Damascus, Twisted and Laminated - same?
 

Ok folks, I had my backhammer (S/N 287) checked out by my gunsmith and he says do not shoot this because it is a Damascus or twisted steel barrel. The barrel is stamped ‘Parker Bro Meridien Conn Laminated Steel’. He said he checked this with Hopkins Allen Support, but of course, the only thing I can find on Hopkins Allen is that they went out of business in 1916.

So, of course I have a couple questions -

1. Are Damascus, twisted steel and laminated steel the same?
2. What is the relationship between Parker Bros and Hopkins Allen (if any)?

Thanks in advance for the input.

Bill Corn

The three are not the same and there are several more, and different, types of composite barrels Parker Bros. used on the early hammer guns.
The most resilient however, are constructed of Laminated Steel.

But FAR More Important than the type of composite barrels they are is the minimum wall thickness all around the barrel tube and for its full length. Further, the chamber length should not have been altered because this can compromise the wall thickness at the forward end of the chamber.

After all of these things pass muster by a qualified gunsmith well practiced in classic sxs guns, you still need to use LOW PRESSURE ammo of the correct length… which would be 2 1/2 inches.

Good Luck and enjoy your Parker!!





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M-E-R-I-D-E-N, not "Meridien" CT

Twist, Stub Twist, Laminated and Damascus are all the same in that they are hammer-welded alternating ribbands of iron and steel hammer-welded together as they are wound around a mandril. They differ in the percentages of iron, steel, old horseshoe nails, etc. and how the ribbands are twisted as they are wound around the mandril.

Probably more than you want to know here
https://sites.google.com/a/damascusk...e.com/www/home

Parker briefly fabricated Laminated Steel tubes in house. Scroll to the bottom here
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...o/edit?tab=t.0

With a full size high resolution close up of about 8" of barrel, where the contrast is most apparent, we could confirm the composition of your barrels.

re: safety of using pattern welded barrels see
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...A/edit?tab=t.0

Almost all the U.S. makers sourced their "rough forged tubes" from Birmingham (early on) and primarily from Belgium, but there was no relationship between H&A in Norwich, Connecticut and Parker Bros.
BTW: H&A stated that their "Stubbs Twist" barrels were "Guaranteed for use with Nitro Powder"

https://photos.smugmug.com/Barrel-Ev...26R%2027-S.jpg

Yes, my typo error

Great information. Thanks

Here is a set of Parker-made Laminated Steel barrels where the marriage between two segments is clearly visible. Whem Parker Brothers made their own barrels they were made in roughly 15”-16” segments and joined together in a hammer-welding process.


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Sometimes I’m mesmerized by the beauty of these barrels and the thought of the crafting of them.

The Parker made laminated steel, like Dean mentioned are the strongest composite steel barrels Parker offered and were usually on higher grade guns. The early back actions have the same type of laminated steel used on the later grade 1 laminated guns, and were not made by Parker Bros. to the best of my knowledge. Just some info there...

You could shoot black powder shells in this back action as well. That may be the quickest way to try it out. I would use a square 2 1/2 dram, 1oz shot load.

I shot Back action #286 at the Southern with smokeless RST Flacon Ultra Lights that were 3/4 oz at 1125fps. It shot very well and I am looking forward to having more fun with it.

See if you can get the wall thickness measured for peace of mind. Looking forward to hearing a range report...