Damascus/Modern Shells

[Setter Man]

I guess the real question is why shoot them? There are readily available alternatives made for older guns, in a variety of shot sizes. There is just no need to risk damaging a firearms or injuring yourself or others.

[charlie cleveland]

researcher i m like your dad about the shells i shoot most of my guns are damascus orother such steel...my dad had a lefver e grade 10 ga that had damascus barrels he used many boxes of those 4 3/4 dram of powder and 1 5/8 ounce of lead shot in that old ten it brought home a many ova duck or a turkey....my old 8 ga parkers have shot some heavy loads...not telling anybody to use heavy loads but that is what i prefer most of the time....thats a great picture of your dad and grandpa....charlie

[Bruce Day]

I’ve used a variety of loads in my 16 ga guns, which range from AHE Damascus, CHE Bernard, and various fluid steel, but prefer Federals and RSTs.

Here are tables showing what Parker recommended , just use the modern smokeless powder equivalent.

Using the recoil formula, which pictured 16 ga load produces less recoil?

[ED J, MORGAN]

I agree with Bruce.

[Dean Romig]

I don’t see that Bruce made a statement we can agree with or disagree with.

He asks a question and I don’t see enough data to draw any kind of conclusion.

What is the powder charge ot the RST box he pictures?





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[Opening Day]

Even if the barrels can take the higher pressures (Damascus fluid, twist etc), why are you subjecting a 80 to 120 year old gun to that kind of stress. Wood dries out, gets oil soaked and running high pressure loads though these guns doesn't make sense to me. I prefer to go easy on my guns as I am only the caretaker of them. Others prefer to beat them up, to each their own.

[Woodcock survey]

Bruce's question has been asked numerous times on a reloading forum i belong to and the simple answer is Newton's law. The amount of ejecta is the governing factor. Equal and opposite reaction. 1 oz pushed out at 1200 fps will always create the same recoil. But it can have the perception of it changed by the powder used and the charge. Hope this makes sense, when I read it written by some one else it did.

[Dean Romig]

The "amount of ejecta being the governing factor" I guess we have to assume the powder charges are equal and the 2 1/2" wad/shot cup and the 2 3/4" wad/shotcup are also equal in weight.





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[Bruce Day]

The significant governing factors for recoil are the weight of the shot and its speed out the barrel. With that in mind , you will see that the Federals produce less recoil than the RSTs . And that there are close shells in Remington. Winchester and other makers. These are modern cartridges available off mail order or in stores.

Equivalent loading exists in 12 and 20 ga. I don’t know about 28 ga only because I have not looked.

A person can always buy RST cartridges, and I do, but it’s not your only choice.

[Dean Romig]

Thanks Bruce for the explanation.

So, even though we have trusted RST Classic Shotshells to provide safe dependable ammo for our 100 year old guns, there are other brands we can feel comfortable in using.





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