Sherman Bell did an extensive study along with experimants testing damascus barrel shotguns and proved that they are very safe when used with loads that tey were designed for using. He even overloaded guns to find the bursting point and found that damascus barrels held up as well as modern steel barrels. Mr. Bell wrote a number ariticles in DGJ about his tests.
I would like to have known that back in the 1960s. I saw a number of beautiful damascus barreled guns for cheap cost in pawn shops and of course, thought they were very unsafe.