Damascus and Early Guns

[Bruce Day]

Many public and private posters have encouraged me not to leave the Parker forum, and they are right, to not let a couple ruin matters for the rest.

So I thought I would post some damascus issues. First, I want to recommend Dave Noreen's fine post about vintage smokeless powder shotgun cartridges. Some of those are very stout loads indeed by todays standards.

So, I was at Dale Edmunds today, the barrel refinisher, and saw a couple interesting matters that readers here might also find of interest.

First, there are some photos of a very early Charles Daly, one of the first, built using a George Ferris lever cocking action. Ferris was the brother of the Ferris who designed the amusement park Ferris wheel.

Next are a couple barrels interesting because of what not to do. These barrels were first taken to a Kansas City local long time gunsmithing shop, which blasted them with abrasive media and soaked them in some sort of caustic solution. The media blasting creates pits and degrades rib detail. The caustic solution gets under ribs and leaches out ....you can see rust in the seams. Both barrel sets ring loose now.

Then lastly are some barrel sets covered with orange rust as part of the damascus rebrowning process. The upper set is a Lefever , probably G or H set. They are mismatched, a little unusual for Lefever which usually pretty well matched damascus tubes even in lower grade guns. You often see Parker G barrels that have mismatched Damascus patterns.

[Jeff Christie]

Don't leave the forum!! We all benefit from your knowledge and experience. Didn't Teddy Roosevelt mention something about the fighter in the ring and the carper on the sidelines? Stay in the ring.

[Hammer Gun]

Bruce, First of all DO NOT STOP POSTING! I enjoy the Info and Photo's, That said here is a early Parker back action all original ser #97 in 12 ga with uncut barrels with good bores, Laminated barrels

[Todd K.]

Bruce, please don't stop posting. I always look for your posts since I find them so informative and interesting.

[ed good]

bruce: i for one would miss your posts...

if you enjoy posting here, why quit?

[Ross Goldsmith]

Thank you Bruce and all the other PGCA members who make this such a great resource.

I renewed my membership today when I read this thread.