. Cat.logo_AYA(1-15).fh8 - AYA, Aguirre y Aranzabal

“ From beginning to end …” 

A true work of art does not simply appear out of nowhere. It begins as an idea 

in the mind of its creator, who then turns that idea into a tangible form through his 

skill and artistry. For the final creation to be genuine, this process must remain 

uninterrupted from conception to completion. 

This philosophy has been central to the making of AYA shotguns since 1917.

AYA in 1943

Spanish Treasure 

by Terry Wieland 


Introduction by Michael McIntosh ................................................................. 5 

The Basque Country and the Ancient Art of Gunmaking ................................... 7 

Aguirre y Aranzabal from 1915 to 1938 ........................................................... 8 

The Complete Gunmaker, 1938 to now.......................................................... 10 

– 3 – 

AYA guns today 

Table of Contents 

Boxlock Side-by-Side Shotguns 

Model Nº 4/53 ............................................................................................. 18 

Model Nº 4 “de Luxe” .................................................................................. 20 

Model Nº XXV/BL ........................................................................................ 22 

Sidelock Side-by-Side Shotguns 

Model Nº 2 and Nº 2 - Round action ........................................................... 24 

Model Nº XXV/SL ........................................................................................ 26 

Model Nº 53 ................................................................................................ 28 

Model Nº 1 and Nº 1 - Round action ........................................................... 30 

Model Nº 1 “de Luxe” .................................................................................. 32 

Model Nº 56 ................................................................................................ 34 

Model “Imperial” ......................................................................................... 36 

Over-and-Under Shotguns 

Model Nº 37 ................................................................................................ 38 

Model Augusta ............................................................................................. 40 

Special Shotguns .......................................................................................... 42 

Our Secret ................................................................................................... 47 

Making an AYA ............................................................................................ 48 

Why an AYA? ............................................................................................... 50 

Wood ........................................................................................................... 52 

Optional extras ............................................................................................ 54 

Serial numbers and historical data ............................................................... 56 

Gun Cases .................................................................................................... 58 

Accessories .................................................................................................. 60

AYA Nª1 and AYA Nº2

A fondness for AYA 

by Michael McIntosh 

W 

hen I was a young man I lusted, among other things, for a 

Matador model gun by Aguirre y Aranzabal. It was a 

handsome piece, perhaps not quite as lissome as a London-style 

sidelock (or as some of the other things I was lusting after at the 

time), but it was well-made and well-finished—and it was a sideby-side, 

a form that fascinated me beyond words. 

I eventually owned one and liked it immensely. But that was in 

the days when I was determined to own at least one specimen of 

every gun ever built, operating on a budget that demanded the 

frequent exchange of hardware and minimal amounts of cash, so it 

finally went away in trade for something else. Even so, the memory 

of a good Spanish gun remained. 

In the early 1990s, after Terry Wieland let the rest of us know how good 

Spanish guns really were, I had Aguirre y Aranzabal build a gun to my specifications, 

a Nº 2 sidelock ejector made in the image of an English gun I owned at the time. As 

my reasoning went, the AYA would serve as a traveling version of the London gun 

that I could in no way afford to replace. Now, almost fifteen years later, there aren’t 

many London guns you could offer to trade even-up that would tempt me to part 

with my AYA Nº 2. 

– 5 – 


It has accompanied me on at least 14 shooting trips to Europe, five 

or six to South America, traveled with me from Alaska to Mexico, 

and from Minnesota to the pinewoods of the South, and has digested 

about 80,000 cartridges. All with a single hiccup: A striker broke 

while I was shooting doves in Argentina. A striker can break in 

any gun. I had a new one made along with a set of spares, just in 

case. Now I don’t have a clue where the spare ones are, because I 

see no indication that I’ll ever need them. 

What I do see, and feel, each time I pick up my AYA is the most 

faithful, reliable, and by now familiar gun I’ve ever owned. I’d know 

it blindfolded or in the dark. It is an extension of my hands and my 

will to shoot—not to mention that sweet old yearning to own an AYA, 

which in the end proved to be one of the few young lusts that could truly 

stand the test of time. ✦ 

Michael McIntosh

The Land of AYA

The Basque Country 

And the Ancient Art of Gunmaking 

T 

he Basque Country consists of three provinces in northeastern Spain, with the 

Pyrenees to the east and the Bay of Biscay to the north. It is a land of steep green 

mountains, hidden valleys, and rugged coastlines. 

The Basque Country — El Pais Vasco — is an ancient land, and its inhabitants have dwelt 

in its mountains since the dawn of mankind. The Basques are believed to be the last of 

the original Europeans, with their own language and unique culture. They are seafarers 

and fishermen. Fishing villages dot the coast like pearls, and great navigators have sailed 

from Basque ports to explore every corner of the earth. 

With a wealth of water power and substantial iron deposits, however, the Basque Country 

is also an ancient industrial centre. Steelmaking and manufacturing have been mainstays 

of the Basque economy for centuries. 

From the beginning, the Basques were great arms makers. They began with swords, spears 

and shields, and graduated naturally to gunmaking when gunpowder was discovered 

and the technology swept through Europe in the late 1200s. The center of Basque 

gunmaking is the town of Eibar, situated in a narrow mountain valley cut by the Ego 

River. 

For centuries, gunmaking has been the raison d’être for Eibar’s 28,000 inhabitants. It is 

home to the Escuela de Armeria — the gunmakers’ school — as well as the government 

proof house (Banco de Pruebas) which proof-tests every shotgun made in Spain. 

– 7 – 


The era of fine gunmaking in the English tradition began in the Basque Country during 

the Peninsular War, when Napoleon’s troops were driven out of Spain by Spanish guerrillas 

and British forces under the Duke of Wellington. Wellington’s officers took home gun 

barrels of Spanish steel (Spanish steel was renowned for its strength) and had them made 

into fowling pieces by London gunmakers such as the Manton brothers. 

This gave birth to a strong bond between London, the commercial capital of the world, 

and Bilbao, the Basque port and center of banking, shipping, and iron mining. 

The Basques shipped iron ore to Britain, and sailed home with cargos of British coal. The 

close commercial ties between London and Bilbao throughout the 1800s naturally led 

to exchanges of technology and technique; as the English perfected the game gun in the 

late 1800s, the passion for fine guns crossed the Bay of Biscay and established itself in 

the Basque Country. 

If John Manton was the father of English gunmaking — making artists out of blacksmiths, 

as James Purdey described it — then Victor Sarasqueta was the father of the Basque finegun 

trade. Sarasqueta established his company in 1881, and for the next hundred years 

set a high standard for Spanish “best” guns. Although Sarasqueta was the oldest, however, 

his company was not the largest, nor was it the most famous. 

That honour belongs to a firm founded in 1915 by Miguel Aguirre and Nicolas Aranzabal 

— Aguirre y Aranzabal, known around the world as AYA. ✦

Aguirre y Aranzabal 

From 1915 to 1938 

A 

lthough the centre of the Spanish firearms industry has always been the Basque 

Country, another small gunmaking center existed for many years in Catalonia, 

near Barcelona. 

One of the most famous of the Barcelona gunmakers was a transplanted German, Eduardo 

Schilling. Word of Schilling’s skill spread to the Basque Country, and two young Basque 

gunmakers, Miguel Aguirre and Nicolas Aranzabal, left their home in the Basque province 

of Guipuzcoa to work with Schilling and perfect their skills. In 1915, they returned home 

and went into business together as Aguirre y Aranzabal — AYA. 

The Basque gunmaking industry traditionally has consisted of hundreds of small shops, 

ranging in size from two craftsmen to two dozen. Each has its own speciality — making 

locks or lock blanks; soldering barrels or finishing bores; fashioning stocks or applying 

oil finishes. 

In this respect, the Basque industry closely resembles that of England’s second city of 

gunmaking, Birmingham. In the 1800s, Birmingham’s gunmaking quarter was a maze 

of streets lined with shops producing all manner of guns and gun parts. During working 

hours, the streets were filled with apprentices dashing from one shop to another, carrying 

bits of guns in various states of production. Today, in London, many guns with old 

established names are made “in the trade” — that is, by subcontracting them to outworkers 

— rather than in a full-time factory staffed with craftsmen. 

Similarly, Eibar has shops that produce locks, or barrels, or frames. Individual craftsmen 

either produce these bits, or are employed as outworkers, handling the overflow from 

larger shops. 

– 8 – 

AYA began as a small shop producing components for established companies. At that 

time, Victor Sarasqueta was the dominant producer of long guns, but there were dozens 

of others, large and small, producing every manner of firearm from handguns, rifles, and 

military hardware, to trade guns and top quality side-by-side shotguns. 

AYA’s first shop was in Eibar, close to Carmelitas Church. As the company grew, it expanded 

and moved, first to Calle Julian Etxebarria in the center of town, and later to a large, new 

factory in the Vista Alegre. Each move brought larger quarters and more craftsmen, and 

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 

onward, Spain was a constitutional monarchy, and its king was Alfonso XIII. Alfonso was 

a charming man whose great joy in life was shooting — both driven birds on the plains 

of Castile and the estates of England, and also live-pigeon competition. Alfonso’s tastes 

dictated the fashions of the day, and shooting of all kinds became a Spanish passion. 

For the gunmakers of Eibar, this was a great benefit. Victor Sarasqueta, for example, was 

appointed “Gunmaker to the King,” and included Alfonso’s royal warrant in its catalogs 

for many years. 

Unfortunately, the Spanish king’s skill with a gun (which was prodigious) was not matched 

by his skill at politics, and his reign was marred by a succession of upheavals. In 1923, 

General Primo de Rivera established a military dictatorship that lasted until 1930. After 

a brief restoration, the monarchy was replaced by a republic, but Spain’s political situation 

deteriorated. In July, 1936, General Francisco Franco incited the Spanish Army to revolt, 

and the Civil War began. 

The Basque Country was, by general inclination, democratic and pro-republican. The 

arms-making industries of the Basque Country were a great prize, and Franco made it a 

priority to conquer the Basques. His forces rolled up the river valleys of the Cantabrian 

Mountains, taking one town after another — Elgoibar, Eibar, Ermua, Guernica. The 

carpetbombing of the market-town of Guernica on April 26, 1937, was a watershed in 

twentieth century warfare — the first mass-bombing of an undefended civilian populace. 

In June, Bilbao fell to Franco’s army, and, for the Basques, the war was over. 

The gunmakers were put to work making guns and parts for Franco’s army. Those who 

had fled Eibar as the Nationalists approached (including AYA), gradually made their way 

back home and went back into business. After the war ended, Franco maintained a harsh 

hold on the Basque Country. He wanted to ensure that Basque aspirations of independence 

– 9 – 


would never again threaten the Spanish state. The Basque language, Euskera, was banned 

from public use. It was the beginning of a long period of economic and social hardship 

for the Basques. 

For Miguel Aguirre and Nicolas Aranzabal, however, it was the beginning of their company’s 

rise to become the largest and bestknown Spanish maker of fine guns. 

In 1938, as the war ended, they decided to move on from making components for other 

companies, and began making complete guns themselves with the AYA name engraved 

on the barrels. ✦

The Complete Gunmaker, 

1938 to now 

T 

he second world war had little direct impact on AYA, since Spain was officially 

neutral. Afterward, it even had a beneficial effect, since Spain in 1945 had one of 

the few functioning civilian arms-making industries left in the world. The British and 

American industries had been converted to war production, while those in Italy, Belgium, 

Germany, and Austria had been devastated by war, looting, and occupation. Returning 

servicemen, especially in America, were anxious to take up hunting and sport-shooting 

once again, and needed rifles and shotguns with which to do it. 

This market represented a great opportunity for Spanish gunmakers of all types. 

Unfortunately, Spain was still subject to shortages of vital commodities, and rationing of 

essential materials such as steel. During this period, there was intense competition among 

Spanish gunmakers to export to the United States, and the majority of guns exported 

were low-priced, and low-quality. 

At this time, AYA was producing a basic range of standard shotguns — mostly side-byside 

double guns, in both boxlock and sidelock configuration, as well as single-shots. 

While their products were well-made and dependable, they were not yet “best” guns. 

They were low- to mid-range products that sold for prices competitive with established 

Spanish makers. 

This was the situation as it stood in the mid-1950s, when an event occurred which was 

to change the course of AYA’s history: Two English brothers arrived in Spain on holiday, 

and visited some gunshops in Barcelona. What they saw gave them an idea, and that idea 

changed the face of both AYA, and of the Basque fine-gun trade. 

– 10 – 

The brothers were Andrew and Peter King. In the Barcelona gunshops, they saw some 

of the products of the Eibar gun trade as it was then — almost all side-by-sides, with a 

few over/unders, varying in quality from utility grade to quite fine. What the Spanish 

guns all had in common, however, was their low price: They sold for a fraction of what 

a comparable gun would command in England. 

At the time, the English gun trade was in a sad state. Those companies that had survived 

the war were having even greater difficulty surviving the peace, rife as it was with trade 

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 

opportunity, and when they returned home they called on the Spanish chamber of 

commerce in London. 

A short while later, armed with a list of gunmaking companies in the Basque Country, 

Andrew and Peter King returned to Spain and began making calls. They visited a number 

of gunmakers, and in all but one instance, they found a “take it or leave it” attitude: Here’s 

what we make. How many do you want? The lone exception was AYA. 

AYA not only had the largest factory in Eibar, but its managing director, Agustín Aranzabal, 

was warm, welcoming, and open to any suggestion the King brothers might have about 

how the company could crack the market in the United Kingdom. The British market 

was then (and still is) the toughest in the world. Every gun sold there, regardless of price, 

is compared with guns from Purdey and Holland & Holland. No Spanish company had 

ever made inroads. This was a chance to do so. 

– 11 – 


The King brothers agreed to help AYA produce an “English range” of guns specifically 

for the UK market. In that meeting was born a partnership that helped transform the 

Spanish fine-gun business, and catapulted AYA from being a regional company known 

mostly in Spain, into one of the great names in shotguns around the world. 

Until 1958, AYA’s line of shotguns consisted of a wide range of models, from the most 

basic single-shot up to a rather exotic over-and-under, the Model Nº 37, patterned on 

the famous German Merkel. There were both sidelock and boxlock doubles, and the 

Model 53B, with sideclips and a heavy frame, was widely admired by live-pigeon 

competitors. The American writer, Colonel Charles Askins, who served as U.S. military 

attaché in Madrid in the early 1950s, spent a good deal of time in Eibar studying the 

Spanish armaments industry. He and Agustín Aranzabal were good friends, Askins owned 

several of their guns, and wrote glowingly about the Model Nº 37, which he called “the 

best over/under made in Europe.” 

In overall styling, however, the AYA guns owed more to continental European than to 

English taste. If AYA was to make an impact in London, it would have to produce guns 

with the severe, classic elegance of the London gunmakers. 

The King brothers returned to Spain with two guns for AYA to use as patterns. The 

sidelock was a Holland & Holland. The boxlock was a Westley Richards with the standard 

Anson & Deeley action. These two guns provided the basis for four famous models — 

the Nº 1, the Nº 2, the Nº 4, and the Nº 4 de Luxe. These became the heart of the AYA 

line. 

At home in England, the Kings established Anglo Spanish Imports (ASI) to distribute the 

AYA guns. They hired English craftsmen and sent them to Spain to teach English techniques 

to the AYA 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 

closely with AYA, to oversee production of guns destined for ASI, and to check every 

order before it was shipped. Andrew’s son, Edward, spent much of his boyhood in San 

Sebastian, and became fluent in Spanish. It established a bond between London and Eibar 

which continues to this day. 

One gun that deserves a special mention is AYA’s Model Senior, a self-opener built on the 

famous Beesley action employed by James Purdey & Son. AYA copied a Purdey gun down 

to the smallest detail. The Senior was a rare and beautiful gun. Only about 40 were made 

altogether, and almost all were 12-bore. A current director of ASI has the only Senior 

built in 16-bore, and Edward King owns a 12-bore Senior which he describes as “an 

absolute gem.” “The engraving in particular is better than on any Purdey I have seen,” 

King said, “Light, yet beautifully crisp. When we showed the first one to the English 

Model Senior 

– 12 – 

trade, one dealer took us aside and asked, ‘How much did it cost you to get a Purdey 

action out of the Purdey factory?’ That’s how good it was — and still is.” 

During the 1950s, AYA made its first efforts to export guns to the United States. While 

many thousand AYA’s made their way to North America, imported by companies such 

as Sears Roebuck, and marketed under various trademarks, they had little lasting impact. 

An exception was the Matador, a massive boxlock made in both 12 and 10-gauge, that 

was sold in the United States for many years. It left many Americans with the impression 

that AYA made only utility guns selling for economy prices. 

Yet in the United Kingdom, especially, as well as in continental Europe and on the great 

driven-partridge shoots of Spain, the best AYA guns were keeping company with the 

finest names in gunmaking — Holland & Holland, Churchill, Boss, and Westley Richards. 

With ASI and the King brothers backing them, AYA guns quickly established a reputation 

in Britain for solid quality at an impossibly low price. They put a nicely balanced and 

finished double gun within reach of the average British game shooter, and helped keep 

shooting alive through a period of economic and social upheaval. 

Unfortunately, for AYA and every other finegun maker in the world, tastes were changing, 

and the 1960s and 1970s saw a general decline in demand for double shotguns. Prices 

were climbing because of inflation; fewer people were coming into a trade that was widely 

seen as dying; there was increasing competition from cheaper, machine-made repeating 

shotguns. 

The Basque gunmaking industry was based firmly on the side-by-side double, with a 

scattering of over/unders and single-shots. Most companies consisted of a handful of 

craftsmen housed in a small shop. AYA was one exception, with its large factory, 500 

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 

after another closed its doors. Various solutions were suggested, the most common being 

some kind of amalgamation of small shops into one large company that would be globally 

competitive, with the most modern production methods and centralized marketing. In 

the early 1980s, AYA and about 20 other companies combined into one, called Diarm 

S.A. A new factory was built in the town of Itziar. Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, 

the new enterprise did not last. After a couple of years, Diarm closed down. 

Imanol Aranzabal, a descendant of the founder and a former executive of both AYA and 

Diarm, assembled the best gunmakers from the Diarm shop and resurrected the AYA 

name. They repurchased the remaining stock of AYA parts, and set up shop on the second 

floor of a building on the Bidebarrieta in Eibar. With Imanol running the company and 

a dozen top craftsmen working in the shop, the new AYA reissued the last catalog of the 

old AYA, and by 1989 the company was back in the business of making fine double guns. 

At first, the new AYA concentrated on only the best-selling models — the Nº 1 and 

Nº 2 sidelocks, and the Nº 4 boxlock. Gradually, they added other great models from 

previous years — the Model 37 over-and-under and the even more elaborate Model 

Augusta, the XXV guns (similar to Churchills, with 25 inch barrels), the competition 

side-by sides (Model Nº 53 and Model Nº 56), and a range of more elaborate boxlock 

guns. 

Sadly, the Senior was not among the offerings, and probably never will be. The basic 

frame for making a Beesley action is no longer produced in Spain, and obtaining the raw 

materials elsewhere would be cost-prohibitive. 

In the United Kingdom, Anglo Spanish Imports resumed its relationship with the new 

AYA, and began looking at how the line might be expanded to appeal to a new generation 

– 13 – 


of English lovers of fine guns. The result was the Nº 1 “de Luxe”, a gun comparable in 

quality and finish to the finest English guns, yet selling for a much lower price. The de 

Luxe would be finished in the white in Spain, with stock-finishing, engraving, blacking, 

and case-hardening carried out in England. 

The Nº 1 “de Luxe” was a sensation. 

AYA then took the concept a step further, for the rest of the markets, the Nº 1 “de Luxe” 

is built and finished completely in Spain. Since 1988 the company had steadily expanded 

its network of dealers and customers in all the world. Each dealer had his own ideas of 

what guns would sell to his clients, and AYA enthusiastically took to making variations 

on its standard models to suit individual tastes. 

Model Nº 1 “de Luxe”

– 14 – 

AYA in 1992

This partnership with its importers, which began with ASI in the 1950s and continues 

with all importers in the new millenium, has become a cornerstone of AYA’s way of doing 

business, and a new generation of wingshooters and lovers of fine guns are the beneficiaries. 

As business expanded for the new AYA, the company quickly outgrew its shop at the 

corner of the Bidebarrieta and Urtzaile. In 2001, AYA moved to the other end of town, 

taking over an entire floor of the Laurona factory at Number 25, Otaola Hiribidea, the 

main thoroughfare into Eibar from Bilbao. 

The workforce expanded from 12 craftsmen to 25. 

The new factory has the traditional long workbench, but it has much more as well. AYA 

is moving steadily back towards its previous role as a leader in Eibar’s fine-gun industry. 

AYA is installing new machinery and adopting advanced technology that will allow it to 

make many of its own basic parts, and also supply raw materials to the smaller gunmakers 

of Eibar. 

In this way, AYA is not only carrying on a long tradition of making fine shotguns, but 

also working to ensure that Eibar’s fine-gun industry thrives long into the future. ✦ 

– 15 – 


Model Nº 37 “Damasquinada” 

Model Augusta engraved by Vicente Ituarte


The AYA line of high quality shotguns is one of the most complete offered by any gunmaker 

in the world today. There is literally something for everyone, from hunters of all kinds 

of small game, to competitive live-bird and clay-target shooters. 

AYA makes double-barreled shotguns in both side-by-side and over-and-under models, 

with either boxlock or sidelock actions. They range in price from affordable boxlocks to 

sidelock masterpieces that are some of the most exquisite examples of fine gunmaking 

to be found anywhere. Every gun in the AYA line has been tested and proven by time. 

– 17 – 


From top Model Nº 1, 

Model Nº 2 and Model Nº 4/53

Model Nº 4/53 

T 

he Nº 4 has been AYA’s standard boxlock design since 1960. It is modelled on a 

Westley Richards boxlock action, brought to Spain by the King brothers. The Anson 

& Deeley action, the most famous of all boxlock designs, was created by two employees 

of Westley Richards in 1875, and ever since, Westley Richards guns have defined boxlock 

elegance. 

The Nº 4 is mechanically very simple, which makes it durable, dependable, and easy to 

service. It employs a Purdey double underbolt locking system. 

Standard Features 

• Side by Side hammerless boxlock ejector shotgun. 

• Double locking mechanism wich replaceable hinge pin. 

• Disc set firing pins. 

• Double trigger (optional selective or non-selective trigger). 

• Chopper lump barrels with concave rib. 

• Light scroll engraving. 

• Automatic safety. 

• Split bottom plate. 

• Straight hand oil finished walnut stock. 

• Initial Oval. 

• Available with colour hardened or old silver finish. 

• 12, 16, 20, 28 & .410 bore. 

• 28" barrels, with other barrel lengths to order. 

• Approximate weight in 12 bore 6 lbs 10 oz. 

– 18 –

– 19 – 

Boxlock Side-by-Side Shotguns

Model Nº 4 “de Luxe” 

T 

he Nº 4 “de Luxe” is AYA’s most luxurious boxlock model. Known in the UK as 

the “Best Quality Boxlock”, it is fully hand chequered engraved and the receiver 

is scalloped where it meets the walnut stock, for the ultimate in boxlock elegance. The 

stock is of finely figured select walnut, hand-checkered, with a gold stock oval. 



• Double locking mechanism with replaceable hinge pin. 

• Automatic Safety. 



• Chopper lump chrome nickel steel barrels. 

• Concave rib. 

• Profuse “Rose & Scroll” engraving. 


• Straight hand, finely chequered oil finished highly figured walnut stock. 

• Gold Initial Oval. 


• 12, 16, 20, 28 & .410 bore. 


• Approximate weight in 12 bore 63 / 4 lbs. 

– 20 –

– 21 – 


Model XXV / BL 

O 

ne of the most famous English guns of the early 20th century was the Churchill 

XXV — a 25-inch barrelled gun developed by the English shooting instructor, 

Robert Churchill. Churchill combined his short barrels with a special high, tapered rib 

which gives the shooter an optical impression of length. The XXV was especially popular 

with shooters of smaller stature, and retains a following to this day. 

For many years, AYA has offered guns in an “XXV” configuration, in both a high-quality 

sidelock, and in a less expensive boxlock model. 



• Double locking mechanism wich replaceable hinge pin. 




• 25" Chopper lump steel barrels. 

• Churchill Rib. 

• Special XXV engraving. 


• Straight hand, finely chequered oil finished walnut stock. 



• 12, 16, 20, 28 and .410 bore. 


– 22 –

– 23 – 


Model Nº 2 & Nº 2 Round Action 

T 

he AYA Nº 2 is the pre-eminent “affordable” sidelock double gun, and the most 

famous model in the AYA line. Since its introduction in the late 1950s, tens of 

thousands of Nº 2’s have been sold in the United Kingdom, the United States, and 

everywhere that shooters value the superb balance and handling of a fine double gun. 

Mechanically, the Nº 2 is identical to the Nº 1. Like the Nº 1, it was originally modeled 

on the time-tested Holland & Holland system. 

It is stocked with standard walnut and engraved in a simpler pattern. 

Rounded actions 

Traditional sidelock guns are made with either a standard action or a rounded action. In 

the former, there is a raised ridge surrounding the lock plate, as well as a drop-point 

carved into the wood behind the lock to give it a finished look. The underside of the 

frame is squared, with a carved bead to soften the square edges of the metal. The Purdey 

is an example of such a traditional action. 

In a rounded action, these features are eliminated. The underside of the frame is flush 

with the wood. There are no drop points, and no squared edges in either wood or metal. 

Thomas Boss of London is famous for its rounded-action game guns. 

– 24 – 

Model Nº 2 Round Action 


• Side by Side hammerless sidelock shotgun. 

• Forged steel action with double locking mechanism and gas vents. 

• Hardened steel intercepting safety sears. 

• Gold lined cocking indicators. 

• Double trigger with hinged front trigger. 

• Optional selective or non-selective single trigger. 

• Chopper lump steel barrels. 

• Concave Rib. 


• English scroll engraving. 




• 12, 16, 20, 28 & .410 bore. 


• Approximate weight in 12 bore 63 / 4 lbs .

Model Nº 2 with “old silver” finish 

– 25 – 

Sidelock Side-by-Side Shotguns

Model XXV / SL 

O 

ne of the most famous English guns of the early 20th century was the Churchill 

XXV — a 25-inch barreled gun developed by the English shooting instructor, 

Robert Churchill. Churchill combined his short barrels with a special high, tapered rib 

which gives the shooter an optical impression of length. The XXV was especially popular 

with shooters of smaller stature, and retains a following to this day. 

For many years, AYA has offered guns in an “XXV” configuration, in both a high-quality 

sidelock, and in a less expensive boxlock model. 







• Optional selective or non-selective single trigger. 

• 25" Chopper lump steel barrels. 

• Churchill rib. 


• Special XXV engraving - fine floral, ribbon and scroll engraving. 


• Available with colour hardened, old silver or bright finished action. 

• 12, 16, 20, 28 & .410 bore. 

• Rolled engraving on 12, 16 and 20 bore. 

• Hand engraving on 28 and .410 bore. 

– 26 –

– 27 – 


Model Nº 53 

T 

he Nº 53 (also known over the years as the 53E and 53B) is one of the oldest 

models in the AYA catalogue, having been in production since the early 1950s. 

Both Jack O’Connor and Col. Charles Askins wrote glowingly about the Model Nº 53, 

which O’Connor described as one of the best values to be had in a side-by-side shotgun 

anywhere. 

The Nº 53 is similar to the Nº 56, in that it employs a Purdey triple-bite and sideclips 

for maximum strength. However, it is built on a standard-size frame and is slimmer and 

lighter than the Nº 56. It is engraved in a traditional European ribbon-and-floral pattern. 



• Forged steel action with concealed third bite, sideclips and gas vents. 


• Gold washed internal lock parts. 


• Double trigger with hinged front trigger (optional selective or non-selective trigger). 

• Chopper lump steel barrels. 



• Fine floral, ribbon, and scroll engraving. 




• 12, 16 and 20 bore. 



– 28 –

– 29 – 


Model Nº 1 & Nº 1 Round Action 

T 

he AYA Nº 1 has been the flagship of the AYA line since its introduction in the 

late 1950s. Modelled closely on the classic Holland & Holland-style sidelock, 

the Nº 1 has every hallmark of the traditional English-style double: Purdey-type double 

underlugs, chopper-lump barrels, detachable locks, articulated front trigger, and optional 

self-opener. The Nº 1 is engraved in classic Purdey-style rose-and-scroll, and is stocked 

in fancy-grade walnut. 










• Straight hand, finely chequered oil finished highly figured walnut stock. 

• Hand engraved with fine rose and scroll engraving. 




• 12, 16, 20, 28 & .410 bore. 



– 30 – 

Rounded actions 

Traditional sidelock guns are made with either a standard action or a rounded action. In 

the former, there is a raised ridge surrounding the lock plate, as well as a drop-point 

carved into the wood behind the lock to give it a finished look. The underside of the 

frame is squared, with a carved bead to soften the square edges of the metal. The Purdey 

is an example of such a traditional action. 

In a rounded action, these features are eliminated. The underside of the frame is flush 

with the wood. There are no drop points, and no squared edges in either wood or metal. 

Thomas Boss of London is famous for its rounded-action game guns. 

Model Nº 1

Model Nº 1 Round Action 

– 31 – 


Model Nº 1 - “de Luxe” 

T 

he Nº 1 “de Luxe” has been acclaimed by experts around the world as one of the 

most beautiful guns available today at any price. It is a variation on the proven 

AYA Nº 1, which has been in production for more than 40 years. The major difference 

between the Nº 1 and the “de Luxe” is the engraving. The “de Luxe” is engraved with a 

bold foliate scroll design, similar to that made famous by Holland & Holland. It is stocked 

in exhibition-grade walnut. 

The Nº 1 “de Luxe” imported to the United Kingdom by Anglo Spanish Imports is 

engraved and finished in England by British craftsmen, including the engraving, stock 

finishing, blacking, and case hardening. “De Luxe” guns made to order for clients elsewhere 

are engraved and finished by Basque master craftsmen at the AYA factory. 



• Forged steel action with double locking 

mechanism and gas vents. 





• Optional selective or non-selective single 

trigger. 



• Straight hand, finely chequered oil finished 

highly figured walnut stock. 

• Best English bold foliate engraving. 



• Available with colour hardened or old silver 

finish. 

• 12, 16, 20, 28 & .410 bore. 

• 28" barrels, with other barrel lengths to 

order. 


• Special grade walnut stock. 

– 32 –

– 33 – 


Model Nº 56 

T 

he Model Nº 56 was first made in 1941. It is AYA’s top competition double, and 

a long-time favorite of live-pigeon competitors around the world. 

Like guns for trap and skeet competition, pigeon guns must be strong, to endure the 

firing of hundreds of thousands of rounds. They must also be heavy enough to absorb 

recoil during days of gruelling competition, yet handle smoothly and point naturally. 

To accomplish this, the Model Nº 56 employs a frame that is wider and heavier than 

normal. This is augmented by a Purdey triple-bite bolting system, and sideclips to eliminate 

lateral flexing. The gun is normally made with a pistol grip and beavertail forend, to allow 

the shooter a solid hold on the gun. Barrels are extra long - up to 30 inches - and can 

be ordered with a ventilated rib. 


• Side-by-side hammerless sidelock ejector 

with wide forged steel action, designed 

for competitive shooting. 

• Treble grip locking mechanism with 

sideclips and gas vents. 



• Double trigger with hinged front triggersingle 

trigger option more usual. 


• Flat, hand file cut rib. 



• Hand engraved with fine rose and scroll 

engraving. 



• Available with colour hardened or old 

silver finish. 

• 12 and 20 bore. 


order. 


– 34 – 

The stock and engraving are the same quality as the Nº 1, although special 

attention is paid to the strength of the grain through the grip, because of the 

extra stresses of competition.

– 35 – 


Model “Imperial” 

T 

he “Imperial” is AYA’s first new model since the launch of the Nº 1 “de Luxe”: 

another step in AYA’s quest for a perfect sidelock. Only the finest and most 

experienced craftsmen will work on the ‘Imperial’ to ensure the very highest level of 

quality. The base for the “Imperial” is the Nº 1 sidelock action, but AYA have taken it to 

another level of refinement to bring it closer still to gunmaking perfection; self-opening 

action as standard, exquisite hand picked engraving, bone charcoal case hardening and 

exhibition quality walnut all feature on this elegant shotgun. But the “Imperial” is not 

just a beautifully finished shotgun; extra time is put into every working aspect of this 

gun to make sure the trigger pulls are that bit crisper, the closing is even smoother, the 

handling feels a touch more lively. This masterpiece has not been made to a price, but 

to a level of finish which is unmatched in Spanish gunmaking. 



• Forged steel action with double locking 

mechanism and gas vents. 





• Optional selective or non-selective single 

trigger. 





• Best English bold foliate engraving. 



• Available with colour hardened or old silver 

finish. 

• 12, 16, 20, 28 & .410 bore. 


order. 


• Special grade walnut stock. 

– 36 – 

Features which set this model apart include 

• Self-opening action. 

• Locking screws fitted throughout internally. 

• Bone charcoal case hardening. 

• Hand detachable pin with locking stud. 

• Finest hand picked engraving. 

• Exhibition quality walnut. 

• Diamond chequering. 

• Locked hinge pin.

– 37 – 


Model Nº 37 

T 

he Model Nº 37 is the most famous over-and-under ever made in the Basque 

Country, and at one time was the most expensive shotgun made in Spain. Patterned 

after the celebrated German Merkel, the Nº 37 was described by the American expert, 

Col. Charles Askins, as “the best over-and-under made in Europe.” High praise indeed! 

– 38 – 

Like the Merkel, the Model Nº 37 employs a deep frame with bolsters and a Kersten 

fastening system for strength and solid lock-up. It also has a three-piece forend and a 

true sidelock action, with internal gold-plating as a standard feature. The locks are handdetachable, 

with a hidden release. 


• Over-and-under sidelock shotgun. 

• Double underlocking lugs and double crossbolt. 



• Gold line cocking indicators. 


• Hand detachable locks with concealed pin. 


• Fine rose and scroll, game scene or bold relief engraving. 

• 28” with other barrel lengths to order. 

• 12 bore only. 


• Approximate weight in 12 bore 71 / 2 lbs.

– 39 – 

Over-and-Under Shotguns

Model Augusta 

T 

he Augusta is a “super” quality Model Nº 37, and almost identical mechanically, 

except that it has dispensed with the cross-bolt fastening, relying instead on double 

underlugs. This allows the upper part of the action to be much more streamlined, with 

elegant curves where the barrels join the face. It is engraved with deep relief engraving 

as standard, with other patterns to order. 


• Over-and-under sidelock shotgun. 

• Double underlocking lugs. 



• Gold line cocking indicators. 


• Hand detachable locks with concealed pin. 


• Bold relief scroll engraving. 

• 28" with other barrel lengths to order. 

• 12 bore only. 

•Available with colour hardened or old silver finish. 


– 40 –

– 41 – 

Over-and-Under Shotguns

Special Shotguns 

The following pages illustrate some of the different and eyecatching 

engravings which our master engravers are able to 

execute on our shotguns. 

Model Augusta engraved by Vicente Ituarte 

– 42 –

– 43 – 

Special Shotguns

– 44 –

– 45 – 

Special Shotguns

Picture courtesy of The Shooting Gazette.

Our secret 

A 

work of art does not just happen. First, an idea is born in the mind of the artist. 

This idea takes a physical form through a combination of experience, artistry and 

inspiration. The joy of the discerning owner is in appreciating the skill wich has created 

the masterpiece he now possesses. This has always been true of AYA shotguns. AYA 

shotguns, built in Eibar, the birthplace of Spanish gunmaking, are designed for those 

who know to value and distinguish genuine quality. 

– 47 – 

Model Nº 1 and Model Nº 2 Round Action 

Making an AYA

Making an AYA 

E 

very AYA is made by hand – each part carefully fitted to every other part, filed to 

minute tolerances the “thickness of a layer of smoke.” The gunmaker smokes the 

steel, fits the parts, then removes metal one file stroke at a time until the two parts fit 

as one. Gradually, the steel parts are brought together into one perfect whole: barrels, 

– 48 – 

frame, trigger guard, forend. The fine walnut stock and forend are carefully shaped and 

inletted at the hands of our master stockers. Finally, the steel is engraved using the most 

traditional tools of the artist.

The result: 

A gun that is itself a work of art, as 

individual as its owner. 

– 49 – 

Making an AYA

Why an AYA? 

S 

ixty years ago, in the great age of hand craftsmanship, English gunmaking achieved 

a standard of excellence which will never be surpassed. While it is the dream of 

many game shooters to own an English “best” shotgun, the cost of such a work of art 

puts it beyond reach of all but a very few. 

AYA has created a range of shotguns that incorporate the very best technical features of 

traditional English guns, yet have the advantage of substantially lower manufacturing 

costs. These guns are built entirely at AYA’s factory in Eibar, the birthplace of Spain’s 

gunmaking industry. 

Disc-Set Strikers 

With lesser guns, the striker is an integral part of the tumbler. These are simpler to make, 

but requires the replacement of the entire tumbler when the striker becomes worn. 

All AYA side-by-sides are fitted with disc-set strikers. The striker is a separate piece with 

its own return spring, either of which can be replaced simply by removing the inset disk 

in the face of the standing breech. This is a feature of all London “bests” – and another 

example of the quality design and workmanship one expects from AYA. 

Locks 

The steel used in AYA locks and springs is the very best available, and exclusive to AYA. 

Softer steel is cheaper and easier to work with, which is why it is preferred by lesser 

gunmakers, but AYA will never compromise on the basic quality of its lock mechanisms. 

– 50 –

The locks and actions are all engraved entirely by hand, with superb attention to detail. 

Each AYA gun is a unique work of art. 

Chopper-Lump Forgings 

With chopper-lump forgings, the barrel and lump are forged from one piece of steel, 

resulting in unequalled strength and uniformity. 

This means, however, there is no margin of error in manufacturing: One mistake in 

shaping the lump and the entire barrel must be scrapped. 

All AYA side-by-sides, even the least expensive, have chopper-lump barrels, giving them 

unbeatable strength. 

Replaceable Hinge Pin 

After exceptionally long service (or more often, after repeated use of extra-heavy loads), 

a gun may “shoot loose”. Such a gun can be returned to its original tightness only by 

fitting a new hinge pin. 

With many other makes of gun, the hinge pin is an integral part of the frame and cannot 

be replaced. All AYA guns have removable hinge pins which can easily be replaced by a 

gunsmith, to give the gun another lifetime of use. 

– 51 – 

Why an AYA? 

12 16 20 

28 410 

• For 12,16 and 20 standard barrels are 28”. • For 28 and 410 bore standard barrels are 27”. 

• Other barrel lengths are available to order.

Wood 

T 

he quality of a gun stock makes all the difference; and it says something about its 

owner, too. AYA has a wide selection of quality blanks from which clients can make 

their choice. 

Models such as the Nº 4/53, the XXV’s, the Nº 2 and the Nº 53 are all supplied as standard 

with grade 2 walnut stocks; this is elegant walnut, with good colour and linear figuring 

which is attractive yet strong. 

Models such as the Nº 4 “de Luxe”, Nº 1 and Nº 56 are stocked from grade 1 blanks; 

these have bolder figuring, with more contrast and pattern. 

- Grade 2 

Nº 4/53, the XXV’s, the Nº 2 & Nº 53 

– 52 – 

The Nº 1 “de Luxe”, Nº 37 and Augusta are stocked with exhibition grade walnut, taken 

only from highly selected blanks, chosen for their eye-catching colour and figuring. 

Wood upgrades are available on all models as optional extras; all you need to do is specify 

the grade you require at the time of ordering. 

The pictures show the various grades of walnut; bear in mind that these are indications 

only, as wood is a living material with infinite variations, but they give a broad idea of 

the quality of each grade. 

- Grade 2 

Nº 4/53, the XXV’s, the Nº 2 & Nº 53

- Grade 1 - Exhibition - Exhibition - Special - Special 

- Grade 1 

Nº 4 “de Luxe”; Nº 1 & Nº 56 

– 53 – 

- Special 

Wood

Optional extras 

A 

ll AYA shotguns can be made to the client´s individual requirements; calibre; barrel 

length; action finish; engraving styles; wood quality; stock and forend styles; selfopening 

actions; the sky is the limit. All you need to do is outline your specification 

and we will provide you with a quotation for the finished product. 

There are two basic action finishes available at no extra charge: colour hardened and old 

silver (also referred to as “coin finish”). In the true tradition of best gunmaking we have 

also added a third category, the AYA “Special Finish”, which is a genuine bone charcoal 

colour hardened finish, notable for its beautiful marbling. This finish is only available 

to special order. 

Half-pistol or semi-pistol grip 

Pistol or Prince of Wales grip 

– 54 – 

Beaver Tail Semi Beaver Tail Splinter 

Straight hand or English grip

AYA Special Finish 

Case Hardening 

– 55 – 

Old Silver Finish 

Optional extras 

White finish

Serial numbers and historical data 

S 

ince 1945, AYA has manufactured more than 600,000 shotguns of all types and 

grades. 

Until 1995, the guns were assigned serial numbers chronologically, regardless of grade 

or type. In 1995, the Spanish proof house implemented a new system of serial numbers. 

Now, each gun has a serial number that consists of four sets of digits, separated by a 

hyphen. Each set of digits has a distinct meaning. 

The first set is the gunmaker code. The second set designates the type of firearm. The 

third set, which may run to three or even four digits, is the chronological number assigned 

by the gunmaker in a given year, and the fourth set of two digits shows the year of 

manufacture. 

For example, AYA’s gunmaker code is 16, and the code for a 

shotgun is 03. Therefore, the serial number 16-03-241-98 shows 

that this is a shotgun, made by AYA, and that it was the 241st 

gun produced in the year 1998. 

– 56 – 

The numbers assigned since 1945 are: 

1945 to 1948 — 0001 to 19,999 

1949 to 1954 — 20,000 to 71,999 

1955 to 1959 — 72,000 to 115,286 

1960 to 1965 — 115,287 to 222,508 

1966 to 1971 — 222,509 to 378,548 

1972 to 1977 — 378,549 to 481,401 

1978 to 1983 — 481,402 to 576,551 

1984 to 1987 — 576,553 to 599,999 

1988 to 1993 — 600,000 to 602,642 

1994 — 602,423 to 602,642 

1995 — 16-03-001-95 to 16-03-800-95 

1996 — 16-03-001-96 to 16-03-755-96 

1997 — 16-03-001-97 to 16-03-642-97 

1998 — 16-03-001-98 to 16-03-677-98 

1999 — 16-03-001-99 to 16-03-719-99 

2000 — 16-03-001-00 to 16-03-758-00 

2001 — 16-03-001-01 to 16-03-645-01 

2002 — 16-03-001-02 to 16-03-645-02 

2003 — 16-03-001-03 to 16-03-781-03 

2004 — 16-03-001-04 to 16-03-703-04 

2005 — 16-03-001-05 to 16-03-652-05 

2006 — 16-03-001-06 to 16-03-750-06 

From 1927 until 1994, the Spanish proof house employed a system of date codes which 

were stamped on most (but not all) firearms produced in Spain. These code numbers or 

letters were stamped on the action flats, or the barrel flats, of the firearm, along with the 

proof marks. 

Date Codes, 1927 - 1944 

A - 1927 

B - 1928 

C - 1929 

CH - 1930 

D - 1931 

E - 1932 

F - 1933 

G - 1934 

H - 1935 

I - 1936 

J - 1937 

K - 1938 

L - 1939 

LL - 1940 

M - 1941 

N - 1942 

Ñ - 1943 

O - 1944 

P - 1945 

Q - 1946 

R - 1947 

S - 1948 

T - 1949 

U - 1950 

V - 1951 

X - 1952 

Y - 1953 

Z - 1954 

A1 - 1955 

B1 - 1956 

C1 - 1957 

D1 - 1958 

E1 - 1959 

F1 - 1960 

G1 - 1961 

H1 - 1962

I1 - 1963 

J1 - 1964 

K1 - 1965 

L1 - 1966 

M1 - 1967 

N1 - 1968 

Ñ1 - 1969 

O1 - 1970 

P1 - 1971 

Q1 - 1972 

(The codes from 1995 onward were assigned but never used) 

Weapon Codes, Effective 1995 

R1 - 1973 

S1 - 1974 

T1 - 1975 

U1 - 1976 

V1 - 1977 

X1 - 1978 

Y1 - 1979 

Z1 - 1980 

A2 - 1981 

B2 - 1982 

C2 - 1983 

D2 - 1984 

E2 - 1985 

F2 - 1986 

G2 - 1987 

H2 - 1988 

I2 - 1989 

J2 - 1990 

K2 - 1991 

L2 - 1992 

M2 - 1993 

N2 - 1994 

Ñ2 - 1995 

O2 - 1996 

P2 - 1997 

Q2 - 1998 

R2 - 1999 

S2 - 2000 

The second pair of digits in each new serial number indicates the type of weapon. This 

allows someone looking only at the serial number (for example, in a list of records) to 

know immediately what he is dealing with. 

01 - Carabina (Carbine) 

02 - Blanca (Blank firer) 

03 - Escopeta (Shotgun) 

04 - Pistola (Pistol) 

05 - Revolver (Revolver) 

06 - Rifle (Rifle) 

07 - Anestesica (Dart gun) 

08 - Arco (Bow) 

09 - Ballesta (Crossbow) 

10 - Number not assigned 

11 - Lanzacabos (Spear head) 

12 - Trabuco (Blunderbuss) 

13 - Avancarga (Muzzle loader) 

14 - Mosquetón (Short carbine) 

15 - Subfusil (Submachinegun, among other 

definitions) 

16 - Arcabuz (Harquebus) 

– 57 – 

Serial Numbers and historical data

Gun Cases 

S 

uch special shotguns deserve to be carried and kept in cases which befit their quality. 

The gun cases seen on these two pages are all made to measure using the finest 

hides and fittings. The result is a case as tailor-made as the gun it houses. 

Gun cases are ordered separately to the guns. 

Oak and leather double case 

– 58 – 

Best leather mini-case 

Toe-under case

Canvas and leather case 

“VC” case 

– 59 – 

Double motor case 

Canvas outer cover 

Gun Cases 

Single leather case with accessories

Accessories 

T 

hese are a few of the accessories which we are able to supply to complement our 

shotguns. As with our guns, quality of materials and workmanship are paramount. 

Leg-o´-mutton gun cases 

– 60 – 

Bee-hive magazine 

150 size in dark hide 

Cartridge magazines 

Traditional leather 

magazine, 200 size 

250 in tan hide

Four-legged shooting stool 

Roll-up cleaning kit 

Tripod shooting stool 

– 61 – 

Cartridge bucket 

Accessories 

Telescope case 

Ammunition bands and pouches

Gun and rifle slings 

– 62 – 

Belt 

Knee boot 

Gladstone bag 

Leather waistcoat

Travel bags 

– 63 – 

Gifts 

Accessories

AYA, Aguirre y Aranzabal 

Gun Makers - Since 1917 

Avenida Otaola, 25 - 3ª planta - 20600 EIBAR (Guipuzcoa) - SPAIN - 

Tel. +34 943 82 04 37 - Fax. +34 943 20 01 33 

aya@aya-fineguns.com - www.aya-fineguns.com

. Cat.logo_AYA(1-15).fh8 - AYA, Aguirre y Aranzabal

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