I have little to contribute, but will do so anyway
a little at a time. It drives Bro. Steve nuts when I talk about "scrolls", but that's the only way I can get a handle on the patterns, and Dr. Gaddy did
1. The McKinley Tariff of 1890 set the average ad valorem tariff rate for imports into the United States at 48.4%. “Sporting, breech-loading double-barrel shotguns” had a 35% ad valorem PLUS an import duty of $1.50 if priced less than $6; $4 if $6-$12; and $6 if priced greater than $12. “Single-barrel breech-loading shot-guns” had the same 35% ad valorem PLUS an import duty of $1. “
Forged rough shotgun barrels” i.e. non-joined tubes, however, were exempt from the tariff which allowed the US makers to continue to import Damascus tubes from (mostly) Belgium to fit and finish here.
Nov. 30, 1895
Sporting Life
"How Shot Guns Are Made and the Process Through Which They Pass Fully Explained"
The beginning of the manufacture of a gun is the barrels, and it is generally known that no barrels are made in this country except the rolled steel, which is used on the Winchester gun. All gun barrels are now imported, although an attempt was made a few years ago to produce them in this country, but with only partial success. England, Germany and Belgium supply most of the barrels, the latter country doubtless producing the larger quantity.
All gun barrels, whether imported direct from the makers in Belgium, or through an importer in this country to the gun manufacturer, are received in
rough tubes, which very much resemble a couple of gas pipes, but being somewhat larger at one end than at the other. These barrels or “tubes” as they are called, are merely tied together in pairs, with small wire and 40 to 50 pairs are packed in a box.
2. The
Banc D'Epreuves Des Armes a Feu De Liege (Proof House for Firearms of Liege) First Obligatory Proof Load for 12g
breech plugged tubes intended for “Double-Barreled Breech-Loading Sporting Guns” was 21 grams = 324 grains = 11.8 Drams powder and 32 grams = 1.12 oz. shot
For comparison, British Provisional Proof (
tube bored, ground, and with chamber cut and threaded for a plug) 1855-1925 for 2 1/2” and 2 5/8” 12 gauge shells for a service load of 3 1/4 Dram Eq. with 1 1/4 oz. shot was 9 3/4 dram “T.P.” (Tower Proof “R.F.G. 2”) No. 4 or No. 5 Black Powder with 1 1/4 oz. shot.
3. After Belgian First Obligatory Proof, the tubes were marked with the
Banc D'Epreuves de Liege provisional proof mark
The mark so rarely remained after grinding and final finishing by U.S. makers that it is my opinion that it was purposefully struck lightly.
4. Bro. Ken linked the previous thread discussing the rolling mills. No doubt generic 2, 3 & 4 iron
damas crolle' ("Oxford" & "Turkish") rods were prepared in mass, as likely were less complicated patterns; ?"American Flag" and Chain. Desire Mineur, of Prayon, Liege, claimed exclusive rights to "Chain-pattern" damascus in 1904, but I suspect most of the barrel makers were fabricating some variant thereof. The proprietary patterns probably were "stacked" into the "lopin" by the barrel maker, the sent to the rolling mill.
More on Ken's specific pattern later.
