Bedding A Smoothy Pistol?

[Walkabout]

Upon removing the barrel from my Harper's Ferry pistol, I noticed a gap between the rear of the tang and the stock. I also noticed some missing wood in the tang recess. Troubling. I'm wondering if I should add some bedding material to the tang area. I don't need a big bedding kit for such a small job. Any ideas? Thanks

 

[Freedom]

As long as the bolster and rear of your barrel are making solid contact against the back of the barrel mortis, you are in good shape.
If the tang is the fist point of contact between your stock and barrel...it will crack your stock in short order.

 

[tenngun]

Beding would work, you need a solid fit at the breech. Bees wax might do the job for you if it’s not too big

 

[Walkabout]

Beding would work, you need a solid fit at the breech. Bees wax might do the job for you if it’s not too big

Would bees wax be solid enough? Would I need a release agent? Thanks

 

[Walkabout]

As long as the bolster and rear of your barrel are making solid contact against the back of the barrel mortis, you are in good shape.
If the tang is the fist point between your stock and barrel...it will crack your stock in short order.

I see, so the gap might not necessarily be a bad thing?

 

[PathfinderNC]

As for the barrel tang space- Some builders leave a small space (gap) behind the tang. This is supposed to help prevent the wood from chipping out as sometimes happens. Wax is used to fill the gap. Not saying this was done on your piece, but some don’t see it as a problem.

 

[Freedom]

Last weekend I went to a woodswalk with my brand new Kibler Colonial that I had just finished the day before.
Two friends of mine from the Montana gun builders Guild, walked up and the first thing they said was' "Oh you better file .005 er'so off of the end of that tang or it's going to blow out!"' and they walked away... When I got home after shooting a 20 shot match, some very small chips had started to buckle and blow out from the rear of my Tang.

 

[tenngun]

I had the same problem, learned my lesson.
Bees wax will be solid enough if thin, note how hard a candle is

 

[Sooty Scot]

Hi, my name is Rob, and I have a black powder problem,

I realize these answers probably also apply to my musket (fusil de chasse), but it's new (to me), was a major stretch to get. Waiting on balls but, after several evenings, cleaning and polishing, I got to run shot through it. It seems to throw a decent pattern, about where I intended.

The fore stock is lean, keeping weigh to 7# 12oz. Polishing and handling, I noticed the fore stock flexing slightly, against the barrel, hinting at clearance in the barrel channel. Just found for my inletting black but haven't made time to verify the gap.

Should I just live with this as just a quirk of a well-made weapon or should I consider bedding it. I'm trying to curb my perfectionist streak but want to make this as durable and accurate as I can.

Thanks for your help..