Greetings gentlemen,I have a question pertaining to a late built 16 gauge Baker Batavia Special serial number 168409.This is a double trigger plus a selective fire safety gun.Push up and it fires the right barrel safe is in the middle and all the way down fires the left barrel.Is this common and why would do this to a shotgun with double triggers?...Just curious...Tedd

I would guess what you have is actually an automatic safety when the safety is in the forward postion. When fired, then opened [cocked] the safety returns to the middle or safe position. If the safety is in the rear position, either barrel may be fired . The safety , then, does not return to the safe position upon opening the gun.

An image would help Tedd. Does it look like this?

Drew, isn't that a safety on an Ithaca single trigger gun ? I think the gun in question has two triggers.

Yes it is Daryl. I was thinking someone converted a ST to DT and used the same tang & safety button?

Tedd: this is a Hunter Arms 3 position safety as Daryl described. A 'S' appears in the little hole in the middle position when on safe.

This is a double trigger gun and it does not return to safe after the action opens and cocks. I just tried it even though I have shot this gun for 7 or 8 years and know it well I didn't want to sound like a know it all.
I have a image on my desk top but I'm finding it hard to post it here. How about a little help on the 101 of posting a picture...Thanks Tedd

PS there is a S when the safety is in the safe position.

Tedd,

Upload your picture(s) to a hosting site. I use photobucket.com. After this, go to the image you wish to post and click on it. To the right you will see four options. The bottom one will be an IMG box. Click on it. This will copy it. Go back to the DGJ forum and paste it in your text. When you preview it you should see the picture.

SRH

I suspect the connecting rod that actuates the automatic safety has been removed at some time.

"IF" this gun started life as a single trigger gun & was later modified to a two trigger one it most likely never had an automatic safety. My question is will the gun fire both barrels from either the R or L positions. "If" you have to actually move the safety slide between shots I would find this a serious handicap. The safety normally only blocks the triggers. If one trigger remains blocked dependant upon which way the slide was moved i would definitely want this corrected if at all possible. In the process I would then if possible internally block the safety slide so it would not go back to the L position & could then be used by simply pushing forward to fire & back to safe. There is no need for a three position safety that doesn't do anything & this would prevent one from inadvertently pulling it too far back when the intention was to put it on SAFE.

Miller, I have a couple if the Batavia series guns that operate as I said above and Drew showed with an L C Smith. Baker single trigger guns had the Right/Left selector within the trigger guard. Without pictures from the owner, we are guessing without knowing what he has.

Gents,In other forums I'm able to attach a photo but I don't see any attachment symbol to do this am I missing something or is this not a option on this site? I hate to set up a photo bucket account when this is the only place I would use it but if need be I will. As I have said before this gun operates as a standard sxs double trigger gun except it also has the safety selector feature that allows me to switch from right barrel first to left without changing trigger positions. I'm not new to this sport and have collected double shotguns since the sixties and i'm a graduate of Colorado School of Trades in gunsmithing so this isn't my first experience with double guns but I am a little curious if this was something Baker did or was what happened as the factory was selling out and this is what was left over in the parts been to complete this gun...Thanks for your replies ..Tedd

Tedd, since you are able to work on guns, take the stock and at least one sideplate off the gun,reinstall the trigger plate, take a picture or two and I can tell you if your gun is different . If you don't want to join Photobucket, it's free isn't it, email the pics to me . My email is in my profile.

Tedd;
I'm a little on the dumb side myself. Are you saying the front trigger on this gun operates as a selective single trigger but it also has the 2nd trigger which is not needed at all to actually fire both barrels.

No, the gun will operate the same as any double trigger SXS with a top safety, first trigger fires the right barrel first or if you prefer you can push the safety rearwards and and the front trigger will fire the left barrel first, second trigger now will fire the right barrel. It's selective but why? with double triggers it already is selective.
My question is this something the gun was born with, is it a factory mess up or a special order thing....Tedd