Craig, I know that Steve Culver who posts here, has made a 2 inch damascus barrel for a pistol he built. Damasteel doesn't look like damascus and I don't think it is made the same way damascus was.

I agree the Purdey looked awful. I had not heard of the Bill Fiorini you mentioned, but if he was considering making a pair of damascus barrels for H&H and they planned to make a gun of them, then it seems that it is at least possible for damascus barrels to be fabricated which would be safe for modern loads...Geo