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Can anyone tell me about this shotgun? I believe it is a loyola. Its a 20 guage, thats about all I know... Any info would be much appreciated!!! Can I shoot whatever .20 gauge 3" shells through it? It is stamped 3" cartridges....


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Can't tell you much that isn't obvious. Inexpensive SxS made in Spain with 3" chambers and a Greener crossbolt action. Should be safe with all modern shells BUT (the big butt), it will kick like crazy with 3" magnums because it is relatively light AND it probably wasn't made for steel shot. Shooting steel in it isn't dangerous per se but if it has tight chokes as many Spanish doubles do, it may peen and bulge the choke area,especially in the left barrel, which is usually the tighter choke.

The chokes are marked on the barrels in mm. of constriction ("Choke 15.1" etc) but I don't know how to translate that into American chokes. Somebody here or at www.doublegunshop.com/BBS should be able to tell you that, and also the reputation/value of Loyola doubles. I have heard of them, but know little. Is there an importer's marking on the barrels? Should be, and that will tell you a little more.

Clearer shots of the markings on the barrel flats and water table of the receiver would tell us more. I'll look up the date-of-proof code (M1) and let you know when it was made.

Edit: it was made in 1967.

Looks like a nice little Spanish bird gun!

Thank you, not sure of any other importer marks?

Did a little more research on www.doublegunshop.com/BBS. The proof mark CK in an oval indicates it was made by Lucio Loyola, a maker in Eibar, the gunmaking capital of Spain. It was probably imported by Jana, an Denver importer of inexpensive sporting guns from Spain, Italy, and Belgium in the 1960s and early 1970s. These Loyola doubles were also imported into Germany by the big German sporting goods company "Gecado" and sometimes then brought into the US by servicemen who bought them at PXs in Europe. Those guns will have a "Gecado" import stamp.

Haven't found many examples for sale, but the few I've found were all in good shape like yours and had asking prices from $500-750 for the blue/case-colored/engraved ones. They made both 12s and 20s and they all seem to have 3" chambers.

Looks to me like this gun has double triggers. That's good, if true. Single-trigger Spanish doubles of that era, even well-known brands like AyA, often have very unreliable triggers. You really don't want a lightweight 3" 12 to "double" when you are expecting a "single"! (DON'T ask me how I know this....)

Thank you very much for the info.