My background is in code pipe welding (API- ASTM) and also pressure vessel and boiler code work- Magnaflux can be useful, BUT I would NOT trust that test alone on Damascus barrels- any rust spot, void, or raised dent, whether reset by hydraulic dent removal method or other, has stretched both the tensile and elastic limits of the metals involved- Iron will always have a way lower tensile than mild structural or even nickel alloyed steel- most structual steels used today (exception being the Cor-Ten series) have a mean tensile range of aprox 53,000 psi- that's why coded SMAW welding rods start at 60- ie: 6011- 60,000 psi tensile as stress relieved- etc-
I'd bet my pet PH 12 with Parker Twist barrels no gunsmith would ever guarantee barrels, whether Damascus or Nitro proof Steel- not in this highly litigious era- look at how all the lawyers have affected trigger pulls on factory rifles (ie: Rem 700 series) and all the disclaimers you'll find in the box with the instructions that accompany such a weapon today-
Sherman Bell was a genius, also had guts and integrity- start with LP short loads (like RST or New Era)-- and rely on the research done by the other gents on the PGCA that have been shooting Damascus doubles for years-
