MN Bedding

[mdi]

On another forum I asked a poster about how he accurized his Mosin Nagant. In his description, he mentioned cork bedding; lightly oil and apply to the barrel channel. I've never heard of this type of bedding. Anyone's thoughts? Info?

[littlejack]

mdi:
I don't know anything about the cork bedding, and have never heard or read any articles about it.
I sporterized my M44 a few years ago. It came out very well with the standard
Acra-Glass bedding kit. I did buy a new, inletted walnut stock from Boyds. It was 65.00 if memory serves. I trimmed and inletted here and there to fit, and shortened the forend to match the 20" barrel. I glassed the recoil lug, and just ahead, and under and around the rear tang.
This rifle will shoot into a ping-pong ball at 100 yards with the Hornaday .312 150 grain jacketed.
Good shooting to you from Eugene Orygun.
Jack

[303Guy]

In the barrel channel there should be relief's. That's where the cork bedding goes. Lee Enfields had it too. It dampens out barrel vibration and apparently can make a rifle very accurate if done right. I think it should be called 'packing' and not bedding.

[junkbug]

Is the "Cork" similar to automotive valve cover gasket sheets that are easily available?

[303Guy]

I don't know. It's cork packing, that's all I know. Automotive cork is rubberized which can't be a bad thing. The trick I think, is to apply the correct pressure to the barrel, so I'd emagine that cork is cork. The technique's are beyond my knowledge. I do have a copy of Howe's volumes in which I think he describes the procedure. I'll have a look and see what I can find. From what I can see, plain cork disintegrates in time (bugs eat it), which automotive cork doesn't.