IMO the main accomplishment made by Mr. Bell was to educate everyone about the need to severely limit pressure when shooting damascus barrelled guns and this to me is probably the primary reason there haven't been a lot of failures. This fact coupled with most prudent shooters recognition that barrel thicknes should be measured prior to using an older gun and that anything resembling a weak spot(occlusion)should be viewed with wariness.
Jim
Prior to the work and articles by Sherman Bell far fewer people shot twist and damascus guns. His efforts caused more shooters to try shooting them and in turn created greater demand for and increased the price of composite barreled guns.
He educated us to severely limit pressures? Was that the test and article where he tried to blow up a damascus barrel gun and a fluid steel gun, both Parkers, and reported there was no statistical difference and both types of barrels ruptured around 32,000 psi?
