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Live pigeon shooting


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I have an old percussion live pigeon gun. It is a Benjamin Hall single barrel with no ramrod underneath the barrel.

Does anyone have any idea as to the rules that used to apply? I am told that a live pigeon was held underneath a hat, and the hat was in the centre of a circle many yards in diameter. Once the pigeon was released by pulling a string attached to the hat the pigeon had to be killed within the circle. If it flapped outside of the circle the shooter was deemed to have failed. There was a huge amount of betting that took place between the contestants. I believe my gun is a 6.5 bore - does anyone know the maximum bore size that could be used?

 

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What I am really interested in is does anyone know the size of the circle that used to apply in live pigeon shooting in the UK using percussion shotguns.

Also I have been told that the bore size gradually increased to ensure a clean kill, but what was this eventually regulated to? Live pigeon guns did not have the ramrod fixed to the gun to reduce the weight of the gun, but this obviously had a trade off against the amount of felt recoil.

What distance was the shooter from the pigeon/circle? Any information would be appreciated.

 

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The pigeon were housed latterly in collapsible cages called "traps", hence clay trap, rather than hats which harks back to the earliest days of live pigeon shooting. The whole reason for the contest was to provide a focus for betting at a time when literal fortunes changed hands at such meetings.

Originally based around hats and other such temporary contrivances and with almost no rules, it quickly evolved into a strictly codified and disciplined sport.

At its outset there were no restrictions on bore sizes or shot loads but as it progressed guns were standardised or at the very least, shot in classes separated by bore and load and this was further stratified with the adventof the breech loading gun. Having said that, since gambling was its raison detre you might well witness a wager much between two gentlemen, one using a 20 bore, and the other a 4. Not quite sure how you`d figure out the odds on that one.

It was carried out all over the country, not just at the handful of well known London venues attended by the rich and famous. Sparrows and starlings were often substituted for pigeons and some people made a good living from trapping or netting the birds used in shooting matches. Some open matches would see thousands of birds shot.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi if the photos print out it may give you an idea how your gun was used. It was most probably lost in a bet. Big wagers were involved, the trapper would ***** the eye of a bird for a price. A lot of men lost everything they had all for shooting a pigeon . Try explaining that when you got home, or ex home.

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Before  live pigeon became illegal in 1924   pigeon shooting from traps  at the latter end was shot for big money at  the top clubs  And guns were made by the top gun makers  they were 12 bore sxs hammer and hammerless full choke both barrels  and very straight  in sighting to make them shoot high . In the early days  guns were muzzle loaders and were made in bore sizes from 4 to 12  to avoid cheating all muzzle loaders were loaded from a table and each gun using the dipper and bowls provided  of both powder and shot  this was under the watchful  eye of a referee This same charge was for each gun no matter on the bore size all birds had to be shot within a 60 yard ring fence this did vary  at some clubs

Feltwad 

Trap pigeon guns from 4 to 12100_1201.JPG.da73561b18100681ae4731ceff0cd08a.JPG100_1201.JPG.da73561b18100681ae4731ceff0cd08a.JPG

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3 hours ago, Feltwad said:

Before  live pigeon became illegal in 1924   pigeon shooting from traps  at the latter end was shot for big money at  the top clubs  And guns were made by the top gun makers  they were 12 bore sxs hammer and hammerless full choke both barrels  and very straight  in sighting to make them shoot high . In the early days  guns were muzzle loaders and were made in bore sizes from 4 to 12  to avoid cheating all muzzle loaders were loaded from a table and each gun using the dipper and bowls provided  of both powder and shot  this was under the watchful  eye of a referee This same charge was for each gun no matter on the bore size all birds had to be shot within a 60 yard ring fence this did vary  at some clubs

Feltwad 

Trap pigeon guns from 4 to 12100_1201.JPG.da73561b18100681ae4731ceff0cd08a.JPG100_1201.JPG.da73561b18100681ae4731ceff0cd08a.JPG

Great stuff, If using the same charge for all bores, did they use a 4 bore to increase the diameter of the pattern ?

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Live pigeon shooting was big in USA captain Bogardus was one of the best shooters. He shot live birds from a buggy with the horse at full trot, his competitors had their feet firmly on the ground and he won. Like Annie Oakley he shot game for a living. When glass ball shooting came in they would time shoot, he won by shooting 5,000 balls in 337 minutes and hit 97% .thats a lot of power and smoke and headache. He owned part of the Cody Wild West show , it came to this country (but not Liverpool the council wouldn’t have it). Thousands of pigeons must have been shot over the years. As said live shooting still goes on.

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 Using the same charge in a 4 bore to a 12 would increase the diameter of the pattern,   but the 4 bore would have to take his shot a lot quicker than a 12  which would be able to kill at a greater distance with a better pattern if a bird is only wounded it may be able to fly beyond the 60 yard fence and be a lost bird so a quick shot with the big bore was essential

The traps were collapse ones when the string was pulled  also used was a sparrow release trap this was mainly used by the locals and for practice   but this type of trap shooting was in use before live pigeon shooting  was thought off  Plumstead Marshes was one off  the first .Images enclosed

 Feltwad

Score Board

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