What Damasus pattern do you like best?

[Jeremy Pinsly]

My 1902 16 ga. GH with dual Damascus patterns

[Drew Hause]

Thank you for posting that image Jeremy. Both tubes ARE Parker D4.
I added the pic here, with some other mismatched Parker D3 barrels and barrel segments, with an attribution
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/18015717

[GH-16]

Here's a one off grade 2 hammerless gun which was discussed here a few months ago. This one is wearing a unique pattern for a GR-2 let alone other grades as well.

Drew could you help identify this pattern. The gun is marked on the barrel flat with a D. The top rib is marked Damascus steel as most GH guns are. The oddity is the pattern doesn't match typical Gr-2 guns and one tube has a Birmingham provisional proof mark stamped in the underside of the tube ahead of the barrel flat.

Help with identification would be appreciated !

[Todd K.]

This one has different patterns as well.

[Dean Romig]

Paul, Those barrels are Laminated Steel sourced in Belgium.
There are only a couple of other Parkers made with these barrels which would have normally, according to the grade, had Twist Steel or Damascus Steel, or Vulcan Steel. There is scant documented reason for the barrel steel switch.







.

[Drew Hause]

Dean is on the wrong side of the channel but close
They are "Fine (3 Iron) Laminated Steel" sourced in Birmingham.

The Parker "Fine Laminated" offered on Quality I and H hammer guns in the 1890s catalogs is a grade below the "Fine Damascus" used on Quality G, and referred to as Lam1 in the Parker stock books. The 1888 Colt Patent Firearms catalog also has a quality gradation from Twist to "Laminated" to Damascus, and Hunter Arms used "Laminated Steel" on Quality No. 1 L.C. Smith guns 1892-1898, and some tubes also have Birmingham proofmarks.

This is Belgian "Pointille" Laminated Steel; 1890 12g Grade 1 courtesy of Milt Fitterman



Dean posted this some time ago. 1899 PH Laminated Steel barrels, rib marked 'Damascus Steel', and 'T' stamp on flats. Can't tell if it's the same stuff



I added a couple of the images here, with an attribution Paul
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/17227428

[Drew Hause]

Todd: your barrels are Parker D3 3 Iron "Oxford" and the pattern is fairly symmetric. The problem appears to be in the 'take' of the coloring.

[C.O.B.]

Damascus barrels remind me of finger prints, no two are exactly alike.

[Mills]

Originally Posted by Rich Anderson

Damascus barrels remind me of finger prints, no two are exactly alike.

Very true and a good analogy. I never get tired of looking at them

[todd allen]

Originally Posted by Drew Hause

Todd: your barrels are Parker D3 3 Iron "Oxford" and the pattern is fairly symmetric. The problem appears to be in the 'take' of the coloring.

Drew, I just got it out and checked. The rib marking says "PARKER BROS MAKERS, MERIDEN CONN. TWIST "
Could it be mis-marked?