Arrieta 803 two gauge set in 410/28

[SXS OHIO]

WOW...that was fun...thank you Wild Skies SXS Ohio
You fellers know ware the guns are. WLM has the little gem I am looking at. I have never owned a Spanish made gun that was in my safe and part of my personal collection Over the years I have herd good things about Arrieta shotguns. Michael Macintosh like them, I should go and read his book Spanish best. The 803 has a couple things going for it.....Its a two gauge set. First as much as I enjoy the 410 gauge its not much of a hunting tool, the 28 gauge is way better for upland birds that I like to chase. A stand alone 410 gets little use and is a big investment. Second its a hi-grade example. I am like a old crow and like shiny things or is it that I have expensive taste? or both. If I am going to own a item I like it to be the best I can afford at the time. Normally I do not get attached to items and I like to upgrade my tools from time to time. That said if down the road I want to peddle it, I would hope to recover most or all of my investmenton for a well kept pre-owned gun. I have a good track record with Parker guns, Reproductions, Fox guns and other American shotguns. Brand new guns will get a fella in trouble most of the time that's a given. Pre owned is a good thing at the correct price. Dan and Dave at WLM took 1500.00 off the gun...still a boat load of cash for a Spanish gun. In a few years or so will it recover the my investment when put up for sale? Or should I stick with something else? Steve Barnet has a sweet little CSMC Fox DE-spl. 410 that was owned by the same guy who owned the DE-spl 28 that I bought a couple years back....I'm choking on the price of that one, impossible to justify... but still...its sweet for sure. Any good reason not to own a Arrieta before its too late....I would like to have it for the P.A. grouse opener.....(-: Thanks all.... SXS Ohio Yip-EEEE it October finally......

[Wild Skies]

Actually Kenny, it was Terry Wieland that authored Spanish Best The Fine Shotguns of Spain. It's a great read, especially the 2nd Edition which contains ~100 more pages, oodles more pictures and a whole lot more info than the 1st Edition. The Arrieta 803 is a mid-level offering from them and is a self-opener. Self-openers take a little getting use to, many love them, others not so much.

In regards to holding their value . . . I'd like to say that quality built Spanish sidelocks should be a good bet, but that has not been the case. Here in the USA, mid to high end American guns with condition have outperformed their Spanish counterparts. I would look for that to continue. This is not to take anything away from an Arrieta, they are built in the Old World tradition by highly skilled craftsmen and are a very delightful handling and aesthetically pleasing gun.