Help ID-ing old shotgun , Bayard ??

[James Jones]

I'm come into the possotion of an older side by side shotgun and the only marking I can see on it are "Bayard Arms Co. , Belgium" , it appears to be a 16 ga as the muzzle diameter is .630" , the barrel is 22.5" , it has two triggers and two exposed hammers.

If is aint an 870 I dont know much about it other than if it sounds Italian its probably too expensive. I know that several gun makes were made in Belgium but I'd never herd of "Bayard"

ca anybody shine a light on what this old weapon is?

[EddieHarren]

There have been thousands of Belgian made shotguns imported into this country since WWII. Some of them are very nice guns. One thing to check is the chamber length. I just got a 12 ga. that has short chambers. Check on the underside of the barrel block for Gauge and length. 70mm is 2 3/4".

[LostInSpace278]

Google search revealed this: "Bayard Arms" shotguns were actually made by Henri Pieper in Liege, Belgium. The factory was located at #12 Bayard Street.

Pieper was a renowned maker of mid-level shotguns from the 1850's up until WWI.

This was a trade name used by Anciens Etablissments Pieper in Belgium 1894 and later. Importing utility shotguns from Belgium pretty much ended when WWI started in 1914. Making any exposed hammer double barrel shotguns pretty much ended about the same time. This gun may have short (2 9/16") chambers and damascus barrels, and if so it will not be safe to use modern off-the-shelf ammunition. Value is primarily determined by how well it looks over a yuppie's fireplace, usually between $150 and $250.

And read about Henri Pieper here: Nouvelle page 0

[James Jones]

Thanks guys , I have no plans to shoot it or sell it , just wondering what it was , under the barrels it has "16.0" I assume that its a 16ga , looing into the barrel their is no noticable area where the chamber ends. Its a Damascus barrel so I certainly won't be shooting it.

I guess I could make some sort of mantel piece out of it