Funny damascus pattern on LC Smith.

Alex Johnson · October 9, 2000, 10:17 PM

I was at my local gunshop yesterday looking at a nice condition LC Smith 12 guage on the rack. It has damascus barrels but they have a funny sort of pattern on them. They almost resemble fish scales and are not the usual fingerprint, or plain twist pattern that I'm used to seeing. Does anyone recall seeing anything like this on other LC Smith shotguns?

Dave McC · October 10, 2000, 05:39 AM

Twist patterns are myriad, one old Colt double I saw in a magazine had the Colt signature repeated in the metal all the way up the bbls. That's masterful metalworking.

There's not a twist bbl in the world I'd shoot now, while they were sufficent when new, time weakens them badly.

James K · October 10, 2000, 12:38 PM

The so-called "laminated" barrels sometimes looked like that, but I didn't think L.C. Smith used them, as they always advertised "finest English twist", and the guns I have seen had twist barrels.

Laminated was a cheaper production method in which strips of iron and steel were welded together around a mandrel. The difference was that Damascus bars were twisted, then flattened and wrapped around the mandrel, while laminated pieces were heated and welded together while only partially bent around the mandrel.

Later, L.C. Smith used solid steel barrels patterned to look like Damascus, which was still considered the mark of the best guns.

An expert can tell the difference in the type of barrel.

I agree that I would not shoot a gun with any kind of Damascus, "twist", or "laminated" barrels. The chances of injury are simply too great. Not strong at best, the effects of time and corrosion have usually weakened the barrels still more.

Jim

October 9, 2000, 10:17 PM	#1
Alex Johnson Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2000 Location: Grand Forks, ND Posts: 812	I was at my local gunshop yesterday looking at a nice condition LC Smith 12 guage on the rack. It has damascus barrels but they have a funny sort of pattern on them. They almost resemble fish scales and are not the usual fingerprint, or plain twist pattern that I'm used to seeing. Does anyone recall seeing anything like this on other LC Smith shotguns?

October 10, 2000, 05:39 AM	#2
Dave McC Staff In Memoriam Join Date: October 13, 1999 Location: Columbia, Md, USA Posts: 8,811	Twist patterns are myriad, one old Colt double I saw in a magazine had the Colt signature repeated in the metal all the way up the bbls. That's masterful metalworking. There's not a twist bbl in the world I'd shoot now, while they were sufficent when new, time weakens them badly.

October 10, 2000, 12:38 PM	#3
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	The so-called "laminated" barrels sometimes looked like that, but I didn't think L.C. Smith used them, as they always advertised "finest English twist", and the guns I have seen had twist barrels. Laminated was a cheaper production method in which strips of iron and steel were welded together around a mandrel. The difference was that Damascus bars were twisted, then flattened and wrapped around the mandrel, while laminated pieces were heated and welded together while only partially bent around the mandrel. Later, L.C. Smith used solid steel barrels patterned to look like Damascus, which was still considered the mark of the best guns. An expert can tell the difference in the type of barrel. I agree that I would not shoot a gun with any kind of Damascus, "twist", or "laminated" barrels. The chances of injury are simply too great. Not strong at best, the effects of time and corrosion have usually weakened the barrels still more. Jim