zabala 10 gauge sxs

[milltownhunter]

are the zabala 10 gauge sxs out of spain any good i seen one in a local gun shop for $400 looks pertty good are they?

[10 ga]

If you gonna shoot #10 SxS I suggest you stick with the old shell loads, 2&7/8", or load to their standard. In the "old" days grandpa had a #10 SxS and it shot a 1&1/2 to 1&3/4 oz. load with 1&5/8 oz. about standard. Less oz. than a current 12 ga 3". Recoil very moderate and patterned great. Many of the commercial duck and beach bird shooters used the #10 SxS when commercial hunting was legal. That 1&5/8 load through a cylinder or IC choke would put a hurting on a flock of birds. I have 2 #10 ga. but they are autos. They shoot great and moderate recoil, less than my 870 with heavy 3" shells. When they go boom somethin dies. I've shot some of the SxS #10s and the recoil with current production 3&1/2" shells is quite stiff. I believe the european shooters use the #10s for hunting, mostly birds, with the lighter loads. OH yeah, the guide or gillie carries the gun over there, HA HA. My $.02: 10 ga

[sagamore-one]

I had a Zabala 10 ga. for several years. Bought it at a gun show for $100 with one barrel split at the muzzle. I cut both barrels back to 18 1/2 inches and shot the living H.... out of it. I even took it to Gunsite as a backup to my Benelli Super 90. Everyone loved to look at it , no-one but me liked to shoot it. Something about excessive recoil. One instructor ended up in the supine position after shooting a slug round from the sitting position.
The Zabala digested everything I throwed at it, from magnum 00buck ,to slugs, to birdshot. The only problem with the Zabala was EVERY time I took it to a public range some police type insisted on measuring the length of the barrels. Those enormous tubes made the barrels appear mighty short.
My Zabala was a very well made, very tough shotgun. I ended up selling it to a friend who still has it and shoots it regularly.
I would suggest that $400 is a bargain.

[northmn]

The Zabala 10 bores were made for the 3.5 inch also and should say on the barrel. They are fairly heavy and almost need a sustained lead as they are not "lively" like most doubles. they go back to the good old days of 2 oz of lead in a 10 bore. Original goose guns.

DP

[fredw1324]

My Zabal 10 ga is at my gunsmith as we speak being converted into a .600 NE DR...guess its strong enough with slide clips, double underlugs and a greener cross bolt....
TC

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

Mine is at my gunsmith's being turned into a Paradox 10 bore. 5" rifled choke tubes, and the barrels cut at 21".

Rich

[1Shirt]

They sound like fun! How about pics?
1Shirt!

[woody12]

Mine is at my gunsmith's being turned into a Paradox 10 bore. 5" rifled choke tubes, and the barrels cut at 21".

I am driblinggggggggggg. What use is the 10g with the modern 3.5'' 12g, I'll add a ? for your thoughts. I'll be damned if I can find a 10g here in france and even more damed when it comes to feeding the thing. The U.K is a different story 10's and ammo readily avilable. I know ED was going on about zabla actions for his heavy weight 12g slug laods. +1 for pics. Big bore or nothing!
ATB.
David.

[fm2]

I'd like to see a pic. of yours, Sagamore!

[fredw1324]

Guys,My gunsmith is getting close, he is waiting for a reamer, but has contoured the barrels etc...should have photos in about a month..
TC

[wv109323]

I had a 12 gauge Zabala double for quite a few years. It served me well . I would put the quality like a Savage 311. I remember the 10 gauge and it was more robust than the 12 gauge. Should last you a long time but it might be expensive to feed. Most 10 gauge shells around here are the 3 1/2" meant for the autos. I don't know how much you could stand to shoot the 3 1/2" shells. The 10 gauge's were used for turkey hunting where you did not have to carry the gun a lot and shoot just a few rounds per year. Not a skeet gun.

[trapper9260]

Hi I have one that is take 3 1/2" shells. I had a gunsmith bore it to improved mod and still have enough meat on it to be bore again. But I did not want to have it Full like it was . I wanted to shoot steel out of it and that is why due to the turn of the law from lead to steel for waterfowl. I did not lost any distance on it . You can not miss with it . I had paid a guy back in the late 80's for it at $200 . It look just about brand new But my say on it Zabala Hermanos S.R.C. . It is a good gun . I would not part from it . But if you do not hold it right you will know what the out come is.

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

The Paradox Rifle concept goes back to less affluent young subalterns being posted to India and Africa. Could not afford even the least inexpensive double rifles. The last couple of inches of the barrel were choked a couple thousandths, and shallow (.002" +/-) rifling cut. They were accurate enough for dangerous game under 50yds, and would still deliver acceptable patterns out to 30=35 yards for bird shooting.

I bought a 10 gauge rifled barrel, and Colin Stolzer is cutting a couple 5" pieces off. We will cut the barrels at 21 inches, bore them 5 inches deep, and turn those two pieces to match the ID of the barrels. Thread both, and screw them in. We will regulate by turning the barrels in or out in small increments. Think: .790" diameter, 960gr RFN slugs at about 1700fps. It will be tested in Africa next April (2012).

Rich

[fredw1324]

Idaho sharpshooter,
I have not heard about the turning in/out the rifled chokes, but seems to make some sence. do you have any information on that or maybe a link? I am interested in testing another shotgun I have into a 20 ga sxs as Carlsons will make the rifled chokes too
thanks, TC

[Smoke73]

Any progress reports?

[LUBEDUDE]

I "used to have" a Spanish 10 bore double. Back when I full of testosterone and thought I was John Wayne.
This one was from an Alaskan guide with 24 in barrels and big game sights.

I shot two 3 1/2 inch buckshot rounds through and had an instant migrane headache that lasted for a day or two.
I normally don't wimp out or sell my guns, but that was it.

My present 10 gauge is a Browning Auto - you know, one that "absorbs" recoil!

[Newtire]

I have a 10 gauge Browning BPS that I put a De-celerator recoil pad on and even with full house 2-1/4 oz. loads, it just kind of has a great big push. Nothing I would call a "kick".

I usually shoot 1-1/4 oz loads out of 2-7/8" shells made from cut off 3-1/2" ones. I use 30 grains of Herco and they work fine out of my BPS as well as the old 1901 Winchester I picked up. Sherman Bell and Ballistic Products have lots of loads that are less than 2 ouncers.

I don't know about the quality of the Zabala, I have heard mixed reviews on the Spanish doubles but don't know personally if they are all alike. I had a friend with a Sarasqueta that "doubled" and that's the problem I heard they had.

[LUBEDUDE]

I had a friend with a Sarasqueta that "doubled" and that's the problem I heard they had.

I been shooting doubles for years and with a lot of guys that shoot various doubles.
And in my experience and what I have seen --

It's unusual for a double triggered gun to really "double". It's usually operator error caused by recoil. Especially with a 10 ga.

Not saying it doesn't happen.

Single triggered double guns are more common to "double".

Don't know if the Saraqueta is a double trigger or single. I have a o/u Saraqueta and it is double trigger - FWIW.

[Newtire]

I been shooting doubles for years and with a lot of guys that shoot various doubles.
And in my experience and what I have seen --

It's unusual for a double triggered gun to really "double". It's usually operator error caused by recoil. Especially with a 10 ga.

Not saying it doesn't happen.

Single triggered double guns are more common to "double".

Don't know if the Saraqueta is a double trigger or single. I have a o/u Saraqueta and it is double trigger - FWIW.

This one was a single trigger. I have since read about the faulty interruptor type of mechanism which prevents the recoil and the reflex action of the shooter to pull the gun forward causing this problem and it makes sense. I have an old M/L double where the sear nothes aren't cut very deep or are just worn rounded off and it does it with double triggers even but probably not too prevalent with modern guns I would think.

[LUBEDUDE]

This one was a single trigger. I have since read about the faulty interruptor type of mechanism which prevents the recoil and the reflex action of the shooter to pull the gun forward causing this problem and it makes sense. I have an old M/L double where the sear nothes aren't cut very deep or are just worn rounded off and it does it with double triggers even but probably not too prevalent with modern guns I would think.

Yeah, that make sense in both cases.

On that Saraqueta, of course you have to factor in whether it has inertia or mechanical triggers and how adjustable they are, and if someone has been inside it before or not as well.