The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

I recently acquired a SxS 12 gauge that says "Laminated Steel" on the top of the rib. Older firearm, "Richards" on both locks, various proof marks on underside of barrels. Any ideas?

It is Damascus steel. They used to wrap a bunch of wires around a mandrel, and heat them and forge the wires into a tube, making the barrel. I would recommend not shooting it, as they were not made for smokeless ammo. A blown up gun is distinct possibility with these.

I thought it might be Damascus steel but getting other information/better options is never a bad idea. Thanks

You can probably see the wavy look of the steel, sounds like a gun from the BP days. They started losing popularity after 1900, and pretty much gone by the mid teens. W Richards, or just Richards? Westley Richards guns were copied by Belgian knockoff gunmakers so you have to examine the piece carefully. A real Westley Richards gun will always have the full name spelled out on it, anything with an abbreviation of the name is a fake. These were guns churned out by Belgian, and even English gunmakers who violated copyright by stamping names on their guns that were close to well known and expensive guns. Not that the guns were bad, just not built to the same quality as the high end brands, they tended to shoot loose over time, and have lower quality wood. I have many lower end US and Belgian guns, splintered wrist's, loose breech, that sort of thing is common, my original model 1889 Remington is rock solid after well over 120 years. The same can be said for the higher end Belgian guns, when paid to do so the larger Belgian gunmakers could turn out a product as good as anyone's. With guns like anything else, you do get what you pay for.