Parker Barrels types and quality

[Researcher]

Jack O'Connor, Outdoor Life, 1942
A good many people resent being told that their much loved old guns were no longer safe. Just for the fun of it, Lou Smith (President of Ithaca Gun Co.) proofed (using 17,500 psi Proof Loads in 1942) a dozen or so damascus and twist beauties which were lying around the plant. Here's the dope: Most of the old timers busted loose with the first proof shell. The rest did with the second. Guns tried were cheap, medium priced and expensive: but all of them went. So if anyone wants to go ahead using modern smokeless stuff in a gun built for black powder, he can; but he can include me out.
Reviewing the findings Lou writes: "These birds who persist in using smokeless powder in twist and damascus barrels remind me of the guy who made a living by sticking his head in the lion's mouth at the circus. He got away with it for a long time; then one day he didn't!"

I guess those old Twist and Damascus barrels grew stronger with age. Certainly took Sherman Bell a lot more to blow them up!!

[Drew Hause]

A summary of Bell/Armbrust's attempt to blow up vintage pattern welded barrels using Remington Proof Loads of 18,560 psi is at the bottom here
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1...hIiY62Hx4/edit
A total 28 vintage doubles/54 Twist and Damascus barrels + 2 Vulcan (Fluid) Steel were remarkably difficult to destroy.

[todd allen]

Originally Posted by Dave Noreen

I guess those old Twist and Damascus barrels grew stronger with age. Certainly took Sherman Bell a lot more to blow them up!!

Fluid steel propaganda.

[Researcher]

My Father and Uncles all believed the Damascus barrel warnings which they first began seeing on shotgun shell boxes in the early 1930s was a desperate attempt by the manufacturers to sell new guns during the Great Depression. They didn't buy it and my Grandfather's 1890 PH-Grade 12-gauge remained in use until my Uncle Howard quit hunting. My Father shot Damascus barrel Remington AE-Grades until he quit hunting at age 80 after the 1987-8 season. I still have the 1895 vintage 12-gauge but the 16-gauge, serial number P136036, was stolen out of his home and I'm still looking for it.

"Cactus" Jack and his 26-inch barrel Model 21s is a big cause of the whacked American doubles we see way too often.

[Pa SxS]

Fred, why don't you PM your S/N and if I have a record on it, I'll let you know the barrel steel. It could have been either depending when made.

[King Cobb]

Originally Posted by Dave Noreen

My Father and Uncles all believed the Damascus barrel warnings which they first began seeing on shotgun shell boxes in the early 1930s was a desperate attempt by the manufacturers to sell new guns during the Great Depression. They didn't buy it and my Grandfather's 1890 PH-Grade 12-gauge remained in use until my Uncle Howard quit hunting. My Father shot Damascus barrel Remington AE-Grades until he quit hunting at age 80 after the 1987-8 season. I still have the 1895 vintage 12-gauge but the 16-gauge, serial number P136036, was stolen out of his home and I'm still looking for it.

"Cactus" Jack and his 26-inch barrel Model 21s is a big cause of the whacked American doubles we see way too often.

Which particular cactus jack are we referring to? There are many that come to mind.

[Southpaw]

Saw a gun today on Gunbroker that had a letter that indicated it was Titanic steel gun and barrels were labeled that way, but in actuality it was a Damascus Gun. Factory mistake.

[Dean Romig]

Originally Posted by Todd Poer

Saw a gun today on Gunbroker that had a letter that indicated it was Titanic steel gun and barrels were labeled that way, but in actuality it was a Damascus Gun. Factory mistake.

I have a 28 gauge DHE where in the order book the barrels are 28" Titanic Steel and in the stock book the barrels are 24" Damascus.

The research letter confirms the 24” Damascus barrels.

The gun came to me with the documented twenty-eight gauge 24" Damascus Steel barrels.





.

[todd allen]

No one wants to be the one that gives the "go-ahead, it's safe" answer to whether or not to shoot any antique rifle or shotgun. My 2 cents: I trust good quality Damascus over ANY fluid steel of the same era. That said, any man made mechanical contraption can fail. You have to use common sense. If you're shooting a turn of the last century gun. Do a little homework, and find out what minimum barrel wall thicknesses are. Have your gun looked at, measure the bbl walls, make sure lock-up is good.
Then find a source for quality low pressure loads, or roll your own.

[Southpaw]

I know mistakes are made in the books but how prevalent are mislabeling barrels. One out of a hundred or a thousand or something more or less either way.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/781432647