Howdy! A friend purchased a boxlock Belgian guild gun that he thinks is a "Baird" manufacture. Does anyone know about this guild? What can uyou tell me. I have not seen the gun yet but it is a 16 bore with 27" barrels, possibly 2-1/2 inch chambers, choked 0 and 0.10.

If it's a Baird (Bayard???), it's not a Guild gun. Guild guns don't have names... MDC

I think that M.D. Christian is most likely correct, in that the name is "Bayard". Nicholas Pieper the well knowm Belgian gunmaker, patentee of the Mono-block breech, took over the Bayard Steel Works circa 1900. The word Bayard surmounted by a horse with rider became a Pieper trade mark for their steel products. It is usually found on the barrel outside diameter near the breech of shotguns. If this is the only mark on the shotgun it would indicate the use of Bayard steel to produce the barrels.[ie: unlikely to be a gun made by Pieper.]

http://www.littlegun.be/arme%20belge/art...%20ets%20gb.htm

Thanks for the replies. I saw the Bayard today. It is marked Bayard only on the barrels. I assume it is a guild action with Bayard steel barrels. Seems okay: 26-3/4" barrels, DT, splinter, sling swivels, little or no engraving reverse chokes Left is open, right is choke. Totally tight action. The fellow paid $600.

sounds about the going price for a decent condition small gauge Bayard box lock....even a slightly better deal if it has ejectors and/or demi bloc marked barrels....pics would help .....

A "guild" gun implies an unmarked gun produced as part of a cottage industry. This gun is marked and was produced in a factory!

Bayard was a regisisterd trade name of Pieper. Pieper was one of the largest firearms factories in Belgium. Henri Pieper was a major investor in FN. Between Henri and his son, they had dozens of patents, not all gun related. Henri filed several car related and electrical patents.



I own several Pieper guns including a 28ga Bayard.





Pieper had major contracts with governments to supply arms. They were also a supplier of ammunition and sporting arms. They supplied guns for the Sears catalog for many years.



16ga is not a "small gauge" through out most of Europe. It is impossible to judge the value of gun with seeing it, or at least photos.

Pete