doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Arrieta Bankrupt

Speaking of "low end" Spanish guns, the market is saturated right now, if you check Simpson's inventory. Lot's of pre-DIARM medium weight game guns, mainly boxlocks. Their prices have dropped 30% over the last year or two. Same with Field Grade German guns. Now would be the time to buy any Grandkids their first Starter Double.

Regards
Ken

The Simpson Ltd. is good place to go if one wants HVA Mauser sporter or inexpensive SxS. I see they sold decent East German Merkel Modell 8 or $695. These were not inexpensive shotguns costing about $1300 in early 90s. Few years back someone imported bunch of sporting rifles and SxSs from Europe most likely Sweden or another Scandinavian country. I say Scandinavian because there were many HVA rifles and shotguns plus some German and Spanish stuff. I agree the prices are significantly down for now.

Didn't Arrieta build guns for Orvis?

Yes in 80s, 90s and perhaps later. Beretta, SKB and early on Ruger made some O/Us for them. The Rugers had blackened receivers.

I had always thought Arrieta would be one of the survivors. Which of the Spanish gun builders are still making guns?

pooch,
I'm certain that AYA is for sure. I think that Grulla is out. I agree, I too thought Arrieta would survive. Now I'm going to look deeper into that one I've had my eyes on at Fieldsport.
Karl

Their buyer works out of Sweden. He travels all around Europe collecting guns, and when he has enough for a shipment he sends it over. Since many countries tax each gun, the older or lower condition ones often come over. Many were originally retailed in Sweden. Quite a few come from Spain. A popular rifle is the Remington rolling block that was sold to the Swedish Army, but is finding its way back here via Simpson. They also usually have quite a few Lugers.

Bob took me down to the basement once, literally racks and racks of doubles..

Regards
Ken

Dan Moore, of William Larkin Moore, in the SSM article credited the demise of Arrieta with the economic collapse worldwide. I have a bit different take, for what it is worth. Arrieta, like many Spanish makers who are in financial straits, were makers of S x S guns only. When the favor of S x S guns waned, as it certainly has worldwide, their market began to dry up.

In contrast, look at makers like Beretta, who began building O/U guns many, many years ago, as the market demanded. Many Italian makers have done so, and are doing quite well. Not as well as they'd like, certainly, but well enough that they have survived the economic hard times and are positioned to grow their market share as things improve.

Some would applaud Arrieta for sticking to their game plan of building only fine S x S guns, mostly those enthusiasts of S x S guns who would never own an O/U gun. But, now another builder of S x S guns is likely gone. OTOH, had they diversified their line to include O/U guns, caught their share of that market, they might well still be around to build the fine Arrieta S x Ss so many admire and enjoy. So, ...... was it not a mistake, in hindsight, to continue to build only S x S doubleguns, and "go down swinging"?

I am a row crop farmer, and have been so all my adult life. I have to diversify to meet the demands of the market, in order to remain solvent. Had I decided to grow only cotton all my life I would have been broke and out of business so long ago it would be just a distant memory. Diversification is just good business. To those who espouse the mantra "Do only one thing and do it well" I say, fine .......... until you go broke. Then, you can take hollow pride in the fact that you "did it your way". But, there is absolutely no reason that a company, big or small, cannot do two things as similar as building the two predominant types of doubleguns well, under the same roof. Too many others have proven that it can be done successfully.

SRH

For an example of a SxS maker who diversified and survived successfully in the lower high-end market, consider David McKay Brown. In 1992, he realized that the market for his round action SxS was dwindling. He needed a second offering to remain viable. He borrowed �150,000 and created an O/U prototype. The new model took off and now represents the majority of his production. His vision was rewarded as he remains in business to this day, quite successfully.

Excellent example, Mr. Owen.

SRH