Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Laminated steel

Just picked up an old A. Richard side by side exposed hammer shotgun for a side project. Not too shabby, just needs a little TLC. However, the barrel says "Laminated Steel".Never seen this before. Will it be safe to shoot skeet loads, or am I going to have a nice wall hanger?
Jerry

Below is a good start, though studying this thoroughly could take a few lifetimes.

Pete

https://sites.google.com/a/damascusknowledge.com/www/

The Europeans don�t treat laminated, skelp, or Damascus any different from fluid steel in their proof houses, so I wouldn�t be concerned about the gun based solely on what the barrels are made of. What you should evaluate is the overall fitness of the gun to be fired. Regardless of barrel material, that gun is about 100 years old and should be evaluated by a gunsmith that knows his double guns before firing.

There are a number of gunsmiths that can evaluate that gun properly. Go to doublegunshop.com and ask the same question to find a smith in your area that can help. I have a twist steel LaFever built in 1908 that I shoot 8 k psi. loads in regularly. The barrels doesn't have any pits in it and that is a key item.

A test a few years ago with two near same year manufactor Parkers, 1 damascus and 1 fluid, showed that they both failed at about 33 k psi. The issue is barrel condition not steel type.

Enjoy!

Or, if she locks up tight, you could throw in a couple of 20 or 28 ga tubes.

Still makes sense to have a good smith check it out.

Thanks guys. Like I said, its a project gun, but will more than likely be a wall hanger. I still would like to see how it shoots when I'm done. A thourough disassembly/cleaning an tweeking, she will be lookin fine. Barrels are mildly pitted, will have someone more qualified than myself evaluate the safety of firing. Have a couple smiths in my general area I feel comfortable with.
Jerry

You may feel comfortable with them but are they knowledgeable double shotgun gunsmiths?

Docbill, I appreciate your sound advice. Just got off the phone with my smith, and during our conversation he more than put my mide at ease as far as a knowlegeable chap. He told me more than I had asked, or thought to ask. That why I respect this fellow. Doesn't get insulted when you ask if this his forte'.
Jerry

One of the problems with some old shotguns that don't have pitted barrels is that they did have pits that have been polished out. Some barrels were polished so much that the remaining barrel is quite thin.

If you have any intentions of shooting your 100 year old shotgun , make sure to verify chamber length first . Alot of the old guns are 2.5" , a 2 3/4 might blow it up in your face !

oneoldsap, that was one of the first things my smith said was a must to check. A 2 3/4 shell will drop in, but I don't think that is the propper way to check.

Don't let the 2.5" shell thing bother you. There are 2.5" shells available from RST and others and testing has shown that 2 3/4" in 2.5 " chambers does not raise pressures significantly.

Double Gun Journal is the place to find articles relating to this subject. Series called "Finding out for Myself".

There are lots of legends in the shotgun world.

There also has been many fingers lost when the tubes let go
just about where your left hand holds it. You are dealing with
hidden flaws and 100 + years of hidden corrosion.
Most of the time it may be ok sometimes not.

The pits and corrosion at the end of the forcing cones come from the corrosive primers used well after black powder disappeared from use. Checking pit depth and corrosion extent takes someone that knows what he is doing and a good bore scope. That's why not all gunsmiths are qualified to evaluate old doubles.