Damascus Barrels- yes or no?

[Kensal Rise]

Your post reminds me of something I've mentioned before:

My friend Kirk Merrington has a drawer in his shop with about a dozen failed shotgun barrels that he's saved from customer work. ALL of them with blown out chunks and catastrophic failures are fluid steel barrels. The composite barrels that have failed mostly bulge or split in minor ways. What's more, English proof houses have always considered "Damascus" barrels fully on par with fluid steel for proof testing.

Thus, a barrel's condition and wall thickness dictates safety. Not the material it's made from.

This may not make you feel any better, but it's the truth.

[Gerald McPherson]

Love that pup!!!!!!!!!!!

[John Allen]

The key is wall thickness.I personally have shot 11/2 oz magnums in a damascus barreled DH before with no problem.However,the average wall thickness was .045" with no pitting. Have any damascus gun checked out by a competent gunsmith.It is money well spent.

[Drew Hause]

John: I believe you mean MINIMUM wall thickness.

I favor as MWT for pattern welded barrels:
End of chamber - .105"
Forcing cone - .100"
9" from breech - .040"
9" from muzzle - .025"

Factory original 20 and 16 gauge small frame guns with Damascus barrels however may have a wall thickness of .090” at the end of the chamber, and less than .020” in the distal third of the barrel, making it critical to use loads that match the ballistics of those originally intended for use in the gun.

More information
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...vwLYc-kGA/edit