It is a shame that a statistically significant sample of deactivated barrels could not be used for composition analysis; which now costs about $100 per test at METL here in Phoenix
One would need to know the maker and rough DOM. It would be nice to
know what Whitworth and other English steels that were part of the 1891 Proof House Trial were
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1cvqRzkg0wEjhAAcFWr8gFi7aPFRsSIJ_hahfDxmrNAU/edit Nice for those interested in new-fangled fluid steel...but probably not worth the expense.
Worth reminding everyone that the pseudonymous Zircon, posted “Contribute Junk To Advance Barrel Strength Knowledge” here in 2005 requesting vintage barrels for composition and strength testing. By 2006 he had accumulated almost 40 samples, both Fluid Steel and Pattern Welded. My last communication with him was in 2015 and he stated that he intended to publish an article in DGJ with his metallurgical study of the Sherman Bell Parker GH & VH barrels that were subjected to destructive testing.
