Bedding three band rifle

[Jshorter]

Has anyone here ever bedded a two or three band enfield style military rifle? If so how did you do it?

I plan on using glass bedding since the rifle came from the factory with bedding in the breech area.

I think I am going to skim bed over the old bedding since it’s chipping and cracking in places then I think I’ll put bedding at each barrel band. Not sure if I should full length bed the stock?

I’m also not sure if I should just lay the barrel in the stock, or if I should torque the tang screw and barrel bands when the bedding is setting up. I think I might just slide the barrel bands in place without tightening and screw in the tang screw until it just finger tight.

 

[Sam squanch]

I just bed the breech area for about 8 inches. I don’t go too deep, then paint the barrel channel with it. Dave person does that, I think. Keep in mind bedding your musket may disqualify you in some competitions, they want them like the originals were.

 

[hawkeye2]

Sam is right about the breech area, no more than 8". I usually do about 6". If there is old bedding in that area it's better to scrape it out and apply fresh rather than have it build up. Most (N-SSA) shooters don't bed full length. The middle band or the rear band on a 2 band gun should be a loose fit to allow for expansion with no bedding at the muzzle end band. If you want to seal the stock a very thin layer is fine but shouldn't interfere with the fit of the barrel (no bedding). I know of one person who used Thompsons Water Seal to seal the channel. Tighten the tang screw, I even bed that, and bind the barrel down tight when bedding. Surgical rubber, tubing or flat, is great for that. If you don't pull the barrel down tight you'll have trouble with the bands fitting and interfering with the barrel's expansion as well as the stock swelling and shrinking.

 

[Jshorter]

I just bed the breech area for about 8 inches. I don’t go too deep, then paint the barrel channel with it. Dave person does that, I think. Keep in mind bedding your musket may disqualify you in some competitions, they want them like the originals were.

Yeah I normally wouldn’t consider glass bedding on a ML, but since it came bedded I figured why not.

 

[Jshorter]

Sam is right about the breech area, no more than 8". I usually do about 6". If there is old bedding in that area it's better to scrape it out and apply fresh rather than have it build up. Most (N-SSA) shooters don't bed full length. The middle band or the rear band on a 2 band gun should be a loose fit to allow for expansion with no bedding at the muzzle end band. If you want to seal the stock a very thin layer is fine but shouldn't interfere with the fit of the barrel (no bedding). I know of one person who used Thompsons Water Seal to seal the channel. Tighten the tang screw, I even bed that, and bind the barrel down tight when bedding. Surgical rubber, tubing or flat, is great for that. If you don't pull the barrel down tight you'll have trouble with the bands fitting and interfering with the barrel's expansion as well as the stock swelling and shrinking.

Sounds like solid advice. Can you elaborate on what you mean by leaving space in the barrel band for expansion. That’s the first I’ve heard of that. Is it for heat expansion or maybe shrinking and swelling of the wood over time?

 

[hawkeye2]

Both actually. Leaving the middle or bottom (2 band) band loose is to allow for barrel and stock movement. Much like slotting the underlugs on a pinned full stock rifle. The band doesn't have to be sloppy loose but should not be forced in place either. You can either sand a little off the stock under the band or remove a little metal where the band contacts the barrel or both. The front band can be snug but again shouldn't be forced into place.

 

[Jshorter]

Both actually. Leaving the middle or bottom (2 band) band loose is to allow for barrel and stock movement. Much like slotting the underlugs on a pinned full stock rifle. The band doesn't have to be sloppy loose but should not be forced in place either. You can either sand a little off the stock under the band or remove a little metal where the band contacts the barrel or both. The front band can be snug but again shouldn't be forced into place.

Interesting, does this help with accuracy? My first thought would’ve been that leaving them loose would allow barrel movement thus decreasing accuracy, then again I can see how cranking them down tight could put stress on the barrel also decreasing accuracy.

 

[hawkeye2]

The breech should be firmly bedded and the tang screw snug. The barrel will expand faster than the stock so it has to be able to move independently or the zero will change. I have a nice 2 band that was full length bedded when I got it and the rear band is so tight it has to be tapped into place and the accuracy is off the scale after a few rounds. I need to remove the bedding and redo it sometime.

 

[Jshorter]

The breech should be firmly bedded and the tang screw snug. The barrel will expand faster than the stock so it has to be able to move independently or the zero will change. I have a nice 2 band that was full length bedded when I got it and the rear band is so tight it has to be tapped into place and the accuracy is off the scale after a few rounds. I need to remove the bedding and redo it sometime.

I’m glad this topic came up. I was aware tightness of barrel bands can affect accuracy but never thought of it in that way.

 

[dave951]

Sam is right about the breech area, no more than 8". I usually do about 6". If there is old bedding in that area it's better to scrape it out and apply fresh rather than have it build up. Most (N-SSA) shooters don't bed full length. The middle band or the rear band on a 2 band gun should be a loose fit to allow for expansion with no bedding at the muzzle end band. If you want to seal the stock a very thin layer is fine but shouldn't interfere with the fit of the barrel (no bedding). I know of one person who used Thompsons Water Seal to seal the channel. Tighten the tang screw, I even bed that, and bind the barrel down tight when bedding. Surgical rubber, tubing or flat, is great for that. If you don't pull the barrel down tight you'll have trouble with the bands fitting and interfering with the barrel's expansion as well as the stock swelling and shrinking.

^^^^^^^^100% What he said

 

[bpd303]

I have bedded some rifles. I did that because my grandfathers original 36cal Ohio Vincent flintlock was bedded with what seemed to be some kind of cloth bedded in old hoof hot glue. If you do use epoxy like Acraglas be sure and use a release agent on the barrel.

 

[Jshorter]

I have bedded some rifles. I did that because my grandfathers original 36cal Ohio Vincent flintlock was bedded with what seemed to be some kind of cloth bedded in old hoof hot glue. If you do use epoxy like Acraglas be sure and use a release agent on the barrel.

Very interesting. I’ve heard of a couple of accounts where original rifles were bedded in the manner you described. Do you have any pictures of the bedding?

 

[bpd303]

No sorry, I was only about 12-13 years old the last time I saw his rifle. When he passed away my older brother got the rifle and no telling what he did with it.