Damascus in my future

[Keith Doty]

After an youth spent reading the warning on every box of shells a paper route income could purchase I had always relegated anything with Damascus barrels to wall hanger status. After exposure to current company I find many are regularly shooting (and surviving) some really beautiful guns I had always been scared of. I fear that my next gun may well be a Damascus Parker!
Problem: I know little or nothing about them. Obviously whatever I purchase I want to shoot with confidence and know the barrel condition is everything in that regard. Is there a MWT rule of thumb that differs from steel barrels, what's considered safe? What is considered "safe" pressure range per gauge? Are there things to avoid unique to this type of barrel?
My understanding is Kirk Merrington (sp) here in Texas is one of the experts highly thought of. Others in this region?
I'd truly like the learning experience to be as painless as possible, DON'T want to end up with a beautiful wall decoration! Any help here is appreciated.

[Dean Romig]

Damascus barrels share about the same minimum wall thickness preference as the fluid steel barrels of the day and the commonly accepted MWT for both is about .025” for the front half of the barrel and about .090” or better at the juncture of the chamber and the forcing cones.

Others’ opinions may vary of course.

Preferred pressures are usually below 8,500 psi but I prefer even less for my purposes.



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[Drew Hause]

Keith: wall thickness and other damascus relevant questions are addressed in the FAQs
http://parkerguns.org/

and
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZIo0y746UsSRZIgRuuxwAbZjSBHitO_EanvwLYc-kGA/edit

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1LFnSG34k3mBhLEjEgU267wAlIa215MNVQZhIiY62Hx4/edit

[Dean Romig]

Drew’s recommended readings are well worth the time invested in thoroughly reading them.





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[Bill Murphy]

A Manson wall thickness gauge, properly used, will be much cheaper than a trip to a gunsmith, and yield the same results.

[Bruce Day]

I have Parkers , Lefevers and a Colt with half fluid steel and composite barrels. I do not differentiate between the two barrel types for cartridge loads . A number 2 frame 12 ga is the most common type of a Parker that is readily available; these guns were made to shoot stout loads up to 1 1/4 oz and 3 1/4 drams. While I do not like that heavy a load, I am confident the gun will safely shoot it if I choose to.

[Drew Hause]

We're repeating ourselves, but there's not much else we can do, at least in Phoenix right now :(

It is now well established that Parker and the other U.S. makers proved their barrels, as are the loads and pressures for which they were designed. Scroll down about 1/4 for Parker's proof pressures
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1F2sQuPm05IE4VWYYnCkvuXmYEzQoWd_SQgaAfUOZEFU/preview

The problem of course is that very few now 120 year old guns/barrels have not been subject to abuse or modification at some point.
Looking down the bore with a scope, and measuring the wall thickness, is simply due diligence and good sense, and might protect our shooting companions, or kids & grandkids, from injury, which should make the effort worth it.