Wondering if the Belgian bargain basement barrel which Pete mentions was imported in volume as raw tubes or finished guns. If so, what marques are we talking? Is the cut-rate damascus barrel chronologically coincident with the transition from bp thru bulk smokeless to the modern nitro powders. And to refresh my non-memory, a proof load delivers max pressure around 150% of service, right?--not the 200% of a double charge?

Bell couldn't construct a double blind experiment. Guns have no expectations. He could have fired a blue pill hull with primer only to see if the barrel blew out of anticipation.

jack