Originally Posted by
enscien
Back in the 1970s the fashion at Bisley was to shoot the No.4 Rifle conversions at long range (900 and 1,000 yards) because its positive compensation was reckoned to be useful in coping with variations in performance of the military ammunition used, giving an advantage over stiffer actions. By the 1980s the very stiff front locking single shot actions such as the 'Swing' and 'Paramount' gained the edge, with the additional advantage of faster lock times and match triggers. Ammunition consistency was also improved.
The bedding on these rifles is critical. If you look at most No.4 Rifle conversions that have been used for serious target shooting you will often notice pegged holes at the back of the forend, in front of the transverse screw or bar. This is where gunsmiths have inserted special internal hardwood inserts (preferably hornbeam) at the 'draws' securing them by screws from the outside. A tight bearing at this point is considered essential, also at the reinforce and other specified points on the underside of the receiver.
Envoy rifles used coverted No.8 rifle forends (a batch of completely new forends was started, but never completed and eventually destroyed!) with glued-in inserts at the draws which have usually been replaced later on. L39s used converted No.4 rifle forends and would not have had the pegged draws installed in military service.
To relieve pressure on the bearings it was considered good practice to slacken the front trigger guard screw by a few turns at the end of the shooting season so that the wood could recover, retightening when the rifle was brought back into use a few months later.
There is useful contemporary information on bedding No.4 rifle conversions in 'Target Rifle Shooting' by E.G.B.Reynolds and R.A.Fulton (Barrie & Jenkins 1972 ISBN 0.214.65353.6)