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**Mike Irwin** · October 3, 2011, 09:27 AM

Nothing that I can find about shooting Damascus barreled guns on that site.

Damascus guns that were never shot with black powder should (hopefully) still retain most of their integrity.... As long as corrosive primers didn't come into play.

The problem is, even if you have a gun from the VERY last days of the Damascus era, you still have no idea how it was cared for, if, one day, a previous owner came across a box of BP or corrosive primed shells, anything like that.

Yes, Damascus shotguns can be tested today, and will hopefully be found to be usable.

But, it's not unknown for a Damascus shotgun to have been so tested, to have been used for years, and to one day finally open up at a seam.

That's the unfortunate nature of twist-welded shotguns and modern powders.

October 3, 2011, 09:27 AM	#9
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,390	Nothing that I can find about shooting Damascus barreled guns on that site. Damascus guns that were never shot with black powder should (hopefully) still retain most of their integrity.... As long as corrosive primers didn't come into play. The problem is, even if you have a gun from the VERY last days of the Damascus era, you still have no idea how it was cared for, if, one day, a previous owner came across a box of BP or corrosive primed shells, anything like that. Yes, Damascus shotguns can be tested today, and will hopefully be found to be usable. But, it's not unknown for a Damascus shotgun to have been so tested, to have been used for years, and to one day finally open up at a seam. That's the unfortunate nature of twist-welded shotguns and modern powders. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.