AYA Yeoman
Aguirre y Aranzabal S.A.L. · Shotgun · Discontinued · 1957
Also known as: AyA Yeoman, AYA Yeoman Magnum
Overview
The AYA Yeoman is a Spanish hammerless boxlock side-by-side double-barrelled shotgun built by Aguirre y Aranzabal of Eibar. It was the firm's entry-level, plain-finished field gun, using the classic Anson & Deeley boxlock action with double triggers, non-ejector extractors and fixed chokes. Chambered most commonly in 12 gauge (with .410 and other bores also offered), it typically carries 26 to 28 inch barrels choked three-quarter and full, a plain oil-finished walnut straight-hand stock, and a steel action. Popular in Britain from the late 1950s as an affordable, hard-wearing working gun, the Yeoman became a mainstay of ordinary shooting families.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3060 g (107.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1143 mm (45.00") |
| Barrel Length | 711 mm (27.99") |
| Action Type | Break Action |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Double Trigger |
| Magazine Capacity | 2 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 400 m/s (1312 fps) |
| Effective Range | 40 m (44 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Smoothbore |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 12 Gauge · primary — also known as 12ga, 12 Bore, 12/70
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Break Open Internal
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Cocking Indicators
- Features: Boxlock, Anson And Deeley Action, Side By Side Barrels, Double Trigger, Extractors, Fixed Chokes, Straight Hand Stock, Oil Finished Walnut
Production
Production years: 1957-1990
Long-running economy boxlock exported in quantity to the United Kingdom; exact production figures not published.
Origin
Country of origin: Spain
Designer: Aguirre y Aranzabal
Discontinued: 1990
Notes
The Yeoman was AYA's budget-grade boxlock, sitting well below the sidelock No. 1 and No. 2 and the best-quality boxlock No. 4. Standard guns were 2 3/4 inch (70mm) chambered non-ejectors with fixed chokes; magnum wildfowling versions with 3 inch (76mm) chambers, fuller pistol grip stocks and beavertail forends were also produced. Now discontinued and only found on the second-hand market, examples date from roughly the late 1950s into the 1980s.
Background
So affordable and hard-wearing that it was described as the workhorse of practically all shooting families, the AYA Yeoman put a genuine Spanish boxlock game gun within reach of ordinary British sportsmen, and clean second-hand examples still change hands for a fraction of the price of AYA's best-quality guns.