doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com What can be said of AYA`s quality?

I have both an AyA Model 56 SxS and Model Super A O/U with SST. The only trouble I have had with the SST is when one of them would intermittantly double (when I switched from lower barrel to top barrel) after about 5000 rounds. I sent it to Jack Rowe who cleaned out the action, stating the selector MUST set fully into its position. Any gunk which may collect in the setting seat prevents the selector from fully seating; thus, occasioning a double fire. From the location of the selector, it is not too difficult for gunk to build up in that area.

Since then, I remove the side locks periodically and clean out the insides. I also cut way down on the tiny bit of lube I put in the trigger mechanisms. I have had no problems since, with well over 20,000 rounds in each gun.

On the AyA Model MD-6, their competition O/U sporting clays gun, they put in Briley chokes. I know several competition shooters with this gun as well as Kemen with SST who have had absolutely no problems with the triggers. Jim Haynes

Interesting thread this.
I have had and still do have a number of AYA guns, 4,s 3,s 2,s and a Yeoman O/U de luxe.
All have been cheap purchase prices and very reliable I was told a story that the No1 is an unashamed copy of a H&H Royal produced from a cigarette packet sketch to the customer in 3 months at 10% of the Holland price.
But buyer beware, in my opinion the steel used is not heat treated as well as I believe it should be (soft) and the working parts hidden away from view are functional but dreadfully finished, in fact I would go so far as to say that they have never been finished.Just my opinion of course.

Interesting thread this.
I have had and still do have a number of AYA guns, 4,s 3,s 2,s and a Yeoman O/U de luxe.
All have been cheap purchase prices and very reliable. I was told a story that the No1 is an unashamed copy of a H&H Royal produced from a cigarette packet sketch to the customer in 3 months at 10% of the Holland price.
But buyer beware, in my opinion the steel used is not heat treated as well as I believe it should be (soft) and the working parts hidden away from view are functional but dreadfully finished, in fact I would go so far as to say that they have never been finished.Just my opinion of course.

Salopian, I have had an AYA No.1 for years and it was absolutely perfect. I sold it when I moved from the UK but am currently awaiting arrival of a No.1 deluxe in 20 bore, a self opener. You are correct that the No.1 is an exact copy of a Holland Royal but it was copied from an actual Holland which was taken to AYA in the 1950's. AYA guns of today have steel which is as good as anything you will find and I am not alone in believing they are still the best value in the market. Terry Wieland and Michael McIntosh would also take issue with you ! best regards, Mike Bailey

No one needs to take issue with me over AYA's steel quality, it is a fact that some of them have monkey metal components.But when you consider that the British Steel Company (Corus) is now owned by India I shudder to think what we are in for.
Just took delivery of a No2 for repair, it is a wreck.
The owners 'friend' has tried to repair it. He had difficulty getting the sideplates off even after he had removed the gold fillings from the screw on either side ( cocking indicators). In the process they have broken a striker gnarled both discs sheared a vent screw, split the stock and the forend and broken an ejector kicker.Ha Umm.

Have a numba 2 from the 80s purchased used from John Boyd. I had a couple of near ADs (very touchy trigger) on the right lock, removed lock, honed the the sear nose to to an angle matching that in left lock, heated to cherry red in darkness, quenched and tempered to straw in the kitchen oven. The lever arm of the sear sits slightly lower in the right lock now but I had no trouble getting it in over the trigger blade and I have a pull wgt. which matches the left lock. No further ADs or mechanical problems in three years (quite a number of rounds of low gun skeet in that time; one one-day hunting excursion). Lock parts are not polished to a fare-thee-well--no jewelling or frills--but everything is lapped to a reasonable finish so it doesn't look like the inside of an Iver Johnson revolver either. Also disabled the ejectors a la G.T. Garwood; the powerful AyA version of the Southgate is at the least an annoyance and at worst almost dangerous to those standing behind the shooter. I have never been able to catch the hulls as I normally do with a target o/u, possibly due to the effort to cock hammers and the ejector train on opening. Without pronouncing a blanket malediction on AyA quality of manufacture, I believe Salopian on the inconsistent quality of Spanish guns--even from respected makers. The Brits have certainly owned enuf of these to have a basis for judging. Perhaps post-DIARM produced guns have more consistent manufacturing standards.

jack

Peter, as Beryl the Peril used to say: " Daft, I call it!"

JC

Rocketman, Perhaps it was you who made the freudian slip and posted on the wrong thread.
Yes I do have an AYA O/U, the way I look at is we all need to see how the poor live.
I am such a snob, I refuse to ride in the same car as my chauffeur.

Rabbit, each to his own, I have a Bosis O/U and the one thing that cheeses me off is that it doesn't have the mega ejectors of the AYA I used to have, I loved them. Same with a Perazzi I have, although I have bought special "strong" ejector springs they are poor compared to the AYA. Oh well, rgds

Good to know I'm getting kickers to die for in the little Basque "homage" gun. 2 1/2 turns of an allen setscrew in the forend iron and they're fully restored to function, or, I can actually find an intermediate setting that softly ejects spent hulls. Life is good for the penniless man of taste and discrimination. I was thinking of asking Peter if I could come on over and be his chauffeur and sleep under the eaves in the garret but I fear his estate car may be a dogcart and I don't want to put him out of his own bed.

jack