doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Traits of a pigeon gun?

Daryl: here's a thread about the Stannards and Stannard & Moran. Both the Stannards (cousins?) used Smiths
I'm only assuming that the Stannard double was the Montgomery Ward tradenamed Baker A or B grade
https://www.trapshooters.com/threads/f-p-w-d-stannard-and-montgomery-ward.424145/

The Sporting Life links don't work

1895 No. 2 Smith



With 'F.P. Stannard, Maker' fluid steel barrels, but the rib is not a Smith's

Drew, thanks. I read with interest your article on Trapshooters about the Stannard Histories. The Stannard tag came on the gun I was referring to [single trap] Possibly my gun is illustrated. I'll have to dig out some of my Montgomery Ward related Bakers and look some more , now that you have tied Wards, Stannard, and Baker together a bit. Good work.

A question about balance:

How does the "desired" balance point for a pigeon gun (or a stout SXS Sporting Clays gun) differ from the classical English Game gun? While I suppose it all depends on personal preference, I wonder if there were typical preferences or standards that evolved that the gunmakers followed when building such a gun.

It is too bad there is no bright line standard to define and distinguish a pigeon gun from a waterfowler.

A few years ago, before all perversions became accepted norms in American society, there was a kefluffle in the supreme court over pornography. One justice wisely, though not very helpfully wrote that he could not define porn, but he knew it when he saw it.

Kind of the same with pigeon guns, I submit...Geo

If you're selling it's a Pigeon gun...

If you're buying it's just a waterfowler.

To me the one trait that seperates the two types of guns is stocking. It is a rare pigeon gun that isn't stocked to pattern high, I like mine at about 70% above bore line.

My waterfowl guns are stocked/bent to shoot about 55-60% above bore line. I typically just barely float the bird over the muzzle/rib on my waterfowl guns. That keeps me from raising my head to see where the game went.

I think that you should be able to shoulder any gun and tell instantly if it would work for pigeons/trap targets or not. If you are looking only at your thumb knuckle it might be a tad too low!