I owned this Ugartechea 20 ga. exactly 20 years ago. It was my first and only sidelock and it was a Ruffed Grouse Society gun. Neat little 26" gun with gold-washed locks, and an ugly RGS medallion in the stock. I took the first two grouse I shot at with it on a hunt in, ironically, a RGS management unit in west central WI.

It was a memorable hunt. On the first bird my dog went on point at the edge of a wet drainage. I was looking at him from the hill above, and it was one of those loose points with not a lot of ground cover right there where he was. I finally started looking in the trees and there was a grouse at eye level with me. The second my eyes locked on the bird he flushed and made his break to get across the couple hundred yards of wet drainage. As he flushed 6 deer bolted and were bounding in the same direction as the bird. Talk about distractions! I scratched down the bird and on we went. The 2nd bird was a hard point in an impossible tangle. I could hear the old Sonic "air raid" tone in there and I knew I had very little chance of getting the bird, but I started busting my way in. The bird flushed and came right at me and passed about two feet over my head. I pivoted and took him going away. Quite a start for the little Ugie! I then went on to miss the next 8 in a row on the next couple hunts. :)

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I spent more than a decade tramping around the marshes with an AYA Matador ten gauge lightweight with case hardened receiver. My present AYA is a #2 .410 with 28" barrels and tight chokes. They are both wonderful guns, but the ten is out of my life.

In todays market place if someone was looking for a small bore in either 28 or 410 I'd advise looking into the Spanish guns. I don't recall the name but one of the older Spanish makers recently went out of business.

I seriously considered AYA and Garbi when looking for my 410 as a Parker was unobtainable but lucked into a CSM Fox FE.

I first learned of AYA from reading Jack O Connor back in my youth. Never owned one, but they appear to be very nice, high grade Spaniards.

I think Ugartachea went out of business in the last 2 years.

Jack K

I owned couple Matadors in 12 and 20, serviceable but little hard on triggers. Anyone looking for an AyA should have a look at the AyA history and of Spanish guns generally because there was a period when AyA quality wasn't as good as it had been.

I have two #2s (a 28 & 16 gauge), two 4/53s (both 28s), and one of the Bournbrooks (a 16 proofed to handle steel shot). All of them have been reliable, and I've never had any issues with any of them. Two were custom stocked to my measurements, but all of them have good shooting dimensions and handle any reasonable loads I put in them.

Congrats Dave on a nice looking AyA. I enjoyed hunting with an AyA #2 for many years back in the late 90's. Good guns for the money. Hope you have a great season with the new addition.

I own a 16ga IC/M 26" box lock AYA Matador II from the 70's. It's my el cheapo gun for bad weather, throw a gun in the back of the truck and dog training shotgun. It's well balance, though just a tad heavy, and indestructible. Had a local smith refinish the stock and clean it up and its ready for another 50 years of use.

I have an AyA No. 2 in 20 gauge IC and Mod. Love it and fits me great.