There seems to be several patents and many records of barrel makers in New York City in the mid to late 1800's. It must have been a sort of "hub" for barrels makers and iron workers.
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I don't know what to say exacly so again I'll just blurt it out...3 years ago, at this website, I would have been tarred, feathered, and run out of town on a rail for suggesting that not all damascus guns have samurai barrels (in fact relatively few)...but now that the age of ignorance has passed, I have become a fisherman of sorts. I'll explain,...for example...now that Ethan Allen's patent has been posted, I'm waiting for someone to come forward with an early Allen shotgun, where there can be no doubt that it is actually American made damascus....especially if the barrels are dovetailed together completely down the barrel...The other maker to watch for American damascus is Wesson, I suspect his barrels were sometimes American made but I have no evidence yet. Once we learn how to recognize Allen damascus, hopefully we will be able to recognize it if it appears on other guns...thanks again...Bob Chambers
Last edited by Robert Chambers; 06/05/07 02:42 PM.
