Another bedding question

[Black Lab]

I was told that center bedding is not recommended for 303 Enfields. I have been following the " Canadian Marksman " bedding the 7.62mm #4 rifle The Canadian Marksman (Bedding the 7.62mm No.4 Rifle) - 1965 - Military Surplus Collectors Forums Can anyone explain why ? I can't see why other than a different barrel contour or maybe different barrel harmonics. Jack

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[tbonesmith]

I've got a No 4 mk2 centre bedded by parker hale in a morticed timber block, exactly as described in that canadian manual, in .303, and it is by far the best shooting .303 I've ever had. The group doesn't move at all as the barrel heats up.
I've bedded a couple of no4 mk1's (.303) like this in glass as described by that manual and have had excellent results.
The only reason I don't do it like that anymore is in order to maintain and restore the originality of rifles I play with, AND I keep hearing from Peter Laidler in posts that military bedding gives the best results, so I'll keep working on it until I can get it right and make it sing PROPERLY.
Having said that, the glass method, and/or centre bedding is fast and very effective (for .303)if you follow that manual precisely... whether or not it's best???

[jmoore]

Try it. If it doesn't work, change it back. Most importantly, you MUST tell us how it worked out!

[Black Lab]

I am following the stage's 1-2-3 as per http://photos.imageevent.com/badgerd...s/Marksman.pdf to my best ability. It will be spring by the time I get this finished Thanks for the replies Cheers, Jack

[gunner]

I have best results by following Peters advices on my two Enfileds ( No.4MKI*) but i dont use a wooden block in the reinforced section of forend i used a cork layer. And made no center barrel bedding.

Regards

Gunner

[Edward Horton]

The average wooden stocked Remington 700 has 3 to 9 pounds of up pressure at the fore end tip and this is for all calibers.

The Remington 700s fore end is much shorter than the military Enfield and the up pressure point on the Remington stock is located where the center bedding point is on the Enfield.

Call it leverage and the amount of pressure applied to the lever.

2 to 7 pounds of up pressure on the longer fore arm of the Enfield and 3 to 9 pounds of up pressure on the shorter fore arm of the Remington 700.
Look at item "J" on pages 2 and 3, these Enfield Rifles had standard Enfield muzzle bearing (2 to 7 pounds of up pressure)

The inner band on the No.1 is located at the center bedding point of the no.4 and at the same approximate position on the Remington 700 that up pressure is applied.

If you study the "Canadian Marksman" charts you will see center bedding improved accuracy at 300 yards and beyond. These Enfields were "Group B" rifles with 10 to 16 pounds of up pressure at the center band area or the exact same area as a Remington 700.

You can't regulate up pressure on the Enfield unless the bedding in the draws area is "tight" and maintains and constant up pressure

Now look at the shims installed to a Australian No.1 range rifle and on the center bedded Canadian No.4s.



Please notice in the left hand photo that the rear of the action has been resting on the top of the light colored shims. These shims push or hold the rear of the fore stock "down" and the tip of the fore stock up.

The front trigger guard screw is the fulcrum point of all flexing or moving on the Enfield fore stock just like a child's teeter-totter/see-saw.





Think about the purpose of your bedding and up pressure and what they are trying to control





A loose fitting fore stock will cause your Enfield to string its shots vertically.



Up pressure acts like Viagra and if your fore stock stays stiff for over four hours DO NOT call an Armourer



Now go ahead and play with your fore stock........you will not go blind if you do

[tbonesmith]

Hi Edward Horton, I think your see-saw illustration in the best way yet I've seen to visualize the bedding set up. While I was doing the last couple of no4's and 1's I bedded, that concept sort of dawnwed on me, but you'd be 100 miles ahead to go into the job thinking of that see-saw and an idea of the amount intended final upward pressure at the muzzle, instead of "bed here, here and have upward pressure here".
Thanks for a great post illustrating "HOW".