I've been shooting Damascus barrels for over 30 years. Each person who does so assumes some risk like many things in life. Most of my barrels are above .020 12 inches from the muzzle.
I shoot both smokeless and black. I run literally thousands of rounds through those guns every year. Personally I am more concerned with cracked stocks than I am of blown out damascus barrels. If you shoot any shotgun no matter what steel the barrels are made of you need to own and know how to operate a wall thickness gauge.
I buy guns other people pass on and I am very grateful for it. All of my reloads are 5000 to 6500 psi. My barrels will definitely outlive me!
