The following is from the question and answer segment of: "American Rifleman – January 1965

Damascus Barrels

There have been many warnings against firing Damascus-barreled shotguns with smokeless powder. Over a period of years I have seen several which were regularly used with factory high-velocity shells, and gave no trouble. Is it possible that warn-ings have been overdone? Damascus barrels of suitable quality and condition might then be usable with smokeless powder.

Answer: The warnings against firing Damascus barrels with smokeless shells rest ultimately on actual bursts which have occurred in such use. In these incidents a large piece is blown out of the barrel near the chamber. Severe injury to the shooter’s forward hand is likely.

It is true that Damascus barrels of high grade, proportioned for smokeless powder, on an action of suitable design and proportions, and in suitable condition, could be used with normal smokeless shells with safety. Few users are qualified judges.

The great majority of Damascus barrels are of low grade (how low that can be is described in the following text). The majority of them are thin. They are mounted on actions of antiquated design and material. The barrels tend to local deep corrosion because of the 2 or more metals of which they are composed.

The basic make-up of Damascus barrels is indicated by the drawing(not included here but the same as found in Greener’s edition), which is from Greener. Two or more rods of iron and steel were welded together and rolled into a ribbon, which was then wrapped around a mandrel and made a continuous tube by welding all the edges together. A Damascus barrel is thus one mass of welds from breech to muzzle. Great care was taken with the best barrels to see that the welds were sound. This was not of the question in making cheap barrels. W.W. Greener, the greatest authority on shotgun manufacture at the time these barrels were made, stated plainly that cheap Damascus barrels were literally rotten.

Mere absence of early failure gives no information about safety margin. It is entirely possible for a Damascus barrel to survive the firing of a number of smoke-less shells, and then burst by one giving a slightly higher pressure than the rest, or simply by the repeated strain.

The foregoing will be enough to show why it is not considered either well-founded or in the personal interest of NRA members to call Damascus barrels gener-ally suitable for smokeless loads.—E.H.H."

Kind Regards,

Raimey
rse

Last edited by ellenbr; 04/28/08 08:59 PM.