Journal

Notes from the workshop

For owners, collectors and anyone curious about Spanish side-by-sides: how to read your gun, where it came from, and how it was made.

Ignacio Ugartechea inspecting a side-by-side shotgun in the Eibar workshop.

1 November 2026

How to date a Ugartechea shotgun

Where to find the Eibar proof-house date code on a Ugartechea, how to read it, and how the serial number gives the year on guns made since 1995. With the full date-code table.

Five Ugartechea side-by-side shotguns laid out in the Eibar workshop.

1 November 2026

The Parker-Hale side-by-sides we built in Eibar

Parker-Hale's 600-series side-by-sides, including the 640E and 645E, were made by Ugartechea in Eibar, Spain. How to identify one, what the model names mean, and who can service it today.