How are underbarrel wedges supposed to fi?

[Robert Egler]

In swapping my old 50 cal Traditions Hawken barrel out and replacing it with a new GM 54 smoothbore, I had to make a few adjustments, and I'm not actually sure I have it right.

As it is adjusted now, the underbarrel wedge exactly fits (front to back) the slot attached to the barrel. There is no play back or forward at all, and it also is a tight fit to the escutcheons. (However with pressure you can install and remove the wedge with your hand, no tools needed. You do have to press pretty hard though.)

Also, the wedge holds the barrel tight down against the stock. There is a slight empty space above the wedge, between the wedge and the barrel, but I don't see how this would hurt anything.

Is this how it's supposed to fit, or should there be a little play?

Actually, I'd feel pretty annoyed with myself if there's supposed to be a bit of play, considering how long I worked to get it to fit the way it does now.

A related question is that the breach plug is not quite exactly flat against the tang (hooked breach) when the barrel is completely installed. On the right side there is a very thin gap, much too thin to fit a piece of paper in, in fact not noticibale at all until you look very, very closely, my wife needed a magnifying glass to see it, but it IS a thin gap. Is this ok, or must it really sit exactly flat?

 

[Vaino]

I make my keys or wedges to fit w/ thumb pressure just like yours and slot the key and install a cross pin so they can't fall out for some reason. A slight tap at the middle of the lug would tighten the key further. A space above the key {bbl side} is good and ensures that the bbl and wood are in contact. As far as the "gap" in the hooked breech, have you "blued" one side to determine how much surface is not touching? If most of the surface is in contact, I'd just forget it and see how the rifle groups.....Fred

 

[ricklandes]

Your tight fit will be a good fit as the iron will work its way in over time...a bit of usage burnishing if you will...

The wedge to stock area gap should not be a problem as remember the stock is only used to hold the barrel; its mass is enough to not need the stock to support of stabilize the barrel as a modern rifle does.

If I understand the gap's between the plug and barrel... Was it this way when it arrived, Did you fit it, what is the whole story...

That small of a gap will not be a safety hazzard and if a magnifier is needed to see the gap (Many of us would need the magnifier to see the gap too! :rotf I know it would drive me nuts as I would want it to match exactly...

I am looking forward to the rest of the story...

Edit...I just re-read your note and see it is a hooked breech. It should make no diffrence. If you want to really check the amount of contact smoke the end of the barrel and fit into the tang area. This will show the amount of contact. My guess is that almost no system designed like this is 100% contact as wood mounting is prone to move with time, temp and moisture. Yours sounds like it is gapping on the top and touching in other areas. If it is only gapping on the top you could scrap a bit of wood from under the tang, but the effects of environment will change your work. I think it is best left well enough alone.

 

[Ian Pratt]

The little gap above the installed key is a good thing. You'd also like to see a little gap at either end of the lug slot - not in the wood, just the underlug slot itself - to allow for stock expansion. Not as critical in a half stock gun but still desireable.

 

[Robert Egler]

The breach plug is correctly installed in the barrel, the small gap is between the rear end of the breach plug and the tang. This is a hooked breach, and the gap is between the rear end of the barrel and the front end of the tang part that it hooks into.

My concerns are whether the very tightly fitting underbarrel wedge will put too much stress on the fore end when it's fired, and if the uneven pressure of the barrel on the tang block (or whatever it's supposed to be called) could cause the stock to crack.

I've only fired the gun a few times since I installed the GM mountan barrel, so my concern is what will happen long term.

I don't need a magnifying glass because my eyes are REALLY, REALLY bad now. I see ok with my glasses, but as the eye doctor told me, when I take off my glasses I have to get things so close to my eye to be in focus (about 3 inches at most) that in that case I actually see small stuff better than someone with normal vision can see with a magnifying glass. It's good to know that there's at least ONE advantage of getting older and having bad eyesight! :haha:

AH! Just read your edit Rick! SHould have read that before I posted this. Thanks Rick, Flehto, and Ian, I appreciate the help. :hatsoff: