What is your pigeon gun?
 

I did'nt want to hijack Frank's thread about pigeon guns but I've been thinking what gun that you own, Parker or other, would you take to a pigeon shoot if you were invited?

I shoot both Columbaire (hand thrown) and box birds. For the former I shoot a DHE Parker12, 28" LM/F, and for box birds VHE 12 32" F/F double trap. Both have safeties which are non-auto. 7 1/2" all the way.

How about you?

I have only two 12 gauge Parkers that I shoot well enough to attempt at pigeon games.

One is a 1899 DH with 30" Titanic Steel barrels choked IM/IM (.033" & .034")

The other is a 1933 GH with 30" PSS barrels choked F/F (.042" & .043")

Both are DT, CPG, 2 3/4" DAH, 14 1/8" LOP, SpFE.

Though, truth be told, I have never shot live birds in competition.






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I have shot quite a bit of hand-thrown birds, and somewhat less box birds. For the most part, i shot a Superposed Lightning, w 32” Broadway Trap barrels, choked light modified bottom and light full top. Ejectors wouldnt work with the trap barrels. I have no idea what the stock dimensions were other than LOP which was a scosch under 15”, but also pretty high. It had a gorgeous :rotf: white line pad. The non automatic safety had a tiny hole drilled in the safety tab (by me), and a pretty little hex head set screw installed, fixing the safety in the off/under position. Guess the gun weighed just under 8 lbs. and was a tad barrel heavy.

I just got mine at the beginning of this year as it was being restored by Brad Bachelder, it is a Greener Pigeon grade gun with 30" M/F Damascus barrels with a non auto safety. The gun when I got it was a mess, some idiot had cut the stock comb to put an adjustable comb (with polished chrome rods) on it, a Morgan full adjustable aluminum recoil pad with recoil reducer in the stock, a beavertail forend that looked like a two by four, and oh I almost forgot, he "Hot Blued" the barrels! :banghead: Two years later after Brad got it, it is one beautiful gun. I didn't get to shoot it at the Medford pigeon ring as we got rained out but did shoot it on the 5 stand and it preformed well. It's a neat gun that I was glad to be able to save.
I have never shot live pigeons, but it's something I would like to try someday.

My dedicated live pigeon gun for box birds is a PHE Trap with 30" full and full barrels, vent rib, and a crossover stock and splinter forend. My Columbaire gun is the same PHE with 26" IC and IM barrels. This is a Pennsylvania gun with the standard issue Miller trigger in the front position.

You are right Bill, Howard Miller was a fixture at many of the PA. shoots and many of the shooters wanted the reliable Miller trigger installed often non-selective.

Thanks Daryl for starting a separate thread focused on modern live bird shooting. I don't own a suitable 12-gauge Parker but I'll offer this up ….. to be competitive and not waste your money in a very expensive sport where still legal, I think that Parker needs to be dynamic but with enough weight to buffer heavy recoil, perhaps around 8 pounds. Also it should shoot a bit high maybe 60/40, and its owner must be OK with sustained shooting of traditional 1-1/4 ounce high velocity pigeon loads like the old AA Super Pigeon without having to worry about being kind to old dry wood, etc. Nowadays many shooters will be using even higher velocity "high brass" 1-1/4 ounce loads (1330 fps) in their guns. I'm talking here about getting invited to organized live box bird shoots with high cost birds, high stakes and the Calcuttas. And even if you have that Parker and think you're a good clays/hunting shot, get ready to get your clock cleaned when regular pigeon shooting gents like "Lxxx" show up from Portugal etc. :crying:

frank

Interesting thread, Gary

I have a BHE 12 with 30 inch Damascus barrels, straight stock, splinter with a Monte Carlo stock (factory by the way) no safety. She shoots a tad high and is choked over .040 in both barrels. Another is a Fox CE also a straight grip 32 inch choked .037 in each tube. I just sold a DH straight grip no safety 32 inch gun with a flat rib at the Southern. It was choked .047 in each tube. I'm currently playing with a DHE straight grip with 34 inch barrels choked .047 each barrel. It's a dynamic gun considering the barrel length.

You may not have a suitable Parker for the task Frank but I'm sure you could dig an old Fox or some other maker out of the safe that would do the job. Which one would that be?

Back in the day there would be the sleeper Italian shooter who spoke very little English and shot a Perazzi with his detachable trigger group in a pouch on his belt.

My preference for ammo was 1 1/8oz.- 7 1/2 trap load in the right barrel and a Federal 3 1/4- 1 1/4- 7 1/2 in the left. Those 1330fps loads just recoiled too much for me to be able to stay into the gun for the second shot.