Terry Wieland, from his March 24, 2023 article in Grey's Sporting Journal titled "Damascus":
"Someone came up with the idea of persuading the shooting public that their old guns were not safe with modern, high pressure ammunition, and Damascus (or twist) barrels were the chosen fall guy. As the ammunition companies embarked on campaigns warning against the use of their ammunition in old guns, the gun companies ramped up their sales pitches for new steel alloy barrels. All of this was aided and abetted by magazines that were suffering in the Depression and needed the advertising. It became an article of faith, and pretty soon grandfathers and fathers were advising their offspring against Damascus, and we all know that Grandad knew about these things and was never wrong.
My late dear friend and colleague, Michael McIntosh, was told this by his father and never let go of the belief, railing against Damascus in print until (almost) the day he died. Even when he got to know many of the English gunmakers, premier barrel makers, and English proof house personnel, and was presented with irrefutable proof of the value of Damascus, he could never shake off the dread. Even his pal, English gunmaker David Trevallion, could not convince him. The best Michael could manage was to stop shrieking in panic in the pages of Shooting Sportsman, and maintain a sulky silence."
