Well, the ad said (with the side fences and flat rib and 30" steel barrels) that it was built to "pigeon gun specs." Terry says that the Whitworth barrels alone were an indication of quality.
It has an automatic safety and is choked "true cylinder," "1/2" - a combination I like; so I doubt it's a pigeon gun (unless the chokes have been relieved - and since it is "cyl" in right barrel but has "not for ball" - it would seem likely the chokes have been relieved)...16 bores in pigeon shoots were shot from a pace closer to the target than 12 bores in the 1880's I believe. Stan would know more.
I date it to 1886. It still has "Paris" on the rib - explained in the Reilly history (Reilly closed rue Scribe in July 1885). It has been rechambered (I assume) for 2 3/4 (might have been original though?) and reproofed for nitro but still has a legible "not for ball" on the water table. Note the identical specs right down to reproofing for both guns...except for LOP....14" for the 16, 14 5/8" for the 12.
I was going to put a 3/4" pad on the butt...but looking at the pics of Terry's 27854 - no pad, no steel butt plate...I'd better keep it original in case I can track down that other gun. (wonder if this was a husband/wife sort of thing?)
