The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Side-by-side: What in the world did I trade for?

Virginian · September 29, 2013, 11:02 AM

You can all certainly do as you like, but I still say no one can look at any old Damascus barrel and tell how good it is. Having a gunsmith "check it out" accomplishes almost absolutely nothing except tell that there are no obvious visual defects and the locks work. They don't even run a dye penetrant check. I would not fire one unless it had been proofed for whatever loads I intended to fire. You cannot see if there are any voids between the bands of steel below the surface. It could have been made by the finest barrelsmith at Purdey's, but maybe he had an off day, or got distracted for 15 seconds. Is there anyone who has ever not made a mistake? The only perfect person died 2,000 years ago, and look what they did to him.
Fluid steel barrels are different. If you know the thickness and the material and the manner of construction you can really safely state the maximum loads, but many countries still require proofing of those as well. With millions of known good firearms available I do not get the insistence on firing these. But, watching the various videos on YouTube I am not surprised.
I am not questioning anyone's right to do it. I fully support that.

September 29, 2013, 11:02 AM	#20
Virginian Senior Member Join Date: February 11, 2012 Location: Williamsburg, Va. Posts: 1,528	You can all certainly do as you like, but I still say no one can look at any old Damascus barrel and tell how good it is. Having a gunsmith "check it out" accomplishes almost absolutely nothing except tell that there are no obvious visual defects and the locks work. They don't even run a dye penetrant check. I would not fire one unless it had been proofed for whatever loads I intended to fire. You cannot see if there are any voids between the bands of steel below the surface. It could have been made by the finest barrelsmith at Purdey's, but maybe he had an off day, or got distracted for 15 seconds. Is there anyone who has ever not made a mistake? The only perfect person died 2,000 years ago, and look what they did to him. Fluid steel barrels are different. If you know the thickness and the material and the manner of construction you can really safely state the maximum loads, but many countries still require proofing of those as well. With millions of known good firearms available I do not get the insistence on firing these. But, watching the various videos on YouTube I am not surprised. I am not questioning anyone's right to do it. I fully support that.