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Forums10
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Jul 28th, 2025
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Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 732 Likes: 127
Sidelock
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OP
Sidelock
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 732 Likes: 127 |
When I purchasedmy old English Damascus hammer gun, it was afflicted with one "medium" internal pit and two or three pinholes in the right barrel. The left barrel was flawless. I had Mr. Merrington inspect it and he deemed it sound. Next, I subjected it to 100 x RST 3/4 oz 2 1/2 ultralight 7 1/2's, 4800psi at clays. No additional pits. Next, it digested 100 x 7/8 RST lite loads #6 5400psi in a driven hunt and 30 x 1 1/16 oz #5's in a preserve hunt (same day) 6900psi. Following that outing, am now up to 8 pinholes in the right and 4 in the left where there were none previously, at least to my untrained eye. Are additional pits inevitable with these old guns, or is it possible that have I abused these barrels with the shooting described above, resulting in additional pitting?
Owen
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Joined: Jan 2006
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Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 15,465 Likes: 89 |
Some of them English chaps think they can measure pits
...I'm sure what Merrington did was deem it safe to shoot....but that's walking way out on a limb with any vintage gun.
I've owned and shot several Damascus barreled guns without any problems...but the truth is no one should be shooting any of the 100 yr old guns for a variety of reasons especially one with any kind of issues.
Ps...I'm sure one of my bOys will be along shortly to argue different
Last edited by HomelessjOe; 03/06/18 07:03 AM.
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Joined: Oct 2009
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Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 6,721 Likes: 647 |
I've owned and shot several Damascus barreled guns without any problems...but the truth is no one should be shooting any of the 100 yr old guns for a variety of reasons especially one with any kind of issues.
That is a rather sweeping generality. Its also one many here would disagree with. Care to name any of the reasons that you suggest apply to all shotguns that are 100 years old?
The world cries out for such: he is needed & needed badly- the man who can carry a message to Garcia
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Joined: Jan 2006
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Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 15,465 Likes: 89 |
They're old...
Stick a fire cracker up yer old arse and see how long you last.
All but the best guns barrels were hammered by chraftsman of varying skill levels in all kinds of eviroments.
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 15,465 Likes: 89
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 15,465 Likes: 89 |
Care to tell why you think 100 year old damascus is safe to shoot ?
Not much doubt his gun will most likely never explode on him.....God only knows for sure and he ain't talking.
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Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 390 Likes: 5
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 390 Likes: 5 |
I agree. Joe should never shoot a 100 year old damascus gun. End of discussion.
As to the OP, shooting the gun likely pulled every minute trace of oil out of the barrels, making more of the small pitting evident. It was always there. Freshly oiled bores will often mask fine pitting, making it hard to detect unless it is VERY thoroughly cleaned out with alcohol (or shooting).
I left long before daylight, alone but not lonely.~Gordon Macquarrie
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Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,077 Likes: 73
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 2,077 Likes: 73 |
I've owned and shot several Damascus barreled guns without any problems...but the truth is no one should be shooting any of the 100 yr old guns for a variety of reasons especially one with any kind of issues.
That is a rather sweeping generality. Its also one many here would disagree with. Care to name any of the reasons that you suggest apply to all shotguns that are 100 years old? Agree completely with Cannvasback and what Flintfan later notes. The pits were probably there the whole time and unseen. While there is always a level of risk in shooting old guns, that risk is small to non existent when properly inspecting and feeding the correct pressure ammunition. Other than by honing it is improbable to find an old gun completely free of pits. Yes they are out there, but virtually unseen by most of us
Last edited by old colonel; 03/06/18 08:07 AM.
Michael Dittamo
Topeka, KS
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 805 Likes: 47
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 805 Likes: 47 |
If Merrington says they're ok, they're ok. Your loads were very conservative. When you say pinholes, do you just mean small pits? Not true holes?
If we all stopped shooting anything with pitting it would take a lot of guns out of use. I think Flintfan is correct. Shooting may have made them more visible.
I do have one set of pitted barrels that I won't shoot. A set of Greener barrels that are perfect on the outside and heavily pitted inside. I temporarily modified my wall thickness gauge by gluing a conical brass point onto the "ball" that goes into the barrels. This went into the pits and I got readings of 16 thousands in many places. And I realized the pitting might be even deeper. Fortunately the gun has a second set of barrels that are fine.
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Joined: Jan 2006
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Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 15,465 Likes: 89 |
And who's really sure if the pit was caused by corosion or a flaw in the original construction that took years to surface ?
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 15,465 Likes: 89
Sidelock
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Sidelock
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 15,465 Likes: 89 |
The old guns are cool to shoot...Damascus was the best technology of the day I've shot my share but moved on
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