Barrel Sleeving

[Phillip Carr]

I recently received a 20 gauge LC Smith barrel back from having it sleeved. I only wanted the left barrel sleeved, which was done.
I am extremely happy with the result and want to share this contact.
The work was done by a young guy by the name of
Aaron Little out of Newark Texas. 682-554-0044.
It's nice to see young guys getting into the business with so few choices for sleeving work here in the US.

http://parkerguns.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=48965&stc=1&d=1465872371

http://parkerguns.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=48966&stc=1&d=1465872582

[Phillip Carr]

http://parkerguns.org/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=48967&stc=1&d=1465872865

[Jim DiSpagno]

Beautiful job Phil. Aaron's work is superb.

[Pete Lester]

I am curious. Why did you have only one barrel sleeved? Pitting, thin barrel walls? Is the sleeved barrel still a 20 ga?

[George M. Purtill]

Would someone explain to me and similarly situated dunderheads (that's what my 5th grade teacher called me) what barrel sleeving is and how it is accomplished.

[Brian Dudley]

Aaron does do good work.
The joint looks excellent. And the continuation of the barrel markings over the joints helps it a lot.

[George M. Purtill]

Aaron does do good work.
The joint looks excellent. And the continuation of the barrel markings over the joints helps it a lot.

Now I am hopelessly confused. Joint??
If it was sleeved, why would there be a joint?
is it sleeving or is it mono-blocking?

[Brian Dudley]

Would someone explain to me and similarly situated dunderheads (that's what my 5th grade teacher called me) what barrel sleeving is and how it is accomplished.



Ribs removed. Barrel cut off at about 3.5" from breech. Monoblock is reamed out. New tube is profiled/struck and turned down to fit inside of original monoblock. The tube is either soldered in or welded to monoblock. New tube is chambered and rim cut. Ribs re-installed. Barrel set struck/polished and blued.

One can sleeve gauge to same gauge depending on wall thickness or can step down one gauge.

You are thinking of mono-blocking. The two terms are commonly referred to as the same.

[Phillip Carr]

Here is the scoop on the barrels. The left barrel was bulged about 6" forward from the end of the chamber. Luckily I had purchased 4 original old stock 20 gauge L C Smith barrel tubes years before I purchased the gun. I had sent the gun out previously as I was told by the Smith it was repairable. Unfortunately it turned out not so good and I felt it was not safe since the outside was struck down .035.
I read something one day about Aaron and decided to give him a call. After discussing with Aaron what I had, he felt pretty confident in replacing only the left barrel. Which is what I preferred.

George I am attaching a few pictures shortly of the sleeving work. It is monoblocked. The terminology of sleeving and lining always seems a little confusing.

[Harold Lee Pickens]

Thanks for speaking up George, like you I could use a liitle "educating".
The gun looks great!

[Phillip Carr]

http://parkerguns.org/forums/images/beige_noir/attach/jpeg.gif

[Phillip Carr]

http://parkerguns.org/forums/images/beige_noir/attach/jpeg.gif

[George M. Purtill]

Thanks Phil
That is a mono-block and very nicely done.
Mono-block jobs always suffered from the tell tale joint.
Sleeving has always implied to me an insert running the full length from breech to muzzle. Very hard if not impossible to do in the same gauge.

[Dean Romig]

The term "mono-block" refers to a process that is actually done slightly differently.

A 'mono-bloc' or "mono-block" is actually a forged steel block or "lump" that is machined as a one-piece (mono) base, with lugs, and bored to predetermined chamber sizes and over-bored on the forward end to accept tubes or sleeves machined to extremely close tolerances to be fitted and secured into the 'mono-bloc'.

'Sleeving' certainly borrows from the 'mono-bloc' process but differs in that the forged block of steel used in "mono-blocking" is replaced by the shotgun's original breech, chamber, lug section having been cut off just in front of the chambers, then machined to accept new barrel tubes.

'Lining' barrels is yet another process whereby the bores are machined over-size and new high-stress alloy liners are inserted and secured in the original barrels. This process was made popular by Teague of England and I believe they have stopped doing it. The process was very costly and some very pretty but very thin-walled Damascus barrels were ruined in the process.






.

[Rich Anderson]

Just an FYI Teague was recently sold maybe to Westly Richards but I don't remember and the new owner will be doing this process. If you have back issues of Shooting Sportsman that's where I read it.

[Eric Eis]

Just an FYI Teague was recently sold maybe to Westly Richards but I don't remember and the new owner will be doing this process. If you have back issues of Shooting Sportsman that's where I read it.

W&R bought Teague a few years back, but they are only producing the Teague interchangeable choke tubes.

[Bill Murphy]

That isn't anyone's monobloc. Thanks for explaining, Dean. However, it's nice to know someone to take over the reins of sleeving.

[Aaron Little]

Thank you for showing my work and the kind words of my work Phil. Likewise thank you to the forum members who have also complimented my work.

Most of my work involves large bore double rifles; shotgun to rifle conversions, regulation, complete barrel sets, and manufacturing. I also do stocking, refinishing, checkering, color case hardening, the list goes on. I believe this gun was the first shotgun I've done, granted I've done plenty of sleeving work involving shotgun to rifle conversions. The shotguns are a welcomed relief from the big bore rifles, my shoulder thanks you! The original direction I wanted to go in before attending gunsmithing school was in sporting clays shotguns, how I got to double rifles and vintage shotguns escapes me but I thoroughly enjoy the work.

The engraving on this project was done by John Todd out of Lakewood, CO.


Aaron L.
A.M. Little Bespoke Gunmakers LLC
682-554-0044

[wayne goerres]

Very nicely don Aaron. Your seem is nearly invisible. I have tried this myself and it ain't easy.

[Aaron Little]

Yes, the seam does hide well. The only sign you will see of the job is a slight discoloration of the weld. The micro-TIG was done by Micro Precision Welding. I can do many things, welding isn't one of them.

I'll try to find some pictures of seams unwelded.

[Drew Hause]

George: there is a bit of a sleeving tutorial here, mostly courtesy of Toby Barclay
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/20580224

Also images of an interesting Parker with barrels lined with ? brass

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/20580224/335165419.jpg

A sad sleeve "job" courtesy of Ed Lander

http://pic20.picturetrail.com:80/VOL1373/6511424/24716095/398703832.jpg

[Aaron Little]

I hope I'm not detracting from Phil's thread, these are posted to show the difference between a welded and unwelded seam.

Here is a .700NE conversion I just finished up, no weld here. photo courtesy of the customer:
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o217/TDK08/700done6_zpsdz6k8oup.jpg (http://s121.photobucket.com/user/TDK08/media/700done6_zpsdz6k8oup.jpg.html)
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o217/TDK08/700done5_zps3btrc47n.jpg (http://s121.photobucket.com/user/TDK08/media/700done5_zps3btrc47n.jpg.html)
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o217/TDK08/700done4_zps6up3gzhz.jpg (http://s121.photobucket.com/user/TDK08/media/700done4_zps6up3gzhz.jpg.html)
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o217/TDK08/700done7_zpsv5nypqhx.jpg (http://s121.photobucket.com/user/TDK08/media/700done7_zpsv5nypqhx.jpg.html)
http://i121.photobucket.com/albums/o217/TDK08/700done9_zpsemhcikg2.jpg (http://s121.photobucket.com/user/TDK08/media/700done9_zpsemhcikg2.jpg.html)

[Brian Dudley]

I had a bronze lined Parker in the shop recently for some repairs. It was truely an interesting item.
I only figire that it was requested to help avoid bore corrosion.

Good work Aaron. I know you will have a few more shotgun jobs coming your way.

[Aaron Little]

Thank you Brian. I gave your website a look, great stockwork!