Bedding the tang on a hook breach ?

[kyron4]

Is it necessary to bed the tang a hook breach rifle like a Hawken style ? A buddy is working a build and swears if he doesn't bed the tang it will crack the stock and/or deform the wood in that area. He said he plans to shoot round balls and conical with 50-90 gr. charges . Is this step really needed to prevent damage ? -Thanks

 

[billraby]

It is not necessary at all. Its not going to hurt anything, but it is not needed either. A 50 to 90 grain charge is not going to crack the stock if the inletting is good. I don't think you need bedding until you get to the big rifles using huge powder charges. 8 bore and 4 bore and stuff like that. But then a lot of builders like to bed every rifle no matter how much recoil it will have.

 

[Frontier's]

I bed all my muzzleloaders. Look at originals and TV gubs especially. they all crack for recoil over the years and from poorly inlet stocks to begin with.

 

[barracudadave67]

I glass bed all my rifles/muskets, and the guns seems to be more accurate, as the Barrels don't move around in the stock when fired. When removed for cleaning they return to same place. Glass bedding is also a great way to protect the stock wood from water, and unfreindly oils/solvents.

Dave

 

[ohio ramrod]

A properly inlet breech does not need bedded, Bedding will protect from any minor flaws in the inletting and is cheaper than a repair.

 

[Phil Coffins]

A good inletting is plenty for a 50 with 90 grains, I have a 58 with 35” barrel that shoots 150 grains and there isn’t a crack anywhere’s on that rifle. Beddding wasn’t used when making a 4 bore stopping rifle so your buddy is misguided to think it’s required. Here it is after nearly forty years of hunting and target shooting.
IMG_0548 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[Tom A Hawk]

A good inletting is plenty for a 50 with 90 grains, I have a 58 with 35” barrel that shoots 150 grains and there isn’t a crack anywhere’s on that rifle. Beddding wasn’t used when making a 4 bore stopping rifle so your buddy is misguided to think it’s required. Here it is after nearly forty years of hunting and target shooting.
IMG_0548 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

Nice checkering. Who did the color case hardening?

 

[Phil Coffins]

Color case is my work too.

 

[Col. Batguano]

The consensus seems to be that it isn't necessary, but won't hurt to do either.