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Damascus Barrels

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3 comments

  • glabray
    How can I tell if a shotgun made in 1895 has real Damascus barrels or just a Damascus finish on the steel?
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  • nord
    Describe the gun to us in detail. Look on the barrel flats for proofs and other stampings. If the gun is well past its prime, then you could gently use steel wool to shine a small patch of barrel somewhere in a hidden location. Application of just a drop of battery acid followed by an immediate fresh water bath will bring out the damascus pattern... If there is one.

    In most cases faux damascus was applied to cast steel tubes. These were perhaps less safe than damascus and probably not proofed for nitro loads. Luckily the practice of printing a damascus pattern faded quickly as the composition of steel rapidly advanced and it became apparent that fluid steel was a superior material in every way.

    Nord
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  • gonepostal
    here

    3:1 solution of water & FeCl (ferric chloride echant from Radio Shack).

    1. Polish metal bright.
    2. soak 1 minute - rub down clean with plastic scrubby pad
    3. soak 5 minutes """"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
    4. soak 10 minutes """""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
    5. soak 10 minutes """"""""""""""""""""""""""""

    dry and lightly oil metal.
    after it turns brown ,submerge it in boiling water ,whalla this will bring out the original pattern

    Damascus as we know it today is not the same as it was a century ago , Crucible steel was known more as Damascus ,today we can acid etch to resemble Damascus ,or the same old process of de-carbonizing the steel

    Some old shot guns that where Damascus where made ,by a similar process to this
    Picture a broomstick and a spool of this wire ,wrap the wire around the stick until you get the length you desire ,now weld it all together ,you have a barrel
    And yes to all my critics here ,this was a actual practice ,and after all was said and done this was a form of making Damascus barrels ,this one process is why you will hear it is not safe to shoot a old Damascus steel shot gun {for obvious reason


    yep its me ,same one for 4 years now
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