Bedded the tang: fit problems

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

I usually hacksaw the radius off of the tang. This allows a closer bend in the tang and avoids a humpbacked look to the wrist. It would also stop the above mentioned cam action of the recoil. Bed the breech end of the barrel plus an inch or two up the side flat/ lower oblique flat area. This will also keep cleaning fluids and oils out of the wood.

By radius, do you mean the little rounded corner underneath where the tang meets the breech?

When you bed a barrel - do you usually hog out some wood to make room for the bedding material? Or is the point to only bed those spots where the barrel doesn't already contact wood?

 

[EC121]

Yes the radius is the rounded corner. If the barrel is hitting the wood, a thin coat will harden it some. I wouldn't remove any wood. Taper the lug(front-to-back) on the plug and fill the threaded parts with putty or modeling clay to keep the bedding out of the threads. If there is a lot of wood contact, I usually just bed the "heel" of the breech and lug and wait to see if I need more later. Epo-grip sells some epoxy that is like a paste. It doesn't run. They sell a hobby kit of three different types.

 

[Britsmoothy]

No need for messy concoctions.
I've only ever used canvass.
If you have a hobby store or an online hobby store check out wood veneer.

 

[Artificer]

It can be a fiddle sure and many a barrel is, on modern reproductions, supported only at the breach via just the tang. There is often a slight gap under the breach until contact further up the channel again

This is an EXCELLENT point that is also applicable to repro military smoothbore and even rifled muskets, all too often.

BTW, I've seen worn wood or incorrectly inletted wood fixed in the period (or close to it) using hide glue to glue in fabric or wood shims. One one original percussion rifle, I was amazed to find a very feminine pink printed fabric that was glued in with hide glue and used to tighten up the bedding.

Gus

 

[Artificer]

Yes the radius is the rounded corner. If the barrel is hitting the wood, a thin coat will harden it some. I wouldn't remove any wood. Taper the lug(front-to-back) on the plug and fill the threaded parts with putty or modeling clay to keep the bedding out of the threads. If there is a lot of wood contact, I usually just bed the "heel" of the breech and lug and wait to see if I need more later. Epo-grip sells some epoxy that is like a paste. It doesn't run. They sell a hobby kit of three different types.

Another EXCELLENT Tip!! On many ML barrels, the rear end of the breech plug doesn't come up to the surface of the rear end of the barrel. When bedding material gets in there on both sides of the tang, it forms "hooks" that can or will cause the barrel to be permanently locked into the stock. When that happens it is all too easy to crack or break the stock before the barrel will come out of the stock. I've seen that happen to a lot of guys who didn't realize that over the years, the first time they epoxy bedded their stocks.

I force Romano Modeling Clay (non drying type) into the threaded area on both sides of the rear of the barrel. (Children's Modeling Clay can also be used as long as it is not the air hardening type.) Then I use a putty knife or even an old table knife to cut it even with the surface of the end of the barrel. You lay the blade on the rear end of the barrel to keep the surface even with the rear of the barrel, as you cut off the excess Clay. That keeps the bedding material from getting in there and forming the "hooks" I mentioned earlier. After bedding is done, you just clean the clay out of both sides of the rear of the barrel.

Gus