doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com the sleeving problem

What is reasonable? 1500 pounds for a regular sleeving job 2500 to 3000 for tig sleeving it would have to be a good gun that would be a significant expense and you end up with a sleeved gun with sleeve stigma .good luck

Gough Thomas in the 1975 3rd Edition of Shotguns and Cartridges for Game/and Clays wrote:- “and of all the British shotgun barrels passing through the Birmingham Proof House last year some 57 per cent were sleeved”.

He was writing when the price of sleeving was less than the value of the sleeved gun.

It would be interesting to know the present percentage.

At present prices of sleeving it has to be a very good gun (or treasured heirloom) indeed to make economic sense.

I saw a very nice condition small bore graded Fox at the Vintage Cup this year that had been sleeved. Only problem was it had been sleeved. It went unsold at I believe $3200. It's the kiss of death imo.

It's too bad guns that are sleeved would end up scrap or parts if not sleeved there are some nice guns saved by sleeving

Aaron sleeved a single barrel on my LC Smith Crown grade a number of years ago. Job turned out beautiful.
Probably would not have made sense on a lesser gun, but Crown grade 20’s are not that common in otherwise nice condition.
I guess I will find out just how much of a hit I will take due to it being sleeved when I put it up for sale later this year.

It just goes to show you how funny people are. Some wouldn't buy a gun if it was sleeved. If you shot the gun well, it fit you perfectly, the sleeve job was done correctly and it was a great gun in your opinion, why would it matter? I see people on here showing pictures of the great hunting adventures they have and the game that they take with a sleeved gun and it matters to others that it was sleeved? The gun works well for him, so what matters? I am the same way I guess. I gasp when I see a nice Model 12 with a Simmons rib and the word SIMMONS down the side of the rib. It reminds me of the car dealer who just HAD TO put that gooey sticker on the truck of the car with his name on it. I make them remove the sticker before I buy the car. Put a license plate frame on the car with your name on it. You get the same results. And make it MY choice if I want to advertise for you. I'd rather have a gun with a rib instead of one without a rib. Just my preference. It helps me shoot better, I believe. Others don't need one. So, maybe people are just afraid a sleeved gun wasn't done properly. Or it's just a matter of taste, I guess. Or the resale value is deteriorated. If you have a love for the gun, go ahead and spend a little money on it. It's your baby isn't it? That's the way I look at it.

About 10+ years ago I turned a Grade 1 Parker 16 gauge hammergun with rotten barrels into a 32” 20 gauge. All in costs, aside from the gun $700, was $3,500. Its a great shooter, but not economical in most cases to sleeve. I have a 12 gauge VH Parker with a barrel bulge that I’ve been told could be sleeved but it’s not worth it. I’d be way under water.