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Arrieta Viscount side-by-side shotgun review

Arrieta Viscount side-by-side shotgun review: The Arrieta Viscount side-by-side shotgun is a light, well-balanced Spanish shotgun with a superb ejector system and that looks as good as it is to handle.

Arrieta Viscount side-by-side shotgun review.
Historically, the side-by-side shotgun was a matter of convenience of design. To produce a double gun in the days of the flintlock, it was the easiest layout to accommodate the locks, each being a mirror image of the other, on either side of the stock.

There, in the main, they stayed through the transition of the percussion muzzle-loader gun to the breech-loading hammergun that eventually evolved into the ?hammerless? side-by-side sidelock ejector.

This became the definitive British shotgun, admired the world over, and that admiration also brought with it the most obvious tribute: imitation ? nowhere more so than in Spain.

Bouquets of roses are surrounded by fine scroll and, while sporting an extensive coverage, with these fine patterns it is never ?in your face?.

Rather, it blends in with the autumnal colouring of the colour-case-hardening, so you have to sit and study the detail to appreciate its worth.

Some of the work on the tail of the trigger-guard is simple in form but has a charm all of its own.

Interestingly, and yet another thoughtful touch, the rib pattern on the fore-end tip is made to match that on the safety button.

I am glad to be able to report that the shiny blacked barrels are a good, old-fashioned 28 imperial inches, not some near metric equivalent.

Once again, this is only a small point and from a practical point of view of no real consequence, but it is this sort of detail that separates a gunmaker from its near rivals.

In the traditional manner, the chokes are fixed, gauging quarter in the right-hand barrel and half-choke in the left.

While this is very much the norm, chokes can be produced to order to suit a customer?s requirements when the gun is being built.

The bores are well polished and only a fraction on the tight side of 0.729in, or nominal 12-bore size.

Concave ribs, cleanly struck up lumps and fine finishing to the breech faces of the barrels and the extractors complete the package.

ACTION STATION
The Arrieta Viscount is a classic sidelock with barlock layout and an intercepting safety sear fore-end iron.

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It utilises the simple and effective Southgate ejector system.

PERFORMANCE IN ACTION
So far, the Arrieta Viscount ticks all the boxes in appearance, build quality and attention to detail, but the other half of the equation is, as always, performance in the field.

In the handling stakes it comes out well, balancing right on the cross pin of the action.

At a bare 6.3/4lb, the Viscount qualifies as a true lightweight game gun and this undoubtedly is one of the reasons that it is, quite sensibly, chambered for 70mm (2.3/4in) cartridges.

The lightweight and good balance impart a fluid feel when mounting to the shoulder ? fast, but eminently controllable.

It suited me because it has a length of pull a little less than 15in, which for those of a shorter stature gives room for adjustment.

The drop across the stock meant putting the foresight bead on the bird to throw the pattern a touch high, an advantage for most forms of shooting.

Also, the slightly concave shape to the face of the stock, offset comb and stock cast all combined to ensure that it placed the shot centrally on the pattern sheet.

When patterning, it was found that the Viscount was sensitive to choice of cartridge to get the best results.

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Trigger-pulls were crisp and consistent at 4.3/4lb on the front trigger and set a touch harder for the rear one.

The shape of the safety button and its short, sharp travel made it a delight to use because there was no fumbling; you did not have to think about it.

Spent cartridges showed good firing-pin strikes and those leggy vee springs in the ejectors threw the cartridges well clear; in other words, everything worked as it should.

The other advantage of a side-by-side is, of course, the ease with which it can be carried broken across the crook of the arm but quickly brought into action.

The Arrieta Viscount is the archetypal sidelock ejector in its lines, proportions and neat attention to detail.

The inletting inside around the lock parts may be done in a simpler manner than with a London gun and you are not going to get a £1,200 stock blank, but remember that this gun is a tenth of the price.

Apart from that, right from its dainty brass foresight bead to the silver oval set in the stock, it could easily pass for a traditional British-made gun, and that, I think, is still the greatest compliment.

CONCLUSION
With its traditional styling, the Viscount could easily be mistaken for a British side-by-side.

It should, therefore, be no surprise that Arrieta does make guns for English companies.

data-lazy-src= PRICE: £2,455

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Arrieta Viscount side-by-side shotgun review