doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Anyone have a Grulla?

Hi all, some nice thoughts on this subject and also some good insight. When I did the "List" I knew that not everyone would agree. That's the nice thing about this forum, a good exchange of ideas and thoughts. But this was and is my take on this.

To expound more on this, I'll give my take again on the makers in more deatail.

Arrizabalaga, a true best gun in every sense. They can and do rival some of the best Englsih makers, can't say anything bad about them at all, just one great gun.

Garbi, another top of the line maker, fit finish are superb. The only maker that does not use any power tools in their shop (they do have machine engraving on the Model 103, but it's not done in the shop). I do think they are overpriced as compared to other makers, Lots of hype, but other makers can and do match the quality at a lower cost. Still, a top notch gun in every respect.

Grulla, Excellent gun in everyway. Much the same as Garbi, very good marketing and hype, still a great gun, but again, cost is starting to climb. The workmanship is there, but sometimes a few shortcuts are taken on the finishing. The early UA guns were made by the same craftsman in the same shop and with the same materials. If you want a Grulla, get a UA it's the same gun, but cheaper.

Arrieta, Ah, my favorite maker. A good solid gun with quality work all around. Still basically hand made. This gun is a hunters gun. A friend of mine who knows his Spanish guns has stated that in Spain, Spanish hunters use Arrietas. They are made for lots of shooting (Driven of course) and stand up with very few failures. This is a good solid gun. The cost is reasonable, the "extra" options you want on a bespoke gun are free as compared to other makers (I learned this from John Boyd). My bespoke gun that I've always wanted will be from this maker. I'll be ordering it from John BTW.

AyA, Good gun with the name most Americans know. This gun is more of a mass produced gun than the others. Granted there is still hand fitting, but by and large, it's a gun produced in quantity. They are even now price point guns (Cabelas, LL Bean as examples). I've compared an AyA #2 with the Arrieta 557, to me the Arrieta is a much better finished gun. I've also heard that there have been some QC issues as of late with them. They are also the only maker on this list that still makes boxlocks.

It's hard to compare guns to one another when they are not in the same "class". The maxium of Judge the gun, not the maker comes into play. But we all do compare guns to one another, it's in our nature. We don't put a T. Barker hardware gun in the same class as a Parker. It's comparing apples to oranges. I have have a couple of Zabala's while not known as a great maker, they are by and large good guns. I would not put them in the same class as an AyA 4/53, the AyA is a better gun.

Not every maker is the same, and there are differences, in the end it's what you like, not me.

Anyway, there's my take again, you may not agree, but hey that's your opinion and I respect that.

All the best!

Greg

Thanks for all the responses, here is a link to the gun I am looking at.

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/conten...oryId=SEARCH_gl

Should have it in a few days hopefully I wont be disappointed!
Best-JB

Hi JB, very nice gun!!! Congratulations!!! I love the engraving pattern. Looks to be in great shape, with a nice PoW grip and semi-BT.

If you didn't know it, the SN 169-96, means that the gun was made/proofed in 1996 and this is the 169th gun produced in that year.

You got a higher grade Grulla, I hope you have many years of good health shooting this fine Spanish lady!

All the best!

Greg

Bought a $6k+ model 216 and the left barrel shot 6" low at 16 yards. Contacted Grulla and they said this was in "spec". GSI the importer agreed with me an they ate the cost of that gun and gave me a new one. Hats off to GSI, piss on Grulla. Anyone that puts out a piece of junk like that and then won't stand behind it, shouldn't get the rave reviews that they do. Good thing is that Cabela's does offer a money back guarantee on their guns, so I would PATTERN and shoot the heck out of this gun, if you decide to buy it.

[quote=gjw](they do have machine engraving on the Model 103, but it's not done in the shop).

"The Model 103A is a traditional game gun with Purdey style Rose & Scroll engraving that is completely done by hand."

Greg, this a quote from William Larkin Moore's website. They are the US importers for Garbi. The only Garbi with machine engraving was the no longer imported model 100, which was finished by hand. There are several model 103s (A, B and 103 Special) and they are all definitely done by hand.
Joe

Hi Joe, your right!! Done got my models mixed up! Thanks for the correction.

All the best!

Greg

Do all/most of these guns "share" the same action? Are the basic actions made by a cooperative or a separate company? Is it a forging, investment casting, or just machined from a steel billet? When I compare these high grade Spanish sidelocks, it appears that all the screws and pins are in exactly the same place....

Do these makers buy the basic barrels from a common source, and then finish them in their own factory?

JERRY

Hi Jerry, good question, but a complex one to say the least. One could go on and on about this subjest. But here is a quick short answer.

Action: Most (but not all) Spanish SL/SLE are based on the H&H action. There are some exceptions, but the Spanish have copied the British Game gun and have based their models on Brit guns and the H&H action is their action of choice. The actions are forged from steel. These forgings are obtained from a couple different foundries, but are forged according to each makers requirments. The actions are then finished by the makers.

Barrels: The bbls are again forged by one firm and then turned into blanks by another. Again, the maker finishes the bbls to their requirments.

Spanish steel is some of the best in the world, with different grades and alloys used. A lot depends on what the maker and customer wants. The old "Soft" Spanish steel is a curse that the Spanish are just now starting to overcome. The soft steel refers to the internal parts not being hardened and thus being soft and prone to breaking and mushrooming firing pins. Most of these guns were the cheap price point guns imported here after the war.

Spanish proofing is tough. The Spanish Proof House is equal to either the Birmingham or London Proof Houses. In some cases it may be even tougher.

If you want more in depth details, Terry Weiland's book "Spanish Best" is the one book you must have.

Hope this helps.

All the best!

Greg

Even Weiland is quite vague on when the "bad Spanish guns" were made, who made them, and who didn't. It is still a mystery.

For Spanish guns, I would compare same grade and price guns, more than the names they carry.
Grulla is very good, as are others in the same segment.

HM