doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Shooting nitro loads in BP proof Damascus?

You chaps on the other side of the pond must be very brave ! Never shoot nitro loads through a black powder proofed shotgun unless you have little use for your right and or left hand and maybe a part of your face. if you want to risk it, send it to a European proof house and get it Nitro proofed, best, Mike

Paul,

While I'm no chicken little, I don't use the MEC presses to actually throw the BP, preferring to dip and pour it from a separate container. The issue with using the MEC to load BP, in my understanding, arises not from the possibility of a spark forming from metal to metal contact, but from static electricity that builds up in the plastic bottles used to contain the powder and shot.

I have always seen flakes of smokeless clinging to the side of the bottle because of static electricity build up, more so during winter months, but somewhat year 'round. The possibility of a partially filled bottle of BP flashing off 20" from my face just keeps me erring on the side of caution.

All my best, Stan

Smokeless or Black, I always have my MEC grounded to a water pipe.
I find the operation much more consistent, especially in winter, when house humidity is low.

Does a 100 year old Damascus really need an excuse or justification when it blows apart ?

Yes. If unmessed with an in good condition, and shot with proper loads, there is no reason to expect it to happen.

This particular topic comes up at intervals. The photos above of the Baker had other photos with them. One, at least, was a pic of the shell head that exploded. The brass of that head showed severe deformation , even showing the extractor imbedded into the brass. All of that showed excessive pressure from an obstruction in the chamber, otherwise the brass head would have looked like the normal shell head after a shell had been successfully fired.

Here's those photo's Daryl.....I don't think the gun owner ever came up with a conclusive reason for the failure.....he did post several times after the incident as I remember..........but no conclusion........?...?...?....Of course there was the "overwhelming" normal speculation from this board on any number of reasons.......as you mentioned it became a popular topic as the years rolled on........

To me the throat just forward of the forcing cone area looks very thin walled and I would guess that is where it let go......?.....Double smokeless charge most likely IMO......?......

Mike Bailey is absolutely right. If you want to shoot nitro cartridges, then get the gun nitro proved.
Its as simple as that.
I have two Damascus guns, both in nitro proof and use them with suitable nitro loads regularly, but I wouldn't ever shoot a load without suitable proof. To do so is plain foolish in my view.

My goodness but that hull appears to have been subjected to incredibly high pressures! Look at the fire forming of the head and the cratering around the primer. Wow!

Just my take on using nitro in damascus guns: I shoot a lot of nitro in BP proofed guns and feel much safer for it. Properly loaded nitro is far gentler on these old guns with less stress on them. As far as proofing them is concerned most of them in America have been "proofed" thousands of times over their lifetime. What more could be learned by firing some insanely high pressured loads in them just to see how much they can stand? Heck, I think it's nuts to even consider stuffing high pressure factory loads in these wonderful relics of a past age. Use the gentler nitro and quit worrying about it.

I also fully agree with Mike, if you must shoot a BP proofed shotgun don't do it with Nitro Loads unless it has been reproofed by a certified Proof House. A home made overload is not the same.

Harry