Pressure loads

[Mike of the Mountain]

Originally Posted by Cameron Thraen

Read 'Finding out for myself' series of articles by Sherman Bell published in The Double Gun Journal. Excellent work reported on proof loads and gun failure. You will be surprised at the pressure required to cause failure.

Cameron, if I remember correctly, Sherman Bell used modern proof loads to test those guns, and there were a lot of guns. I remember he had some movement between the hook and hinge pins but no barrels let go. Some of those guns surprised him that they held up as well as they did. Great series of articles.

[Drew Hause]

The Double Gun & Single Shot Journal "Finding Out For Myself" series by Sherman Bell with technical assistance from Tom Armbrust
Vol 10, Issue 2, Summer 1999, Part 1, p. 9
Vol 10, Issue 4, Winter 1999, p. 21 - Destructive testing of Parker GH Damascus
Vol 16, Issue 2, Summer 2005 - Destructive testing of Parker VH Vulcan Steel
Vol 17, Issue 3, Autumn 2006, p. 12 - Destructive testing 8 Damascus doubles
Vol 17, Issue 4, Winter 2006, p. 28 - Destructive testing 7 Damascus
Vol 18, Issue 1, Spring 2007 -
Destructive testing on a Damascus barrel with thinned walls; calculated by O.D. - I.D. and not measured.
Destructive testing using various obstructions, including a 20g shell.
Destructive testing using a shell loaded with 3 1/4 Drams by volume or 56 grains of Unique (similar to “Infallible”) with 1 1/4 oz. shot. The chamber burst with the first shot.
The 3 1/4 Dram Equivalent load is 24 grains of “Infallible”.
Vol 19, Issue 2, Summer 2008, p. 18 - Destructive testing 1 Damascus, 6 Twist
Vol 20, Issue 3, Autumn 2009, p. 108 - Destructive testing 1 Damascus, 5 Twist “Bottom-Of-The-Barrel Wall-Hangers”

The Remington Proof Loads used by Sherman Bell and Tom Armbrust were measured to be 18,560 psi.
Total 28 vintage doubles/54 Twist and Damascus barrels + 2 Vulcan (Fluid) Steel