Don, it could have been a special order gun, not unlilke the 8 ga. DHE ordered out of El Paso TX in 1909 by a pair of brothers defending their ranch against "wolves and bandits" as noted in the Order Book, specified to "shoot close with buckshot."
The gun you describe in Baer's book was most likely ordered to that specific loading of Tatham #8's in the 3 3/4 oz. load of Dupont No. 5 Grain choke bore powder to shoot both chachalaca for the pot (a chicken-like bird of the Road Runner family), as well as the deadly chupacabra, the androgynous dog/wolf -like creature that was reported as "rediscovered" in the early 2000's in the remote villages of Central America, Northern Mexico, and the Tex-Mex borderlands.
There is a good likelihood that we will see some of the more remote spotsman's lodges in these areas advertised in upcoming Shooting Sportsman Magazine adverts that will offer optional specialized combined driven shoots for chachalaca as well as baited night shoots for the dreaded chupacabra in additon to the standard high-volume dove, duck, and walk-up perdiz packages.
I'm glad that my passport is up to date and that my ammo locker is well-stocked with everything from high-antimony, polished hard shot 2 3/4' lead # 6's to the ass-kicking NitroMag 3" sintered # 1 Steel. Classic Parker double by day; Black Gun Browning A-5 3" mag by night. Stewart Granger, eat your heart out!
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