Replacement SxS Tubes for Sleeving?

[CoventryWire]

Hi all,

 

I’ve been looking at the Stock, Action and Foreneds in the Holts Sealed Bid, there’s some absolute stunning bits of kit in there…….once repaired.

I’ve got a pretty decent little machine shop set-up at home and would feel reasonably confident in being able to do a basic but safe job of sleeving a gun, so I’m tempted to buy a cheap SAF and have a go……however I’ve not been able to find supplier of replacement SxS tubes? Obviously, any gunsmith isn’t going to tell me where they get them from!! Any ideas who might be able to supply some? From what I understand there’s still plenty of stock of W&S tubes lying around somewhere in the UK? I’ve been told some people are sourcing them from Spain I’ve ben told? But no leads on a UK supplier?

[enfieldspares]

The most difficult part will not be the actual physical sleeving. It will be cutting the chamber and forcing cones and the cartridge rims followed by the striking off that is needed and relaying the ribs. Then proof at one of the two Proof Houses (although if kept for your own use not strictly necessary). After that will come getting the correct fit between the wood on the forend and the new barrels and last of course (in no particular order) the choke boring and the reblacking.

[old'un]

Not sure where you could get part machined shotgun tubes from, you can use mild steel but it’s not the best of steel, a lot of shotgun barrels are made from 4140 steel, you can buy 4140 steel tubes but there would be a fair amount of machining needed.

[PeterHenry]

Off the top of my head, don't you need to be a RFD to possess a gun that's (albeit temporarily) been cut down below the otherwise legal minimum length?

[CoventryWire]

Just now, PeterHenry said:

Off the top of my head, don't you need to be a RFD to possess a gun that's (albeit temporarily) been cut down below the otherwise legal minimum length?

Not from my reading of the laws, but I'm sure if the FEO turned up and I had all the bits and it was obvious what I was doing it would be ok? Failing that I guess I just would have to register as a RFD!

[London Best]

I take it your little home machine shop includes a barrel boring machine and not just a lathe and mill?

[PeterHenry]

4 hours ago, CoventryWire said:

Not from my reading of the laws, but I'm sure if the FEO turned up and I had all the bits and it was obvious what I was doing it would be ok? Failing that I guess I just would have to register as a RFD!

https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1968/27/section/4/enacted?view=plain

The above link is to section 4 of the Firearms Act 1968, and is the same as the below text -

(1) Subject to this section, it is an offence to shorten the barrel of a shot gun to a length less than 24 inches.

(2) It is not an offence under subsection (1) above for a registered firearms dealer to shorten the barrel of a shot gun for the sole purpose of replacing a defective part of the barrel so as to produce a barrel not less than 24 inches in length.

(3) It is an offence for a person other than a registered firearms dealer to convert into a firearm anything which, though having the appearance of being a firearm, is so constructed as to be incapable of discharging any missile through its barrel.

(4) A person who commits an offence under section 1 of this Act by having in his possession, or purchasing or acquiring, a shotgun which has been shortened contrary to subsection (1) above or a firearm which has been converted contrary to subsection (3) above (whether by a registered firearms dealer or not), without holding a firearm certificate authorising him to have it in his possession, or to purchase or acquire it, shall be treated for the purposes of provisions of this Act relating to the punishment of offences as committing that offence in an aggravated form.

------

If you go to schedule 6, it talks about sentencing / fines in respect of s4 of the act - which range from 6 months and/or £400 fine, to 7 years.

It's a really stupid idea - especially as the thing has to go to a proof house afterwards, and no RFD worth his salt is going to submit it under his own name for you.

I would imagine it would more than likely come out at some point, and firearms offences don't look good for certificate holders.

Strongly advise against

Edited April 8, 2024 by PeterHenry

[Fil]

On 08/04/2024 at 11:01, PeterHenry said:

On 08/04/2024 at 13:25, PeterHenry said:

 

Off the top of my head, don't you need to be a RFD to possess a gun that's (albeit temporarily) been cut down below the otherwise legal minimum length?

Yes you do. When you cut the barrel for sleeving you then own a shotgun with a barrel less than 24" which then brings it into a section 5 category. The exemption in the firearms act (which you rightly quote below) is provision for RFD certificate holders to cut the barrels temporarily for sleeving purposes only. 

Plus good luck in buying sleeving tubes from a bonafide supplier without an RFD certificate. Helstons or Ladbrook and Langton won't supply without one.

Mind you, I did have some made for an 8 bore sleeving job by a hydraulic tube manufacturer because I couldn't get them from my usual suppliers. Worked a treat.

 

On 08/04/2024 at 11:06, CoventryWire said:

Not from my reading of the laws, but I'm sure if the FEO turned up and I had all the bits and it was obvious what I was doing it would be ok? Failing that I guess I just would have to register as a RFD!

Yes you do. And you just don't register as an RFD. There's way more to it than that. 

[Fil]

On 08/04/2024 at 11:10, London Best said:

I take it your little home machine shop includes a barrel boring machine and not just a lathe and mill?

👍 And chamber reamers and rimming tools and choke reamers and barrel tube strikers and tin paste and resin and a large torch and ...................

[Gunman]

Try Franco Beretta or Bettinsoli in Italy . You may have to buy minimum quantities ,as all of us that did sleeving  had to do . Those that have sleeving tubes will be very reluctant to let them go as they are loosing a job .Those that have some that they will sell are probobly tubes they dont want to use themselves .