Brian
Nice gun. First gun I ever had was a 16 ga single Bay State bought out of a pickle barrel display in a country general store for $4, bartered down from $5 (absolute truth). I have never looked back; my favorite gauge. You are forced to go old since it has been pretty hard to buy a true 16 for many decades. If made properly for the gauge, there is little they won't do as well as a 20 or 12 (except waterfowl pass shooting).
Here is one I bought about 6 months ago that is a belgium guild gun but marked by Manufacture Liege, which was a huge manufacturer that marketed guns made for them by the guild makers. The gun is marked on the rib as Grand Prix Milan 1906 in reference to first place award in an International Industrial Design competion. The Catalog of the competition ran about 400 pages. The Acier Cockerill of course refers to the barrel steel and Poudre Blanche (white powder) to the first smokeless powder proof. I think this gun was made in the 1908 to 1910 range. It appears to be an honest 90% gun, likely not used due to the gold descriptors etc. Only flaw is the little chip visible at the rear of the fore end. Dimensions are very shootable. If anything, this gun needs a little more drop unless you use a very tight cheek.
These are a little unique in being guild guns that are identifiable due to catalogs from a major retailer. A lot of people refer to them as Acier Cockerill guns, but that isn't correct. They do have an interest to buyers but at a price that makes them very attractive as shooters. They are well made, steel barrels and nitro proofed. They are both hammered and hammerless and 12's and average 16's are available for very modest amounts. I gave just under $1000 at auction for this one, but most can be picked for less. A lot of people wanting a good hunting gun would be well served by these.
I too have never seen the action type of the one you bought. Really unique.
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