I guess if I got into that game today I'd shoot my 1883 twist-bbl 32" hammer gun that is choked F/F+. Far and away the best gun I have for killing birds that are "out there".

I think I'd shoot my Greener. 7 lbs 12 oz. 30 inch loose mod/imp mod. I'm pretty sure my great uncle used this gun for pigeons at the Philadelphia Gun Club where he was a member.

Daryl, I'm not planning to get back into box birds but if I were it would be my Model 21 Duck 30-incher that was ordered with a higher MC stock and independent safety. Weight 8 pounds and with factory Mod & Full chokes. And now that the Winchester AA Super Pigeon load is gone I'd be shooting the so-called "high brass" 1-1/4 ounce load, 8's in the right barrel and 7-1/2's left. Better yet handloaded 1-1/4 oz of 7's in the left barrel if that's currently legal per Flyers Association rules? JFI, one of the better shots I've seen at the rings used high brass Remington 9's in the under barrel of his Krieghoff with its factory Pigeon fixed choke barrel. It wouldn't surprise me to learn that loading had been discontinued since then. Bottom line, this isn’t an activity for guns and loads that aren’t up to the task.

Frank, the * marks the shell you need for that Model 21 Duck if you take it to the ring --

Attachment 63527

Western Cartridge Co. offered that 3-inch, Lubaloy, Pigeon Load from July 1929 into 1949. Wonder if it was the load Spencer Olin used when he won the International Flyer Championship at Kansas City in 1933?

That's funny that you brought that up about 9's Frank. A few of the shooters swore by the Federal pigeon load of 3 1/4- 1 1/4 of 9's in their first barrel. You could get away with that in moderate temps. but once it got cold and blustery they did'nt perform as well on the birds. Their goal was to just knock the bird down in the ring with the first barrel then anchor it on the ground with the second barrel.

Also interesting to note Dave that the pigeon load in your chart was only offered in 7's and 7 1/2's.

Mine would be my 12 gauge Ithaca grade 4 Minier, 30" IC/F Krupp steel barrels, Infallible single trigger, no safety, 7 1/2 pounds. This was the live pigeon gun of A.H. Worrest of Lancaster Pa., inventor of the Infallible Single Trigger. This is a great handling & shooting gun that was excellently cared for. I recently came across an Ithaca Flues grade 3 that is configured exactly the same except it has double triggers. It also is a great shooter.

I've shot box birds about once a week for the first 20 or so years, the last 10 years I've tapered off quite a bit. Now it's a once in a while thing.
We have a portable 5 box layout, that we can run about anywhere. Also, my friend has a pigeon removal business, so birds aren't a problem.
My gun is a Perazzi SC-3, chokes are 25k bottom, 35 top. Load is 3 1/4 d 1 1/4 oz #8s
I have a Parker Live bird gun, a GHE (no safety) highly modified gun. Custom stock, Money Maker rib, Seitz bbl work, etc.
We shot a couple of weeks ago, btw.

When one reads the lists of guns used by shooters at the Grand American Handicaps at live birds, 1893 to 1902, Ithaca guns are conspicuously absent. But, Ithaca Gun Co. did briefly, in 1915, advertise their guns as being available with Alfred Harvey Worrest's Infallible Single Trigger --

Attachment 63528

Ithaca Gun Co. certainly beat all the others makers with their single barrel trap guns when it came to clay targets.

Ithaca finally made a splash in live bird circles in 1949, just as they got out of the double gun business --

Attachment 63529

Attachment 63530

One of the nicest pigeon guns I've ever seen was owned by a friend who recently sold it. It was a W.C. Scott premier grade with crystal cocking indicators and 30 inch Damascus barrels. I have never seen a nicer engraved gun and the rib was inscribed "custom built for Arthur DuBray"

Rich: DuBray took delivery of the first Parker AAH Pigeon Gun in 1894; SN 79964 with Whitworth tubes

That was likely the gun he used at the 1895 GAH with 1 1/4 oz and 48 gr. "E.C." = almost 3 1/2 Dr. Eq.
http://library.la84.org/SportsLibrar.../SL2503016.pdf

Any idea as to the date of manufacture of the Scott?