I didn't mean to clutter up the low pressure load thread, and also hope not to give away ALL the good stuff
but to be clear:
1. The 1891 Birmingham Proof House Report (the testing apparently started in 1888) did show a slight advantage to the steel barrels tested. Please see
https://docs.google.com/a/damascusknowle...TEK8OtPYVA/edit 2. Steel barrels tested and period published tensile strength:
Siemens (Open Hearth): 58,000 - 62,700 psi
Whitworth: 66,000 - 67,200 psi
Bessemer or Decarbonized Steel: 55,000 - 70,000 psi
It is likely some of the barrels were similar to AISI 1018 Low Carbon (Mild) Steel: 64,000 psi
3. Recent tensile strength testing of both Twist and Crolle Damascus was remarkably consistent and averaged about 54,000 psi
4. Fluid steel introduced in the 1890s including Krupp and Belgian sourced tubes used by (almost) all the U.S. makers have a much higher tensile strength in the range of 90,000-110,000 psi.
5. BUT Pattern Welded barrels were intended for use by the U.S. makers for smokeless powder (and they said so), were proof tested by the makers (and they said so), do NOT weaken over time (proved by recent testing), and if they have adequate wall thickness and are free of pits, weld-fractures or bulges continue to be of adequate strength for the loads
for which they were originally intended.
