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After putting several rounds through my Holland's 1893 Royal 12 bore SLE, I noticed a ring on the right tube about 7 inches up from the breech. Pretty sure it was a wad. There are no visible marks or or cracks under magnification either inside or out just dandy a concentric bulge ring.

These damascus tubes are beautiful and I would do almost anything to save it. Teague is not an option as I tried one and the additional weight balance is evident to me.

Is there anyone in the U.S. that can sleeve, tig weld or do refurbish damascus tubes with a bulge ring. I know Kirk Merrington does a good job but he is out 12-14 months.

I would love to find someone who might bring back the Damascus to life.

Thanks in advance

The only way to save the damascus barrels is to have Teague line it internally. Sleeving would involve cutting the barrels and having new steel barrels sleeved into the breech end. All damascus pattern past a few inches would be lost forever.

Each .010 of metal added to a bore increases the weight by 2-3 ounces per 30" barrel. If you barrels are much less than .025 they have been honed a few times over the years. So if you have it lined to .030 or .035 the wieght may be heavier than it is now by 5-8 ounces. But consider that this heavier weight most likely is about where you gun was when new. I had a game gun that had been rebalanced atleast one time and possibly twice in its life and the barrels were very thin by the time I owned it. It certainaly never left the factory with .025 and .021 barrels.

Teague may be willing and able to do just the right barrel. I would have them do both. If one is weak or thin then the other most likely is also.

The world is too full of sleeved guns to add another. IF you cut yours and have them sleeved the barrels will be much heavier unless you are very specific in telling the smith what is desired as a final weight. That is assuming that he can make it that light in the first place. And that damascus pattern will be lost.

Not a very good spot for a bulge, or for keeping the original damascus barrels together. Teague is for pitted interiors and handsome damascus finish.

What about Keith Kearcher in Bend Oregon?
He does good work on Damascus barrels.
541-617-9299

Regards, Gordon

I have a call into Keith. Spoke with Kirk about the tubes... he said cut it but then again he's a surgeon. The buldge is 4.5 inches not 7 up as I thought so it is within range to sleeve. I did chat with Briley and they would like to see if they could bring the ring back flush and do insert but that would mean bring down to a 20 bore and add 10 oz.

They're gotta be a way, asumming the buldge can be made flush to line the tube for maybe 10cm with a liner to negate the decrease wall thicknes. The tubes measure .28 and .031 8 inches from muzzle.

I am toying the idea of taking a beautiful Damascus hammergun and sleeving that onto the Hollands and sleeving the Hollis with fluid steel

Sleeving Damascus to Damascus is that possible?

"Pretty sure it was a wad." Hope you can have your gun repaired; sounds like a lovely shotgun.......Some of us would be interested in learning how the bulge occurred. What are your reasons for believing it was caused by a wad? And are you describing a base wad, a plastic shot wad, or part of a fiber wad column? Were you shooting very low pressure loads, that might have left a wad stuck in the bore? Or possibly a too small powder charge? Thanks in advance for any light you can shine on these questions..........Grant.

Sorry I was too vague. It probably was caused by the base wad of a 20 bore shell as we were shooting 20 bore on doves the day before.

I believe Kearcher has done a damascus to damascus sleeving.

? 'Base wad of 20 bore shell'

20 ga wad will fall through a 12 ga barrel. A 20 ga SHELL won't...

Teague is about the best way to go. And the gun can be rebalanced after installation. I think you'll be pleased.