Barrels

[Richard Dale]

I traded fo a Parker GH grade,I believe, built in 1901, serial #112165. The barrels look to be Damascus twist. They are marked Damascus on top. The person I got it from told me it was not Damascus, it was steel barrels called "mastine" (spelling?). I have never heard of this. Can anyone clear this up for me?

[Angel Cruz]

It should be a 12 ga with 30 inch Damascus bbls. Don't know about mastine steel.

[Drew Hause]

The dealer implied the barrels were "damascene" or faux damascus - a roll graved damascus pattern over steel barrels. Certainly U.S. importers of Belgian guns sold faux damascus but NO U.S. maker is known to have done so. See http://docs.google.com/document/edit?id=1Yn-0vx1pk19eHwzrfVTEdWz-dlL4VmbBLoH53uqGkFE