Shims

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musketman

Passed On
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Were shims used by old gunsmiths to set barrels and hardware in place, or to fill in a gap?

If so, it it still done today?
 
Yes, and I still do it if I feel it is necessary. I had a barrel on a Jaeger that the barrel channel was in too deep in the breech. I cut lil tapered beveled to fit walnut slats that were long and tapered & I fitted & glued these in & when I reinletted the barrel you couldn't tell it was not the original bed. :thumbsup:

I have seen several old guns with repairs & pieces glued & fitted in.
 
Birddog6
Could one glass bed the barrel in such an istance as you mentioned if they were not concerned about PC'ness??
Just a thought

Woody
 
The modern day shim that is most commonly used is acraglass. If you wish to bed an item (lock, barrel, inlays, whatever) ya have to remove wood to make the bed.
 
Just depends on the rifle. Sometimes I glass bed breeches & tangs, sometimes not. If I bed one I fit the breech of the barrel back & get a 90% flush fit to the wood at the end of the breech, using inletting black. I cut the tang in a closely as I possibly can. Then I bed the tang & breech area & about 2-3" forward of the breech with Micro-bed or Acruglas Gel. When I am done I remove the bedding release agent & then relieve the tang end I bedded just a couple of thousands with a exacto blade, then I seal it all up with Tru-Oil, even tho most say it is not necessary. Sometimes I bed the entire barrel, just depends on what the customer wants.

:results:
 
Some of the bolt action rifles were made more accurate with "pillar bedding", putting a metal shim(s) under the barrel or action for rienforcement or de-stressing. I have two [censored]Ruebin rifles that were pillar bedded when made..and those are military straight pull jobs...very accurate rifles for military stuff.
 
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