James:
Look for an earlier post here about Heus-Riga Fils barrels where Dr. Drew and I bantered back and forth about relative barrel strengths between damascus-types and both early and later fluid steels. Dr. Drew is understandably hesitant to endorse any type of table where the different types of barrel materials were compared as to their tensile or "burst" strengths, but there is a minor summary proposed (by me). That summary assumes, of course, that the barrels in question are at or near factory specification. Any damage or other structural issues (pitting, thinning, etc.) would and should alter any evaluation as to relative strength. That thread would give you a good place to start from in your own education about the relative "robustness" (for lack of a better term) of the different types of weapons being built during your gun's period of manufacture. LC Smiths are a tradition in my family, going well-past my Grandfather's generation so I do have some familiarity.
Last edited by Lloyd3; 08/11/16 08:09 PM.
