16ga.com ~ View topic

Joined: 08 Oct 2005 Posts: 241

Recently in Spain and I checked out this gunshop in Madrid:

https://armerianieremberg.com/armas/escopetas-segunda-mano/

I drooled over numerous guns and the prices!
I looked at a used trio of Arrietas 12 gauges that one could have had for 3900 euro with a case!
I also handled a used Arrieta in 16 for 750 Euros. In addition I was able to see some Spanish guns I have never had the opportunity to view, a J. muguruza in 28 for 650 euros, a pair of Martin Ugarteburu and numerous other guns.

All guns had to be displayed and handled without the forearm by law. The man who helped me spoke perfect English and had been to college in the US. When I remarked on the, in my opinion, low prices he said no one wants side by sides any more and the market is all over unders. I asked about importing to the US and he said his shop will not do it as it is too expensive and complicated. As I side note he said they only import Kimber rifles for customers as the process is less complicated?!? He did mention that to export to the US one probably needed at least 5 shotguns. I nearly left in tears as so many Spanish double guns seemed to be crying for a loving home.

Another thing that nearly brought tears to my eyes is when I asked about lesser Spanish guns. The gentleman said nearly weekly they have people coming in trying to sell grandpa’s gun because no one hunts in the family anymore. He said they would be lucky to sell such guns for 50 to 100 euro and as a result they direct those people to the police where the guns are destroyed!

On a side note he showed me the rack of over unders. Numerous Browning, Berettas, and Blazers and a Turkish 410 with a brand name I didn’t recognize. He said the brand was a European name but probably marketed under a different name in the US.
Anyway he took special care to show me the 410 with aluminum receiver which had wood to die for!
He commented,” Turkish guns are for casual work only and will not hold up to a steady diet of heavy shooting but for 700 euros and with wood like this who cares!”
The wood did make all the stocks of the B guns look like firewood.
Boy I long for the days when you could easily import.

A couple of years ago I imported a gun from England and my recollection is the cost was under $1,000 for the single gun I brought over (If the gun comes over with others the cost would be less). The seller was familiar with the paperwork and that made the process quite painless for me. I think I had to fill out a one page form.
Good Hunting,
Mike

16crazy,

It really is a shame what these Euro governments have done to an honest gun trade with their import/export taxes. I actually left 2 real nice shotguns over in Spain & Germany because of the cost of bringing them home when I came home to the US when getting out of the military. The one gun was a beautiful Fausti Side Lock and the other was a fantastic J. P. Sauer 20 gauge Grouse gun. The gun laws suck in all of Europe and the export Taxes are even worse. The world lost some mighty fine gun companies because of all this political foolishness. Eliminated a lot of fine jobs along with those gun companies also. Now instead of fine Spanish guns the US Sportsman is having to purchase entry level Turkish made guns. Both Arrietta and Uggie fell victim to the Export Taxes, most all their guns were sold here in the USA before the export Tax law changed, it is a shame.

all the best,

Pine Creek/Dave
L.C. Smith Man