I had the rare oportunity to handle an old english (london maker, name forgoten, sorry) 8 gauge underlever double rifle.

What a finely made and substancial firearm. it is forsale and I have a concern. The barrels although heavy enough and with conventional rifling show the beautyful damascus pattern.

Are these guns for-sure, no BS, safe to shoot?

I see absolutely no hint of looseness or deterioration - good bores - nice. Exterior well worn, but mechanice looks excellent. The rub - a very prominent damascus pattern the full length of each barrel. And a big asking price.

I guess I am not a buyer, more a tire kicker - but I prefer to be a well informed tired kicker. Just in case

I would have NO concerns with this rifle. If the bores are in good condition with no pits, it should be good to go.

If you want a smith to OK it, send it to JJ in Enid, OK.

Keith

if the gun is in good condition with no pits, then it is proberly stronger than the time counterpart with fluid steel barrels.

i did some chrash tests with elderly english shotguns, and most of the damascus barrels held together a lot better than fluid steels ones sometimes up to about twice the pressure.

use ammo withinn the regulation pressure and you should be good to go.

best

peter

fourbore-

You're looking at a rare and special treasure.
in good shape, those damascus barrels increase the price of such a rare antique dangerous game rifle.

Go sell your truck, your riding mower, the dakota longbow, and your vinyl LP collection -- BUY IT!!



Cheers
Tinker

quote:

Go sell your truck

I dont think my truck will cover it. Thanks all. I will kick the tires a few more times.....

No BS 8 bores are shootable (with or without damascus barrels). An 8 is a real powerhouse in the realm of a 577 or 600 NE. I have a couple of bore rifles with damacus barrels. I can't say I shoot them all the time but I have no qualms about shooting them, generally with BP.
Tinker is somewhat correct, if you find a good one, don't sell the truck, mortgage the farm.

If you want to ba absolutly sure of any damascus barreled gun, then it cannot be done by an external examination by a gunsmith no matter how goood he is.
Take the gun to a specialist metalurgical testing facility and ask them to put it through an X-ray.
It is relitivly cheep (certainly compared to a top class 8 Bore) and it is absolute peace of mind.
Many a smith has unsweated the ribs on an old gun to find hidious things hidden beneath.