Quote:
Old Damascus looks pretty good. Makes one ask how much it was used considering black powder ?


Actually guns which were only shot with Black Powder often fared better than those used with smokeless. When many switched to smokeless they felt they didn't need so thorough a cleaning as when Black was used. Much of the pitting found in old guns is from the corrosive primers used in the early shells with a lack of cleaning because the smokeless didn't leave the fouling of Black.

Miller/TN
I Didn't Say Everything I Said, Yogi Berra