Pattern Welded shotgun barrels can be classified into three general categories, all starting with strips of iron and steel, but with different manufacturing methodology:

• Twist -thin ribbons of layered iron and steel which were NOT twisted before being wrapped around the mandril and hammer forged.
  http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfg2hmx7_40dxk2scc7
• Crolle Damascus in many patterns which are determined by how the iron and steel were 'piled' or layered in the billet and the twisting of the rods.
  http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfg2hmx7_163vgh5prdf
  http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfg2hmx7_180c83rvwg4
• Laminated Steel - a higher ratio of steel to iron mixed together and ‘puddled’ before being formed into rods.
  http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfg2hmx7_52fs85cfgt

 Here are some pattern welded barrel examples of Parker shotguns:

• General http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/17227428
• Lifter http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/19406549
• Hammerless http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfg2hmx7_268gzhjpd4d

Damascus quality is best judged based on the overall grade/quality of the gun, not the appearance of the Damascus pattern, the name given the barrels by the maker, or the country of origin.
See http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfg2hmx7_22ddqshmdq

The following links will help you 'read'' crolle damascus and determine damascus patterns:

http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfg2hmx7_0dgmfqfgm
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dfg2hmx7_8gmzs6hck

And for the history, art and science of pattern welded shotgun barrels take a look at this link, 

http://sites.google.com/a/damascuskn...e.com/www/home

 

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