Home | Ezine | Forums | Links | Contact
NitroExpress.com: Damascus steel barrels

View recent messages : 24 hours | 48 hours | 7 days | 14 days | 30 days | 60 days | More Smilies


*** Enjoy NitroExpress.com? Participate and join in. ***
You are not logged in. [Login] Main Index · Search · Active Topics
New user · Who's Online · FAQ · Calendar

Shooting & Reloading - Mausers, Big Bores and others >> Shotguns
Previous topic Previous   View all topics Index   Next topic Next   Threaded Mode Threaded  

Pages: 1
TomN
.300 member


Reged: 07/03/10
Posts: 149
Loc: washington
Damascus steel barrels
      #192873 - 01/11/11 01:39 PM

I was at a gun show yesterday and looked at a Damascus steel barrelled shotgun from Ger. It looked very good was tight and very light and small in the action. it was 16 gage the man wanted 315.00 Us for it. I guess I would like to know if such guns are just wall hangers or can they be used? Thanks in advance. TomN

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
500Nitro
.450 member


Reged: 06/01/03
Posts: 7244
Loc: Victoria, Australia
Re: Damascus steel barrels [Re: TomN]
      #192882 - 01/11/11 04:18 PM

Used after checking the barrels closely - if very pitted, you really need to make sure all is good.

Plenty of people still use Damascus barrels.

.

Edited by 500Nitro (02/11/11 06:34 AM)

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Supercracker
.224 member


Reged: 19/05/11
Posts: 47
Loc: Florida
Re: Damascus steel barrels [Re: 500Nitro]
      #192909 - 02/11/11 06:31 AM

I have a couple of old damascus shotguns that I use (also German. lol).

Before I fired any of mine from the shoulder I did my own little proofing b y loading up the hottest loads possible in the brass shells I need to use and fired them remotely from a distance.

My 1880s 16ga Double from Uslar is now my regular quail gun.

Also, you should probably also only use black powder loads in them. I do know you're never supposed to use modern smokeless.

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
casper50
.400 member


Reged: 18/10/07
Posts: 1579
Loc: Alaska
Re: Damascus steel barrels [Re: Supercracker]
      #192911 - 02/11/11 07:42 AM

It matters not what powder you use in them. If they are sound use low pressure loads. Black or nitro low pressure makes no difference. Do not confuse low base shells with low pressure. Not all of them are.

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
500Nitro
.450 member


Reged: 06/01/03
Posts: 7244
Loc: Victoria, Australia
Re: Damascus steel barrels [Re: casper50]
      #192913 - 02/11/11 07:56 AM

Quote:

It matters not what powder you use in them. If they are sound use low pressure loads. Black or nitro low pressure makes no difference. Do not confuse low base shells with low pressure. Not all of them are.




Agree.

Plenty of people here use Low pressure Nitro in BP guns.

Someone did once try to explain that the pressure curve / spike was less for low pressure nitro than BP but would need to have it confirmed by someone in the know.

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
eagle27
.400 member


Reged: 24/01/09
Posts: 1233
Loc: Rolleston, Christchurch, New Z...
Re: Damascus steel barrels [Re: 500Nitro]
      #192933 - 02/11/11 09:17 PM

I think it needs clarifying that the sort of barrel we talk about generally proofed for black powder and not recommended for nitro use, was more correctly called a twist steel barrel i.e. made by wrapping a strip of steel along a mandrel like we do a bandage and then soldering the joints to make a barrel tube. The term "damascus" has little to do with this type of barrel manufacture or the strength. Damascus is a pattern applied to metal just as we see modern high strength knives embellished with a damascus pattern which we can also apply to modern rifles if it was in vogue. Back in the early times it was the fashion to have firearms with this pattern but many cheap guns had twist steel barrels but no damascus pattern.
Of course many of the fine old guns still around today do have both twist barrels and a damascus pattern.

To check out these old guns for safety it is important to look for a bandage like twist pattern on the barrels rather than just just look for a damascus pattern.

Edited by eagle27 (02/11/11 09:18 PM)

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Mike_Bailey
.400 member


Reged: 26/02/07
Posts: 2289
Loc: GB
Re: Damascus steel barrels [Re: eagle27]
      #192938 - 03/11/11 12:14 AM

Eagle, damascus is a twist steel barrel, the modern stuff you see now (though not all, some are still making damascus) is called damascene I believe, (Purdey use it in their new shotguns with "damascus" actions) but it is not the real stuff, best, Mike p.s. good old damascus barrels can be re-proofed for nitro use, a lot are still giving good service in the UK

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Supercracker
.224 member


Reged: 19/05/11
Posts: 47
Loc: Florida
Re: Damascus steel barrels [Re: 500Nitro]
      #192940 - 03/11/11 01:58 AM

http://www.damascus-barrels.com/index.html


Quote:

Quote:


Plenty of people here use Low pressure Nitro in BP guns.

Someone did once try to explain that the pressure curve / spike was less for low pressure nitro than BP but would need to have it confirmed by someone in the know.



I remember reading an extended article about that. IIRC, the deal was that while the BP actually has a higher spike it is just that, a spike and drops off much more quickly. Limiting the extreme pressures to the chamber area. Whereas the nitro loads have a lesser spike but retain more pressure further down the barrel where the walls are thinner. The reason why so many split over the hand grip.

I've also read the most of the problems with nitro blowing up barrels was when nitro was brand new people, being unfamiliar with the differences, would load the same volume of nitro as they did BP. The problem with doing that is obvious. lol


A few years ago DGJ did an extended multi part series of articles "Finding Out For Myself" where they took some damascus barreled guns and tried to blow them up by putting hotter and hotter loads in them til failure. I believe there were even a couple that they never could blow up. I think that's also where the data and charts explaining the different pressure curves was.

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Supercracker
.224 member


Reged: 19/05/11
Posts: 47
Loc: Florida
Re: Damascus steel barrels [Re: Supercracker]
      #192941 - 03/11/11 02:03 AM

Double Gun Journal Volume 18 Issue 1 would be the issue.

The title is "Finding Out For Myself Part XIII Wall-Hanger
Rendezvous-Special Tests" by Sherman Bell.

They take two of the Damascus guns that survived shooting with
nitro-proof ammunition and go beyond the initial proof load tests to
explore shotgun barrel thickness.

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
bonanza
.400 member


Reged: 17/05/04
Posts: 2335
Loc: South Carolina
Re: Damascus steel barrels [Re: Supercracker]
      #192943 - 03/11/11 02:12 AM

Can someone scan that article and post it please?

--------------------


"Speak Precisely" G. Gordon Liddy.

"Life is absurd, chaotic and we must define its purpose with our actions" Abert Camus

"I''m the dude playing a dude disguised as another dude."

"Yo! Mr. White"

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Huvius
.416 member


Reged: 04/11/07
Posts: 3625
Loc: Colorado
Re: Damascus steel barrels [Re: Supercracker]
      #192944 - 03/11/11 02:17 AM

The DGJ articles are an ongoing series written by Sherman Bell. Very good reading.

Would be appropriate to note that some damascus barrels were originally proofed for nitro loads but also that the majority, from GB anyway, were also 2.5" chambers. There are 2.5" low pressure shells on the market which may be suitable in a good quality well inspected damascus gun.
As noted above, a classic damascus double can make a sweet dove or quail gun or even a close range upland gun with these shells but would likely not be the all around waterfoul gun that modern shooters often expect their 12 ga magnums to be.

--------------------
He who lives in the past is doomed to enjoy it.

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
500Nitro
.450 member


Reged: 06/01/03
Posts: 7244
Loc: Victoria, Australia
Re: Damascus steel barrels [Re: Huvius]
      #192946 - 03/11/11 03:37 AM


I remember reading the tests done by DGG. IIRC, in one article the steel barrels blew at the chamber on one barrel by the steel "unfolding" and peeling upwards ?


Huvius,
the good thing is, plenty of our duck shooting here in Australia is done where 2.5" sheels are fine for 80 - 90% of it. Rice paddies, creeks, dam jumping, maybe over decoys on lakes.

.

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
TomN
.300 member


Reged: 07/03/10
Posts: 149
Loc: washington
Re: Damascus steel barrels [Re: 500Nitro]
      #192957 - 03/11/11 12:11 PM

Thanks for the replies maby next time that I see a good one and its not priced to high I will buy it and have it looked over and use it.

TomN

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
500Nitro
.450 member


Reged: 06/01/03
Posts: 7244
Loc: Victoria, Australia
Re: Damascus steel barrels [Re: TomN]
      #192959 - 03/11/11 12:57 PM


TomN

I reckon you should turn around the sequence, look it over first, then buy it.

And have a close look at the barrels.

The better overall condition of the gun, the more likely it will be 100%, the barrels especially.

Check the wall thicknesses as well, make sure no one has done any "bodgie" dent knocking out.

.

Post Extras: Print Post   Remind Me!   Notify Moderator  
Pages: 1


Previous topic Previous   View all topics Index   Next topic Next   Threaded Mode Threaded  

Extra information
0 registered and 6 anonymous users are browsing this forum.

Moderator:  NitroX 

Print Topic

Forum Permissions
      You cannot start new topics
      You cannot reply to topics
      HTML is disabled
      UBBCode is enabled

Rating:
Topic views: 6324

Rate this topic

Jump to

Contact Us NitroExpress.com

Powered by UBB.threads™ 6.5.5


Home | Ezine | Forums | Links | Contact


Copyright 2003 to 2011 - all rights reserved