Damascus chambers and steel tubes

[Hixie]

I am not a metal worker or welder so bear with me please. In what we are referring to as sleeving, the old barrels are cut off and the new barrels are welded to the old chambers. In the example I showed in the photo in my earlier post, there is only a very fine line showing that this was done.

The location of that joint, I assume, will be subjected to the full pressure of the load upon firing. It seems to me that the weld is applied to the surface of the joint, but then ground away to achieve aesthetic expectations. How is this joint strong enough to be safe? I trust that it is, I am just hoping to learn why.

[Dean Romig]

Ted,

The front of the breech section, after the barrels are cut off, is bored to accept the machine-stepped barrel tubes (probably as much as 1/2" in length) and shrink fit and welded or bonded in some manner.

I had a Ruger Red Label (which are monoblocked as are most modern doubles) that would weep oil from both joints with the first couple of shots I took after cleaning and oiling it. I called Ruger about this and they told me in effect, "Don't worry about that, a lot of them do that..." So, it ain't perfect on every gun.





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[Hixie]

Ahh, I can see how that adds strength. Maybe that's how/why the term "sleeved" came to be used because that stepped barrel "lug" is inserted into the bored-out chamber "sleeve" section. Thanks!

[Bindlestiff]

I had Bred sleeve a 16ga for me. According to Brad, what he did was remove the ribs and saw off the original barrels in front of the breach chambers. He then bored out the remaining breach material to accept the tubes and turned 16ga barrel tubes to zero tolerance of the size bored "through" what was the original chambers. He put the tubes into liquid nitrogen and slipped the tubes into the breach and when the tubes warmed up they were there to stay. Then laser welded the joint to make it about invisible when blued. He re-chambered the barrels and did whatever magic it took to prove point of aim, obtain proper balance, relay the ribs and fit forend & action back to proper working order.

The only thing he didn't do that I expected was to laser weld the joint in the breach end, I could see the hair thin line under the ejectors on the barrels breach ends. But, needless to say, I was happy with the results. The gun went from a non-shooter to a very nice, serviceable gun.

[edgarspencer]

Robin, the method Brad used is the same as what is done in England. The bored out chamber is usually to the cartridge rim diameter. Rather than a square shoulder, the barrel tube has a very slight champher from the smaller diameter to the large diameter. This then gives a V groove weld prep.

[John Walters]

Out of the dark at last I have a JP Sour SXS and it is stamped sleeved and I have been looking at the breach end for years to find the sleeve inside the chamber and could not find it. I assumed that the job was so good I just could not see it. Shoot it so well single trigger with ejectors 600.00 dollars I didn't care but was curious not any more.

[Drew Hause]

Images of the process are here
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/20580224

[Bill Murphy]

Drew, thanks for clarifying the truth about sleeving among the many expert opinions of what some of us "think" sleeving is. I believe Dewey Vicknair has some demonstration of sleeving on his website or blog.

[Harry Collins]

I purchased a 16 gauge Parker hammer gun that had been sleeved to 20 gauge. I loved the little gun and won the 20 gauge hammer gun event at the Southern with it one year. At the Fall Southern a few years later I found an original 16 gauge Parker with the same type frame that had been lightened. It was so much lighter and well balanced it made me disappointed in my gun.

[Dean Romig]

Right Bill - ‘sleeving’ and ‘lining’ are two completely different methods of addressing unsafe barrels/bores.





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