Parker Barrels types and quality

[Dean Romig]

It no longer surprises me to see these conflicts in recorded data.






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[Bruce Day]

During the Damascus barrel era Ithaca had been marketing their guns as guaranteed against bursting , but Ithaca had been losing market share. A new president came in and promptly changed marketing to tout the new improved fluid steel barrels and that only fluid steel would not burst with so called modern shells. He authored the well known dangerous Damascus letter and appeared at gun events talking about dangerous Damascus and urging that owners buy new Ithaca guns.
The Ithaca president was personable and well liked and other makers followed his lead.
The change in marketing from Damascus was guaranteed against bursting to dangerous to use occurred within months.

[Dean Romig]

And in doing so did an unfathomable disservice to all owners and manufacturers of guns with “twist or Damascus” barrels.





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[Kevin McCormack]

My 16 ga. 0 frame 26" Damascus AH was returned to Parker 3 times according to the PGCA letter; twice for restocking and finally for addition of a set of Titanic steel barrels. I've been trying to find them for years!

[Fred Slyfield]

Folks thanks for all the info, very interesting, I am in no way going to shoot anything in this gun except low pressure shells , not going to try and make a race horse out of a donkey!!

[Dean Romig]

I guess Lou Smith took a calculated risk and reported Ithaca's (faulty) "findings" or just made up the whole story...





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[Southpaw]

Lou Smith of Ithaca, "take it face value what I am saying, trust me. These guns blew up and are unsafe." If he lied that would have been a whopper. I think they blew up the guns or barrels. However is there any mention of how tests were conducted. It is pretty much stated that guns don't blow up unless there is an obstruction. Did they put obstructions in barrels with 18k psi loads and just fail to mention we plugged the up the barrels. Heck any gun could blow up if you plug the barrel.

Reading Dr. Drews stuff it appears even as late as 2016 NRA was saying don't shoot damascus or twist. It is hard to believe what it is true with so much conflicting information. But if mind justifies the heart to shoot welded barrels then the guidelines I guess have already been discussed. Measure barrels, use low pressure loads only and look for any subtle changes and nothing is to small. I think it is understood check barrels for obstructions but how often does one really do it.

[Dean Romig]

It is a wise practice to check for barrel obstructions before dropping shells into the chambers of any shotgun - even fluid steel.






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[stumpstalker]

[QUOTE=Dean Romig;251310]It is a wise practice to check for barrel obstructions before dropping shells into the chambers of any shotgun - even fluid steel.

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Dean: I agree it is wise, and when using a double or break-action single-barreled gun, it is reasonably convenient or at least feasible.

However, if the gun is a semi-auto or pump, would you not agree that checking for obstructions every time one reloads is beyond inconvenient to the point of being impractical?

Or, is there an easy way to check the barrel of such a gun (semi-auto or pump) every time one reloads that I am not aware of?

Seems to me this makes a case for there being greater safety, in this one respect anyway, for using these quaint, passe doubles that we have such an affinity for.

[Dean Romig]

You're right Russ - it is highly impractical... and to be honest I didn't even consider semi-autos or pumps as I own just two pumps.

I never even take the Stevens 20 from the safe anymore and I've yet to shoot my 42... that will happen this fall in VT.





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