Smoothbore barrel liner

[1:66 twisted]

I have heard folks have had Damascus barrels lined to make safe. I know if anyone does it Bob Hoyt would be the one. Just wondering if any has had this done? Was it worth it.

 

[hawkeye2]

Bobby can put any type liner in any kind of barrel you have. Unmentionable but he lined a 12 gauge damascus double (cartridge) that was badly pitted and unsafe to shoot. It came out as a 20 gauge with choked barrels because the original barrels were so thin. He lined an early percussion fowler that had been made into a lamp (cord run up the barrel through a hole) and also had the breech eaten out to a larger diameter than the breech plug. He can work miracles and at reasonable prices too.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

I have shot and still shoot damascus barrels with no worries.

 

[French Colonial]

Do not assume Damascus barrels are unsafe! I would trust some of the better English doubles (I actually do) than some of the cheap stuff American companies were turning out in the mid 1900's.

 

[wganz]

corrosion can get into the damascus and cause the barrels to delaminate (split open) which would be a catastrophic failure. There may not be any indication when this will occur. Personally, I don’t want to be on the line with a Damascus gun. Just me. Worked Baylor ER, seen enough for this life.

YMMV

 

[Sam squanch]

People often confuse real Damascus with cheap twist barrels. They are not the same. High quality Damascus is safe with the correct pressure loads. Cheap twist? Who knows.

 

[French Colonial]

We have trap shoots at our gun club where several of us shoot original Damascus barreled muzzle loaders. Hundreds of rounds over the years and no problems.

I think there were several rifle and smoothbores that failed after smokeless powder was invented and stuffed down them and they got an undeserved reputation from people who did not know better, my father and his brothers thought every muzzleloader was a bomb waiting to happen. smoothbores having thinner barrels were more prone to failure with the higher pressures. They thought I was nuts for shooting them.

 

[smoothshooter]

Do not assume Damascus barrels are unsafe! I would trust some of the better English doubles (I actually do) than some of the cheap stuff American companies were turning out in the mid 1900's.

I think the issue is not so much the quality of manufacture, but the care they have had down through the years.
In the seventeen and eighteen hundreds when proper cleaning of black powder Damascus barreled guns was more or less common knowledge by shooters, all was well. It was when those guns came into the hands of later generations who were spoiled by the convenience of smokeless powder that did not require the removal of black powder fouling residue within a few hours that a lot of the damage (rusting between the twisted strands) was done. The mercuric primers used with the early smokeless powders took it’s toll on all kinds of other guns also as the burnt residue was highly corrosive in itself.

 

[rickystl]

Much agree with Post #2.

Rick

 

[Clark Badgett]

I think the issue is not so much the quality of manufacture, but the care they have had down through the years.
In the seventeen and eighteen hundreds when proper cleaning of black powder Damascus barreled guns was more or less common knowledge by shooters, all was well. It was when those guns came into the hands of later generations who were spoiled by the convenience of smokeless powder that did not require the removal of black powder fouling residue within a few hours that a lot of the damage (rusting between the twisted strands) was done. The mercuric primers used with the early smokeless powders took it’s toll on all kinds of other guns also as the burnt residue was highly corrosive in itself.

The “burnt residue” wasn’t highly corrosive, it was hydroscopic. The moisture it continuously attracts does the corroding. The murcuric residue was far more damaging than powder residue

 

[smoothshooter]

The “burnt residue” wasn’t highly corrosive, it was hydroscopic. The moisture it continuously attracts does the corroding. The murcuric residue was far more damaging than powder residue

True