Damascus barrels, Titanic rib?

[greg conomos]

Since we're looking at GunBroker auctions with unusual barrels...


What's the opinion of this gun? The seller offers that it is a 'factory error', intended to be built with Titanic steel barrels but actually Damascus barrels were used.


http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=495433022

[George M. Purtill]

Maybe that's why the re-browning was free?

[Jim DiSpagno]

Mike Jensen is an honorable person, having dealt with him in the past. He knows a lot about doubles and I trust him. Jim

[Mark Ray]

I had at one time a Flues that had steel barrels that had been blacked using a process that made the barrels look like they were Damascus...in fact very much like bernard tubes. I asked around a little at the time, and was told that could be done as a factory special order. Long since sold the gun....it was a 20 (back when I believed all shotguns over 28 gauge were supposed to be 3 1/2" 12 bore waterfowl cannons). The strange thing is that they laid a Titanic Steel rib on the gun, I can sort of see sending raw struck and carded tubes the wrong direction, but to then knowingly solder in and finish the gun with the wrong barrels?

I think that this is a really unusual gun.

[Paul Ehlers]

There's appears to be more to the story from what I see in the picture of the top rib.

Take a close look at the top rib matting. The lines are deep & bold on both the sides of the insription panel. Then look at the lines on both ends the panel. It looks to me as if something has been done there. Possibly a worker at the factory tried to cover-up the bluing mistake by having the rib inscription changed after the fact.

It is interesting never the less!

[Dean Romig]

The quality control at Parker Bros. was beyond reproach. I don't believe anybody at PB was trying to deceive anyone or cover up a mistake.... but never say never... The original owner of that gun, in private correspondence with King, may have agreed to the change in barrels... we'll never know.

I sure would like to see the barrel steel letter stamp on the right barrel flat :cool: There is a "K" in the location for the barrel steel and K is not the designation of any PB barrel steel... As we know, K is Charles King's stamp of approval.

That rib just doesn't look like anything PB would have let out of their shop.

Just my HO

[greg conomos]

I'm not questioning the seller's reputation, but his matter-of-fact statement that Parker made a mistake is a little concrete for me. I can think of several other ways this gun could have come to be.

[Mark Ray]

Interesting also that the makers missed the ordered weight by at LEAST 1/2 pound, and maybe as much as 3/4 pound.