rstpete Posted November 9, 2008 Report Share Posted November 9, 2008 (edited) Hi all from Northern Michigan USA., I am brand new here. I found the sight while researching a new aquisition. I think it is an AYA NO. 4, an early one from what I can tell. It has the 1976 U1 on the barrels but the serial number indicates 1978 or so. It is identical to the No. 4's I see in the local shop including engraving pattern, checkering, concave rib, ejectors, wood quality, everything, EXCEPT it does not have a split bottom plate. It has the normal two screws but not split plate. This one has a single trigger and pistol grip stock. I read at Trulock and Harris that the early ones were this way but was wondering if anyone else has seen one. Thanks in advance for any help. Edited November 9, 2008 by rstpete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted November 10, 2008 Report Share Posted November 10, 2008 From what I can see of the fore end wood shape, it doesn't look like the no 4 that I've got. The gun looks abnormally clean and unused for a gun of that age. It looks like it just came out of the box. The barrel proof code may be 1976 but it may not have been manufactured until 1978. if the code was at the end of the year 76 and the manufacture at the begining of 78 there may be only a year difference. Post another picture of the fore end wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zapp Posted November 10, 2008 Report Share Posted November 10, 2008 (edited) Ok, I may be being dumb here, and I see the difference in the metalwork where the lock meets the wood, but it looks a bit like an Aya Matador to me. Here is a pic of a Matador trawled from the net for comparison: Standing by to be corrected! ZB Edited November 10, 2008 by Zapp Brannigan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vole Posted November 10, 2008 Report Share Posted November 10, 2008 It looks identical to my Matador with beavertail forend and trigger selector button where it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rstpete Posted November 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2008 HI, it is not a Matador. I heard from AYA over night. It is a No. 3 made in 1976. It is in nearly NIB condition. Thanks to all for you help and suggestions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vole Posted November 10, 2008 Report Share Posted November 10, 2008 Just noticed the wood to metal join is very different too. Nice gun anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardwoods Green Posted November 10, 2008 Report Share Posted November 10, 2008 HI, it is not a Matador. I heard from AYA over night. It is a No. 3 made in 1976. It is in nearly NIB condition. Thanks to all for you help and suggestions. It looks from the picture like an ejector to me and all the number 3's were non ejectors. It may however be my eyes!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rstpete Posted November 10, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 10, 2008 HI, you are correct it is an ejector and NOT a No. 3. Bryan at Feildsport ( http://www.fieldsportltd.com/default.php ) confirmed it is a No. 4 and a pristine one at that. He has all the old AYA catalogs and we went throught them all and nothing else matched it. Thanks to all for the help. rstpete -- rstmanuals.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted November 10, 2008 Report Share Posted November 10, 2008 This is an odd one. I’ve taken the time to look on Guntrader and your gun is more like either a No. 3 as AyA have informed you or a Matador. Some years ago a gun dealer here in the UK trading as Elderkins of Spalding used to sell guns under their own name that were made by AYA. These were similar to mainstream AyA guns but were a bit different in certain spec details. They used to sell a magnum wildfowling version that looks a lot like what you have there. It could be that the models sold in the US differ from those sold in other countries but your contact Brian at fieldsport appears to be mistaken in stating that this is a model No.4. If you follow this link http://www.aya-fineguns.com/shotguns.php to the AyA site you can see for yourself that the gun that you have does not appear to be anything like a No. 4. I’ve got a 4 that dates back to the mid 60s and it is exactly like the ones on the AyA site. It doesn’t have the beaver tail fore end and it has an English style straight hand stock. As a matter of interest what chamber length has it got? Single or double trigger. Straight hand or Prince of Wales / pistol grip stock and has it got a rubber butt pad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sprinter Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 Dragged my No4 out last night to have a looksee. My comments are :- The action + barrels look identical to your picture. However the woodwork looks iffy to me, my stock is tapered in with no sharp angles to the action. I have the tapered forend. The quality of the wood is nowhere near the wood on mine (although i could just be lucky) I have never seen a No4 with a beavertail forend? My conclusion, it looks a bit like a No4 that has had the woodwork replaced with either No3 or yeoman stock/ forend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rstpete Posted November 11, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 (edited) Its just the picture as the flash made the wood look light. It is actually nice and dark. I will include another picture. The wood is also serial numbered to the gun. AYA answered another note over night and confirmed that it is a No. 4 as no No. 3's had ejectors. Edited November 11, 2008 by rstpete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fortune Posted November 11, 2008 Report Share Posted November 11, 2008 HI, it is not a Matador. I heard from AYA over night. It is a No. 3 made in 1976. It is in nearly NIB condition. Thanks to all for you help and suggestions. HI, you are correct it is an ejector and NOT a No. 3. Bryan at Feildsport ( http://www.fieldsportltd.com/default.php ) confirmed it is a No. 4 and a pristine one at that. He has all the old AYA catalogs and we went throught them all and nothing else matched it. Thanks to all for the help. rstpete -- rstmanuals.com Its just the picture as the flash made the wood look light. It is actually nice and dark. I will include another picture. The wood is also serial numbered to the gun. AYA answered another note over night and confirmed that it is a No. 4 as no No. 3's had ejectors. All of the above is a bit odd ! as is the gun. That gun is either a no3 or a matador or some kind of vendor specific model. Or some sort of a concocted half breed. Beaver tail fore end ! pistol grip stock ! these are not on a mod no 4 A 32 year old gun that looks like an unfired new one ! a bit odd ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zapp Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 (edited) Or some sort of a concocted half breed. Beaver tail fore end ! pistol grip stock ! This is what I have been thinking. It has the same single trigger as a matador (you can see the selector button and that big thick trigger blade at the bottom of the first pic), as well as the beaver tail fore end + pistol grip etc but different lock work. I wonder if AYA locks are interchangeable and we are looking at some strange hybrid... Course, it could be some wierd export only model that you dont see over here. ZB Edited November 12, 2008 by Zapp Brannigan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPARKIE Posted November 12, 2008 Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 bloody hell aya are quick at getting back to you it only took 3 months for them to reply to my email about the age of a no4 i had Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rstpete Posted November 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2008 (edited) I also have a single trigger Matador and this trigger is different. Where the Matador trigger is flat on both sides this one is not. It had several areas where metal has been removed for a more rounded look and lighter weight. Edited November 12, 2008 by rstpete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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