />
frame for making a Beesley action is no longer produced in Spain, and obtaining the raw<br />
materials elsewhere would be cost-prohibitive.<br />
In the United Kingdom, Anglo Spanish Imports resumed its relationship with the new<br />
<strong>AYA</strong>, and began looking at how the line might be expanded to appeal to a new generation<br />
– 13 –<br />
Spanish Treasure<br />
of English lovers of fine guns. The result was the Nº 1 “de Luxe”, a gun comparable in<br />
quality and finish to the finest English guns, yet selling for a much lower price. The de<br />
Luxe would be finished in the white in Spain, with stock-finishing, engraving, blacking,<br />
and case-hardening carried out in England.<br />
The Nº 1 “de Luxe” was a sensation.<br />
<strong>AYA</strong> then took the concept a step further, for the rest of the markets, the Nº 1 “de Luxe”<br />
is built and finished completely in Spain. Since 1988 the company had steadily expanded<br />
its network of dealers and customers in all the world. Each dealer had his own ideas of<br />
what guns would sell to his clients, and <strong>AYA</strong> enthusiastically took to making variations<br />
on its standard models to suit individual tastes.<br />
Model Nº 1 “de Luxe”
– 14 –<br />
<strong>AYA</strong> in 1992
This partnership with its importers, which began with ASI in the 1950s and continues<br />
with all importers in the new millenium, has become a cornerstone of <strong>AYA</strong>’s way of doing<br />
business, and a new generation of wingshooters and lovers of fine guns are the beneficiaries.<br />
As business expanded for the new <strong>AYA</strong>, the company quickly outgrew its shop at the<br />
corner of the Bidebarrieta and Urtzaile. In 2001, <strong>AYA</strong> moved to the other end of town,<br />
taking over an entire floor of the Laurona factory at Number 25, Otaola Hiribidea, the<br />
main thoroughfare into Eibar from Bilbao.<br />
The workforce expanded from 12 craftsmen to 25.<br />
The new factory has the traditional long workbench, but it has much more as well. <strong>AYA</strong><br />
is moving steadily back towards its previous role as a leader in Eibar’s fine-gun industry.<br />
<strong>AYA</strong> is installing new machinery and adopting advanced technology that will allow it to<br />
make many of its own basic parts, and also supply raw materials to the smaller gunmakers<br />
of Eibar.<br />
In this way, <strong>AYA</strong> is not only carrying on a long tradition of making fine shotguns, but<br />
also working to ensure that Eibar’s fine-gun industry thrives long into the future. ✦<br />
– <strong>15</strong> –<br />
Spanish Treasure<br />
Model Nº 37 “Damasquinada”<br />
Model Augusta engraved by Vicente Ituarte
<strong>AYA</strong> guns today<br />
The <strong>AYA</strong> line of high quality shotguns is one of the most complete offered by any gunmaker<br />
in the world today. There is literally something for everyone, from hunters of all kinds<br />
of small game, to competitive live-bird and clay-target shooters.<br />
<strong>AYA</strong> makes double-barreled shotguns in both side-by-side and over-and-under models,<br />
with either boxlock or sidelock actions. They range in price from affordable boxlocks to<br />
sidelock masterpieces that are some of the most exquisite examples of fine gunmaking<br />
to be found anywhere. Every gun in the <strong>AYA</strong> line has been tested and proven by time.<br />
– 17 –<br />
<strong>AYA</strong> guns today<br />
From top Model Nº 1,<br />
Model Nº 2 and Model Nº 4/53
Model Nº 4/53<br />
T<br />
he Nº 4 has been <strong>AYA</strong>’s standard boxlock design since 1960. It is modelled on a<br />
Westley Richards boxlock action, brought to Spain by the King brothers. The Anson<br />
& Deeley action, the most famous of all boxlock designs, was created by two employees<br />
of Westley Richards in 1875, and ever since, Westley Richards guns have defined boxlock<br />
elegance.<br />
The Nº 4 is mechanically very simple, which makes it durable, dependable, and easy to<br />
service. It employs a Purdey double underbolt locking system.<br />
Standard Features<br />
• Side by Side hammerless boxlock ejector shotgun.<br />
• Double locking mechanism wich replaceable hinge pin.<br />
• Disc set firing pins.<br />
• Double trigger (optional selective or non-selective trigger).<br />
• Chopper lump barrels with concave rib.<br />
• Light scroll engraving.<br />
• Automatic safety.<br />
• Split bottom plate.<br />
• Straight hand oil finished walnut stock.<br />
• Initial Oval.<br />
• Available with colour hardened or old silver finish.<br />
• 12, 16, 20, 28 & .410 bore.<br />
• 28" barrels, with other barrel lengths to order.<br />
• Approximate weight in 12 bore 6 lbs 10 oz.<br />
– 18 –
– 19 –<br />
Boxlock Side-by-Side Shotguns
Model Nº 4 “de Luxe”<br />
T<br />
he Nº 4 “de Luxe” is <strong>AYA</strong>’s most luxurious boxlock model. Known in the UK as<br />
the “Best Quality Boxlock”, it is fully hand chequered engraved and the receiver<br />
is scalloped where it meets the walnut stock, for the ultimate in boxlock elegance. The<br />
stock is of finely figured select walnut, hand-checkered, with a gold stock oval.<br />
Standard Features<br />
• Side by Side hammerless boxlock ejector shotgun.<br />
• Double locking mechanism with replaceable hinge pin.<br />
• Automatic Safety.<br />
• Disc set firing pins.<br />
• Double trigger (optional selective or non-selective trigger).<br />
• Chopper lump chrome nickel steel barrels.<br />
• Concave rib.<br />
• Profuse “Rose & Scroll” engraving.<br />
• Split bottom plate.<br />
• Straight hand, finely chequered oil finished highly figured walnut stock.<br />
• Gold Initial Oval.<br />
• Available with colour hardened or old silver finish.<br />
• 12, 16, 20, 28 & .410 bore.<br />
• 28" barrels, with other barrel lengths to order.<br />
• Approximate weight in 12 bore 63 / 4 lbs.<br />
– 20 –
– 21 –<br />
Boxlock Side-by-Side Shotguns
Model XXV / BL<br />
O<br />
ne of the most famous English guns of the early 20th century was the Churchill<br />
XXV — a 25-inch barrelled gun developed by the English shooting instructor,<br />
Robert Churchill. Churchill combined his short barrels with a special high, tapered rib<br />
which gives the shooter an optical impression of length. The XXV was especially popular<br />
with shooters of smaller stature, and retains a following to this day.<br />
For many years, <strong>AYA</strong> has offered guns in an “XXV” configuration, in both a high-quality<br />
sidelock, and in a less expensive boxlock model.<br />
Standard Features<br />
• Side by Side hammerless boxlock ejector shotgun.<br />
• Double locking mechanism wich replaceable hinge pin.<br />
• Automatic Safety.<br />
• Disc set firing pins.<br />
• Double trigger (optional selective or non-selective trigger).<br />
• 25" Chopper lump steel barrels.<br />
• Churchill Rib.<br />
• Special XXV engraving.<br />
• Split bottom plate.<br />
• Straight hand, finely chequered oil finished walnut stock.<br />
• Initial Oval.<br />
• Available with colour hardened or old silver finish.<br />
• 12, 16, 20, 28 and .410 bore.<br />
• Approximate weight in 12 bore 63 / 4 lbs.<br />
– 22 –
– 23 –<br />
Boxlock Side-by-Side Shotguns
Model Nº 2 & Nº 2 Round Action<br />
T<br />
he <strong>AYA</strong> Nº 2 is the pre-eminent “affordable” sidelock double gun, and the most<br />
famous model in the <strong>AYA</strong> line. Since its introduction in the late 1950s, tens of<br />
thousands of Nº 2’s have been sold in the United Kingdom, the United States, and<br />
everywhere that shooters value the superb balance and handling of a fine double gun.<br />
Mechanically, the Nº 2 is identical to the Nº 1. Like the Nº 1, it was originally modeled<br />
on the time-tested Holland & Holland system.<br />
It is stocked with standard walnut and engraved in a simpler pattern.<br />
Rounded actions<br />
Traditional sidelock guns are made with either a standard action or a rounded action. In<br />
the former, there is a raised ridge surrounding the lock plate, as well as a drop-point<br />
carved into the wood behind the lock to give it a finished look. The underside of the<br />
frame is squared, with a carved bead to soften the square edges of the metal. The Purdey<br />
is an example of such a traditional action.<br />
In a rounded action, these features are eliminated. The underside of the frame is flush<br />
with the wood. There are no drop points, and no squared edges in either wood or metal.<br />
Thomas Boss of London is famous for its rounded-action game guns.<br />
– 24 –<br />
Model Nº 2 Round Action<br />
Standard Features<br />
• Side by Side hammerless sidelock shotgun.<br />
• Forged steel action with double locking mechanism and gas vents.<br />
• Hardened steel intercepting safety sears.<br />
• Gold lined cocking indicators.<br />
• Double trigger with hinged front trigger.<br />
• Optional selective or non-selective single trigger.<br />
• Chopper lump steel barrels.<br />
• Concave Rib.<br />
• Straight hand, finely chequered oil finished walnut stock.<br />
• English scroll engraving.<br />
• Initial Oval.<br />
• Automatic Safety.<br />
• Available with colour hardened or old silver finish.<br />
• 12, 16, 20, 28 & .410 bore.<br />
• 28" barrels, with other barrel lengths to order.<br />
• Approximate weight in 12 bore 63 / 4 lbs .
Model Nº 2 with “old silver” finish<br />
– 25 –<br />
Sidelock Side-by-Side Shotguns
Model XXV / SL<br />
O<br />
ne of the most famous English guns of the early 20th century was the Churchill<br />
XXV — a 25-inch barreled gun developed by the English shooting instructor,<br />
Robert Churchill. Churchill combined his short barrels with a special high, tapered rib<br />
which gives the shooter an optical impression of length. The XXV was especially popular<br />
with shooters of smaller stature, and retains a following to this day.<br />
For many years, <strong>AYA</strong> has offered guns in an “XXV” configuration, in both a high-quality<br />
sidelock, and in a less expensive boxlock model.<br />
Standard Features<br />
• Side by Side hammerless sidelock shotgun.<br />
• Forged steel action with double locking mechanism and gas vents.<br />
• Hardened steel intercepting safety sears.<br />
• Gold lined cocking indicators.<br />
• Double trigger with hinged front trigger.<br />
• Optional selective or non-selective single trigger.<br />
• 25" Chopper lump steel barrels.<br />
• Churchill rib.<br />
• Straight hand, finely chequered oil finished walnut stock.<br />
• Special XXV engraving - fine floral, ribbon and scroll engraving.<br />
• Initial Oval.<br />
• Available with colour hardened, old silver or bright finished action.<br />
• 12, 16, 20, 28 & .410 bore.<br />
• Rolled engraving on 12, 16 and 20 bore.<br />
• Hand engraving on 28 and .410 bore.<br />
– 26 –
– 27 –<br />
Sidelock Side-by-Side Shotguns
Model Nº 53<br />
T<br />
he Nº 53 (also known over the years as the 53E and 53B) is one of the oldest<br />
models in the <strong>AYA</strong> catalogue, having been in production since the early 1950s.<br />
Both Jack O’Connor and Col. Charles Askins wrote glowingly about the Model Nº 53,<br />
which O’Connor described as one of the best values to be had in a side-by-side shotgun<br />
anywhere.<br />
The Nº 53 is similar to the Nº 56, in that it employs a Purdey triple-bite and sideclips<br />
for maximum strength. However, it is built on a standard-size frame and is slimmer and<br />
lighter than the Nº 56. It is engraved in a traditional European ribbon-and-floral pattern.<br />
Standard Features<br />
• Side by Side hammerless sidelock shotgun.<br />
• Forged steel action with concealed third bite, sideclips and gas vents.<br />
• Hardened steel intercepting safety sears.<br />
• Gold washed internal lock parts.<br />
• Gold lined cocking indicators.<br />
• Double trigger with hinged front trigger (optional selective or non-selective trigger).<br />
• Chopper lump steel barrels.<br />
• Concave Rib.<br />
• Straight hand, finely chequered oil finished walnut stock.<br />
• Fine floral, ribbon, and scroll engraving.<br />
• Initial Oval.<br />
• Automatic Safety.<br />
• Available with colour hardened or old silver finish.<br />
• 12, 16 and 20 bore.<br />
• 28" barrels, with other barrel lengths to order.<br />
• Approximate weight in 12 bore 63 / 4 lbs.<br />
– 28 –
– 29 –<br />
Sidelock Side-by-Side Shotguns
Model Nº 1 & Nº 1 Round Action<br />
T<br />
he <strong>AYA</strong> Nº 1 has been the flagship of the <strong>AYA</strong> line since its introduction in the<br />
late 1950s. Modelled closely on the classic Holland & Holland-style sidelock,<br />
the Nº 1 has every hallmark of the traditional English-style double: Purdey-type double<br />
underlugs, chopper-lump barrels, detachable locks, articulated front trigger, and optional<br />
self-opener. The Nº 1 is engraved in classic Purdey-style rose-and-scroll, and is stocked<br />
in fancy-grade walnut.<br />
Standard Features<br />
• Side by Side hammerless sidelock shotgun.<br />
• Forged steel action with double locking mechanism and gas vents.<br />
• Hardened steel intercepting safety sears.<br />
• Gold washed internal lock parts.<br />
• Gold lined cocking indicators.<br />
• Double trigger with hinged front trigger (optional selective or non-selective trigger).<br />
• Chopper lump chrome nickel steel barrels.<br />
• Concave Rib.<br />
• Straight hand, finely chequered oil finished highly figured walnut stock.<br />
• Hand engraved with fine rose and scroll engraving.<br />
• Initial Oval.<br />
• Automatic Safety.<br />
• Available with colour hardened or old silver finish.<br />
• 12, 16, 20, 28 & .410 bore.<br />
• 28" barrels, with other barrel lengths to order.<br />
• Approximate weight in 12 bore 63 / 4 lbs.<br />
– 30 –<br />
Rounded actions<br />
Traditional sidelock guns are made with either a standard action or a rounded action. In<br />
the former, there is a raised ridge surrounding the lock plate, as well as a drop-point<br />
carved into the wood behind the lock to give it a finished look. The underside of the<br />
frame is squared, with a carved bead to soften the square edges of the metal. The Purdey<br />
is an example of such a traditional action.<br />
In a rounded action, these features are eliminated. The underside of the frame is flush<br />
with the wood. There are no drop points, and no squared edges in either wood or metal.<br />
Thomas Boss of London is famous for its rounded-action game guns.<br />
Model Nº 1
Model Nº 1 Round Action<br />
– 31 –<br />
Sidelock Side-by-Side Shotguns
Model Nº 1 - “de Luxe”<br />
T<br />
he Nº 1 “de Luxe” has been acclaimed by experts around the world as one of the<br />
most beautiful guns available today at any price. It is a variation on the proven<br />
<strong>AYA</strong> Nº 1, which has been in production for more than 40 years. The major difference<br />
between the Nº 1 and the “de Luxe” is the engraving. The “de Luxe” is engraved with a<br />
bold foliate scroll design, similar to that made famous by Holland & Holland. It is stocked<br />
in exhibition-grade walnut.<br />
The Nº 1 “de Luxe” imported to the United Kingdom by Anglo Spanish Imports is<br />
engraved and finished in England by British craftsmen, including the engraving, stock<br />
finishing, blacking, and case hardening. “De Luxe” guns made to order for clients elsewhere<br />
are engraved and finished by Basque master craftsmen at the <strong>AYA</strong> factory.<br />
Standard Features<br />
• Side by Side hammerless sidelock shotgun.<br />
• Forged steel action with double locking<br />
mechanism and gas vents.<br />
• Hardened steel intercepting safety sears.<br />
• Gold washed internal lock parts.<br />
• Gold lined cocking indicators.<br />
• Double trigger with hinged front trigger.<br />
• Optional selective or non-selective single<br />
trigger.<br />
• Chopper lump chrome nickel steel barrels.<br />
• Concave Rib.<br />
• Straight hand, finely chequered oil finished<br />
highly figured walnut stock.<br />
• Best English bold foliate engraving.<br />
• Initial Oval.<br />
• Automatic Safety.<br />
• Available with colour hardened or old silver<br />
finish.<br />
• 12, 16, 20, 28 & .410 bore.<br />
• 28" barrels, with other barrel lengths to<br />
order.<br />
• Approximate weight in 12 bore 63 / 4 lbs.<br />
• Special grade walnut stock.<br />
– 32 –
– 33 –<br />
Sidelock Side-by-Side Shotguns
Model Nº 56<br />
T<br />
he Model Nº 56 was first made in 1941. It is <strong>AYA</strong>’s top competition double, and<br />
a long-time favorite of live-pigeon competitors around the world.<br />
Like guns for trap and skeet competition, pigeon guns must be strong, to endure the<br />
firing of hundreds of thousands of rounds. They must also be heavy enough to absorb<br />
recoil during days of gruelling competition, yet handle smoothly and point naturally.<br />
To accomplish this, the Model Nº 56 employs a frame that is wider and heavier than<br />
normal. This is augmented by a Purdey triple-bite bolting system, and sideclips to eliminate<br />
lateral flexing. The gun is normally made with a pistol grip and beavertail forend, to allow<br />
the shooter a solid hold on the gun. Barrels are extra long - up to 30 inches - and can<br />
be ordered with a ventilated rib.<br />
Standard Features<br />
• Side-by-side hammerless sidelock ejector<br />
with wide forged steel action, designed<br />
for competitive shooting.<br />
• Treble grip locking mechanism with<br />
sideclips and gas vents.<br />
• Gold washed internal lock parts.<br />
• Gold lined cocking indicators.<br />
• Double trigger with hinged front triggersingle<br />
trigger option more usual.<br />
• Chopper lump chrome nickel steel barrels.<br />
• Flat, hand file cut rib.<br />
• Straight hand, finely chequered oil finished<br />
highly figured walnut stock.<br />
• Hand engraved with fine rose and scroll<br />
engraving.<br />
• Initial Oval.<br />
• Automatic Safety.<br />
• Available with colour hardened or old<br />
silver finish.<br />
• 12 and 20 bore.<br />
• 28" barrels, with other barrel lengths to<br />
order.<br />
• Approximate weight in 12 bore 71 / 2 lbs.<br />
– 34 –<br />
The stock and engraving are the same quality as the Nº 1, although special<br />
attention is paid to the strength of the grain through the grip, because of the<br />
extra stresses of competition.
– 35 –<br />
Sidelock Side-by-Side Shotguns
Model “Imperial”<br />
T<br />
he “Imperial” is <strong>AYA</strong>’s first new model since the launch of the Nº 1 “de Luxe”:<br />
another step in <strong>AYA</strong>’s quest for a perfect sidelock. Only the finest and most<br />
experienced craftsmen will work on the ‘Imperial’ to ensure the very highest level of<br />
quality. The base for the “Imperial” is the Nº 1 sidelock action, but <strong>AYA</strong> have taken it to<br />
another level of refinement to bring it closer still to gunmaking perfection; self-opening<br />
action as standard, exquisite hand picked engraving, bone charcoal case hardening and<br />
exhibition quality walnut all feature on this elegant shotgun. But the “Imperial” is not<br />
just a beautifully finished shotgun; extra time is put into every working aspect of this<br />
gun to make sure the trigger pulls are that bit crisper, the closing is even smoother, the<br />
handling feels a touch more lively. This masterpiece has not been made to a price, but<br />
to a level of finish which is unmatched in Spanish gunmaking.<br />
Standard Features<br />
• Side by Side hammerless sidelock shotgun.<br />
• Forged steel action with double locking<br />
mechanism and gas vents.<br />
• Hardened steel intercepting safety sears.<br />
• Gold washed internal lock parts.<br />
• Gold lined cocking indicators.<br />
• Double trigger with hinged front trigger.<br />
• Optional selective or non-selective single<br />
trigger.<br />
• Chopper lump chrome nickel steel barrels.<br />
• Concave Rib.<br />
• Straight hand, finely chequered oil finished<br />
highly figured walnut stock.<br />
• Best English bold foliate engraving.<br />
• Initial Oval.<br />
• Automatic Safety.<br />
• Available with colour hardened or old silver<br />
finish.<br />
• 12, 16, 20, 28 & .410 bore.<br />
• 28" barrels, with other barrel lengths to<br />
order.<br />
• Approximate weight in 12 bore 63 / 4 lbs.<br />
• Special grade walnut stock.<br />
– 36 –<br />
Features which set this model apart include<br />
• Self-opening action.<br />
• Locking screws fitted throughout internally.<br />
• Bone charcoal case hardening.<br />
• Hand detachable pin with locking stud.<br />
• Finest hand picked engraving.<br />
• Exhibition quality walnut.<br />
• Diamond chequering.<br />
• Locked hinge pin.
– 37 –<br />
Sidelock Side-by-Side Shotguns
Model Nº 37<br />
T<br />
he Model Nº 37 is the most famous over-and-under ever made in the Basque<br />
Country, and at one time was the most expensive shotgun made in Spain. Patterned<br />
after the celebrated German Merkel, the Nº 37 was described by the American expert,<br />
Col. Charles Askins, as “the best over-and-under made in Europe.” High praise indeed!<br />
– 38 –<br />
Like the Merkel, the Model Nº 37 employs a deep frame with bolsters and a Kersten<br />
fastening system for strength and solid lock-up. It also has a three-piece forend and a<br />
true sidelock action, with internal gold-plating as a standard feature. The locks are handdetachable,<br />
with a hidden release.<br />
Standard Features<br />
• Over-and-under sidelock shotgun.<br />
• Double underlocking lugs and double crossbolt.<br />
• Chopper lump chrome nickel steel barrels.<br />
• Hardened steel intercepting safety sears.<br />
• Gold line cocking indicators.<br />
• Gold washed internal lock parts.<br />
• Hand detachable locks with concealed pin.<br />
• Double trigger with hinged front trigger (optional selective or non-selective trigger).<br />
• Fine rose and scroll, game scene or bold relief engraving.<br />
• 28” with other barrel lengths to order.<br />
• 12 bore only.<br />
• Available with colour hardened or old silver finish.<br />
• Approximate weight in 12 bore 71 / 2 lbs.
– 39 –<br />
Over-and-Under Shotguns
Model Augusta<br />
T<br />
he Augusta is a “super” quality Model Nº 37, and almost identical mechanically,<br />
except that it has dispensed with the cross-bolt fastening, relying instead on double<br />
underlugs. This allows the upper part of the action to be much more streamlined, with<br />
elegant curves where the barrels join the face. It is engraved with deep relief engraving<br />
as standard, with other patterns to order.<br />
Standard Features<br />
• Over-and-under sidelock shotgun.<br />
• Double underlocking lugs.<br />
• Chopper lump chrome nickel steel barrels.<br />
• Hardened steel intercepting safety sears.<br />
• Gold line cocking indicators.<br />
• Gold washed internal lock parts.<br />
• Hand detachable locks with concealed pin.<br />
• Double trigger with hinged front trigger (optional selective or non-selective trigger).<br />
• Bold relief scroll engraving.<br />
• 28" with other barrel lengths to order.<br />
• 12 bore only.<br />
•Available with colour hardened or old silver finish.<br />
• Approximate weight in 12 bore 73 / 4 lbs.<br />
– 40 –
– 41 –<br />
Over-and-Under Shotguns
Special Shotguns<br />
The following pages illustrate some of the different and eyecatching<br />
engravings which our master engravers are able to<br />
execute on our shotguns.<br />
Model Augusta engraved by Vicente Ituarte<br />
– 42 –
– 43 –<br />
Special Shotguns
– 44 –
– 45 –<br />
Special Shotguns
Picture courtesy of The Shooting Gazette.
Our secret<br />
A<br />
work of art does not just happen. First, an idea is born in the mind of the artist.<br />
This idea takes a physical form through a combination of experience, artistry and<br />
inspiration. The joy of the discerning owner is in appreciating the skill wich has created<br />
the masterpiece he now possesses. This has always been true of <strong>AYA</strong> shotguns. <strong>AYA</strong><br />
shotguns, built in Eibar, the birthplace of Spanish gunmaking, are designed for those<br />
who know to value and distinguish genuine quality.<br />
– 47 –<br />
Model Nº 1 and Model Nº 2 Round Action<br />
Making an <strong>AYA</strong>
Making an <strong>AYA</strong><br />
E<br />
very <strong>AYA</strong> is made by hand – each part carefully fitted to every other part, filed to<br />
minute tolerances the “thickness of a layer of smoke.” The gunmaker smokes the<br />
steel, fits the parts, then removes metal one file stroke at a time until the two parts fit<br />
as one. Gradually, the steel parts are brought together into one perfect whole: barrels,<br />
– 48 –<br />
frame, trigger guard, forend. The fine walnut stock and forend are carefully shaped and<br />
inletted at the hands of our master stockers. Finally, the steel is engraved using the most<br />
traditional tools of the artist.
The result:<br />
A gun that is itself a work of art, as<br />
individual as its owner.<br />
– 49 –<br />
Making an <strong>AYA</strong>
Why an <strong>AYA</strong>?<br />
S<br />
ixty years ago, in the great age of hand craftsmanship, English gunmaking achieved<br />
a standard of excellence which will never be surpassed. While it is the dream of<br />
many game shooters to own an English “best” shotgun, the cost of such a work of art<br />
puts it beyond reach of all but a very few.<br />
<strong>AYA</strong> has created a range of shotguns that incorporate the very best technical features of<br />
traditional English guns, yet have the advantage of substantially lower manufacturing<br />
costs. These guns are built entirely at <strong>AYA</strong>’s factory in Eibar, the birthplace of Spain’s<br />
gunmaking industry.<br />
Disc-Set Strikers<br />
With lesser guns, the striker is an integral part of the tumbler. These are simpler to make,<br />
but requires the replacement of the entire tumbler when the striker becomes worn.<br />
All <strong>AYA</strong> side-by-sides are fitted with disc-set strikers. The striker is a separate piece with<br />
its own return spring, either of which can be replaced simply by removing the inset disk<br />
in the face of the standing breech. This is a feature of all London “bests” – and another<br />
example of the quality design and workmanship one expects from <strong>AYA</strong>.<br />
Locks<br />
The steel used in <strong>AYA</strong> locks and springs is the very best available, and exclusive to <strong>AYA</strong>.<br />
Softer steel is cheaper and easier to work with, which is why it is preferred by lesser<br />
gunmakers, but <strong>AYA</strong> will never compromise on the basic quality of its lock mechanisms.<br />
– 50 –
The locks and actions are all engraved entirely by hand, with superb attention to detail.<br />
Each <strong>AYA</strong> gun is a unique work of art.<br />
Chopper-Lump Forgings<br />
With chopper-lump forgings, the barrel and lump are forged from one piece of steel,<br />
resulting in unequalled strength and uniformity.<br />
This means, however, there is no margin of error in manufacturing: One mistake in<br />
shaping the lump and the entire barrel must be scrapped.<br />
All <strong>AYA</strong> side-by-sides, even the least expensive, have chopper-lump barrels, giving them<br />
unbeatable strength.<br />
Replaceable Hinge Pin<br />
After exceptionally long service (or more often, after repeated use of extra-heavy loads),<br />
a gun may “shoot loose”. Such a gun can be returned to its original tightness only by<br />
fitting a new hinge pin.<br />
With many other makes of gun, the hinge pin is an integral part of the frame and cannot<br />
be replaced. All <strong>AYA</strong> guns have removable hinge pins which can easily be replaced by a<br />
gunsmith, to give the gun another lifetime of use.<br />
– 51 –<br />
Why an <strong>AYA</strong>?<br />
12 16 20<br />
28 410<br />
• For 12,16 and 20 standard barrels are 28”. • For 28 and 410 bore standard barrels are 27”.<br />
• Other barrel lengths are available to order.
Wood<br />
T<br />
he quality of a gun stock makes all the difference; and it says something about its<br />
owner, too. <strong>AYA</strong> has a wide selection of quality blanks from which clients can make<br />
their choice.<br />
Models such as the Nº 4/53, the XXV’s, the Nº 2 and the Nº 53 are all supplied as standard<br />
with grade 2 walnut stocks; this is elegant walnut, with good colour and linear figuring<br />
which is attractive yet strong.<br />
Models such as the Nº 4 “de Luxe”, Nº 1 and Nº 56 are stocked from grade 1 blanks;<br />
these have bolder figuring, with more contrast and pattern.<br />
- Grade 2<br />
Nº 4/53, the XXV’s, the Nº 2 & Nº 53<br />
– 52 –<br />
The Nº 1 “de Luxe”, Nº 37 and Augusta are stocked with exhibition grade walnut, taken<br />
only from highly selected blanks, chosen for their eye-catching colour and figuring.<br />
Wood upgrades are available on all models as optional extras; all you need to do is specify<br />
the grade you require at the time of ordering.<br />
The pictures show the various grades of walnut; bear in mind that these are indications<br />
only, as wood is a living material with infinite variations, but they give a broad idea of<br />
the quality of each grade.<br />
- Grade 2<br />
Nº 4/53, the XXV’s, the Nº 2 & Nº 53
- Grade 1 - Exhibition - Exhibition - Special - Special<br />
- Grade 1<br />
Nº 4 “de Luxe”; Nº 1 & Nº 56<br />
– 53 –<br />
- Special<br />
Wood
Optional extras<br />
A<br />
ll <strong>AYA</strong> shotguns can be made to the client´s individual requirements; calibre; barrel<br />
length; action finish; engraving styles; wood quality; stock and forend styles; selfopening<br />
actions; the sky is the limit. All you need to do is outline your specification<br />
and we will provide you with a quotation for the finished product.<br />
There are two basic action finishes available at no extra charge: colour hardened and old<br />
silver (also referred to as “coin finish”). In the true tradition of best gunmaking we have<br />
also added a third category, the <strong>AYA</strong> “Special Finish”, which is a genuine bone charcoal<br />
colour hardened finish, notable for its beautiful marbling. This finish is only available<br />
to special order.<br />
Half-pistol or semi-pistol grip<br />
Pistol or Prince of Wales grip<br />
– 54 –<br />
Beaver Tail Semi Beaver Tail Splinter<br />
Straight hand or English grip
<strong>AYA</strong> Special Finish<br />
Case Hardening<br />
– 55 –<br />
Old Silver Finish<br />
Optional extras<br />
White finish
Serial numbers and historical data<br />
S<br />
ince 1945, <strong>AYA</strong> has manufactured more than 600,000 shotguns of all types and<br />
grades.<br />
Until 1995, the guns were assigned serial numbers chronologically, regardless of grade<br />
or type. In 1995, the Spanish proof house implemented a new system of serial numbers.<br />
Now, each gun has a serial number that consists of four sets of digits, separated by a<br />
hyphen. Each set of digits has a distinct meaning.<br />
The first set is the gunmaker code. The second set designates the type of firearm. The<br />
third set, which may run to three or even four digits, is the chronological number assigned<br />
by the gunmaker in a given year, and the fourth set of two digits shows the year of<br />
manufacture.<br />
For example, <strong>AYA</strong>’s gunmaker code is 16, and the code for a<br />
shotgun is 03. Therefore, the serial number 16-03-241-98 shows<br />
that this is a shotgun, made by <strong>AYA</strong>, and that it was the 241st<br />
gun produced in the year 1998.<br />
– 56 –<br />
The numbers assigned since 1945 are:<br />
1945 to 1948 — 0001 to 19,999<br />
1949 to 1954 — 20,000 to 71,999<br />
1955 to 1959 — 72,000 to 1<strong>15</strong>,286<br />
1960 to 1965 — 1<strong>15</strong>,287 to 222,508<br />
1966 to 1971 — 222,509 to 378,548<br />
1972 to 1977 — 378,549 to 481,401<br />
1978 to 1983 — 481,402 to 576,551<br />
1984 to 1987 — 576,553 to 599,999<br />
1988 to 1993 — 600,000 to 602,642<br />
1994 — 602,423 to 602,642<br />
1995 — 16-03-001-95 to 16-03-800-95<br />
1996 — 16-03-001-96 to 16-03-755-96<br />
1997 — 16-03-001-97 to 16-03-642-97<br />
1998 — 16-03-001-98 to 16-03-677-98<br />
1999 — 16-03-001-99 to 16-03-719-99<br />
2000 — 16-03-001-00 to 16-03-758-00<br />
2001 — 16-03-001-01 to 16-03-645-01<br />
2002 — 16-03-001-02 to 16-03-645-02<br />
2003 — 16-03-001-03 to 16-03-781-03<br />
2004 — 16-03-001-04 to 16-03-703-04<br />
2005 — 16-03-001-05 to 16-03-652-05<br />
2006 — 16-03-001-06 to 16-03-750-06<br />
From 1927 until 1994, the Spanish proof house employed a system of date codes which<br />
were stamped on most (but not all) firearms produced in Spain. These code numbers or<br />
letters were stamped on the action flats, or the barrel flats, of the firearm, along with the<br />
proof marks.<br />
Date Codes, 1927 - 1944<br />
A - 1927<br />
B - 1928<br />
C - 1929<br />
CH - 1930<br />
D - 1931<br />
E - 1932<br />
F - 1933<br />
G - 1934<br />
H - 1935<br />
I - 1936<br />
J - 1937<br />
K - 1938<br />
L - 1939<br />
LL - 1940<br />
M - 1941<br />
N - 1942<br />
Ñ - 1943<br />
O - 1944<br />
P - 1945<br />
Q - 1946<br />
R - 1947<br />
S - 1948<br />
T - 1949<br />
U - 1950<br />
V - 1951<br />
X - 1952<br />
Y - 1953<br />
Z - 1954<br />
A1 - 1955<br />
B1 - 1956<br />
C1 - 1957<br />
D1 - 1958<br />
E1 - 1959<br />
F1 - 1960<br />
G1 - 1961<br />
H1 - 1962
I1 - 1963<br />
J1 - 1964<br />
K1 - 1965<br />
L1 - 1966<br />
M1 - 1967<br />
N1 - 1968<br />
Ñ1 - 1969<br />
O1 - 1970<br />
P1 - 1971<br />
Q1 - 1972<br />
(The codes from 1995 onward were assigned but never used)<br />
Weapon Codes, Effective 1995<br />
R1 - 1973<br />
S1 - 1974<br />
T1 - 1975<br />
U1 - 1976<br />
V1 - 1977<br />
X1 - 1978<br />
Y1 - 1979<br />
Z1 - 1980<br />
A2 - 1981<br />
B2 - 1982<br />
C2 - 1983<br />
D2 - 1984<br />
E2 - 1985<br />
F2 - 1986<br />
G2 - 1987<br />
H2 - 1988<br />
I2 - 1989<br />
J2 - 1990<br />
K2 - 1991<br />
L2 - 1992<br />
M2 - 1993<br />
N2 - 1994<br />
Ñ2 - 1995<br />
O2 - 1996<br />
P2 - 1997<br />
Q2 - 1998<br />
R2 - 1999<br />
S2 - 2000<br />
The second pair of digits in each new serial number indicates the type of weapon. This<br />
allows someone looking only at the serial number (for example, in a list of records) to<br />
know immediately what he is dealing with.<br />
01 - Carabina (Carbine)<br />
02 - Blanca (Blank firer)<br />
03 - Escopeta (Shotgun)<br />
04 - Pistola (Pistol)<br />
05 - Revolver (Revolver)<br />
06 - Rifle (Rifle)<br />
07 - Anestesica (Dart gun)<br />
08 - Arco (Bow)<br />
09 - Ballesta (Crossbow)<br />
10 - Number not assigned<br />
11 - Lanzacabos (Spear head)<br />
12 - Trabuco (Blunderbuss)<br />
13 - Avancarga (Muzzle loader)<br />
14 - Mosquetón (Short carbine)<br />
<strong>15</strong> - Subfusil (Submachinegun, among other<br />
definitions)<br />
16 - Arcabuz (Harquebus)<br />
– 57 –<br />
Serial Numbers and historical data
Gun Cases<br />
S<br />
uch special shotguns deserve to be carried and kept in cases which befit their quality.<br />
The gun cases seen on these two pages are all made to measure using the finest<br />
hides and fittings. The result is a case as tailor-made as the gun it houses.<br />
Gun cases are ordered separately to the guns.<br />
Oak and leather double case<br />
– 58 –<br />
Best leather mini-case<br />
Toe-under case
Canvas and leather case<br />
“VC” case<br />
– 59 –<br />
Double motor case<br />
Canvas outer cover<br />
Gun Cases<br />
Single leather case with accessories
Accessories<br />
T<br />
hese are a few of the accessories which we are able to supply to complement our<br />
shotguns. As with our guns, quality of materials and workmanship are paramount.<br />
Leg-o´-mutton gun cases<br />
– 60 –<br />
Bee-hive magazine<br />
<strong>15</strong>0 size in dark hide<br />
Cartridge magazines<br />
Traditional leather<br />
magazine, 200 size<br />
250 in tan hide
Four-legged shooting stool<br />
Roll-up cleaning kit<br />
Tripod shooting stool<br />
– 61 –<br />
Cartridge bucket<br />
Accessories<br />
Telescope case<br />
Ammunition bands and pouches
Gun and rifle slings<br />
– 62 –<br />
Belt<br />
Knee boot<br />
Gladstone bag<br />
Leather waistcoat
Travel bags<br />
– 63 –<br />
Gifts<br />
Accessories
<strong>AYA</strong>, <strong>Aguirre</strong> y <strong>Aranzabal</strong><br />
Gun Makers - Since 1917<br />
Avenida Otaola, 25 - 3ª planta - 20600 EIBAR (Guipuzcoa) - SPAIN -<br />
Tel. +34 943 82 04 37 - Fax. +34 943 20 01 33<br />
aya@aya-fineguns.com - www.aya-fineguns.com