Another Damascus Horror Story...

[Mike Stahle]

Guy's this was just posted on another forum in a thread about the safety of Damascus shotgun barrels. What do you think?


"35 years ago or so I worked part time for a gunsmith.One day a fellow in his late 60's or ealy 70's brought in a damascus barreled side by side with a broken hammer spring on one side.His grandson was with him.My employer refused to work on it. The guy really didn't like this and said he had been shooting that gun since he was a young man.Well he went to a succession of gunsmiths,at least 5,til he found one that would fix his favorite shotgun.About a year or so later the grandson came in with a different repair.My employer asked about the old man and his shotgun.The grandson said that the left barrel gave out the next time he went duck hunting.Cut his hand off at the wrist almost like it had been done with a saw.Back then an ER was a couple of hours away from where they were hunting.He said that took all the starch out of his grandpa and that he passed a few months later.The trouble with damascus barreled guns is that the first time is the only time you have trouble with them."