Ugartechea - Further Changes

Further Changes

Armas Ugartechea originally made matched-pairs of sidelocks guns for export to England. In a sidelock action, the mechanism that makes the gun function can be removed and reinserted fairly easily. At that time, the shooting of driven pheasant and partridge at large English country houses; and pigeons in Spanish pigeon rings; was very popular. These shooting sports required shotguns that could be repaired in the field. This made the sidelock very desirable (and expensive), and selling the sidelock action became a clear priority.

Eventually though, the sidelock fad passed and the simpler and less expensive boxlock action gained popularity. Driven shooting and pigeon rings became less and less accessible, and sidelocks came to be considered more of a luxury. This was especially true for the rapidly-growing American market after World War II. In the United States, consumers were generally looking for a gun that had the features of the traditional English shotgun, but not the corresponding steep price tag. Up until this point, Armas Ugartechea traditionally spent less time on its boxlock guns, producing mainly lower-end offerings. However, perceiving a change in the market, the company switched its focus to the boxlock, and now exports them to the United States.