doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Bayard Shotgun Information Request.

A friend of mine is interested in finding out any information about the history of the Belgian Gunmaker, Bayard. Apart from one of his hammer guns in my collection I have very little information and wondered if anyone on the site can supply any information. Both he and I would be most grateful. Thank you. Lagopus.....

I'm sure PeteM will weigh in on this but Bayard was a brand name owned by the various corporate entities that began with Henri Pieper. I believe Bayard was the street his enterprise was located on.

Pieper was a pioneer in the large scale production of firearms, was a founding partner in FN and owned a large damascus barrel manufacturing facility. He had a successful patent on mono-block barrels, designed to speed the production process by simplifying the alignment and assembly of the two barrels.

I'll dig out some more information tonight but most of what I know has come via PeteM.

I have four Pieper guns myself. An early sidelock with the monoblock Damscus barrels and 3 boxlocks from later years, all with the same, unique locking mechanism. When the top lever is pushed right, it pulls a rib extension back from its slot between the barrels. When the action is closed it is a seamless (almost) rib from the barrels back to the top lever. Probably not explaining that well. In the picture you can see the seam between the top rib and the rib extension just forward of the breech face.

Lagopus, the best is to buy the book "Bayard" all models and history is detailed in the book.
http://www.littlegun.be/livres/a%20a%20livre%20collaborateurs%20fr%20gb.htm
Marc.

There has been plenty of info about Pieper posted here in the past. Bayard was the street on which Henri lived in Liege. After his death, the Pieper company was caught in the middle of a fight for ownership. His sons formed Bayard as they could no longer use the Pieper name. Eventually everything came under the same control. At that point, Bayard was considered a trade name. They really produced a lot of pistols. They continued to produce guns of all types until the end.

I have a wonderful Bayard 28ga hammer gun, proofed in '49 if I recall. Both canvasback & Marc are very knowledgable about Pieper guns.

Pete

Thank you so far. That has filled in a few blanks. Canvasback, that is a nice quality gun you have there.

Marc, grateful for you information. Do you know if they do the book in English? I could just about muddle my way through but my schooling was in German and Spanish.

Pete, I have a friend who has a Pieper gun, a 16 bore sidelock non-ejector, with the stepped barrels. My little Bayard is a 24 bore and has survived in mint condition. I suspect it was brought back as a souvenier from the last world war and the new owner couldn't get the ammunition. Luckily I now have around 1,000 rounds for it. Lagopus.....

Thank you Lagopus. Our fellow member here CJO did a lot of the work on it bringing it back and I couldn't be more pleased with it.

I was just engaged in trading emails with the author, Michel. He mentioned he is working on a update and translation that he hopes might be ready sometime in 2013. Much as I would like that, I won't hold my breath. Then, whenever it gets done, I'll be pleased to see it.

I have his 1st book. I struggle with the French. He is very thorough. I know that he is a major gun writer in Belgium. He is certainly the leading expert on all things Pieper.

If you could. Next time you contact him. Ask about the Modified Diana's with Pieper woven into the damascus. I have a theory, but would love to hear his take on it. When I make it back to Belgium, he is one of the people I want to meet.

Pete

Canvasback, you should warn people before showing a Bayard like that............so I could get my drool bib on. I have a couple of 'nothin' special' Bayards, but they are really good shooting guns. The favorite is my about 1910 16 hammer.

Pete do you know if Michel knows about the Pieper Damascus that had been blued that the member on here found last year? The only other one I am aware of was the one pictured in the DGJ about 8 years ago. Does he mention those Pieper woven barrels in his book?

James

2holer, i have a few questions about your guns.

Are your Bayards branded only Bayard or do they also say "Anciens Establissements Pieper Herstal"?

Do the barrels have the Bayard horseman engraved or stamped on the breech end of the barrels?

Are the barrels chopperlump barrels?

You mention the hammer 16 as being from about 1910. Have you got an approximate dateconnthe other? Is it a hammer or a boxlock or a sidelock?