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."

[Setter Man]

Typical story told by someone who heard it from someone who wasn't actually there. A Damascus barrel explodes there for all Damascus barrels are bad, blah, blah, blah...

[Bruce Day]

There is not a single fact recited in that story by which its truth can be investigated. The first thing a BS artist does is to make sure his story has nothing by which an investigator could find out the guy is lying. If he worked in a gunshop, he would know the town, the name of the gunsmith; all of which are conveniently omitted.

So the usual concocted story has some unverifiable "facts" to justify an unwarranted conclusion. This conclusion is that a damascus barrel just ruptures catastrophically without any prior indications. I suppose all barrels can do that, but posters here have shown enough photos of bulged damascus and fluid steel guns so that any reasonable person knows that his conclusion that all damascus barrels fail in that manner is nonsense.

I am not an expert in Parkers or guns in general, but I do know that many of these gun chat forums are sheer nonsense and as cocktail hour(s) drag on, the BS gets deeper. This PGCA forum, L C Smith and a few other moderated forums where the posters generally know each other and who is full of it and who is reliable, are the exceptions in a vast sea of internet drivel.

As an aside, there is some site for gun talk called a campfire cracker barrel. I think it should be renamed to beer barrel.

[Dean Romig]

I think Bruce about said it all.
In my time with Parkers and other older SXS shotguns I think we've seen about as many fluid steel catastrophic failures as Damascus catastrophic failures.... which proves nothing either way.

[J.B. Books]

Such stories are true and the word should be spread across the land as it had been before. We should put a something to this effect on the PGCA website:

Damascus and Twist barrels are dangerous, guns so equipped are worthless paperweights, especially anything stamped Parker Bros. Although you know this is a dangerous gun your heirs may not. You want to avoid any future harm. Fortunately for you, the owners of these dangerous and junk guns there are a few folks who simply want to admire the work of the artisans who built them. We provide a proper and safe disposal service and we will pay a small fee plus shipping to prevent these dangerous relics from hurting you or your loved ones. If you own such a gun contact any of the following PGCA members for an evaluation and disposal instructions.

[Big Friend Ten (BFT)]

Pete,

Please have them all shipped to my home address...

[charlie cleveland]

my parker 8 ga may blow up tommorrow but shes swallowed up to as much as 3 ounce loads without a whimper.....and its damascus....thanks for theinfo and story on damascus..... charlie

[Holeshot]

I took damascus DH 12 out phez. hunting yesterday. Made in 97. Rolled up 10 shells and labeled dam. 7.5. Took a limit of 3 roosters and no arms. First time hunting with dam. gun. Sure was fun letting her work again. We won't wait another 50 years to go again. Our phez. numbers are low so I think she brought good luck.

[George Lander]

The Brits have shown ever since the introduction of fluid steel that their Damascus or Twist steel guns can be reproved by being able to withstand proof loads which are much in excess of ordinary game loads and are marked accordingly. Perhaps we should have a proof house on this side of the pond as well. JMHO.

Best Regards, George

[Dean Romig]

A proof house here? Unless it was mandated by the gummint I don't think we'll ever see one. I for one, would never subject any of my guns, Damascus or fluid steel to the extremes that a proof house might. I don't think in the ten or fifteen years I have remaining to shoot and hunt I could ever equal the stress using 7,500 p.s.i. loads I put upon my guns that one visit to a proof house would. Thanks, but no thanks.