Bedding the "H" Barrel SMLE

[Lithgow 41]

I have found with the H barrel (as i got an unissued and unfired one; still in the grease) the bedding style that I have come across in trial and error, plus also discussing it with Lithgow and the armoury sector, is having the knoxs form touching and the nose cap also touching (around 4-6 pound of pressure on the barrel) with nothing else being in the way.
nose cap is also not drilled out.

manages to shoots 3"-4" groups at 200 yards, with 150 grain .310 projectiles all day, from both a cold barrel to a hot barrel with no issue, and no float with barrel warming up, so im pretty happy with it.
but like all SMLE shooters will agree with, is; find what works for your barrel, what works with one doesnt always mean it will work with all of them.

Information

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[martins8589]

I believe that there were a number of H barrels that were sold late from the factory that were actually seconds. Still greased in the wrap but stored for years as they were out of spec. I had a new H barrel and it was on the maximum of tolerance and had very rough cutter marks. Looked like the apprentice had made it. Would not fire SMK174BT and needed MKVII projectiles to shoot. On the other hand I have a MLE shortened range rifle with a H barrel and it is so tight it shoots 7.62mm projectiles fine.

[Son]

I have found with the H barrel (as i got an unissued and unfired one; still in the grease) the bedding style that I have come across in trial and error, plus also discussing it with Lithgow and the armoury sector, is having the knoxs form touching and the nose cap also touching (around 4-6 pound of pressure on the barrel) with nothing else being in the way.
nose cap is also not drilled out.

manages to shoots 3"-4" groups at 200 yards, with 150 grain .310 projectiles all day, from both a cold barrel to a hot barrel with no issue, and no float with barrel warming up, so im pretty happy with it.
but like all SMLE shooters will agree with, is; find what works for your barrel, what works with one doesnt always mean it will work with all of them.

There in lies the issue.... If you are using anything other than MkVII ball, all bets are off. Almost a century of trial and error and close scientific study (as close as technology permitted at the time anyway) around nodes and anti nodes of the H barrel was solely for the benefit of service ammunition.
You should be able to get those sort of figures from almost any decent H barrel bedded in almost any way imaginable simply through load development. Being able to say the POI does not change from cold to warm is a good achievement... but my favourite old sporter with fully floating barrel does that too, only with milsurp ammunition and achieves the same accuracy.

Here is what "old faithfull" looks like currently.... (it was always a D&T'd sporter and used to be .25cal... no collectable rifles were harmed in the creation of this beast. For those with weak stomachs, look away now)

Attachment 67917

[martins8589]

Wow Son, where did you find that "tacticool" stock set and what sort of cost?

[muffett.2008]

The 4th edition of James Sweet's 'Competitive Rifle Shooting', gives about five different methods of bedding the H barrel, including the Military one.
It also has an article showing the Nodal and Anti Nodal points of the barrel for Mk.VII ammunition, including overtone deflection.
Interesting reading for those with access to a copy.